Speakers on A shoestring

Meetings & Conventions: Short Cuts March 2001 Current Issue
March 2001
Short Cuts:Speakers on A shoestring

The National Speakers Bureau is out to dispel the myth that a good speaker always comes with a hefty price tag. In December, the Libertyville, Ill.-based organization introduced SpeakerPoint (www.speakerpoint.net), a new internal division that represents roughly 100 professional speakers, carefully culled from the NSB’s master list. Their fees range between $3,000 and $7,000 per gig.

“Planners are keen to find reliable speakers at a good price. But they have this notion that if you call a bureau, all the speakers are expensive,” says Brian Palmer, presider of SpeakerPoint. The SpeakerPoint Web site, which features a speaker of the month, also includes a database containing individual bios, information on how to select a speaker, ways to effectively prepare the speaker and tips for running a successful Q&A session.

Not sure whether the meeting calls for a motivator, strategist or communications guru? An online speaker search questionnaire includes helpful questions to lead planners to the right match.

Expect the search to take about three months, says Palmer. But, he adds, “It’s amazing what you can do in three weeks for a client.”

CHERYL-ANNE STURKEN