Frequently Asked Questions
If you don't see the answer to your question below, please do not hesitate to contact us.
- How much does a transcription cost?
- How accurate is the transcription?
- What does the transcript consist of?
- Who owns the transcription? / What about copyright?
- Will our speakers allow themselves to be taped?
- Do our delegates want a transcript?
- What if a speaker cannot permit a transcription of their session?
- Will you transcribe any event?
- Will you transcribe question and answer sessions / panel discussions?
- What is your turnaround time?
- Can sponsorships be sold on the transcription?
How much does a transcription cost?
There are several variables that determine the cost to provide a full transcription service. The variables relate to how much work or cost is involved in producing the transcript.
These variables include:
- Conference location
- Conference length / Number of days
- Number of speakers
- Number of tracks
- Technical difficulty
- If an ETS technician is required to attend the event
Contact us for a detailed quote.
Transcriptions retail for between $195 - $295 each and can be marketed to sponsors for in excess of $15,000
How accurate is the transcription?
Transcriptions approach 98% accuracy. We strive to provide a perfect transcription but, as outlined in the terms and conditions provided to conference companies and purchasers, neither the organizer, nor the transcriber are liable for any omissions or inaccuracies, or consequences thereof.
Our transcripts are put together with an emphasis on quality. We make every effort to obtain spellings of unfamiliar terms by utilizing the Internet and our library of reference materials.
What does the transcript consist of?
Our default product is a searchable MS Word® or Adobe Acrobat® PDF® file containing the verbatim transcript of the conference. It can be branded with the logo of either the sponsor or the conference company, include advertisements and weblinks. It is delivered by email for speed.
Paper transcripts can be provided but incur an additional charge and turnaround time.
Who owns the transcription? What about copyright?
In most cases the speaker / presenter owns the intellectual property in their presentation. In the speaker engagement that you distribute you will ask the speaker for permission to transcribe their session (We have a form of words that we suggest you use) This gives the conference organizer the right to reproduce and sell the transcript.
Copyright law is no obstacle to providing a transcription providing permission has been obtained from the speaker. A simple addition to your existing speaker agreement letter is all that is required to obtain permission for transcription.
You are advised to consult legal counsel to confirm these points.
Will the speakers allow themselves to be taped?
In the 1970s when professional conference companies were emerging businesses, critics claimed that business professionals would never speak at a conference of their peers for fear of giving away trade secrets. Others said that they would never speak for free, never pay their own expenses and never appear on the same platform as their competitors.
Still others said that delegates would never travel. That employers would never pay the high fees to attend, Or that sponsorship prices could never be increased.
Never say never!
The benefits of transcription are clear. In the future it will be standard practice for all conferences to be taped for transcription. It’s already happening at political rallies, company AGMs and important industry events, and where it is, the speakers seldom, have any concerns. They know they’re speaking to a room full of potential competitors who could be noting or taping their every word, therefore being officially transcribed is of no extra consequence. Indeed, many welcome the opportunity to have their comments on the record to avoid misquotation
Industry leaders are regular guests on unscripted TV and radio programs, which are regularly transcribed. See Nightly Business Report Transcripts here.
Furthermore we exclude the presentations of any speakers who are unable to be taped for transcription.
Do our delegates want a transcript?
We recently conducted a study of real delegates with the permission of a leading international conference company. The results indicated that a transcription is worth between $195 and $295 (depending on the richness and nature of the conference content). In addition, the provision of a transcript to a sponsor can add up to $15,000 to the amount charged for the sponsorship package, with very low cost to fulfill.
This survey also indicated that on average, 50-60% of delegates will purchase a reasonably priced transcript if offered at the time of booking or at the event.
But don’t take our word for it!
We will help you undertake a survey of your delegates to assess the level of demand among your own clients – free of charge
What if a speaker cannot permit a transcription of their session?
We eliminate the presentations and relevant elements of panel discussions of anyone who is unable to give permission.
Will you transcribe any event?
We can transcribe any professionally produced conference-format style event with AV equipment / microphones. If you have a special or unusual event, please let us know.
Occasionally we enter into a revenue share arrangement with an organizer and levy a percentage of the revenue gained through transcription sales. This option has the benefit of eliminating any financial risk, or set-up charges for you, the conference organizer but because of this unique model we have to assess each conference on a case-by-case basis to determine whether the projected revenue covers our costs.
Will you transcribe question and answer sessions / panel discussions?
Yes. Often these are the most productive elements of a conference – and the least likely to be covered by the supplied delegate documentation. Our transcription service includes all panel discussions and question and answer sessions.
What is your turnaround time?
For a one-day conference, we aim to supply the finished transcription no later than 10 working days after we receive the transcription data files.
Can sponsorships be sold on the transcription?
Yes. The transcript belongs to the organizer. You are free to sell sponsorships of whatever type, and for whatever price under any terms. You do not need to have the arrangement approved by us unless you are offering anything outside the scope of the following list
We can offer your sponsors the following branding opportunities….
- Inclusion of sponsor introductory letter, logo and hyperlink
- Inclusion of a single page sponsor advertisement with hyperlink
- Sponsor credit and hyperlink on every page
Where a transcript is branded for a sponsor we levy a small additional charge to take account of the extra work involved in branding the transcript.
We’re happy to hear your ideas too – If we can do it…we will!
Why Transcribe an event?
There are many excellent reasons why a conference organizer should consider offering a transcript of their events – from increasing your delegate revenue to offering new opportunities for sponsorship. We've summarized the main ways in which a conference transcription will benefit your organization here.
Transcription (n): A written, word-for- word record of what was said
... Imagine easily generating thousands of extra dollars per event, by providing a cost effective, long lasting, easily deliverable product that has a high value to your
delegates ...
