How much to spend on motivational speakers in India?

There are more than 2,000 active motivational speakers in India alone that have backgrounds in sports, Bollywood, writing, social activism, cancer survivors, mountain climbers, entrepreneurs, innovators, cricket and much more. Overall more than 20 unique categories. Here is a link for you to check more than 300 most prominent motivational speakers who are actively doing business in events and shows: LINK

How Much Do Motivational Speakers Charge?

In India, the price of motivational speakers varies from INR 25,000 to as high as INR 35 Lakhs. Let me try sharing the price brackets and what you usually get in those price brackets, especially for a virtual motivational speaking session. For an in-person session, you can expect a higher cost of 50 to 100%. These are the costs paid to speakers during the years 2021 and 2022, and hence, you can do maths in corresponding years on inflation and also on the basis of the visibility around a particular speaker.

INR 25 to 50k: Very early in the career speakers who would have done about 10 assignments. You often get subject matter experts in such a price range instead of a pure motivational speaker. But usually, a motivational speaker in the making can also be seen here in this bracket. You will get someone who would have recently scaled any of the 8000 metres + summit here, a recent TED speaker in college events, a trainer on things like goal setting/time management etc attempting a motivational side of their capabilities. In terms of motivational speaker cost, this is usually lower, offering great value for an up-and-coming speaker. The motivational speakers fees here are more accessible but still represent someone who is starting to build a name. 

Consider the earlier category but people with the senior designation. Like the defence, personnel retired as a Brigadier, a mountain climber who is also a coach and trainer to the beginners, a trainer who is also doing speaking sessions on a particular topic for sometime

50 k to 1 Lakhs:

Consider the earlier category but people with the senior designation. Like the defence, personnel retired as a Brigadier, a mountain climber who is also a coach and trainer to the beginners, a trainer who is also doing speaking sessions on a particular topic for sometime

1 to 3 Lakhs:

Here, you start getting people who are at a higher level of achievement but not necessarily big celebrities. You can expect earlier Olympians, coaches, paralympic medal winners, war veterans/defence personals with social media visibility (e.g. DP Singh, Col Lalit Rai), Youtubers, New Generation CEOs who haven’t built a unicorn but are great candidates for the same (e.g. Sohrabh Sitaram, Nitin Saluja of Chayos) etc. You also get popular names like Malik Sisters and Dabbawala Fame Pawan Aggarwal. Their motivational speakers fees are more substantial, reflecting the level of achievement they have. The motivational speakers price list at this level provides a range of experts, many of whom are well-known within their specific fields but not yet mainstream celebrities. 

3 to 5 Lakhs:

Here you get big names who have been visible and also sought after at mass level like  Arunima Sinha, Sonam Wangchuk, Devdatt Patnaik,  Anand Vishwanathan, Abhinav Bindra, Priya Kumar and also international names like Paddy Upton, Kumar Sangakarra etc. You also get popular names like Deepa Malik and Captain Raghu Raman in this bracket for a one-hour motivational session. Motivational speaker prices in this category are more reflective of speakers who are widely recognised and have built a solid following. The motivational speaker cost here is appropriate for high-calibre individuals with a proven track record.

5 to 10 Lakhs:

Bollywood starts coming in this bracket non-leading actors and directors featuring here like Zoya Akhtar, Kabir Khan, Imtiyaz Ali. Besides this, you also get great Olympians like Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal and also extremely popular names like Milind Soman here. Also gain great popularity with names like Harsha Bhogle, Prakash Iyer, Mithali Raj and Guru Gaur Gopal Das. The motivational speaker rates reflect the status and visibility of the speakers, offering high value for those looking to hire famous figures. Motivational speakers price list includes renowned individuals with large audiences and extensive followings. The charges at this level are significantly higher.

10 Lakhs plus:

You get cricketers, Olympians (who are currently active), non-lead Bollywood actors, top-level directors. Names include Sushmita Sen, Lara Dutta, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, P Gopichand, Boman Irani. These speakers are at the top of their fields, and their fees reflect their celebrity status. As with motivational speaker prices in this bracket, it corresponds to their established credibility and fame. If you’re asking how much do motivational speaker cost in this tier, the price will be higher but justifiable given their reputation and experience. The price list in this range includes top professionals who can command large fees due to their mass appeal.

20 Lakhs plus:

Top-notch cricketers / Olympic medalists like PV Sindhu, Neeraj Chopra, Kapil Dev and other names like Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni. The dynamics of booking motivational speakers here is tricky as many dynamics like the brand endorsed by these names may or may not allow them to pick a competition brand. Also, their calendars may not allow their availability as so often they are on tours. The fees at this level are extremely high, making it a premium segment. Expect to pay for the motivational speaker prices associated with international athletes and celebrities. The motivational speaker cost is often very high in this category due to the exclusivity and global influence of these speakers. For those wondering how much do motivational speakers cost at this level, it’s a premium investment for top-tier personalities.

Hope you found the article helpful, you can look at the overall landscape of the top 400+ speakers in the business here and how the overall industry is stacked up: LINK