speaking-proposal

name	speaking-proposal
description	Creates conference speaking proposals with talk descriptions, speaker bios, audience takeaways, and AV requirements.
allowed-tools	Read Write Glob
metadata	{"author":"matthewhitcham","version":"1.0"}

Speaking Proposal

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Submit a speaking proposal (CFP) for a conference, summit, or event
• Write talk descriptions that stand out from hundreds of submissions
• Create speaker bio and headshot packages for event organizers
• Prepare audience takeaway statements and AV requirements

DO NOT use this skill for keynote speechwriting, workshop facilitation guides, or webinar scripts. This is for the proposal that gets you selected to speak, not the talk itself.

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Core Principle

EVENT ORGANIZERS READ HUNDREDS OF PROPOSALS — YOURS MUST IMMEDIATELY COMMUNICATE THE SPECIFIC VALUE THEIR AUDIENCE WILL RECEIVE, NOT HOW IMPRESSIVE YOUR CREDENTIALS ARE.

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Phase 1: Brief

Required Inputs

Input	What to Ask	Default
Event name	"What event are you submitting to?"	No default — must be provided
Event audience	"Who attends this event? (role, level, industry)"	No default — must be provided
Talk topic	"What do you want to speak about?"	No default — must be provided
Talk format	"Keynote, breakout session, panel, workshop, or lightning talk?"	Breakout session (30-45 min)
Your expertise	"What qualifies you to give this talk? (experience, results, unique angle)"	No default — must be provided
Previous speaking	"Have you spoken at events before? Which ones?"	First-time speaker

GATE: Confirm the brief before drafting.

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Phase 2: Outline

Proposal Components

1. Talk title — compelling, specific, benefit-driven
2. Talk description — what the talk covers (150-300 words)
3. Audience takeaways — 3-5 specific things attendees will learn
4. Speaker bio — 100-word and 250-word versions
5. Why this talk, why now — relevance to current trends
6. AV and logistics — technical requirements
7. Optional: outline or slide preview

Title Formula

Create 3 title options using these patterns:

• How to [Result] Without [Common Obstacle]
• The [Number] [Framework/Mistake/Secret] That [Outcome]
• [Provocative Statement]: [Clarifying Subtitle]

Example titles:

• "How to Scale to $50K/Month Without Hiring a Team"
• "The 3-Part Framework That Turned My Side Hustle Into a 7-Figure Business"
• "Your Marketing Funnel Is Broken: A Step-by-Step Fix That Takes 48 Hours"

GATE: Present title options and talk structure for approval.

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Phase 3: Write

Talk Description

Write two versions:

• Short (100-150 words): For the event program and website
• Full (250-300 words): For the selection committee

Structure the full description:

1. Hook — a bold claim or surprising stat (1-2 sentences)
2. Problem — what the audience struggles with (2-3 sentences)
3. Solution preview — what your talk delivers (2-3 sentences)
4. Proof — why you are credible on this topic (1-2 sentences)
5. Takeaway promise — what they will walk away with (1-2 sentences)

Audience Takeaways

List 3-5 specific, actionable takeaways:

## What Attendees Will Learn
1. [Specific framework, tool, or strategy they can use immediately]
2. [Counter-intuitive insight that changes their approach]
3. [Step-by-step process they can implement the same week]

Rules:

• Start each takeaway with a verb (Learn, Discover, Build, Identify)
• Be specific — "Learn 3 email subject line formulas" not "Learn about email marketing"
• Each takeaway should stand alone as a reason to attend

Speaker Bio

Write two lengths:

Short bio (100 words): Name, title, key credential, relevant achievement, human detail.

Full bio (250 words): Expanded version with more context, speaking history, and personality.

## Short Bio
[Name] is [title/role] at [company]. [He/She/They] [key achievement with specifics].
[Relevant credential or experience]. When not [professional activity], [human detail].

## Full Bio
[Expanded version with 2-3 paragraphs]

AV and Logistics

## Technical Requirements
- Presentation format: [Keynote / Google Slides / PowerPoint]
- Screen: [Standard projector / dual screen / none]
- Audio: [Lapel mic preferred / handheld / headset]
- Internet: [Required / not needed]
- Other: [Whiteboard, flip chart, audience polling tool]

## Logistics
- Preferred session length: [X minutes]
- Ideal time slot: [Morning / afternoon / no preference]
- Travel requirements: [Local / willing to travel / virtual only]
- Compensation expectations: [Fee, travel covered, or speaking for exposure]

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Phase 4: Polish

1. Submission Checklist

- [ ] Title is under 10 words and benefit-driven
- [ ] Short description is 100-150 words
- [ ] Full description is 250-300 words
- [ ] 3-5 specific audience takeaways listed
- [ ] Short and full speaker bios written
- [ ] Professional headshot ready (high-res, 300 DPI minimum)
- [ ] AV requirements specified
- [ ] Proposal matches the event's CFP format exactly

2. Differentiation Check

Before submitting, verify:

• Your talk offers something the audience cannot Google in 5 minutes
• Your angle is based on personal experience or original research, not rehashed advice
• The takeaways are specific enough that an attendee could describe them to a colleague

3. Follow-Up Plan

• If accepted: request the attendee profile, adjust content to match
• If waitlisted: offer to fill a cancelled slot or suggest an alternative format
• If rejected: ask for feedback, note the event for next year, pitch a different topic

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Example 1: Marketing Conference Proposal

Title: "The 48-Hour Funnel Fix: How I Doubled Conversions by Deleting Half My Funnel"
Format: 30-minute breakout session
Takeaways:
1. Identify the 3 funnel stages that leak the most revenue
2. Apply the "subtraction audit" to eliminate low-performing steps
3. Build a simplified funnel that converts at 2x your current rate

Example 2: Entrepreneurship Summit Proposal

Title: "From Zero to $10K/Month: The Solopreneur Playbook That Skips the Startup Myths"
Format: 45-minute keynote
Takeaways:
1. The 3 revenue models that reach $10K fastest for solo businesses
2. How to validate demand in 72 hours without building anything
3. The daily system that replaces a team of 5

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Anti-Patterns

• Generic titles — "Digital Marketing Best Practices" will not get selected when 50 other proposals say the same thing.
• Bio-heavy, value-light — event organizers care about what the audience gets, not your resume. Lead with takeaways.
• Vague takeaways — "Learn about social media" is worthless. "Build a 30-day content calendar using the 3-pillar framework" gets selected.
• Ignoring the CFP format — if the event asks for 200-word descriptions, do not submit 500 words. Follow their format exactly.
• No proof of concept — claiming expertise without evidence. Include a specific result, case study, or data point.

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Recovery

• User has never spoken before: Focus the bio on professional results, not speaking history. Offer to record a 5-minute sample talk for the organizer.
• Topic is too broad: Ask "If the audience remembered only one thing from your talk, what would it be?" Build the proposal around that one insight.
• User does not know which events to target: Recommend starting with local meetups and virtual summits. Provide a list of CFP aggregator sites.
• Proposal rejected: Do not take it personally. Ask for feedback, refine the topic, and resubmit to a different event within the week.