Cost is obviously an important consideration for any event be that a conference, off-site, or even internal meeting.
There are no specific guidelines that inform the costing of professional speakers and many different factors will influence what you will end up paying.
Some of these factors include:
- Experience
- Though leadership
- Impact of the message
- Industry
Here are the typical ranges you might look at:
Cost: Free
Most speakers at this level are trying to break into the industry. This includes pretty much everyone.
Cost: R5000 – R20,000
Speakers in this category have gained some traction but typically speaking is a side-hustle for them. They may or may not have a strong level of thought leadership and a body of work that can be referenced.
Cost: R20,000 – R45,000
Speakers at this level typically have a strong body of work. They have thought leadership and a certain level of familiarity with people. Public speaking is deeply integrated into their offering and therefore their talks are well researched.
Cost: R45,000 – R80,000
At this level, speakers have demonstrated thought leadership and have likely been speaking professionally for an extended period of time. Speaking is very likely a full-time profession.
Cost: R80,000+
When you pay R80,000+ for a speaker you are paying for more than just the content they present. You are paying for the persona. This typically belongs to the superstars, best-selling authors, ex-marines etc.
