Are You Looking To Hire A Guest Speaker? What Factors Should Be Laid Out In The Contract
Posted on: 28 July 2017
The majority of guest speakers charge a fee for their speeches. If you are looking to hire a guest speaker to encourage your students, your employees or those who attend your church, you will need to obtain a contract with the guest speaker. Some of the items that should be included in the contract are pretty obvious, such as the amount that the speaker will be paid and what date and time their presentation will take place at. However, there are many other items that should be included in the contract that may be overlooked if you have never put one together. Here are a few factors that should always be laid out in a contract when hiring a guest speaker.
What Can and Cannot Be Discussed
When you are hiring a guest speaker for certain groups, you may want to limit the topics that are discussed. For example, if you are hiring a former drug user to talk to middle school children about avoiding drug use, you may want to ensure they don't delve too far into the negative aspects of drug use, such stealing to support their habit or becoming a prostitute. You want to ensure the presentation is age appropriate and geared toward your audience. Likewise, if you are hiring a speaker to speak to your church group, you may want to avoid references to other religions or practices that the church does not agree with. Approving an outline of what will be discussed and including a copy of that in the contract helps to ensure that the presentation is appropriate for your group.
The Length of the Presentation
While the cost of the presentation is likely outlined in the contract, many people fail to list how long the presentation should be. You may think that you are paying a certain amount for a one or two hour presentation based on word of mouth. However, you may be shocked if the guest speaker wraps up their presentation after only 30 minutes. Always ensure that the contract states how much you are paying and how long the presentation should last. This is equally important if you are renting space for the event. You need to ensure the presenter wraps up their presentation on time so you can move people out and not wind up paying more for the rental space.
Any Add-On Requirements
Lastly, ensure any add-on requirements are detailed in the contract. This may include meet and greets before or after the presentation or a dinner with special guests. Some guest speakers only speak. Others will mingle with their guests. Some will accept an invitation for dinner with the host, while others charge extra to be a guest with a group of people asking them questions about the topic their presentation was on. Listing any add-on requirements ensures you are all on the same page.
Hiring a guest speaker can help to motivate or open the eyes of people who are listening to the presentation. If this is your first time hiring a guest speaker, ensure that you have a valid contract before exchanging any money to protect your financial interest in the event.
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