For some events, your clients are going to want a speaker. Sometimes they have a particular person in mind and other times they have no idea. No matter which situation you find yourself in, finding and booking a speaker doesn't have to be stressful, with some background knowledge and tips from the experts.
The first thing you need to decide is whether you want to use a speakers bureau. You may be able to make the contacts on your own to get the speaker you want, but a speakers bureau can take a lot of the planning and worry out of your hands. These organizations are free of charge to you as a planner and will help you find the right speaker for your event, help with logistics regarding the speaker's schedule and travel arrangements, and act as a liaison between you and the speaker. It's the bureau's job to know all the details about speakers, how they operate, and their strengths and weaknesses.
"We really are part of [the planner's] team—our job is to make their speaker selection process as seamless and painless as possible," says Diane Goodman, president of the Goodman Speakers Bureau in Windsor, Connecticut. And while the price of booking your speaker could be higher if booked through a bureau, this is not always the case.
Whether or not you choose to use a speakers bureau, there are a few things you should know about the process of selecting and booking a speaker to make your task a little easier.Before contacting a bureau or speaker, know the complete details of your event. This includes the size, culture, and demographics of the audience, the length of time the speaker will be expected to speak, the room set-up, and the scope of the event.
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Author: AlbertdelToral