Working With Leading Authorities Speakers Bureau
Looking for a dynamic, inspiring keynote speaker to take the stage at your next big event? Need a strong moderator or emcee to moderate your next meeting or panel? Searching for an engaging and energetic entertainment act to headline your next large conference?
Let the industry experts at Leading Authorities speakers bureau introduce and connect you with one of the talented personalities on our roster of powerful, compelling expert keynote speakers.
WHAT IS A SPEAKERS BUREAU?
A speakers bureau is a resource for the people who plan meetings, conventions, conferences, and other types of events. By working with a speakers bureau or agency, you can find keynote speakers, assemble panels or workshops, and build an event that everyone in your audience will remember.
Instead of seeking out individual speakers and working out booking details on your own, you can contact a speakers bureau to:
- Research and present a customized group of established speakers to help you find the ideal keynote speaker for your event
- Search for available speakers within a certain fee or budget range or speakers who specialize in particular subject matters
- Get recommendations for potential speakers that fit your budget and content needs
- Receive assistance with event programming ideas supported by speakers from the bureau
- Provide support with equipment and multimedia requirements so you have every tool you need for an unforgettable event
WHY SHOULD YOU WORK WITH A SPEAKERS BUREAU?
A lot of times clients ask, “Why should I work with a speakers bureau for my event?” or “Won’t working with a speaker directly save me time and money?”. Often, they're unsure about what to expect from a speakers bureau, and is interested in finding the reason why we're so important.
This question was best answered for me recently by one of my clients. She said, “I only work with bureaus because I know that if something happens to the talent preventing their engagement, you will work tirelessly to ensure that I have the perfect replacement.” And that’s true!
Talent cancellations are unfortunately the ugliest and most heartbreaking part of our business. But in the rare instances that they do happen, it is important to have an army of people working to ensure a backup gets to your event on time and, most importantly, that your event goes off without a hitch. So, why work with a speakers bureau? We're consistently working on you behalf, to protect you and your event from any mishaps. This is where working with Leading Authorities speakers bureau pays off.
WHY CHOOSE LEADING AUTHORITIES SPEAKERS BUREAU?
Leading Authorities, Inc. has a world-class collection of exclusive keynote speakers and strong working relationships with non-exclusive speakers all across the globe. In addition to supporting you with research, contract management, and event program development, we help take care of all the important logistics and arrangements involving transportation, meals, lodging, and other accommodations for your speakers.
Additionally, there are several reasons why working with Leading Authorities specifically will be good for your business. Here are just a few of them:
THE BEST TALENT IN THE SPEAKING INDUSTRY
Leading Authorities, Inc. represents some of the most influential public speakers in the world. We represent recognizable names and faces that your audience will be buzzing about before the event, and that they’ll talk about for years to come. In addition to connecting with our roster of outstanding speakers, you can count on Leading Authorities, Inc. for support from the minute you book your next event speaker until the moment of thunderous applause at the end of the speech. For times when you experience a last-minute cancellation or need a speaker quickly, Leading Authorities, Inc. team will help make even the most challenging event, simple and straightforward.
VETTED TALENT
Not every random speaker out there receives our recommendation or a coveted place on our website. Our talent is closely vetted to ensure that their content is valuable and unique, their style is engaging, and that their character is exceptional. We will not recommend a speaker to you just to cash a check. In many cases, we even talk clients out of booking a speaker we know will be wrong for them, and present alternatives that work so much better for their audience, event type, location, and more.
FREE RESOURCE
That’s right, FREE! It’s hard to imagine, but we work for free until you book a speaker, and then our commission is paid as a percent out of the speaker’s fee. During the process, our job is to work alongside you through the ideation phase and to present you with fresh and compelling ideas. We provide you with the speaker’s fee and availabilities, and, when you’re ready, negotiate the details of an offer. Our job is NOT to sell you one specific speaker, but instead to understand your goals and consult with you to help you find the right fit for your organization and event.
ACCESS
Whether you’re looking for a big-name celebrity, a speaker local to your area, or topical expert, access to the right people is the key to a successful event. At Leading Authorities, we have personal relationships with not only the folks you see on our website, but also with thousands of accomplished individuals who value our decades of experience, rich client base, and unparalleled exposure to the marketplace. When we present an offer, they listen.
EXPERIENCED STAFF
When you work with Leading Authorities speakers bureau, not only are you working with the most seasoned and thoughtful agents in the business, you are also working with the very best events team who will ensure every detail goes off without a hitch. When you book a speaker exclusive to Leading Authorities, you can also rest easy at night knowing there is a specific person on our staff detailed to this particular speaker who will make sure all of their logistics are squared away and that, if something should happen, they’ll do everything in their power day and night to make sure your event is a first priority.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “EXCLUSIVE” AND “NON-EXCLUSIVE” REPRESENTATION OF SPEAKERS?
Leading Authorities has worked in the speaking industry for decades. A question that often pops up when individuals are new to the lecture circuit—either on the speaking or buying side of the relationship—is, “What’s the difference between an exclusive and a non-exclusive speaker?”
Let’s break down the differences between these two categories of keynote speakers.
EXCLUSIVE SPEAKERS: SPEAKERS WHO WORK WITH ONE BUREAU
To put it simply, exclusive speakers are speakers who have signed on to have one bureau alone represent them on the lecture circuit. All marketing is done by that bureau, all inquiries funnel through that bureau, and all bookings—and arrangement of travel because of those bookings—is coordinated by that bureau.
For many speakers, this makes the process of becoming a speaker and generating bookings easier and more hassle-free.
Working with a dedicated partner also helps speakers build out their content and portfolio with the aid of market data and demand.
As a client, when it comes to securing a speaker for your event, the benefit of hiring a speaker that has signed on to work exclusively with a bureau is two-fold:
- First, when booking a speaker who is exclusive with a bureau, you know that the bureau and speaker have a solid relationship. The speaker agent you are working with will have immediate access to that speaker and their team, meaning logistics and requests will be handled in a swift manner.
- Secondly, the speaker agent will have seen that speaker in action multiple times, and therefore be able to honestly and confidently recommend them for your audience—or to suggest someone who may be a better fit.
One important note: Many well-known speakers work exclusively with bureaus. As such, other bureaus can “co-broker” those speakers but cannot book them directly. Be wary of bureaus claiming access to “everyone” on the circuit; they will often reach out to the bureau that represents talent exclusively on their own.
NON-EXCLUSIVE SPEAKERS: SPEAKERS WHO TAKE BOOKINGS “DIRECT” & WORK WITH MANY BUREAUS
Individuals who work as “non-exclusive” speakers typically fall into one of two categories. Either they are new to the circuit and still working on building up their name recognition and following, or they have been speaking for a long time and have a loyal following of event managers and fans. As a result, they have hired a staff of their own to manage marketing and scheduling, and that staff works with all bureaus to promote the talent.
Leading Authorities has great relationships with plenty of speakers who fall into both of these categories. And we are always happy to reach out to speakers who take bookings directly when their style or content is a fit for one of our clients.
A FINAL NOTE
Many established bureaus work collectively to help clients book speakers who have signed to work exclusively with our peers at fellow bureaus. In other words, just because a speaker is marked as “exclusive” with another bureau does not mean Leading Authorities can’t book that speaker for you. Similarly, we are happy to work with other bureaus to “co-broker” our exclusive talent.
The “exclusive” denotation is simply a way for bureaus to provide top-tier service to talent who signs on to work singularly with them, while providing a flawless experience for our clients.
WHAT TOPICS DO LEADING AUTHORITIES SPEAKERS COVER?
If you’re like many event professionals and meeting planners, you already have some ideas about the specific subject matter or type of content you’d like a keynote speaker to address and break down for your audience during your program. But, when it’s time to recommend someone to deliver your message, it’s tough to come up with a compelling name that fits your event budget and theme and With Leading Authorities, Inc., you start with the message, and we provide a curated list of available speakers that will fit all of your event requirements. Our speakers bureau features vetted, high-quality speakers covering a wide range of speaking topics, including:
BUSINESS & BUSINESS STRATEGY SPEAKERS
Inject inspiration and vision into your next business event by booking an experienced and accomplished business speaker. Choose from our roster of business founders, CEOs, thought leaders, and business strategy experts with proven track records.
INNOVATION & DISRUPTION SPEAKERS
Harness the creativity within your team by listening to some of the world’s most compelling innovators. Learn from people whose daring and willingness to chart new territory and embrace emerging technologies led them to ground-breaking accomplishments.
LEADERSHIP SPEAKERS
Unlock the secrets of effective and visionary leadership, and bring out the best in every member of your team. Discover how leaders in business, sports, politics, the military, and more inspired people to reach for excellence—and find it.
MEDIA SPEAKERS
We represent many big names from today's media networks with years of experience covering the world’s most important stories and headlines. Hear their analysis of political trends, current events, and find out the impact on your industry or business.
MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS
Boost morale or energize your group by booking a motivational speaker who fits your culture. Learn from people who’ve overcome overwhelming obstacles to lead themselves and their teams to achieve greatness.
POLITICAL SPEAKERS
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the world of politics from people who’ve spent years in the inner sanctums of government. Deliver a new perspective on historic events, public policy analysis, and the big ideas that shape our world.
READY TO GET STARTED?
Now that you know what a speakers bureau is and why you need to work with a speakers bureau to find the ideal keynote speaker for your upcoming event or meeting, are you ready to experience it firsthand and receive the benefits of using a speakers bureau?
Contact us for a no-obligation conversation and a curated list of keynote speakers for your event by calling 1-800-SPEAKER or live chatting with a member of our team right now. Still have more questions? Review our list of frequently asked questions (FAQs).