Why work with a speaker bureau?
Hi there, Brittanny Kreutzer here! I was talking to one of my clients the other day, and he mentioned how much he values our relationship and why he will always use a speaker bureau.
Being that I am usually the one expounding the value of a speaker bureau to our clients, it was refreshing to hear it coming from someone else, especially a client! And unprompted, at that.
There is no better value than to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth; so I created this list based on what he said, and I couldn’t have said it better myself!
So here it is:
Five top reasons to use a speaker bureau, according to my client!
#1. RISK MITIGATION:
“If my speaker cancels and I’m jumping on a plane I know you will take care of it and find me a replacement quickly—you know what I need.”
As much as we don’t like to talk about the “C” word (cancellation), speakers are human, and cancellations happen whether we plan for them or not.
Instead of getting stuck trying to scramble to find a replacement at the last minute, a speaker bureau can do the work for you.
As a bureau, we are able to reach out to our deep network of speakers and find you a replacement quickly and painlessly.
On top of that a lot of times we can call in favors to save you money. Speakers who might otherwise cost more than your canceled speaker, but who will step in for the same price as a favor to us.
If you have to hire someone at the last minute, you could end up paying top dollar out of desperation.
After working in this business for as long as we have, we have a lot of connections and friends who will go above and beyond to help us. This can help us save our clients money.
As an event planner, you don’t have time to worry about re-booking for canceled speakers. Here’s what you should be focusing on: Creating Wow Factor: Three Ways to Make Your Event Surprising.
#2. FAMILIARITY:
“You know our culture and event and what we need and like.”
Instead of having to explain your event again every year, how nice would it be for a bureau to be an extension of your team?
After years of working with clients, we are constantly on the lookout for speakers throughout the year who will be a fit for our clients’ events.
As a speaker bureau, over time we learn the “little things” about your event that are actually big things! What if you have to have a two-hour meet-and-greet or speakers who will do four pre-event calls? Some speakers will charge more and some won’t.
We learn what is important to you and we get you pricing and suggest speakers who will work with our clients and those specific needs.
#3 CONTRACTS:
Although this did not come up specifically with my client and might not always be top of mind, everyone knows how fun legal can be—joke! When we work with the same client year after year, we do our best to learn what works and what doesn’t. After working with your legal team for years, we know what works so contracts will fly through and not get stuck for weeks.
It’s not always possible based on the speaker you booked, but we work hard to make things as easy as possible to make the booking process as smooth as can be. One less thing for you to worry about!
#4 A Speaker Bureau Saves You TIME:
The old adage is true: Time is money!
And the above reasons all save you TIME, so you can be doing other things! This translates into more profit down the line.
#5 RELATIONSHIP:
The relationship you build with a speakers bureau you work with year after year is invaluable. It is the last yet most important reason you should find a speaker bureau and aim for a long term partnership.
We have made so many friendships in this business because of our deep, mutually respectful relationships with our clients.
At the end of the day, it’s the people—both speakers and clients—who make this job fun and personable.
Searching for a speaker should be a fun process for you. Our strong, informed advice is, don’t settle for a new agent each year. Find a good agent you like and enjoy working with every year and develop a relationship that lasts a long time! You will be so glad that you did. Happy Booking!!
-Britt
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This post has been updated from a previously published version.
