What to include in every call

Wondering what information you should include in your call? Here's our checklist of the key pieces of information every call should have. (You can really never have too much information, though, so consider these the minimum.)

• Submission deadline (Yes, we have seen numerous calls that neglect to mention the date submissions are due. If you don't have one, set one. People need to know how much time they have or they may never even begin to work on their proposals.)
• Purpose / theme (Don't assume everyone knows exactly what the call is about. Assume instead that this is their first time to hear about it. At a minimum, give them a general description of what you're looking for. If possible, provide a list of specific topics.)
• Qualifications (Let people know up front if there are any requirements they must meet—like being a member of your association—in order to respond to your call. If the call is open, be sure to mention that, too.)
• Contact information (There will be questions. Don't make it difficult for people to get answers. Always include contact information so they can easily reach you with questions, comments, or concerns.)
• Examples (This isn't absolutely necessary, but examples of previous submissions are a terrific way to show people what works—or doesn't work.)

For conferences, you should also include the conference dates and location. That way, people can determine whether they can attend.

Lastly, if the information for your call is on your Web site (which it should be), try to keep it all on one page. Not only does it make it easier to find information, it also makes it easier for people to print it all out.

New Feature: Test Mode

Call administrators now have the option of testing a call in ProposalSpace before making it live.

Here's how it works:

1. Once your call is complete (has all the information required for activation), you simply click a button to place it in "test mode".
2. The system automatically generates a special URL, which you and your testers use to create and submit test proposals.
3. Administrators, review chairs and reviewers have full access to the call—as if it were active—for three days.
4. After three days, the call is automatically taken out of test mode. If you need more time, just let us know. We'll be glad to extend the test period.
5. Any data entered during the testing period is automatically deleted when you activate the call.

Word's Hidden Costs

You should never distribute your call as a Word file for people to fill out and send back to you. It might seem like a fast, easy solution—especially for smaller calls—but it will end up costing you more than you think.

Here are just some of the challenges you face using Word:

• Although Word is ubiquitous, different versions and platforms mean you can't be certain everyone who downloads your file is going to be able to open it, edit it and send it back to you without compatibility issues.
• You can include pages of instructions and use highlighting and colorful text to draw attention to required fields, but you're still going to have to review every submission to make sure it was filled out properly.
• You'll need an iron-clad organizational plan to track every submission you receive, including revisions.
• Most authors expect an acknowledgment that their submission made it safely into your hands. You'll need to send a confirmation email for every submission you receive.
• Any file you get back could be carrying something you don't want on your computer. You'll need to make sure you scan every submission for viruses and other malware.
• You'll need to back up every file you receive on a regular basis in case something bad happens to your computer or network.

Using Word to distribute your call might make sense because it's easy to use, readily available and basically free (if you've already got a license). But once you start to receive submissions, the costs—especially time costs—really start to add up.

First Impressions

How many times have you heard someone say (or have said yourself): "This food is terrible. Try it."?

Well, that's the impression we got when we came across a recent call for abstracts that included 25 pages of instructions explaining how to use their online submission system.

Think about the message that sends to potential submitters. How many are going to look forward to submitting an abstract when they're being told—quite clearly—that not only is the first bite going to be hard to swallow, but that if they're selected, the rest of the process is probably going to be just as bad?

No submission process should require reams of instructions. But that's beside the point. The real point is this: Your call is often your first impression with potential submitters. Don't waste it turning people off.

4 Tips for Getting Announcement Emails Noticed

The most important part of any email is the subject line. Think of it as the "packaging" for your message. Not only should it summarize the contents, it must also pique the recipient's interest enough to make him want to open the message to find out more.

So why do so many conferences send out call notices with uninteresting subject lines like "Annual Meeting Call for Speakers Now Open" or "Call for Speakers - Annual Meeting"? Are call announcements an exception to the rule? Of course not. While it may be easy to get people who are already excited about speaking at your conference to open up an email from you, those aren't the people you need to worry about. They've already committed to action. Instead, you should be focused on people who don't know about your conference or who might be on the fence about responding to your call.

Here are some tips for engaging those people:

• Keep it short. The more words you use, the more likely your message will be muddled. Keep the details for the body of the message.
• Define value. Tell the recipient up front what he gets out of opening the message.
• Convey urgency. People are far more likely to act when there's a deadline.
• Personalize. Keep the focus on the recipient.

How Not to Write a Call for Papers

Dr. Jody Byrne has received quite a few calls for papers over the years. One he received recently, however, really caught his attention... for all the wrong reasons.

As Dr. Byrne points out, "Calls for papers are supposed to inspire, encourage and explain. All this one does is bombard you with jargon, vague descriptions and non-explanations and then give you a bit of a headache."

Have you ever received a particularly bad call for papers? What stood out about it? What could have made it better?

Tweet Archive

For anyone who wants to capture and archive tweets from a conference, you might want to check out TweetNotes.

What makes the app so special? For one thing, it's free. It also lets you:

• Add context by incorporating content, like slides and handouts.
• Organize multiple sessions under one meeting space.
• Visualize participants.
• Embed in blogs, Web sites, etc.
• Archive activity for future reference.

The developers say they're planning a lot more features, including additional collaboration tools. We're not sure how they plan to monetize it, so it might not be the best option for mission-critical applications, but definitely worth looking into.