Do You "Know the Score"?

Question 1 of 10

In the United States, professional speakers' fees are:

The correct answer is — 

Professional speakers' fees are totally under the speaker's control!

NSA not only has nothing to do with setting or controlling speakers' fees, they won't even discuss them for fear of being accused of pricefixing. (Fortunately, PSU doesn't have that problem and you will explore how to determine the "right" fee in the "Fees and Prices" course in the Library.)

The IRS wants you to pay your taxes, but they have nothing to do with setting fees. How much you charge for your speeches is completely up to you.

Professional speakers can charge whatever they want. The SBA has nothing to do with deciding what fees you can charge.

So you're right! No one can tell you what fees you can charge for your speeches. You're welcome to give freebie speeches if you want, or you can charge $100 grand or more! (Of course, getting someone to pay you that figure is another matter.)

Question 2 of 10

Traditionally, speakers bureaus take what percentage of your standard fee as their commission?

Answer: 

Around 30 percent

It would certainly be nice if speakers bureaus didn't charge you a commission, but they traditionally charge 25 to 35 percent of your standard fee.

Sorry, I don't think anybody charges a 5 percent commission these days. Speakers bureaus traditionally charge 25 to 35 percent of your standard fee.

You're probably thinking of agents for actors or athletes. I've heard they typically charge about 10 percent. But speakers bureaus traditionally charge 25 to 35 percent of your standard fee.

So you're correct! Speakers bureaus traditionally charge 25 to 35 percent of your standard fee.

Question 3 of 10

Typically, how long should an after-dinner keynote presentation be?

Answer: 

As long as the meeting planner asks for

Keynotes can range from a few minutes to several hours. While one hour is a fairly typical length for an after-dinner keynote, you should always time your program so as not to disrupt the meeting planner's schedule.

Keynotes can range from a few minutes to several hours. You should always time your program so as not to disrupt the meeting planner's carefully honed schedule.

While you should certainly have the anticipated length of your program spelled out in your speaker's contract, things can go wrong. You should always time your program so as not to disrupt the meeting planner's schedule.

If your audience isn't attentive, the problem isn't with your speech's length — your speech is boring. You should always time your program so as not to disrupt the meeting planner's schedule. (And you should always write and present your speech so that your audience doesn't fall asleep.)

Question 4 of 10

A written speaker's contract is:

Answer: 

A contract is a good idea (but not legally required) whether the speech is a freebie or for-fee.

If someone is paying for your speech, a written contract is certainly a good idea... but it's not legally required.

It's a good idea to have a written contract for your freebie speeches, just like your fee-paid speeches.

The primary purpose of a contract is to avoid misunderstandings, and misunderstandings can occur with both free and fee speeches. So there's no legal requirement to have a written contract, but true professionals always have a written contract... even for their freebies.

If someone is paying for your speech, a written contract is certainly a good idea... but it's not legally required. And it's a good idea to have a written contract for your freebie speeches too!

Question 5 of 10

The unthinkable happens — someone uses huge portions of your speech, word for word, without even giving you credit. Which of the following are they not guilty of?

Answer: 

Copyright infringement

It's sad but true... your speeches cannot be copyrighted, so there's no copyright infringement if someone "steals" your speech. However, it is a violation of NSA's Code of Ethics, and a good lawyer might be able to show that it's an unfair trade practice. (It's obviously tacky behavior, too.)

There's no doubt that it's tacky behavior. It's also ineffective... meeting planners generally don't want cheap copies. But speeches cannot be copyrighted, so there's no copyright infringement.

It's a violation of NSA's Code of Ethics, and if the offender is a member of NSA, they could face sanctions. However, your speeches cannot be copyrighted, so there's no copyright infringement.

A good lawyer may be able to make a case for unfair trade practices. But your speeches cannot be copyrighted, so there's no copyright infringement.

Question 6 of 10

Is it acceptable to use a Peanuts cartoon in your PowerPoint program?

Answer: 

Yes, if you first acquire the rights to use copyrighted material.

You're right! Peanuts cartoons (as well as Dilbert, Far Side, Non Sequitor and others) are protected from unauthorized use by copyright law. You may use copyrighted materials in your presentations... if you first obtain the rights to use them.

Sorry, but Peanuts cartoons won't be in the public domain for quite a few more years yet. Despite their age, Peanuts cartoons (as well as Dilbert, Far Side, Blondie and others) are still protected from unauthorized use by copyright law. You may use copyrighted materials in your presentations if you first obtain the rights to use them.

Sorry, but even though Charles Schultz is deceased, somebody still owns the copyright to Peanuts. Peanuts cartoons (as well as Dilbert, Far Side, Non Sequitor and others) are protected from unauthorized use by copyright law. You may use copyrighted materials in your presentations if you first obtain the rights to use them.

Giving credit to Charles Schultz is a nice thing to do, but it isn't sufficient. Peanuts cartoons (as well as Dilbert, Far Side, Non Sequitor and others) are protected from unauthorized use by copyright law. You may use copyrighted materials in your presentations if you first obtain the rights to use them.

Question 7 of 10

Is it ethical and/or legal to negotiate your published fees?

Answer: 

It is both legal and ethical to negotiate your published fees.

Speakers' fees are totally unregulated. There is nothing illegal about negotiating your fee.

Some professional speakers choose to stick to their published fees, arguing that surgeons don't negotiate their fees prior to an operation... and neither should professional speakers. Other speakers disagree. Either way, there's nothing unethical about it.

Whether or not it's a good idea to negotiate your published fees is a matter of debate among professional speakers. But the practice is both legal and ethical.

Speakers' fees are totally unregulated, so there is nothing illegal about negotiating your fee. And many meeting planners hope that you will discuss reducing your fee, so there's nothing unethical about it either. (Whether or not it's a good idea is a matter of debate.)

Question 8 of 10

What type of microphone is most versatile in creating sound effects for storytelling?

Answer: 

A handheld mic.

Because a lavaliere mic is attached to your clothing, it's impractical to use it to produce sound effects. But with practice, you can use a handheld mic to produce a variety of entertaining sound effects.

Because a handheld mic can be easily moved to any position and almost any distance from your mouth, you can use a handheld mic to produce a variety of entertaining sound effects.

Because a lectern mic is attached to the lectern, it's difficult to use it to produce sound effects. But with practice, you can use a handheld mic to produce a variety of entertaining sound effects.

Because a headset mic is attached to your head, it's impractical to use it to produce sound effects. But with practice, you can use a handheld mic to produce a variety of entertaining sound effects.

Question 9 of 10

You want to reduce excess inventory by boosting BOR (back of the room) sales of your DVDs. Which is better — offering them at "half price" or "buy one, get one free"?

Answer: 

"Buy one, get one free" is probably better than "Half off".

Offering a "buy-one-get-one-free" sale will possibly reduce your inventory twice as fast as a "half off" sale.

That's right! Offering a "buy-one-get-one-free" sale will probably reduce your inventory twice as fast as a "half off" sale.

Contrary to common sense, they are not the same! While the profit per item is the same in both cases, the profit per sale is probably much higher with "buy-one-get-one-free" than with "half off". Regardless, offering a "buy-one-get-one-free" sale will probably reduce your inventory twice as fast as a "half off" sale.

It is not illegal to sell resources for less than their listed price. In fact, it's a common practice. But offering a "buy-one-get-one-free" sale will probably reduce your inventory twice as fast as a "half off" sale.

Question 10 of 10

What's the difference between a "professional speaker" and a "public speaker"?

Answer: 

A professional speaker is running a business, pure and simple.

Not necessarily! Although speaking pros recognize the importance of effective platform skills, many public speakers have better speaking skills than your typical pro speaker. Again, a pro speaker is running a business!

Not necessarily! Many speaking pros sometimes speak for free, and public speakers can certainly get paid for their presentations. The difference is in whether or not they're running a business.

Not necessarily! Any speaker, public or professional, should have an important message to share. But pro speakers' messages are not necessarily any more important.

Both public and professional speakers speak for a variety of reasons. But a pro speaker's highest priority is, by definition, running a successful, profitable business!

Your "know the score" score is

Jim Barber
Founder, PSU Career Enrichment Center