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5 Predictions for Public Speakers in 2023
I’ve occasionally made predictions for the new year in public speaking. When I went back to check on recent years, I realized I had given up predicting the future during the pandemic, because, well, who the heck knew? But we’re post-pandemic now, or almost, or beginning the end of the pandemic, or something like that, so it’s time to raise my head up out of the foxhole, look around, and duck back down to make these predictions again. Caveat: if I actually knew the future, I would be handicapping the 2024 US presidential race rather than predicting trends in public speaking. So, these are guesses only. And that you can bank on.
First, the return to in-person speaking will accelerate. Barring another pandemic or a resurgence of the currently ebbing one, the hunger for people to hit the road, get to elegant venues, and meet their potential customers, colleagues, friends, frenemies, and competition will finally overcome all the caution, budget-cutting, and travel restrictions of the last few years. Already I’m seeing venues begin to fill back up. Buy your tickets early; airline travel is going to be hideously overcrowded until they hire enough crew and gas up enough planes to handle the load.
Second, speakers will get younger and more diverse. We’re in the midst of a sea change or a generational shift in the speaking population. The future favors you…
