End of Year Speaker Booking Tips

Gail Davis, 20 October 2023

With the new year quickly approaching, there’s no time like the present to book a keynote speaker for your next event. We’ve curated a few of our favorite most helpful tips to make your event planning easier so you can enjoy quality time with loved ones and some much needed time off!

Holiday party entertainment ideas

'Tis the season for holiday party planning. Now is the time to book entertainment for your upcoming holiday gathering. Whether you're looking for a good laugh, a kickstart on team collaboration for the new year, or a musical number - we've got you covered. Here are a few of our top picks that are sure to please any crowd:

Virtual events are still happening

If you’re in the same boat as many other organizations, you might find yourself in a use it-or-lose situation with your yearly budget. So why wait until the new year to book a speaker for your event? Plan a virtual event to wrap up Q4 to inspire and empower your employees to start the new year fresh. Many speakers offer engaging virtual keynote programs that are easy to book - without the hassle and extra cost of travel or the jigsaw puzzle of date availability.

Be aware of speaker fees increasing

It is standard industry practice for keynote speakers to raise their fees at the beginning of each new year due to demand, economic inflation, and increased travel costs. Oftentimes, you can book a speaker before the end of the year, even for an event that will take place in the following year, and still be quoted this year’s fee. Knowing this can help you not only save money, but make your investment in a speaker go farther by staying ahead of the game!

Bring in a speaker to show gratitude for your team

Looking for the perfect gift for your team? What better gift to give your employees or clients than an EXPERIENCE! Bring in a speaker to inspire, entertain, educate, or empower your hardworking teammates to show appreciation for all they do.

Consider booking an emcee or moderator for your event

When organizing a live event, you know the importance of having a host. The host adds value to any event by not only in keeping the audience engaged and energized, but also ensuring your event stays on schedule. He or she could be a professional emcee, an executive from your company or a local newscaster. An ideal host, however, seamlessly weaves in your event’s theme and main takeaways from each presentation - or as we like to call it, weaving the red thread through the duration of your event. 

A host is also a crucial role when planning virtual events and if anything, becomes even more important. A virtual host or moderator can welcome participants, provide the outline of the event, introduce speakers, and handle Q&A sessions for a panel or an individual speaker. 

Ask your GDA Agent for recommendations to find the perfect fit for your next in-person or virtual event. Learn more about adding value with emcees and moderators.

Provide attendees books written by speakers

Providing books written by the speaker at your event is a great take home item for attendees and encourages lasting impact and continued learning far after the event is over. GDA Speakers has an easy link to books written by our speakers. This isn't just another bookstore - we understand the event industry. By purchasing speakers’ books from the GDA site, not only can you enjoy wholesale pricing and free shipping along with their price match guarantee, but we can also ship to multiple locations. For example, the books can be sent to a speaker’s home to sign prior to the event and they will then help coordinate in getting the books back to you after they’re signed. Plus, we have a responsive and quick-acting team ready and available to help!

Utilize GDA resources to help you with speaker selection

Want to know what hot topics are trending? Looking for rock solid experts in your organization’s industry? Our goal is to make your job easier and save you time. That’s why we’ve created FREE tailored resources to help you find the best speaker for your event. 

A great place to start is by browsing our Trending Topics web page. Another beneficial resource is our Newsletter web page where you can find the best of the best speaker recommendations on various topics. 

 

We hope you find these tips helpful and choose GDA to partner with you to make your next event unforgettable. Contact your GDA Agent to learn more.

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