What does a speaker agency expect from the speakers on its books?

Representation, promotion and development is what we do for speakers as Pomona Partners, but this is very much a partnership. Success will mean effort on your part as a speaker as well, across all three areas.

Representation: Let us maximise your opportunities

Like most speaker agencies, most of Pomona Partners' revenue comes from the percentage we take on the bookings we make on your behalf. Inexperienced speakers tend to look at that fee - typically 20% - and think "Why should I pay them that much just to do the paperwork."

They are missing a number of things here.

First, our agents are great negotiators who often secure a much bigger uplift in the fee that the speaker would have charged than 20%. If you're getting 50% - or in some cases 400% - more, you stop caring about the 20% fee.

Second, there is a lot of administration involved in bookings, especially with larger companies. We have invested to streamline that administration, and just by the fact of us operating for many speakers, we can bring it down. For example, by already being registered suppliers for many organisations.

Third, taking a booking through an ageny gives you a layer of protection. We have invested in strong contracts. We're experienced at chasing payment - all things that can be a huge drag on individuals.

This is why we ask all of our speakers to put at least a proportion of their enquiries through us, whether they are big or small.

Promotion: Invest in yourself

For all the investment that we make as an agency in marketing our speakers, ultimately every speaker is responsible for generating their own leads. Even the enquiries that Pomona Partners generates - currently half of all the enquiries we handle - rely on the speakers keeping their profiles high, current, and compelling.

This means that speakers must invest constantly in growing and maintaining their profile, online and off. In advancing their credibility. And in maintaining currency.

Development: Continuous advancement

We believe every speaker can improve, in terms of their proposition, their profile, and their performance. We expect all the speakers on our books to continue to invest in themselves, using at least in part the tools and information we provide for this purpose.

Our unique Talent Map is a great way for speakers to track their progress and direct their investment in personal growth.