You can envision your event: the audience engaged as the speaker educates and inspires the room. The positive feedback flooding your social media accounts. But, how do you get from your idea’s inception to its fruition? How to book a speaker for your audience? Planning an event with a speaker can seem both perplexing and overwhelming.
1.) Determine Your Budget
Before you inquire about a speaker’s availability, determine the budget you have to work with. The cost of speakers can range from around five thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many factors can determine the speaker’s fees for your event, such as the time commitment involved and the audience that will be addressed. If your event is overseas, speakers typically have higher rates than for domestic events. In addition, you will need to consider travel expenses. These can include 1st class airfare, hotel accommodations, ground transportation, meals, and out-of-pocket expenses.
2.) Keep Your Audience in Mind
Whether you are booking a speaker for a technology conference or a church retreat for women, you need to consider your audience. You want the speaker to find common ground with your audience and for their message to resonate with them on an individual level. If you aren’t sure who would be a good fit, ask! Take a poll, survey your targeted group, and see what topics interest them and what they hope to take away from the talk. Maybe you want someone who can speak to your field specifically or perhaps a motivational speaker from another industry will enliven and motivate your audience due to their different perspective.
3.) Contact a Speakers’ Bureau
After you have solidified your funding and have an idea of a speaker or topic of interest, reach out to a talent agency. Agents are skilled at helping you find the perfect fit for your event. They can suggest speakers based on topics, industries, pricing, location, and more. They have worked with these speakers and can line up speakers who will make a difference at your event. You can get a list of speaker ideas or find out specifics about an individual’s fees and availability. You can even view video footage of previous speeches to know what to expect on the day of your event.
4.) Offer and Acceptance
Your talent booking agency will help you when it comes time to approach the speaker with a firm offer. After you have submitted an offer to a speaker, you wait for a response- which can take a few days or weeks. If they agree to your offer, a contract is drawn and you will submit a deposit for half of the speaker’s fees. From there, the agency will handle every aspect of the speaker’s role- giving you time to plan the rest of your event!
For more information on working with a talent agency to book a keynote speaker for your event, contact All American Entertainment today!