What day rates should I charge to give a presentation?
Posted by CameramanNick@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 15 comments
I've been asked to give a couple of presentations on technical subjects.
My qualifications are that I have contributed to a globally recognised reference book in the field which is published by a prominent professional organisation (I am not a member). I have written a large number of technical articles in the trade press, including analysis, review and editorial. The subject area is quite deep. I have been recommended for this by someone else who can't do it, and I would not know any other person I could honestly recommend to give this talk.
I am being asked to do this by a large, profitable company. I will be presenting to invited guests at a smaller company which is a customer of the large company. This is happening because the larger company has just launched a new product range and my talk will help people understand why the new product is useful (which I think it is, genuinely). There is undeniably some degree of promotion going on here.
The presentation will be in two 45-minute segments and I'm likely to do it a few times. I'll rock up with a slide deck and a few practical demonstration items. I don't know what the audience size is but I'd expect under 100, likely a few dozen a time. I will be travelling both locally and short-haul to do this.
What do I charge these people? Do I need to give any more info about the situation to work that out?
WitShortage@reddit
Start at £1000 per day, plus expenses. Point out that you're only charging for the days spent presenting, not the travel & prep time or the loan of equipment.
Also, if this is going to be multiple times, you should think about setting up an umbrella company so that you can raise invoices for payments. Much easier for large corps to pay you that way than any other method. It sounds like a faff but there are loads of firms that do it for contractors (which you would effectively be) so the process can be handled for you.
AF_II@reddit
Honestly, yes. Day rates vary wildly. Just as a ballpark I've charged everything from £100 (token honorarium for a charity) to £1000 (Gates Foundation rates) - for reference I'm an academic & this is everything from a chat at a museum to direct policy-relevant advice to a finance company.
CameramanNick@reddit (OP)
Right. I mean, I'll give you anything I can (obviously I'm cautious about naming names). What do I need to explain?
AF_II@reddit
You need to find out what the norm is in your field and in this context. Ask the person who passed on the gig first, ask your employer if there's a standard day rate, etc.
CameramanNick@reddit (OP)
The person who passed is an employee of the company, so he's not really a reference or I'd have asked.
Someone I know in the industry said £700. That'd be a bit less than double my day rate.
AF_II@reddit
If you've got insight from somone in the industry, why ask on Reddit? They're much more in the know!
£700 seems like a reasonable amount but it's impossible for a stranger to really know.
CameramanNick@reddit (OP)
Pretty much in hopes of getting someone to say "seems like a reasonable amount!"
That's about the best steer I'm going to get I think. Much appreciated.
AF_II@reddit
OK, I'd say £700 was reasonably for mutually-beneficial, you want to do it, it's not more than a day's work to prep, and you want to do it again. if any of those don't apply, rate up given it's a private/profit making org.
CameramanNick@reddit (OP)
Alright, thanks, noted all. I was concerned they'd balk at most of a grand, but I seem to be in the right area. It's likely more than a day to prep, if I'm honest, and I may only do a couple or maybe three or four. Can't say I really want to do it, but it is genuinely valid and useful, I think.
Sidebottle@reddit
If your normal day rate is £400 then £700 is not reasonable. This isn't just turn up talk and then leave. You have to spend time making the presentation, practice the presentation. I would probably go for 3 days, so £1200.
BuBBles_the_pyro@reddit
Ask the person who recommended you how much they charge, then charge the same.
Lonely-Job484@reddit
Difficult to say. Honest answer is probably "whatever you can get away with".
Personally I'd have thought 90 mins presenting must take a couple of days to develop content (at least) unless it already exists? Assuming niche technical I'd probably want at least £2k/day (or part thereof) + travel time, + hotels/expenses at cost for such a short-term gig, assuming I wanted to do it. More if I didn't really want to.
steveakacrush@reddit
This sounds reasonable to me.
SlySquire@reddit
How much do they look to make off you making a great presentation?
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