Firm offers… love ‘em or hate ‘em? The crucial step to booking a speaker
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Why firm offer forms are essential to the business of speaker invitations for your event… from Outspoken co-founder, Tara Berthier
Speaker bureaus act as intermediaries between event organizers and speakers, streamlining the process of booking and coordinating speaking engagements. When speaker bureaus present firm offers, it means they're presenting a specific speaker with a set fee and terms for your event. But it might feel like you’re having to sign a contract twice and do twice the administrative work. So why are firm offers required by speaker agencies, and why can’t we just scrap this extra step?
Firm offers contain all of the questions that we know the speaker is going to ask before they can accept an invitation. We need to know the date, fee, venue address, topic, schedule, etc. You would be SHOCKED by the amount of event hosts that say over email “we’d love to extend an invitation to “Speaker” at this fee, on this date, and then completely ghost us. So, in the interest of saving time for the speaker and our agency, this binding firm offer form is very important in gauging the level of commitment from the host. Our speakers are busy, and holding a date on a speaker’s calendar without a host making a more formal commitment can result in our speakers losing business and/or having to miss out on personal plans.
Completing and submitting firm offer forms serves multiple purposes and is essential for speakers and event organizers. Here's why they are necessary:
Clarity and Transparency: Firm offers provide clarity and transparency regarding the details of the speaking engagement. This includes crucial information not only for a contract, but also to generally understand for logistical preparations. By having all this information documented in a formal offer, both parties are clear on what is expected and can avoid misunderstandings later on.
Commitment: Firm offers demonstrate the level of commitment from the event organizer or host. It shows that they are serious about booking the speaker for the event. Without a firm offer, there's a risk that the event organizer may change their mind or back out, which can disrupt the speaker's schedule and potentially lead to lost opportunities.
Time-saving: While it may seem like an additional administrative step, submitting a firm offer actually saves time in the long run. It streamlines the process by providing all necessary information upfront, reducing the need for back-and-forth communication to finalize the details. This benefits both the speaker bureau and the speaker, as it allows them to focus their time and resources more efficiently.
Protecting Speakers' Interests: Speakers are often busy individuals with packed schedules. Holding a date on a speaker's calendar without a firm commitment from the buyer can result in missed opportunities for other engagements or personal plans. By requiring firm offers, speaker bureaus can protect the interests of their speakers and ensure that their time is respected.
Firm offers are crucial for facilitating smooth and efficient communication between speaker bureaus and event organizers. They provide clarity, demonstrate commitment, save time, and protect the interests of all parties involved. So, while firm offers may seem like an extra step, they're truly the cornerstone of a successful partnership, ensuring seamless engagements and empowering both speakers and agencies to thrive in the dynamic (and busy!) world of events.
Want to chat more about our process of booking a speaker for your next event? Reach out to us via email and we’ll walk you through the steps!
Outspoken Agency is a women-owned speaking agency representing leaders, founders, public intellectuals, authors and entertainers for paid keynotes, workshops and panels at in-person and virtual events. Learn more about our female founders here.