How to secure your first tech conference speaking gig

In June of this year, I set a goal for myself to secure a speaking gig at a technology conference. Prior to setting this goal, I had never spoke at a conference and didn’t know where to begin. Thanks to an event hosted by Tech Stack’d, I was able to secure multiple speaking gigs within two months. Today, I will walk you through my journey from dreamer to speaker in two months.

Why I wanted a tech conference speaking gig

Before jumping into the how, I believe it is necessary for you to understand the why behind my desire.

I attended AfroTech in 2018. During this conference, I had an opportunity to listen to speakers who looked like me present on topics they were passionate about. At AfroTech, I realized the possibility of speaking at tech conferences. Coupling this realization, with my strong desire to build my brand and be seen as a thought leader in my field was enough to move me to action.

Finding speaking opportunities

After returning home from AfroTech, I decided to take time searching for technology conferences that were of interest to me. Performing a simple Google search netted me with hundreds of conferences. None of which I felt confident enough to apply for. During the first few months following AfroTech I struggled with a lack of confidence and consistently made excuses for why I wasn’t qualified to speak at any of the conferences I found. I gained the confidence to submit proposals after attending “How to Secure Speaking Engagements” with Angie Jones.

During this webinar I learned the following:

• Where to find speaking opportunities
• How to prepare proposals

Following this webinar, I had a renewed sense of confidence because I understood how to secure speaking engagements. I immediately went to papercall.io and started finding request for proposals.

Submitting proposals

Initially, I reverted back to questioning myself because I wasn’t sure what I could speak to. Making a list of topics I felt comfortable with allowed me to remove any self-doubt.

Next, I spent time writing proposals for each topic. When writing my proposals, I ensured that each proposal contained an attention getting title and a compelling pitch.

I submitted multiple proposals to each conference on my list, to increase my chances of securing a speaking gig. Some conferences I submitted the same topic in different formats (e.g. keynote, lightning talk, or panel). Other conferences I submitted different topics.

The waiting game

At this point my proposals were submitted and I was waiting to hear back. Being my first time submitting proposals, I was very anxious and impatient. I checked my submission status every day.

Just when I began to lose hope, I received my first selection five weeks later. A week after that I received my first rejection. While the rejection was a bummer, I was still riding high from my first selection. Another week passed and I received another notice informing me that I was selected to speak.

Within two months of submitting my proposals, I was selected to speak at two conferences.

Conclusion

Now that I have shared with you my experience of securing my first speaking gig it is time for you to secure yours.

Remember to believe in yourself and don’t let rejection discourage you. If sharing my experience has helped you to secure a speaking gig, don’t hesitate to contact me. I would love to hear about your experience.