I’m a speaker. I make a living sharing about Jesus in a wide variety of ways—teaching classes, keynoting, shouldering weekend retreats. Because of this, I’ve also connected with many speakers and watched their lives and presentations. I’ve been able to see what makes up an amazing speaker. Here are 7 traits of great speakers:

One. They are responsive.

When you call or email a great speaker, they or the person representing them respond quickly and joyfully. They answer queries in a timely fashion, and are not bothered by details.

Two. They love the craft of speaking.

Great speakers further their craft. They spend time honing their abilities either by speaking a lot (speaking is like a muscle; it must be worked) or by pursuing further training. They prepare well, and are open to your feedback about the audience, your goals, and your hopes for the event.

Three. They are interested in relationships.

Great speakers care about people, and they start demonstrating that the moment they begin interacting with you. They value you, ask great questions, and have a strong desire to know who they will be speaking to. At the event, a great speaker mingles with others, eats with participants, and seeks to listen.

Four. They stay.

When a great speaker is not speaking, he/she is open to interacting with others. They are willing to stay back and pray for someone who is struggling. They are not in a hurry to retreat to their room, cloistered from others. There is not a huge line between the speaker and the audience. He/she sets the audience at ease.

Five. They are open to creating fresh content.

New content is something that excites great speakers. They are willing to tailor-make talks to best suit your needs. This doesn’t mean they continually re-invent content. They pull from their repertoire to create a unique event, yet they are still willing to craft a new talk that suits your needs.

Six. They are easy to work with.

Great speakers are not demanding. They are not prima-donas with extensive lists of must-haves, specific room-temperatures, and extensive food requests. They are grateful, joyful, and happy to accommodate.

Seven. They pray.

Great speakers pray about the events they will do. They pray with you; they ask for prayer, and they pray before and during the event. They may even offer to pray for attendees. They understand that anything significant that happens in an event points back to prayer and God’s great power.

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If you’re in the habit of booking speakers, I hope this list helps you as you plan your next event. My prayer is that every event is infused with Jesus, and lives are forever altered because of the tandem work of you, your group, and the great speaker you hire.

If you’re a speaker, I hope you exemplify all seven traits (as I’m sure you do!).

If you’re a listener, a huge THANKS for being awesome and courteous and sweet. I’ve had the privilege of hanging out with some amazing people over the years.

If you’re interested in seeing a little of what I do in terms of speaking, here’s a taste:

Mary Demuth Reel-HD from Mary DeMuth on Vimeo.

Learn more & book me here.