Assisting a long-time client to secure speakers for a big event last year, I was given a significant budget to spend on 3-4 speakers. Of course, there are many requirements and requests that I won’t go into, but the main process is simple. I propose the speakers I think would be a good fit and once they are approved by the client, I make the offer to the speakers and get them under contract. I negotiate any contracting challenges prior to providing them to the client for signature.
I bring this up now because this client has asked that I do the same thing for this year’s event.
I’m excited, but I’m also a little nervous because I had one speaker last year that threw me a curve ball last minute.
No way would I ever mention a speaker’s name, so when I tell you what was in their formal contract, MY NAME and MY TITLE have been substituted within the speaker’s actual verbiage below:
When using Ms. Erwin’s name, please refer to her as: Shelley “the Queen” Erwin. You may also reference her simply as the Queen, but do not use Shelley, Shelley Erwin or Shelley Erwin aka The Queen.
I’m not kidding, you guys. It was IN RED. Right there with the hotel request for a suite far away from any ice machines or elevators and two bottles of room-temperature water.
Here goes… research starts tomorrow. 🙂
TIL (Today I Learned): The oldest known crocodile, “Mr. Freshie,” lived to be an estimated 140 years old after being captured and rehabilitated by Steve Irwin and his team at the Australia Zoo.