ICMA is pleased that you will be participating in the educational program at ICMA's Annual Confersence in San Antonio/Bexar County, Texas, October 22-25, 2017. From this page, you can update your Speaker Profile, download the presentation template and upload your finished presentation, and get useful information about presenting at the ICMA Conference.
Please visit icma.org/conference to view a full listing of events.
Speaker Profile (photo and bio)
Deadline September 15, 2017
It's very important that your information is up to date. Your name, title, etc., will show on ICMA's website. Additionally, your photo and bio will show on ICMA's app which is how most conference attendees navigate the conference. Upload your photo and bio by clicking on the button above. They must be uploaded in order to appear. The link will take you to a sign-in page. As a speaker, you are already in ICMA's system. If you do not have a password, type in your email address and hit "Forgot Password" to generate one.
PowerPoint Presentations and Handouts
Deadline September 29, 2017
If you are using a PowerPoint presentation, please use the San Antonio template for the title slide (2017 Annual Conference Presentation Template.pptx) . You will receive an email from "ICMA 103rd Annual Conference" which is generated by our A/V company. (Note: These are not the same credentials used to update your speaker profile.) Contact your ICMA liaison if you have not received these credentials by the end of July.
Please also send a PDF of your PowerPoint presentation and electronic files for any other handouts you have. These will be uploaded to ICMA's website and app prior to the conference for use by our attendees. In keeping with ICMA's commitment to sustainability, no paper handouts will be printed. The makes it essential that speakers honor the deadline of September 29, 2017 for all presentations and handouts.
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.
Speaker Ready Room
Once you get to San Antonio, all speakers are REQUIRED to check in at the Speakers’ Ready Room (Room 215, Meeting Room Level of the Henry B. González 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.
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 #icma2017 in your Twitter posts. If you are interested in blogging about your session, please let your ICMA liaison know.
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.
