How to Find a Motivational Speaker? (With Resources)

Every motivational speaker has a message based on his or her own personal story, and you need to find the one that is right for your audience. Read on to learn what to look for in a motivational speaker and how to find the perfect one for your event.

Understand Your Audience

It is important to understand your audience before you hire a motivational speaker. You don’t want a speaker who has a message about how to succeed in college if your audience is a group of professionals past their college years. You need someone the audience can relate to.

Motivational speakers may cover a range of topics, but their talks are based on their personal message. You should look at your audience and choose a motivational speaker who they will connect with. If you have an audience of women who are looking to start a business working from home, find a speaker they can relate to.

What Is the Objective of the Conference?

Normally, motivational speakers tie into the overall theme of the event where they speak. Some speakers speak at college graduations, while others speak to sales teams for corporations. Think about the objective of your specific event, and you can search for a speaker who can tie into your overall objectives.

Set Your Budget

You need to set your budget before you begin your search. The salary for motivational speakers varies widely based on their experience and popularity. You can find new speakers for very little money or celebrity and authority speakers who make 6 figures. There is every price range out there, so make sure you know what you have to spend before you start your search.

11 Resources to Find a Motivational Speaker

The motivational speaker market can be confusing because there is no central database of all of the speakers. There are many different groups that represent speakers, including speaker’s bureaus, talent agencies, and publishing houses. There are also a lot of individual motivational websites.

Speakers bureaus are organizations that can help you book the right speaker for your event. They can be large or small, and they may have a lot of speakers or only a few. They help organizations book the right speaker for their events.

When you look at websites and bureaus that book motivational speakers, you can read through all of the bios. They will list each speaker, as well as a range of topics that he or she covers. Each speaker has a unique story, and this is the source of his or her motivational skills.

It is important to read through each speaker. They will be listed by category, so you can narrow down your choices. You should then set the filters to your budget. You can read a bio of each speaker and determine which one is the best fit for your event.

Take a look at the following websites and bureaus for motivational speakers.

#1. Big Speak

Big Speak is a large speakers bureau that offers a full range of motivational speakers. They work directly with events to make sure that you have the perfect motivational speaker for your event. They can help you narrow down your field so that it isn’t so overwhelming.

When you use Big Speak to find your motivational speaker, they take care of the details, including the itinerary, travel, scheduling, and more. They receive a commission from the speaker for their work. Big Speak’s core values are COACH (Communication, Optimism, Accountability, Collaboration, and Healthy growth). They are located in Santa Barbara, California, and you can browse their motivational speakers on their website under the “BigList” tab.

#2. American Speakers Bureau

American Speakers Bureau has a large selection of motivational speakers. When you go to their website, you can browse by category or topic. They have been helping people find the right speaker for their events for over 20 years, and they are very professional.

You can find motivational speakers, experts, consultants, authors, and coaches on their roster. You can go to their website and start your search. You will be able to learn about the speakers they offer by clicking on the “speakers” tab.

#3. CAA Speakers

CAA is the Creative Artists Agency, and it is an agency that represents many actors, directors, producers, writers, musical artists, athletes, and more. It was founded in 1975, and it helps clients develop and build their careers.

You can check their website and browse through their speakers. They offer both live and virtual speakers. They cover a wide range of topics, and they will be happy to help you find the perfect speaker for your event.

#4. Capital City Speakers Bureau

Capital City Speakers Bureau has a large number of speakers, including motivational speakers. They have been in business for 27 years, and they are a member of the International Association of Speaker Bureaus.

They are very professional and will help you find the perfect motivational speaker for your event. They will listen to what you want and match you with speakers who fit into your budget and your target audience. You can go to their website and browse their speakers, or contact them directly and let them know what you need.

#5. Executive Speakers Bureau

Executive Speakers Bureau was founded in 1993 by Angela Schelp, and it is located in Memphis, Tennessee. They help people all over the world find the right speaker for their events. Their speakers cover a variety of topics, and you can type what you are looking for into their search to browse the speakers they offer.

You can let them know what you need, and they will return a list of possibilities. They have speakers in all budgets, and they will coordinate the entire engagement for you.

#6. Inspiring Speakers

Inspiring Speakers represents thousands of different speakers, and they will be able to help you find the right one for your event. They will put their expertise to work, and it will not cost you anything extra. They have been connecting speakers and event planners since 1997. They have speakers who can entertain, inspire, or inform your audience.

You can browse the speakers on their website, or tell them what you need and let them find one for you. They will assign you a personal event coordinator who will work with you through the completion of the event.

#7. Keppler Speakers Bureau

Keppler Speakers Bureau has a number of different speakers who motivate, empower, and inform audiences. They work hard to develop long-term relationships with event planners, and they listen to what you want and deliver.

They take pride in providing the right story for your event. They will find the right person within your budget, and they have everything from lesser known speakers with exceptional stories to famous celebrities.

#8. Leading Authorities

Founded by Mark French almost 30 years ago, Leading Authorities does more than act as a consultant for speakers. They have a video productions firm, and they also produce live events. You can go to their website, and you can let them know what you need.

This firm has its headquarters in Washington, D.C., and they have a great deal of experience. No matter what your needs are for your event, you can contact them and they will make it happen for you.

#9. London Speaker Bureau

The London Speaker Bureau represents some of the most influential speakers and leaders in the world. They are a global company that can help you in 18 different countries. It was founded in 1994, and it has become the leading speaker and advisory network. They represent more high profile speakers than anyone else.

You can go to their website and browse by topic or category. They cover a range of topics, and you can learn more about them. They have 110 consultants to help you make sure that you get the right speaker for your event.

#10. National Speakers Bureau

When you sign onto their website, you will see featured speakers right away. The National Speakers Bureau was created in Chicago in 1972. They will help you select the speaker that is right for your event. They can help with all aspects of your event, including the organization and planning. You call, tell them your goals and your audience, and they will find you a speaker and help as much as you need them to with your event.

#11. Premiere Speakers Bureau

Premiere Speakers Bureau has been around for more than 25 years. They represent some of the leaders in motivational speaking. They provide speakers for around 2,000 events each year. They provide many services, including checking speakers’ availability, details of the event, and travel arrangements. You can go to their website to see the speakers they offer. They are professional, and they are ready to book your event.

Conclusion

Having the right motivational speaker at your event will dictate its overall success, and there are many different agencies that facilitate this process. You can check their websites and then contact them to book the right speaker for your event.