Your event needs a great guest speaker. The problem? Your low budget. You only have so many dollars to spare. Keynote speakers charging between $15,000 to $100,000 are out of your range. Yet, you still need a quality speaker for the event to be a success. So how can you find someone great to speak for less?

If you ever find yourself in this situation, here are five tips to find a top guest speaker on a budget.

Find someone local.

Speakers are often willing to do a local event for less. Keynote speakers travel all over the world, but that doesn’t mean they love being away from home. Many are happy to accept a lower fee if it means they can be back home the same day. If you don’t know any local keynote speakers, contact a speakers bureau to find out which keynote speakers live in your area.

Book a speaker visiting your area.

If a keynote speaker is already coming to your area for an event, they might love to add on a second event for a lower fee. So check the events in your city. Is there a great keynote speaker coming to a local conference on the same date? If you can’t find someone, then contact a speakers bureau representative to find out if any great speakers are coming to your area.

Pay in kind.

You can pay a speaker with something other than money. Sometimes keynote speakers will accept your services or products in lieu of a fee. Guest speakers have been known to speak for free or a reduced fee if you can guarantee book sales from the audience. Reach out to see if you can make them an offer they can’t refuse.

Hire an up-and-coming speaker.

Up-and-coming speakers charge lower fees than more established speakers. They may not have made a big name for themselves in the industry yet, but they can deliver a quality talk that won’t break your bank. To find an up-and-coming speaker, get a reference from an established keynote speaker in the field, a colleague in your industry, or contact a speakers bureau representative for a name.

Talk to your speakers bureau.

If you can’t locate a budget speaker using the above strategies, try a speakers bureau. Speakers bureau are experts on the experts. Their representatives are familiar with great keynote speakers on all topics in many fee ranges. Ask for a list of names in your range.

For More on Keynote Speakers See:

Popular Keynote Speakers With Fees $10,000 and Under

How to Hire the Perfect Keynote Speaker