Author: Simone

What It Really Takes to Stay Relevant as a Speaker

From the outside, speaking looks like a moment. A keynote. A great event. A round of applause. From our side at Social Alchemists, it’s a lot more than that. It’s positioning, timing, relationships, and knowing exactly where a speaker fits and why. We recently joined the Carmen Murray Show to talk about what really goes into building speakers who don’t just get booked once, but stay relevant. What we’re seeing is a clear shift. Clients are not just looking for inspiration anymore. They want value. They want speakers who understand their audience and can make a real impact. And for talent, it’s no longer just about being visible. It’s about being clear, consistent, and trusted in your space. That’s where we come in. As an agency, our role is to connect the right voices to the right rooms and help speakers build careers that last. If you’re booking talent or building your speaking career, this conversation will give you a real look behind the scenes. If you’re ready to work with talent that delivers or grow your own presence, let’s connect.

How You Become The Alchemist

Do you call it a win when people stand and clap? Or is it the energy in the room? How about a huge queue for selfies with the speaker?    WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU, AS A WAY TO MEASURE EVENT SUCCESS? For me, it’s simple: Did anything actually change? If you run conferences, internal events or leadership gatherings, you’ve probably thought about this before. Let’s look at it again. The most important question is this: “What problem are we actually trying to solve and which keynote speaker can help us to shift what people think, feel, know or do?   EMOTIONAL LIFT VS BEHAVIOURAL SHIFT These phrases rhyme but that’s where the similarity ends. Emotional lift is obvious and you see it straight away, in the form of laughter, applause and optimism. It’s useful for creating momentum, but it fades quickly. Behavioural shift takes longer. Think about your own organisation… Where have you actually seen change stick? Have you seen behaviour shift in improved sales conversations, better compliance, better collaboration or faster decision-making?  If you have, this didn’t happen as a fluke. The message matched the strategy, the culture and the way work actually gets done.   AVOIDING THE INCOMPLETE BRIEF I spend a lot of time inside event briefs. So you could say I’m a briefing expert. But don’t take my word for it – here’s my briefing template*. This is what I think “good” looks like. Use it with my compliments. But remember: Even though event teams are under pressure to ‘inspire the troops’ or ‘end on a high note’, the event brief that’s used to find the perfect speaker is incomplete without additional info…    Are you pushing a new strategy? Trying to embed new values? Rolling out new tech? Fixing a performance gap?   Bottom line: What outcome is most important to you? What needs to be different afterwards? The chosen keynote speaker should, ideally, be able to run with and reinforce that agenda – and the event brief should say so.    HERE’S AN EXAMPLE FOR YOU I have a client in SA retail. They had a big internal event on the calendar and a workforce that really needed a lift. A large portion of staff had recently been close to retrenchment, so the mood was pretty bleak.  Everyone was thinking the same thing, “Am I safe?” The client thought they wanted a high-energy, high-adrenaline keynote speaker. But when people are worried about their jobs, energy can feel tone-deaf. It can create a gap between what leadership is saying and what people are feeling. A better choice, I thought, was a keynote speaker who could speak to stability, trust and forward movement; who could rebuild confidence. So my team and I had to shift the objective away from ‘motivate the team’, to something more grounded.    ASKING A DIFFERENT QUESTION Here’s another example. One trend we’re seeing in the industry is a less frequent call for “leadership speakers” and a more frequent call for speakers on “intrapreneurship”, self-leadership and future-proofing. Instead of asking, “Who will wow the audience?”, we ask a different question: “What behaviour needs to change?” Once that’s clear, we make our speaker recommendations strategically. Inspiration still matters – of course it does! – but feeling moved and acting differently are not the same thing. If you’re planning an event and want more than applause, let’s chat.  P.S. Hey, speakers and talent! This message is for you as well. It’s not enough to deliver a strong story and hope it lands. Outcome-driven work means you should be having pre-event conversations with stakeholders, trying to understand what actually matters to them and adjusting your content to how their world works.  CHECK OUT View All Speakers RAVE REVIEWS “Social Alchemists your one stop talent management agent. The team make sourcing talent a breeze, their quick response time, great negotiation skills and effortless planning makes the eventing process seamless…” Kallyn-Leigh WinterIndependent Marketing Consultant Social Alchemists are certainly the go to when you need an MC or entertainment for your event. I have always had such a pleasure working with them…” Dineo UttamsOperations at Sentient Publishing “Their attention to detail and strong follow-through have made them a reliable partner that we can always count on…” Salomé BanksCOO of The Cheese Has Moved (TCHM) DOWNLOAD OUR FREE KEYNOTE SPEAKER BRIEF ESSENTIALS CHECKLIST Download Now

Inside the Speaker World: Simone de Villiers Shares Insights at PSASA 2025

At the recent PSASA (Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa) Convention, our founder, Simone de Villiers, sat down with Kim Vermaak to discuss what goes on behind the scenes when booking top-tier talent for the world’s biggest stages. Simone unpacks how Social Alchemists selects, develops, and elevates keynote speakers, emcees, and event talent in this candid and value-packed interview. From what makes a speaker stand out to the essentials of marketing materials and why proof of concept matters, this is a must-watch for both seasoned and emerging voices in the industry. Key Highlights Include:

Dr. Justin Cohen Revives History’s Greatest Minds with New Podcast: I Speak to Dead People

Podcast cover with microphone

Ever wondered what it would be like to have a conversation with Marcus Aurelius, Shakespeare, or Freud? Thanks to Dr. Justin Cohen’s innovative new podcast, I Speak to Dead People, you don’t have to wonder anymore. About the PodcastIn this one-of-a-kind series, Dr. Cohen uses cutting-edge AI to bring history’s most inspirational figures back to life for in-depth, thought-provoking discussions. From timeless wisdom and overcoming human struggles to how they’d navigate today’s world, these conversations go beyond the textbooks to offer fresh insights and surprising revelations. What Makes It UniqueDr. Justin Cohen, a renowned speaker and author, is known for his ability to blend deep knowledge with engaging storytelling. Now, he’s taking his talents to the podcast world, creating a platform where history and technology collide. Whether it’s exploring Stoic resilience with Marcus Aurelius or dissecting creativity with Shakespeare, every episode is a journey into the minds of the greats. When and Where to ListenThe first episode of I Speak to Dead People drops Tuesday, December 17th. You can find it on all major podcast platforms, including YouTube. Why You Should Tune In Gain timeless insights to help you navigate life’s challenges. Experience history in a way that’s fresh, engaging, and interactive. Be part of a groundbreaking project that blends AI, history, and human curiosity.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvmv7nCws3A Follow I Speak to Dead People now and join Dr. Justin Cohen in bringing history’s greatest voices into the present. Let their wisdom inspire your future. Listen on Spotify Podcasts Listen on Apple Podcasts Watch on Youtube