A ready-to-use conversational form

Call for speakers form template

Collect conference talk proposals a committee can compare: title, abstract, takeaways, format and bio. Workshops get setup questions, first-timers a mentor offer.

17 questionsAbout 5 min5 branchesRead the template guide
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A live preview of this template. Answer the first question to begin.

What's inside

Every question, and where it leads

  • Contact info
  • Short text
  • Long text
  • Single select
  • Number
  • File upload
  • Yes / No
  • Website
  • Consent

The conversation

What a respondent is asked, in order.

Got a talk in you? Tell us about it. Most people finish in about five minutes.

1

Who is proposing the talk?

Contact inforequired
2

Which pronouns should we use in the programme?

Short textoptional
3

What is the talk called?

Short textrequired
4

Give us the abstract. What is the talk about, and why now?

Long textrequired
5

Name three things someone will be able to do after your session.

Long textrequired
6

Which format fits the talk best?

Single selectrequiredsplits the flow
7

What must attendees install or know before they arrive?

Long textrequiredif format is Workshop (90 min)
8

How many people can you teach at once?

Numberrequiredif format is Workshop (90 min)
9

What room setup do you need?

Single selectoptionalif format is Workshop (90 min)
10

Who is the talk for?

Single selectrequired
11

Write a short speaker bio, in the third person.

Long textrequired
12

Add a headshot for the programme, if you have one.

File uploadoptional
13

Have you spoken at a conference before?

Yes / Norequiredsplits the flow
14

Share a link to a previous talk, video or slides.

Websiteoptionalif spoken before is Yes
15

Would you like a mentor to help you prepare?

Yes / Nooptionalif spoken before is This would be my first
16

Would you need help with travel costs?

Yes / Nooptional
17

Recording

Consentrequired

Ends with

Proposal submitted ๐ŸŽค

The flow

Where each answer leads. Every route here is editable once the form is yours.

A labelled route is taken only by answers matching the label

A little guidance

Make the most of your next ask.

Questions to consider for your call for speakers form

  • Which formats and lengths does your schedule actually have room for?
  • Do you review proposals anonymously? If so, keep the bio and headshot out of what reviewers see first.
  • Can you offer mentoring or travel support, and on what terms?
  • Will sessions be recorded, and do speakers get a real choice about it?
  • Do you want topic tracks as a question, so proposals sort themselves?

How to use the responses

Export the proposals to CSV and give reviewers only the title, abstract, takeaways, format and level, so they judge the talk before the name. Score each proposal on the takeaways, since vague ones usually mean a vague talk. Before building the schedule, pull out the workshop answers for room setup and capacity, and send the prerequisites to workshop attendees well ahead of the day.

How to customize and share this template

  1. 1Change the format options to the slot lengths in your schedule, and keep the workshop questions only if you run workshops.
  2. 2Rewrite the mentor and travel questions to say exactly what you offer, or remove them if you offer neither.
  3. 3Add your deadline to the greeting, then share the link on your event site and social channels.

Frequently asked questions

What should a call for speakers form include?

Contact details, a talk title, an abstract, concrete takeaways, the format and audience level, and a short bio. Anything else, like a headshot or a past talk, should be optional.

How long should a talk abstract be?

Long enough to explain what the talk covers and why it matters, short enough to fit in a printed programme. A couple of short paragraphs is usually right.

How do I encourage first-time speakers to apply?

Say plainly that first-timers are welcome and offer something concrete, like a mentor. This form only offers mentoring to people who have not spoken before, so experienced speakers skip it.

Can I ask workshop hosts different questions?

Yes. This template branches on the format, so only workshop proposals are asked about prerequisites, capacity and room setup.

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