📬The Outreach Process

As part of Phase 2, you will be reaching out a minimum of 15 speakers* each week. This will take place from mid-October to mid-November.

What it will look like:

1. Research potential speakers. Check what's happening in our community, explore what's interesting to you, look for ideas worth spreading.

2. Every time you find a speaker, send them an email/LinkedIn message/any other professional medium with this email template. (remember, you don't have to think they'd be perfect to give a TEDx Talk -- you are simply exploring and getting to know them before you actually select a speaker).

3. Update your speaker tracker with their information.

4. Did you hear back? CC me with their response. If they declined invitation, send them a thank you note using this template.

5. Schedule a call with them using this template and get to know them. Ask them about their life experiences, stories, and what they would want to give a potential talk about.

To guide your call, you can ask these questions:

• What's a controversy in your field that a general audience would understand?

• What's a common misconception you'd love to clear up?

• Why is this idea important, and to whom?

• Who would disagree with you, and why?

• How did you carry out this idea in your own work?

• What's the big idea behind your new project? How did you sell that idea to funders and collaborators?

1. Write down notes for all calls and deposit them in this Teams folder here. Bullet point notes are fine!

2. Update speaker tracker with post-call remarks. Did anything stand out?

3. Repeat for 15 speakers/week.

Post-call:

If you like them and want to keep them in consideration: Remember what stood out for that potential speaker. Write it down somewhere. Send them a post-call email using this template.

If you didn't like them: Don't fret, you didn't waste your time. Send them an email with this template here.