Don\u2019t jump from one \u201chot topic\u201d to another. That is not cool. Do not \u201cchoose the topics to speak about.\u201d Submit what you are good at. If you submit another Power Apps or adoption session, be aware that there are probably already 20 of those and that we will be taking the one submitted by someone who knows all about it. If it is your core topic, if you have something to tell about it, by all means, please feel free to submit it! But don\u2019t submit it because it is a hot topic right now.<\/p>\n

In the same way, don\u2019t submit some niche topic just because you think that nobody else will and you feel your chances will increase that way. That topic is niche for a reason. It probably is not interesting for all that many people in the audience (and that is something that organizers and the content team really care about!). Again, if you are really good at it and you feel it is important to talk about it, please submit it by all means! But don\u2019t submit it just because you think that an exotic topic will land you a gig.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t submit only one session!<\/h2>\n

There is a good chance that your one session doesn\u2019t fit the concept. Submit two or three sessions in the areas you are really good at in the fields where you are a recognized expert.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t submit too many sessions!<\/h2>\n

Would you believe a doctor who tells you that he has broad experience and deep expertise as an orthopedist, cardiologist, anesthesiologist, dermatologist and neurologist at the same time? Exactly. The content team looks through all the submitted sessions carefully and has doubts about people submitting too many sessions from very different areas.<\/p>\n

If it is not a poetry conference or a book fair, don\u2019t be a poet!<\/h2>\n

We have literally read some session abstracts three times and still didn\u2019t understand what they were about. You are free to use little tricks in the session title that are kind of catchy (but even there, stay on track), but please, use the session abstract to tell us and the delegates what you want to talk about. And please don\u2019t use too many buzzwords. They do not help. If the content team was confused, imagine how confused the delegates will be. At one point, one of the content team members asked, after reading an abstract out loud twice, \u201cIs this an adoption session?\u201d Nobody had an answer. You guessed it. It was turned down.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t push too much with redeliveries!<\/h2>\n

Content team members closely monitor similar events. Very often, they are speakers at those events themselves. Even more often, they know you personally. If they see the same session too many times, they are not going to like it.<\/p>\n

It is okay if it is in different cities, timeframes, situations, etc. We all know how much time is needed to prepare a good session, and we respect it. So, redelivery is ok in many situations. But not in all. What will never work is if you apply with the same session for the same event multiple years in a row. The \u201cthings have changed in the meantime!\u201d argument will not really help in that discussion either.<\/p>\n

Use the system. Respect the timeframe.<\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t send us the session abstracts via Facebook Messenger, please. That is not cool. Use the system we have built for the event. It makes the job of the content team much, much easier. Nobody is keen on copying and pasting your session abstracts. The fact that you know members of the content team personally does not give you right to send the session submissions outside of the system. Doing so shows *huge* disrespect for content team members and their time.<\/p>\n

Oh, yes, time. There is a reason why there is a deadline for the call for sessions. The content team members start looking and evaluating session submissions immediately after the deadline. The \u201coffsite day,\u201d where the agenda is decided for the largest part, is just the last step. The process begins much earlier. Again, if you don\u2019t respect that, you don\u2019t really respect the work of the content team.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t contact the content team.<\/h2>\n

By all means, for whatever reason you might have, don\u2019t contact the content team members to \u201cask for the status\u201d or \u201cto explain what the session is about\u201d or \u201cto offer more sessions if those submitted don\u2019t fit.\u201d If your sessions are rejected, you can pretty much blame it partly on this. If they are accepted, they are surely not accepted because you asked and your doing so leaves a lasting aftertaste.<\/p>\n