Selecting a Speaker

Q. I want to secure a memorable speaker for my event. How do I go about finding a great speaker that my company can afford?

A. You’ve heard the adage, “champagne taste on a beer budget?.” This is a particularly relevant statement if you're looking for the right speaker at the right price. The problem is you want name recognition to be a draw for your meeting, but you also have to manage your budget. So, what can you do?

Secure the right speaker for the right price by following four major steps:

1. Determine the meeting objectives

2. Know the budget restraint

3. Locate your resources (research)

4. Put everything in writing

Meeting Objectives

Determining your meeting objectives is critical; if you don’t know the expectations, how can you meet the goals? Just like shopping, if you know what you're seeking you're likely to find it. Otherwise, you just waste time wandering around the store without ever finding anything to buy.

Additionally, you need to know the demographics of your group: male to female ratio, average age, primary profession and education level. These factors  will help you identify your next speaker.

Budget Considerations

Know how much your organization is willing to spend on a speaker. Keep in mind, there are other possibilities when negotiating a fee. Members of your group may be able to offer goods or services that you might barter to lower the speaker's fee. Consider offering the following:

• Videotape their presentation

• Sell their products

• Letters of endorsements to other peer groups

• Dual bookings

• Golf packages, spa packages, membership into the organization

• Lists of attendees including their physical and email addresses

• An invitation to write an article pre-/post-conference

• Host a forum or poolside chat with key decision-makers within your organization

• Donation to his/her favorite charity

Giving something of value to the speaker to reduce his/her fee creates a win-win situation for both parties.

Do Your Research

The RIGHT speaker can add sizzle to your meeting. So how do you find “the one”? Asking others who hire speakers can prove invaluable. Similarly, professional organizations that book speakers can also assist in your search. Even the Internet can be a valuable resource, but don’t rely on this avenue exclusively. Develop a relationship with a speaker bureau—they can be most helpful in locating the RIGHT speaker for your organization.

Interview your candidates. Review their promotional materials, references, certifications and referrals. If the speaker is not asking you questions in return, then look for someone who is more engaging. After all, this is a partnership. Finally, look for the EXPERT rather than someone who can “speak on anything.”

Prior to making your final decision, get your candidates on a conference call with the final decision-maker to see how they will customize their remarks for your meeting objectives. Listen to your intuition…it is 99% correct most of the time.

Contracts

Put everything in writing. Leave nothing to chance! Be sure to include these items in your agreement:

• Program date, location, city

• Program beginning and end times

• Fee

• Expenses. Be specific, some speakers include their travel in their fees (so be sure to ask).

• Audiovisual needs (equipment) and stage set

• Payment schedule

• Deadlines

• Cancellation clause (Don't forget to specify what happens if YOU cancel the event.

• Contact numbers, i.e. emergency/on-site numbers in case anything should happen at the last moment. Ask for the speaker’s mobile number, too.

For this to be a partnership, your speaker will need the following from you:

• Annual report

• The organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

• Key individual's names and phone numbers

• Expectations of your speaker

• Printed conference materials

• Speaker questionnaire returned within a timely manner; this helps them customize their remarks

Your speaker is one of the most important aspects of your meeting, and the RIGHT speaker will make your meeting memorable. So, keep in mind

• Purpose of the meeting

• Researching candidates

• What to negotiate for a win-win partnership

• What to include in the agreement

Garrett Speakers International, Inc., specializes in booking on-target keynote presentations and highly interactive corporate training seminars.