1. Who they are - do they have name recognition?
a. Do they have name recognition because they are an expert on a certain topic?
b. Do they have name recognition in a certain field or industry?
c. Do they have public name recognition or corporate name recognition?

2. How unique are they in terms of what they speak about?
Are they considered to be the number one expert on this topic or in this field?

3. How much in demand are they?

4. What kind of events they have spoken at before?
What size audiences and in what kind of venues?

5. Are they being asked for by name?

6. Evaluations from past speaking engagements - how are the evaluations from attendees coming back?

7. Client testimonials - are clients sending testimonials following speaking engagements and is the speaker being booked again by the hosting company or attendees?

8. Topics - are the speakers topics more general in nature?
a. Are the speaker's topics more specific and well framed?
b. Is the speaker using the platform as a marketing opportunity (to market themselves and their products) ?
c. Are they using the platform to deliver a presentation that is thought provoking and provides take away value?

9. Credentials can play a big part in what people are able to get for speaking.

10. The length of time involved – how long will they be required to be on the platform? Will they be asked to attend any other functions (dinners, meet and greet etc)?
.
11. Location – where is the meeting being held and how far does the speaker have to travel to get there.

12. Does the speaker have a book on the New York Times best- seller list?
a. Has the speaker had much media coverage?
b. Have articles been written about them?
c. Have they been interviewed for publications?
d. Have they been quoted as the authority on a certain topic?

There is no simple answer to what fee a speaker can command or how that fee is determined. Generally the higher profile they have and the more in demand they become the higher their fee will be.