I HAVE NEVER BOOKED A SPEAKER BEFORE, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Is this your first time planning a corporate conference or an event? Is this the first time you are involved in finding or booking the speaker?

Call us or contact Speakers Bureau Canada! Our experienced talent agents and event coordinators can work with you to understand your requirements and what you hope you hope for the audience to achieve through the speaker’s session. It is an exciting time to plan an event however it can come with a lot of pressure without a strategic partnership to support you and the organizing team throughout each stage of your research and planning the event.

We love to hear from each organizer to understand the purpose of the event and provide speakers that will meet the session requirements. We are passionate about connecting you with Canada’s leading talent and expert motivational keynote speakers so that you are prepared for each meeting with your team so that you can review a list of speaker recommendations that are the perfect speaker for the event.

WHAT TYPES OF SPEAKERS SHOULD I LOOK FOR?

It all depends on the session format (keynote, workshop, training, event host, emcee) for the guest speaker that will resonate best with the conference program or event agenda. After dinner speakers deliver different presentations than an opening keynote speaker. Workshop speakers and training facilitators are better suited for smaller groups.

We help you search, find, and connect with Canada’s top engaging motivational speakers and leading experts in their fields. We also keep up with industry trends, trending topics and speakers to give you new ideas for the themes you identify for the presentation.

Through our guidance, high level of service, unique keynote speakers, talented virtual speakers and speaking industry expertise, Speakers Canada is the major resource for event organizing teams to search, find and most importantly, help you select the speaker who creates a life-changing and memorable experience for the audience to educate and motivate participants to best achieve the results and objectives set out by your organization.

WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO FIND THE RIGHT SPEAKER FOR AN EVENT OR CONFERENCE?

While there are many ways to search and find a speaker for an event it can come with calculated risks, high pressure, and unique challenges to trust that the speaker will be able to meet the needs and expectations of the audience and organization. Videos offer a glimpse into the presentation ability of a speaker but will often not give a full understanding of their ability to present on a specific topic and their ability to tailor the content for each audience. Personal references from corporate partners, employees and trusted organizations are by far the best way to ensure the speaker will be able to motivate the audience and have a professional approach to speaking at each conference or event.

MAY I BOOK SPEAKERS THROUGH MORE THAN ONE SPEAKERS BUREAU?

You are free to work with as many speakers’ bureaus as you wish. Sometimes using multiple bureaus can lead to confusion and wasted time. However, working with one bureau will save you more time and money over a long-term period. We work with other reputable bureaus to get you the right speakers. When we get to know your needs better, we are in a better position to provide you with flawless customer service and to precisely recommend the right speakers for your organization’s events.

HOW DO I KNOW THAT THE SPEAKER I SELECT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL WITH MY AUDIENCE?

Working with speakers that are on a speaker bureau is the best way to guarantee the success of the event. Speakers on speaker bureau’s have the experience, professionalism, credibility, professional background, and expert knowledge and are committed to being professional speakers. They work hard with each organization to align the content of the presentation; have a wide variety of recently researched and updated content they can pull from and have the most experience in presenting to different audiences at events in Canada. Working with a Canadian Speaker Bureau motivational speaker gives organizing teams the trust required to plan and hold an event while giving them confidence that their people will walk away from the session with a new mindset that is motivated and inspired to make a change in their behaviour.

Speakers Canada’s motivational speaker bureau talent has been carefully screened and selected to be on our list of speakers for organizations. Our trusted event coordinators and speaker agents work closely with you and act as an extended team member to partner with in planning the event. We meet and maintain professional speaking industry standards, guide organizers to point them in the right direction by offering qualified experts and keynote speakers for virtual and corporate events. We ensure a smooth process at each stage of your research and decision.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I BUDGET FOR A SPEAKER AND HOW MUCH TO MOTIVAITONAL KEYNOTE SPEAKERS COST?

We represent speakers that are flexible in their fees, but typically charge between $2,500 to $20,000. The average speaker in our roster is around the $5,000 to $10,000 range, however our carefully selection of speakers can serve smaller local events under $5,000 and large conferences up to $100,000. Speakers Bureau of Canada’ and our expert motivational speakers care about each organization and the opportunity to impact others through their presentations. We don’t just showcase the big names with the highest fees, we find the unique talent within Canada at different price points that add value with each audience at each event.

DOES THE SPEAKER FEE VARY DEPENDING ON THE HOST ORGANIZATION BOOKING THE SPEAKER, PRESENTATION FORMAT, TYPE OF ENGAGEMENT OR LENGTH OF THE PRESENTATION?

Most of our motivational speakers are dynamic in their ability to present keynotes, half day workshops or full day training programs. A keynote speaker fee will often be different than a half day workshop or full day training session. Some of our speakers will charge the same for a half day presentation as they do for a keynote presentation. Smaller group sizes will usually have the speaker to be more flexible with their fees and each speaker has their own approach to offering discounted rates for different types of organizations. The best things to do is to contact us to tell us more about your event, the speakers you are interested in, the audience, the topic themes, and the organization you work for. Once we learn this information, we can then tell you more about the speaker, their fees and the costs associated for the event for each speaker.

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A LARGE BUDGET FOR A SMALL GROUP OR THIS IS A NON-PROFIT FUNDRAISER OR EVENT?

No matter what type of event or the budget you have for the speaker, Speakers Canada is here to help match you with the speaker that will best suit your needs for the right audience at each event. Our strategy is to be a strong support for organization, and we know that we will not always have the right speaker for each event.

We always assist each organization in each request by pointing them in the right direction, no matter what the situation, budget, speaker or challenge they have to find a speaker. We are motivated to find the right speaker within budget, and our talented speaker agents work to understand the unique requirements of the organization and the budget they are working with before advancing options. We also offer event planners strategic advice in increasing the budget in the event planning section on our website.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER HIDDEN COSTS OR EXTRA CHARGES INVOLVED WHEN I BOOK A KEYNOTE SPEAKER OF A VIRTUAL SPEAKER?

If you are planning for an in-person event and the speaker is to make a live appearance, travel and related expenses are not included from the speaker fee. Organizations can sometimes pull from their organizations travel budget to accommodate the costs, however it is important to note that unless it is a local event, the host organization is responsible to pay for the associated travel expenses.

Audio/Visual requirements are another cost that is not included in the fee however it is important to learn the A/V needs of the speaker early on, as most organizations or venues will already have the technical requirements for the speaker. Unless you are tax exempt, GST & HST is also another added cost to the speaker fee. Virtual events and in person events have different tax qualifications in each province, however Speakers Canada manages this process to clarify and adhere to each organizations tax provisions in each province. SBC is also PST exempt in PST provinces for in person and virtual events.

The success of the speaker at corporate events depends on the time spent coordinating with your team and working with a guest speaker before the event. With each speaker having their own process, it is important that you get to know the speaker’s approach to preparing the content of the presentation and to manage expectations for your organization and the speaker.

Creating a checklist for the speaker and your team that outlines the process, preferences and expectations can be an important step to make sure that you do not miss any critical steps. The more the speaker knows about the event, audience, venue, technology, and your expectations the better. The more the organization knows about the speaker, their content, presentation style and technology preferences the more effective the presentation will be.

WHO SHOULD BE WORKING WITH THE SPEAKER?

Each team member has their own responsibilities therefore it is important to designate at least one team member to work with the speaker. This person should have experience in the events industry, have a deep understanding of the leaders of the organizations’ aspirations for attendees and the speaker and have strong skills in being detailed to coordinate with all stakeholders. The speaker coordinator can often share insights, ideas, and processes to their team members on behalf of the team members which often keeps a simple but strong and efficient line of communication.

If you do have two colleagues responsible to coordinate with the speaker it is important for them both to have clear roles for specific tasks with the speaker that do not overlap. For example, one team member could be the main point of contact for the speaker regarding content and the other could be responsible to manage the speaker’s travel to the event. Having more than one team member assigned to manage all the logistics and content with the speaker risks the possibility of miscommunicating a singular message or can create a situation where the speaker is being told two different things regarding the same manner.

HOW DO I PREPARE THE SPEAKER FOR THE EVENT?

It is important for the leaders and organizers to have a meeting or two beforehand to outline what you hope to achieve through the speaker at the event. During this internal in person or virtual meeting, you and the team will be able to outline any important meeting dates, important dates for deliverables for the speaker. It is recommended to make an agenda for the remainder of the planning, discuss your session requirements, topic themes you hope to have addressed, A/V availability or virtual software platform, and if possible, have a prepared agenda for the daily agenda/conference program along with important contact information for representatives that will be coordinating with the speaker before the event.

If you have a bilingual requirement or if you require the speaker to submit slides for translation or for accessibility purposes, it is also important to make notes on when you will require the speaker to submit their slide deck, or any other conditions set to meet the session requirements before the event takes place. Speakers will require to communicate with representatives involved in the promotion of the event, as well as main contacts involved in the production and delivery of the event for A/V rehearsals and virtual test runs. Speakers also usually like to know who will be speaking before or after them, as well as the person who will be introducing them to the audience. During these meetings, you can also assign clear roles and responsibilities for your team members and go over each detail and request for the speaker. You can also mitigate risks, produce backup plans and discuss any information that you need to be clarified by the speaker bureau or their speaker.

WILL I BE ABLE TO CONNECT OR COMMUNICATE WITH THE SPEAKER DIRECTLY PRIOR TO MY EVENT?

Most of our speakers are available to speak with you directly prior to you choosing them as your speaker as well as after they have been selected for the event. Speakers Bureau Canada connects you to arrange a conference call or video conference call directly between the speaker and your team. When connecting you with a speaker, we always ensure that all the information about your event is communicated to help prepare the speaker by outlining major points of discussion for the call and to best prepare the speaker for their presentation and for your event. We call this a “content creative discovery call” “creative call” or “discovery call.” All terms mean the same thing as the primary purpose of the call is to go over the event details, logistics and the content of the presentation to ensure that there is alignment before, during and at the event.

WHAT IS A DISCOVERY CALL OR CREATIVE CALL? WHAT SHOULD WE DISCUSS AND HOW DO I PREPARE FOR THE CALL?

Having a video conference discovery call with the speaker to do a content overview is something we always feel is one of the most important stages in working with the speaker leading up to the event. Some may even do a face to face in person meeting, however in most cases we organize a virtual meeting between the speaker and your team. The guest speakers and motivational speakers we work with, will always want to connect with organizers and event planning teams at an early stage to participate in the creative process for planning the event and discuss the event details and confirm the focus for their presentation.

During the call, a good speaker will understand each organizations process leading up to the event to go over content and set meeting times to discuss content or to meet the technical requirements for the session. Great speakers will not only align their process with the organizations but will also create value for the organization by providing insights, innovative ideas, and areas to focus on within each stage of planning and delivering the event. Great professional speakers will also provide strategy and insights on how to best promote the event and how to motivate and engage the attendees to the content of what they will be learning through the speaker’s presentation.

WILL THE SPEAKER TAILOR OR CUSTOMIZE THEIR PRESENTATION FOR OUR EVENT AND AUDIENCE?

Professional motivational speakers and keynote speakers from the Speakers Bureau of Canada will always research the audience, the event theme, and the desired learning outcomes of the session before the event takes place. Through their unique insights and professional approach to each event, the speaker will be able to include key messaging that blends the organizational needs of the audience with the speakers’ areas of expertise within each topic theme identified for the session. This approach enables the speaker to customize their presentation according to the needs of the organization and audience.

Our motivational keynote speakers work closely with clients to go over the content, and each customized presentation includes carefully selected content with practical insights that educate and motivate the audience to implement right after the event. Good speakers will be able to understand the program and the needs of the audience, and by using a professional approach to each event, they are able to deliver presentations that resonate with each audience member and their profession. Great speakers know who they are addressing, and adapt their presentation so that it is relevant, timely and relates to the organization and their everyday work experiences.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE SPEAKER CANNOT MAKE IT TO THE ENGAGEMENT OR IF THE SPEAKER CANCELLS THEIR APPEARANCE?

The speaker has cancelled…what should I do? Cancellations happen however they are quite uncommon when working with a professional speaker, especially if they are represented by a speakers bureau. Cancellations occur in less than one percent of our bookings and the only excusable reasons for cancellations are unexpected illness, family emergencies or unavoidable weather with travel delays.

Working with a Canadian speaker bureau like Speakers Canada is one of the best ways to limit the risk in planning an event with a speaker, as if the speaker cancels the event, our bureau agents and talent will all work closely with you to find an active replacement. There is an agreeance between speakers bureaus and their speakers to collaborate with one another to work under the same conditions set within the contract for the cancelled speaker, and to provide a speaker that is equal to greater value than the original speaker booked. Another good strategy is finding a good local speaker who will not be subject to travel conditions to make it to the location.

We consider ourselves an active partner and contributor to the success of your event and in rare instances that a cancellation occurs, we jump into action for an “all hands-on deck” situation where we call upon all our resources and network of speakers to make alternative arrangements to fill your program and find an adequate replacement speaker. We are available to you and your team at all hours and will work to resolve the situation efficiently and effectively with the success of the event and the speakers session at the forefront of our work.

WE ARE NOT LIMITED TO OUR BUREAU MEMBERS AND CAN ACCESS ALMOST ANY SPEAKER FOR ANY EVENT

We work collaboratively with other bureaus across Canada and the World to get you speakers. We have a stellar reputation in the industry. We have the experience, know-how, contacts, and research capability to get you any speaker you want. We Co-Broker deal with the right speakers and agents to guarantee the right presentation.

SBC has many strategic partnerships in Canada and the United States. We have often worked on behalf of our clients to contact any speakers outside of our roster or their agents to check availability, confirm fees and negotiate their rates. We protect your identity in this process which most clients enjoy, and we can also usually leverage our relationship to try to negotiate a lowered rate.

This service is provided at no extra cost to you as we always take our commissions from the speakers’ end. We also enjoy doing this work as it always gives us new insights for speakers we may not know about or can work with in the future. We already have a list we can send you of fees from some of the most popular and current speakers booked for larger events and can send you over some options to get the conversations started.

CAN’T I JUST CONTACT A SPEAKER DIRECTLY VS CONTACTING THE SPEAKERS BUREAU? HOW DO I REACH A POTENTIAL SPEAKER?

In some cases, you can, in others not. Most professional speakers and motivational keynote speakers prefer to work through a bureau. There are no extra costs involved in booking a speaker directly and since they all work busy schedules travelling between events, they trust us to manage the logistics and present them with each opportunity after gathering all the event details from the host organization. Speakers’ bureaus have direct access to the speaker’s agent and have a preference in their communications since we have worked with them in the past. We can usually receive a response or establish contact within one or two business days. Since most motivational speakers are very popular or could be celebrity speakers we play a strong role in being able to contact their agent directly which avoids a long-drawn-out process to connect with the speaker’s team. Contacting the Speakers Bureau of Canada will enable a smooth and efficient process in getting a hold of and booking the speaker for your event. Learn the benefits of working with a Canadian speakers bureau here.

WHAT IF I AM LOOKING FOR A SPEAKER BUT I DO NOT SEE THEM ON YOUR WEBSITE?

While we aim to represent Canada’s top motivational speakers and engaging thought leaders, we can’t represent them all. We have reciprocal arrangements and partner with many agencies to book speakers that do not appear on our website. We can also conduct research to locate and book a speaker for you. Just let us know if you have someone in mind, and we will secure them at the same fee as you would book them directly or through another bureau.

Speakers Bureau Canada has many industry partners with talent agencies and speakers bureaus in and outside of Canada that we can contact to find speakers that are a good fit for the event. We are always recruiting and trying to find interesting speakers that offer unique insights for audiences to walk a way with and implement in their lives after each presentation. If you provide Speakers Canada with any keynote speaker or virtual speakers name, we have strategic ways to contact them about your event to check availability, learn their costs and to book them for your event.

WHAT IF THE SPEAKER IS EXCLUSIVE TO ANOTHER SPEAKER BUREAU OR TALENT AGENCY, CAN SPEAKERS CANADA STILL BE MY AGENT OR DO I HAVE TO WORK WITH THAT AGENCY DIRECTLY?

Many of the bureau partners and agencies we collaborate with in Canada have aim to hire exclusive speakers through their deep routed connections to media outlets or political networks. Speakers Bureau of Canada is a newly formed bureau and working from the ground up to establish we as a major resource to find celebrity, astronauts, and top sports motivational speakers. Because we have extensive relationships throughout the industry, we can “co-broker” speakers with other bureaus at no expense to you.

If a speaker is exclusive to another agency, we can contact that agency as we usually have direct access to their CEO and can learn more about the speaker you are interested in, gather their fee schedule, and check their availability. Many of the organizers we work with request us to source out options that are on other bureaus and through keeping industry standards, and strong relationships, we are able to find the right speaker for any event. You can keep Speakers Bureau Canada as your trusted supply for motivational keynote speakers and virtual speakers and let us do all the work to find you the best speaker for your organization and audience at each event. We work collaboratively with other bureaus across Canada and the World to get you speakers that are not represented on our website, and we find you the perfect motivational speaker for your event.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF WORKING WITH SPEAKERS BUREAU OF CANADA VS WORKING WITH ANOTHER BUREAU IF THE SPEAKER IS EXCLUSIVE WITH THEM?

Relationships. We work to find you the perfect keynote speaker or virtual speaker for any event on any topic. Speakers Canada aims to continue to serve Canadian organizations through our strong relationships of Canada’s top motivational keynote speakers and online speakers for events. Through building a trusted relationship with us we maintain the standards, conditions and represent the needs of the organization at each of their events. We are often asked to source out specific speakers or topic themes on behalf of our clients, and in working on thousands of events, we are able to understand industry trends to match guest speakers that meet the host organizations needs at each of their events. By building a relationship with us and our speakers, we are able to offer you exclusive discounted rates, and more importantly, are able to improve and expand the audiences’ experiences after each event. We have an extensive database and network of contacts not available online or the general public, and we can usually book the person you are interested in or at least tell you if they do speak engagements and what their fee schedule is. Through our trusted and ongoing relationships, we keep, organizations continue to build off each event in a unique way, while maintaining and exceeding the audiences’ expectations.

SPEAKERS BUREAU MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS REQUEST OUR SUPPORT AND WILL WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU FOUND THEM

You can contact a speaker directly, however, if the speakers are listed on a bureau website, they will ask how you heard about them or how you found them. We have strong relationships with speaker bureau members, and they will often have us step in to manage the logistics, negotiations and contracting. Although speakers get a lot of requests, we all work together to maintain speaking industry standards and to keep each other aligned with the needs and expectations of each organization regarding the budget and quality of the presentation. Contacting a speakers bureau agent as a first step limits the confusion of how and where you found the speaker and does not impact bureau/speaker relationships.

WHY CONTACT A SPEAKER BUREAU VS THE SPEAKER DIRECTLY?

So, you are aware of how a Canadian speakers bureau operates, speakers charge the same to you directly as they do when working with an agency. The reason they charge us the same is that we secure them gigs that they otherwise would not have gotten without being a member of our bureau, as we often advance multiple speaker options to events and advise organizations on their decision to help speed up their research and selection process. We also screen each speaker and their presentation ability/content and professionalism before admitting them to our bureau. We protect you at each stage of your planning and can offer you an unbiased opinion in selecting the speaker for the event.

WHAT ARE THE MAJOR ADVANTAGES OF WORKING WITH A CANADIAN SPEAKERS BUREAU?

One major advantage of working with a speakers’ bureau like Speakers Canada is that we can usually find the perfect speaker for each audience at conferences and events. In developing a relationship with a speaker bureau, the host organization can access the knowledge of trending topics and strategic advice for popular speakers for Canadian audiences. We can also successfully negotiate speakers’ rates on behalf of each organization due to our long-term relationships with our speakers and by knowing how to approach each of our speakers to access a discounted rate for a lower fee.

IF I WORK WITH A SPEAKER DIRECTLY, CAN I EXPECT THE SAME IF I AM WORKING WITH A SPEAKER BUREAU?

We protect the client in the case of any cancellations by the host organization or the speaker. Each speaker has a unique way to set their contracts or negotiate their rates. Working with a speaker bureau will keep the speaker under our industry standard contracts and the terms and conditions agreed upon by Speakers Canada and the organization. If the speaker is not able to attend or for any circumstance that may arise from the clients’ end, that causes the event to be rescheduled, we hold the funds until we have found a resolution that will work for each party. We hold the funds between the speaker and the client so that both parties are protected throughout the whole event process until the speaker presents and there is a successful event.

DOES EVERY SPEAKER WORK WITH THE SAME CLIENTS AND HAVE THE SAME PROCESS?

No. Each speaker has major client types and organization of all sizes that they specialize in delivering presentations to. We know our speakers well and are able to position them with audience where they will thrive in delivering a powerful presentation. Each speaker also has a unique process in working with each organization. We help speakers meet and exceed industry standards for each of their speaking engagements. We work closely with multiple provincial and national organizations for their conferences and events giving us a unique perspective to offer speakers before they get to work. We are familiar with all processes before, during and after the event which guarantees that collaborating with us and the speaker will be a smooth and efficient experience. This allows you and your organizing team to be confident in the success of the speakers’ session and to be able to focus on other moving parts in planning, organizing, or delivering the event.

MY EVENT IS COMING UP QUICKLY…CAN I FIND A SPEKAER ON SHORT NOTICE?

If your event is coming up quickly, we can find out if a speaker is available asap since we are in close contact with our speakers. They will also be more open to work for us in a short time frame since there is a level of trust in working with Speakers Bureau Canada and the organizations we work with. The fastest we have secured a speaker for an event is 16 hours prior to the speakers presentation. We always advise to give us and the speaker as much time as we can before the event, but we know that it is not always possible and can work any situation in a short time frame.

CAN THE SPEAKERS BUREAU TALENT AGENT PUT ME IN TOUCH WITH A SPEAKER DIRECTLY?

We also can put you in touch with any speaker of interest or multiple speakers before you make your decision for a pre-event call or video call with your team. Connecting with a speaker at an early stage will often form your decision as you can discuss their presentations and your event details, while learning their approach to your event and audience. We find that a quick conversation usually helps organizers determine if the speaker is the right fit for your group. If you do select or shortlist one of our speakers, we will tie you into an email trend with the speaker of interest to help speed up communications. Please contact us regarding any decisions made so that we can put you in touch with the speaker directly asap.

Speakers Bureau of Canada has spent years curating a roster of speakers that are popular with different organizations on trending topic themes. Through our “ground up” strategy, we have speakers for any topic within most budgets. We look for speakers that can offer each client and the audience members progressive ideas on their approach to their work and home lives.

WE KEEP IT CANADIAN. MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS AND TALENT FOR CONFERENCES AND EVENTS IN CANADA.

As our primary focus is to serve Canadian organizations for their events, we have searched and found speakers that have a Canadian perspective on topic themes that speak to the needs of Canadians. The keynote speakers and leading experts in our roster have been referenced to us or have come to find us in being able to resonate with other speakers they know are a part of our speaker bureau. As Canada’s speaker bureau, we pride ourselves in helping organizations find top virtual speakers and expert motivational speakers that will understand each organization’s needs and offer insights that Canadian audiences will understand so they can be implemented directly after the session.

NEED TO FIND A CONFERENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKER, WORKSHOP FACILITATOR, EVENT HOST?

We work with Canadian talent and top guest speakers to help organizations to find a speaker for any event type or session format. Our dynamic and unique roster of Canadian speakers and talent is able to entertain, motivate, educate, and inspire audiences through their different types of presentations at different types of events. Whether you are wanting the speaker to deliver a more interactive presentation or if you want a funny speaker to engage the audience for more learning, as a Canadian conference speakers bureau, we are focused to activate the audience through their sessions and bringing the organization the results they hope to achieve through an external perspective in hiring keynote speakers in Canada.

HOW DO WE SCREEN OUR MOTIVATIONAL KEYNOTE SPEAKERS BEFORE WE HIRE A SPEAKER TO OUR ROSTER?

All our bureau members must pass a rigorous test before they become members of the Bureau. We have two or three interviews with each speaker candidate while reviewing their promotional materials and the unique offerings they can offer each client. SBC looks for expertise, proven articulation, and authenticity. We also will do a background check on their references and to make sure they are qualified experts in their fields. We aim to find Canada’s top motivational keynote speakers, virtual speakers, and unique thought leaders to bring Canadian audiences inspire, motivate, educate and active the audience to make the necessary changes at work through life changing presentations.

SPEAKERS BUREAU CANADA’S REPUTATION IS ON THE LINE

SBC’s reputation is on the line with each organization and each event that collaborates with one of our speakers. We are accountable to our recommendations and the organizations speaker selection and hold ourselves to a high standard that the speaker will be the best speaker within budget. We aim that each speaker is the perfect fit for each audience and work hard to bring Canada’s top keynote speakers and virtual speakers that speak to the needs of Canadian organizations.

WHAT IS THE ROLE SPEAKER BUREAU CANADA HAS IN WORKING WITH CANADIAN MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS AND THOUGHT LEADERS?

We play a strong role in gaining and maintaining our speaker relationships by getting them bookings, advancing their speaking careers and by educating them on speaking industry trends or topic trends. By getting them more exposure as a speaker, and by offering them as qualified expert motivational speakers, we are able to bring organizations to speakers they would otherwise not hear about and bring speakers in front of audiences they have not presented to in the past.

HIRING FOR QUALITY NOT ONLY THE SPEAKER’S CELEBRITY APPEAL. HOW WILL I KNOW THE QUALITY OF THE SPEAKER’S PRESENTATION?

Through working with Speakers Bureau of Canada and our top motivational speakers and keynote speakers in Canada, we bring audiences and organizations high quality, tested and proven presenters that can educate and motivate the audience. We guarantee the success the speaker will have at each event. We can’t guarantee that each audience member will feel the same or take the same action in their lives after the presentation, however we can guarantee that audience members will find a high value in hearing the speaker speak, and that the session will resonate with them in their approach to their work. We focus on the content, customization ability and the progressive approach to the topic, not just the speakers name or popular appeal. Speakers Bureau Canada is a top motivational speakers bureau and virtual speakers bureau that only offers organizations dynamic thought leaders and expert keynote speakers that can meet and exceed the expectations of the audience at each event.

Finding a motivational speaker or a virtual speaker can be a difficult process. Trusting that the speaker will be able to meet and exceed the audience’s expectations and align with the organization’s goals can bring a lot of pressure on each organizer and planning team before each event. No matter what your approach to arranging the speaker to attend the meeting, it is important for you to outline and explore the options and processes available to you and your team before hiring or selecting the speaker.

WHO CAN ASSIST ME IN MY DECISION BEFORE SELECTING A SPEAKER?

Have you been directed by one of you leaders to find the speaker? Do they have any experience in previous events or do they know anyone in the organization who held a successful event with a speaker? At an early stage, establish who the core decision makers are regarding the choice of virtual speaker or motivational keynote speaker. Ask a lot of questions on the topic themes, and organizational challenges related to the topics and align with their vision of what they hope to achieve at the event. Often, those who approve speakers have the desired result that they wish to achieve. Once you have a general direction for the topic or knowledge about previous events, it is also beneficial to meet with leadership teams and department heads to get a full understanding of how the topic or speaker may resonate with the employees.  Collecting this data is important and involves multiple people in sourcing out information that will measure the success of the speaker’s presentation, it will assist organizers in researching and understanding the benefits of different types of speakers or different topic themes that are related to the topics identified for the session. Through this process, you will be able to include multiple team members to be involved in your conversations, meetings, proposals and ultimately the selection of the speaker that will be the right speaker for the audience.

WHAT WENT WELL AT THE LAST EVENT?

What did you learn from the last event? Do you have access to any feedback from the audience? What are you wanting to learn this time, and can you build off the successes and failures of the previous events? By assessing and comparing the last event to your upcoming event you can better learn if a speaker will be similar to a previous event that was recognized as a success or failure. If you can interview or have a conversation with any attendee from events in the past, it will also give you personal insight as to the employee vs leader viewpoint of the speaker’s presentation. You will be able to understand if the audience is more about learning or being inspired and if the topic was something the audience felt needed to be addressed. Finding the right speaker is important and knowing any data or statistics from the previous events, will help guide your perspective and approach to researching and finding the speaker.

HOW TO DETERMINE THE NEEDS OF YOUR AUDIENCE & ATTENDEES AT THE EVENT AND DO THEY ALIGN WITH THE AUDIENCE, WORKPLACE AND TOPIC THEMES?

Who is in the audience and how many attendees in the speaker’s session? Do you have a small group or is it a large membership event? Are your guests attending a fundraising gala? An annual general meeting or shareholder meeting? A motivational sales conference?

Anticipate the wants, needs, mood and expectations of your audience to be able to inform the speaker of any insider information that the speaker can emphasize creating an internal connection to each audience member. Leaders and teams all have a different perspective of what will motivate them and how to motivate others, and it is important for organizers to try to get to know the attendees and their state of mind before the presentation. If there is a lot of change going on in the organization, having a speaker to directly speak about people being cut or a large transition may not be the best approach, however in finding a speaker that can speak to how to manage transitions effectively may be the ticket to the success of the event and the speaker’s presentation.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE EVENT AND WILL THE SPEAKER BE A GOOD FIT FOR MY AUDIENCE?

If the purpose of the event is business, and the audience is within the organization, your audience will want a speaker that delivers business presentations that include insight into their own business practices or business strategy to motivate and inspire your teams. Blue collar audiences will have a different learning style or bias to specific types of speakers’ vs corporate audiences. Women audiences will have different needs and understandings than a sales audience. Each audience and attendee participating in the event will have their own way to measure the speakers’ success and it is important you find out internal information so that you can gauge your research and the direction of the speaker selection.

SHOULD I HIRE A KEYNOTE SPEAKER OR WORKSHOP FACILITATOR?

A smaller group will give more flexibility on the presentation format as you may be able to hire an interactive workshop speaker or training facilitator. If you are working with a larger audience over 100, depending on the speaker you select, we suggest hiring a keynote speaker to entertain, motivate & educate the audience.

Speakers Canada’s speakers have the same fee for a one-hour keynote as they do for a two-hour workshop and by understanding the benefits that each session format can bring different sizes of audiences, it will help shape the format for the speakers session, and help you focus your research on the right speaker for the session.

HOW TO FIND THE PERFECT SPEAKER?

Ask colleagues, team members, corporate partners, clients, previous speakers, and speakers bureaus for recommendations. There are many resources to search and find a speaker in Canada for events. You may turn online as a first option and if you do, we recommend contact a Canadian speakers bureau that will have a list of qualified presenters that can address your topics. Other great ways to find speakers are to as previous event planning team members and colleagues for any speakers they may know about or if they have worked with a specific speakers’ bureau in the past for a successful event.

Corporate partners and clients have also held events with motivational keynote speakers or virtual speakers and having them offer you a couple of speaker names that they know can meet your needs is also a great way to know if the speaker will be successful with you group and aligned with the outcomes of the event. If you had a speaker that the audience loved at a previous event, you may also want to contact that speaker to know if they have any speakers in their network that can address the topics. Some speakers may refer you to a bureau partner which is a great introduction to making a connecting to an agent that can find you the perfect speaker.

HOW MANY SPEAKERS SHOULD I SOURCE OUT FOR MY EVENT BEFORE MAKING A DECISION WHEN I ONLY NEED ONE SPEAKER?

When researching speakers, it is important to have two or three candidates shortlisted for one session in case a speaker is not available and since speakers charge different amounts. You may want to start off by pooling 8-10 candidates that can be a good fit, then having a meeting with your organizing team to narrow it down to 2 or 3 speakers. During these meetings you can present all the information including videos, website, topics, and the speaker’s image to each decision maker, so that they can all vote on which speakers they feel will best suit the needs of the audience and organizations.

This approach will also enable you to get to know each speaker and their content in case you need a speaker for a future event or if a speaker cancels after your booked them. Having 2 or 3 speakers as potential candidates will also support you as you move through the decision process by having back up speaker options in place that your team is excited about or that may surprise your colleagues as you move to the next stage of selecting the speaker. This strategy will give you the opportunity to explore multiple speaker options with other decision makers before selecting your speaker. Professional motivational speakers may have slightly higher fees or may not be available due to their travel.

Speakers Bureau Canada can offer services that allows you to focus on the meetings and have us contact the speaker on your behalf. We also can present you with all the options and help you shortlist your candidates at any stage of your planning process. We can perform these services so that you do not have to let the speaker know who you are shortlisting or selecting, without ever having to disappoint a speaker. We can also put you in touch with ease to any speaker quickly in case of cancellations or a new direction for the topic.

HOW TO KNOW IF THE SPEAKER WILL BE SUCCESSFUL WITH MY AUDIENCE?

Connecting with any potential guest speakers at an early stage before spending any money is an important step in shortlisting potential speakers for the event. Learn more about their ability to address specific topics, see if they have presented to similar audiences, have them check their availability on your date, provide you with additional information regarding their speaking. You can also go to their YouTube channel and look over their videos or go to their website, or speakers bureau profile page to check their testimonials of previous organizations they have worked with. You can also request the speaker or the speaker bureau agent to elaborate on the topic knowledge, areas of expertise and previous experience in presenting to similar groups in the past.

See if any of the testimonials are from organizations like the one you are representing. Check for videos online and save them for future consideration. Try to observe the presenter’s connection to the audience, if they use humour in their presentations and if they have relative information that appeals to the desired learning outcomes of your audience. A Canadian speaker bureau can provide all this information to you with ease as well as connect you with any potential speaker you are interested in before making a decision. If requested, we can also advise on the speakers’ previous events, topic knowledge, presentation ability and if they will be a good fit for the event, audience, and organization.

CAN I HOLD MORE THAN ONE SPEAKER FOR AN EVENT?

Yes. Talent agencies like the Speakers Bureau of Canada can contact multiple speakers about an event and request a temporary hold on the date for each organization. Instead of contacting multiple speakers, have our talent agents contact the speakers on your behalf so that you can stay focused on your research and your upcoming meetings. We report back quickly and will be able to confirm or release the date on your behalf without you ever having to contact a speaker directly and mange each conversation.

HOW TO DECIDE WHICH SPEAKER TO WORK WITH FOR MY EVENT?

Having a committee meeting to debrief the conversations with each speaker candidate and to review all the speaker options is the first step in making your decision. Each team member involved in the planning will have their own notes and opinions in weighing the return on investment and the value the speaker can offer the audience when comparing the shortlisted speakers with their teams. Team members can also do some extra research on the speaker by checking references or looking online which, they can bring to the meeting which can often shape a decision quickly.

If you have shortlisted a couple of speaker options to choose from and have not spoken to the directly, it is critical that you connect with a speaker before making the investment unless you are working with a trusted speaker bureau agent that can advise and confirm the right decision. If you have already connected with potential speakers, you may request a second meeting with the speakers bureau agent to determine which speaker will be successful with your group. Having a virtual meeting or conference call with each speaker or your bureau representative will give you an understanding of the advantages each speaker can offer your audience and give you the confidence in the speakers’ ability to address your audience.

CONTACT THE SPEAKERS BUREAU OF CANADA TALENT AGENTS

All of these services are available to you free of charge and have no hidden costs if you are contact a speaker directly or working through a bureau. We find Canada’s top motivational keynote speakers and virtual speakers that are proven experts and leaders within the speaking industry. Speaker fees through the Speakers Bureau of Canada are the same as though you contracted directly with the speaker, and we take the work out of your research and guarantee that you are prepared for each meeting with the organizing team to present qualified speaker options with a broad base of knowledge, insights, and resources before making any decision.

Just give the theme of the event that you are organizing and let us present you with several speaker recommendations for annual general meetings, conferences, and all sorts of events. We will promptly provide you with Canada’s proven expert presenters with various speaker fees on relevant topics. Our keynote speakers are Canada’s most reliable experts that are set out to activate your audience to inspire the results your organizations hope to achieve at the event.

While the keynote speakers introduce the main topic and set the tone, the guest speaker will get into more detail during the subsequent talks and expand on specific points. In other words, the keynote speaker is the headliner (or star) of your event while the guest speaker is a supporting cast member.

WHAT DO MOTIVATIONAL KEYNOTE SPEAKERS DO AT EVENTS?

Expert Keynote speakers are often popular with audiences for opening and closing keynote presentations, or they may be best suited for a fundraising gala for an after-lunch or dinner presentation at a gala. Keynote presenters bring a draw to attract audience members when promoting the conference event. Motivational keynote speakers are the highlight of the event and often attract attendees on the invitations and bring more engagement for attendees due to their popularity or the interesting topics they address. Keynote speakers’ presentations are experts at creating life-changing and memorable experiences through their talks and use their personal journeys and unique experiences to share practical insights for attendees to open the audience up to a new way of thinking or doing. Keynote speakers are often more successful with a large audience; however, the Speakers Bureau of Canada’s keynote speakers are carefully hired to be dynamic to be able to speak to groups of all sizes.

WHAT DOES A GUEST SPEAKER DO AT EVENTS?

Guest speakers can also open or close the program on a day, however, they can come in many different forms. A guest speaker can fit anywhere in the program, and although similar to a keynote speaker, they will educate and motivate the audience throughout their presentation, they may not be as popular or have the celebrity appeal as a keynote speaker. Guest speakers help fill the program and may be utilized to bring awareness to new topics or address more specific needs of the audience related to a topic. Guest speakers can be more dynamic than keynote speakers as they bring updated, researched knowledge for attendees to deliver practical insights that educate, motivate, and activate the audience to guide them on their path to change. Guest speakers can be invited for a small group or a large conference as they will be successful at any event no matter what the event format or presentation style.

WHAT DO VIRTUAL SPEAKERS DO AT EVENTS?

Online speakers and virtual keynote speakers will often be expert at motivating audiences with years of speaking as a professional speaker. Motivational keynote speakers and guest speakers are not always successful virtual speakers at webinar meetings, as we have found that virtual speakers to be more dynamic as a speaker with a natural and authentic speaking ability. Webinar speakers often have a background as a consultant or years of speaking as a professional speaker. They are able to pull from a large amount of content they have researched within specific subject or topic and will often have practical and usable information that the audience can implement in their everyday work or home lives. Virtual keynote speakers will often use polling or extend Q&A in a webinar format so to engage the online attendees throughout the session. Most importantly, speakers for webinar or online events are able to use their experience as a motivational professional speaker to bring a high energy to the session in an authentic way.

VIRTUAL SPEAKER, KEYNOTE SPEAKER AND GUEST SPEAKERS ENGAGE, MOTIVATE, EDUCATE AND ACTIVATE THE AUDIENCE

Although the language is intertwined and virtual speakers, guest speakers and keynote speakers all set out to educate and motivate the audience at each event, there are different ways to search and hire a speaker for a corporate meeting or event. We work to hire and find Canada’s top speakers for organizations that require their employees or members to become more aware, productive, or committed to a new mindset/behaviour for a positive change. Investing in your people is important, and Speakers Canada takes understands the important work we do in finding and booking speakers that will shift the people of the company and the ultimately the direction of the organization. No matter what the format of the session, or the size of the audience, we have found that the best keynote, guest, and virtual speakers are able to present their information in a motivating, inspiring but most importantly, authentic way that connects with the audience so that they can educate, guide, and assist them for a new way of thinking, behaving, working, and living.

ARE YOU SEARCHING TO HIRE A SPEAKER TO PRESENT ON A SPECIFIC TOPIC?

From keynotes for HR speaking topics such as leadership & motivation to workshops on diversity and inclusion or mental health, we represent experts who address today’s hottest topics. We also have business speakers for presentation topics such as business strategy, sales, innovation, cybersecurity, and future trends. Whether a keynote presentation, workshop or training session, Speakers Canada’s event speaking topics help you narrow your search and find a speaker who can deliver motivational presentations on a variety of different topics which often are the highlight of each event. These speakers are experts in their fields and present inspiring and informative presentations customized for the topic required for the session.

LOOKING FOR A CANADIAN KEYNOTE SPEAKER FOR THE CONFERENCE EVENT THEME OR THAT FITS INTO THE PROGRAM?

Each conference theme and event theme will require a speaker to deliver an engaging presentation on a topic that will motivate and inspire the audience to cause a mindset shift or behaviour change. Searching for speakers by presentation topics eases the search to find Canadian guest speakers and motivational speakers for leaders, employees, teams, and all members of the organization. These trending topics and speakers are a perfect fit for an in-person, hybrid, or online/virtual event. Our professional speakers can also deliver the presentation in a keynote, workshop, or training format. The topics are often only a small showcase of the speaker’s knowledge, and they will work with you to deliver a tailored presentation to motivate & educate the audience to inspire unique results in their lives through a positive impact presentation.

SEARCHING FOR SPEAKERS BY TOPIC

Speakers Bureau Canada offers organizers and event planning teams to search to find motivational speakers and virtual speakers on different topics. We have spent years trying to find a way for organizations to narrow their search to find Canada’s top speakers. After a heavy amount of research and creative strategy, we have created a search function that can help organizations find a speaker without having to guess which speaker is right for their event. Browse our topics and narrow your search by selecting the different subtopics within each category. Type in a keyword for a topic theme in the search bar and go right to a list of Canadian motivational speakers. Explore each speaker profile and information on our website and you will be able to submit a request to us so that we can tell you more about the speaker, their area of expertise and if they are a good fit for your audience on the topics you hope for the speaker to address in their presentation.

Whether you are looking for an engaging keynote speaker or virtual speaker, finding a speaker by type is an effective way to search and find a list of speakers that specialize in a specific field or subject matter. If you have a corporate audience, a business speaker or business strategy expert or corporate speaker will be able to inspire the audience to their work or help grow the company.

WHAT TYPE OF SPEAKER WILL BE SUCCESSFUL WITH YOUR AUDIENCE?

If you are looking to educate employees on self-care to be more productive in their jobs, you may want to search for an HR speaker or a Canadian athlete speaker to bring a new mindset and attitude to their habits at work or in their careers. There are also types of speakers that specialize in diversity, equity, and inclusion for Indigenous or cultural awareness. There are many different types of speakers, and each organization will classify them differently. Virtual speakers can also be useful to your team in case you have locations across Canada or want to record the session for participants who could not attend the event. Any speaker from Speakers Canada will be an influential speaker, and they will be able to customize their content for your audience, however, knowing the different types of speakers available for your event and that will be successful with your audience is an important step before searching for the perfect speaker.

WHAT SPEAKING STYLE WILL RESONATE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE?

Some speaker types can be more technical while others may be strictly motivational. All speaker types will be offering an educative, informative, and engaging presentation; however, it is important to know if the topic is best delivered in a motivational, interactive, or technical speaking style. Perhaps you may want a little bit of everything however the speaker type you select may be more limited in one area than another, and it is important to prepare attendees and your program by recognizing the session format and delivery for the type of speaker you hire.

SEARCHING FOR SPEAKERS BY TYPE

The Speakers Bureau of Canada offers representatives from each organization the option to search our speakers by the type of speaker they are. By searching by type, you will find some of Canada’s most knowledgeable, influential, and engaging speakers for specific industries, audiences, or types of events. You can narrow your search by location or add in some topics to your search to shortlist 2 or 3 speakers on each subject matter, topic, or the type of speaker they are. We use our experience and talent to find Canada’s leading expert speaker types and types of motivational speakers for Canadian audiences. Searching by type can be the quickest way to find a speaker or create a list of speakers for your next meeting before you select the speaker.

Hiring and booking a guest speaker can be tricky, as each speaker has their own ways to assess their fees. Remembering that when you hire a speaker for an event, it is an investment by the organization to their people and having a motivational keynote speaker deliver an external perspective will empower and activate the audience to make changes at work or at home. As you search to find speakers, you may know some big names or have heard about speakers that will be successful with your group. Trying to find a speaker within the budget can become difficult, however, there are some ways that you can approach your planning to save money and keep down costs. As the events industry has shifted, we have adapted to it and are providing you with some updated strategies to save money when hiring your speaker.

GET INVOLVED IN PLANNING THE EVENT EARLY TO SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS!

Forward planning enables the success of your event & speakers can be flexible with their fees for bookings that have a lot of notice for the booking. When you mention any of the potential upcoming events within your organization, it is important that you and your team meet and discuss the purpose of the event to establish the event theme. You can then explore different speaking topics or speaker types that will be a good fit to address the themes identified for the audience to learn at the event. When a speaker is contacted early on, the higher chance they will be flexible with their fees and available for your event.

Questions to ask early on in your planning:

• Is it an in-person or virtual event?
• Who is the target audience? What are their professions?
• What is the location of the event or where will the attendees be from?
• What is important to the organization for their employees or members to learn?
• What is important for each type of audience member at the event? Why are they there?
• What are the expectation and desired learning outcomes for the organization and the audience?
• What types of sessions will be included in the program?
• Do you require an external perspective to inspire the audience or bring high energy to the daily program?
• What is the budget for the event and how much can you allocate to the keynote or virtual speaker?

Understanding the answers to these questions will determine how you plan and deliver the event. It will also help guide the event planning team to engage them into research for speakers and the event logistics to make it all come together.

INVOLVE THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAMS & DEPARTMENT HEADS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE CREATIVE OF PLANNING THE EVENT

Many event organizers come to us with a limited or allocated budget set by the CEO. As a department leader or event organizer responsible to find and book speakers for the event, the CEO and executive leaders understand the important investment into their people. By including executives, team members or department leaders into the planning process, you can bounce off ideas for speaking topics, fees, session formats etc.…They will appreciate being included in the conversation and will be able to engage and influence the speaker you select, and the topic themes the audience will learn.

Although each event is unique, you may not always want to spend a lot of money on a speaker, however in most cases, when you find the perfect speaker who will meet your criteria for the session and outcomes discussed for the meeting, the leaders of the organization will often be more flexible to allocate more funds to increase the budget. Especially if you have secured a speaker who is available and perhaps has offered you a discounted rate, the value return on investment is recognized by leaders within the organization and they may increase your speaker budget for this event.

HIRE A LOCAL SPEAKER FOR AN IN-PERSON APPEARANCE/EVENT TO SAVE ON TRAVEL COSTS AND ACCESS A LOCAL FEE

Hiring a local speaker that lives in the same city or province will reduce costs related to travel expenses. Local speakers will also often have discounted local speaker fees since they are able to attend other events, commitments, or their work back in their office. Search for a motivational speaker “near me” or a keynote speaker “near me” and you will find talent in your area. Speakers Bureau Canada’s talent and roster is carefully curated to assist organizations and event planning teams to search and find great speakers from each city and province. This helps you narrow your search to consider a local speaker along with other speakers from the region. There are many advantages to hire and book a local speaker for an event, but cost saving opportunities is one of the major reasons to work with a professional guest speaker or motivational keynote speaker from the event location.

HIRE A VIRTUAL SPEAKER FOR A VIRTUAL EVENT SAVES YOU MONEY

Some workplaces have shifted to the hybrid workplace model and why not hold a virtual or hybrid event to celebrate the shift within the workplace? Virtual keynote speakers and guest speakers for webinars, online vents and virtual meetings is a great way to influence your audience and engage them in a virtual setting. We have seen many organizations combine budgets between departments, locations and even with their clients/partners to hold a large virtual event. Leaders will often be open to increasing the budget if the speaker will be influencing and impacting more of their people, so collaborating for virtual events is one of the best strategies to save costs and get the most value for each event.

Speakers Canada’s virtual speakers will often offer discounted rates similar to their local speaker fees since they can present from their office and do not have to travel to the event location. Virtual speakers will be more flexible with their fees depending on the audience, organization, and their schedule. Speakers Bureau Canada offers event organizers Canada’s largest and high-quality list of engaging virtual speakers who can deliver interactive presentations at a lower cost than if you were to hire them in person. The majority of our virtual motivational speakers will also offer a recording at no extra cost for participants who could not attend the event.

HIRE A SPEAKER FOR A HYBRID EVENT WITH SPEAKER VIRTUAL WILL ACCESS A LOWER RATE

You also may want to consider a hybrid event with the speaker presenting virtual and the attendees in the room. Unless you have TED Talk production, it may be challenging to have the speaker in person, and the audience virtual, as professional speakers and motivational speakers will be focused on an in-person audience if they are in the room, and not the camera that is sending the broadcast to virtual attendees. With a virtual speaker and the audience in the same room, you are still able to create an energy in the room for the attendees. Another added value is that the online speaker is sill presenting virtually in a webinar format, and virtual attendees can feel like they are being presented to directly.

Pre recorded sessions is another option, however speakers are more hesitant to lower their fees at times if the pre recorded event has any production team since it takes more time out of their schedules. We have seen most organizations commit to hybrid or virtual event formats with great success. Depending on the speaker and the session format, hybrid events can have discounted rates, have more flexibility for collaboration, and have bonuses to them such as recordings. You do not have to rent a venue; have you people travel from their location which is more efficient saving time a keeping cost to a minimum. Virtual speakers can also share the same messaging with all employees in multiple department locations and speakers are more available and flexible with their fees for virtual events.

GOVERNMENT GRANTS TO APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE SPEAKER FEE

We know this last strategy may not always be accessible, but there we have found success with organizations accessing Provincial and Federal grants, funding or a subsidy that supports the initiatives of the government and the organization. Many organizations have had success with obtaining grants this past year, however it will depend on your Province and the type of speaker you are looking for.

As the Canadian Government and Provincial Governments invest in economic development, innovation, mental health, education, family services, women in business, social welfare, equality, human rights and diversity, equity and inclusion and many other initiatives, investing in an external perspective from a Canadian motivational speaker or leading expert is often approved by each government as they share the responsibility to create new opportunities for businesses and Canadians as a whole.

FIND A SPONSOR TO INCREASE THE BUDGET FOR THE SPEAKER OR TO SPONSOR THE SPEAKER’S SESSION

Obtaining a sponsor for an event is one of the best ways to increase the budget for the speaker. Some organizations or individuals will sponsor the motivational speakers appearance and having a sponsor involved will add value to increase the attention to the event. Sponsors will often attend the event and speakers, or event hosts can mention the sponsor at the begging of the session. Securing an organization to sponsor the event will potentially attract more attendees to possibly gain additional sponsors for future events. Offering a sponsor, the ability to introduce the speaker or to invite their colleagues or leaders from their organization creates new networking opportunities for the attendees and the speaker. Sponsors also benefit by being able to market their company or organization to the attendees. Finding the right sponsor might take some work, but when a sponsor believes in the same core values as an organization, has a valued interest in the progression of the organization or has the same goals, it will often lead to a long-term relationship for future partnerships.

COLLABORATING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS OR WORKING PARTNERS

We have seen many organizations collaborating with other departments or similar organizations that can benefit to hear the same messaging from a speaker. When organizations partner with their internal leaders or other locations, attendees become united and are able to participate in a large initiative of the company. Collaborating with other partners such as the clients or customers from other corporations or subsidiary or parent companies will allow you to increase the budget since there will be a more attendees, with a higher amount of impact and different levels of investment between each organization for the speaker fee. We know this process takes some time and requires a lot of time to collaborate and coordinate, but by placing some feelers out and by planting some seeds, event organizers can continue to get others to collaborate with them for the costs involved in hiring a speaker to save money. With so many organizations needing to hear similar messages, it has been a successful strategy when we have seen it occur and is a great way to save money when hiring a speaker.

ASK SPEAKERS CANADA TALENTED SPEAKER BUREAU AGENT TO NEGOTIATE SPEAKER FEES ON YOUR BEHALF

Professional speaker bureau’s have a unique relationship with speakers and clients. Since speaker bureau agents book speakers multiple times a year, they are often able to leverage the relationship they have with one of their repeat clients to negotiate the speakers fee on the organizations behalf. Depending on the speaker, not for profit, associations & government organizations also may receive a non-profit rate from a speaker and corporations may receive a discount for multiple bookings or if they are a repeat client with our bureau.

We can often leverage our relationship with an organization to a speaker or since we work with the speakers so often for many events around the year, have long trusted relationships with our speakers we understand the points of negotiation to cut down on costs on behalf of our clients. If you work with a bureau to book a speaker for multiple presentations around the same day for one event or if you hire a speaker to book multiple presentations over the course of a year for different events, having a strong relationship wit a bureau will allow you to access the lowest fees a speaker can be secured for without going over budget at each event.

Speakers Bureau of Canada has a strong focus on working with Canada’s top motivational keynote speakers and talent. Through our years of experience in working with different speakers in Canada, we can always propose any event at any budget to a speaker on behalf of the host organization. We know the negotiation points each speaker has and are able to call in favors from time to time to secure speakers at lower costs for our clients. We care about each event and try to service each inquiry as the best to our ability to assist organizations to find a speaker within budget, that is the right fit to inspire results with the audience at each event.