Why should I use a bureau vs. contacting the speaker directly?

   Most professional speakers will not charge any less when you go direct. A bureau may hire them many times so speakers won’t undercut them. In fact, the bureau may have more pricing leverage. A bureau can save you time and uncertainty. There are tens of thousands of speakers (thousands of motivationals alone). Instead of fielding calls, e-mails and speaker kits from dozens of candidates before and after you’ve made your decision, you can focus on the professional final recommendation from a single contact source. A bureau knows what questions to ask and will work in your interest, while a speaker is going to naturally advocate for themselves. Bureaus spend a good deal of their time researching the market year round. Do you have that time?

Is there an extra charge for your services?

   No. When you book a speaker, our compensation is built into the speaker’s cost. They are gladly deduct our commission from their total because we bring them incremental business. If you don’t choose one of our recommendations, there is no charge.

I don’t see a speaker I like, do you have others?

   Due to logistical limits, we profile only a fraction of the available resources. These profiles are idea starters. Spend a few minutes describing your needs to us - chances are we can find a speaker who will match after further thought. We have many different speaker sources and are expert at customized, strategically sound searches, especially for the insurance, financial services and healthcare industries.

How do I book/hire/reserve a speaker?

   Once we confirm the speaker’s availability for your program, a signed agreement and 50% deposit will reserve the date. The balance is generally due before the event. Our agreements use plain common sense language.

What can I expect from my speaker?

   The speaker should spend time with you beforehand (at least several weeks in advance) understanding your overall event, audience and topical needs. They should be directly accessible once booked to discuss various details as they arise (Promenade can act as an intermediary as required).  A speech is generally 45-90 minutes. You may arrange for multiple speeches and other value added services, such as book signings, meet and greets, writing articles etc. Your speaker should arrive well in advance, be cooperative with your staff, on message and available to confer with the audience afterwards, time permitting. There is more – ask us for details.

What about training and coaching?

   Many speakers provide more in-depth educational programs for smaller groups or even one-on-one. These sessions may last from a few hours to several days or even ongoing. See us for details.

What do speakers cost?

   Professional speakers range from $4,000 plus travel expenses to over $100,000 depending on their level of capability and drawing power, among other factors. Your budget will help us determine an appropriate speaker. Most of our requests involve speakers in the $5,000 to $15,000 range. A speaker with national name recognition generally starts at about $15,000 - $20,000.

When should I start looking for a speaker?

   It’s never too early. We recommend at least 6 months – and a year is not premature.  Many popular speakers are completely booked up a year in advance. Really big names even 2 years out. That said, we’ll gladly help you with shorter notice searches and last-minute replacements.

Why should I use Promenade?

   That depends on your needs and satisfaction level with your current speaker source(s).  Our recommendations have no conflict of interest, since we do not depend on exclusive speaker arrangements. We can offer budget conscious choices because our overhead is low relative to most “major” bureaus. Our clients tell us that we spend more time researching and customizing our recommendation than many other bureaus. Promenade is also very responsive and accountable because of our size.  Our industry specialties include insurance, women's professional development (via our new partnership with Women's Leadership Exchange), financial services, healthcare and auditing, so we have additional resources there. Our principal has over 14 years of experience in account management in various marketing firms.

I need someone to speak outside the US, can you help?

   Yes. Many of our speakers are experienced global presenters. They will generally charge a higher rate than their US fees to cover additional travel and preparation. We do have some bilingual resources, although English is typically the primary language of our speakers. It pays to book further in advance so that speakers have enough time for the extra travel.

Can you help my internal presenters?

   Yes, we have resources who can improve presentation skills for your executives, so that they compare favorably with professional speakers who may be at the event.

Can you get me celebrities and entertainers?

   Yes. Many bigger name celebrities have “exclusive” relationships with a single bureau. However, those bureaus will usually allow us to book them. Sports figures, comics, actors, former politicians and CEO's are common ideas. There are many issues to consider when hitching your wagon to a celebrity, which we would be happy to discuss. Corporate entertainers can be recommended based on your audience sensitivities, budget and overall theme.