Thank you for being a speaker at the ICMA Annual Conference. From this page, you can update your Speaker Profile, download the presentation template, upload your finished presentation, and get useful information about presenting at the ICMA Annual Conference.
Please visit icma.org/conference to view a full listing of events.
Speaker Profile (photo and bio)
DEADLINE: JULY 31, 2018
It’s very important that your information is up to date. Your name, title, etc. is pulled directly from your profile and will show on ICMA’s website as well as the conference app. Additionally, your photo and bio will show on ICMA’s app which is how most attendees navigate the conference so it's important that we have your correct information.
Upload your photo and bio by clicking on the button above. They must be uploaded in order to appear on the conference app. The link will take you to a sign-in page. As a speaker you are already in our system. If you do not have a password, type in your email address and hit “Forgot Password” in order to generate one.
PowerPoint Presentations and Handouts
DEADLINE: AUGUST 31, 2018
If you are using a PowerPoint presentation, please use the Baltimore PowerPoint conference template 2018 Annual Conference PowerPoint Template. You should already have received an email from “ICMA 104th Annual Conference 2018” with your username and password. If you have not received your username and password to access the site by August 15th, please contact your ICMA liaison. (*Don't forget to check your spam first!)
Upload Presentation
Please upload your PowerPoint presentation directly to our audiovisual company's (PSAV) site by August 31st by clicking on the button above. This presentation management system will ensure that your presentation is accessible from the computer in your session room. (ALWAYS bring a flashdrive "just in case.") Please also send your ICMA liaison a .pdf file of your PowerPoint presentation and electronic files for any other session handouts you have. In keeping with ICMA’s commitment to sustainability, no paper handouts will be printed for educational sessions. Instead, presentations and handouts will be posted on ICMA’s web site prior to the event and on the conference app, making it essential that speakers honor the deadline (August 31, 2018) for presentations and handouts.
Speaker Registration
All speakers must be registered for the conference. ICMA members should register and pay the fee for the appropriate member category. Nonmember speakers qualify for a complimentary registration and will be registered automatically by ICMA staff.
Other Information
Audio/Visual Equipment. Please inform your ICMA liaison about the A/V needs you will have for your presentation. We strongly discourage on-site A/V equipment requests, since they are extremely expensive and dependent on availability.
Audience Polling. ICMA will be using its conference app for speakers who would like to poll/survey the audience electronically during their sessions. If you have questions that you would like to ask the audience during the course of your presentations, please let your ICMA Liaison know. The questions and answers will appear on the app.
Social Media. We would like to start getting people excited about the conference even before the event begins! To that end, we are ramping up our efforts to use social media to engage people. You can start a conversation with your colleagues before the conference about your session and get them interested in attending. In addition, you can follow this year’s Annual Conference on Twitter at @ICMAEvents. Anyone wishing to tweet about the Annual Conference should use #icma2018 in your Twitter posts. If you are interested in blogging about your session, please let your ICMA liaison know.
Speaker Ready Room. Once you get to Baltimore, all speakers are REQUIRED to check in at the Speakers’ Ready Room (Room 215, Meeting Level of the Baltimore Convention Center). It is a place where you can meet with other panelists or test your A/V materials on the equipment provided. You can also make last minute changes to your presentation.
Virtual Conference. 16 educational sessions are part of ICMA's live-streaming Virtual Conference. Is yours one of them? Contact your ICMA liaison to be sure and get clear instructions.
Suggestions for Oral Presentations
Take the time to plan your presentation. Stick to the subject matter as outlined in the final program session description, which your ICMA liaison will share with you. Prepare an outline of your presentation for your ICMA liaison to review before it’s finalized. Have a conference call with other panelists before the conference and plan a meeting with them in San Antonio before the day of the session.
Limit your presentation to the time allotted to you. Rehearse your presentation and time it. The delivery of a presentation often takes longer than a rehearsal and the use of A/V adds time. Know what to omit if you must shorten your remarks. Give the other panelists equal time and allow plenty of time for Q&A.
Don’t read your presentation or speak too fast, but do speak loudly and clearly. ICMA members value informal, interactive sessions rather than academic presentations. Speak into the microphone and repeat questions from the audience if they aren’t made into a mike. Look at the audience as much as possible rather than at your notes. Be energetic!
Know your audience. ICMA members are top appointed (not elected) managers of cities, counties, towns, townships, boroughs, and COGs. As a catchall, we suggest that you use the term “local government” in your presentation. Provide examples that are practical, relevant, and specific for local government managers. At the beginning of your presentation, tell the audience why what you have to say is important to them and how it is going to affect their work.
Invite audience participation and questions throughout the program. You will be more involved with your audience and the exchange of ideas will be more comfortable. Encourage questions and involvement, but keep your answers brief.
No commercials, please! Your name, title, and organization will be listed in the conference program and can be included on handouts. Your best commercial is to deliver a relevant, timely session. Anything more explicit may be resented by ICMA members, who are sensitive to self promotion.
Virtual Conference. If your session is part of the Virtual Conference, be sure to acknowledge your virtual audience. Invite questions from them and look towards the camera from time to time so that they know you’re aware of their existence.
