Hire a Keynote Speaker: How Booking Sylvie Works

What you get when you hire me

• Two signature keynotes. Forever Human (will a machine do my job?) and The Power of Choice (why does someone else get chosen?). Both run 45 to 60 minutes.
• Two formats. An immersive 3D experience your audience will talk about for months, or a traditional keynote. In person, hybrid or virtual.
• Built for your room. I never deliver a keynote off the shelf. I learn your industry, your people and your current challenges, and the keynote reflects them.
• A Hall of Fame speaker. CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame and CSP, with more than 900 keynotes in 25+ countries, for audiences from 10 to 10,000.
• Two stage languages. English or German.
• Emcee, too. Need someone to hold the whole program together? I can emcee your event and deliver the keynote.

Am I the right keynote speaker for your event?

I would rather tell you now than after the contract. I am a strong fit when:

• Your audience is facing change, especially the kind technology brings, and you want them to leave energized rather than anxious.
• You want a message about people: why some become irreplaceable and others get overlooked.
• You want a keynote that feels made for your room, with your industry, your language and your challenges in it.
• You want an experience your attendees talk about for months, which is where the 3D format shines.

I am probably not your speaker if you are looking for a celebrity name to fill seats, a comedian, or a deep technical session on one specific tool. In that case, I am happy to point you in a better direction.

How much does it cost to hire a keynote speaker?

Fees depend on the speaker’s experience, demand, the format and your event. For context, typical 2026 ranges run from $1,500 for early-career speakers to $15,000 to $30,000 for professional career speakers, and much more for celebrities. You will find the full breakdown in my guide to what a keynote speaker is and what one costs.

My fee depends on the format (3D immersive or traditional, in person or virtual) and your date. My team confirms it with your availability check, so you have a real number, not a range, before you commit. Travel and accommodation come on top of the fee.

The cost of a keynote is the fee. The cost of the wrong keynote is your audience’s entire day.

How does booking work, and how fast?

1. Availability check. Send your date, city, audience size and theme. My team confirms availability and the fee and can put a short courtesy hold on your date.
2. Fit call. A short conversation with me about your goals and your people. If I am not the right speaker for your room, I will tell you.
3. Agreement and deposit. The agreement confirms the date, fee, travel and what is included. The deposit locks in your date.
4. Preparation call (4 to 8 weeks out). The deep dive into your audience, your culture, your theme and the run of show.
5. Logistics (1 to 2 weeks out). Introduction, AV checklist, travel and arrival time.

Most planners book 6 to 12 months ahead, especially for spring and fall conference season. Shorter timelines are absolutely possible when the date is open, in either format.

What happens on the day

You have a hundred things to manage on show day. I make sure I am not one of them.

• I arrive early. Early enough for a sound and tech check with your AV team, without rushing anyone.
• I sit in on your program. Whenever I can, I watch the sessions before mine, so I can connect to what your audience just heard.
• I stay flexible. Agendas slip. If my slot moves or shrinks, I adapt without drama.
• I stay after. For questions, conversations and photos, and a book signing if you would like one.

Some speakers take the stage. I take responsibility.

What I need from you

• Date, city and venue (or virtual platform)
• Audience size and who is in the room
• Your theme and the outcome you want
• Where the keynote sits in your agenda
• Your budget range, so my team can suggest the right format

Booking through a speaker bureau? Wonderful. The steps are the same, and I work with bureaus all over the world.

Questions to ask any keynote speaker before you hire them

Whether you book me or someone else, these questions will tell you more than any sizzle reel:

1. How will you customize the keynote for our audience, and what do you need from us to do it?
2. Can I see a full-length recording, not just highlights?
3. Who else have you spoken for in our industry, and can I talk to one of them?
4. What happens if the agenda changes on the day?
5. What will our people do differently after your keynote?
6. What is included in the fee, and what is billed separately?

If a speaker cannot answer the fifth question clearly, keep looking.