Please Note: We would like to keep this list as current as possible, so if you find any errors or omissions, please send us an email and let us know. Thank you!
Agent: |
Person in a speakers bureau/agency that acts on behalf of the seller (speaker) or on behalf of the buyer (customer). |
Autograph Table: |
Traditionally, this is the table where a speaker autographs books after a speaking engagement. Many speakers, however, use the term "autograph table" to also mean the table at the back of the room—the one from which they sell their products. |
Back-of-Room Sales: |
The act and process of selling books, CDs/DVDs and other products at the back of the room, usually immediately after a speech. |
Bio: |
A slang term for biography. |
Biographical Sheet: |
A profile, one-sheet or a short document that lists a speaker's major credits and gives a brief history of his or her career. A biographical sheet is not a job resume or a vitae. To remain true to its singular limit, a biographical sheet should be no longer than one page. |
Black-and-White: |
A black-and-white photograph of a speaker, sometimes referred to as a "B&W." |
Book: |
To schedule a date for a speaking engagement. |
Booking: |
The act of being engaged to speak, as in "I have a booking for October 17th." |
Breakout Sessions: |
Small group sessions—within a larger meeting—that are typically designed to deliver a deep-dive on a specific topic. |
Brochure: |
Advertising piece describing and promoting the advantages of a particular speaker, group of speakers or speakers bureau. |
Brokering: |
Typically, a broker is a party that mediates between a buyer and a seller. In the speaking business, brokering is a term to describe the negotiation between a speakers bureau with a client who wants a specific speaker and that speaker's exclusive agent. Commission is determined by the exclusive agent. |
Bureau: |
Also referred to as a Speakers Bureau. A booking or sales company that sells the services of multiple speakers. The Bureau typically charges the speaker a commission (e.g., 25% - 30%). |
Bureau Listing: |
See "Listing." |
Buyer: |
The person or group representative who signs the contract and pays for the speaker. |
Canned: |
A slang term for a standard "off the shelf" speech or presentation. Often, the term "canned" is used in a negative context to refer to material that a speaker uses too often, without changes, in presentations. |
Celebrity Speaker: |
A speaker who is booked for his/her name value or . |
Client: |
A speaker is the client of an agent who is
paid to represent him/her. (also see Customer) |
Coach: |
Individual who helps develop presentation
skills. |
Co-brokering: |
Where two or more bureaus/agencies work together
to book a speaker to a client. |
Community
Service Bureaus: |
Sometimes called public service bureaus, these
are speakers bureaus that send speakers into the community for little or no fee. The speakers
educate the public on a particular topic or issue and promote the host company's interest. |
Concurrent
Sessions: |
Sessions scheduled at the same time. |
Consultant: |
Professional who provides counsel and assistance
to a client on specific assignments. |
Contract: |
Legal document defining responsibilities for
all parties concerned. |
Curriculum
Vitae: |
Latin expression meaning "course of life." Often
referred to as a "vitae" or "résumé" or simply "CV." It highlights a speaker's
education and key jobs held. Unlike a resume, a curriculum vitae tends to be less
promotional in tone and longer and more informational. A speaker in the academic community
usually uses a curriculum vitae. |
Customer: |
Whoever is paying for a speaker's services.
A company or association is the customer when they buy a speaking engagement. (also see Client) |
Dais: |
Raised platform on which the head table is
placed. (Pronounced day-iss.) |
Date: |
The day set for a definite booking or engagement. |
Date Clear: |
Formal permission to approve a date that is
being tentatively held for a booking. |
Demo: |
Audio or video demonstration tapes. Demos
often are used to promote a speaker's services or speeches to meeting planners. |
Direct: |
When a meeting planner calls the speaker direct,
rather than going through an agent, bureau, or manager. |
Emcee: |
A Master or Mistress of Ceremonies (often referred to as an M.C.), presides over a staged event or other performance. The Emcee usually sets the tone for the meeting, introduces performers, and generally keeps the event moving in an orderly fashion. |
Engagement: |
Used as a noun to describe a set booking or
date when a buyer has secured the services of, or employed, a speaker. |
Exclusive: |
When the speaker has signed an agreement with
an agent to handle all speaking engagements. Bureaus may or may not then "broker" with the exclusive
agent to obtain the speaker for their client. The exclusive agent works out a commission split. |
Exclusive
Bureau/Agency: |
Based on conditions of the contract, between
the speaker and the bureau/agency, the speaker my also accept engagements directly. |
Exclusive
Right to Sell: |
The speakers bureau/agency having the contract,
with speaker, is the sole and exclusive representative of the speaker. |
Expenses: |
All contracted out-of-pocket business costs
incurred while the speaker travels to and from client events. These normally include airfare,
taxi-fare, car rental costs, lodging, gratuities, special phone calls having to do with the event,
meals, and last-minute presentation materials. Expenses charged to the client should not include
anything of personal nature –i.e. movies, alcohol. |
Fee: |
The money paid by the meeting planner-buyer
to the bureau or speaker per contract, exclusive of expenses. |
Firm Offer: |
A speaking engagement that is definitely confirmed
as in, "I've got a firm offer for Baltimore on that date." A firm offer is one that becomes contractually
binding upon acceptance of the offer by the third party. |
Flyer: |
A one-sheet piece of printed advertising.
These are often produced and distributed to help promote a speaker's product or services. |
General
Session: |
A meeting open to all those in attendance
at a convention. |
Gig: |
A slang term meaning an engagement or booking. |
Glossy: |
A black-and-white or color photograph printed
on glossy paper, used to promote the speaker. See "black and white." |
Gross: |
The total fee the buyer is charged for a booking,
including agents' fees, but excluding speaker expenses (air and ground transportation, tips, hotels,
and meals.) Bureau commissions are not paid on expenses. |
Handout: |
Informative or educational material given
to the audience at the speaker's presentation. Handouts often are in flyer form. The term, however,
refers to any material that is handed out to the audience. |
Head Table: |
Seating location for honored guests and/or
meeting presenters. |
Holding Room: |
A room backstage where speakers wait to go
on. Any room used for this purpose is called the "holding room." |
Honorarium: |
Payment made for services. See "Fee." |
IASB: |
International Association of Speakers Bureaus |
|
See "Image Magnification" |
|
Image Magnification is a video camera which
is used to project the speaker's image onto a large screen (normally for large audiences). |
In-House: |
An audience composed only of employees of
the same company. |
Inside Marketer: |
Sales rep: employee of speaker. |
Intro: |
A slang term for an introduction. |
Introduction: |
A carefully written opener about the speaker,
which is delivered by the introducer at the beginning of a speech. A good introduction gives some
ideas of the speaker's credits, achievements, and honors and also answers the question: "Why this
speaker, on this date, for this audience?" |
Keynote: |
The main speech at a meeting or the speech
in one of the featured spots at an event. The keynote sets the tone of a convention and carries
out the theme. The keynote usually is connected with prime time, such as a meal function, or delivered
to open or close an event, or given to the entire convention in the main room. |
Lavaliere
microphone: |
Portable microphone that hooks around neck
or is clipped to clothing. Also known as a necklace, lapel, or pendant microphone. |
Lectern: |
A vertical stand upon which a speaker may rest notes, books or a laptop computer. A microphone is often attached to a lectern to make it easy for the speaker to communicate his/her message to the audience. A lectern is often mistakenly referred to as a 'podium' (see definition). |
|
A speech read or delivered before an audience
or class for instruction or to set forth some subject. |
Listing: |
The speaker grants the right to a speakers
bureau/agency to list the speaker as available. |
M.C.: |
A slang term for an Emcee. (see Emcee) |
Management
Company: |
Organization that provides functions for a
speaker including, but not limited to: maintaining calendar, scheduling travel, and assisting
in marketing. |
Manager: |
A person hired to manage a speaker's or entertainer's
business and/or personal affairs. The job of manager may include marketing the speaker's services
for ore bookings or performing public relations work for the speaker. |
Market Exclusivity: |
When the speaker limits the speakers bureau/agency
to offering the speaker's services to a particular market or markets. |
Meeting Planner: |
A person who is in charge of all planning
of a meeting. Meeting planners handle logistics, meals, hotel arrangements, room-sets, travel
schedules, and often the hiring of speakers. |
Mic: |
A slang term for microphone. (see Microphone) |
Microphone: |
An instrument that captures sound (e.g., speech or music) for recording or amplification purposes (e.g., to a large audience or in a large room). Many types of microphones are employed by speakers, including hand-held, stationary, clip-on and head-worn. Microphones are manufactured as wired (long cable) or wireless. |
N.S.A.: |
National Speakers Association. |
Net fee: |
The amount of the fee the speaker will actually receive for a booking after agency or bureau fees and before expenses. |
On-Site: |
An on-site location is a convention center,
hotel, or other event site. |
One-Sheet: |
See also flyer. |
Orator: |
Someone who speaks eloquently in public. |
Overhead Projector: |
Equipment, which projects an image on a screen
by passing light through a transparent slide or other transparency. |
PA
System: |
Public address system. |
Packager: |
Organizes speakers demo tapes, press kits,
etc. for fee. |
Panel: |
Discussion with a moderator and two or more
participants. |
Platform: |
Raised horizontal surface, stage, or flooring. |
Plenary Sessions: |
General assembly for all participants. |
Plug: |
An advertisement, not in the form of a formal
ad, but usually a mention—either written or in a publication or given verbally from the
platform to help promote a product, service, or individual. |
Podium: |
A platform or riser that a speaker stands on. The term 'podium' is often mistakenly used to describe a lectern (see definition). |
Pre-sales: |
Items such as books, tapes, videos, etc. sold
to client in advance of meeting versus items sold in back of room after event. |
Press Kit: |
Also known as a PR Kit. A collection of publicity
items that includes: a) Pertinent data on the speaker such as bio, flyer, photo, testimonials,
and articles. b) The property, such as photos, descriptions of public space areas, local entertainment,
etc. c) Information relative to a sponsor's products or services. |
Product(s): |
Products are items, which compliment the speaker's
topic and are available for sale. A speaker's books, audio cassette albums, video tapes, workbooks,
posters, and other products may be sold by contract in large quantity to a client in advance for
all attendees, or sold at the back of the room at an autograph table. |
Production
Company: |
A company that presents special effects and
theatrical acts. This type of company may contract to put on an entire convention or only parts
of one. They sometimes hire speakers as part of their contract. |
Professional
Speaker: |
A speaker who is paid a fee for performances,
by a company, association, or college. |
Program Exclusivity: |
When the speaker limits the speakers bureau/agency
to offering just certain programs that the speaker presents. |
Projector: |
An apparatus for projecting a picture on a
screen. Whether the device is an overhead, slide projector, or a film projector, it is usually
referred to as simply a projector. |
Public Seminar: |
A seminar that is open to the public. Tickets
are sold to individuals. |
Public Speaker: |
Someone who speaks in public. Often, a public
speaker is not paid for his or her appearances and delivers a political speech or a speech that
promotes a particular cause, company, or organization. |
Q & A: |
The question-and-answer session that follows
a panel presentation or speech. |
Referral: |
When someone, particularly a satisfied client,
suggests or recommends services to other buyers. |
Regional Exclusivity: |
A speakers bureau's/agency's exclusivity is
limited to a particular region or territory. |
Repeat Engagement
or Booking: |
When a speaker does a second or subsequent
booking for the same client. |
Releasing
a Date: |
Letting go of a date that was tentatively held for a booking. |
Right of first refusal: |
A Right of First Refusal (ROFR or RFR) is an agreement between a speaker and a potential booking agent that gives the booking agent the option to hire the speaker for a specific date before the speaker is entitled to release the specified date to another interested party. |
Riser: |
A platform—of varying heights—used to elevate a speaker so he or she is visable to all members of the audience. The size of the audience will determine the height of the riser. |
Segue: |
A segue is a method of smoothly transitioning from one topic to another. A segue allows the speaker to shift to another topic without jarring the audience. A good segue makes the subject change seem like a natural extension of the speech. |
Seminar: |
Lecture and dialogue allowing participants
to share experiences in a particular field under the guidance of an expert discussion leader. |
Seminar Leader: |
The teacher or expert who instructs the seminar's
attendees. |
Site: |
Area, property or specific facility to be
used for a meeting. |
Speaker (Trainer/Consultant): |
The presenter of programs, products and services. |
Special Events
Company: |
See "Production Company." |
Speaker Groups: |
A group of speakers with varying areas of
expertise, who team up to share leads and marketing expenses. |
Spin-Off: |
Bookings that occur because someone in the
audience wants to hire the speaker for their meeting. |
Stage: |
The portion of an auditorium or room that
has been structured into a formal area for productions or presentations. |
Tailoring: |
When a speaker adjusts his or her material
to the particular needs of an audience. |
Technical
Writer: |
Someone hired by a speaker to prepare scripts,
workbooks, audios, videos, or articles on contract. |
Tentative
hold: |
An action that indicates interest by a prospective
client to schedule a speaker. Speaker typically will call a first hold before accepting a second
hold's offer. |
Testimonial: |
A letter of recommendation from a former buyer
or organization that is familiar with a speaker's work. |
Trade Out: |
An exchange or barter of services and/or products
for part or all of a speaker's fee. |
Trainer: |
Instructor of techniques or skills on a specific
subject. |
Venue: |
The site of the meeting or event. |
Workshop: |
An educational, classroom-type session in
which handouts and workbooks are often used. A workshop may last from one hour to many days. |
Some of the information used to compile this list was obtained from the International Association of Speakers Bureaus and is used with permission.