Speakers And CFP

What are speakers?

Speakers are people who present at your event. They might give talks, lead workshops, participate in panels, or host discussions.

EventNerds helps you manage your speakers, collect their information, review proposals, and give them access to a speaker portal where they can update their bio and upload materials.

Adding speakers manually

If you already know who will speak at your event, you can add them manually. This is common for invited speakers or keynote presenters.

How to add a speaker

1. Go to your event page
2. Click on the "Speakers" tab
3. Click "Add Speaker"
4. Fill in the speaker information
5. Click "Save Speaker"

Speaker information to provide

• Name: The speaker's full name
• Email: How to contact the speaker
• Bio: A short description of the speaker's background
• Photo: A headshot or profile picture
• Title: Their job title or role
• Company: Where they work
• Social links: Twitter, LinkedIn, website, etc.

Call for proposals

A call for proposals (CFP) is a way to collect speaker applications from the public. People submit talk ideas, and you review them to decide who will speak at your event.

Opening a CFP

To open a call for proposals, follow these steps:

1. Go to your event page
2. Click on the "Speakers" tab
3. Click "Open Call for Proposals"
4. Configure your CFP settings
5. Click "Open CFP"

CFP settings

When you open a CFP, you can configure:

• Opening date: When people can start submitting proposals
• Closing date: The deadline for submissions
• Description: Guidelines and information for potential speakers
• Session types: What kinds of talks you are looking for (talk, workshop, panel, etc.)
• Session lengths: How long each session should be
• Required fields: What information speakers must provide

Reviewing submissions

After people submit proposals, you need to review them and decide which ones to accept.

Viewing proposals

All submitted proposals appear in the Speakers tab. You can see:

• Proposal title and description
• Speaker name and bio
• Session type and length
• Submission date
• Status (pending, accepted, rejected)

Reviewing process

For each proposal, you can:

• Accept: The speaker is confirmed for your event
• Reject: The proposal is declined
• Mark as pending: You need more time to decide
• Add notes: Write private comments about the proposal
• Rate: Give the proposal a score

Team review

If you have team members helping you organize the event, they can also review proposals. Each team member can add their own notes and ratings, making it easier to make decisions as a group.

Speaker portal

The speaker portal is a private area where speakers can manage their information and upload materials. Each speaker gets their own login.

What speakers can do in the portal

• Update their bio and headshot
• Edit social media links
• Upload presentation slides
• Add notes or special requests
• View their session details
• See event logistics and schedules

Benefits of the speaker portal

The speaker portal saves you time because:

• Speakers can update their own information
• You do not need to collect materials over email
• Everything is in one organized place
• Speakers can see the latest event information

Sending portal invites

After you add a speaker or accept their proposal, you should send them a speaker portal invite.

How to send an invite

1. Go to the Speakers tab
2. Find the speaker in the list
3. Click "Send Portal Invite"
4. The speaker will receive an email with instructions

What happens after you send an invite

The speaker will receive an email with:

• A link to create their portal account
• Instructions for accessing the portal
• Information about what they need to provide
• Deadlines for uploading materials

Speaker materials

EventNerds makes it easy to collect and organize materials from your speakers.

Types of materials

Speakers can upload:

• Presentation slides (PowerPoint, PDF, Google Slides links)
• Handouts or resources
• Code samples or demos
• High-resolution headshots
• Speaker notes or outlines

Accessing materials

You can download all speaker materials from the Speakers tab. This is useful when you need to set up presentation computers or share materials with attendees.

Material deadlines

Set clear deadlines for when speakers need to upload their materials. A good rule of thumb is to ask for slides at least 3 days before your event.

Managing speaker status

EventNerds tracks the status of each speaker to help you stay organized.

Speaker statuses

• Invited: You have invited them but they have not confirmed
• Confirmed: The speaker has agreed to present
• Pending: Waiting for more information or a decision
• Declined: The speaker cannot or will not present
• Canceled: The speaker was confirmed but had to cancel

Changing status

You can change a speaker's status at any time from their profile. This helps you track who is definitely speaking and who you are still waiting to hear from.

Speaker communications

Keep your speakers informed and engaged with regular communications.

Sending emails to speakers

You can send emails to all speakers or specific groups:

1. Go to the Speakers tab
2. Filter to the speakers you want to email
3. Click "Send Email"
4. Write your message
5. Click "Send"

What to communicate

Keep speakers updated about:

• Session schedules and room assignments
• Material upload deadlines
• AV setup and technical requirements
• Venue information and directions
• Speaker perks (free tickets, meals, etc.)
• Post-event plans (recording distribution, etc.)

Best practices for managing speakers

Here are some tips for working with speakers:

• Send portal invites as soon as you confirm a speaker
• Give clear deadlines for materials and information
• Follow up with speakers who have not submitted materials
• Make your CFP guidelines specific and helpful
• Respond to proposals within 2 weeks if possible
• Thank speakers for submitting, even if you reject their proposal
• Provide speakers with all the information they need to prepare
• Have a backup plan in case a speaker cancels