Speaking as Dan Sodergren, a respected keynotespeaker for AI, technology and the future of work. Let me start with this:
All my agents throughout my career have helped me,some more than others, and some have helped me get in front of amazing audiences, opened doors that would have stayed shut, and regularly negotiated fees that make a real difference to my business.
If you're a professional speaker without a great agent, you're likely missing out on major opportunities. I am hapy to recommend one to you....
Depending where you are in your speaking career - don't know where you are?
But there’s something we don’t talk about enough in the speaking world — a reality that sits just beneath the surface of all those signed contracts and polished reels.
The Economics of Agency
Speaker agents are professionals running businesses. And like any smart business, they need to optimise where they spend their time. That means focusing on the clients and bookings that generate the highest return for the effort.
When they have hundreds — sometimes thousands — of speakers on their books, they have to prioritise. It’s not personal. It’s just business.
And because they work on commission, naturally they gravitate towards those £8,000+ keynotes where the reward for their time is clear and worthwhile.
Here’s the rub: those high-fee opportunities are only part of what comes your way when you're out there speaking.
What Happens After the Big Gig
I remember when an agent of mine once said,
“Dan doesn’t get out of bed for less than £8,000.”
At first, I was flattered. It sounded like a good positioning play.
But then I started seeing the downside.
That £2,000 keynote at a startup hub? The £3,500 corporate offsite that might grow into a long-term client? The £1,500 panel talk at a university that could lead to advisory work or media appearances?
Those offers got ignored. Not because they weren’t valuable — but because they didn’t make financial sense for my agent to pursue. And that’s fair enough. Their model depends on bigger fees.
But as speakers, we don’t just think about one-off fees. We think about relationships, spin-off work, and reputation building. A smaller booking can turn into something far more meaningful over time.
The Real Gap
Here’s the truth most people don’t talk about: after every talk you give, there are people in the room who’d love to work with you. But they can’t afford — or don’t need — a £10,000 keynote.
They might want a £2,500 workshop. A virtual Q&A session. A £500 follow-up consultation. A strategic advisory call.
These leads go cold because your agent isn’t set up to handle them. And unless you have a system in place, neither are you.
And that’s where SpeakerPro comes in.
Why I Created SpeakerPro
For many years, I have taught people marketing - with my agency Great Marketing Works - and I realised only too late that I could use AI to help me with my own marketing. Not just as I do with the AI Marketing Course but with the deeper connected marketing of following up after my talks and training sessions.
So after years of watching these warm leads fall through the cracks — and knowing full well my agents simply weren’t built to catch them — I realised I needed to build something myself.
SpeakerPro is part of the Speaker.Marketing platform (made by Great Marketing Works) that I’m developing for independent speakers who want to build real businesses. It doesn’t replace agents. It fills the gap they can't cover.
It helps you:
Automatically collect audience contact details after events
Send personalised thank-you messages
Collect testimonials easily
Generate speaker reels and social assets
Nurture relationships with potential clients long after the applause ends
Because some of the real business opportunities of speaking start after the keynote.
Where This Fits With Your Agents
Keep your agents. I do. They’re brilliant at negotiating big deals, positioning you at the right level, and bringing in premium gigs.
But don’t rely on them for everything.
The modern speaker needs both: strong agency relationships and smart systems to nurture the rest. SpeakerPro is built for that second part — the quiet, consistent follow-up that turns good events into long-term opportunities.
So yes — I still love my agents. And I will link to them below - they are in fact, a part of SpeakerPro. And I still send them wine at Christmas or when they land me work. But I also know they’re just one piece of the puzzle.
If you're a speaker looking to close that gap, let’s talk.
Sign up to SpeakerPro, or check in with me directly on LinkedIn.
Because if you're already doing the hard work of stepping on stage — you deserve a system that works just as hard after the talk ends.
Join the waitlist for SpeakerPro and join the Speaker Revolution.
A list of the great agencies I work with...
JLA
Premier speaker bureau connecting audiences with world-class speakersVisit Website
Pomona Partners
Boutique agency specializing in business and leadership speakersVisit Website
Raise The Bar
Expert speakers for corporate events and conferencesVisit Website
VBQ Speakers
International speaker bureau with diverse talent portfolioVisit Website
Great British Speakers
UK's leading speaker agency for events and conferencesVisit Website
A-Speakers
Global speaker bureau connecting top-tier talent with eventsVisit Website