Alright, let me take you on a culinary journey real quick.
Imagine this:
You are really hungry and pull your car up to the chick-fil-a drive-thru for some lunch. Without even looking in your wallet to see how much cash you have, you start ordering. A number 1 with a large fry, vanilla milkshake, an 8 piece nugget, and a side salad. Your stomach is rumbling and you get up to the window and they read your total – $24.06, please. Your mouth is watering as you get out your wallet and see you only brought a $10 bill with you. Now you have to take some of your precious time and rearrange and minimize your order. Man – you might have made different choices when ordering had you known there was only $10 in your wallet. Just like you might have stopped off at a fancier restaurant for lunch had you known you had some stacks in your pocket.
Budget matters – a lot! And knowing your max budget before you even begin looking for a speaker will take so much stress off of you, as the event planner. It will keep you within the boundaries of where to look without wasting your time. It will allow you to make confident decisions as you plan an experience for your attendees and you deserve a stress-free event.
So, start here…
4 Main Reasons Why You Need to Know Your Speaker Budget Before Hiring a Speaker:
1. It Allows for Open Communication
First, when you are hiring a motivational speaker, having honest and open communication is key. This is a place to share your vision, your big ideas, facts about your audience…and yes, your budget! Remember, that you want to plan the best event for your organization and the speaker is trying to figure out if this event is a good fit for them. Transparency allows room for connection and solution. Oftentimes, a speaker or bureau will ask for your max budget – this isn’t to be nosey! It is to point you in the right direction and figure out what potential services they can provide for you. Knowing your budget creates an opportunity for the best experience by having a conversation that leads to the next steps.
2. It Saves You So Much Time
Second, honor yourself and honor the speaker by knowing your budget upfront. Going back and forth because you do not know your budget only leads to stress and confusion. Come into your initial meeting with a budget that you and your team have already discussed. Talk to the people that make those decisions and come ready to share. Time is so important to speakers and they can book up fast. They are often scheduling events far in advance to make appropriate arrangements. The faster you can solidify a date on their calendar – the faster you can start planning. Don’t miss out on your dream speaker because of budget delays.
3. It Helps You Find The Right Speaker
Third, every single speaker is different, every event is different, and every budget is different. Hopefully, there is a speaker that will fit the needs of your organization. No matter the size of your budget – there is a speaker for you. My team tries our best to accommodate the needs of everyone reaching out, however; sometimes it is not a good fit. That does not mean that I can’t point you in the right direction, as I have relationships with countless amazing speakers from various backgrounds. No matter what, I would love for you to submit your request form here and connect with you.
Keep your budget in mind when you are doing your research. You can tell the caliber of the speaker and plan or adjust your budget by looking at these exceptional speaker qualities below. These qualities can help you validate the cost of the speaker.
Fast Loading Website
Quality Website
Years of Experience
Companies They Have Worked With
4. It Leads To Planning A Much Better Event
And finally, when you know your budget before you even start looking to hire a keynote speaker, it helps you plan a more successful event. If you want to hire a speaker for under $5,000, do not expect to hire Mel Robbins. Know your entire event budget and your speaker budget. Be mindful of what else goes into planning an event – food, room rentals, giveaways, and more. Do not waste your entire budget focusing on only one thing. A successful event is all about the overall experience for the attendees. Calculate your budgets and start planning!
Ask yourself: what is our max investment for the speaker to get the most valuable outcome?
Budget matters – in choosing your speaker and at the chick-fil-a drive-thru.
