Inquiry Management

The Speakers Bureau of Canada (SBC) establishes clear standards to manage speaker inquiries, leads, and bookings with accuracy and accountability. These policies define how speakers and SBC coordinate on inquiries, referrals, contracting, and client communication to maintain consistent terms and protect all parties involved. SBC’s procedures ensure transparency in lead handling, fee management, and ongoing client relationships. All speakers are expected to follow these standards to support fair representation and operational integrity across every engagement.

Inquiry Types & Definitions Agency Inquires & Co Broker Arrangements Inquiry Response & Fee Integrity Inquiry Intake, Referrals & Records Lead Conflicts Conflict Management Conflict Resolution

All speakers operate under the provisions of Speakers Bureau of Canada arrangements and the terms and conditions of the website, portal, and relationship
The speakers selected relationship determines how inquiries are managed and prioritized between the speaker and the bureau
Both exclusive and nonexclusive speakers may receive and manage inquiries directly, with exclusive speakers often requesting our bureau to manage inquiries on their behalf

Any inquiry may be forwarded to one of our agents for coordination and management
Any lead forwarded to our bureau agents is managed directly for that speaker, with no other speakers advanced without approval
Exclusive speakers receive full-service support across bookings, marketing, and coordination, with adjusted commission structures and increased booking opportunities

Inquiry Types & Definitions

Direct Inquiries

Requests received by the speaker through personal channels including email, website, social media, personal marketing, referrals, and direct relationships that are not associated with or derived from a bureau managed event, booking, or relationship
Bureau Inquiries

Requests received through Speakers Bureau of Canada channels including website, marketing campaigns, outreach, proposals, partnerships, bureau managed relationships, and related events
Bureau Spin Off

Direct our bureau inquiries that originate from a bureau introduction, referral, relationship, or prior booking, including outreach from organizers, audience members, production teams, or event stakeholders for future opportunities or bookings

Speaker Referred

Direct inquiries received by the speaker and forwarded to us are managed exclusively for that speaker on their behalf
Agency Inquiries

Agency inquiries are requests from other bureaus or agencies regarding availability, event consideration, or representation on their platform

Agency Inquires & Co Broker Arrangements

Agency outreach is common within the industry and may include booking opportunities, representation discussions, or participation in shared or related events
Speakers are to inform our agent if contacted by another agency or bureau regarding representation
The bureau can provide impartial guidance and background information on the opportunity, the agency, and appropriate next steps to protect your interests

Speakers must notify the bureau if contacted by another agency regarding an potential event previously introduced through the bureau or its channels
Exclusive speakers are to inform their assigned agent of any agency or bureau outreach related to an event to maintain alignment, ethical standards, and avoid conflicts with current leads
Our speakers are often booked through other bureaus and agencies under co broker arrangements, with commissions split between agencies and the speaker retaining their agreed fee

We manage all fee and contract negotiations, travel, and logistics to ensure efficiency, consistent terms, and aligned booking standards across all engagements
We welcome partnerships to expand opportunities and bring our speakers to more audiences while maintaining consistent standards, strong experiences, and aligned representation

Inquiry Response & Fee Integrity

For all direct inquiries, speakers are required to request and confirm the lead source and how they were discovered
This confirms whether one of our agents is already engaged or if alternate sourcing or pricing is being explored
Speakers must record the date of inquiry, organizer name, organization name, event date, location, and source of discovery during the first conversation
If there is uncertainty regarding the source or ownership of the inquiry, details must be shared with Speakers Bureau of Canada for review and coordination
Fees are not to be shared until the inquiry source is confirmed
If a fee is provided, it must align with the agreed fee structure maintained with Speakers Bureau of Canada
Fees must remain consistent at all times to prevent duplication or conflict
Please contact us before increasing your fee and update your fees with us once they have been determined

Inquiry Intake, Referrals & Records

Initial review, recording of the inquiry and its source, and assignment to the appropriate agent
Leads are qualified based on requested speaker, relationship, budget, event format, location, topics, audience, and overall fit

Speakers are responsible for maintaining records of all direct inquiries unless they have designated our bureau to manage their leads
Our bureau maintains records for all leads received from speakers and each channel for bureau managed inquiries and engagements
All records must include organizer name, organization name, event date and the date the request was first received, and available to be shared upon request

Any speaker can forward us to manage a lead at any time to quality and manage on their behalf
Nonexclusive speakers are not required to refer leads for us to manage on their behalf
Exclusive speakers are required to refer leads for bureau management unless otherwise agreed
Speaker referred leads are managed directly for that speaker, presented to them directly, with no other speakers advanced

Leads that originate through bureau channels, including website, portal, marketing, proposals, or relationships, and are first received by the bureau are managed by the bureau
An organization remains a bureau client for twelve (12) months following the most recent communication or engagement related to the same event, committee, or opportunity

Speakers must not market or communicate directly with bureau clients without prior authorization
Contact lists must be reviewed to ensure bureau clients are not included in third party distribution
Collaborative lists and marketing campaigns are coordinated with the bureau and not shared externally

Lead Conflicts

The nature of the speaking industry results in lead conflicts on a regular basis
Lead conflicts occur when both our bureau and a speaker, or another agency, engage with the same client or event
This may include a speaker receiving a lead from the same client before, after, or at the same time as our bureau

A client or organizer contacting a speaker directly after receiving the speaker’s information through our bureau
Another agency contacting the same speaker about the same event or related placeholders
Speakers must notify our bureau immediately when any conflict occurs

Conflict Management

All conflicts are managed in coordination between our bureau, the speaker, and the client to maintain fairness and clear communication
The objective is to secure the booking for the speaker before addressing commission matters
Our bureau and the speaker will verify the lead source, confirm communication history, and determine involvement
If our bureau retains the lead, the speaker must include our bureau in all client correspondence, identifying our bureau as their agent or partner

Conflict Resolution

Our bureau will coordinate communication and representation until the conflict is resolved
Resolution outcomes may include bureau management of the event, a shared co-broker arrangement, or confirmation that the lead remains speaker managed
All conflict resolutions must be documented in writing for recordkeeping and future reference
If an exclusive speaker is contacted by another agency regarding a conflicting lead, our bureau must be included in that correspondence

If a non-exclusive speaker is contacted by another agency for the same event, the first agency to hold the speaker will maintain the initial position
The client retains the right to select the agency through which they confirm the booking