CAMPUSPEAK continuously reviews applications as they are submitted. We typically select speakers in April/May for our Fall semester class and September/October for our Spring semester class. For your best opportunity, we encourage you to apply at least one month prior to these timelines.

We maintain exclusive relationships within the education industry for all of our speakers. The education market includes students, faculty, and staff of primary and secondary education, higher education, and education industry-related associations and organizations.

CAMPUSPEAK keeps all applicants on record. When selecting new speakers, we do our best to predict topics that customers will be booking while balancing the needs of the company. Your topic may not be in need when you apply, and then 6 months later our need shifts. We continuously are reviewing applications, so the sooner you apply the better.

Sometimes speakers will send over their demo reel, a resume, or even mail us a copy of their book. While we definitely appreciate having this information to consider, most of it is best captured in our online application. We are unable to accept a speaker to join our team who doesn’t fill one out, because it helps to standardize our review process.

A video is the most important part of your application! While we don’t expect anyone to have a fancy video with lots of bells and whistles, we do need a video that captures you clearly speaking in a keynote format about your topical expertise (preferably in front of a live audience). Media reels and interviews are great supplements to your application too, if you have them, however, we mostly need to see you speak! We want to hear your voice, see your stage presence, and hopefully learn something in what you’re delivering. Because we review so many videos, it is unlikely that we will be able to watch more than 10 minutes of video footage of your application.

All new speakers who join our team are asked to pay a New Speaker Marketing Investment of $4,000 – $5,000. It covers the cost of graphic design and copywriting time and the production of digital and print advertisements. A portion of your investment also covers the expense of the set-up costs associated with you joining our team, like your program calendar and speaker page on our website.

There aren’t any other “hidden” costs, although our most successful speaker invests in marketing each semester, consider attending and networking at an industry conference, and register for and attend our company meetings. We go over these costs in-depth if you’re chosen to join our team.

All new speakers must attend CAMPUSPEAK’s New Speaker OnBoarding. New Speaker OnBoarding is typically held in June and December.

This is a required program of our partnership, because it helps us deliver to you all of the knowledge you need to begin a successful partnership with our team. We cover a lot of internal things to know – like how leads are generated and sales are closed, what marketing opportunities exist, how to update your availability in our calendar, and when you get paid.

No! We are excited to review applications from individuals with all levels of experience. Some of our most successful speakers had only one or two speaking events before joining our team, while others have been speaking for years and just wanted help managing their business. Obviously those with more speaking experience have a bit of an advantage, but anyone with a great story or strong topical expertise is encouraged to apply.

The things some speakers will do to try to get our attention might surprise you! Speakers who let us know their first concern is about money typically will not be successful with CAMPUSPEAK. We work better with people who are primarily interested in making a difference in students lives. Getting paid is really important too, but joining our team is not a way to get rich quick. Other red flags include speakers who aren’t interested in an exclusive arrangement, have lots of special requests right away that do not fit into our low-maintenance philosophy, and have poor and/or unprofessional communication.

We always welcome applicants to resubmit their materials. Each year we do our best to provide feedback on why applicants aren’t selected so they can continue to improve. Sometimes we find that we don’t have a current need for a topic or speaker one year, but that they could be a great fit for another year. If you’re applying again, always submit your most up-to-date information so we have the clearest idea of how your speaking career has evolved since your last application.

We realize that commission levels and agency fees are important questions to have answered. Upon reviewing your application, if we are interested in moving forward in conversations about representation, we will address our compensation model with you in-depth. Each speaker’s fee is different, and mutually agreed upon with the agency annually. We help you set your fee based on the overall competitiveness of the market, geographic location, demand for your topic, etc. Because our pricing is all inclusive, travel expenses like flights, mileage, hotel reservations, etc. come out of your program fee.