BOOKING KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: DO YOU NEED TO HIRE A SPEAKER BUREAU OR TALENT AGENT TO SECURE CELEBRITY PRESENTERS?

Should you use a speakers bureau for keynote presenters? When planning large conferences, conventions and corporate events that hinge on the insight and draw of an impactful keynote speaker, the stakes feel high to lock in top talent that aligns with needs and budget. It leads to a commonly asked question – is hiring a professional speakers bureau essential to booking prominent keynote speakers?

There are pros and cons to weigh when deciding whether to utilize a specialized bureau versus handling speaker recruitment in-house.

Why Use a Speakers Bureau?

Exclusive Representation: Many leading business visionaries, political dignitaries, celebrities, bestselling authors and subject matter experts solely allow speakers bureaus to manage booking for speaking gigs. Having an inside track to VIP talent can be invaluable.

Industry Expertise: From vetting speaker skills to negotiating fees, experienced bureaus intimately understand the speaking market. They identify qualified candidates who best match event goals and audiences using insider knowledge of pricing to ensure positive ROI on speaker spending.

Turnkey Service: Bureaus simplify logistics like contracts, travel, lodging and A/V arrangements for speakers, freeing internal resources. Handing these administrative tasks to specialists allows teams to focus on bigger picture event planning.

When to Look to Alternate Solutions

Personalized Recruiting:
For niche conferences, associations may prefer crafting targeted speaker prospect lists using connections within specialized fields to findhidden gems a generalist bureau would overlook.

Cost Considerations: Without an intermediary, speaker costs may calculate lower. If operating on tight budgets but have capacity for direct recruiting, forgoing the added bureau fees may appeal.

Better Control: When planners have strong visions for their event programs, driving the full search and signing process rather than relying on an external agency’s suggestings can feel more aligned.

Overall, determining whether the expansive access, leverage and expertise of a dedicated speakers bureau makes the added investment prudent depends entirely on the event, stakeholders and budgets involved. In many cases, the support yields substantial enough benefits to be deemed invaluable.