New to this whole keynote thing?

Of course the money stuff is always a bit uncomfortable. But in a nutshell, regardless of your budget, you get what you pay for! You should never ask a motivational speaker to speak for free.

People’s time is of value, and if they’ve reached a point in their life where people want to hear what they have to say, you should acknowledge their value by paying them for their time.

At the very least, you should offer to pay them a koha (gift of money, in this situation).

How much you pay a motivational speaker depends on a number of factors. If they’re local regional speakers, maybe between $500 to $2500. If they’re a bit more experienced, you could probably expect to pay anywhere between $2000 to $10,000. If they’re really well-known, then you can expect to pay above $10,000 and if they are internationally known or celebrities, then it's standard to pay anywhere from $20,000 to over $100,000.

You need to think about what your budget is before you decide who you would like to invite.

Miraka Davies is an international keynote speaker with decades of experience (including a TEDx talk) who specialises in raw, real, and inspiring content that challenges the status quo. She also understands the importance of providing value while still being transparent about pricing. And so, to get Miraka on your stage, it’s $7k+ GST and travel to hire her as your keynote. 

A person on a stage who is IN THEIR HAPPIEST PLACE is very hard to resist.

If this is going to stretch your budget too far, consider bringing on a sponsor so you can give your audience the best value.

If you want Miraka Davies as your keynote, NZD$7k+GST and travel expenses, and it’s a date!

A keynote speaker is an experienced professional speaker scheduled into your event whose name, reputation, and expertise will appeal to your audience. Advertising the keynote speakers for your event should help get people to register or buy tickets and attend your event. In other words, they are a drawcard to make your event more appealing. It's worth investing in high-value keynotes to help you sell tickets and set your event or conference up for success.

A keynote speaker might open or close a conference - to set the tone or send people home inspired - or they might be scheduled at times when attendance might otherwise dwindle - the morning after the big dinner (and drinks!) or maybe after lunch when people are feeling tired.

Most of all, a keynote is expected to deliver a speech that is captivating and inspirational, covering content that is valuable to your audience.

As an inspirational keynote speaker, Miraka Davies brings a unique blend of raw, real, and inspiring content that challenges the status quo. She shakes up traditional thinking and empowers individuals and organisations to embrace their authenticity and their power to stand out from the crowd.

“Best” is a very subjective term! It really depends who your audience is and also very much depends on what your budget is. An internationally recognized speaker on happiness, say, someone who is an expert in neuroscience, wellness, mindset, or the science of happiness, (because there is such a thing!), will be at a price according to that level of expertise and reputation - likely over $10,000 for a keynote.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, Miraka Davies is known as the one of the best speakers on happiness, because not only does she understand the science of happiness (and the neuroscience and psychology around it), she’s also a shining example of what it can be like to live a life with joy as both the journey and the destination. That’s one of the reasons she’s often invited to speak at events on topics like happiness, how to be well, mindset, boundaries, and how to find joy and power in your life.

If you’re looking for a speaker on happiness, try to get very specific with some details before reaching out to potential speakers - what aspect of happiness are you wanting to hear about and why? Is it the positive psychology so that your people can have better relationships and happier teams? Is it the neuroscience of how we can use neuroplasticity to rewire our brains to be happier? Is it about happy people, teams, customers? Is it about happy lives?

There are so many considerations! But it will help if you have a think about things like that before  you start reaching out to keynote speakers.

Alternatively, book a call with Miraka Davies to talk about happiness and how she can powerfully bring that to your event.

Guest speakers, especially if they are experienced, should not be asked to speak for free. It’s disrespectful.

We also need to understand that there are historical trends where people in marginalised or underrepresented demographics - for example, people of colour, women, and people from the rainbow community, are often asked to give their services for free because it’s for a “good purpose”. This is evidenced in data around pay inequities generally, and is just as true in the professional speaking industry.

Please help change that! So as I give the following advice about how you might be able to get a speaker at low or no cost, please keep that in mind and be part of the change!

You may be able to get a guest speaker for free if it’s someone relatively new in their career or in a stage of their career where the exposure your event can offer them really will be an equitable exchange for the value they bring to the event. Please don’t use exposure as the benefit you offer someone if they are well established in their career. Remember that exposure doesn’t pay bills or feed mouths. You may be able to reach out to people from your personal networks - friends and colleagues would be willing to do you a favour by being a guest speaker.

You may be able to reach out on social media and put out a call for people who would be interested in speaking at your event while making sure they understand there is no budget, that it is not a paid engagement. You may be able to find someone who can speak on behalf of their organisation and therefore they are coming to speak as part of their employment, which might mean they don’t need to be paid, but you should still give them recognition with a koha - a gift of money or something meaningful.

You may be able to trade services with someone else. “Would you please come and speak at my event? And here’s something I could do for you in return.” For example: “Would you please come and speak at my event? We can’t pay you in cash but we’d like to actively promote your product/services.” And I don't just mean that they’ll put your logo on their website, I mean actively promote across their channels, for example.

If you find a speaker who has a particular cause or a mission that they work in, and that them being given a platform at your event will benefit their cause or their mission, that may be another reason they might be willing to come and speak for free.

Miraka Davies has a very firm position that she does not speak for free. If you have a worthy kaupapa (purpose) she wants to support, she will ask what your budget is, and then ask that you contribute that budget to the charity of her choice instead of paying her personally. In her experience, people simply don’t value what they get without having some skin in the game.

The landscape for keynote speakers is continually evolving, driven by current events, technological advancements, and shifts in societal interests. Here are some of the top trends for keynote speakers in 2024:

1. Diversity and Inclusion:

   • There is a strong focus on speakers who can address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Organizations are seeking speakers who can provide insights on creating more inclusive workplaces and addressing systemic inequalities.

2. Mental Health and Well-Being:

   • With increasing awareness of mental health, speakers who specialize in mental health, well-being, and resilience are in high demand. Topics include stress management, mindfulness, work-life balance, and emotional intelligence.

3. Sustainability and Climate Change:

   • Environmental sustainability and climate change are critical issues. Keynote speakers who can speak about sustainable practices, corporate responsibility, and innovative solutions to environmental challenges are highly sought after.

4. Technological Innovation:

   • As technology continues to advance rapidly, there is a demand for speakers who can discuss emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, and their implications for various industries.

5. Future of Work:

   • The post-pandemic world has seen significant changes in how we work. Speakers who can provide insights into remote work, hybrid work models, digital transformation, and the future of the workplace are popular choices.

6. Leadership and Adaptability:

   • In a rapidly changing world, leadership and adaptability are crucial. Speakers who focus on leadership skills, adaptability, and navigating change are in high demand, especially in corporate settings.

7. Personal Development and Empowerment:

   • Personal growth, empowerment, and self-improvement remain popular topics. Speakers who inspire audiences to reach their full potential, set and achieve goals, and develop positive habits are widely appreciated.

8. Authenticity and Storytelling:

   • Authenticity and the power of storytelling are important trends. Audiences connect more deeply with speakers who share personal stories and experiences that are genuine and relatable.

9. Social Impact and Corporate Responsibility:

   • Speakers who can discuss the role of businesses in making a positive social impact and engaging in corporate social responsibility initiatives are increasingly sought after.

10. Health and Wellness:

    • Beyond mental health, physical health and overall wellness are key topics. Nutrition, fitness, and holistic health are areas of interest for many organisations and events.

11. Cultural Competence and Global Perspectives:

    • As the world becomes more interconnected, there is a growing interest in speakers who can offer global perspectives and cultural competence, helping audiences understand and navigate diverse cultural landscapes.

The good news for you is that Miraka Davies is well known for speaking across a number of these topics. In particular the health and wellness, mental health, and wellbeing spaces where she shines as she can speak to her lived experience and that of her family. She is also passionate about diversity and inclusion when it comes to underrepresented historically marginalised people, people of colour, indigenous people, women, and the rainbow community.

On top of that, neurodiversity is very strong in that discussion. She can speak with lived experience and professional insight into how the strengths of neurodiversity in the workplace and how we can make sure our workplaces are inclusive. She has ADHD, family members with ADHD, autism, and a fairly wide range of mental health lived experience.

Book a call to talk more about this with her.

Yes, keynote speakers can and often do provide presentations as part of their role. A good keynote speaker will know that the best slideshows have very minimal text. They will not be reading from their slides. The slides will be there for two purposes. Number one, to reinforce what they’re speaking about. And number two, as takeaways for the audience. You’ll often see during a good keynote presentation audience members lifting their phone to take photos of a particular slide because it’s useful, because they want to refer back to it, or because they want to share it on social media.

Miraka Davies sometimes uses presentations depending on the topic she’s been asked to present. But she will often present without slides as she wants to build deep connections with the audience with no distractions. Many event organisers will ask keynote speakers to provide their slides in advance of the event. While some keynote speakers are happy to do this, Miraka Davies does not. It’s not the best way for you to get her magic. 

If she uses slides, she will bring them with her on the day of the event with plenty of time for your AV people to check and make sure everything is okay. Keep in mind that what is good for you as an event organiser might not be what's best for your professional speakers. Allow them to do things in the way that they know is best so they can provide you with the most value. 

In general, if a keynote speaker uses a presentation, they are often happy for that presentation to be made available to the audience after the event. This is certainly true for Miraka and she is always happy to share her slides.