I included questions about contracts, fees, reimbursable expenses, and payment terms. I’m by no means a professional researcher and I’m positive that I could improve these questions if I run this survey again in the future.
The questions
- How long have you been speaking at conferences?
- How many times per year on average do you speak at conferences?
- Do you charge a fee to speak at conferences?
- If you charge a fee, how much do you charge on average?
- Do you adjust any fee depending on the conference’s ticket prices?
- Do you waive any fee for non-profit community events and meet ups?
- Do you charge a non-refundable ‘booking fee?’
- Do you insist on organisers signing a contract?
- How quickly do organisers pay your fee?
- Do conferences commonly arrange in advance and pay for?
- Do you insist on premium or business class air travel and train fares over a certain duration?
- Do you have information for conference organisers available online?
A summary
- 237 people responded over 7 days
- Majority have been speaking for between 2–5 years
- Most speak between 1–3 times per year
- Majority charge no fee to speak
- For those who charge a fee, the average is between $500–2,500 USD
- 90% don’t charge a booking fee
- Majority don’t sign a contract
- Most fees are paid within 30 days
The results
I’m presenting the answers to my questions without a commentary. I’ll leave how I feel about how people approach the business of speaking at conferences to a separate post.
How many years have you been speaking at conferences?
 |
 |
 |
 |
| < 1 |
2–5 |
6–10 |
> 10 |
| < 1 year |
8.7% |
| 2–5 years |
40.6% |
| 6–10 years |
26.9% |
| 10 years > |
26.9% |
Majority have been speaking for between 2–5 years. ⤒
How many times per year on average do you speak at conferences?
|
|
|
|
| 1–3 |
4–6 |
7–10 |
10 > |
| 1–3 times |
52.1% |
| 4–6 times |
26% |
| 7–10 times |
12.8% |
| > 10 times |
9.1% |
Most speak between 1–3 times per year. ⤒
Do you charge a fee to speak at conferences?
|
|
|
| Always |
Sometimes |
Never |
| Always |
8.3% |
| Sometimes |
33.9% |
| Never |
57.8% |
Majority charge no fee to speak. ⤒
If you charge a fee, how much do you charge on average? (USD)
| < $500 |
 |
| $500–2,500 |
 |
| $2,500–5,000 |
 |
| $5,000–10,000 |
 |
| $10,000 > |
 |
Fees converted to US Dollars. If someone gave a range, I included the higher amount. ⤒
Do you adjust any fee depending on conferences’ ticket prices?
 |
 |
 |
| No |
Yes |
I don’t charge |
| Yes |
28.6% |
| No |
21.4% |
| Don’t charge a fee |
50% |
Half of people don’t charge a fee. Of those that do, 21.4% charge a flat fee and don’t change it according to the ticket price. ⤒
Do you waive any fee for non-profit community events and meet ups?
|
|
|
| No |
Yes |
I don’t charge |
| Yes |
43.2% |
| No |
8.3% |
| Don’t charge a fee |
48.4% |
Majority charge no fee to speak at non-profit community events and meet ups. ⤒
Do you charge a non-refundable ‘booking fee?’
| No |
 |
Overwhelming majority don’t charge a non-refundable booking fee. ⤒
Do you insist on organisers signing a contract?
 |
 |
| Yes |
No |
Majority don’t insist on organisers signing a contract. ⤒
How quickly do organisers pay your fee?
|
|
|
|
|
|
| In advance |
On the day |
< 7 |
< 30 |
< 60 |
60 > |
| In advance |
19.1% |
| On the day |
11.8% |
| < 7 days |
10.9% |
| < 30 days |
46.4% |
| < 60 days |
10% |
| 60 days > |
1.8% |
Most fees are paid within 30 days. ⤒
Do conferences commonly arrange in advance and pay for?
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Accommodation |
Air or train travel |
Transportation |
Hotel wifi/internet |
| 93.3% |
73.8% |
41.8% |
37.6% |
Do you insist on premium or business class air travel and train fares over a certain duration?
| No |
|
Do you insist on premium or business class air travel and train fares no matter the length of time it takes to travel to an event. ⤒
Do you have information for conference organisers available online?
| No |
 |
Only a fraction of speakers have information for conference organisers available online. ⤒
A conclusion
I’ll leave how I feel about these results and how people approach the business of speaking at conferences to a separate post. Until then, are you surprised by them? Let me know what you think. (You can blame Errol for the bananas.)