Crafting a high-converting subject line for your call for papers is just half the battle.

You've got your speaker's attention, now how are you going to keep it?

Ensuring your call for speakers outreach is clear in context and easy in execution is critical to attract the caliber of talent you're looking for. 

In this blog, we'll share some quick tips to improve your call for speakers email content plus a high-converting email template to generate buzz and maximize submissions. 

Seven Quick Tips for Writing a High-Converting Call for Papers Email

Want to stop getting ghosted 👻 by your dream speakers? Consider these seven simple tips to ensure you can capture their attention, and keep it. 👀

1. Don't be afraid to show off a bit. Highlight past high-caliber speakers, showcase the valuable networking opportunities, or celebrate the size and exposure of your conference. Think of this as an "elevator pitch" for your event. Make it clear and compelling as to what's in it for them. If you have a video recap or "highlight reel" from the years prior, link it in the email—show them what they'd be missing, don't tell.
   2. Be clear & concise. Outside of the catchy introduction - you want to maximize every word of your call for papers to make the ask as clear as possible. But how much, is too much? At a minimum you need to include the following details:
   - The name of the conference
   - The conference date & location
   - A link to the conference website
   - A list of key topics/content tracks
   - A link to common FAQs about the conference
   3. Be upfront about the time commitment for the submission. Your goal should be to strike a balance of brevity and clarity in this first email. After you hook them and set clear expectations, be sure to give a time estimate to avoid potential frustration. Don't promise five minutes when it really takes 20. Transparency here will prevent speakers from abandoning the submission process. 
   4. Break up the formatting. Use bold, underline, *asterisks*, sizing and CAPS to your advantage. Choppy copy converts - write the email with "skimmability" in mind. Using simple text breaks, , sizing changes, bolding, and typeface can make a big difference (as you'll see in the template.)
   5. Provide the submission guidelines, restrictions and formats. It's important to provide more than just deadlines here. Be sure to reiterate content topics/themes as well as the different types of session formats they can choose (i.e. video, workshop, presentation, panel, virtual, in-person, etc.). Additionally, you will want to clarify word count restrictions and touch on any rules or regulations specific to the submission. Be sure to give three distinct deadlines - a submit deadline, an evaluation deadline and an approval deadline. 
   6. Create a FAQ page and link it in the email. Map all of the common questions or objectives you've received from speakers over the years and create a helpful FAQ page to set the record straight. Or, go through the call for papers process yourself - notice any gaps or questions you have along the way and use the FAQs to supplement. This will save your team hours answering the same questions multiple times and provide your speakers with one central location to get answers they need, instantly. It's a win-win. Some organizations like TED develop dedicated speaker guides to provide the "do's and don'ts" for how to give an effective talk or session.
   7. Include clear contact information. Beyond the FAQ page (which should mitigate a bulk of requests) you need to provide speakers with a clear point of contact. Try to keep this to one POC if possible and match the email sender name to the POC name if possible. This will build consistency and begin to establish that relationship early on.

The Ultimate Call for Speakers Email Template—Start Driving Top Notch Submissions Today

Now that you have the framework for the email content, it's time to start sending. Use the outline above as a guide, or simply copy and paste the free email template below. Make some quick tweaks to reflect your upcoming event details, and fire away!

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Conference Name: 2022 Product Marketing Strategies Summit

Date: October 22 - 24, 2022

Location: Nashville, TN

Call for Papers NOW OPEN 🎉 Submit your abstract to speak today.

Since its inception in 2020, the Product Marketing Strategies Summit has been the go-to event for leaders in product growth and innovation.

With more than 8,000 attendees and 500 world-renowned speakers, the annual Product Marketing Summit unites our community to connect, educate, inspire and grow. We are honored to invite you to submit a proposal to share your expertise with our community.

The conference will take place in Nashville, TN from October 22-24, 2022. The theme this year is focused on growth and innovation across four key areas—people, strategy, technology and creativity. Below are all of the details and deadlines you need to submit your abstract, the process should take no more than 30 minutes. 

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT

**DEADLINE TO SUBMIT: August 1, 2022**

To submit your abstract, please click on the following link. It should take you 30 minutes or less to complete to submission.

*IMPORTANT* - please note that submissions can be no longer than 250 words. Submit Deadline Evaluation Deadline Approval Deadline

TOPIC TRACKS TO CHOOSE FROM

• People Track - Advice on hiring (and keeping) top talent in today's market
• Strategy Track - Cutting edge strategies & tactics to keep pace with the ever-changing landscape
• Data & Technology Track - How to craft a tech stack that delivers and measure the impact of product marketing through data
• Creative Track - How to use customer insights for more creative campaigns and branding opportunities

DEADLINES FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSION

• Submit Deadline: The deadline to submit your abstract is August 1, 2022.
• Evaluation Deadline: Your submission will be evaluated by August 15, 2022.
• Approval Deadline: Your submission will be approved or denied by August 22, 2022.

FAQs ABOUT SPEAKING

Got questions? We have answers. Visit our speaker FAQ center so you don't miss a beat.

YOUR POINT OF CONTACT

For any inquiries regarding the submission process, please contact me directly at erin@lennd.com.

We look forward to seeing you speak at the 2022 Product Marketing Strategies Summit.

Sincerely,

Erin Chesterton

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