A Time Saving Resource When Booking Talent

HOW TO BOOK A SPEAKER

While I was researching information which is available online about booking talent, I was surprised to find a lack of comprehensive information around the subject. I searched Google (well beyond the first page), behold there was still little in the way of robust documentation around my search "How To Book A Speaker".

I decided to write a short, condensed guide on the subject which will be released in the coming weeks based on the experiences and day to day running of the The Entertainers Australia, a Speaker Bureau based in Sydney Australia.

Fortunately we have received positive feedback from both Speakers and Clients who have road tested the book for us. It would see that not only those who book talent are starved of accurate and transparent information around the workings of a Speaker Bureau, Speakers are also learning from the contents.

This is an excerpt from the book and it explains briefly what exactly is a Speaker Bureau.

The book will be available through Amazon, details will be forthcoming on this blog how you can pick it up.

What is  Speaker Bureau?

A Speaker Bureau is a company, which operates to facilitate Speakers for clients requiring after-dinner Speakers, motivational Speakers, awards hosts, cabaret acts, conference facilitators and keynote Speakers. It also provides entertainment options such as bands, comedians and other acts.

Speaker Bureaus maintain a database of personalities and their agents, as well as other hard to come by information. The Speakers hail from fields as diverse as politics, sport, business, television and comedy. A Speaker Bureau has the benefit of extensive industry contacts, as well as access to a wide range of useful databases.

If you have ever tried to track down a celebrity or media personality, you will understand that it can often take way too much time searching for a direct contact; some individuals are quite purposely invisible. It is a Speaker Bureau’s intellectual property that makes it such a valuable asset.

Speaker Bureaus service a range of clients ranging from SMEs to large corporate entities, charities and organisations, and they provide a fast track and trusted link between the Speaker, act or entertainment option and the client. The Speaker Bureau then mediates between both parties, from the primary stages of making contact, through to the booking and logistics process.

Traditionally, Speaker Bureaus are reluctant to give the client any contact details until the contracts are signed. This is to alleviate the possibility of the client contacting the talent directly after receiving the talent’s contact details. While this type of practice is not that common, it does happen. It may not surprise you to know that the Speaker will always be loyal to the source of the lead; they will likely pass the inquiry back to the Bureau should an agency or organisation try to take the direct route. The Entertainers believe that getting the Speaker involved in the early stages of the proposal for the benefit of all is much more beneficial. Disregard the cloak and dagger stuff and rely on integrity. It is a small industry and news travels faster than a speeding bullet, good or bad!

Speaker Bureaus assist the client and the Speaker to negotiate a speaking fee for an event or a conference. The Speaker, or the Speaker’s agent, usually sets this fee. Once the contract terms are agreed upon the account manager of the Speaker Bureau will hand the client to her/his event coordinator within the Bureau to generate the contracts and handle the logistics.

This involves fees, transport, accommodation and timings, as well as communication between Speaker and client with briefing calls and any one-on-one meeting that may be required.