Why You Should Apply to Speak at SXSW

The Forrest Four-Cast: July 19, 2017

UPDATE: Deadline for PanelPicker entry has been extended to Sunday, July 23 at 11:59 pm PDT.

If you haven’t entered a speaking proposal for SXSW 2018, then you should do so before the PanelPicker interface closes at the end of the day on Friday, July 21.

Five great reasons to be involved in this process are as follows:

1. New Connections. Speaking at SXSW literally puts you in front of one of the world’s most creative and innovative communities. There’s no better way to reinforce your standing as one of the most important thought leaders in your specific area of focus.
2. Amazing Opportunities. Speaking at SXSW can advance your career in many incredible ways. Being part of the conference program in Austin in March can lead to everything from a new business relationship to a new network of followers to a new book contract.
3. Catalog Your Skills. Putting together a top-notch speaking proposal forces you to organize and analyze your expertise and your opinions in a critical way. This kind of self-reflection regarding your personal value proposition is something that we all should do regularly.
4. Video Over Text. Putting together a speaking proposal also forces (or strongly encourages) you to create a short video of your idea. Creating a compelling video that accurately depicts your expertise and your passions is an important skill to develop in the 21st century!
5. Get Badged! If your proposal is selected to be part of SXSW 2018, then you get a free Platinum badge for March Magic (value $1650). If your proposal is not selected for SXSW 2018, then you get a chance to register for the event at the early-bird / discount rate.

Click here for a list of 10 PanelPicker tips and useful links on the speaking proposal process.

Or, visit these two popular posts from year’s past about best strategies to craft a proposal that is sure to get rejected: Volume 1 and Volume 2.

Hugh Forrest tries to write at least four paragraphs per day on Medium. These posts often cover tech-related trends; other times they cover specific current events. When not attempting to wordsmith or learning to meditate, he serves as Chief Programming Officer at SXSW in Austin.