Be prepared to give the following information to a prospective speaker. Answering these questions will help you determine if you have a goal for your speaker or you are just looking for a "warm body" to fill a place on the program!

What is the purpose of your event? Have you any specific goals in mind as you have planned your women’s ministry? What do you hope will happen as a result of this meeting? What have your women been studying this year? What is the history of this event? What kind of women will be attending? Christian women looking for a break from their labors, unsaved women, uncommitted women? What's the age range? Young girls, babies, older women? Why do you think God has led you to invite this woman to be your speaker?

Will her expenses be cared for?

Car Travel?
It is customary to reimburse speakers who drive to the event at 40.5 cents per mile plus meals and overnight lodging (as of 2005). (P.S. - Send Directions in Writing!)

Air Travel?
Who will make the arrangements? If she requires transportation to and from the airport, will you pay the "limousine fee"? If you ask her to depart from an airport that is further away than she usually travels so you can get a better airfare, will you reimburse her for the extra travel expense (gas, car rental, tolls)? If your event is over on Saturday, are you willing and able to pay for her to fly home without a Saturday night stay in order to arrive home at a reasonable hour? (Check out the cost of airline tickets before you answer this question! This is a good place to ask business people to donate their frequent flyer miles, but frequent flyer seats are limited so this decision needs to be made quickly.) (P.S. - Who will meet her at the airport? Where and how will they be identified? In writing, please!)

Accomodations?
Ask your speaker her preference - a private room, share a room; hotel room or private home?

Miscellaneous
Will she have to pay a babysitter in order to minister to you? Will you help her with those expenses? If she is traveling a distance by car, will you encourage her to bring a traveling companion? Some speakers offer to pay their companion's expense so they won't have to travel alone.

Assign one woman or a particular church to take care of your speaker - prepare her room with a welcome basket or light refreshments; be sure she has all necessary details, schedule, location of event; meet her for meals so that she doesn't have to eat alone - anything that will free her to focus on the message God has given to her for your group.

What About an Honorarium?
One of the most awkward questions asked of a speaker is, "And what is your fee?" To avoid making an awkward question worse, ask this one in your first conversation while you are still making decisions. It's very tough for a godly woman to put a dollar value on her time away from her family when that time is spent sharing the most important facet of her life - her relationship to Christ. If you are surprised by the amount she requests or she leaves that answer in your hands, take into consideration all that you are asking your speaker to do:

Seek the mind of God in order to share His message with your group
Spend lots of time away from other responsibilities studying and preparing her mind and heart

Spend time away from family and familiar surroundings

Surrender to the strong possibility of uncomfortable and unexpected travel "blips" (flight delays, missed flights, etc.)

Empty herself emotionally and spiritually

Sacrifice time with her family and/or special events in her own church
Etc.!

(P.S. - Remember, your event is probably one of many that require her to be away from her home.)

And, now, for reality! Many of our churches cannot even meet minimum expenses. How can they invite someone to share with them when they can't reimburse the speaker? Consider "connecting" with some of your sister churches and working on a joint event. Consider also, most women called by God to build His kingdom through speaking will go anywhere if they believe God wants them to, it doesn't matter what financial reimbursement can be made. They experience great joy when they know they are about their Father's business.

But let your prospective speaker know "up front" about your financial position. She may be in a financial bind herself and unable to take on the travel expenses required. Or she may waive any costs and absorb them herself. When a group and my husband and I are sure their event is a good match for the message God has given to me, but their financial picture is slim, we have worked with them to creatively meet the expenses. Consider asking business people to donate their frequent flyer miles for an airline ticket. Have a "bag lunch" and provide beverages rather than go to an expensive restaurant. Decide by the way you spend the money in your budget what your priorities for the event are. These decisions will help you decide the best way to accomplish the goal of your event. If God is in the event, He will make the way for it to come to pass!

Sample Confirmation Letter To Send to Speaker

Date

Dear ___________,

We are glad you will be able to join us _______________(Date) for our _____________________(Type of meeting). In an event such as this unsaved friends and relatives are invited (or the audience will be generally women involved in their local churches, etc.) We are expecting approximately ______________women.

The program will be held at ______________________(Directions attached) from ______to ____________ o'clock. If possible we would like you to arrive a few minutes ahead so we can pray with you. You will be given _______________minutes for each session. You will be speaking _______times.

If you will be staying overnight, arrangements have been made with the following person:______________________. She will be contacting you.

Please send me a biography and picture suitable for publicity as soon as possible.

Do you have any special needs for the program? Will you need hand-outs duplicated? If so, we need the original a week before the program. Will you need an overhead projector or do you have any special dietary needs? We will try out best to take care of them. My number is ___________________if you have any questions. Please feel free to call collect.

We will give you $__________per presentation as an honorarium and 32.5 cents per mile traveling expenses for travel over twenty miles.

We are looking forward to hearing your presentation. It will be exciting to see how God uses your speaking in the lives of our women at ___________________. We will be praying for God's direction for you as you prepare.

Sincerely,

____________

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