Taking my Keynote Presentations to the Next Level

November 7, 2017

by LIOR ZOREF @lior

A great presentation can become an extraordinary experience when a speaker performs a surprising real-time experiment on stage to demonstrate their idea. The resulting WOW-effect not only captivates the audience, but also enhances their understanding of complex concepts.

In my TED talk, I recreated the famous Ox experiment, emphasizing the idea that working together is the key to success.

Here are some examples of experiments I’ve performed in the past. These may inspire you to think of an experiment that could fit your event if you ever invite me to speak.

A Snake

A Horse

Holding such experiments in virtual keynotes is easy. We can record a short video with an animal before the event and show it during the keynote. Here’s an example from a keynote delivered to about 1,000 SAP employees.

Pigeons

During another talk at an open amphitheater in front of 2,000 people, we released about 120 pigeons that flew over the crowd. I asked the participants how many pigeons they had seen.

A car

An experiment doesn’t necessarily have to include animals. Here are a few examples where I used objects that made sense. Car manufacturers always love to bring a car of their make. Here are a couple of examples from an event Mercedes Benz held for high-end customers, and another at Element Fleet in Washington DC

Photo by Edwin Remsberg

Crane

During a keynote presentation at a large manufacturing plant, I was lifted on a crane to ask the audience to estimate its height.

Las Vegas Stratosphere Tower

Customizing the live experiment to the location of a keynote can add an extra layer of impact. For instance, when I was invited to speak in Las Vegas, I performed a thrilling experiment by jumping from the famous Stratosphere tower, which is 1,149 feet tall (350 meters). During my presentation, I showed the audience a video recording of my jump and asked them to estimate the height of the tower.

Solving a business challenge

In addition to creating excitement and having fun, I use another technique towards the end of my keynote to show the audience how to solve big challenges through collaboration. Working with the event manager, we define a specific business or industry challenge and then ask the audience for thphteir ideas on how to solve it. After sharing their ideas, the audience rates the list of suggestions. For instance, during an Element Fleet event, I requested fleet managers to share their suggestions on improving their fleet costs.

Another example from IAPCO annual meeting of professional congress organizers. Their post-Covid challege was rehiring talented employees.

In summary, incorporating live experiments into keynote presentations can be a highly effective way to engage the audience, enhance their understanding of complex ideas, and leave a lasting impression. With my experience in conducting such experiments, I can help make your event more memorable and impactful. Whether it’s recreating the famous Ox experiment or using a custom experiment tailored to your industry or event, we can bring a unique and engaging element to your program that will inspire and captivate your audience.