Motivational Speakers

We've all seen people like Tony Robbins on TV, demonstrating his techniques for motivating and inspiring people. Whether its for individuals or corporations or other organizations, everybody needs a little extra push sometimes, an opportunity to look at things in a different way, a chance to discover the secrets of success that other people have found. And this is where the business of motivational speaking comes in. Motivational speakers include every one from the big name guys like Tony or Zig Ziglar or Dr. Phil to a long list of celebrities, authors, politicians, athletes, coaches, and others who bring their experience to your event. People also use professional keynote speakers for fundraising events, corporate training and seminars, or just as entertainment. Planning a big meeting, retreat, or seminar can be a big challenge, but having the right keynote or motivational speaker can really set the tone for the whole event. In this guide, we will take a look at the business of professional speakers and motivational speakers -- where to find them, how much they cost, and what you can expect.

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Professional Public Speakers and Keynote Speakers

Professional meeting planners usually get outside help when it comes to selecting and organizing a visit from a professional speaker for their event. There are a number of speaker bureaus that have extensive contacts across the motivational speaker industry that can help you find the right person for your meeting. Start with Eagles Talent Connection (EaglesTalent.com). In business for more than 25 years, they can help find public speakers across a broad range of topics appropriate to your event - entrepreneurship, sales, strategic planning, taxes, peak performance, humor, body language, accountability, customer service, life balance, leadership, presentation skills, etc. Celebrity speakers often add some punch to any event - you can get people like John Cleese from Monty Python, Ben Stein, Chubby Checkers. By working with a bureau like this, you can get access to a long list of celebrities and stars that are willing to make public speaking appearances, so if you are looking for star power tell them you are looking for well-known names rather than industry experts. And it doesn't cost any more to book a speaker through a bureau than it does by going direct through their agency, so take advantage of the services these folks offer. Another professional speakers bureau to check out is BigSpeak.com. They can help set you up with motivational and keynote speakers ranging from celebrities like Warren Beatty, Deepak Chopra, Connie Chung, Bill Cosby, Tony Hawk, and Jay Leno to business and leadership professional speakers to sports and adventure speakers. Their website also has a meeting planner tools section to help you organize your corporate event, with tips like "How to Hire the Perfect Keynote Speaker" (which starts with establishing the date, time, and place of event for scheduling purposes) and "Meeting Promotion and Publicity Checklist".

Last, consider working with Premiere Speakers Bureau (premierespeakers.com). Their website also has useful tool for meeting planners, like "Top 10 Tips for Finding the Right Speakers" (#1 - determine the needs of your audience!) and "17 Things NOT To Do At An Event". They can help you find the right speaker for motivation and inspiration, personal growth, entertainment, politics, education, and more. How about Anderson Cooper from CNN? They have him listed at their site (and yes, Mr. Cooper requires first class airfare to attend your event in addition to his fee!). We recommend going through a bureau like these to take advantage of their expertise in organizing and planning - they do this stuff everyday, whereas you might do it once a quarter -- who do you think will do a better job at it?

How much do motivational speakers cost?

Public speaking is a big business - a lot of the top speakers can make on the order of $50K-$200K for a single event, not a bad day's work. Here are some examples we found. You can book a NASA astronaut for about $10-15K, a leadership expert for around $5K-$10K, trade show experts for $5-$7K, For "no-name" professionals, these figures are pretty standard. While this sounds like a lot of money, it is usually just a small percentage of the total budget for a large event, when you consider airfare, lodging, meals, time away from work, etc. And an investment in your human capital, that makes your employees more effective and more motivated, is certainly an investment worth making. Celebrity speaker rates are often considerably higher. For example, Roy Firestone of ESPN fame charges around $20-$30K per appearance, and ex-President Clinton reportedly makes $100K+ per speaking engagement. Or how about cycling champion Lance Armstrong? He is available through most speakers bureaus, with a fee in excess of $50K. When you book a professional speaker, you not only pay their speaker fee but must also cover their cost of travel expenses - hotels, airfare, transportation, etc. -- keep that in mind. Decide what your budget is in advance so you know what you can afford and not afford - don't get your sights set on Colin Powell only to have to settle for something less.

Inspirational Speakers

Once you start searching, you'll find there are a lot of amazing individuals out there with lives and experiences they can share with your organization, bringing common themese and messages home like leadership, perseverance, goal setting, etc. How about someone who has climbed Mt. Everest, with only one arm? Then head for GaryGuller.com. His presentations on leadership and effective teamwork come from real-life experiences of life and death and survival, not just politics or business, yet the lessons are applicable to all of us. Or how about a Top Gun US Air Force fighter pilot to bring stories of teamwork, bravery, and leadership from experiences flying combat missions over Yugoslavia and Iraq? Then head for YourWingman.com for Rob "Waldo" Waldman who heads up his leadership and sales consulting business, The Patriot Group. He makes appearances as a keynote speaker, seminar leader, and corporate trainer. You can do a search for "motivational speakers" or "inspirational speakers" and find many others like these to help make your event a memorable one for all attendees.

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