Comments on: Speak at My Conference…. for Free? My Thoughts http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts Where I think out loud Mon, 14 Jun 2010 07:09:55 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Kristoffer http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts/comment-page-2#comment-879 Kristoffer Sun, 13 Jun 2010 21:11:59 +0000 http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts#comment-879 Wow a lot of comments... I just spend over an hour reading them all. I totally agree with you - even though I'm not that big blogger yet. Wow a lot of comments… I just spend over an hour reading them all. I totally agree with you – even though I’m not that big blogger yet.

]]> By: Andrew http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts/comment-page-2#comment-771 Andrew Thu, 20 May 2010 11:53:11 +0000 http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts#comment-771 Darren, Good points made in your post as well as the supporting comments that I just trawled through. Interestingly I've done two talks this month, one here in Sydney the second in Kuala Lumpur which I arrived home from today. Both for free. Note the KL one did pay for my flight and accommodation. They also got their pound of flesh from me, not only was I the Keynote speaker on Day 2 but ended up being chair for the whole of the second day, as well as some of day 1, something I was requested to do at short notice. Key challenge I had with both conferences was that the delegates who attended were not the demographic the organisers had advertised/targeted. I had a very different experience at each conference and am now ending the month considering how I handle these requests into the future. With this in mind your post and all the comments are very timely and great food for thought. Thank you to you all. Quick side note - it surprises me no-one has applied the Day 20 task of 31dbbb to their comments. For those of you who blog and haven't had a look at Darren's 31dbbb you should. The Day 20 task 'Leave comments on other blogs' is a great way to bring life to your own site. With that in mind if you head over to http://www.enduranceit.com.au you can get some insight as to what I do and spoke about for free on two occasions this months. Thank you Andrew Darren,

Good points made in your post as well as the supporting comments that I just trawled through. Interestingly I’ve done two talks this month, one here in Sydney the second in Kuala Lumpur which I arrived home from today. Both for free.

Note the KL one did pay for my flight and accommodation. They also got their pound of flesh from me, not only was I the Keynote speaker on Day 2 but ended up being chair for the whole of the second day, as well as some of day 1, something I was requested to do at short notice.

Key challenge I had with both conferences was that the delegates who attended were not the demographic the organisers had advertised/targeted.

I had a very different experience at each conference and am now ending the month considering how I handle these requests into the future. With this in mind your post and all the comments are very timely and great food for thought. Thank you to you all.

Quick side note – it surprises me no-one has applied the Day 20 task of 31dbbb to their comments. For those of you who blog and haven’t had a look at Darren’s 31dbbb you should. The Day 20 task ‘Leave comments on other blogs’ is a great way to bring life to your own site.

With that in mind if you head over to http://www.enduranceit.com.au you can get some insight as to what I do and spoke about for free on two occasions this months.

Thank you

Andrew

]]> By: Karen Southall Watts http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts/comment-page-2#comment-643 Karen Southall Watts Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:11:24 +0000 http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts#comment-643 Great post and great discussion. I am so glad that this issue is "out there" now for us to talk over and maybe even solve. The phrase "no budget for speakers" to me sounds like a group that should not be planning a conference. This would be part of your basic business plan for an event--to budget all major components. If you want professional speakers then expect to pay them. If you are going to ask people to donate time (and many of us do) say so UP FRONT, however this is only appropriate in certain situations. If you are not a non-profit or cause related group and you are collecting a hefty fee for attendance...probably not the best approach. By standing firm on your fees and getting paid what you are worth you create a viable business. This in turn allows you to donate your time and energy (with full knowledge) to groups you select. Great post and great discussion. I am so glad that this issue is “out there” now for us to talk over and maybe even solve. The phrase “no budget for speakers” to me sounds like a group that should not be planning a conference. This would be part of your basic business plan for an event–to budget all major components. If you want professional speakers then expect to pay them. If you are going to ask people to donate time (and many of us do) say so UP FRONT, however this is only appropriate in certain situations. If you are not a non-profit or cause related group and you are collecting a hefty fee for attendance…probably not the best approach. By standing firm on your fees and getting paid what you are worth you create a viable business. This in turn allows you to donate your time and energy (with full knowledge) to groups you select.

]]> By: Chris Guthrie http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts/comment-page-2#comment-546 Chris Guthrie Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:26:31 +0000 http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts#comment-546 I like the way you responded in a way to find out if you were being paid without coming right out and saying it. I agree though, if I were as popular as you were in a niche about blogging then I would want to be paid as well. In either case I just request that someday you make a trip to Seattle, WA and when you do I'll be sure to come by. Chris Guthrie I like the way you responded in a way to find out if you were being paid without coming right out and saying it. I agree though, if I were as popular as you were in a niche about blogging then I would want to be paid as well.

In either case I just request that someday you make a trip to Seattle, WA and when you do I’ll be sure to come by.

Chris Guthrie

]]> By: Kevin Donstein http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts/comment-page-2#comment-500 Kevin Donstein Wed, 06 Jan 2010 05:16:03 +0000 http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts#comment-500 Darren, we're having a party for my 9 year old daughter here in Chicago next week. Can you fly up here and do some entertaining? Balloon-tying, juggling, magic tricks would be great. You'll need to cover your costs getting here and lodging, but we're excited to offer you all the free food and drinks you desire at the party itself. (I love your stuff. Your rant is well placed. Keep up the great work.) Darren, we’re having a party for my 9 year old daughter here in Chicago next week. Can you fly up here and do some entertaining? Balloon-tying, juggling, magic tricks would be great. You’ll need to cover your costs getting here and lodging, but we’re excited to offer you all the free food and drinks you desire at the party itself.
(I love your stuff. Your rant is well placed. Keep up the great work.)

]]> By: Carolyn Elefant http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts/comment-page-2#comment-451 Carolyn Elefant Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:56:57 +0000 http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts#comment-451 I agree with you as well, but I think this goes beyond speaking. What about the Huffington Post model of people writing for free on blogs while others make money? Or blogs that rely on guest contributors for all content? It's the same pitch by blogs: we'll give you exposure, you'll get traffic to your site, etc...Once in a while, I don't think a guest post is a bad move, just like once in a while, I'll do a free get together in my hometown just for goodwill. But if people want a professional presentation, or a great blog post, they will have to pay. I agree with you as well, but I think this goes beyond speaking. What about the Huffington Post model of people writing for free on blogs while others make money? Or blogs that rely on guest contributors for all content? It’s the same pitch by blogs: we’ll give you exposure, you’ll get traffic to your site, etc…Once in a while, I don’t think a guest post is a bad move, just like once in a while, I’ll do a free get together in my hometown just for goodwill. But if people want a professional presentation, or a great blog post, they will have to pay.

]]> By: Legalees http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts/comment-page-2#comment-379 Legalees Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:31:40 +0000 http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts#comment-379 I am a professional speaker who speaks for free and sells. I provide a level of information that encourages the audience to buy my product to spend more time with me. There is nothing wrong with a good sales sppech. I am a professional speaker who speaks for free and sells. I provide a level of information that encourages the audience to buy my product to spend more time with me. There is nothing wrong with a good sales sppech.

]]> By: Mark http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts/comment-page-2#comment-363 Mark Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:32:54 +0000 http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts#comment-363 Thanks for sharing this. :) I have taken this <a href="http://ripestuff.com/theRipeWorkshopComm.htm#presentation" rel="nofollow"> presentation skills </a> workshop. I gained a lot of confidence and was able to prepare effective slides. Now, I'm looking for a bigger goal. Thanks for sharing this. :) I have taken this presentation skills workshop. I gained a lot of confidence and was able to prepare effective slides. Now, I’m looking for a bigger goal.

]]> By: Ruth http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts/comment-page-2#comment-359 Ruth Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:07:57 +0000 http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts#comment-359 Joel...I know Darren does Christian events...but this event seems to be a business event. Many Christian events do their best to pay their speakers and pay travel expenses. I spoke at a small ladies meeting and they paid me. Likewise when our church ask a speaker to come we do our best to bless them. While we are a small church right now we always do our best and many Christian organizations do the same. Joel…I know Darren does Christian events…but this event seems to be a business event. Many Christian events do their best to pay their speakers and pay travel expenses. I spoke at a small ladies meeting and they paid me. Likewise when our church ask a speaker to come we do our best to bless them. While we are a small church right now we always do our best and many Christian organizations do the same.

]]> By: Mack Collier http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts/comment-page-2#comment-358 Mack Collier Sat, 10 Oct 2009 22:48:55 +0000 http://www.darrenrowse.com/speak-at-my-conference-for-free-my-thoughts#comment-358 Great post and comments Darren, sorry I am so late to find this (Via @missrogue's link). Here is what I have noticed; Most conferences want speakers to present for free. A few can cover travel, but most won't cover anything. Their rationale is 'There will be 300 attendees, so you'll have exposure to hundreds of potential clients!' That sounds good in theory. But what I'm finding is that most of the attendees aren't coming to events looking for a consultant or firm to hire. They are often attending multiple social media conferences, taking copious notes at each, having one-on-one meetings with expert speakers, then going home and attending to do the work themselves. To be honest, there are simply WAY too many social media/blogging/twitter conferences right now. And there's many people that want to make a name for themselves in this space, and will happily speak for free, if given the chance. Good for them, and I did the same thing when I started speaking. But the conferences are the ones short-selling the speakers, and ultimately the attendees, as the speakers are put in a position where they NEED to sell to the attendees just to make back the cost of the trip. Good rant, Darren. You should do this more often ;) Great post and comments Darren, sorry I am so late to find this (Via @missrogue’s link).

Here is what I have noticed; Most conferences want speakers to present for free. A few can cover travel, but most won’t cover anything. Their rationale is ‘There will be 300 attendees, so you’ll have exposure to hundreds of potential clients!’

That sounds good in theory. But what I’m finding is that most of the attendees aren’t coming to events looking for a consultant or firm to hire. They are often attending multiple social media conferences, taking copious notes at each, having one-on-one meetings with expert speakers, then going home and attending to do the work themselves.

To be honest, there are simply WAY too many social media/blogging/twitter conferences right now. And there’s many people that want to make a name for themselves in this space, and will happily speak for free, if given the chance. Good for them, and I did the same thing when I started speaking. But the conferences are the ones short-selling the speakers, and ultimately the attendees, as the speakers are put in a position where they NEED to sell to the attendees just to make back the cost of the trip.

Good rant, Darren. You should do this more often ;)

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