Speaker marketing glossary

Videos

Speaker reel

A short video, usually 2 to 5 minutes, that shows you speaking to real audiences, makes your core idea clear and includes proof from others. It is the main asset event planners and bureaus use to judge a speaker. It is also called a speaker demo reel or keynote reel. See how to make a speaker reel and how long a speaker reel should be.

Demo video

Another name for a speaker reel, common in bureau and coaching circles. Some people use "demo video" for a longer piece, closer to 5 to 10 minutes, that shows more continuous stage time. Ask what a bureau means before you send one. See speaker reel vs sizzle reel vs demo video.

Sizzle reel

A fast, high-energy cut, often 60 to 90 seconds, built for attention rather than full evaluation. Sizzle reels work well on websites and social media; planners deciding on a booking usually want something longer. Some studios sell a sizzle as an add-on to a full reel.

Topic trailer

A short video focused on one talk or topic rather than on you as a speaker in general. Speakers with several keynotes use topic trailers so a planner sees exactly the talk they would book. Speaker Sizzle Reel, for example, lists a topic trailer as a $597 add-on.

Walk-on video

A short opener played on the event screens right before you take the stage, usually 30 to 90 seconds, to build energy and introduce you. It is a production piece for the event, not a sales tool for planners.

Testimonial reel

A video made up mainly of clients, planners and attendees talking about the impact of your talk. It can stand alone or be cut into your main reel. Third-party voices are often more persuasive than anything you say about yourself.

Vertical cut

A version of your reel or a clip reformatted to a 9:16 vertical frame for Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts and LinkedIn mobile. Every Hop On Stages reel includes a vertical cut for social.

Full keynote recording

An unedited or lightly edited recording of a complete talk. Some planners and bureaus ask for one after watching your reel, to see that the whole talk holds up. Keep a clean full-length version alongside your reel.

Booking

Speakers bureau

An agency that places speakers with corporate and association event buyers. Bureaus recommend speakers, negotiate fees and handle contracts and logistics. They are paid by commission and tend to represent speakers who already have demand. See speakers bureau vs done-for-you outreach.

Bureau commission

The share of your speaking fee a bureau keeps when it books you, commonly 20% to 30% according to Futurist Speakers. It usually applies to the fee only, with travel billed separately, but agreements vary. See speakers bureau commission explained.

Speaker fee

What you charge to deliver a talk, separate from travel expenses. Talkadot publishes a keynote fee benchmark with a median of about $2,500. Fees vary widely with experience, topic and audience.

Honorarium

A payment to a speaker that is smaller than a full speaking fee, often offered by associations, universities and nonprofits. It is frequently paired with travel, hotel and free registration. An honorarium plus covered costs is a common package for association keynotes and sessions.

One sheet

A one-page summary, usually a PDF, with your name and photo, your talk and its outcomes, a short bio, proof, a reel link and contact details. It is the document that gets forwarded inside committees. See the speaker one sheet guide.

Speaker kit

A fuller package than a one sheet, sometimes called a press kit or media kit. It usually includes long and short bios, headshots, topic descriptions, your reel, an introduction for the emcee and A/V requirements.

Call for speakers

A public invitation from an event to submit session proposals, also called a call for proposals or call for presentations. Many calls for speakers are for unpaid breakout sessions; keynotes are more often booked directly. See how to find paid speaking engagements.

Open-call listing site

A paid membership site that collects calls for speakers so you can browse and apply, such as SpeakerMatch (from $30 per 4 weeks). They are convenient, but an older Mequoda analysis found most listings were low or no fee. See Hop On Stages vs SpeakerMatch.

Cold outreach

Pitching event organizers who have not contacted you, usually by email. It is the main way speakers get booked before bureaus are interested. It can be done yourself or by a done-for-you outreach service. See cold email for speakers.

Decision-maker

The person who actually chooses speakers for an event: often the event director, education director, program chair or a program committee member, or for corporate events an L&D, HR or sales enablement leader. Pitches to the generic info@ inbox rarely reach them.

Exclusivity

A clause in a bureau agreement that limits who else may book you, for a type of client, a region or a period. Read it carefully before signing, especially the rules about clients the bureau introduced.

Events

Keynote

The main-stage talk at an event, delivered to the full audience, usually 30 to 60 minutes. Keynotes are the most visible slot and the one most often paid. See how to get booked as a keynote speaker.

Breakout session

A smaller concurrent session at a conference, where attendees choose between several talks. Breakouts are more often filled through calls for speakers and are more often unpaid or paid with registration only.

Workshop

A longer, interactive session, often half a day or a full day, with exercises and discussion. Workshops can be booked as standalone engagements or as add-ons to a keynote.

Program committee

The group, often volunteers from the association's membership, that reviews proposals and selects speakers for an event. A program committee may read your one sheet without ever watching your reel, which is why both matter.

Association meeting planner

The staff member at a professional or trade association who plans its conferences and meetings. Associations are a large source of paid and unpaid speaking, from national conventions to state chapter meetings.

CVB (convention and visitors bureau)

A city or regional tourism organization that helps bring meetings and conventions to its destination. CVBs work with meeting planners on venues and logistics; they are not speakers bureaus and generally do not book speakers.

RFP (request for proposal)

A formal document in which an organization describes what it needs and invites vendors to submit proposals. Large corporate and government events sometimes issue RFPs for speakers or for production services.

Showcase

An event where speakers deliver short segments to an audience of bureau agents or meeting planners in the hope of being booked. Some showcases charge speakers to participate; weigh the cost against who is actually in the room.

Production

Raw footage

The original, unedited video files from a recording, as opposed to a compressed upload. Send an editor the highest-quality files you have; a download from a streaming platform loses quality. Hop On Stages edits reels from your existing footage. See speaker reels without professional footage.

B-roll

Supporting footage that is not you speaking to camera: the audience, the venue, signage, you walking on stage, people taking notes. Editors cut to b-roll to keep a reel moving and to show the room.

Board feed audio

Audio recorded directly from the venue's sound board, which captures your microphone cleanly. It sounds far better than a camera's built-in mic. Ask the A/V team for it every time you speak. See how to film your keynote.

Simulated stage

A filmed talk delivered on a staged set, sometimes with a recruited audience, used when a speaker has no usable live footage. Some studios, such as Speaker's Cut, offer "Simulated Stages". Some planners are wary of staged audiences, so be honest about how footage was made.

Audience reaction shot

A shot of the audience laughing, nodding, standing or taking notes. Planners look for these as proof you can hold a room, so a reel without them is weaker. A wide camera pointed at the crowd is the simplest way to capture them.

Color grading

Adjusting the color and exposure of footage so clips from different events look consistent and professional. Grading is part of what makes footage from several venues feel like one reel.

Sound design

Music, sound effects and audio mixing that shape the pace and feel of a reel, plus cleanup of noisy recordings. Poor audio is one of the fastest ways to lose a planner's attention.