CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS

NOMMA is conducting a Call for Presentations for upcoming virtual and in-person events. 

VIRTUAL EVENTS
Webinar presentations are scheduled throughout the year.  All completed submissions for webinars are peer-reviewed on a rolling basis; if your session is accepted as a webinar, staff will reach out to confirm and schedule. 

IN-PERSON EVENTS

Our next planned in-person event is METALfab in Nashville, Tennessee, scheduled for February 23-26, 2021. Educational programming is conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 23 and 24, 2021. 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 METALfab should submit their presentation proposals by July 31, 2020.  All completed submissions will be peer-reviewed and the NOMMA 2021 educational program will be announced in September 2020.  

*PLEASE NOTE: We currently expect to hold METALfab 2021 in person, but arrangements are subject to change depending on COVID-19.  We will keep all of our speakers informed as the situation changes.

NOMMA is excited to offer conference tracks for 2021. The conference has always evolved in response to new challenges and opportunities facing the ornamental and miscellaneous metals industry. These leading-edge tracks set a new standard for research and solutions that will shape the future of the industry. NOMMA is looking for a wide array of topics that are innovative, engaging, inspiring, and informative for the metalworking industry across the USA. NOMMA’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 metalworking profession.

·         Business Management

o    Insurance

o    Business Law

o    Budgeting/Finance

o    Crisis Management and Contingency Planning

o    Efficiency and Productivity

o    Marketing/Advertising/Social Media

·         Human Resources

o    Recruitment and retention

o    Personnel management

o    Essential HR Tools

·         Sales

o    Networking

o    Managing the sales team

o    Techniques (Basics & Advanced)

·         Installation Techniques & Updates

o    Gate automation

o    Schematics and blue print reading

o    Anchoring

o    Decks/Rails

o    Codes, standards and updates

·         Technology

o    Lead generation

o    Accounting software

o    Apps for increased business productivity and profitability

o    Estimating / bidding software

ABOUT THE AUDIENCE

Participants are ornamental, miscellaneous metals, and access control professionals. Participants include fabricators, 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 NOMMA prior to the conference to confirm adherence to this policy. NOMMA 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.

·         NOMMA 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

·         NOMMA does not pay per diem, honoraria, or expenses for presenters. NOMMA will offer a discount on full registration packages and details will be outlined in the speaker agreement. Where possible, NOMMA will help you gain added value through marketing, social media, and our various show publications.

AUDIO/VISUAL REQUIREMENTS FOR VIRTUAL EVENTS

·         NOMMA uses GoToWebinar as its webinar platform. 

·         NOMMA staff will provide training and a technical run-through prior to the actual webinar.

·         To minimize lag and buffering, NOMMA recommends minimizing other activity on your network during your presentation and downloading any incorporated video or other media rather than streaming.

AUDIO/VISUAL REQUIREMENTS FOR IN-PERSON EVENTS

·         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:

o    (1) LCD projector & screen

o    wireless presentation remote

o    audio speakers

o    (1) podium microphone

o    (1) table-top microphone for panelists

·         NOMMA will not provide internet access to presenters.  The Music City Center in Nashville provides free wireless internet in the meeting space that is designed for typical web surfing and checking emails.  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 Fabricator Magazine, and in Newswire e-newsletter; and via emails to the METALfab subscribers, attendees and members. Additional event advertising and editorial is placed in related trade publications.

HOW TO SUBMIT

NOMMA 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 Friday, July 31, 2020. 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 Friday, July 31, 2020.

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

REVIEW PROCESS / EVALUATION CRITERIA

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

·         Does the topic address a contemporary industry 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 NOMMA’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.

·         NOMMA 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 NOMMA 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 METALfab submitters no later than September 2020. Webinar submitters will be notified on a rolling basis.  We appreciate all submissions and if you are not selected for these upcoming programs, we welcome you to submit again for the following year.