There must be something in the air. Just recently I removed myself from a conference lineup because the organizers neglected to inform me they wouldn’t be paying for my travel and hotel expenses until after the schedule went live. A few friends removed themselves from the same event for the same reason. Then I wake up this morning to find Remy and Christian have both written good posts about the same topic. They say things happen in threes, so here are my thoughts.

As a conference organizer and speaker (and a previous life in the entertainment business) I can clearly see both sides of this coin. From my years in rock-and-roll, I know that without talent, there is no show. Rather than blather on before my first cup of coffee, I’ll just post an excerpt from something I’ve already written (but not released) about meetup, event, and conference planning:

Your attendees are coming to see great speakers talk about interesting or helpful things. They aren’t paying to see sponsor’s ads or pick up free swag. There are many less expensive ways to get a t-shirt. The content of your event is what people will remember. When was the last time you heard someone say they were going to a tech conference because they have great cupcakes? Your speakers are the most important thing about your event. Treat them that way.

In nearly every event we’ve run, speaker’s fees, travel, and accommodations have been the single largest budget item. Remember, without great speakers you just have a trade show. At the minimum you should pay for travel and hotel expense, ground transportation to the event, and WiFi in the room for every speaker. You have to remember you’re asking them to take time away from their work, family, and other obligations to speak at your event. This is a much larger investment than just the hour or so they spend on stage.

Some speakers will ask you to pay them a speaker fee. Most who do are worth the price. Pay it if your budget allows and they are a good fit for your event. If your budget doesn’t have room either go get more sponsorship dollars or tell them you can’t afford it. Don’t negotiate. Don’t barter. In some cases they may offer to waive the all or part of the fee if you do something of value for them, but it’s their choice. Never ask them to do trade or discount their fee.

Show Me the Money

All events have three main revenue streams: Speakers (knowledge revenue), Sponsors (dollar revenue), and Attendees (dollar revenue). The relationship is pretty obvious. Speakers are the show, attendees pay to see the speakers, and sponsors pay to be seen by attendees. Notice the order? Speakers, attendees, sponsors. That’s the priority you need to keep in mind.

This isn’t to say speakers have nothing to gain by speaking at your event. They do. But they’re already paying to be there with their knowledge, effort, and endorsement of the event. It’s flat rude to ask them to pay money, too. That’s what sponsors and attendees are for.

If you’re running or planning to run an event, and you find you don’t have the budget to treat your speakers properly then you shouldn’t have the event until you do. Period. Go get more money. There are lots of ways to make the math work regardless of the size of your event. It’s your job to figure that out.