Proposal Selection Guidelines

General Guidelines

  • A banker presenter is required by organizations wishing to be considered for selection at any BAI speaking event. In addition, companies may enlist other un-biased industry experts (financial services partners, end-users, out-of-industry clients) as a co-presenter(s)
  • When a speaking proposal is selected, the presenter must provide an electronic copy of the presentation for review by BAI prior to the event (timing is specific to each event and is outlined in the official Speaker Kit)
  • The presenter must agree to provide an electronic copy of the presentation for distribution to event attendees 
  • If a presenter cannot adhere to content deadlines as outlined in the Speaker Kit, then they will be replaced by an alternate presenter
  • BAI does not reimburse speaker expenses

Presentation Length Guidelines 

  • Pre-conference workshops are typically 3 hours, including Q&A, discussion, and exercises
  • Conference session presentations are typically one hour in length, including Q&A
  • Workshops run from a day to two full days, with average length a day and a half
  • Webinars vary in length (60-90 minutes)

Proposal Review Procedures

Speaking proposals must be submitted through the official online submission form. In completing the information, please be sure to highlight the benefits, key take aways and relevance to the marketplace. Proposals submitted are reviewed and critiqued according to specific criteria, including:

  • Relevance to the industry
  • Originality of content, and overall perceived quality of session content
  • Appropriate inclusion of a co-presenter
  • Timeliness of topic
  • A well-defined focus
  • Completeness of speaking proposal
  • Perceived take-away value for attendees
  • Speaking experience of presenters
  • Participant evaluations of presenter at previous BAI events, if applicable

How to Improve the Chance that Your Proposal is Accepted

To ensure your proposal ends up with the best possible chance for acceptance, please review your proposal before submitting and take a few moments to ask yourself:

  • Originality: Are the concepts being presented new or emerging thoughts? Has this presentation been made at other industry events? How can I make this as relevant as possible to the target audience?
  • Compelling Content: Am I offering a salient message, thought-provoking concept, or a controversial issue which has great appeal to attendees?
  • Use Clear, Concise Language: Is the focus and the relevance of the proposal clear? Is the value of the proposal readily understood?
  • Co-Presenter Recruitment: Am I able to bring a banker at minimum, as well as other un-biased industry experts (analysts, partners etc.) as a co-presenter? Case studies, with practical take aways are well received.
  • Avoid Sales Pitches: Have I ensured that I am not conveying commercial pitches for particular companies, products, or services? Any speaking proposal that may be perceived by an attendee as a "Sales Pitch" will not be selected
  • Case Studies: Am I able to provide real-life examples? Sessions involving case studies are typically the best attended, and receive the highest evaluation scores. People want to hear lessons learned and insights from their peers. Attendees expect and tend to rate highly strategic content that provides practical take-aways.
  • Educational Value Proposition: Is my session title clear and specific? Am I able to relate tangible benefits to specific market stakeholders and segments?
  • Direct, Bottom-line Implications: Can business relevance, ROI, metrics, and results be measured?
  • Take-Away Value: Am I able to offer a concrete technique, tool, practice or information that attendees can take back to their organizations?