Selection Process

Submissions are reviewed by PHCC staff and subject matter experts. During the process, we vet the potential speaker and the content, not the speaker’s company or organization. PHCC expects the speaker to honor his or her commitment to present the proposed session as presented at the time of acceptance.

The proposals are evaluated in whole or in part on the following criteria:

• Topic is timely and will attract attendees
• Abstract and title of the session clearly demonstrates the session intent
• Learning objectives and learning level are well-defined
• Attendees will able to apply what they’ve learned in their professional roles
• Subject matter is cutting-edge or presents new ideas, presented in a creative and engaging way
• Context of the issues including real-world case studies, examples, and stories
• Potential for interactive participation for the audience
• Speaker presentation skills and experience
• Speaker is knowledgeable, engaging and experienced on the topic submitted
• Description does not contain overt and covert commercialism
• Overall high quality of the written proposal

Title (max 100 characters)

This is an attendees first impression of your presentation. Is it informative and engaging? Is it active, i.e., what, exactly, is the takeaway? Does it accurately reflect the session topic? Is it short and to the point (the title does not have to explain everything they will learn, that’s the job of the description)?

Session Description (max 125 words)

A well‐written description clearly identifies the purpose and intent of the session. It also piques the interest of the attendee and encourages them to attend your session. An effective description should: highlight the content and the learner outcomes (what will they learn); clarify the relevancy of the topic (why they need to know it); and highlight the benefits of attending the session (what they will be able to do with this information).

Presenter Types

• Presenter – a presenter shares explanations of a given topic in an information session
• Facilitator – a facilitator guides group discussion and/or decision making
• Moderator – guides a group of subject matter experts (panelists) and audience participation in a discussion or information session
• Panelist – one of multiple topic experts chosen to share knowledge in a moderated discussion

Session Format

• Panel Discussion with Q&A: moderated discussion by panel members with audience questions addressed. Presenter types: moderator, panelist
• Case Study: presenter discusses a real‐life problem and/or solution to a problem and invites audience participation. Case study content must be 80% of content presented. Presenter types: presenter
• Idea Exchange: moderator leads a discussion among participants. Presenter types: moderator, facilitator

Target Audience

Who benefits most from being in the room? You will be able to check all that apply.

• New construction 
• Service and repair 
• Signatory 
  

Target Industry

Who is this session best suited for? You will be able to check all that apply.

• Plumbing professionals
• HVAC professionals
• Union
• Rising Leaders (Next Gen)
• All

Content Level

You will be asked to indicate the complexity of the content. You will only be able to select one level.

• Basic
• Intermediate
• Advanced

Proposed Track

Please select the track that best fits your session proposal. The examples for each track are general ideas and are not intended to be exhaustive.

• Business Management – planning, organizing, staffing, leading or directing, operations, and controlling an organization.
• Leadership – driving successful teams, leading multigenerational teams, communicating as a leader not a manager, leadership and business growth.
• Next Gen(eration) – setting up the next generation for success, exploring insights, trends, and challenges in engaging and attracting the next gen audience.
• Sales/Marketing – cultivating repeat customers, building your brand, boosting sales, customer testimonials, social media.
• Soft Skills – addressing those soft skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, listening, time management, communication, etc that are desirable and needed in all professions
• Technology – latest technology trends, green living, improving customer health and comfort, streamlining everyday business practices, streamlining the fleet.
• Other – content that is relevant to the industry but not indicated in any other proposed track.

Three (3) Learning Objectives

Learning objectives show the measurable outcomes of the session. Learning objectives are best expressed through active verbs such as: learn, discover, establish, assess, identify, examine, construct, etc. Tip: when developing your learning objectives, complete the following sentence: “after this session, attendees will know…, or will know how to.., or can confidently discuss…” 

Presenter Details

You will need to provide the following information for EACH SPEAKER:

• Brief Bio (recommended max 75 words) – bios are brief, in paragraph form and focus on credentials and professional expertise in the topic being proposed. All presenters must submit a bio.
• Headshot – headshots should be high res.
• Contact information – Email, phone, company must be included. You may also included information for one other person that will need to be notified (such as an assistant). Notifications include status notification, task notifications, due date notifications, other notifications as needed.

Good luck. We look forward to receiving your submission.

What are the important dates for submitting a topic for CONNECT23?

1. Call for Proposals – October 5, 2022 through April 7, 2023
2. Notification of Acceptance or Rejection of Submission – May 15-19, 2023
3. Speaker Confirmation – by June 2, 2023. If your submission is accepted, you must confirm that you will present no later than June 2, 2023 or the slot may be given away. Confirmation should be sent to salati@naphcc.org.

Does PHCC pay speakers?

PHCC does not pay speaker fees or compensate for travel. Speakers are also responsible for making their own travel arrangements. PHCC does hold a block of hotel rooms with discounted conference pricing that speakers may take advantage of. Hotel information can be found on the PHCCCONNECT website.

When will I know if my proposal is selected?

All submitters should expect to hear from us in late May with the status of your submission(s). We will include important information such as whether your proposal was accepted, requirements, etc. and any action items needed before PHCCCONNECT2023 (CONNECT).

How are sessions selected?

A group of staff and volunteers are tasked with reviewing all proposals received. Final selections are based on interest of topic, relevancy to industry, and quality of submission.

Do I have to be a member to present a session?

No but preference is given to PHCC members and exhibiting companies. For information on becoming a
member please visit https://www.phccweb.org/membership/.

What if I need to make a change to my submission?

Submitters will not be allowed to make changes once the Call for Presentations has closed. If you have a change that could impact whether or not your submission could be selected such as adding a speaker, changing the description, etc. please email salati@naphcc.org.

Selected speakers can make minor changes to their sessions once the status notifications are sent. If changes to the program are substantial and no longer reflect the topic and spirit of the accepted session PHCC reserves the right to decline the session.

Can I submit multiple proposals/Can I submit to multiple tracks?

You should not submit the same proposal multiple times as this will not increase your likelihood of getting your session chosen. Submit to the one track that best fits your topic. Duplicate abstracts will be deleted and only the first submission will be considered.

Our staff and volunteers will be looking at the quality of each individual proposal, rather than the number submitted by a particular speaker, company, etc.

You may submit abstracts in up to two (2) tracks. The submissions must be on different topics and, one, if any, will be accepted. We have limited slots so make sure you are focusing on the quality of your proposal before submitting.

Will I receive a complimentary registration to speak?

Speakers will receive a complimentary registration for the day of the presentation to PHCCCONNECT2023.

Do I have to confirm participation?

YES! All accepted speakers must confirm participation no later than Friday, June 2, 2023. Because we have more submissions than space available – if we do not hear from a submitter by the June 2, 2023 deadline a replacement may be invited to take the slot.

What if I miss the submission deadline?

A conference is a major event and the program is one of the most important parts of the conference. Late submissions impact the conference program, marketing, scheduling, etc. Once the Call is closed, the system will not allow any further submissions. This helps us stay on track and guarantees we will have the program set in time for members to view the program and make important conference decisions.