{"id":6552,"date":"2021-10-11T00:00:57","date_gmt":"2021-10-11T00:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.grzeskowitz.de\/?p=6552"},"modified":"2026-05-19T08:07:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T08:07:16","slug":"what-is-a-keynote-speaker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.grzeskowitz.de\/en\/was-ist-ein-keynote-speaker\/","title":{"rendered":"WHAT IS A KEYNOTE SPEAKER?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Keynote Speaker German: What does the term mean?<\/span><\/h2>

\u201eWhere do you want to go?\u201c These were the words with which the friendly cab driver greeted me at Frankfurt Airport. When I told him the location where I was to give the keynote speech at a major congress that afternoon, he asked with interest: \u201eWhat do you do for a living?\u201c My answer,\u00a0that I am a keynote speaker<\/a>, As is often the case, this led to a look of disbelief and the question: \u201eWhat is a keynote speaker?\u201c.<\/span><\/p>

Of course, I explained my job to him in detail during the journey. And yet the next question inevitably came: \u201eAnd you can actually earn money with this?\u201c We will go into the question of possible fees in more detail later in this article, but for now let's deal with the question of why the term\u00a0Keynote speaker in Germany<\/a>\u00a0is still so unknown.<\/span><\/p>

When I have the same conversation in the USA, England or Asia, the reactions tend to be: \u201eAh, cool. I'm a big fan of Tony Robbins. I wish you every success with your speech.\u201c<\/span><\/p><\/div>

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Key Speaker: What is that?<\/span><\/h2><\/div>

Dieser Artikel soll daher etwas Licht ins Dunkel der Frage \u201eWas ist ein\u00a0Keynote Speaker<\/a>\u201c bringen. Bevor wir den Key Speaker (und selbstverst\u00e4ndlich auch die Keynote Speakerin) definieren, wollen wir zuerst das gro\u00dfe Kn\u00e4uel der unterschiedlichen Begrifflichkeiten etwas entwirren. Denn neben dem Keynote Speaker gibt es ja auch noch Redner, Referenten, Dozenten oder Sprecher. Nat\u00fcrlich sind die \u00dcberg\u00e4nge zwischen den einzelnen Kategorien flie\u00dfend, gleichsam unterscheiden sie sich aber auch elementar, haben sie doch alle unterschiedliche Aufgaben und Zielsetzungen, wenn man sie f\u00fcr eine Veranstaltung bucht.<\/span><\/p><\/div>

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Public speaking versus professional speaking<\/span><\/h2><\/div>

Speaking of booking, this thought reminds me to make another important distinction at this point. Because when it comes to giving speeches, there are two similar but ultimately completely different areas:<\/span><\/p>

1. public speaking<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

This refers to giving speeches in public, i.e. in front of other people. The motivation behind this is the joy of rhetoric, the art of speaking or the need to inspire other people. In seminars, workshops or associations such as\u00a0Toastmasters<\/a>\u00a0you learn the craft of how to put together a good speech and which techniques work best. You can then try all this out at weddings, speaker slams, trade fairs or seminars, for example. Toastmasters even goes one step further and regularly organizes speech competitions in various categories, including the World Championship in Public Speaking. However, as all this takes place without payment, it is a hobby.<\/span><\/p>

2. professional speaking<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

As the name suggests, this category includes professional speakers who earn money and make a living by giving keynote speeches or presentations. Professional speakers are also really good speakers (the best of them even outstanding), but that's not what they get paid for. Instead, it's about the impact their speeches have. And the greater the expertise and experience of the speaker, the greater the impact. All successful professional speakers are therefore usually experts in a particular field (I will reveal which topics are booked most frequently below).<\/span><\/p>

Ich hoffe, dass die Unterscheidung deutlich geworden ist, denn in diesem Artikel besch\u00e4ftigen wir uns ausschlie\u00dflich mit Rednern und Keynote Speakern aus der zweiten Kategorie. \u201eAber Moment Ilja, jetzt hast Du ja schon wieder beide Begriffe in einem Satz verwendet. Was ist denn jetzt der Unterschied?\u201c. Okay, da haben Sie nat\u00fcrlich recht. Es ist also Zeit, die Frage \u201eWas ist ein\u00a0Keynote Speaker<\/a>?\u201c mit einer entsprechenden Definition zu beantworten.<\/span><\/p><\/div>

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Keynote Speaker Definition<\/span><\/h2>

Ignorance of the true meaning of the term keynote speaker is probably largely due to the inflationary use of the term in the wrong context. Why not put it to the test and scroll through the feed of LinkedIn, Instagram or another social media platform of your choice? Chances are good that you will quickly stumble across a variation of the following statements:<\/span><\/p>

  • \u201eLooking forward to my keynote at Event XYZ\u201c (even though it's a free online congress with over 35 speakers).<\/span><\/li>
  • My keynote speech at the staff meeting of company XYZ was a complete success\u201c (although it was a technical presentation after the lunch break).<\/span><\/li>
  • \u201eLet's do this. Keynote Speech at the University XYZ\u201c (although it was a keynote speech as a lecturer)<\/span><\/li><\/ul>

    You know what I'm talking about, don't you? Often these statements are then embellished with the fact that you \u201erocked the stage\u201c, which is a classic indicator that you are neither a keynote speaker nor a professional speaker. A keynote speech delivered by a keynote speaker is something completely different.<\/span><\/p>

    Wikipedia defines the keynote speech as\u00a0\u201ean outstandingly presented lecture by a mostly prominent speaker or professional keynote speaker<\/em><\/a>\u201c.<\/span><\/p>

    My definition of a keynote speaker is as follows:<\/span><\/p>

    \u201eA keynote speaker is the main speaker at an event, whose keynote speech either opens or closes the event. The keynote speaker follows the central theme of the event, provides impetus for the main topic and activates the audience, particularly emotionally.<\/em>\u201c<\/span><\/p>

    The term is made up of the syllables \u201ekey\u201c and \u201enote\u201c and originally comes from the world of choral singing, where the choir sings a single note before performing together so that the individual singers can tune in to the piece to be sung and to each other. The keynote speaker has a similar task, namely to get the participants of an event in the mood for a topic, a core message or a central theme.<\/span><\/p><\/div>