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"I'm really struggling with the presentation I have to make in two days," commented former Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey clown, Rick Shapiro.
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As business colleagues and professional speakers Rick and I were having our monthly breakfast together. It’s a time we use for mutual support and learning as we continue to hone our ability to be a cutting edge resource for our clients. This particular morning presented an unanticipated challenge. The day was September 13, only two days after the September 11 attack on our nation. On September 15, Rick was to keynote a national gathering of the Clowns Arts Council.
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His struggle was understandable. In one horrendous day our national assumptions had been challenged. As a nation we were reeling. What had once been unquestioned was now questionable. Would the convention be cancelled? It not, what could he possibly say to positively impact those whose vocation it is to help others see a brighter side? In these moments, was it even appropriate to laugh?
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What's your context?
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Whether it’s an in-your-face reality like the immediate aftermath of September 11 or the current environment of your organization, every presentation has a context.
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What's the context for your upcoming event? What's happening in your industry? What is the current tenor in your organization? What recent changes have occurred? What's currently injecting stress? What new thing waits to be introduced? What will be the mix of those in attendance? What interests and levels will they represent? How many will be in attendance? What will they be expecting?
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What's the context of your event?
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What impact do you want your speaker to have?
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There is no universal answer to that question except to say they need to appropriately contribute to the purpose of your event. That means your event must be focused! It's also critical that you know who will pass final judgment on its success and the criteria by which that success will be judged.
How will the successful contribution of your speaker be determined? Will it be when they have entertained your audience? Will it be when their stories have invited your audience into a behind the scenes world of celebrity - be it sport or music or theater? Will it be when they have positively provided content that has motivated attendees to action?
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What's the context of your event
What impact do you want your speaker to have?
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Where do I find a speaker?
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There are many sources for speakers. The National Speakers Association can provide you with a list of more than three thousand professional speakers. Bureaus can provide you with sports and business celebrities and frequently serve as agents for many - but not all - of the best professional speakers belonging to N.S.A. Individuals with expertise within one's own organization or association can also be used.
Anyone can fill a time slot but not every speaker will have the expertise appropriate to address your context and make the impact you desire. In guiding your selection you might also want to consider the past experience your organization has had with speakers. What was it about the expertise reflected in their presentation that connected with your audience? What contributed to a positive impact? What kind of speaker made working with them easy? What has made working with them seem like being constantly on the edge of a nightmare? How helpful have they been in helping you clarify the purpose of your event? How willing have they been to help you get the speaker who was best for your particular event - especially if it wasn't them?
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What's the context of your event?
What impact do you want your speaker to have?
Where will you turn to find your speaker?
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What's a speaker going to cost?
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"I'm looking for a speaker," commented a voice on the other end of my phone. "How much do you charge?"
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To bring individuals from across your local area, nation, or frequently the world to your event requires a sizable investment. On site costs including everything from hors d'oeuvres, outstanding meals and special events to transportation, and housing are expensive. Many planners divide these costs by the number of those who will be in attendance and by the number of event days to arrive at a per diem investment amount. It's important to prioritize these expenditures based upon their operational, rather than their entertainment, value!
In developing a budget, it's also important to know how much additional per diem investment will be required to provide the appropriate speaker(s). In that context the trade off between adding a higher priced or extra item to your menu or using that extra money on hiring the best speaker for your event is a decision that may be important to consider.
Speaker fees will fall within a wide range. Because of the impact they make, some will be expensive however low their fee. Because they will be able to tailor their presentation, and increase commitment to addressing your specific concerns, others will be more than worthwhile however high their fee. For what return on investment are you looking?
Truth is, only experience will actually tell the worth of your investment. However, this shouldn't keep you from considering what you want to receive from the investment you are going to make. It should heighten its importance. It should also help you move beyond any temptation to mistakenly think of speakers as commodities to be chosen on the basis of price.
Look carefully for the special proprietary expertise of the speaker(s) you will be selecting. Determine who values their insight and expertise enough to use them as a resource. Then make your selection.
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We each want your meeting to succeed so please, let's make certain we understand one another!
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Inviting a speaker into your organization is an act of trust. You want her or him to:
- meet your expectations,
- understand, respect and engage your audience,
- present information that provides new insights,
- offer practical solutions,
- motivate listeners to take action.
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These are the same results Don Andersson wants for your audience. It's also why Don knows the success of your meeting can only result from a collaborative effort. He needs to know what objectives you want your meeting to accomplish. If it's not yet clear, Don will personally work with you to bring it into focus. He will also want to conduct pre-meeting phone interviews with a representative sample of key individuals who will be attending.
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Your Investment In Success
| Presentation Time |
Investment |
| Including pre meeting interviewing and preparation |
Keynote (up to 90 minutes) |
please contact Don Andersson at
716-372-0055 |
| Up to six hours in one day |
please contact Don Andersson at
716-372-0055 |
Including keynote and /or confidential executive
mentoring executive round tables, break-out
sessions. |
| Audio taping rights |
50% |
| Video taping rights |
100% |
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For multiple engagements please request a quote. To meet some of your attendees, capture the flavor of your organization and to avoid travel-conditions delay, Don arrives the day prior to his presentation. Because he welcomes the opportunity to be an available resource for your attendees after his presentation, he appreciates the flexibility to also stay the evening of his presentation.
The investment quoted above includes pre meeting preparation time and interviews. Additional expenses will be billed as follows:
| Mileage @ $.50 per mile |
per diem costs not to exceed $100 |
| Airport shuttle |
Coach Class Air Travel (US) |
| Lodging |
Cost of support material (as needed) |
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Westons Mills, New York 14788