Planning Tips

Use a Speaker's Bureau
Speaker's bureaus do not charge for their services. They are paid a fee by the speakers that they represent, and the services that they provide can greatly influence the success of any event where speakers are used.

Speaker's Travel Fees
All speakers require expenses for travel to and from events, usually first class, and this can add several hundreds of dollars to your speaking budget. Much of this expense can be reduced by contracting with speakers who are based in your geographic area. You can also have your Speaker's Bureau check the schedule of the speaker that you are considering to see if travel expenses can be shared with another organization in your general area that is also contracted with the particular speaker during the same time period.

Name Recognition
If you are charging for your event, make sure that the speaker you hire has the name recognition that will draw a large audience. If you are on a budget, consider using a speaker from your general area that has high visibility locally. Local personalities generally charge lower fees, and you will save on travel expenses.

Entertainment
If you are planning on providing some type of entertainment at your event, use your local Speaker's Bureau to assist you. They can not only provide the type of entertainment that you want, but can also negotiate fees and assist with planning.

Negotiate Everything
Make sure that everything is negotiated before contracts are finalized and signed - fees, travel, accommodations, equipment, etc.. Speaker's Bureaus are highly skilled at the types of negotiations required to insure the success of your event, and are skilled at keeping costs within your budget.