• Charge a fee greater than the normal meeting fee. This is an active rather than passive way for the attendees to appreciate the value of the speaker and the information.
• Purchase the speaker's books, tapes or other products for each attendee. This also provides an ongoing reminder of the meeting. Customize the products for the event.
• Allow the speaker to sell books, tapes, and related products from a "back-of-room" display or at an exposition booth.
• Reassign funds available in other budget categories to the speaker fee category. Use funds from catering, speaker gifts, travel, education, publicity, savings, future meetings, etc.
• Solicit corporate sponsors to underwrite the speaking fee in exchange for recognition, goodwill and advertising. Sponsors may be found in local retail businesses, industry, media, civic organizations and community groups.
• Invite local travel agencies to donate airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, etc. in exchange for newsletter advertising, special displays and announcements.
• Contract multiple speaking engagements at a reduced "per event" rate for your group.
• Invite meeting planners, human resource managers and decision makers from organizations and companies who need similar presentations and speaking services.
• Share the speaking fee and travel expenses with other local organizations by holding a joint meeting. Possible partners include corporations, businesses, chambers of commerce, civic organizations, special interest or religious groups, schools, universities, government, etc.
• Coordinate multiple speaking engagements in the local area. Several organizations can pool their resources and get individualized events delivered at different locations.

• Hold revenue generating and community awareness events such as raffles, auctions, garage sales and carnivals in preparation for your event.
• Select topics important to both your membership and the community at large. Invite nonmembers of your organization and charge them an attendance fee.
• Barter part of the fee. Offer products and services from your organization and its member companies.
• Distribute speaker brochures and product advertisements in conference mailings.
• Include a special speaker information sheet in registration packets. This is especially important in large conferences with many sessions from which to choose.
• Highlight the speaker through an interview or special article in your newsletter before the meeting. Include a photograph of the speaker.
• Give the speaker attendance lists or membership rosters with addresses for use in direct mailings.
• Offer a "blind" mailing to your membership list.
• Provide complimentary advertising space in your organization's newsletter.
• Arrange for a local studio to donate professional audio or video tape recordings of the session. Present the master tapes to the speaker. Sell the finished product to the membership and pay a royalty to the speaker.
• Assure newspaper, radio and TV coverage of your event and the speaker's sessions.
• Persuade the media to interview the speaker on radio and TV shows and in local and regional newspapers.
• Allow the speaker to bring guests and prospective clients to view the presentation.
• Ask the speaker to "donate" part of the speaking fee

Use these ideas to enhance your organization's image, strengthen relationships with its members, and invoke community awareness. Call 214-316-1400 for further details and to reserve your date, today!