So, You Want to Speak at SXSW?

Sharing your ideas with a global audience grows your experience, network, and career. With SXSW bringing together the world’s tech, film, and music community in Austin, TX, you can’t ask for a better platform. The conference’s schedule is created using the SXSW PanelPicker, combining session proposal submissions with public voting and organizer review to determine the event lineup. This year, the PanelPicker opens July 1st through July 19th for speaker proposals. But with the PanelPicker receiving over 4,300 proposals each year, how do you stand out for a shot at the 2020 SXSW stage?

As a two-time SXSW speaker, I’m here to share what I’ve learned about the application process with you. Here’s what you need to know to give you a voice (and a session) at the March event.

1) Chose Uber-Specific Content

For many, pinpointing what topic to cover is difficult. But remember, you only need to be a step ahead of others to be able to teach them. The closer you are to the learning process, the easier it is to help because you still remember the steps you took getting started. Start by asking yourself:

• Why do colleagues and friends approach you for advice?
• What are your strengths or lessons you’ve learned?
• Could your past experiences resonate with others?
• Where are you playing where no one else is playing?

Do not turn the session into a platform to promote your product or company. Audiences won’t enjoy an hour-long, in-person infomercial, and event organizers will protect them accordingly. Key in on what unique perspectives you bring that provide value to your audience. From here, you’re poised to decide on your relevant ideas for SXSW.

Once you’ve chosen a theme, get extremely specific. With the numerous proposals submitted, what makes your take on this topic unique? Attendees want practical takeaways, so dive deep to provide them these actionable insights. If a generic google search surfaces similar content to your talk, you will get cut. So, don’t go broad with a generic topic like: “Artificial Intelligence.” Instead, narrow the focus to something unique and pinpointed like: “Regulating AI: How to Control the Unexplainable.”

2) Think Future-Focused

Which trends will be relevant for your field in March of 2020? Envision the future of the field emerging after March 2020. Those attending and choosing sessions are interested in the bleeding edge of your field, so tell them where to find innovation and areas of opportunity. Can you prepare your audience for the future? Push into uncharted spaces with your session idea. The key here is relevancy and uniqueness. Take note of what was presented the year before, as organizers won’t program a repeat unless there’s a huge demand.

3) Perfect the Title

While the SXSW organizers read the descriptions of each proposal, most of the public votes based on titles alone. There are frankly so many proposals each year in the PanelPicker lineup that clicking into the details of each one can be an inefficient black hole. Accordingly, your top priority needs to be crafting a title, using 50 characters or less, that makes your session topic completely obvious. When being clear and clever is too much pressure, I choose clarity every time.

As a litmus test, I always share my potential title a handful of folks with no description for context (both inside and outside my field) and ask them to describe what they assume the talk covers. You’ll find out whether your title can hold its own pretty quickly.

4) Choose a Session Format

Consider what session format best suits your topic.

• Can you carry the topic in a solo talk?
• Should the content be practically applied in a hands-on workshop? (*note: workshops aren’t a format option for SXSW March 2020)
• Would a diverse panel of speakers add depth through differing perspectives?
• Does your audience need the candid discussions fostered by a meet-up?

All of these formats have their benefits, so consider what would best serve your intended audience as they dive into the material.

I’ve had luck with solo sessions, but for all considering a panel, I’ll emphasize the importance of diversity. SXSW prioritizes diversity of all types, which frankly makes for more interesting panel discussions. Audiences want to see the topics examined from all sides, not to hear the folks with the same over-represented ethnicity, gender, age, and background say the same thing one after another.

5) Write Your Description for Your Intended Audience

As you write your session description, consider the audience you’d like to attract. Is your session targeted for a specific field or applicable to various industries? Craft a proposal that communicates what they’ll learn. Think of your description as both the “thesis statement” and hook for your talk. Can you offer solutions on how to solve problems your audience faces? Emphasize the value your audience will take away from your session.

6) Eliminate Empty Buzzwords

If you’re heavily relying on jargon or buzzwords to communicate, sub in some more accessible language. The terminology used within a company or regional community is often meaningless outside the direct circle. Using buzzwords doesn’t make you future-focused (see tip number 2) and won’t help you stand out in a conference looking for unique perspectives. Explain your talk in a way a 3rd grader (or your mom) would understand. So, swap the fluff word for 3 straightforward ones. It’s a worthwhile trade every time.

7) Include a Video

Find a quiet corner of your apartment or office to record a minute or 2 video of you speaking about your topic. Event organizers want to spare folks from a speaker who can’t string a sentence together in-person, so utilize the chance to show you can communicate naturally.

Although previous speaking samples will work, I always record a few off-the-cuff minutes that support my proposal. Here, you can add depth and nuance you didn’t touch on in your written description. I outline the points I wanted to cover, borrow a camera from a friend and record a handful of takes in a corner of my office. Your video doesn’t have to be perfect, just to confirm you can hold the SXSW stage.

8) Spell Check Your Proposal (and don’t use ALL CAPS)

As event organizers have candidly shared, all proposals with spelling errors are instantly disqualified. Don’t clip your proposals wings before it has a chance to fly. I always run my title, description, and other information through Grammarly, as well as have a few friends look through my proposal for glaring errors. Think of this step as a way you can respect those reviewing your proposal. They take the time to read your proposal; you can take the time to spell check.

(Don’t SCREAM AT THEM by writing your title in all caps either.)

9) Share Your Proposal

A few weeks after the submission deadline, session proposals will go live for public voting. Now is your chance to promote your talk. Public voting makes up one-third of the scheduling decision-power (with the PanelPicker team and the SXSW Advisory Board covering the other two-thirds). Utilize social media, the office Slack (while refraining from the infamous @channel), and your friends and family. Share your proposal video for context with your direct link to vote. Even without a huge social media following, you’d be surprised how many people will support what you’re passionate about.

P.S. One Final Note

Now, you’re ready to craft a killer proposal showcasing your topic, perspective, and expertise. So, get to it! In the words of my colleague, Susann Keohane: “There are lots of smart people in the world, and we all can be one of them.” So, go forth and submit your smart ideas to the SXSW PanelPicker. And of course don’t forget to comment below with a link to your final SXSW proposal when it goes live, so I can give you my vote. See ya on the SXSW stage!

Thanks to Susann Keohane, James Rauhunt, Clarissa Yu, Chandler Nunez, and Joanne Albertson for the feedback on this piece. For more tips, check out ‘25 PanelPicker Tips in 25 Days’ by Hugh Forrest, the Chief Programming Officer at SXSW.

This article was first published in June 2018, but has been updated to reflect the dates for this year’s 2020 event submissions.