Hiring & Booking a Speaker
Choosing, vetting and budgeting for a keynote speaker.
I need a keynote speaker for my event. Where do I start?
Start with the result you want, not the speaker. Decide what you want people to think, feel and do differently when they leave. Then match a speaker to your audience, your budget and your date. Most planners do it backwards: they browse speakers first and end up booking a great talk that doesn't fit their event.
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I'm considering a speaker. How do I know they're actually good?
A good speaker has three things: a message that fits your audience, proof they deliver it well, and real experience behind their stories. The best way to tell is to do some quick research (highlight reel, short clips, one-sheet), call a past client, and pay attention to how the first conversation feels.
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I need a speaker for our event. How much should I budget, including the extras?
In Windy Elstermeier's experience, keynote speaker fees commonly fall between about $3,000 and $5,000, and Windy's own keynotes start at $3,500. Your total cost is the speaker's fee plus extras: travel, lodging, books or workbooks for attendees, and any AV or room setup. Fees vary with audience size (200 people is different from 2,000), how senior the audience is, how much customization you need, travel distance, and extras like book signings or a bundled workshop. Ask every speaker for an all-in quote so you're comparing the same thing.
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