Making an impact

Developing a successful speaking program is a multi-faceted process that does not begin or end at the podium. The process requires careful attention and follow-through – from identifying the right industry events and developing compelling topics to making the most of the networking opportunities that surround the speaking session. 

Lay the groundwork
The first step to creating a speaking program is to get a good grasp on what your company is qualified to talk about, the messages you want to convey to your audiences and the right spokespeople for each topic. Develop a few basic abstracts (or topic summaries) that can provide the basis for submissions. You can glean material from existing pitches, white papers and bylined articles. You can also interview the experts on the subject matter for background information around which to write the abstract.
Research events in the industry and in your target geographical area. Many trade publications and associations list events on their website, which can help lead you to the right trade shows. You might also take a peek at where your competitors are speaking or exhibiting.  

Create a grid that will include a comprehensive list of all the conferences and events that are taking place in your industry over the course of a year. The grid should include : the conference name, the date and location of the conference, the conference website’s URL (address), an overview or brief description of the conference agenda, the deadline for speaking submissions and the contact information for the speaking coordinator. This will be a dynamic document that you should update and modify weekly or as information changes.

Use your grid to keep track of due dates for speaking submissions. Each conference will usually issue a Call for Proposals (sometimes called a Call for Papers) six to nine months in advance of the event. Categories of presentations include: keynotes and stand-alone presentations for anywhere from 60-90 minutes on an industry topic or case study; panels or roundtable discussions with a vendor, customer, expert and/or analyst, and technology demonstrations.

When communicating with a conference producer, ask him or her about the best way to send your information and then deliver exactly what he or she wants. Many conferences require an online submission. Make sure your speaker has credibility and experience, and that the material you submit is useful and unique. Find out if you can submit more than one abstract for each track or for different tracks.

Start the submission process early to establish a rapport with the speaking coordinator. Remember that many people are submitting their proposals for the same conferences at which you would like to appear. The conference coordinator can provide you with valuable guidance about the kinds of submissions he or she is seeking and the success factors. Some coordinators welcome the opportunity to speak with executives to help formulate ideas for a proposal. If you start early enough, you might be able to influence the conference director to create another track based on your abstract.

Write compelling abstracts
The purpose of a speaking abstract is to summarise your proposed presentation in a brief but compelling way to interest the conference coordinators. The abstract should include a catchy session title, a general overview on what will be covered, clear learning objectives and a brief biography of the speaker(s). Note that this is a general list of requirements.  

If a publication is sponsoring the show, research the outlet to find out the hot topics. Most conferences offer a set of categories and tracks into which submissions should fall – pick wisely. If you are unsure of which track will fit, contact the coordinator.

If the submission is online only, ask the conference coordinator if he or she could send the document to you separately so that you can work on it prior to submitting it online. Often, you can type in sample information to get to each page and copy and paste the questions into a Word document. This way, you can collaborate on the questions if you need to and then submit when you’re ready.

Some conferences have an auto-reply to an online submission. If not, be sure to follow up with the speaking coordinator to make sure he or she received the submission. Take note of when you should be hearing about acceptances or declines. Some conference coordinators only send congratulatory communications, others send communications either way. Make sure that you include multiple contact people in the submission to ensure that you receive communications from the conference in a timely manner.

Create a dynamic presentation
Be clear about what you want the audience to gain from the presentation and make it easy for it to pull out those gleanings.  If you are using slides, make them visually compelling and not too dense, and guide the audience through the slides during your presentation. “You want the audience focusing on you and not trying to decipher a slide,” says Karen Handmaker, director of population management services at Phytel.

“The hardest part about speaking is making sure you offer new and dynamic content, putting your own angle on it,” Handmaker stresses. “Be sure to deliver the material in a way that not only shows knowledge of the material but also passion about the subject.”

Bear in mind that speaking sessions should not be a sales pitch. You might offer a panel consisting of one of your executives, as well as another expert or two. This will help get your messages across, but in a more educational way. You might consider having a leading journalist in your industry moderate the session and then write an article in the form of a roundtable.

In all cases, keep your audience’s needs at the top of mind. “Like all great marketing, it’s not about you – it’s about your audience,” says Margaret Mayer, marketing director, Boston Software Systems. “Your topic and your content have to relate specifically to their needs, use their language and relate to their challenges.”

Promote the presentation
Consider drafting a media alert about the presentation and announcing it a week prior to the event. This is an excellent way to be associated with the topic and with other industry leaders in your audience, such as investors, customers, partners. It is also a useful tool to use when you reach out to attendees, media or otherwise. You can suggest to people that they attend this session. Offer those who cannot attend the session a one-on-one meeting with the speaker. Sometimes journalists pull a few speakers for round-up stories on the event and its key topics.

Find out if you can post messages on Facebook, and tweet and blog about your speaking slot a number of times before the event, preferably starting months before. If a few people from your organisation will be at the conference and the session, they can tweet during the conference. Find out if the conference has a Twitter handle and use that for each tweet.

Another unique approach is to videotape a few short interviews with your executives prior to the conference and discuss what issues they look forward to discussing. Post that as a blog with the video link to promote your speaking engagement. During the show, you can videotape your executives, customers (if any are attending), analysts and other influencers to get their commentary on key topics. Not only are you getting the word out about your company and speaking opportunity, but you are also helping the conference organisers promote the event. Again, confirm this strategy with the conference coordinator first if there is a question.

Along these lines, find out if you are able take photos at the event. You might take some at booths or other events, but mostly of people so you can see their faces and identify them. Post the photos during and/or right after the conference on Flickr with the tag used by the conference – don’t make up your own tag – or include in your blog, and Facebook and Twitter entries.

Establish a good reputation
Once your company has secured a few speaking engagements, it’s important to develop a strong reputation on the speaking circuit so that you will be at the top of its mind for future events. Keep a list of references from prior conferences. Make sure to meet deadlines and arrive at the conference fully prepared and at the scheduled time.

When it comes to a speaking program, the process is critical. However, personality and follow-up skills are important elements. And if you have made it to the conference as a speaker or an attendee, take the time to introduce yourself personally to the conference organisers. Familiarity and enthusiasm, through the personal touch and general promotion, might benefit you when it’s time to submit for next year’s program.

The Author
Davida Dinerman, Director, Schwartz Communications, can be reached at ddinerman@schwartzcomm.com