Some tips on writing strong conference proposals

Yes. It's that time again! The call for proposals for Learning Solutions 2019 is now open: https://www.elearningguild.com/content/5528/learning-solutions-2019-conference--expo--call-for-proposals-faq/

If you're interested in submitting to speak at this conference, here are some tips and resources for helping you craft a strong proposal.

Creating a Proposal Draft

Drafting your proposal outside of the proposal form is a smart plan. It gives you an opportunity to revise/rework it and even get someone else to review it before you submit. You can download a Word file of the proposal questions here.

When you're writing your speaking proposal, remember to:

• Include info on the specific techniques/strategies/approaches you'll be sharing
• Make it clear what your unique angle on the topic is
• Write directly to the audience
• Make it clear what issue your session solves for people

Proposal Examples and Non-Examples

Not sure what makes a good proposal? Start by looking at this PDF of tips.

Also, try browsing through the session descriptions from this year's Learning Solutions for writing inspiration/ideas.

Want Feedback on Your Idea Before Submitting It?

If you want some feedback on your proposal idea or draft before you even submit, Mark Britz, David Kelly, and I are always happy to help out. Email [email protected] or message us directly and we can schedule some time to chat with you.

Seriously... we're completely up for chatting with you and helping you get your proposal(s) to a great place.

Related: the earlier you ask for feedback, the easier it is for us to fit you in and the more time you'll have to make edits based on that conversation.

Mentoring Others

If you're an experienced speaker, consider mentoring someone you know to speak. We're always looking for new voices and have at least 20% new speakers at each event.

Myra Roldan wrote this post recently about the value of mentoring new speakers.

Not Sure You’re Ready?

Still not sure you're ready to speak or unsure you have something worth sharing?

Don't forget:

• All speakers had to start somewhere
• What may seem normal to you may be innovative to someone else. Chances are you have something unique worth telling others about.

Ask the Community!

Finally, there are a lot of experienced conference speakers here on social media who are very open to sharing with the community. Chat with some of them for even more proposal crafting ideas.

You can also check out the transcript of this Twitter GuildChat that was all about conference writing tips from the community.