A snapshot into the lives of the people who hire us
the Price is Right
In a cost-conscious economy, it’s
important for speakers to bring
value to the client’s bottom line.
Today, meeting planners seek
speakers who are flexible, accountable and can provide an entertaining learning experience, according to
Maurice “Moe” Desmarais, CAE, senior
director at SmithBucklin Inc., the world’s
largest association management company.
Ed Rigsbee, CSP, asked Desmarais how
speakers can increase their bookings when
companies are cutting their budgets.
Ed Rigsbee: How did you get into the
association management industry?
Maurice Desmarais: In the early
1970s, I was a part-time instructor
for the Professional Insurance Agents
Association, and was offered a position as Director of Education and
Convention Services. After that, I was
the executive director for the American
Supply Association, and
president of Association
Management Services. I
have been at SmithBucklin
for the last 10 years.
What is your current process for
selecting professional speakers?
At BSCAI, we generally hire keynoters
who are content-driven professionals
in their industry. The volunteer committee will suggest topics, and the paid
staff implements the recommendations.
Fortunately, we have the luxury of an
experienced convention services department that maintains an in-depth list of
speakers, so finding the right one is not
terribly difficult.
tell me more about
the trade associations.
In the past, we would usually start on
the following year’s meeting just after
the current year’s event. The economy
has caused shorter lead times in selecting venues and shrinking meeting length
and, therefore, shorter lead times for
selecting speakers. Since attendance has
gone down, cost has been a huge issue.
I expect budgets to
remain challenging
through 2010.
gets for keynote speakers ranged from
$10,000 to $35,000. For 2009-2010,
the budgets are being cut in half. We
are trying to ease the pain for speakers
by adding value to the contracts in the
form of expo booths, book sales and
signings, and article placement in our
magazines.
Meeting attendees
want answers to
their problems
and challenges. In
2009-10, the focus
is on content.
What do you do at
SmithBucklin?
I am a senior director, and the executive vice president for three associations: Building Service Contractors
Association International (BSCAI), the
North American Association of Floor
Covering Distributors (NAFCD), and
Battery Council International (BCI).
Have you noticed any
specific trends?
Trade associations
currently are focused
on economy, cost
reduction and green
topics. Motivational speakers are tak-ing a beating unless they are tied to a
particular industry. Software user group
meetings have started to see lower attendance. On the bright side, healthcare
groups seem to remain solid in attendance numbers.
What about speakers who
are presenting breakout and
concurrent sessions?
The same pattern follows. From 2006-
2008, we paid $5,000 to $15,000 for
those sessions. The 2009-2010 budgets are being cut in half. All of the
SmithBucklin account executives have
been instructed to ask speakers to work
within our budgets.
What drives you crazy about working
with professional speakers?
When they don’t take the time to get to
know their audience.
Are there changes in
professional speaker fees?
Huge changes. From 2006-2008, bud-
tell me about the professional
speakers you hire.
Unless motivational speakers have very
specific content or have positioned
themselves in an industry, they’re not
getting hired. Also, fewer entertain-ment-type speakers are being considered because the volunteer leadership
