Working with Speakers and Speaker Bureaus: Frequently Asked Questions

Why do bureaus ask for your budget upfront?

Pricing for professional speakers varies from about $4-5,000 to over $100,000. There are thousands of speakers at many pricing levels. While there is more flexibility due to the recession, a $25,000 ex-congressman is not going to be available for $5,000. Fame is the most important determinant of price (not speaking ability!). A well-known speaker may be essential to drawing a particular high-end audience. Sometimes you might achieve that goal with two lesser known experts, perhaps in a debate format. Or you may determine that a $15,000 speaker can benefit you as well as one at $30,000. Most times, we’ll give you a range of ideas up to your budget, so you can make a cost/benefit decision. We’d rather suggest several people you can afford, than more famous people you can’t.

Why don’t you publish pricing?

Some speakers have more flexible pricing, depending on several factors. Most don’t want pricing published for competitive reasons. Pricing may change with short notice depending on the speaker.

How can I find lower priced speakers?

We have a “$10,000 and under speaker” roster on our home page, which goes down to about $5,000. Other bureaus have similar types of listings. This is a sampling. If you know what you want and your budget, we have many other speakers we can access.

I can’t pay a speaker, but can offer them great exposure? Who do you recommend?

Speakers affiliated with bureaus only expect us to contact them about paid engagements. They may do a limited amount of low or no fee speeches based on various criteria. Most speakers tell us that “no-fee” speeches seldom lead to paid bookings and take away dates they could use for revenue generating activities. Bureaus don’t make money from free speeches. In this case, you are best served contacting speakers directly, though odds are still low for acceptance.

$25,000 for an hour’s speech? That sounds mighty high…
You are paying for a speaker’s experience, industry knowledge, drawing power, ability to engage and educate your audience, encourage new thinking and behaviors, enhance your brand, reinforce your event theme, their time preparing and traveling to your program, etc. They may have other sources of revenue they are foregoing to prepare and present for you. And then back to FAQ #1: enough others are willing to pay that rate.

Why does it matter who you hired in past?

Collectively, that often reveals critical insights about budget, speaker criteria, your audience and the preferences of your decision makers. It also helps us focus on new ideas.

Can that expensive speaker talk about my industry, company, products?

It depends. Flexibility varies widely. Your chances increase when they match established expertise, favorite causes, or you give them longer notice (over 3-4 months). We caution that famous speakers may offer access to star power, but won’t necessarily customize their programs nearly as much as lesser known professional speakers. They may be able to offer your audience other benefits, such as a VIP meet and greets or roundtables. A panel may draw out more customized discussion. 

Since March, we've added a number of speakers to our site:

The Economy & Business:
Tyler Cowen - Top Economic Blogger and NY Times Columnist
David Smick - Author: The World is Curved

Healthcare:
Dr. Robert Wachter - Hospitalist Pioneer
Adriane Berg - TV & Radio Educator on Aging & Longevity
Dr. Francine Gaillour - Leading Change & Soft Skills for Physicians & Healthcare Executives
Dr. John La Puma - RealAge Diet & Culinary Medicine Speaker

Leadership & Management:
Dr. Gary Bradt - Leading Change, The Ring in the Rubble,
Former Who Moved My Cheese speaker
Oren Harari - Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell/Breaking Out of a Copycat Economy
Beth Polish - Financing Growth/Don't Run Out of Money
Jeffrey Krug - Post Merger Management Retention
Jack Appleman - Business Writing Success

For Link to Budgets $10,000 and Under, please visit our home page.