Speaker Checklist

As a speaker there are a number of items ELFA needs from you to announce your presence at our conference, prepare your session and properly market our conferences in general. Below is a general list of items which need to be completed by each speaker. The remainder of this web page explains each item in detail.

• Upload Speaker Bio & Photo
• Submit Electronic Speaker Information Form
• Download ELFA PowerPoint template
• Submit Handout Materials
• Register for Conference

Due dates for these items are based on individual conferences. View Speaker Due Dates.

Speaker Biography and Photo

Your speaker biography should be relatively short, perhaps two paragraphs. This information may be used on the event web site and your moderator will use this to introduce you. Therefore, write your bio in a manner that sounds appropriate when read aloud. Lengthy biographical information about each presenter is discouraged. You want to give the audience a sense of who you are, what your current responsibilities are and what your credentials are…as succinctly as possible. Download sample speaker bio.

How & Where to Upload Your Speaker Biography and Photo

Your bio and photo are linked to your ELFA Member Profile and will be available for any conference where you are speaking. This will further promote your session and you as a guest speaker on the conference websites. Please upload your headshot and your bio to the ELFA web site by following the directions below:

1. Login to the ELFA website
2. Click on ACCOUNT TOOLS in the upper right hand corner of the web site.
3. On the Account Tools page, under MY ACCOUNT, you will find two options "Add/Edit My Profile Picture" and "Add/Edit My Bio."
   
   This is where you will upload a photo and your biography information. Click on each option, "Add/Edit My Profile Picture" and "Add/Edit My Bio" individually and follow the directions to complete each process.

Handout Materials & PowerPoint Template

Download the ELFA Power Point Template

In an effort to create a more uniform style of conference presentation, ELFA has created a PowerPoint presentation template for our speaker's use. If you are planning on using a PowerPoint presentation, it is mandatory that you use the ELFA PowerPoint presentation template. You may download the template via the link above.

To help attendees properly prepare for their experience at an ELFA event, ELFA will post speaker handout materials to the ELFA Conference Resource Center approximately 1 - 2 weeks prior to the event your presentation materials also will be available through the ELFA Events mobile app. Deadline dates for submission of these materials will vary for each ELFA event. View the deadlines for individual conferences.

Your handout materials will be converted to a PDF file before they are posted online. This will prevent individuals from tampering with or otherwise using your information inappropriately. Your PowerPoint presentation/handout materials will not be posted on the ELFA website without your express permission. The Electronic Speaker Information Form contains questions addressing this issue.

Please note: only original material developed by you or your company will be posted as handout materials. If you plan to distribute already published material as part of your handout, we will not post this on the ELFA website unless you have obtained written permission from the publisher. We can, however, create links from the ELFA website to other sites on the web that pertain to the issues you are presenting. Please be sure to include that information when submitting your handout materials.

Recording of Sessions

ELFA now records most sessions at our conferences for attendees to view after the conference has concluded. The recorded sessions are housed on the Conference Resource Center (CRC) for attendees to log-in and view at their leisure.

As a speaker, you have the ability to allow or deny the recording of your session when you complete the Electronic Speaker Information Form. Please be sure to submit an Electronic Speaker Information Form for your session.

Audio Visual & Internet

As standard practice, ELFA provides an LCD projector, viewing screen, podium and microphone in each session room at all conferences. Speakers are responsible for PROVIDING YOUR OWN LAPTOPS at all sessions.

If you require additional items for your presentation, please make note of those requirements within the Speaker Information Form mentioned above.

ATTENTION: All LCD projectors in session rooms are equipped with one VGA connection cord. Please check your laptop and make sure you have a VGA port. View a sample photo of a VGA port. If you do not have a VGA port (many new laptops do not) please be sure to bring a VGA to HDMI connector. ELFA has a few of these connectors available at conferences, but not enough for all speakers.

Planning, Preparing and Delivering

Every year, several thousand individuals attend ELFA events. In addition to the outstanding networking opportunities available at these meetings, attendees appreciate and expect that the sessions they attend will be well planned and thought provoking with significant take-home value. The following guide has been compiled to help you plan, prepare and deliver a professional presentation. Even if you are a seasoned speaker or facilitator, we urge you to take a few moments to review the contents within this document.

• Download Guidelines

Social media is playing an increasingly important role in the equipment finance industry and more ELFA member companies than ever are establishing a presence on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and other social sites.

• Announce your presentation on your personal social media channels. ELFA has a web page to explain many of the more popular social media tools.
• We have pre-arranged hashtags for all of our conferences. Access the ELFA conference hashtags.

Speaker & Committee Registration Policy

1. The registration fee is not waived for ELFA Committee members. However, Committee members pay ½ the conference registration fee, not the full fee. Please note: committee members pay ½ the conference registration fee even if they attend for only part of the conference.
2. The conference* registration fee will be waived for a speaker if:
   1. The speaker attends the conference/seminar only on the day on which he/she is speaking, and does not plan to attend any sessions/events on any other day of the conference/seminar.
   2. The speaker is from outside the leasing industry (consultant, professor, etc.) and would not ordinarily attend the conference.
3. A conference* speaker will pay ½ the ELFA member registration fee if he/she attends for more than the day his/her presentation is made.
4. A conference* speaker or committee member is required to pay any additional registration fees, such as golf or tennis fees, where applicable.
5. A conference* speaker may attend all meal functions, social events and presentations on the day of his/her presentation only.

* The Speaker & Committee Registration Policy does not pertain to the following ELFA events: ELFA Annual Convention, ELFA National Funding Conference and the Best Practices Roundtables.