Fee Negotiations | Speaker Questionnaire | Agency FAQ
35 Smart reasons why you should have Andrea Reynolds negotiate your speaking fees and speaking engagement agreements for you:
1. Andrea handles the business of negotiating your speaking fees, travel and accommodation expenses which means you don't have to argue, plead, get tough, or back down when discussing the payment you deserve.
2. Andrea increases your current speaking fees, usually by 50-80%, and on rare occasions can double and triple your fees which means that without any effort on your part you are earning and receiving more money than you have been receiving on your own.
3. Andrea doesn't charge for the time it takes to negotiate each engagement, which could take as much as ten hours which means your time and your assistant's time are freed up to do more of what you love.
4. Andrea screens inquiries, assesses them for their merit, declines those which are a total waste of your time, and confirms only the ones which you wish to accept... which means you are saved from speaking when you don't want to and saved from the discomfort of having to reject an inappropriate invitation.
5. Andrea sees that you get paid to speak, that your expenses are covered and that you also sell books at the events which means you don't leave money on the table that is earmarked for you and that other authors are receiving.
6. Andrea negotiates advance quantity sales of your books and other info-products which means not only that your publisher has made a sale, but you don't have to act as your own "pitch man". This is as a value-added service.
7. Andrea works in tandem with your publicist – if you're not one of her clients – feeding her opportunities for exposure at an event which means you not only have more opportunities for visibility but your support team is working more effectively for you.
8. Andrea focuses on opportunities that pay you to present which means there are no book promotion expenses payable by you or your publisher.
9. Andrea uses gentle persuasion and a little humor to get you great Agreements. She has a good grip on what's polite and what isn't, and can stand firm where it's important without being insulting which means you don't burn any bridges or lose contacts which could benefit you in the future.
10. Andrea acts as your speaker advocate which means you are perceived as a professional who is so sought after, in demand and so busy that you need someone to protect your interests.
11. Andrea requires no upfront fee from you which means your money stays in your bank account or can be used for other necessary business development.
12. Andrea works for you the speaker; where speaker bureaus work for their client, the organization, which means you have someone in your corner you can trust to look after your best interests.
13. Andrea works to increase your fees incrementally over time which means your speaking income rises each year with no effort on your part.
14. Andrea's efforts on your behalf raises your prestige which means meeting planners treat you better in many ways that you're not currently experiencing.
15. Andrea increases your speaking income so you have more to contribute to your charitable organization's operation which means there is less fund raising for you to do.
16. Andrea turns invitations to speak for no money or very small honoraria into paying engagements which means you have made the jump to professional status without having to ask for it.
17. Andrea has more than 27 years of speaker contract negotiation experience which means she can find and adjust many elements that will improve your current Agreement's clauses.
18. Andrea's Agreements have been approved by lawyers who speak as well as have been unchanged by corporate lawyers working for the sponsoring organization which means your Agreement will be fair and user-friendly while also protecting your interests.
19. Andrea is a US citizen with Permanent Resident Status in Canada who represents speakers in both the US and Canada who speak in both countries which means she works with both US and Canadian currencies and handles refunds of the GST/HST (Canadian Goods and Services Tax).
20. Andrea has a desire for all parties to come away satisfied which means nobody feels they have lost on the deal; but rather, have received something they value.
21. Andrea is willing to split her commission with agents and bureaus who bring you speaking business which means the portion of the fee you receive is still the same as it would be without the split.
22. Andrea carefully looks after your intellectual property rights which means you will be paid for any use of your copyright that you may be granting now without payment.
23. Andrea is clever in finding creative ways to find money to cover your fees which means engagements that might not have paid you in the past now have a way to pay you.
24. Andrea negotiates for extra amenities in addition to product sales opportunities and travel expenses which means you feel you are being treated like royalty and you enjoy the experience (and you'll be inspired to be a more passionate speaker.)
25. Andrea doesn't reveal names of her clients nor the nature of the work she does for specific clients without their explicit permission which means you are assured of confidentiality when it is important to you.
26. Andrea can be reached easily without having to go through a hired gatekeeper which means she is available to you when it matters... evenings and weekends if there is a need to do so.
27. Andrea is quick to respond to important questions and to opportunities on your behalf which means you're kept apprised of all that goes on, on your behalf.
28. Andrea is always thinking, always on the lookout for new opportunities, new connections, resources, and clever solutions on your behalf which means she makes your speaking engagement as profitable and effective as possible for you.
29. Andrea rarely handles more than one speaker per expertise at a time which means you can be assured the inquiries or invitations designated for you will not be given to anyone else.
30. Andrea is organized and keeps her clients organized which means she meets deadlines on your behalf.
31. Andrea can be available as late as 11 PM or as early as 6 AM when a response is needed so there are no missed opportunities or late responses which means you develop a reputation as a speaker who is responsive, reliable and dependable.
32. Andrea puts herself in your place (empathy) often anticipating your questions before you ask and answers them quickly which means you don't have to spend time instructing Andrea on what to do and asking her what needs to be done next.
33. Andrea operates on a sliding scale commission which means you can negotiate the percentage she gets depending on certain factors: your client status, your fee level, your level of public recognition, etc.
34. Andrea procures a deposit as soon as the contract/agreement is signed which means you get some money upfront for operational expenses, and the balance on the day of presentation. She does recommend you keep that money untouched until after the event.
35. Andrea writes amazing proposals with several options which means that meeting planners say yes almost every time to what you want.
36. (Bonus) If any of Bitango Book's titles complement your presentation we will ask you if you'd like us to offer those titles for sale at your event as well which means additional income to you of 10-50% of those books sold. You always have the option to say No Thanks.