Choosing a speaker or act for your events can be challenging, as you want someone unique but you also need to know that you're not going to have to go into hiding for weeks after the event because it went bad! I remember one conference I attended which had been really great up until the final speaker - and then he single handedly managed to undo all the great work done by dragging us through the most uncomfortable and downright painful closing presentation I'd ever seen. The energy and good-will built up by the organisers over 2 days was all dismantled within 45mins!
It was then I decided where I would target my presenting skills - as a dynamic closing speaker. I was not going to let any one else (at least in events that I present at) leave feeling the way I did that day! They say 1st impressions are important but I believe last impressions are far moreso. You can make a few mistakes along the way - but if you really finish with a bang then generally everything's forgotten!
So what do I do that's so different?
Well, to start with I make cocktails on stage - that different enough? I even get people out of the audience to come up with me and 'shake things up' a bit.
Why do I do this?
While I used to be a cocktail bartender about a thousand years ago, I've always found that people had lots of fun whenever I taught them a few tricks and allowed them to show their flamboyant side. When I started conference speaking around 5 years ago, a fellow speaker saw me mix up a few drinks and said 'hey, why don't you do that on stage, people would love it!?' So I did - and they did.
Is there a message (or tangible) delivered outside of all these hyjinks?
Sure is! The cool thing is that my message is actually connected to the cocktail theme. You remember that old doozy movie called Cocktail, starting Tom Cruise? (if you don't you must be a Gen Y'er so let's try 'Coyote Uglies!). Well, these movies feature what are known as 'flair bartenders' i.e. bartenders that turn mixing drinks into a performance or artform.
So I started thinking to myself, wouldn't it be good for more people started doing it 'with flair' in their jobs, you know, really turning their jobs into something fun while still delivering the output at an excellent level. Like the salesperson who has mastered the common objections to his product and know starts to relax and have fun with the sales process - or the office manager who has worked out the best way to organise the department and drive her people, who then starts to exhibit flair.
These the the kind of people that make businesses great places to work at (as well as making the business lots of money..).
In bureau-speak, the core of the message is Employee Engagement.
So how do you know that I can deliver?
Simple - speak to my clients!
'Linking engagement and enjoyment at work with a sense of purpose highlighted to all of us just how important it is to love what you do, in order to do a great job. Thank you so much Jason!'
Lisa Ryan, Head of Human Resources, Asia Pacific, Aviva Investors Asia PL
‘I needed a speaker with great content who could also refresh the energy for the afternoon session on the last day of our conference. A hard ask, but Jason’s interactive and engaging presentation style was just the ticket!'
Jonathan McIlroy, Managing Director, Executive Assistants Network PL
‘Jason provided a spectacular close to our conference and delivered a highly tailored presentation that contributed towards our events overall success'
Jeff Howlett, Trade Development Manager, Pernod Ricard Australia
So please let me summarise this all for you in 3 simple dot points...
Oh, and here's a little bit about my background...
Jason Jay is a motivational keynote speaker who believes we all have flair – we all have the ability to perform tasks and activities to a level of unconscious competence, or effortless mastery. Starting in his father’s bar before he was legally old enough to drink, Jason went on to blaze a trail through the Australian liquor industry, becoming a champion flair bartender (think Tom Cruise in Cocktail) before establishing his successful training practice in 1997. Over the subsequent decade his business enlightened tens of thousands of frontline staff, managers and business owners. In 2007 he was awarded with the prestigious Contribution to the Industry Award at the Australian BarAwards. Jason had spent his entire career motivating and enthusing people – helping them to access more of their potential and creating positive changes in their work and personal lives. He now works with everyone from teenagers through to business leaders, inspiring others to work and live with flair.
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