[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”]Are you planning an event or hiring a keynote speaker for the first time? Do you require a motivational keynote speaker to ‘wow’ the audience to activate the audience to inspire them to make a change in their lives and achieve higher results? Maybe both? There are high stakes involved when planning an event and it is important to hire the best keynote speaker for your organization & the attendees. Whether it’s your first time hiring a guest speaker or if you have planned an event in the past and are familiar with working with a speakers bureau, here are a few of the things you should know before researching & searching to hire a keynote speaker. Creating a powerful, inspiring meaningful event is often determined by the motivational keynote speaker you select. Knowing the following details before you connect with the Speakers Bureau of Canada will make finding the perfect keynote speaker in Canada easier and faster.

FIRST STEP IN PLANNING THE EVENT IS TO ESTABLISH THE EVENT DATE, LOCATION, AND BUDGET FOR THE EVENT.

These factors will play an important role in your first ideas for the event & how you may want to go about searching for the keynote speakers available for your group.

Do you have a firm date or a flexible date? Can you work around the speaker’s schedule? If the speaker is not available, you will need a second option or a backup speaker who will be available. The best dates to hold corporate events are usually between Tuesday to Thursday so that attendees are back from a weekend on a Monday (tired, exhausted, not excited) or waiting to leave the office on a Friday excited for the weekend. The conference dates or the event date will affect which keynote speakers are available when you check availability.

The location will determine if there are local motivational speakers that will be successful with the audience. The location of the event will also affect the availability and costs to book the speaker. Venue availability, costs, & the room set up at the venue are also important to consider since they will all impact the experience for the attendees.

The Budget for the event will determine the keynote speakers within budget for each session. In order to save on the cost of the keynote speaker’s travel, you may want to consider the distance between where the speaker resides and where your event will take place. Some celebrity speakers also charge additionally for autograph signing sessions and/or attending golf tournaments and/or receptions. Speaker fees and rates often do not include travel expenses; therefore, you will want to set aside a separate budget for the travel expenses outside of the speaker fee.

Calculating travel expenses for a keynote speaker travelling to the event location will involve; round-trip airfare, vehicle rentals, ground transportation, hotel accommodation, meals during the speaker’s time spent at the location of the event. AV requirements and handouts are also the responsibility of the client.

EXPLORE THE DIFFERENT TYPE OF PRESENTATION THAT WILL BE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL WITH THE AUDIENCE. WHAT IS THE DURATION OF THE KEYNOTE, WORKSHOPS & PRESENTATIONS?

If it is a conference event, it is important to consider the moods of attendees approaching each session. Who will be in the audience and what is their learning styles? Whether is a mandatory session or they just arrived after a technical session, the keynote speaker will be able to gauge audience members energy going into the session.

How long is a keynote presentation? Engaging keynote speakers usually present between 30 minutes to 60 minutes plus Q&A. Great keynote presentations combine storytelling that engage the audience so that the speaker can emphasize key learning points to create memorable experiences for the audience.

How long are workshop sessions? Interactive workshop speakers can usually present for an extended period of time and can deliver a presentation for 60 minutes up to a half day or full day training sessions. Workshop and training sessions usually more informative and educative. The audience is able to ask questions throughout the session and there are usually handouts, workbooks or group activities that create more learning opportunities.

How long are virtual presentations? Virtual keynote speakers & online speakers usually keep virtual keynote presentations to be under 90 minutes. Virtual presentations have many different factors and not every motivational speaker can deliver an engaging virtual session. Virtual speakers for webinars are highly authentic, informative, creative, humorous and possess a high energy to engage attendees in a virtual format.

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME FOR THE MOTIVATIONAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER TO DELIVER THEIR PRESENATION? HOW LONG DO I GET THE SPEAKER TO SPEAK?

It is important to determine the best time for the speaker’s presentation & how it fits within the program for the highest impact for the audience. Knowing how long the speaker will have to deliver their keynote address or virtual presentation will impact the presentation format and potentially their availability. It will also determine the presentation style you require from the speaker, which will assist you and your team to focus on the right speaker for your audience at the right time.

Opening keynote speakers should be energizing and set up attendees for the program on each day. Closing keynote speakers should summarize key points of the conference event, while motivating attendees to take what they learned and apply it in their lives. After dinner speakers are best suited to be humorous and deliver entertaining talks & motivational speakers can fit into any program or agenda since they may be the only speaker on that day.

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME OF THE MONTH, WEEK OR DAY FOR ME TO HOLD AN EVENT?

Where are your attendees going to be? Are they located all around the country or are they a specific department or location? When planning an annual general meeting, business retreat, town hall, virtual event or in person conference it is important to consider the month, date, time of year it will be which will work best for the attendees. If you are planning an event for employees or internal to the organization, Tuesday, Wednesdays, and Thursdays have become the most popular time to hold the event.

If you are planning a conference, it will depend on your membership or the schedules of the attendees that you are targeting to be in the audience. If you have a national audience and you are holding a virtual or hybrid event, you may want to consider the timing of the presentation to be mid day, so that attendees on both coasts are available to attend the event. If you are flying in delegates from different locations, you will want to make sure that they are well rested before their commitments during the conference. Having an energetic speaker deliver a motivational presentation first thing in the morning is a great way to activate the audience and engage them to the daily program. Each organization, meeting, event and conference are unique but remember, it all starts with the audience and the needs of your organization to find the right month, week, day or time to have a speaker attend the event.

RESEARCH THE AUDIENCE, ASSESS THEIR NEEDS & MEASURE THE RESULTS OF PREVIOUS EVENTS. BEST WAYS TO HIRE A SPEAKER THAT IS THE PERFECT FIT FOR MY AUDIENCE?

Collecting data from audience members is always the best way to engage the audience, determine the topics they care about and learn the type of speaker that will be successful before hiring the speaker. Having this data will help leaders understand the needs of their employees or association members before they develop the conference theme or search for a speaker.

How do I engage my audience before an event? Creating a poll for employees or members that attended previous events is a great way to get insider information for the topics that will resonate with the audience or the types of speakers. Try to use questions that speak to current events in the company, current events in the Canada and the ideas you and your team have brainstormed for the objectives of the event and presentation. The future attendees they will be excited to contribute their opinions and feel heard by the organization. They will engage with one another and share what they enjoyed or did not like with previous speakers.

How do you know which topics employees want to learn about or the company to care about? What topics will appeal with each employee, department or professional in the audience? Organizing teams & leaders will learn the important topics they are interested in learning or that speaks to the needs of the people of the organization as well as the company before the event. This gives organizing teams a strong understanding of the company morale leading into the event, the specific topics that will resonate with each audience member and will shape the direction of the speaker that will be a success.

Did a speaker present a similar even in the past for the same group? Is there any feedback from the audience or leaders that will be useful in your planning? Did the leaders notice any shifts in behaviours of audience members after the event? Consider which guest speakers or public speakers have been successful in the past with your group at previous events. Measure how the attendees responded to the event and the speaker. Question employees in different roles to learn if they enjoyed the previous speaker or if they felt they were dry, educational, or informative vs inspiring, motivational & aspiring

CLARIFY – WHY YOU WANT TO HIRE A KEYNOTE SPEAKER & CLEARLY DEFINE WHAT YOU WAN THE AUDIENCE TO WALK AWAY WITH AFTER THE PRESENTATION

Great speakers can adapt their presentation to accommodate each audience and the reason they are speaking to the audience. It is important for planning teams to discuss the purpose they are hiring an external perspective and the impact the speaker can bring to their people Some common reasons to hire a speaker are to:

• Educate
• Motivate
• Entertain
• Inspire Action
• Shift Behaviour
• Improve Company Morale
• Create mindset shifts in attitude
• Help teams manage change
• Increase productivity & performance
• Endorse & improve the corporate culture
• Promote the company achievements & accomplishments
• Engage Employees for organizational goals
• Maintain health & wellness of employees
• Talk about the future

HOW DO I FIND A GOOD KEYNOTE SPEAKER? BEFORE LOOKING ONLIINE FOR A SPEAKER, ASK COLLEAGUES, CUSTOMERS & PARTNERS FOR REFRERNCES TO SPEAKERS OR AN AGENCY THEY WORKED WITH IN THE PAST

Relationships are important, and by asking stakeholders within a company for their opinion it is a way to engage them into the investment you are making to employees or members. References also go a long way with speakers and agencies, as just as any industry, we all strive to create and maintain a reputation that instills trust and confidence in our services.

Has a keynote speaker made a life changing impact on someone in the office or in your network? Word of mouth from attendees who have seen a speaker in person is the best way to learn about speakers, their presentation ability and to find speakers that inspire audiences. Great professional speakers & influential motivational keynote speakers will leave an impression on individuals for many years. These are the best speakers for events as it is exactly the purpose of what a speaker is there to do and if they reach that level of success with a different audience, there is a good chance they will do the same with yours.

Do you have a new employee that worked at a larger company that may be able to share a speaker name that they really enjoyed? Maybe you have a team member who attends an annual professional association conference. Asking colleagues, managers, and supervisors you trust in the workplace is a great way to pool some speaker names together and start exploring potential options.

As most organizations plan and hold events with an external speaker, customers and corporate partners will also have some ideas for speakers that resonated with their audience or for speaking topics that are relevant to their operations.

Asking around and researching credible resources for speakers is one of the best ways to find the right speaker for this year’s event. They may also know a speaker agent or speaker bureau that they work with and trust and can tell you about their experience with them.

ARE CANADIAN CONFERENCE SPEAKERS BUREAUS AND CANADIAN KEYNOTE SPEAKER BUREAUS A GOOD PLACE TO FIND A SPEAKER?

The easiest, quickest, and best way to find a speaker is to consult a speakers bureau like the speakers bureau of Canada to find unique motivational keynote speakers & Canadian speaker bureau talent that will activate the audience to inspire the attendees in committing to the results you have set out to achieve in delivering the event.

Contact a speaker’s bureau and talent agency like Speakers Bureau Canada. We are the best at finding speakers that resonate with your audience and have helped thousands of organizations through the process of choosing the perfect motivational keynote speaker for their event. We bring you new ideas and can expand on the planning you have already done and will put you in touch with our top speakers in Canada before selecting your speaker.

Our services are free to you to use, and we are passionate to learn your organizational goals and get you the best keynote speaker for your audience and event. Through our services, we can advance speakers that are within budget and provide promotional information for each speaker and insider information about their speaking ability to help you and your team make an informed decision. We are a one stop shop to find, search and book speakers, and the Speakers Bureau of Canada cares on the results of the speakers’ presentation as we aim to be your major resource when sourcing out speakers for events in Canada.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

PRESENTATION DURATIONS & AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT complement one another, as the longer the presentation, the higher the risk there will be of losing the engagement of the audience. Speakers Bureau of Canada’s speakers are dynamic and able to accommodate the session format and duration set out by the organization for workshop, keynote & virtual presentations. That said there are some important best practices we encourage you to consider for the time slot and duration of the speakers’ session for each event and presentation format.

VIRTUAL KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS are usually 45-60 minutes in length plus Q&A or 90 minutes including Q&A. There are some speakers that can extend the duration to exceed 90 minutes effectively depending on the speaker, the number of attendees, and how interactive the session can be. Sessions that exceed 90 minutes have higher dropout rates for virtual attendees, therefore they are usually capped at 90 minutes. The recording is an added bonus for this type of session. Each speaker has a different approach to recordings & virtual sessions to engage audience members, however, the speakers we work with for virtual events have been selected carefully as we focus on content and usable information along with their creative process to drive engagement in the session. Some speakers can exceed 90 minutes however we try to keep consistency with each session since the data we have collected is directly from production companies and monitor these statistics for virtual sessions.

SPEAKER VIRTUAL/HYBRID KEYNOTE PRESENTATION SESSIONS follow the same durations as virtual keynote presentations in most cases. 45-60 minutes plus Q&A. Hybrid/Virtual has the speaker delivering the virtual session with a live stream to virtual attendees and/or a room of attendees with the speaker on a large screen. If you do opt for a hybrid session, this has been the most efficient and cost-effective way with the highest level of engagement from attendees. The recording is an added bonus for this format.

SPEAKER IN PERSON/HYBRID PRESENTATION SESSIONS follow the same durations as Keynotes/Workshops in most cases, 45-60 minutes plus Q&A. Hybrid In-Person is described as a speaker in person, the audience in person with some attendees virtual with a live stream connecting them to the room and session. Depending on the production level on-site, hybrid In-Person sessions may risk the virtual attendees being less engaged vs a hybrid virtual Session since they are not in the room directly and the camera is treated the same as an individual attending the session. This can risk virtual attendees feeling like they are not included the same way as in-person attendees and miss out on the energy of the event.  For this reason, it is recommended to invest in a production company in order to do these sessions effectively.

WORKSHOP FACILITATIONS & PRESENTATIONS are usually 90-120 minutes in length and are highly interactive as the audience members can often pose questions throughout the session. The speaker will facilitate the workshop which will often contain individual and group exercises to be completed during the session.

TRAINING SESSIONS are half, or full-day workshops broken between 2 to 4 workshop sessions depending on the program. Much like a workshop they are highly interactive and contain individual and group exercises to be completed during the session. Training sessions often contain handouts, workbooks, and group activities throughout the program.

MODERATORS, EMCEE & HOSTS Conference hosts usually have a daily rate or a conference package deal. Event hosts can be anywhere from 2 hours to the full duration of a 4-day conference. Each event that requires a host will have a different duration requirement as gala’s are usually 2-4 hours and conferences usually 2-4 days. They also may have an evening rate for additional galas or commitments. These hosts are there to keep the programming on track, introduce speakers, and help attendees with any updates/notable mentions from the organization. They also may do award ceremonies, facilitate debates, and so on.

PANEL DISCUSSIONS that do not require the speaker to research or prepare for the session usually access a discounted fees for speakers. Speakers are also more accommodating of video recording and repurposing the content after the session. Panel discussions usually tend to be 1-2 hours and have audience participation and a moderator with 3-5 panelists.

GUIDED INTERVIEWS OR FACILITATED Q&A sessions have the speaker and the organizing team closely work with one another to script curated questions through a briefing session well before the event. They also add some surprising questions in the session keep authenticity and fluidity of each question and answer. Good, facilitated Q&A sessions have the moderator asking, the speaker responding and the moderator adding to the answer or asking another question about the same topic before moving on to the next major question. These sessions usually run 30-75 minutes with one speaker and 60-90 minutes if there are two speakers or if there is audience Q&A offered after the interview.

MEET & GREET SESSIONS have the speaker at a booth, table, or exclusive location to allow audience members the change to meet and greet with the speaker. These sessions usually last between 30-90 minutes in length and will give the opportunity for delegates and attendees to meet with the speaker and ask a personal question to them directly. It is important that there is a facilitator supplied by the host organization to keep the attendees in a line and keep the moving smoothly. Best practices are to limit the participants to one minute with the speaker and have their telephones ready to take a picture with the speaker. If the speaker has a book, another great way to engage participants is to purchase books for the attendees and have the speaker sign each copy during the meet and greet session.

When hiring a speaker for your event, it is important to know your return on investment (ROI) to maximize the value of professional keynote speakers. When planning an event, there are many things a motivational speaker can assist with to add value to the event. Many speakers have unique ways they can engage audience members to attend the event and to offer value to engage attendees at the event. Take a look at some unique and interesting ways that many event planning teams are unaware of to create more value in working with the speaker to maximize your investment and create more impact for attendees.

DISCOVER THE SPEAKER’S FULL OFFERINGS AND WAYS THEY CAN ADD VALUE TO PROMOTE THE EVENT

As a first step, it is always great to ask the speaker if they have any insights or ideas on how to bring more attendees to the session or to engage the audience before, during or after the presentation. Professional speakers have attended a variety of events in Canada and will be able to share ideas other conferences or event planning teams have implemented to create a buzz about the event before or after it takes place.

PROMOTIONAL VIDEO INVITING GUESTS TO THE EVENT

Event promo videos are a terrific way for delegates to meet the speaker before the event to create excitement. Professional speakers will often include messaging from the organizing team about the event, location, and venue and incorporate the event theme into the content of the video. The audience members will learn a little about their keynote speaker and a teaser video can be posted on all social media channels and the event’s website so that participants can familiarize themselves with the guest keynote speaker.

CROSS-POSTING OR SHARING CONTENT TO PROMOTE THE EVENT

Speakers will often have a large following on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Once you hire the keynote speaker, requesting them to share a post or two or create a post which tags and references the event website or where to purchase tickets will attract more attendees to the conference or engage employees to the session. It is recommended to have the social media content creator to draft scripts for videos or to create the post for the speaker before sharing, so that it is simple for the speaker to post it to their followers.

DOES THE SPEAKER HAVE A CANADIAN BEST-SELLING BOOK THAT PARTICIPANTS CAN BENEFIT FROM READING?

Many motivational speakers have International best sellers or have become Canadian bestselling authors. The speaker will often want the opportunity to sell books at the event or market them to participants with a discount code or online purchase. Especially if the speaking topic is addressed in their book, coordinating a bulk order purchase is an excellent way to engage audience members to who the speaker is and what they speak about before the event or can be utilized in a gift bag or as door prizes at or after the engagement. Speakers can usually include 3-10 free books when booked as the keynote speaker, and it is common for any participant that reads the book to internalize and implement learning outcomes from the speakers presentation and the book.

DOES THE SPEAKER OFFER ONLINE TRAINING?

Many keynotes speakers & workshop speakers are experts in researching and delivering practical solutions through online training platforms. In developing their online training, they have the audience in mind and will often focus the content to build off their motivational presentations. Just like with a speaker’s book, it is widespread practice for speakers with online training to offer bulk order discounts or compensate 3-10 free access to their online training for door prizes at each event, and any participant that takes the online training will experience a higher understanding of the topics to build their skillsets within the organization.

CAN I REQUEST THE SPEAKER TO ATTEND A MEET & GREET SESSIONS WITH ATTENDEES AFTER THE PRESENTATION?

Especially if you are working with a motivational celebrity speaker or a popular keynote speaker in Canada, it is common for participants to want to meet and greet with the speaker after their presentation. Make sure you have someone to assist with the line and to keep it moving to support the speaker at this session and inform the audience members to have their cameras ready to take a photo with the speaker. If a speaker has a book or if you auction off any memorabilia, you can also include an autograph session at the meet & greet session.

FACILITATED Q&A BREAKOUT SESSIONS VS STANDARD Q&A

We have all participated in a standard Q&A session after the presentation with the speaker. They can sometimes take some time for audience members to engage with and ask questions depending on the speaker. Our virtual keynote speakers were able to guide our bureau with some innovative presentation formats which are also applicable to in person events. One of the ideas that is successful is to have the motivational keynote speaker deliver a powerful presentation, and to directly break into a Q&A format, have the speaker attend a 20–30-minute interactive, intimate and informative Question & Answer with a host or moderator.

This presentation format enables all event contributors and the organizations decision makers to include important questions they hope for the speaker to address for the audience which can build off the content of the presentation or speak to what the leaders hope for the attendees to achieve at the event. Decision makers, leadership teams & departments heads can also request the speaker if they have any questions that participants may be too timid to ask or that are specific to expand the learning outcomes from the keynote presentation.

ASK THE SPEAKER HOW MUCH THEY CHARGE FOR AN ADDITIONAL SESSION AT THE EVENT? CAN THE SPEAKER DELIVER A KEYNOTE FOLLOWED BY A WORKSHOP/BREAKOUT SESSION? CAN THEY PARTICIPATE IN A PANEL AFTER THEIR KEYNOTE PRESENTATION?

Motivational Speakers will often charge a small portion of the speaker fee for an additional session at each event. Most of the costs associated with hiring a speaker is determined on how much research and preparation time they spend to align the content of the presentation for the audience. If a speaker facilitates and additional breakout session on the same topic, a workshop on a separate topic, or an executive leadership round table discussion, adding an additional session for a small fee is one of the best ways to learn and implement strategy offered by the speaker.

Brining a professional speaker in can be costly, but since you have already paid for their travel and the speaker fee, additional sessions by the same speaker creates the highest value return for organizations and the attendees. Once you have hired a keynote speaker, since they will already be researching the topic themes that will resonate with the audience, having the speaker deliver an additional session fills the program and often leads to a higher engagement, gives the opportunity for the speaker to expand on what they discussed in the keynote presentation and enables the audience members to interact with the speaker for an extended period of time. Participants can ask questions based on their everyday experiences at work, which brings higher engagement and accelerates their ability to implement the strategies and insights shared by the speaker.

CAN THE SPEAKER STAY FOR A RECEPTION OR ATTEND OTHER SESSION IN THE PROGRAM?

Asking the speaker to attend a meal or reception or to attend other sessions at the event before or after the presentation makes them available to leadership teams, event organizers, production companies and participants in their session. Since popular motivational keynote speakers often travel between events, this option is not always available however if the speaker is available, requesting the speaker to attend meals or to attend other sessions at the event brings will usually bring more interaction and engagement for the audience and give the opportunity for the speaker to have some one-on-one conversations. Another benefit is that the speaker will be able to analyze and take the programming, which they will often build into the content of their presentation.

CAN THE SPEAKER PROVIDE OR DELIVER A FOLLOW UP WEBINAR OR VIRTUAL PRESENTATION?

Some speakers may charge a small fee or provide a free interactive webinar or virtual presentation which can be utilized as a follow up session for attendees after the event. One of the advantages to this format is that the delegates and attendees who participated in the session can have the opportunity to implement the insights learned from the speaker and ask questions regarding the challenges they face related to the topic. Professional speakers will establish a connection with the audience and follow up webinar presentations usually run more smoothly than a virtual keynote presentation since the participants already know the speaker and are engaged to the learning.

Do you need to find and book a speaker, but you may not have the funds? Would you like to hire a speaker within a limited budget?  Do you know how much speakers charge? Do you require a talented speaker bureau representative familiar with the public speaking industry with strong relationships with speakers to negotiate the fee on your behalf?

Speakers all assess their fees differently and are generally mostly negotiable with their rates. They will all be considering events proposed to them, however, it depends on the speaker, their schedules, how popular they are, organization and event logistics. Generally, speakers will not accept events if they are under 50% of their established rate for each audience size or organization type. Speakers Canada and our talented agents have years of experience in fundraising and event planning, and we are providing some strategies to increase the speaker budget to access a top Canadian speaker.

WHEN PLANNING A CONFERENCE, ISN’T THE SPEAKER’S FEE A GOOD PLACE TO KEEP COSTS LOW?

No. The quality of your speakers will either break or make your event. The cost of a professional speaker is a small fraction of your total expense of putting on a conference or event and is the most important part of the attendees’ experience. Event participants may often only remember the event by the speaker, as a good motivational speaker will create a memorable experience for the audience inspiring them to make a change in their lives. Not investing in a professional speaker or a qualified expert that will engage attendees at the event can be a costly mistake and leave a negative impression on the audience to attend a future event.

COLLABORATION

Collaborating between departments and organizations is another way to save money when planning an event since you can impact more people and combine budgets or share the investment into the speaker, venue, meals etc.… It is important to involve leadership teams in the planning so that they can understand if the budget is short to achieve what they have set out to inform, educate and motivate the employees to a shared goal. Different departments will also usually benefit from the same messaging, so any leader, manager or supervisor will have an interest in supporting you in your planning, selecting the speaker and collaborating with you for the event.

SPONSORSHIP

Seeking out a sponsor is not an easy task, but it is one of the best ways to save funds and keep costs down for events. If you don’t ask, you don’t receive, and if the event requires more funding or if your organization is limited on funds, finding a corporate sponsor can create a win win situation, since they can participate in the event and be involved in supporting your initiatives. Sponsors can pay directly for the speaker, a meal or a specific session at the event, and will become a stakeholder in the event or conference. They can be resourceful, will usually have expert knowledge and will be able to have a presence with the attendees by introducing a speaker or by having their logo within the program or gift bag. You can also apply the funds directly to a motivational speakers session or opening/closing keynote speakers fee.

APPLY FOR A GOVERNMENT GRANT, SUBSIDY AND HIRE SPEAKERS THAT YOU CAN APPLY ACCREDITATION FOR THEIR SESSION

We know not always available to each organization; however, some speaking topics or employee development can be covered by provincial or federal grants and subsidies. There are always new grant applications for different areas such as stimulating economic growth or educating organizations on diversity and inclusion. Certain industries also have a governing body that may apply funding if the speakers session will apply accreditation for the leaning outcomes in the speakers session. It is important the organizations assign a representative to continue to explore different funding and grant opportunities and to keep up to date with them. Filling out the application forms are free, and Speakers Canada and our speakers can work with you to submit topic descriptions that will assist in getting the grant or accreditation approved.

FINDING INTERNAL SPEAKER TO PRESENT TO YOUR GROUP OR TO HOST THE EVENT

Have you checked your employees and your working partners to know if any of them speak or have invested into becoming an expert on a specific topic? Perhaps you would like one of the leaders to discuss the business operations and the company goals?

Searching your database for potential internal speakers is a great way to save costs since they will often present for free or request a small compensation. Even if you hire an external speaker, internal speakers are a great way to fill the program, make your employees or leaders champions and have them share the internal perspective they have on a topic for the organization. In most cases the internal speaker will receive a lot of praise from their team members, and it will give internal outcomes specific to the organization since they know the workplace and people so well.

HIRING A LOCAL SPEAKER OR VIRTUAL SPEAKER FOR A HYBRID PRESENTATION

Searching for a speaker “near me” or searching for a speaker in a specific city, province or region will tell you which speakers are from a specific location. Local speakers offer discounted local rates for organizations or conferences in their area and are often negotiable with their rates for local events. You can also save costs by having your attendees in person and finding a virtual speaker to create a hybrid event, which will maximize your investment in case you have virtual attendees for an online event with a room filled with attendees in person. By holding a hybrid event, you will access the virtual speakers discounted rate and you can save money on travel expenses for delegates and the speaker. By hiring a local speaker, you can take any extra funds and apply them to another speaker or cover any other costs associated in delivering the event.

NEGOTIATING SPEAKER FEES

We have a strong relationship with many of Canada’s top motivational speakers, and we know each speaker’s negotiation points as well as their schedules which helps us negotiate their fees on behalf of our clients. Negotiating fees can be difficult, as some speakers are hesitant to offer a discounted rate. Here are some of the major negotiation points and what speakers consider when organizations or a speaker bureau requests a discounted rate. Each speaker is unique and will lower their rates based on the following criteria depending on the speaker:

• Location of the event
• Speakers schedule and previous commitments
• Non-profit vs Corporate?
• Virtual event or in person?
• How many days they will be away from other commitments to attend the event
• What the speaker charges for a similar organization in the past
• What the speaker fee has been for events with similar number of attendees in the past
• Are you videotaping, recording, or sending out a live broadcast to virtual attendees?
• Duration and format of the session
• How much research required to customize the topic and meet the desired learning outcomes of the presentation
• The organization that is seeking to book them – non-profit, association, corporation
• Who will be in the audience and potential for leads to potential future bookings?

WORK WITH SPEAKERS BUREAU OF CANADA TO HELP YOU FIND THE PERFECT SPEAKER TO SAVE YOU TIME AND REDUCE THE SPEAKER FEE FROM ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS

When working with a talented Canadian speakers bureau agent, we often can use different negotiation points for each speaker as we book them multiple times over the course of each year, which usually enables us to approach them with reasonable budgets for event opportunities to try to get them to accept.

If you require a reduced fee, it is important that we learn any budget information if available to you and the speakers you are most interested in obtaining. It is great to have two or three speaker options in case one speaker is not available or is hesitant to lower their fees. Once we have this information, we can approach each speaker to check their availability and work to negotiate their rate for your event.

Video types also vary depending on the speaker and the production companies they work with. Some speakers’ videos may be outdated or may have production teams that did not capture the full ability of the speaker. Since each presentation is specifically tailored for the audience and the organization, we recommend that videos are only used to learn if the speaker has the ability to address the audience effectively and not to focus on the content within each video.

The reason is that unless you are working with a production style similar to TED or TEDx, video recordings of in-person presentations can often leave out the audience engagement, and key learning points or give you an understanding of the energy in the room. Speakers tailor each presentation for each audience; therefore, video recordings showcase the speaking ability at best, and depending on the speaker and their investment in their promotional materials, keynote presentations and virtual presentations are not the most effective way to learn whether they are the best fit for the event.

That all said, we made some recommendations for each video types out there to help event planners and organizing teams know what to expect when watching each video.

SPEAKER HIGHLIGHT REELS

Many of Speakers Canada’s professional speakers and motivational speakers will have a “speaker highlight reel” video which will be a chopped-up promotional video with a couple of laughs and aha moments. Speaker highlight reels are of a commercial style often containing clips of the speaker with different audiences, presenting at different conferences and are not content-heavy.

WALRUS & TED/TEDx TALKS

These videos land somewhere between a highlight reel and a full presentation. These videos are not always of motivational keynote speakers qualified to be on a bureau, however, Speakers Canada’s speakers that have these videos have had to carefully select the content of the presentation to align with the theme of the TEDx or TED event. This can limit the ability of the video to showcase the full knowledge within the topic theme or different topic themes but are a great way to learn the speaker’s presentation style and speaking ability.

FULL PRESENTATIONS

Recordings of full presentations can often be dated content, or the content is tailored for a specific audience. They are more content heavy, however, if the topic being addressed is the reason why you are interested in the speaker, and the video has been created in the past couple of years, these videos can be useful for your team to learn more about how in depth the speaker will go within a topic or how the audience reacts to their presentation.

VIRTUAL PRESENTATION RECORDINGS

Virtual keynote speakers in Canada have had a couple of years to create virtual and online content of them speaking. These videos could be a webinar presentation or a snippet of their virtual presentations or even a showcase of their home studio. Virtual presentation video recordings are a great way to see how the speaker comes across virtually, as well as to learn their authenticity, their commitment to as a professional virtual speaker and to gain insights into the energy they bring to the audience. If you are looking for a virtual speaker, these videos are the best way to shorten your list of speakers you want to work with.

VLOG VIDEOS

Vlog videos are a great way to learn how invested the speaker is into their topics to educate and motivate their followers. Speakers present at a wide variety of events, and vlogs keep attendees engaged to the speaker before and after the presentation. Whether it is a leadership keynote speaker or a health & wellness speaker, Vlogs will give you insight to the commitment the speaker has to make an impact for individuals and how updated they are for the topics they present on.

PODCAST/MEDIA INTERVIEWS

Many podcasts these days are now also recorded video interviews with the speaker and the podcast host. Many of our motivational keynote speakers are called upon by different podcasters and media companies for their expertise on different topics. Podcasts and interviews are recommended to explore the content and variety of topics the speaker can address. These videos are the best way to showcase a speakers topic knowledge as they will often include storytelling, practical insights, and personal experiences the speaker has related to a topic. Since interviews and podcasts are meant to educate a public audience, they have a higher level of engagement then other videos.

PANEL DISCUSSIONS & FACILITATED Q&A

Much like podcasts and interviews, depending on the topic theme of the video, panel discussions and facilitated Q&A videos are a great way to explore the speaker’s expertise and credibility. If a speaker is invited to a panel or a facilitated Q&A, it gives the speaker credibility to address that topic with other experts, and you can also explore their personal opinions and strategic advice when discussing different subjects.

SPEAKER’S VIDEOS

While videos are the fastest and most efficient way to preview potential speakers, they may not always give full insights into topic themes or showcase the full speaking ability of the speaker. Event hosts, motivational keynote speakers, virtual speakers, guest speakers & professional speakers will all have different commitment levels and approaches to the video content they post online. Videos are a great way to learn the speaker’s ability to speak as an authority on a topic or deliver a motivating presentation, however, we do not recommend that videos are the only thing you consider to finalize your speaker selection since the content of their presentation is tailored for each audience. Some videos may also be outdated, and speaking ability, content and topics can change over time.

Our speaker bureau talent will have videos on our website and other videos on their YouTube channels. Please call us and we can direct you to their top videos of them speaking and provide additional insights about a particular speaker about the topics they address, their ability to address your audience, and their approach to customizing the content of their presentation to best address the topic themes, event theme and learning objectives to meet the session requirements for in-person and virtual events.

ATTEND AN IN-PERSON EVENT OR A VIRTUAL EVENT WITH A DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION

We can often request and arrange for organizers to preview a speaker at another in-person or virtual speaking engagement they have with a different organization. We must seek out permission from the speaker as well as the organization, so it is not always approved by our working partners however since we manage their schedules, we do our best to make this possible.

Previewing a speaker at another event, or if you attended the speaker’s session at a previous event is one of the best ways to see the speaker in person, gauge the audience’s reaction and meet the speaker and establish a connection. As speakers customize the content for each presentation for each audience and organization, it is important to remember that the presentation they deliver at the event you saw them speak, is not the same presentation they will deliver to your organization.

SPEAKER CANADA’S VIRTUAL SHOWCASES & CLIENT EVENTS

As we grow our speaker bureau to become the top speakers bureau in Canada, we hold free online events to showcase speakers in different topics. We encourage audiences from all over the country to attend these events which will not only provide organizations the opportunity to meet our speakers, but to provide useable information regarding a current event, trending topic or celebration awareness day in Canada.

These sessions are interactive and will have 3-5 speakers that specialize on a specific topic to build off one another and work together to drive impact for attendees. The Speakers Canada showcases our top talent, leading experts and unique motivational speakers that are passionate to create change across our nation through their presentations. You will have the opportunity to interact with our showcase speakers that you can take back to your team to create new ideas for the events that will impact the people and direction of the organization.

ALL THAT SAID, WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO KNOW IF THE SPEAKER IS A GOOD FIT FOR MY AUDIENCE AND WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET TO KNOW A SPEAKER BEFORE I SELECT THEM FOR AN EVENT?

Call us “old school” but we still believe that having an intimate, strategic, and progressive conversation with the speaker directly is the most effective way to know if a speaker is going to be successful with your group. We work with “hands on speakers” who are able to represent and showcase their ability themselves to each organization. Virtual meetings have enabled speakers to attend a video conference call where you can have any leaders or decision makers participate on the call so that your planning team can all get to know the speaker, ask them any questions, and make a team decision on which speaker will be able to educate and motivate the audience.

As experts on industry trends and knowing what organizations require to implement change in their people, our bureau is able to share unique insights, present new ideas and give expert advice in which speakers will be the best fit and put you in touch with them directly at an early stage. By contacting one of our talented agents, we become a major resource for each event organizer that is planning an event. We recommend that you contact us upon submitting a request so that we can learn more about the event and what you hope to achieve.

We can then ask you questions, share our opinions and provide strategic advice for best practices in the approach to your planning and the speaker you work with. We also recommend that once you have shortlisted your speaker, that we arrange a video conference call or conference call with the speaker directly before making a decision. We notice that this is the best way to learn more about the speaker since you and your team can get a full understanding of their offerings, speaking ability and if they are aligned with the organizational needs and session requirements. Whether a short notice booking for an annual general meeting or if your conference is coming up next year, Speakers Bureau Canada connects you directly to the top motivational speakers and virtual keynote speakers in Canada.

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.

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.