---
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.

---

## 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.

---

## 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.**

---

## 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.**

---

## 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]
```

---

## 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

---

## 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
```

---

## 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.

---

## 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.
