IABC Canada West Region Conference
CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS
Thank you for your interest in presenting at the IABC Canada West Conference, presented by McMaster-Syracuse MCM, taking place in Kelowna, BC from October 22-24, 2017. The focus of the conference is on elevating our careers, our game, our influence and our impact.
We’ve taken a page out of IABC International’s playbook and our sessions will focus on five tracks:
· Communication skills:Skill-based knowledge, such as technical and social media skills, measurement techniques, planning, writing, photography/visuals, design and presenting
· Leadership and strategy:Dialogue and techniques that position communication as a high-value function, enable communicators to facilitate and foster relationships, build leadership skills and empower communicators to better support business goals
· Marketing and brand:Insights and expertise on marketing to support sales and branding as an expression of the value of an organization, product or service
· Reputation:Guidance on interpreting perceptions, values and connections that stakeholders have toward an organization, incorporating social responsibility and employing strategies for preparing for, and dealing with, a crisis
· Employee engagement:Case studies, analysis and best practices that help to ensure employee behaviors that support organizational goals and demonstrate above-and-beyond commitment
Global Standard and Career Paths
The CWR conference program is alignedto the IABC Global Standard of the Communication Profession,defined by communication professionals around the world who embrace a shared career purpose and six core Principles as the building blocks of their work. Applying that standard enables us to cross all borders, align with diverse cultures and effectively serve organizations of all types and sizes.
Sessions will also be categorized by IABC’sCareer Path, with a focus on Generalists/Specialists, Strategic Advisors and Business Leaders.
We are looking for presentation proposals for these five tracks. For more information on our audience and our conference, see the ‘Conference Background’ section at the end of this document.
The deadline for speaker proposals for the IABC Canada West Region Conference is February 24, 2017. Please review the requirements before submitting a proposal.
Please complete the form and email to:
Your Personal Profile
Speaker Name:
Organization:
Position/Title:
Address:
City:
State/Province:
Country:
Zip/ Postal Code:
Phone:
Email Address:
Presentation Information
In which track(s) would you place your presentation(s)?
x / Conference Track· Communication Skills
· Leadership & Strategy
· Marketing & Branding
· Reputation
· Employee Engagement
Presentation Title:
a) Presentation Description
Please provide a 75–100 word description of your presentation that includes the above presentation title, as well as three learning objectives that clearly describe what conference delegates will learn in your session:
b) 140-character statement of awesomeness:
Presentation Timeframe:
Which timeframe is most appropriate for your content?
x / Presentation Time· 1 hour, 15 minutes (75-minute concurrent session)
· 3-4 hours (1/2-day workshop)
· 20-45 minutes (Keynote/general session)
Elevate: Relevance
Briefly explain relevance of your content to this audience and business marketplace incorporating how you will capture the concept of “Elevate” whether that is elevating delegates’ careers, influence, impact or business contribution:
References:
Have you recently addressed an IABC audience? yes | no
If yes, please provide name of organization; date; location; topic; name, phone number and e-mail address of event contact:
Have you presented to an audience of 75 or more attendees in the past two years? yes | no
Provide the following information on a single event or session:
Name of organization/conference
Date and location of event/session
Number in audience
Length of presentation
Name of co-presenter (if applicable)
Overall session rating and scale (if available):
Other Reference Options:
Contact person, title, organization, telephone, email:
Name of one or two IABC members who have heard you speak and would recommend you as a speaker (not required):
IABC Canada West Region Conference
CONFERENCE BACKGROUND
THE TARGET AUDIENCE
The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) is the premier professional development and networking association with 13,000 members worldwide and 5,000+ in Canada. Western Canada, represented by IABC Canada West Region, is home to 2,500 members, half of whom are located in British Columbia and Alberta. Our conference model attracts attendees primarily from the host province and the one next door, but is relevant to communicators from across Canada – and beyond.
IABC Canada West Region Conference October 22-24, 2017 Kelowna, BC
Where Our Members Work:
· 39% corporations
· 14% consulting firms
· 12% non-profits
· 8% government
Areas of Responsibility:
· 27% corporate communication
· 17% employee communication
· 15% marketing communication
· 9% media/public relations
Years of Experience:
· 35% 12-21 years
· 23% 22-31 years
· 19% 6-11 years
· 13% 5 or less
Industries They Work In:
· 12% marketing/advertising/PR
· 11% consulting
· 8% health care
Titles:
· 24% Manager, Supervisor
· 30% Individual contributor
· 17% General manager, Director
· 14% Officer, president, partner/principal, practice leader
IABC Canada West Region Conference October 22-24, 2017 Kelowna, BC
OUR MEMBERSHIP
Our members hold positions in:
· Public relations/Media relations· Corporate communications
· Public affairs
· Investor relations
· Government relations
· Marketing communication
· Community relations / · Writing/Editing
· Training
· Advertising
· Photography and video production
· Graphic design
· Human resources
· Teaching
OUR CONFERENCES
Since 2007 – yeah, it’s our 10th anniversary! – IABC Canada West Region has hosted a mid-sized conference for 200+ Canadian communicators every second year in destination locations. Here’s what attendees think about our conferences:
· 97.2% of respondents were satisfied or extremely satisfied with their conference experience.
· 100% of respondents were satisfied or extremely satisfied with the conference speakers.
· 93.3% of respondents were satisfied or extremely satisfied with the program content.
· 96.2% of respondents were satisfied or extremely satisfied with the conference value for dollar.
· 80% of respondents felt the content was relevant or extremely relevant in relation to their professional development goals.
· 87.6% of respondents say they will attend the regional conference again, 11.4% unsure.
· Workshops, general sessions and breakout session were on average evaluated high – mostly satisfied or extremely satisfied.
OUR FORMULA
Our conference track record of success is due to our focus on the following elements that reflect the IABC brand and culture:
· Timely, relevant content for primarily intermediate- to senior-level communication professionals
· Strong networking and social interaction opportunities
· Personal, approachable and inviting atmosphere
· Content rooted in the pillars of rigorous strategic planning principles – applicable to all industries in all provinces
· Partnerships with relevant and like-minded organizations, companies, post-secondary education institutions, sponsors and presenters
· Value for time and money spent
· Strong motivating keynote speakers; hands-on case study based breakout sessions and pre-conference in-depth learning workshops
YOUR OPPORTUNITIES
We host keynote speakers, breakout or concurrent session presenters and workshop leaders.
Workshops
Before the conference starts, we host 3-4 in-depth half-day workshops for an intimate number of attendees (15-30) to dig deep on skills they need to grow. These pre-conference workshops are optional at an additional charge for registrants.
Keynote/General Session
Over the two-day conference, we’ll present up to four keynote speakers on topics that are big picture, high level, timely, relevant and/or inspirational to all attendees. The format could include a single speaker (up to 45 minutes) or a key presenter (15-20 minutes) followed by a moderated panel (moderated by the keynote speaker or includes the keynote and moderated by someone else).
Concurrent Breakouts
Three concurrent breakout sessions run 2-3 times a day. They host 25-75 attendees each. They offer attendees an expert presentation with tangible takeaways in a semi-formal setting that allows for at least 1/3 of the session time available for Q&A and learning amongst attendees.
CONTACT:
Andrea Tubbs
Swansea Communications
Administrative Support, 2017 IABC Canada West Region conference
1-866-869-7969
IABC Canada West Region Conference October 22-24, 2017 Kelowna, BC