Our team members frequently get asked whether we'd be able to talk about a particular topic to a particular audience. Sometimes this is a request to speak at a public meeting for an association like ARMA or AIIM. Other times, it's to speak to an organization's senior management, or records management function, or to everyone in a particular office. In this post I will explore how to get someone from Access Sciences to speak at your function. 

1. Check our availability. 

We try hard to have our folks doing client work to the extent possible and to minimize resource conflicts. That means that we try to have them scheduled 60-90 days out. That doesn't mean that we couldn't make someone available on shorter notice if the need is there, but as a rule it's better to ask us as early as possible. This is especially true for public, association-type meetings where you know your schedule months in advance. 

2. Confirm the schedule. 

This goes directly along with the previous one. If we are able to commit someone to travel to and speak at your meeting, and to do the preparation necessary to ensure the meeting is successful for all participants, you need to lock in the date and location and stick with it to the fullest extent possible. 

3. Tell us what you want. If you tell us you want us to speak on records management to a group from across your organization, the presentation will have to be pretty broad. On the other hand, if you tell us you want us to talk about inventorying electronic records to the records steering committee and then to the records coordinators, we can put together information that is specific to each group's needs and makeup. Both the audience and the topic are important - the more information you share, the more effective our presentation will be. 

4. Give us the details. I already mentioned the topic and the makeup of the audience; we also need to know the logistics around the meeting. Are you providing the audiovisual equipment? Do you have internet access? What's the dress code for attendees? Will the meeting be at your worksite or at an offsite location such as a hotel conference room? We have a checklist we use to ensure a successful meeting and can assist you to ensure that all requirements for an effective meeting are met. 

5. Consider the value. We believe that we can bring significant value to your meeting and your organization. To that end, we charge a standard speaking fee of $1000 for a typical 60-75 minute meeting, $2000 for a half-day seminar, and $3500 for a full-day seminar. We also charge reasonable travel expenses which will depend on the location and length of the meeting. 

In return, we will provide you with an experienced practitioner with the expertise to address the topic in a meaningful way. The speaker will also be skilled in presentation and facilitation and will be comfortable with information management concepts, processes, and technologies. And the speaker will have access to the rest of our staff experts. 

We are often flexible with professional associations, particularly those we are associated with, and are happy to discuss your unique concerns and requirements.

We can also do much more in-depth custom workshops; as these require much more in the way of content development and preparation, we do these on a time and materials basis. And of course we teach and can customize other training seminars including the AIIM ERM and Email Management Certificate programs and the CompTIA CDIA+ program. Please contact us if you are interested in more information about development timelines and fees.