The Curious Business of Pay-to-Speak Conferences
I just received this gem in my inbox – an invitation to speak at a conference with a twist: not only will they not cover my travel or time, but I’ll need to pay to attend my own talk. Oh, but don’t worry, they’ll give me a “better discount” on the registration fee! How generous.
Let’s unpack this peculiar business model:
- They describe themselves as a “self-funding organization” – which is an interesting way of saying “business” (like virtually every other company on the planet)
- They’re “unable to cover all expenses” while simultaneously building their entire program on unpaid expert speakers who are expected to:
- Provide free content
- Pay for their own travel
- Pay to attend the very event they’re making valuable
- Feel grateful for a discount on a fee they shouldn’t be paying at all
This is the equivalent of a concert venue telling musicians: “We’re self-funding, so you’ll need to buy tickets to your own show. But hey, we’ll give you 15% off!”
What’s particularly fascinating is how normalized this model has become in certain industries. Conference organizers charge hefty admission fees, built entirely on the expertise of speakers who receive nothing in return except “exposure” – that magical currency that somehow never converts to actual value.
To be clear: There are legitimate community events and non-profits that operate on tight budgets. There are also conferences and expos that gather speakers and give them a genuine platform in front of a wide audience that leads to business. This is not either of these, so when a for-profit conference with substantial registration fees expects expertise for free while charging the experts themselves, it’s time to question the arrangement.
Value your expertise. Your knowledge, experience, and ability to present complex ideas clearly took years to develop. Organizations that respect that won’t ask you to pay for the privilege of sharing it.
Have you encountered this model? How did you respond?
