#PSEWEB

Published on December 7, 2015

Posted on behalf of Sean Meister.

Blank PageWe’ve all been there. A Call for Speakers goes out for a conference we love, so we decide this is going to be our year to speak. Then comes the frustrating part.

We spend hours thinking about a topic, struggle with moments of “what have I actually accomplished this year!?” and eventually give up.

But it doesn’t have to be this way!

#PSEWEB is all about being a community. And that means you definitely have something you can contribute. It’s just a matter of deciding what that is.
So let’s start with two simple questions:

What’s gone really well recently?

Start writing a list of everything that has worked well for you in the past few months. A process, a piece of technology, a mindset, a partnership, etc. Anything that has made life a bit easier for you.

This is your most powerful way of identifying a really great presentation. Odds are if something has helped you be better at your job, it’s going to help a bunch of other people too!

After writing down some ideas, narrow it down to your favourite(s). Then move on to question number two.

What do you want people to take away from this?

Presentations are more than verbally walking through the steps of what you did. They are about giving the audience something tangible. Something new and inspiring that will help them.

Again, let’s keep this simple. Pick one message you want the audience to walk away with. And the possibilities here are endless. But to help, use this handy fill in the blank:

After my presentation, I want the audience to ______________.

Now you’re very close to having a proposal ready to submit! How easy is that?

Don’t let a Call for Speakers become frustrating. Start small, think about what works well for you, think about your audience, and it will fall into place much easier than you may expect.Now you’re one step closer to a standing ovation at #PSEWEB 2016 in beautiful St. John’s, Newfoundland!