If you want to ensure the success of any event, meeting or conference, it’s essential to budget for engaging a professional speaker. Check out this article, ‘The Ultimate Guide To Keynote Speaker Fees’ to help event planners with budgeting and for keynote speakers to better set their fees.
Unfortunately, there are some unique situations where an event planner geniunely cannot allocate funds towards a motivatioanal speaker. Don’t worry! Here are 10 other things that can be negotiated with a zero speaker budget:
1. ‘Opt-Out Clause’
Speakers could agree to speak for no fee so long as they don’t receive a request for a full fee engagement within 3 weeks from the event.
2. Revenue sharing
Proceeds generated by ticket sales to an event could be distributed between event planners and professional speakers.
3. Travel and hospitality
Event planners could provide airfare, accommodation, meals, ground transportation, tickets to entertainment and sporting events.
4. Booth at event
Event planners could offer the speaker a discounted or free booth at the event.
5. Advance book sales
The event planner could purchase a number of signed copies of the speaker’s books which could either be sold or given to event attendeees.
6. “Back of the room” sales
Speakers could be given a table or booth – often at the back of the room – to sell their products and services.
7. Delegate list
Speakers could receive a list of event attendees complete with contact names, designations, organisation names and email addresses.
8. Marketing communication
Event planners could send promotional and/ or “value” emails on behalf of the speaker to their database before and after the event. They could also distribute print material on behalf of the speaker at event.
9. VIP lunch session
Speakers could host a special lunch session limited to a certain number of VIPs, leaders and decision makers.
10. VIP “Masterclass”
Speakers could host a pre- or post-event “masterclass” limited to a certain number of VIPs, leaders and decision makers.
What other things would you add to this list? Please share your ideas in the comments below!
