Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about booking professional speakers, planning your event, and working with Global Speaker Bureau — the world's largest consolidated speaker bureau network.
Booking a keynote speaker through Global Speaker Bureau takes three simple steps: (1) Submit your event brief using our contact form — share your theme, audience profile, date, format, and budget. (2) Within 24 hours, your dedicated consultant will send a curated shortlist of speakers perfectly matched to your brief. (3) Select your preferred speaker; we handle all contracts, pre-event briefings, logistics, and on-day support. There is no fee for our consultancy — our service is included in the speaker fee.
Speaker fees vary based on profile, demand, and event format. As a general guide: Rising professional speakers from $3,000–$8,000. Established corporate speakers from $8,000–$25,000. Top-tier keynote speakers from $25,000–$75,000. Celebrity and world-famous speakers from $75,000–$200,000+. Virtual events are typically 20–40% less than in-person. Our consultants always work to find the best available talent within your specific budget — share yours and we will advise honestly.
We recommend booking 8–12 weeks in advance for most professional corporate speakers. For high-profile or celebrity keynote speakers, allow 3–6 months as calendars fill quickly. For major annual conferences — World Economic Forum, industry summits — some speakers are booked 12 months ahead. That said, our global network of 30 bureaus means we can often source exceptional speakers for last-minute bookings. Contact us regardless of your timeline and we will do our best.
The most in-demand corporate speaker topics globally right now include: Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Digital Transformation & Change Management, Leadership & Strategy, Sales Kickoff & Sales Performance, Sustainability & ESG, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Future of Work & Hybrid Working, and Motivation, Resilience & Mental Performance. Our bureaus across 30 countries see consistent demand for these themes across industries from financial services to healthcare, technology, and manufacturing.
Keynote Speech: A 30–90 minute inspirational or thought-provoking talk delivered to a large audience at a conference, annual event, or sales kickoff. High impact, broad reach, designed to inspire and align. Masterclass: An intensive, interactive workshop (typically half-day to multi-day) for smaller groups (10–200 people), focused on skill-building, knowledge transfer, and practical application. Deep learning, measurable outcomes. Mentoring Programme: An ongoing structured relationship between a speaker/expert and an individual, team, or cohort — typically running 3–18 months with regular sessions, goal-setting, and accountable progress reviews. Transformational, long-term change.
Yes — customisation is a core part of what our consultants facilitate. At minimum, speakers will tailor key examples, case studies, and messaging to your industry, company culture, and event objectives. Many speakers offer full bespoke content development — particularly for masterclasses and mentoring programmes where relevance is critical. When you submit your brief, let us know how much customisation you need and we will only propose speakers with the right track record for your context.
A great sales kickoff speaker should energise your team, align them around your strategy, and ignite the competitive drive to perform. The best speakers for sales kickoffs typically combine high energy and storytelling with actionable content relevant to your sales process. Elite athletes, record-breaking sales leaders, and performance psychologists all work well. Share your company's goals, culture, and any specific challenges with our consultants — we will match you with speakers who have delivered exceptional results at comparable sales events and can provide testimonials from similar engagements.
Yes. Hundreds of speakers in our global network are highly experienced in virtual and hybrid formats, with professional home studio setups, broadcast-quality audio and video, and proven techniques for engaging distributed audiences. Virtual keynotes are typically 20–40% less expensive than in-person engagements. We can advise on technical requirements, time zones, platform compatibility, and best practices for maximising engagement in virtual formats. Many clients run hybrid programmes where the keynote is virtual and the masterclass or mentoring is in-person.
Global Speaker Bureau operates through SpeakIn's network of 30 specialist bureaus across: Asia Pacific — India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, China, South Korea. Middle East & South Asia — UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey. Europe — Europe (multi-country), Germany, United Kingdom, France, Spain. Americas — United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Chile. Africa — South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana. Eastern Europe & Russia — Russia. Each bureau is staffed by local specialists with deep market knowledge and speaker relationships.