Propose, Prepare, Present

Chapter 3. What Organizers Are Looking For

Now that you understand the hurdles a submission has to go through before it becomes a speaking gig, here’s how to give yourself the greatest chance of success. Above all else, be interesting and relevant to the organizers’ narrative.

It isn’t easy to get inside the mind of an event organizer. Many of them don’t know how they do what they do, as they’re tapping into the zeitgeist of an industry or a subject. They may not like to show their cards—after all, conferences are a competitive business. At the very least, look at past events and which sessions were rated highly. You now know more about the life cycle of a conference and the kinds of events in the industry, so you’re already ahead of the pack.

Things that Will Get You Chosen

The number-one rule for submitting content is to respect the process—the CFP, selection, and deadlines are there for very good reasons of which you may not be entirely aware. Here are some additional surefire ways to give your submission the best chance of being chosen.

Inside Recommendation

Above all, a recommendation from someone whom the organizers trust will ensure that you get looked at. Getting into a conference schedule is like applying for a job: without an introduction, you’re just a résumé in a stack of papers.

There’s a good reason that recommendations matter. It’s hard to tell from a submission whether the presenter will be any good. Having someone else stick their neck out means at least one person vouches ...