When Mollie Plotkin founded her namesake keynote speaker and entertainment booking agency Mollie Plotkin Group (MPG) in Philadelphia in 2005, it was born out of a gap in the market.
Mollie Plotkin, the founder and owner of Mollie Plotkin Group (MPG).Photo: Courtesy of Mollie Plotkin Group
“To my amazement, there was no agency in the Philly area to connect with," she said. "The next day—literally—I decided to start an agency that would do just that."
MPG has since evolved from representing more than 40 athletes and every coach in the NHL to overseeing thought leaders, authors, entertainers, and more. While the agency still heavily represents professionals in the sports industry—including the likes of NFL wide receiver Fred Barnett, record-holding track and field Olympian Leslie Maxie, and the NFL quarterback known as “Jaws,” Ron Jaworski—it also represents trailblazers in their respective fields who can speak from experience to gun violence survival, business strategies, overcoming disabilities, and more. (Think: Barbara Corcoran from ABC’s Shark Tank, the youngest bestselling business author Alex Banayan, solo musician Bret Michaels from Poison, and former U.S. Navy lieutenant Carey Lohrenz, just to name a few.)
Looking to become a speaker? It’s not just about being an all-star. Plotkin explained that selecting who to represent at MPG “is a multilayered answer” that encompasses people who “have valuable lessons and stories which will have a lasting impact on the audience, … [who are] enthusiastic about the message they’re sharing, [and who are] generous with their time.”
Looking to hire a speaker? Know the difference between a speaker and a keynote speaker. Plotkin noted that “there’s a large difference” between the two.
“Often, your speaker is a great storyteller [who] shares stories of their experiences, their successes, [and] their failures,” she explained. On the other hand, “a keynote speaker is going to share their stories plus their expertise in a subject matter. Most importantly, [they’re] going to have actionable items for the audience to take away with them.”
“Keynote speakers are going to set the tone of your event,” she added, clarifying that they can “create buzz before the event, help fill the room with your target audience” during the event, and then “be what your attendees talk about” after the event.
Plotkin advised event planners against letting celebrity names cloud their judgement when it comes to speaker selection. "Everyone has a story about sitting through a great keynote they hadn’t previously heard of,” she said, recalling that "before Alex Banayan (pictured) became one of the most sought-after speakers in the world, he was a college student and first time author.”Photo: Courtesy of Mollie Plotkin Group
She elaborated: “Just because someone is famous, wrote a bestselling book, or has a Super Bowl ring doesn’t mean they’re going to be a great speaker.”
It’s also OK if your audience has never heard of your speaker before. Plotkin noted that she gets it—”planners have a lot on the line when they are tasked with finding a speaker"—but issued a reminder that “everyone has a story about sitting through a great keynote they hadn’t previously heard of."
Take 30-year-old Alex Banayan, for example, the youngest bestselling business author in American history thanks to his book The Third Door. Plotkin recalled of the young star: “Before he became one of the most sought-after speakers in the world, he was a college student and first-time author.”
And although getting background information on a prospective speaker is helpful, it’s not about “ordering off a menu,” Plotkin said. “Like every other part of a meeting or event, it’s a collaborative and creative process."
With that being said, how do you vet a speaker to find out if they’ll be a right fit for your next meeting or event? Plotkin advised to use the “one silver lining of surviving the endless turmoil caused by the global pandemic: video chat.”
“Pre-pandemic, meeting someone through video chat wouldn’t have had the authenticity it does now. Was it always there? Of course! But when we embraced video as our means to communicate, we realized what a great resource it was.” Take advantage of that and “arrange a time to meet with your speaker,” Plotkin said. It’s “a great way to help you decide if a speaker is the right fit for your group.”
But no matter the speaker, the possibility of a last-minute cancellation is always luring. Plotkin said that “in the best of situations, the agency or bureau a planner chooses to work with becomes part of their team,” and thus makes this nightmare situation less likely to happen in the first place.
“This is one of the many reasons to work with an agency versus hiring a speaker directly,” she emphasized—because, “should a speaker cancel at the last minute, your speaker agency already has the details of your event, and has a list of qualified speakers they had previously suggested [on hand]. This is the time to put their superpowers to use!”
