Keep blogging on the topics you want to speak about. So if you want to speak about X, blog at least once a month about things related to X.
Find out who is doing the speaker selections (even if they are just shortlisting) for the conference. Try and find a way to 'meet' them (this may be online). Find if they have a blog, and comment thoughtfully on their blog. If it's a yearly conference, go to the conference and seek them out and introduce yourself. Go to a session on the topic you want to talk about, and get up, introduce yourself (it feels tacky and awkward, but comes across as very professional) and then ask an intelligent question that will help the presenter cover an aspect they maybe didn't get time to cover. Ideally not a 'gotcha' question.
The aim is that when your submission is on that persons desk, they immediately have a picture in their head of who you are, what you know, and that you can write coherently on the topic at hand.
I followed this prescription and went from nobody wanting me to doing several invited user groups per year and speaking at at least one big conference per year, and also being invited to deliver webinars with quite large audiences.
Finally, don't mess up your big chance when you get it, and beg the attendees to put in evaluation forms if they are there. Hand out candy if you have to.
Find out who is doing the speaker selections (even if they are just shortlisting) for the conference. Try and find a way to 'meet' them (this may be online). Find if they have a blog, and comment thoughtfully on their blog. If it's a yearly conference, go to the conference and seek them out and introduce yourself. Go to a session on the topic you want to talk about, and get up, introduce yourself (it feels tacky and awkward, but comes across as very professional) and then ask an intelligent question that will help the presenter cover an aspect they maybe didn't get time to cover. Ideally not a 'gotcha' question.
The aim is that when your submission is on that persons desk, they immediately have a picture in their head of who you are, what you know, and that you can write coherently on the topic at hand.
I followed this prescription and went from nobody wanting me to doing several invited user groups per year and speaking at at least one big conference per year, and also being invited to deliver webinars with quite large audiences.
Finally, don't mess up your big chance when you get it, and beg the attendees to put in evaluation forms if they are there. Hand out candy if you have to.