SKO planner
Pick your kickoff date and we'll back-schedule the speaker milestones, then work through the checklist. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
Booking checklist
- Theme first. Decide the one message reps should leave with, then pick the speaker who delivers it (not the other way round).
- Shortlist 3. Filter the directory by topic and published fee; watch a recent video of each.
- Ask each one: fee and what it includes · travel and lodging terms · customization and a pre-event call with your sales leaders · recording / replay rights for reps who miss it · virtual option · cancellation and rescheduling terms.
- Get it in writing. Date, run time, deliverables, payment schedule, cancellation terms.
- Brief them. Share your number, your theme, your top deal blockers and the words your reps use.
- Plan the follow-through. A workshop or reinforcement plan after the keynote is where behavior actually changes.
Bureau vs. booking direct
Speaker bureaus are useful when you want someone to shortlist and manage logistics. They're paid by commission, which bureau-side sources put at roughly 20–30% (Offsite; Futurist Speakers says 25–30%). Sometimes that's built into the quoted fee and sometimes it's added on top, so ask. Booking direct doesn't guarantee a lower price, but it puts you in the room with the person you're hiring.
Lead times above follow Offsite's SKO guide: marquee names 9–12 months, established speakers 6–9, practitioners and trainers 3–6, customer speakers 2–3. Early-January dates are the most competitive.