Call for Presentations

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS

AFA is conducting a Call for Presentations for FENCETECH 2023 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, scheduled for February 28 through March 3, 2023.  Educational programming is conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 28 and March 1, 2023.  Presentations begin as early as 8:00 a.m. and run throughout the day, ending as late as 5:30 p.m.

All presenters who wish to be considered for FENCETECH should submit their presentation proposals by June 1, 2022.  All completed submissions will be peer-reviewed and the AFA 2023 educational program will be announced in August 2022. 

*PLEASE NOTE: We currently expect to hold FENCETECH 2023 in person, but arrangements are subject to change.  We will keep all of our speakers informed as the situation changes.

AFA is excited to continue offering conference tracks for 2023. The conference has always evolved in response to new challenges and opportunities facing the fence industry. These leading-edge tracks set a new standard for research and solutions that will shape the future of fencing. AFA is looking for a wide array of topics that are innovative, engaging, inspiring, and informative for fence and deck contractors across the USA. AFA’s goal is to offer relevant, timely education and training to help attendees do their jobs more effectively and make their businesses more successful. Conference attendees are interested in hearing the latest trends, installation techniques, and best practices from industry experts and peers. First-hand perspectives provide insight. Proposals should address contemporary or emerging issues confronting the fence profession.

• Business Management
  • Insurance
  • Business Law
  • Budgeting/Finance
  • Crisis Management and Contingency Planning
  • Efficiency and Productivity
  • Marketing/Advertising/Social Media
• Human Resources
  • Recruitment and retention
  • Personnel management
  • Essential HR Tools
• Sales
  • Networking
  • Managing the sales team
  • Techniques (Basics & Advanced)

• Installation Techniques & Updates
  • Gate automation
  • Schematics and blue print reading
  • Related to disciplines (chain link, wood, farm and ranch, ornamental iron, and vinyl)
  • Decks/Rails
  • Codes, standards and updates
• Technology
  • Lead generation
  • Accounting software
  • Apps for increased business productivity and profitability
  • Estimating / bidding software

ABOUT THE AUDIENCE

Participants are fence, deck and access control professionals. Participants include contractors, installers, business owners, upper management, sales staff — anyone charged with increasing performance in the workplace. Experience levels of the participants also vary from individuals new to the industry to seasoned veterans.

SPEAKER RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide high quality and engaging educational presentations.
• Engage attendees through audience participation and discussion.
• Ensure the presentation is not perceived as an infomercial (selling is not allowed; see additional info under Review Process / Evaluation Criteria).
• Promote your participation in the event using social media outlets.

ABOUT THE PROCESS

CONTENT

• A maximum of four proposals may be submitted by any one person within a calendar year.
• All proposals must be educational in nature — sales-oriented (infomercial) proposals will not be accepted or considered.  Draft presentations will be reviewed by AFA prior to the conference to confirm adherence to this policy.  AFA also collects audience feedback from all education sessions to monitor quality and appropriateness of the content presented. 
• Multiple presenters are welcome.  Each presentation should be submitted one time with the names and contact information of each additional presenter included.
• All proposals will go through a thorough review process with a volunteer Review Committee made up of industry professionals.
• AFA may record (audio, video of presentation slides, video of speakers, or any combination of these) presentations to share with its members via the internet and through other means.  Presenters may opt out of sharing/recording their presentation.

COMPENSATION

• AFA does not pay per diem, honoraria, or expenses for presenters.  All speakers are eligible for a complimentary Exhibits and Education registration package (details to be provided in the speaker agreement).  Where possible, AFA will help you gain added value through marketing, social media, and our various show publications.

AUDIO/VISUAL REQUIREMENTS

• Presenters to provide computer and/or mobile device, appropriate cable (HDMI preferred) to connect your device to our video/audio projection system, and any software required for the presentation.
• All presentation rooms will be set as theater or classroom style. A podium and head table is standard in each room. Additionally, the following AV equipment will be set in each room:
  • (1) LCD projector & screen
  • wireless presentation remote
  • audio speakers
  • (1) podium microphone
  • (1) table-top microphone for panelists
• AFA will not provide internet access to presenters.  It is highly recommended to download any media included in your presentation instead of streaming.
• Any additional requests will be considered at the discretion of the Conference Program Manager and the availability of such resources. Conference management will have a small number of adapter components available for your presentation device. If you have a unique adapter for your presentation device, please plan to provide your own.

PROMOTION

• Event is promoted in printed brochures; in Attendee Brochure and Fencepost, and in Across the Fence e-newsletter; and via emails to the FENCETECH universe of subscribers, attendees and members. Additional event advertising and editorial is placed in related trade publications.

HOW TO SUBMIT

AFA uses the descriptions and wording you provide in your application to promote your session in marketing materials, programs, and social media, so please be sure to answer the questions completely and thoughtfully.

 

The deadline to submit is Wednesday, June 1, 2022. Please complete the submission form to provide your information and proposed topic details for consideration, which will include the following:

• Presenter contact information.
• Presenter bio focused on qualifications to present this information, including previous conference experience.
• Links to sample video presentation(s) if available.
• Presentation level, intended audience, topic/track category, type and length.
• Specific, descriptive title (15-word limit).
• Concise, clear and jargon-free description of the theme/purpose of presentation (75-word limit).  Your description is the primary marketing tool for your presentation.  It should be directed toward your intended audience and clearly state the benefits of attending.
• A minimum of 3 performance-based learning objectives.
• Deadline to submit is Wednesday, June 1, 2022.

Submissions that do not include all of the above criteria will not be considered.

 

REVIEW PROCESS / EVALUATION CRITERIA

All presentations are peer-reviewed by AFA members. Reviewers will consider the following:

• Does the topic address a contemporary fence, deck or access control issue?
• Can the presented information apply to different-sized businesses and a diverse audience?
• Is the topic unique and information not available through other sources?
• Is the presentation description clear and concise? Can attendees easily tell what to expect by reading it?
• Are the learning objectives clear and can be met in the allotted time?
• Does the presentation support AFA’s high standards and reputation for the best conference presentations?
• Are the proposed speakers qualified to instruct the presentation topic?
• If the presentation is focused on a specific audience, is there a proposed speaker from that audience? For example, is it an attorney speaking in a legal presentation or business owner speaking at a business owner level presentation? The audience wants to learn from its peers and gain first-hand knowledge from those who have experienced the material or information presented.
• AFA does not allow the promotion of products and services during educational presentations. Speakers can talk about products and services that have been used to solve a problem or address the presentation topic. Whenever possible, presenters should suggest alternative products and services as well.

Reviewers evaluate the submissions based upon quality and criteria noted above. Top recommendations will then be evaluated by AFA leadership to ensure the entire educational program is well-balanced.

NOTIFICATION

Your proposal is valued and will be carefully considered by our review committee. Decisions will be made and communicated to all FENCETECH submitters no later than August 31, 2022. We appreciate all submissions and if you are not selected for these upcoming programs, we welcome you to submit again for the following year.