Tips For Meeting Planners

1. Choosing a Speaker Bureau
   
2. Program Planning Guide
   
3. About Fees
   
4. About topics
   
5. Negotiating the Presenter’s Contract
   
6. Get the Best out of your Presenter
   
   

Choosing a Speaker Bureau?

Choosing the right Speakers' Bureau is as crucial as choosing the right speaker. Both can make you look good and earn you kudos.

Selecting the right presenter can be a harrowing experience even for the most seasoned meeting planner. Since there are hundreds of topics and thousands of excellent programs to choose from, selecting a presenter who has the right information, or one who can create an upbeat, positive mood at your event is no easy task. A presenter who is a huge hit with one audience may be totally inappropriate for another. How is a meeting planner to know who is just right for their group? The answer is knowledge and experience. That is why choosing the right speakers bureau is as crucial as choosing the right speaker.

Caution:

In the age of desktop publishing and easy home video editing, a novice presenter can make themselves look professional and experienced. Thus, be cautious not to be taken in by slick-looking PR materials. Also don’t rely solely on someone in your organization who is eager to recommend a friend, relative, or someone they saw performing. It’s unnecessary to take chances when it comes to selecting the presenters for your meetings and conferences. The guidance of a reputable speakers bureau is invaluable.

Working with a well informed, professional speaker bureau is your safest course. They should know who is good at what they do, and who is right and available for your particular audience. A reliable speakers bureau can not only save you time and hassle, they can also make you look good. And although it does all that, booking a presenter through a speaker bureau will, in most instances, it will still not cost you more. (See about Fees)

Do your homework:

Just as you should check a presenter before hiring him/her, you should likewise investigate a speaker bureau before doing business with them. Here are some of the questions you’ll want to ask them:

1. How long have you been in business?
2. How many clients is your bureau currently working with?
3. How many clients has your bureau been serving continuously for five years or longer?
4. Can I get a list of those clients?
5. Am I allowed to call these clients to get references?
6. Is your bureau an exclusive agency or an all-encompassing bureau? (See “The ETC Difference” in the About ETC section to learn the important difference).
7. How many account executives and follow-up support people does your bureau have on staff?
8. What is your bureau’s policy and procedure for doing business?

Don’t hesitate to call a bureau’s client to get a reference. Most meeting planner are more than willing to share their experience of a particular bureau. Following are some of the questions you may want to have answered when speaking to a bureau’s client.

1. How long have you been working with this bureau?
2. How carefully does your contact person at the bureau listen to you and understand your needs?
3. What has been the quality of their recommendations?
4. How would you rate the bureau’s follow-up and service?
5. What do you like most about the bureau?
6. Is there anything you would like them to do better?
7. Would you feel confident recommending this bureau to a friend?

We at Eagles Talent Connection would love the opportunity to earn the right to become your bureau of choice. Please click “About ETC” to find out more about us.