Speaker Expenses     More and more meeting planners today are facing the challenge of working with limited budgets and rising costs.  Sound familiar?  Predicting the cost of air travel can be like predicting the cost of corn futures.  Lodging costs continue to rise faster than budgets, seldom do you get requests for macaroni and cheese for banquet dining, and corporate / speaker demands for more high tech are escalating each year as you try to top the previous year's performance. In an effort to battle some of the costs, we have seen several new approaches to the area of expenses.  One we are seeing and like is an all-inclusive expense allowance or a flat bid for expenses.  This gives the planner the ability to know all related costs for bringing in their speakers right up front, before making a final commitment.  This gives meeting planners several very distinct advantages.  First, you will have greater accuracy in putting together your budget proposal for those who might need to approve it.  Second, speaker expenses can very dramatically depending on travel distances, workbooks, AV equipment, and other needs.  These expenses can be substantial and might be critical in making your selection.  A third factor is the knowledge that you aren't going to get caught by any post-conference bills that put your department in the red and your position under someone's blow torch.An all-inclusive expense allowance would include things like airfare, incidental meals enroute, personal mileage and other ground transportation, handout materials, tips, and any other costs to be incurred with bringing in the speaker, presenting their program, and getting them back to their original destination.Expenses usually covered by the client are then restricted to items like on-site lodging and meals, handout duplication, and production equipment.  AV and other physical equipment is optional but should at least be discussed because some speakers need very little equipment, but we know of others whose equipment needs alone run in the thousands of dollars for a single presentation.  However, if you are using multiple speakers with duplicate needs, you might want to take responsibility for providing that equipment.  Just make sure that one piece of equipment isn't needed in two separate locations at the same time.Never should an organization be responsible for paying such things as speaker's laundry, movie rentals, personal phone calls, gift shop items, health club charges, or other such items.  It is for these very things being charged on direct-billed rooms that we as bureaus are seeing this move to flat-fee expense contracts.  It is also the reason our bureau asks our speakers to send their bills to us so that we can monitor these situations and make the appropriate adjustments before sending it on to you for payment.  It should be pointed out that this situation doesn't arise that frequently and in most cases is by accident or neglect.  However, if it has happened to you once, you're not going to want it to happen again!

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Client Comments
Marketing Director
"Our February event was a big success and the speaker you helped us secure was outstanding….. You addressed all of our needs and questions in a thorough and timely fashion, helping things go smoothly. We look forward to working with you again to find a speaker for our Fall event! Thanks again!"
Frye Regional Medical Center
Special Events Coordinator
"Wow, what an outstanding and successful conference! Many thanks to you and your staff for securing the speakers who presented at our Leadership Conference. They were fantastic !"
SSM Health Care
Executive Vice President
"Thank you for securing Dr. Leo Frangipane for our 2005 Customer Congress...Some comments include "best speaker we've ever had," and "really related to the audience and brought a fresh perspective on the surgeon/physician and patient relationship." His presentation made a significant contribution to our overall meeting's success!"
Surgical Information Systems
Meeting Planner
"Thank you for arranging Dr. Bob Arnot . . . . It was a pleasure working with you on this program. Your organization and expertise were very much appreciated and attributed to the success of this program."
Baptist College of Health Sciences
VP & Chief Nursing Officer
"Here is how it went—WONDERFUL!!!!! The group was very energized. Thank you!!!"
Montgomery Hospital
Adm. Director of Clinics
"Dr. Sotile was simply amazing! Our Chief of staff physician said, "He is brilliant" and our hospital President wants to bring him back… He is our hero! We loved it! Thank you for recommending Dr. Sotile to our physician groups!"
Mark Twain St. Joseph Hospital
VP & Chief Nursing Officer
"I want to offer my appreciation for all of your assistance in our search for a speaker for our Women's Health Forum...We're very much looking forward to having Jane Pauley as our featured speaker and we appreciate your efforts in securing her on our behalf!"
Montgomery Hospital
Administrator
"Thank you for all of your help with this event. This is the first event of its kind with which I have worked. You went above and beyond to make it a success!"
Baptist Centers for Cancer Care
Planner
"He did a wonderful job, presented exactly what I hoped he would, and made everyone laugh! He exceeded my expectations, and from a quick glance of the evaluations that were returned to me, exceeded the expectations of the 100+ who saw him present today. I thanked him for making me look good today, since this was "my" program, and I thank you for connecting him with us!"
Carilion Community Health Education
Education Director
"Thank you for your help in securing Greg Risberg for our physician audience during our Clinical Education Series...I very much appreciate your willingness to work with me to find the best fit for our group, even with our meager budget, and your promptness in securing Greg!"
Pennsylvania AFP
Manager Special Events
"Our September event was a big success and the speaker...Dr. Holly Atkinson was outstanding...Dr. Atkinson did a terrific job interacting with the audience and sparking laughter...you addressed all of our needs and questions in a thorough and timely fashion...We look forward to working with you again in the near future."
Bassett Healthcare
Manager
"Thank you for helping us find a quality speaker for our All Administrative Staff Conference...Our President told us we hit a home run...Our organization has very high standards for a speaker and I overheard many people talk positively about his presentation!"
Benedictine Health System
Strategic Specialist
"Healthcare Speakers Network provides exceptional customer service. I appreciate the effort that you put in to helping us find solutions in the complex world of speakers/presentations."
Carilion Health Care
Vice President
"One word, AWESOME!!! Both times he spoke were just wonderful. People came to the lunch and brought back their families for the evening event...I thought it went VERY WELL!"
Unity Health Center
Director
"...Your efforts in helping me work with the speaker were certainly invaluable. You handled all of the behind-the-scenes work in obtaining her services for the event and, from my perspective, it was seamless..."
Putnam Hospital Center
Special Events Coordinator
"We are always glad to have you as part of our conference team! You do such a terrific job!"
SSM Health Care
Director
"The speaker you recommended absolutely exceeded our expectations!"
Vermont Assn. of Hospitals & Health Systems
Marketing Coordinator
"Thanks for all you...did to make this event a WINNER. Everyone...said it was a First Class event..."
Frye Regional Medical Center
"We have worked with the Healthcare Speakers Network for four years, and have enjoyed our professional relationship enough that we keep returning to book additional speakers. The team is consistently service driven, customer focused and the staff is so easy to get along with and accommodating that our events are consistently rated well above average. The trust element between our staff and the Healthcare Speakers Network staff is high."
VHA OK/AR
Marketing Coordinator
"The Healthcare Speakers Network has been a tremendous resource for our hospital Their contacts and resources ensure a successful event for not only the speaker but our hospital as well."
Frye Regional Medical Center
Vice President
"HSN is always prompt and responsive. No question is too small. We appreciate such service."
Forsyth Medical Center Foundation
Partner
"The efforts of HSN to find the ideal speaker for our event stretched out over several months, demonstrating their commitment and determination to find the individual best suited to the needs of our group."
Essex Woodlands Health Ventures
Manager
"He did a wonderful job, presented exactly what I hoped he would, and made everyone laugh! He exceeded my expectations, and from a quick glance of the evaluations that were returned to me, exceeded the expectations of the 100+ who saw him present today. I thanked him for making me look good today...and I thank you for connecting him with us!"
Clarian Health Services
Manager
"Thank you for attending the banquet and I appreciate your help with our speaker. Our guests are still talking about how wonderful he was and how much they enjoyed listening to him."
Clarian Health Services
Conference Coordinator
"...I can tell you that the speaker you recommended was absolutely delightful and a pleasure to work with. He is a consummate professional and a quick glance at the evaluations showed that the audience loved his talk."
Ministry Health Care

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