With the presidential election two years away, contenders for the White House will hit the corporate meeting speaking circuit in full force. Brian Palmer, president, National Speakers Bureau, Libertyville, Ill., has tips for planners who are considering a presidential hopeful as keynoter.

Potential candidates not currently in office — such as John Edwards, Rudolph Giuliani, Mitt Romney, and Al Gore — will be in high demand for the next two years, says Palmer. “They have more offers than they can accommodate, and they have a tendency to choose organizations that somehow, both in fact and in spirit, support their political agenda.” However, he warns against booking them during primary season because they are more apt to cancel at a moment's notice.

What about contenders who are currently in office (such as Sens. Hillary Clinton and John McCain)? Don't bother, Palmer says. “Sitting politicians are extremely careful about what they do these days,” because they are so closely scrutinized.