The Best Speaker Booking and Event Management Companies

Professional speakers can inspire audiences, improve their skills and compel them to take action. They can make or break your business gathering, so discover the companies with stellar track records for offering the best value for speaker booking and event management.

Top Speaker Booking and Event Management Companies at a Glance

Here is a roundup of the leading speaker booking and event management companies:

Who Offers the Best Value for Speaker Booking and Event Management? 6 Candidates

Book speakers from any of these six companies to manage your event properly and get the best value for your money.

1.   Leading Authorities Inc.

Leading Authorities Inc. is a speakers bureau, video communications agency and live events production rolled into one. It describes itself as a client-focused organization committed to generating fresh, exciting ideas to overcome challenges, achieve business goals, build brand loyalty, produce a return on investment and more.

The company proudly represents the world’s best thought leaders in over 50 fields. It uses its platform to amplify voices of diversity, equity and inclusion and allow them to share their distinct insights to address pressing problems in solutions-oriented ways.

Leading Authorities has been around for more than 30 years. Many of its staff members have been with the company for nearly just as long. Its seasoned executives are valuable resources for speaker recommendations and insider information on emerging trends in the events industry.

This Washington, D.C.-headquartered organization’s client base includes Fortune 500 companies, large trade associations, famed academic institutions and established civic groups. Its speaker network is diverse enough to match any budget, topic and event.

Leading Authorities has hundreds of speakers based in the United States and an extensive network of international talent. It gives you direct access to big-name speakers, including former heads of state, leading media personalities, bestselling authors and household names in sports. The company represents many speakers exclusively and has close connections with agents to book personalities not found on its list.

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2.   SPEAKING.com

SPEAKING.com has been making the lives of event planners easier since 1994. It has connections with over 5,000 keynote speakers and trainers who can deliver presentations about nine topics. It works closely with various agencies to tap exclusive talent for events inside and outside the U.S. and to give you access to almost any personality in North America and beyond.

The company’s marketing team helps you decide which talent to book. It provides helpful resources, including full biographies, photographs, books and recent press coverage. The team can also arrange prebooking calls with willing keynote speakers and trainers.

This organization has a fully staffed speaker logistics planning team to ensure your event goes smoothly. SPEAKING.com can find timely substitutes if your chosen speakers cancel at the last minute.

Your personal account executive serves as your point of contact to make the booking process seamless. Speakers shoulder the expenses associated with these value-added services, so expect to pay no extra cost.

The company offers to negotiate special pricing terms on your behalf. This speakers bureau generates repeat business and uses its pull to convince speakers to give discounts to its clients.

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3.   AAE

AAE thinks of itself as a speakers bureau for event professionals. This full-service talent agency acts as an impartial partner in the booking process when sourcing keynote speakers for live, hybrid and virtual meetings, as well as trade shows, conferences, product launches, executive retreats, award ceremonies and other special events.

This organization has represented more than half of Fortune 500 companies and over 300 colleges and universities, nonprofits, public relations and advertising agencies, and professional associations. It has been instrumental in bookings collectively worth $300 million across all 50 states and no less than 60 countries since 2002.

AAE’s speaker search process is intuitive. You can find business keynote and motivational celebrity speakers by topic, location and budget.

Consult its U.S. map of speakers to find talent near you to simplify logistics and make a stronger case for a discount. This Durham, North Carolina-based organization has a large database of more than 4,000 international speakers.

AAE leverages its solid network and close agent relationships throughout North America to manage last-minute cancellations.

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4.   Key Speakers

Key Speakers is a women-owned and women-operated organization that has been a member of the International Association of Speaker Bureaus (IASB) since 1995. The company represents more than 1,200 keynote and motivational speakers across at least 14 fields — including disruptive thought leaders, successful entrepreneurs, A-list celebrities and world-class entertainers — from around the U.S. and abroad.

This Newport Beach, California-headquartered organization helps you identify the most suitable female and male talent for your live, hybrid and virtual events, negotiate for favorable terms and manage logistics. Its clientele includes IBM, Canon, Bobcat, Converse, Magellan Health, PepsiCo, Telos, BayCare and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Key Speakers’ advanced search feature makes finding and comparing available speakers painless. The company may help you book specific talent it does not currently represent through its industry connections.

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5.   BigSpeak

BigSpeak has been around since 1995. It represents every imaginable breed of luminaries, boasting over 200 categories of keynote, motivational, business and celebrity speakers, trainers, and executive consultants. Its global talent network consists of over 2,300 speakers.

This full-spectrum business speakers bureau helps event planners and C-level business leaders of mid-cap and large-cap organizations book highly coveted talent. It handles the nitty-gritty of bookings, including travel arrangement coordination if needed.

This Santa Barbara, California-based company may entertain pro-bono requests on a case-by-case basis and forward the invitation to speakers.

BigSpeak swears by its COACH culture, which stands for its core values of communication, optimism, accountability, collaboration and growth. About one-third of Fortune 500 companies have sourced talent from it.

The American Society for Training and Development, American Society of Association Executives, Meeting Professionals International and Business for Social Responsibility are some of its affiliations.

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6.   UTA Speakers

UTA Speakers is a subsidiary of United Talent Agency based in Beverly Hills, California. It was born after its parent organization expanded into the live speaking circuit in 2017 after acquiring Greater Talent Network.

It is a rich source of entertainment industry talent for corporate speaking engagements, but it is more than that. It is home to an impressive roster of thought leaders, public servants, Nobel laureates, CEOs, award-winning journalists, digital influencers and more.

This New York company’s talent network is unspecified. Still, it provides powerful filters to help you scour its massive database of public speakers and immediately find the perfect match for your events. Narrow down your prospects through 70 topics across nine categories, from accessibility and disability to women’s health.

Partnering with this full-service agency gives you access to a team of experienced event professionals trained to assist you every step of the way and ensure your business gatherings leave a lasting impression on audiences.

Its booking process is straightforward. Simply enter your chosen speakers and fill out its online form to submit a request, and a company representative should get back to you as soon as possible.

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Factors to Consider When Comparing Speaker Bureaus

Consider domain expertise, speaker variety, corporate event types, service area and years in business to determine the right speaker bureau for your business needs.

Hire a Speaker Booking and Event Management Company That Offers the Best Value for Your Budget

Leading Authorities, SPEAKING.com, AAE, Key Speakers, BigSpeak and UTA Speakers are well connected enough to find ways to book your preferred talent for your events and take logistics off your plate. Contact each to talk about pricing.