The Real Cost of Booking the Wrong Speaker (And How to Avoid It)

Booking the wrong speaker can drain energy, budget, and credibility. Here’s what it really costs – and how to make sure you get it right next time.

The Real Cost of Booking the Wrong Speaker (And How to Avoid It)

Let’s talk about the thing no one wants to admit after an event:

“We booked the wrong speaker.”

It usually hits about halfway through the keynote — the speaker’s mid-slide, the audience is politely nodding (or scrolling their phones), and you’re sitting there thinking… “This is not what we needed.”

The damage? It’s more than just a wasted fee.

What It Really Costs to Get It Wrong

1. Lost audience engagement
A great speaker lifts the whole event. A bad one drags the energy into the floor. If you’ve lost the audience by morning tea, you’re playing catch-up all day.

2. The vibe hits the brand
Your team or clients may not say it out loud, but they’ll remember a speaker who bombed. And whether it’s a staff event or a national roadshow, that moment reflects on you.

3. Budget regrets
This one hurts most. You spend thousands, only to be left with vague feedback like “It was okay” or “Bit generic, eh?” That’s not ROI. That’s expensive noise.

So Why Do Good Events End Up with the Wrong Speaker?

Usually, it’s one of three things:

• The speaker’s a big name, but not the right fit

• The agency didn’t push back on the brief

• The organiser got a slick PDF and not much else

We’ve seen it too many times. There’s a massive difference between a well-known speaker… and the right speaker for your people, your message, your moment.

How to Avoid the Wrong Booking (And Make a Brilliant One)

Here’s the playbook we use every day at Essential Speakers:

Start with the outcome – What do you want people to feel, think, or do after the keynote?
Ignore hype – Fancy bios don’t equal audience impact. Ask for real examples.
Challenge the brief – If you’re not sure what you want, talk it through. Good speaker agents ask hard questions.

Trust your gut – We once had a client say, “I didn’t love her video, but something about her feels right.” She nailed it. Standing ovation.

Booking the right speaker isn’t just about ticking a box. It’s about making your whole event better. The energy, the message, the experience — it all flows from that moment on stage.

So if you’re an event organiser in Australia (or New Zealand), and you want to make sure you get this bit right, we’d love to help.

We’ve made it our mission to never let clients walk away saying “meh”.