Andy Burnham stepped into the spotlight today to deliver his taking-office speech as the new Prime Minister. Whatever your politics, the moment raises an interesting question — and not just for the nation. For anyone who books speakers, runs conferences, or plans events: what is a speech actually worth? What is its value?
What is the Value of a Speech?
The question has become sharper recently. Angela Rayner and Nicola Sturgeon have both featured in the news over speaking fees — Sturgeon, in particular, having signed with a speakers bureau since leaving office. It's a well-worn path. Bill Clinton commanded extraordinary sums on the public speaking circuit. Hillary Clinton's university speech fees became a political liability. Theresa May stepped off the Downing Street doorstep and onto the paid-speaking stage. Even George W. Bush — not universally regarded as the most compelling orator — has charged handsomely for the privilege of an audience.
So the market clearly exists. But is the market right?
Five Questions Every Event Organiser Should Ask
Before you sign the contract and write the cheque, here are the questions that should govern your decision — and they have nothing to do with how famous the speaker is.
- 1Will this speaker change attitudes in my audience? This is the hardest test and the most important one. A speaker who genuinely shifts how your audience thinks about a problem — their industry, their leadership, their assumptions — delivers lasting value. Star power fades by the time the taxi arrives. A changed perspective travels home with the delegate.
- 2Will this speaker motivate my people? There's a difference between entertainment and motivation. A rousing speech that sends your team back to their desks fired up has a measurable effect. One that produces warm applause and nothing more is expensive ambient noise. Ask yourself: what will my audience do differently on Monday morning?
- 3Will this speaker draw an audience? Sometimes the calculus is purely commercial. A high-profile name sells tickets, fills seats, and justifies the event fee. That's a legitimate return — provided you're honest with yourself that this is the reason. Don't confuse ticket-selling power with intellectual substance. They occasionally coincide. They often don't.
- 4Will this speaker create a feel-good factor? There is value in celebration and occasion. A speaker who marks a milestone, reflects a company's values, or gives an event a sense of significance earns their place — even if the content is light. Awards dinners, anniversary events, and team celebrations have different requirements from leadership summits. Know which you're running.
- 5Is the speaker's reach worth the fee — or are they overvalued? This is the uncomfortable one. The suspicion — and it's a reasonable one — is that many celebrity speakers are seriously overvalued against any honest measure of audience benefit. When the headline act is a former politician whose last memorable speech was their resignation, or a sports star whose insight runs to "teamwork is important," you are paying for name recognition rather than ideas. That may be fine. But call it what it is.
So, What Is a Speech Worth?
A speech is worth exactly what it delivers to your audience — not what the speaker's agent says it's worth, and not what your competitor paid for a similar name last year.
Andy Burnham's taking-office speech today will be scrutinised for its substance, its tone, and its signal of intent. At this moment, his words carry weight because of the office he holds and the decisions he's about to make. In five years' time, on a paid speaking circuit, the calculus will be entirely different.
The most valuable speaker in any room is the one whose ideas your audience will still be talking about at breakfast the following day. Measure your investment against that standard — and you'll rarely go wrong.
For more on presentation skills and public speaking — including how to make your own speeches land with clarity and impact — you'll find our full tips series here. And when you're ready to sharpen your own public speaking skills, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
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