How much time is included in the fee?
Does the speaker’s fee cover a one-hour keynote, or a half-day seminar? What about VIP dinners or receptions before and after the event? Some
speakers will consider these activities as being a normal part of any
engagement, where others view additional time as extra. This can be
especially true for celebrity speakers, who can be very guarded about
their time and might want a larger fee for anything outside the
standard presentation.
What are their travel requirements?
Travel costs can very
widely from speaker to speaker and are generally not included in the
quoted fee. Some travel alone, while others bring along managers,
assistants or family members. Likewise, most famous speakers and
celebrity sports speakers will require a first class ticket as part of
any deal.
Do they have any special audio-visual needs?
Be sure not to book a
speaker for a venue that can’t support their audiovisual requirements.
It’s rare, but it can happen. Certain types of smaller or outdoor
locations can’t support extensive multimedia
Are there production costs?
Booking music and
entertainment acts will usually entail production costs that can
dramatically affect the total cost of the event, sometimes even
doubling the bill. These fees can include people and equipment for
sound, lights, security and other elements of the show. Make sure you
know what costs, if any, you’ll be responsible for beforehand.
Can you pre-order books?
If your business
speaker has written a well-known book, you can probably benefit by
ordering them in bulk for your attendees prior to their presentation.
Not only does this give your attendees a reminder of your event, but it
keeps the presentation fresh in their minds. As an added bonus, most
speakers will allow for some time for a book signing if they know that
you’ve purchased a block ahead of time.
Matthew Sherwood is an Account Executive with Brooks International Speakers Bureau. You can reach him at 303-825-8700, or at matt@brooksinternational.com