How To Hire A Speech Writer

Do you need to give a speech soon but don’t have the time to write one, or worse… HOW to write one? You should hire a professional speech writer.

They are, as the name suggests, ghostwriters who specialize in assisting people (mostly high-ranking individuals) in writing speeches for a variety of purposes.

You simply need to provide them with the necessary information and then let them work their magic.

However, as with hiring any skill, there are wrong and right ways to go about hiring a speech-writing service.

You want to know if they have the necessary skills to create a well-written speech. You want to know if you’re being charged correctly and not being taken advantage of because you don’t understand how this works. And a few other things… to make the best hire.

This blog post will leave you with everything you need to know & you can be sure to get the best speech writers to work with you.

Let’s get into it!

Where To Find A Great Speech Writer

1. Ghostwriting Agencies

A quick internet search for “Top ghostwriting agencies in your location” will yield numerous results. However, don’t base your decisions solely on the outcomes.

Do your homework and make certain that the agency you choose can provide you with the services you require.

2. LinkedIn

Look for writers who specialize in the topic you need to be covered and contact them through the platform’s direct message feature, or via their email or website if they list it in their contact information. 

If they’re not interested in the job, ask if they know anyone who might be.

3. Freelance Platforms

Upwork, Fiverr, and other smaller, more niche platforms are also excellent places to find great speech-writing talent.

They make it simple to post job openings and attract leads. The disadvantage is that you have no idea who is who… because their profile doesn’t always tell you everything you need to know.

But don’t worry, we’ve compiled a list of qualities to look for in a great speechwriter.

Traits Of Great Speech Writers

Assuming you’re about to hop on a call with a speech writer to vet whether he or she is fit to write speeches to your taste, the checklist below will help you do just that. Here are the main qualities your speechwriter has:

Has past experience writing great speeches

Request their portfolio. If they can’t produce one, chances are they’re still new in the business and won’t be able to do your work well.

However, because most speechwriters are ghostwriters, they may be unable to show you the actual work they have done for other clients.

That is valid, but you can (and should) still request a sample. Request a speech written by them for themselves, a friend, or a family member. To some extent, this will help you judge their skill level.

I say “to some extent” because portfolios can occasionally be faked. But the rest of the list will help you figure that out, so keep reading!

They have a solid understanding of the brief & what you want.

Every great writer knows that the first step in starting a new gig is to understand it. That eliminates the possibility of submitting work to the client and receiving the dreaded message “hey, this wasn’t what I asked for. When are you free to chat?”

This causes a slew of issues for both the writer and you, the client. Ask them if they understand the job to avoid this. And, if at all possible, have them repeat all the details back to you.

They conduct research (however minor) on your audience.

No matter who the audience is, a type of research is needed to write a persuasive speech.

Your writer should know the answer to these questions:

• Why has the audience been gathered?
• What do the audience members have in common?
• What do they understand, and what do they need to understand?
• How large will the audience be?
• Do they anticipate a specific topic of discussion, and if so, what?
• What is the audience’s attitude and knowledge of the topic of your presentation?
• What do they think of you as the speaker?
• What piques their interest in your subject?
• What’s your personality like?

And a couple more. If the writer isn’t asking these questions, that’s a red flag. Run away!

Great communication skills.

This is self-evident. An expert speech writer should be able to communicate with you easily and effectively. And you’ll be able to find out very quickly if you hop on a call with them.

It should tell you something if they struggle to form a sentence.

Good understanding of public speaking.

Professional speech writers should be well-versed in public speaking, or they shouldn’t be in the business.

Bring it up in your conversation.

“I’m curious, how did you become a speech writer?” “Do you do any public speaking?”

Or something to that effect. The subsequent conversation should provide you with the information you seek.

How much do speech writers typically charge?

The cost of hiring custom speech-writing services typically ranges from $45 to $105 per hour, and on average, $68 per hour – according to salary.com.

But these prices vary a lot depending on a couple of factors. Some of these are:

• The skill level of who you’re talking to.
• The impact of your speech.
• How much time it takes to complete it and so on.

So, take note of that.

Aaaaand there you go!

We hope you’re now equipped with all you need to know to hire the best speech-writing service for your next speech. Now, go do it!

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