Phase 2 · Booking and Contracting
Speaker Agreements, Deposits and Payment Terms
The speaker's date can be considered secured when both required agreements are signed, subject to their payment terms. A soft hold or a verbal decision to book the speaker does not secure the appearance. Once your team has made its choice, the next step is to get the details of that appearance into the agreements.
What happens after you choose a speaker?
The Mollie Plotkin Group sends you a formal event questionnaire. The first inquiry gave us enough to approach the speaker; now we need to confirm what your organization wants to book. That includes the selected program or intended presentation, the speaker's arrival time and any production requirements.
This is also the time to disclose requests beyond the keynote, such as recording, streaming, Q&A, photographs, interviews, a leadership meal or a book signing. A speaker's agreement to give a keynote does not automatically include those other uses or appearances. Raise them before the agreements are finalized so they can be addressed there. Recording and Streaming Rights for Keynote Speakers and Q&A, Photo Ops and Additional Appearance Requests cover the individual requests.
Who signs what?
We prepare and coordinate the documents for digital signing. The client and speaker do not necessarily sign identical copies of one contract. Each signs a corresponding agreement, with terms that are materially aligned.
What a Speaker Soft Hold Really Means explains the earlier stage while your team is still deciding.
How do deposits and payment fit in?
The payment schedule belongs to the particular engagement. Check the agreements for the amount due, when it is due and what payment is required before the speaker performs. The Mollie Plotkin Group can explain those terms for your booking.
Signing secures the date, but the speaker's obligation to perform remains subject to the negotiated payment terms. If the event later needs to be cancelled or rescheduled, the signed agreement also controls the specific outcome. Speaker Cancellation Policies and Force Majeure explains the first steps when plans change.