Q: A conference I’m scheduled to speak at has decided to go virtual under the Covid circumstances. The organizers reduced my speaking time by 40 minutes and slashed my fee by 84% (excluding travel expenses, which are no longer necessary). They also now want to record my talk. How should I respond?
A: Lots to consider here:
1. Do you need the money? If so, take what you can get while budgets for conferences still exist. Our immediate future as speakers looks bleak right now.
2. Everything is negotiable. If you give them a lower price, will they give you, say, more PR, a videotape of your talk, or a guaranteed slot in their next event for your usual fee? Alternatively, you might agree to the lower price but not the recording.
3. Try to suss out what other speakers are doing. You don’t want to be the only one who says “no.”
4. If you agree to a reduced fee, then make sure to list the full fee, along with the discount, in your invoice.
5. Ask them how they arrived at 84%. That’s very specific, and it may shed light on their new budgetary restrictions.
The bottom line: I’d recommend countering. Keep your tone polite, and explicitly mention three things: (a) The extraordinary circumstances we’re now under; (b) All the work you’ve already put in, plus the extra work you’ll now need to do in order to adjust your presentation; and (c) Your interest in an ongoing relationship.
