HOW TO USE OUR EVENT PLANNER

Besides our standard spencerseminars we are growing into other event services. We have access to a wide variety of speakers and workshops that might appeal to you! Just let us know what you're after.
Here's how you can help us help you:

1. Confide in us.
We can't read your mind, so tell us everything. We first need to know as much as possible about your organization, your audience and the results you expect. Each group is different, with different needs, so the more information we have about you, the better able we are to help.
 
2. Be specific about your budget range.
Fees can run from one thousand dollars to five figures and more. Only if we are aware of your budget range can we do our best to recommend the best presentation of our services within that range.

3. Tell us what you think.
Tell us if you are considering, or have already booked, other speakers and entertainment. It will save us both considerable time and energy, and will allow us to make recommendations that will complement and support those choices.

4. Don't wait until the last minute.
Try to book your presenters as far in advance as possible. In fact most of our presentations are booked 6 months to 1 year in advnace. Don't make the mistake of waiting until the last minute.

CRITICAL CHOICES

No matter how much time, energy, money, and thought you invest in planning your meeting or convention, in the end it's the choice of your programs and the quality of your presenters that will determine your success or failure. No portion of your meeting is more critical than the selection of the right programs and the right presenters (speakers, entertainers, celebrities, seminar leaders and workshop facilitators).
A powerful speaker can dramatize important ideas, stimulate thought, inspire and motivate your audience. A dynamic and charismatic entertainer can add life, color, excitement and sometimes glamour to an otherwise dull conference. Conversely, poor speakers and mediocre entertainment can turn a beautifully conceived meeting into a nightmare for the meeting planner.
When one considers the speaker's fee against the total expense of putting on a meeting or convention (which not only includes the cost of travel, food, lodging and promotion, but also the cost of man hours and the loss of revenues from being away from the job), then clearly the speaker's fee is only a small fraction of that cost. Yet it is almost always the speaker, motivator, or entertainer who leaves the most lasting impression. Your presenters and conference program will sooner make or break the success of your convention than will a great meeting site. The impact of a fabulous entertainer or the take-home-value from a tremendous speaker will have a longer lasting effect than even the greatest banquet meal. It would therefore be a mistake to relegate your presenter selection and speaker's budget to the bottom of your conference planning list.

We at SpencerSeminars know that when the featured keynote speaker gets up to address the audience at a convention's general assembly, the meeting planner is by far the most nervous person in the room. For that reason, we are committed, and determined to make sure that the meeting planner make the right choices to help them score big every time.
Our fee ranges from:
Please call us to discuss your needs so we can quote you a far price for your specific event. We are committed to working with you to bring you optimal value and exceptional quality!

It is important to note that these fees are only for keynote presentations in the continental U.S. [and, in most cases, for Canada] and do not include additional expenses. For programs in Alaska, Hawaii, and abroad, fees are usually higher due to additional time commitment.
Because fees are constantly in flux, please call 1-406-261-3562 for the most accurate quote.

IMPORTANT:
Don't forget that in addition to a presenters fee, you must also budget for their expenses.
These generally include:
* Airfare
* Ground Transportation
* Hotel Accommodations
* Meals
* Technical Requirements
And can also include:
* Taxes and surcharges [Country, State, County, or Local]
* Purchase of handouts, books, and other products
* Surcharge for audio and video taping of program
* Surcharge for additional requests such as signing autographs, and attending golf outings or receptions

PROGRAM PLANNING GUIDE
    
Successful meetings don't happen by chance. There's nothing more critical to the outcome of a meeting than knowledge, experience and of course, proper planning! To best serve your speaker and entertainment needs, it would be helpful to have the following information. Print this form and use it to help plan your next meeting.
 
 
1. Organization:
2. What kind of meeting: (annual, sales rally, managers conference, training seminar, dealer conference, user group symposium, association convention, trade show, incentive program, president's club, etc.)
3. Date(s) of meeting:
Arriving: _______________________________________
 
Departing: _____________________________________
  
4. Meeting site:
5. Audience:
* Who is the meeting for:
* Number of attendees expected:
* Are spouses, partners or friends invited:
 
6. Purpose of meeting: (education, entertainment, motivation, recognition and awards, product introduction, incentive awards, winners circle, R&R, etc.)
7. Desired outcome for meeting:
8. Theme of meeting:
9. What slots for speakers and entertainment need to be filled: (i.e. Keynote or General Session presenters / Celebrities / Opening and Closing Speakers / Breakout Seminar/Workshop Speaker / Banquet Entertainment / After Dinner Show / Spouse Program / Special Events Programming, etc.)
10. Number of presenters needed:
11. What should presenters accomplish:
12. How many presenters have already been booked:
13. Who are they:
14. Who else are you considering:
15. Which professional presenters have you used in the past:
16. What did you like or dislike about them:
17. What is your budget for presenters:

TYPES OF PRESENTATIONS

The term "Presenter" denotes anyone who entertains or speaks to an audience. Presenters fall into many categories. Following are brief descriptions of some of the more general categories.
 
1. Professional Speaker
People whose main occupation is speaking from the platform. Professional speakers are hired to present information, educate, enthrall, encourage, inspire, motivate and entertain. There are thousands of professional speakers and entertainers with varying degrees of proficiency and quality. 
 
2. Keynote Speaker
Speakers who talk for approximately one hour at a general session, dinner or banquet on any subject you can conceive. The ability to hold attention, stimulate thought, entertain, inspire and motivate a general assembly audience requires a unique combination of the right information, personality, authenticity and presentation skills. Keynote Speakers fall into a variety of subcategories. Some of them are:
 
* Motivational: Get-up-and-go, you-can-do-it speakers who get your group enthused about themselves and your company, while providing a message that is thoughtful and useful. Motivators can leave impressions that will last for months -- sometimes years.
 
* Inspirational: Speakers who have succeeded in life despite a variety of setbacks and handicaps, or have accomplished something against great odds. Such speakers will tell life stories which can inspire your audience toward greater goals and accomplishments.
 
* Educational: Speakers who can talk on specific subjects in an educational, informative, exciting and often entertaining manner. Any of the subjects that can be taught in a seminar or workshop can be covered in a keynote address. However, not all seminar speakers make exciting keynoters.
 
* Celebrity: Well-known personalities from the world of politics, sports, the media, entertainment or the arts who speak about their own specialties, or regales your audience with great ideas or specific information. Celebrities are usually invited to speak because of their name value. They add clout, interest and glamour to a meeting. Many celebrities have a poignant message as well as being excellent speakers.
 
3. Seminar Leader
Experts on a particular topic or subject whose objectives are to educate and motivate. Their delivery is usually less dramatic and more conversational than that of the keynoter and the longer (1-3 hours) format allows for more interaction between the presenter and the audience. Seminar leaders who use handouts, slides and overhead projection can easily work with a relatively large audience. Many professional keynote speakers also make excellent seminar leaders.
 
4. Workshop Facilitator
Similar to teachers in a school, these presenters usually work with smaller audiences which allows for more individual attention. The facilitator can provide guidance as participants practice using newly acquired knowledge, understanding and skills. The facilitator can lead the group through activities, exercises and simulations that allow them to probe, clarify or relate the new information to their own experience.
 
5. Trainer
Workshop facilitators who specialize in hands-on training of a specific skill (e.g., typing, operating a piece of machinery, learning a new computer program, sales skills, leadership etc.) which will later be used by the participants in their work. Generally, trainers are hired to train employees at the organization's own facility and only occasionally at a meeting or convention.
 
6. Industry Speaker
Speakers with expertise or a reputation in a particular industry or field. Industry speakers rarely fall into the category of professional speaker. The specific information they impart is usually of special value only to a particular audience. Depending on their position in the industry, and the relevance and importance of their information, they may be invited either to keynote or to do a seminar.
 
7. Entertainer
Entertainers are used mostly for general sessions, dinners, banquets, parties and special events. The right entertainment in the right situation can contribute significantly to the success of a conference or convention. These can be humorists, comedians, mentalists, hypnotists, skit and industrial show actors, dancers, variety acts, musical attractions, etc. The categories are endless.
 
8. Combination Program
There are a handful of professional entertainers who are also excellent professional speakers. These few not only entertain an audience but also educate them. An entertainer's ability to captivate a sophisticated audience with a great show while interweaving a powerful and motivating message can make the difference between a successful meeting and a great one.