How to Get on a Panel at a Conference

Admit it. You've been to an industry conference and looked at the people on the panel and wondered, "How in the heck did 'that' guy get on the panel? I could do that."

Well, you're not alone. Like getting asked to the Junior High Dance, you can wait to get an invitation or get aggressive and make it happen. As a publicist, I am often asked to get a client on the convention dais and as a result, I've got couple of tried and true tactics.

Here are seven tips to help you land that panel gig.

1. Bring a big name to the party. If you have little name recognition, organize a panel around a topic and call in a favor from Bill Gates or anther notable friend, client, customer or vendor by creating your own panel. Promote the "ready made" panel, which includes yourself of course, to the conference organization. They have less work, and you get more editorial control over the discussion. Big names draw big crowds. All conferences like big names.

2. Create a catchy title. Even if you have a big name on your panel, an unexciting panel title and no mention of the big name will be less interesting to the conference planner. Take a page out of the entertainment industry. Would people rather watch "Desperate Housewives" or the same program titled "Five Bored Housewives on Wisteria Lane"?

3. Make a promise. Tell conference planners what prospective audience members will learn and what they will take away from the presentation in the copy describing the program. For example: Tell them they will learn to do X, Y & Z and will be able to implement something tangible in their own business or practice.

4. Offer to promote the conference. Tell conference planners you'll promote the convention to the prospective conference goers. This helps drive more people to the conference, and they will surely like that. You can offer to promote the event using:
• a PR campaign to industry and consumer media.
• a direct mail piece to YOUR clients and customers.
• a series of e-mails to YOUR clients and customers with a link back to the conference's Web site.

Solid advice to land a seat on a panel at a conference. Get aggressive and ask for the opportunity.

Credit: larar

Copyright: Sxc.hu/larar