Speaker Resources

Welcome APC Speakers!

Thank you for your commitment to speak at the Administrative Professionals Conference. As the conference approaches we hope this page provides you with everything you need for a successful conference.

Please review the Speaker Guidelines below before you complete the forms and your presentation.

Deadlines

Important deadlines for the APC.  Please use these links to complete / upload the requested information.

NOW DUE: Send signed Speaker Agreement,  Submit APC Session/Topic Information form & review Speaker Guidelines.

JULY 22: Submit Speaker Materials- Onsite Needs form

JULY 29: Submit Workshop Workbooks (workshop speakers only)

AUGUST 12: Submit PPT Presentations & Presentation Materials (session speakers)

Travel

HOTEL: APC staff will book your hotel for you based on your flight dates. IF your dates are different than your flight dates, please notify Sam or Heidi.

AIR: Please book flights by June 30th. 

** Per your Speaker Agreement, you are responsible for all ground transportation fees.

Downloads

Please upload the following to your Session Confirmation form.

• W9 form – must be returned for payments to be processed
• Electronic Payment Authorization – for direct deposit
• Presentation Templates
  • PPT Standard
  • PPT Widescreen

PRESENTATION GUIDELINES AND FAQ’S

Concurrent Session Presentation & Materials, Onsite & A/V Needs

All presentations and session materials must be submitted via the APC & EAS Presentation Materials form (PowerPoint or PDF). Per your speaker agreement, we require that all speakers submit presentations in advance to be available for attendees to download and take notes on.

• Session presentations will be posted in our Mobile App, so attendees can download before and after the conference in the app or via their web browser. All presentations will be protected and only available to our attendees.

We will not print handouts for attendees this year, in an effort to minimize touchpoints. If there are materials attendees need to complete during your session, in an interactive exercise, please upload them with your session materials.

July 22: AV & Onsite needs must be submitted through the onsite needs form.

August 12: Presentations due (PPT, session handouts)

Pre/Post Conference Workshop Presentations & Materials

Due: July 29th.

Please upload your slides and/or materials in Speaker Materials form. Workbooks may be submitted in PowerPoint, PDF or Word (only if providing additional materials above and beyond your slide presentation).

• Workshop materials are printed and given to attendees in the pre/ post conference workshop rooms, therefore workbook materials are required. These will NOT be posted online.
• Our staff cannot edit materials – they must be submitted ready to reproduce. It is also imperative that you number your pages to ensure that they will be in the correct order.
• Workbooks will be printed in black and white.
• Materials should be legible, accurate, and in good condition so that they can be duplicated.
• Workbooks should include approximately four pages for each hour of presentation. Bibliographies, checklists, and other take-home resource materials are always appreciated.

Presentation Expectations

Audience:  APC attendees are seasoned admins and senior in their field. They work primarily for large corporations or institutions. Most have some college; many are degreed. The great majority work for executives or senior managers. 97% of attendees are female; however, we do not want male attendees to feel either left out or singled out. Your audience will NOT be entry-level admins. This is particularly true of participants in our Executive Assistants’ Summit. The EA Summit is essentially a conference within a conference. Attendees at the EA Summit work primarily for C Suite Executives, and many of them guide or supervise other admins.

• Please check the day and times of your presentation carefully. Remember: APC Monday and Tuesday sessions repeat.

• Your presentation should present practical, relevant information for the attendees, based on the content description. Please deliver the program as described on the marketing material or APC website. Attendees chose their session(s) based on that description.

• Sessions should be as interactive and engaging as possible. However, given the time constraints, all participatory exercises should be highly structured. Use examples and illustrations that your audience can relate to.

• Please keep your introductory comments brief – our attendees are eager to dive in and make the most of their time! We have found that attendees do not receive sessions well that start with a “talk among your selves” networking activity. Please be sure to get to the heart of your presentation quickly. Your attendees are eager to learn techniques and get information that they can take back to work and use.

• If you are presenting more than one topic during the conference, please be aware that members of your audience will be in both of your sessions. We have had feedback periodically that presenters used the same stories or content in multiple sessions. Content for each session should be unique.

• Your presentation should be timed accurately and adhere to the scheduled time on the program and your contracted agreement, and respect the scheduled start and end times. Attendees want to garner as much information as possible in the designated time slot. The breaks between each session are designed to allow time for necessary refreshment or restroom breaks, meals, or sufficient time to walk to their next destination. Running overtime interferes with the overall schedule.

• Be mindful of the diversity of our audience. We are thrilled to see so many different companies, different industries, different backgrounds, race, gender, age, etc. Our attendees have gone through rigorous lengths to get to the APC and all deserve respect and high-level and high-quality training.
• Attendees look for sessions that are beyond basic and are a “deeper dive.” We know this can be difficult to gauge with a diverse audience; however, we ask that you take care to use most of your time to present “how to” skills, shortcuts and techniques as opposed to background or general information on the topic. Remember: your audience are very experienced admins and assistants.

STANDARD ROOM & A/V SETUP

Room setups will vary.

Each meeting room will have an LCD projector, Screen and Wireless Lavaliere Microphone. You must bring your laptop and any connectors/dongles to use for your presentation. If you prefer a slide advancer, please bring your own. If you are using something other than a standard PC, please inform us ahead of time

INTERNET: Attendees will have access to wireless internet. However, there is limited bandwidth, and some hands-on sessions and workshops will need it to run effectively. If it is not essential that your attendees go online with their smart phones or laptops during the session, please refrain from suggesting that they do so. Please also refrain from operating in an online environment during your presentation unless it is essential. Please design your presentation with that in mind.

FAQs

How early do I have to arrive before my session?

Please arrive 20 minutes prior to the start of your session.

Will attendees evaluate my session?

Yes. Attendees will complete an evaluation after each session, and the results help inform our future topics and speaker selection.

What is the conference attire?

Professional business attire is required when delivering presentations.

Will there be internet in my conference session room?

There will be wireless internet available for the presenters that require it. For technology sessions: if you need strong bandwidth, please notify us via the AV form.

What is the standard AV in the conference room?
Each meeting room will have an LCD projector, Screen and Wireless Lavaliere Microphone. For the greatest ease and success, presenters must bring their own laptop and any connectors/dongles to use for your presentation. If you prefer a slide advancer, please bring your own that is compatible with your laptop.

How will my session room be set-up?
Room setup varies by room.

If you have a specific request for room set up, please note that in the Speaker Portal. Do be aware, however, that the hotel staffing and the schedule may not allow us to meet your request. In most cases, we are not able to shift room sets between sessions.

What is the overall goal of the conference?
Executive Assistants and Administrative Professionals are among an organization’s most vital assets. No longer the office worker of yesteryear, today’s administrative staff must be multi-skilled, versatile and ready to adapt to new roles and greater responsibilities. Yet current research shows that many, if not most, admins are not receiving the training they need to grow and succeed. What’s more, the need for training goes beyond the traditional skills such as technology, travel planning, and event management; a majority of managers agree that project management, leadership, communication, and management skills are equally vital. The APC offers admins powerful career development strategies. You will equip today’s administrative staff with the essential strategies, skills, and tools they need to meet the fast-changing challenges of today’s leaner organizations. Admins attending APC will:

• Help organizations retain their best administrative professionals and prepare future stars
• Upgrade their current skills, while mastering new must-have skills
• Train them in competencies most critical for them to be effective in their roles
• Help admins learn how to take initiative and anticipate managers’ needs
• Motivate them to set higher goals and achieve superior results
• Empower them, instill confidence, and encourage a can-do attitude
• Validate their worth to you and your organization – your investment in their training and career development speaks volumes to them about their vital role in the organization

Who can I contact with questions?

Sam Fournelle sfournelle@divcom.com 207-842-5407

THANK YOU

Thank you for joining us as a presenter at the APC – we are confident that your contributions will be nothing less than excellent! We look forward to seeing you in Orlando, FL. Warmest regards, APC Conference Team