What to Do If You Want to Speak at a TEDx Event

It may seem like an impossible dream to join the likes of Al Gore or Anthony Robbins as speakers at TED, the legendary ideas conference. But with the creation of TEDx, independently-organized TED-like conferences throughout the world, it’s now possible for far more people to become speakers. And there’s the potential for breakout success: some of the most popular TED talks of all time, including Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why” discussion of leadership, which has garnered more than 16 million views, began as TEDx talks that were uploaded to the main TED site. So how can you become a TEDx speaker and share your “idea worth spreading”? Here are five strategies to follow.

Start By Researching Future TEDx Events. By the time you’re reading about an upcoming TEDx event in the newspaper, it’s far too late to become a speaker. “A week before our event, we got an email from a woman saying, ‘Hey, I really want to speak at your event next week!’” recalls C. Todd Lombardo, the curator of TEDx Somerville, just outside Boston. That didn’t fly, as many TEDx events pride themselves on solidifying their lineup and prepping their speakers well in advance – at least a month, says Lombardo, and sometimes six months to a year. To find upcoming events, visit theTEDx event page to find out who’s running a program at least several months in the future.

Investigate the Application Process. For some TEDx events, like Lombardo’s, there’s an open call for speakers that’s available on their website. And even for others that don’t issue an open call, many will consider proposals. “Everybody can write to us on our web page and send a proposal,” says Antonella Broglia, curator of TEDx Madrid. “In fact, many people do and we respond to them all. We always follow up and speak directly with those who look interesting.” The secret is making sure your application stands out . Broglia says a prospective speaker should “send me half a page max of text explaining his idea, why is it new, why him [is he an expert on this?] and some video to check how he presents.” Lombardo agrees. “I think some people cut and paste [their speaking proposals].” While some proposals he received were thoughtful, for others, he got the sense that “you don’t know me or my community, and yet you want to speak here…it seems like they’re trying to get themselves on stage.” In his case, he prefers proposals that cite a connection to Somerville or a rationale for why the topic would be of interest to locals.

Respect the Theme. Not all TEDx events have a stated theme, but some do – and if you’re proposing a talk, it behooves you to respect that. TEDx Somerville’s theme was “Movement,” a topic specific enough to ground the discussion (a talk about the new waffle iron you invented wouldn’t fit) but one that can be interpreted broadly, with performers and speakers including aerial dancers, an urban planner, a nutrition expert, and a nonprofit advocate whose group teaches basketball to children in India. Similarly, when Lombardo organized a previous TEDx in Spain, the theme was “10 years from now,” in which they recruited experts to make predictions about the future.

Make Yourself Findable. One way to land a TEDx talk is to be a friend or colleague of the organizer (or of a past speaker, who may be able to recommend you). Another is to submit a proposal. But a third important route is being discovered, which happens quite frequently. Says Broglia, “Many, many of [the speakers] we did not know before. We found out about them by researching the fields we wanted represented in the mix of ideas of the day. Some speakers we knew, but many we discovered and revealed them to our audience; that is our job.”  She’s not looking for professional speakers; instead, she wants regular people doing fascinating things. So make sure you can be found: share your ideas through blogging, tweeting, and speaking to other groups, so that you start to build a buzz.

Understand the Nature of TEDx. Like the TED conference, the goal of TEDx is to share “ideas worth spreading.” That generally doesn’t mean your company’s new widget. “A lot of people want to sell something, promote their business or product, or are just trying to promote their career or their business,” says Lombardo. That’s not the kind of speaker he’s seeking. Instead, focus on how your story can add value to others and why you’re the right person to tell it. And recognize that TEDx talks, while great publicity, will not be a direct moneymaker: they’re not allowed to pay speakers. “Do some homework on the event and what they’re about before sending in proposals,” says Lombardo. “We received inquiries from somebody from Atlanta, people from different countries, and I’m thinking, ‘Are you flying yourself here? Because we’re not going to be flying anybody in.’ I wonder if people just don’t realize that. Because TED is so well produced and they have such a big budget and do such a great job, I think people may have those expectations about TEDx.” That’s one reason he suggests starting your inquiries with TEDx events in your area.

Even if your proposal is fantastic, you may not be selected because your topic doesn’t fit with that event’s particular mix of speakers. When evaluating potential speakers, “I ask, ‘How does this fit with the theme?’” says Lombardo. “How does it fit in the puzzle? You have to build a mosaic. Does this relate to the theme and have a good story?” If you do get turned down, keep trying; some communities run TEDx events multiple times a year, and there are thousands around the world. If you make the effort to target your proposals and are persistent, your great idea will soon start spreading.

This post originally appeared on Forbes.com.

Dorie Clark is a marketing strategist who teaches at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. She is the author of Reinventing You and Stand Out, and you can receive her free Stand Out Self-Assessment Workbook.