When looking through Lanyrd, the great conference directory, I like to browse the Call for Speakers section to see which conferences are coming up that are looking for speakers. Constantly I come across these calls that provides no information for the prospective speaker. There are a few things you always should know before submitting a call:
First of all, it is of vital importance whether you are going to get paid or not, or even get your travel costs reimbursed. Normally, conference websites just provide a form to fill in your proposed idea and ask you why you should be selected. You might think that these are the events that will pay the speaker, or at the very least reimburse the travel costs. Perhaps that might sometimes be true, but more often than not, it couldn’t be further from the truth.
It would seem as though many organizers do not value the time it takes to put a solid idea forward. When entering it, you should at least have been able to easily see what the terms are.
So please conference organizers, start providing the adequate information when putting out speaker calls. Presenters and speakers have a right to know whether your event wants free speakers or whether there is any sort of reimbursement.
I have never really taken the time to find a good note-taking strategy that works well for me. Now with the iPhone and especially the entrance of the iPad into my workflow last year, I feel that this piece of my workflow must be put straight.