Identifies Key Trends For Event Professionals in 2022
May 18, 2022 [DURHAM, NC] – All American Entertainment (AAE) is pleased to announce the release of its 2022 Speaking Industry Benchmark Report, the first of its kind by the company. In early 2022, nearly 700 event professionals were surveyed to generate greater visibility and insight into both sides of the speaking industry – event organizers who book speakers, and professional speakers who captivate audiences.
The report covers topics including:
- The priorities that event strategists have this year when booking speakers;
- The type and range of achievements of the most experienced speakers;
- Budgeting and other challenges for speaking at in-person events in 2022; and
- Advice from insiders within the event industry about the speaker booking relationship and tips for the future of professional speaking.
In this report, several significant findings emerged, including:
- The most requested speaking topic of 2022 according to event strategists surveyed is diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) (58.1%), followed closely by leadership and motivation (57%), mental health (47%), and the future of work (33%).
- Over 80% of event strategists (81.9%) said that their 2022 event budgets were the same or higher this year than last year.
- The most important goals that event organizers have for booked speakers are audience engagement (74.7%), education for the audience (58.1%), and increased attendance (47.7%)
- Professional speakers with ten or more years of experience earn about 54% more for in-person events than those with less experience.
- More than half (53.2%) of event organizers said that they start looking for keynote speakers between two and six months before their event.
“The speaking industry has changed dramatically in the past two years,” said Greg Friedlander, CEO and Founder of AAE Speakers Bureau. “This is the first comprehensive, post-pandemic report to focus on the importance of speakers in creating successful, engaging events. This ‘State of the Speaking Industry’ report brings together valuable insight from the organizations who book speakers, and feedback from the speakers themselves, to paint a 360 degree view of the most important factors impacting the speaking industry in 2022 and beyond.”
Founded in August of 2002, the Durham-based speakers bureau is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary and was recently named to the 2022 Inc. Best Workplaces list. The company exclusively represents event and meeting organizers looking to book talent and speakers for corporate, association, and university events. In recent years, the company has booked celebrities, thought-leaders, and industry experts, including Bob Woodward, Diane Guerrero, Daymond John, Trevor Noah, Ken Jeong, and Mindy Kaling.
To request a full copy of this year’s findings, please visit https://www.aaespeakers.com/2022-speaking-industry-benchmark-report/.