Are you noticing any new trends in speaker selection? For example, is there a shift to having industry experts serve as keynote speakers more often?
Best-selling business authors are very often in demand on now. It seems that many authors – though not all – hit the speaking circuit as soon as their book starts receiving notoriety. Also, there seems to be a lot more interest in hearing from successful business executives and what we call business ‘gurus,’ those who have been there, done that and are now talking about it.
We do indeed work with industry experts, who can be academics or specialists in a given field. While they serve a wonderful purpose, keep in mind that industry “experts” are not necessarily seasoned professional speakers. Your speakers bureau should know they style, strength and weakness of every industry expert as they would any other expert, and provide proper guidance.
What types of organizations are choosing experts over celebrities or recognizable sports figures and under what circumstances?
This depends more about they type of meeting the company is trying to create. Incentive meetings, or meetings for people who have had to earn the right to attend, will use more celebrity types to reward attendees with an ‘unforgettable’ experience. More content or educationally directed meetings will lean towards more industry experts and content speakers.
We do see now a very nice trend towards the blending of the types of speakers companies will use at their various meetings. More planners are looking at the overall picture and using content or industry speakers as well as motivational speakers – and sometimes entertainers – at a wider range of types of meetings.
Do speakers usually have any specific requirements that event planners should be aware of?
Every speaker’s specific requirements are different. At a minimum, a planner should expect to be responsible for paying for airfare, overnight accommodations, ground transportation meals and AV requirements. Sometimes a speaker may have a flat fee for travel or require a specific per-diem to cover meals and incidentals. There can also be fees for specific handouts or the right to video tape.
Bureaus should provide any extensive requirements to the planner before a final decision is made so there are no surprises.
