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Guide to Submitting Talks for Events#

Submitting talks for events is an excellent way to share knowledge, build professional networks, and help establish amazee.io as the leading open source application delivery and hosting platform. By following this guide and working closely with your Lead and the Marketing team, you can improve your chances of having your proposals accepted and delivering impactful presentations.

At amazee.io, we actively encourage team members to submit proposals for speaking engagements as part of our commitment to advancing knowledge, promoting employee development, fostering open source community engagement, and enhancing our brand presence.

Speaking at industry, vendor, technology, and/or community events is not just about sharing expertise; it's a strategic opportunity to build the amazee.io brand as a leader in open source hosting and application delivery. By participating in conferences, webinars, and workshops, we aim to showcase our innovative open source PaaS solutions, demonstrate thought leadership, and highlight our commitment to excellence. These engagements play a crucial role in raising awareness about amazee.io's capabilities, attracting new clients, and forging meaningful partnerships within the relevant open source communities.

We encourage all of you to endeavour to leave a lasting impact through effective communication and thought-provoking presentations, showing the world who amazee.io is, and what it means to be an Amazee.

Our goals for submitting talks#

We are committed to fostering a vibrant and inclusive community of developers, technologists, and industry professionals.

By encouraging individuals to submit talks for events, we aim to:

  • Promote knowledge sharing: We want to create a platform where experts can share their insights, experiences, and innovations, helping others learn and grow.
  • Build community connections: Events are an opportunity to bring people together, facilitating networking, collaboration, and the building of lasting professional relationships.
  • Highlight emerging trends: We strive to stay at the forefront of industry developments by featuring talks on the latest and most relevant cutting-edge topics.
  • Contribute to building the amazee.io brand: By curating insightful and impactful talks, we aim to strengthen amazee.io's reputation as a leader in open source hosting and application delivery, reinforcing our commitment to openness, innovation, and excellence.
  • Support professional development: Speaking at events provides a valuable platform for individuals to showcase their expertise, enhance their professional profiles, and gain recognition within the community.

Finding events#

To find events where you can submit talk proposals:

  • View our events overview sheet: This sheet contains the list of planned events for the year that we will either attend, sponsor, or submit a talk to → Take a look. 
    • Please note that the Events are listed under the three regional business time zones - AMER (primarily North America), EMEA, and APAC (primarily ANZ).  
  • Join our events Slack channel: View the latest event updates, talk submission deadlines, and general event comments. Feel free to ask any questions you may have about our planned events, a possible talk outline, or upcoming events you think may be relevant to us → Not a member yet? Join the #team-events channel.
  • Make suggestions: If you or your Lead identify an event that is not on our list for the year, please post it as a topic on the #team-events channel and notify Jason Lewis accordingly. We will then review it with management and inform you of the next steps.

Note

Talks are only to be submitted for events taking place in the region where you are based. Please ensure that you double-check before selecting an event.

Approval process#

Before you proceed in preparing and submitting your talk proposal, be sure to:

  • Review your proposal with your Lead: Before suggesting and preparing your talk proposal, be sure to check with your team Lead about the relevancy of the event, talk topic, and description. You will require dedicated time to work on your proposal and attend the event itself, so make sure there are no issues that may prevent you from proceeding with the next steps.
  • Check with Marketing: Before finalizing your submission, ensure you check with Jason Lewis on the Marketing team that the event, talk topic, and description align with our marketing goals and that there is sufficient budget to proceed.
  • Allow sufficient time: Depending on the event and topic, this may take a day or two, so leave yourself enough time to complete it so you don't miss the submission deadline.

Proposal creation#

Preparation#

Before submitting your proposal, prepare the following:

  • Title: Create a compelling and descriptive title for your talk.
  • Abstract: Write a concise summary of your talk, outlining the main points and objectives.
  • Bio: Include a short bio that highlights your expertise and experience.
  • Outline: Develop a detailed outline of your talk, including the key topics and any supporting material.
  • Learning objectives: List what attendees will learn from your talk.
  • Previous speaking experience (if any): Mention past talks or relevant experience.

Submission#

When you have all the necessary components ready:

  • Review submission guidelines: Each event will have specific guidelines and requirements for proposal submission. Read these carefully.
  • Submit on time: Pay close attention to submission deadlines and ensure your proposal is submitted promptly. Verify the event's time zone to avoid misunderstandings; some events may operate in different time zones than yours. This ensures your submission is timely and avoids any missed opportunities.
  • Follow instructions: Ensure you follow all instructions provided by the event organizers regarding format, content, and submission process.
  • Proofread: Double-check your proposal for any errors or typos.

Following up#

After submitting your proposal:

  • Inform Marketing: Once you have submitted your talk/s, please update the #team-events channel. Ensure that you mention the event name and talk title and include a link to the relevant document.  
  • Track your submissions: Keep a record of all the events you’ve applied to, including submission dates and contact information. 
  • Follow up: If you haven’t heard back by the stated notification date, send a polite follow-up email inquiring about the status of your proposal.
  • Stay engaged: Engage with event organizers on social media and other platforms to stay on their radar.

Upon acceptance#

Once your proposal is accepted, you will need to get yourself and your presentation to the event:

Prepare for the event#

  • Organize travel and accommodation: You will need to book travel and accommodation for the event. Please contact Jason Lewis on the Marketing team to check if there is a specified arrival and departure date and if there is a specific hotel you should stay at.
  • Confirm payment method: Be sure to confirm the payment method and cost with Jason Lewis. Depending on the event and our plans, you may have the option to book your own travel and accommodation and expense it or have us book it for you.
  • Read our travel policy and expenses information: Please read the Travel Policy and related expenses. It explains travel and reimbursement expectations and applies to everyone in amazee.io .  

Prepare for your talk#

  • Select your presentation slide template: You must please use a template for your presentation slides. Which template you use, is dependent on the event.
    • If the event supplies you with its event-branded template, be sure to contact Rhiannon Lewis on the Marketing team. She will assist you in adding the relevant amazee.io branding and can provide additional graphic design support.
    • If no template is supplied, please use our amazee.io template. 
  • Finalize your presentation: Create and finalize your slides and any other materials needed for your talk.
  • Inform Marketing: Once you have created your presentation, inform Rhiannon Lewis it is ready for a branding and design review.
  • Practice: Rehearse your presentation multiple times to ensure you are comfortable with the content and timing.
  • Technical requirements: Confirm any technical requirements with the event organizers (e.g., Audiovisual equipment and internet access).

Post-talk follow-up#

After delivering your talk:

  • Thank you: Send a thank-you email to the event organizers.
  • Share your slides: Make your slides and any other resources available to attendees, if appropriate.
  • Seek feedback: Ask for feedback from the event organizers and attendees to improve future presentations.
  • Update your Lead and Marketing: Inform your Lead and Jason Lewis about the success of your talk. Include updates such as the approximate number of attendees, the number and type of questions, potential leads, contacts made, and the overall reception.
  • Reflect: Take some time to reflect on what went well and what could be improved for future talks.