Speaking at Conferences

Soldato
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Good afternoon gentlesquires, how very do you?

Do any of you, or have you, spoken at any industry events, conferences or the like?

I did one earlier in the year speaking in Amsterdam, and had an email this morning asking if I could step in last minute and speak at a conference in Aarhus in Denmark on Wednesday.

I'm all for a bit of last minute but there was no mention of paying for my flights in our current exchanges. Detailed how to get there but no mention of paid fares. First one they covered everything the body needed, so this one I have emailed back asking pretty much what the craic is.

I thought the standard was that the organisers covered travel costs, but anyone else had experiences?

I'd love to make demands of Champagne and hot ladies, but you know, a flight would do me. :p
 
Soldato
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I spoke at a series of seminars once, all expense paid, expense wasn't a lot mind you.

It was all pretty local (furthest was a 2 hour drive) and it was on behalf of a charity that uses music and art to keep kids from going down the wrong path. Although some large turnouts.

Where I work if you're speaking at a conference as an external person you organise your own travel and subsistence and put it on expenses, there are limitations eg. no hotels over £130 in a major city, none over £100 outside of that, limits on how much a meal can cost, strict no alcohol and gratuities. That sort of thing.
 
Soldato
OP
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That sounds like a cool thing to speak about! Love to give back with something like that.

I had a moment where I thought, I'm not being unreasonable expecting this, am I?! And wanted to check what people had experience with. I didn't think it was too much to ask personally.
 
Soldato
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Just got this from them:

Regarding flights: Normally we don’t pay for travel costs, but given that you are helping us out on such short notice, we’re happy to make an exception and cover a reasonable airfare.

Ha, they don't normally? I did think they were quiet about it! Cheek. They can pay mine, swines.
 
Man of Honour
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I'd suggest checking travel costs now and emailing them everything - flight, hotel, sundry other costs, if appropriate. and asking them to confirm those are reasonable and will be refunded. Definitely get everything agreed upfront rather than fingers crossed after the event.
 
Associate
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If they've asked you to speak then it's usually up to them to cover all travel costs, doesn't really matter how short notice it is. It's slightly different if you've submitted something to a conference etc, then there's usually an expectation that you meet at least some of the cost.
 
Man of Honour
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Just got this from them:

Regarding flights: Normally we don’t pay for travel costs, but given that you are helping us out on such short notice, we’re happy to make an exception and cover a reasonable airfare.

Ha, they don't normally? I did think they were quiet about it! Cheek. They can pay mine, swines.

Sounds like clawing money out of them will be more hassle than it's worth.
 
Man of Honour
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I've done quite a few and a mixed bag - some of the most high profile have paid naff all costs as they know it is profile raising.
 
Associate
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The delegates are probably paying to hear you speak, you are entitled to ask for your slice of the pie!

If it's a vendor event and you're an employee (think VMworld), then I wouldn't expect anything over your usual travel expenses.
 
Soldato
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Aquilonem Londinensi
Good shout!

TBH unless there was some seriously good chance of getting a leg up by attending something like this, I'd have told them to go do one after this

Regarding flights: Normally we don’t pay for travel costs, but given that you are helping us out on such short notice, we’re happy to make an exception and cover a reasonable airfare.

This is not how an exchange of one's time for the benefit of a company works in my book :)
 
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