It’s YOUR time to shine! Apply to speak at CMX Summit 2022: Thrive

From September 13-15, 2022, CMX Summit 2022: Thrive will welcome community professionals from all over the world, virtually and in person, to come together, learn, grow, and connect. Last year we recognized the rise of the community industry, the community professional, and the importance of community in business. This year, we are continuing that path. Rise and Thrive CMX'ers!This will be the biggest, the best, the most global, and the first ever fully hybrid event in the community industry, and it won’t be the same without YOU on our stage!

Speaker Applications for CMX Summit 2022: Thrive are open!

Applications are open until Friday, June 17. You will hear from the CMX team regardless of the result of your application by Wednesday, July 6.We’re looking for incredible pitches from all walks of the community industry! We love hands-on learning, actionable takeaways, and new ways of thinking about community. At CMX, we believe that diversity of perspective leads to a stronger industry, and we strongly encourage voices from underrepresented groups to apply.What makes a good pitch? Below, we’ve compiled some of our top tips for pitching the team.

Be specific about your topic

Your pitch needs to focus on something about community building or adjacent, and needs to be relevant to community professionals. Please don’t pitch a generic “How to Build Community” talk. This is what the entire conference is about — our attendees want to get more specific!Some great examples of specific talk titles from past CMX Summit talks include:

• Increase Community Engagement by Developing Top Contributors Programs
• A Seat at the Table: Why You Need a Go to Community Strategy
• Next generation Customer Autonomy: Creating a Richer Customer Experience
• Making Easy Work of a Career in Community
• Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: Strategies for Bringing Your Best Self to Your Community

What all these topics have in common is that they are focused and relevant. Don’t worry about cleverness in your proposed title—we’ll workshop it with you!

Tell us what kind of session you want to host

Applications are open for workshops as well as keynotes and presentations.Keynotes and presentations are typically 20-25 minutes long, and often include some kind of live Q&A. These are actionable discussions where attendees walk away with a theory or idea to implement into their community building strategy.Workshops are typically 45-90 minutes long and are designed to be hands-on. Attendees should work through specific strategies they can implement into their community right now. A workshop is not about theory, but more about how to practically implement theory into community building.

Use concise language

That’s right, there’s a word count limit — 1,500 characters. Please do not link to Google Docs, Evernotes, or Dropbox - we will not read it.Most sessions at CMX Summit will be 20-25 minutes long, with an optional live Q&A. Workshops are 45-90 minutes long. Your subject needs to be concise enough to fit neatly into a single, digestible presentation in this time frame.

Tell us what you can do for our audience

A great pitch demonstrates knowledge of the CMX Summit audience and the impact you’ll have on attendees. In the pitch form, there is a dedicated space to explain why CMX Summit is the place for you and what motivates you to be on stage.In the pitch, we want to know details about your topic, what the audience will learn, and what your content will cover. Explain exactly what the audience will walk away with, what data or tactics you’ll cover, and what attendees should feel when they leave your talk.Please avoid marketing your talk to us! That will come later. For now, we want to understand what you will actually talk about. Remember: CMX Summit does not allow sales pitches on stage. We’re an educational conference with an audience seeking to learn.

Include a bio

A good bio explains who you are in relation to the CMX Summit audience and your chosen topic. Demonstrate why you are the right person to speak on this topic, why our audience would find value in learning from you. A good bio will also hint at your personality.

Bonus: Links to videos of past talks

Conference speaking is a catch-22. Most speaking opportunities require experience, but how do you get experience if speaking opportunities don’t accept new speakers?At CMX, we always welcome new and first-time speakers. We also have a commitment to diversity and inclusion at our events. Part of this means that we have a mix of new friends and old friends on our stage.Have a recording of yourself giving a presentation, doing a webinar, or on a podcast? Share the link. If you don’t have formal experience speaking, get a smartphone, tap record, present on a topic, and upload it to YouTube. We want to SEE you in action. We are looking for confidence speaking in front of a camera/audience!

Apply to speak at CMX Summit 2022: Thrive!

FAQs

How many speaker applications do you expect? How many will you select?Last year, we had over 150 speaker applications! We’re looking to book 10-15 speakers from these applications this year.How long will it take to hear back?Applications are open until Friday, June 17. You will hear from the CMX team regardless of the result of your application by Wednesday, July 6.If I’ve applied for a previous CMX Summit, do I need to fill out this application?Yes, please do!Do Speakers join virtually or in person? Speakers can join us either in person, on the stage at in Redwood City California, or virtually and present at in the online component of the event. There is a field in the application form, where applicants can make it clear which they prefer.I already bought a Hybrid ticket, what if I'm chosen to be a speaker? All speakers presenting in person will get a free hybrid ticket to CMX Summit! If you've already purchased a ticket, we will refund you the full amount of your purchase price.If I’ve spoken before at CMX Summit, can I submit an application?Yes, you can. Though keep in mind as part of our commitment to diversity on stage, we limit the number of returning voices each year.Can you or someone else on CMX’s staff read my application before I submit it?No. Sorry, but that would put you at an unfair advantage.Can myself and a colleague give a joint presentation?At this time, no. Past experience shows these talks are best solo. We do provide support for speakers who want extra help shaking off stage nervousness.Can I teach a workshop?Yes. Applications are open to leading workshops. Workshops are typically 45-90 minutes long and have attendees walking through actionable strategies they can implement into their community right now. A workshop is not about theory, but more about how to practically implement theory into community building.Can I submit an application on behalf of someone else?Yes. Please have the applicant’s consent before submitting on their behalf.

Ready? Apply to speak at CMX Summit 2022: Thrive!