Have you experienced this before?
You’ve done the hard work.
You’ve spoken with colleagues, researched the market, narrowed the options and found a speaker who perfectly fits your audience, objectives and budget.
Then comes the meeting with the committee or the client.
Suddenly, people who haven’t spent hours researching speakers begin asking questions and offering suggestions. The conversation shifts away from the event objectives and towards opinions, assumptions and one-off recommendations.
“Can we get someone more well-known?”
“My friend saw someone speak recently… have we looked at them?”
“How much should a keynote speaker cost these days?”
“I used AI and it suggested this speaker?”
“The cheaper option looks pretty similar.”
“Can we record the presentation and livestream it as well?”
Before long, the discussion isn’t about choosing the right speaker anymore—it’s about answering random questions that pull the decision in every direction.
Sound familiar?
How to respond when your speaker research is criticized
“Can we get someone more well-known?”
“Absolutely, they’ll cost more money and the best speaker isn’t always the most famous. Our priority is finding someone who will deliver the biggest impact for our audience and objectives.”
“My friend saw someone speak recently… have we looked at them?”
“It’s worth considering every good recommendation. Let’s assess them against our brief and compare them with the options we’ve already shortlisted.”
“How much should a keynote speaker cost these days?”
“Like any profession, fees vary widely depending on experience, demand and reputation. The good speakers start at around $8K / $10K plus gst and travel range; the higher profile names start at around $15K plus gst and travel range. The better question is: who’s the best fit for our budget and the outcome we’re trying to achieve?”
“I used AI and it suggested this speaker”
“AI is a great research tool, but it can’t tell you who is the most engaging on stage, who is easy to work with, or who will resonate with this particular audience. That’s where experience matters.”
“The cheaper option looks pretty similar.”
“On paper they might. But the audience won’t know they are cheaper – they’ll just know if it’s a good, engaging speaker or not. The speaker’s experience, delivery and audience engagement are often what separates a good presentation from a memorable one ”
“Can we record the presentation and livestream it as well?”
“Possibly, but it’s something we need to agree with the speaker upfront. Recording and live-streaming often involve additional rights and fees, so it’s best to clarify that before confirming the booking.”
Need backup?
Sometimes the difference between getting a speaker approved or rejected comes down to having someone in the room who knows the market.
If it helps, we’re happy to join your internal meeting or client call to answer questions, explain the market, discuss budgets, compare speakers and help your team make an informed decision.
Sometimes five minutes of expert input can save weeks of going around in circles.
Need backup before your next speaker meeting?
Keith Harwood – Over 15 years’ experience
[email protected] | 0450 077 997
Sharmila Nahna – Over 19 years’ experience
[email protected] | 0418 664 901