Call for Speakers - CLOSED

Learn More about Speaking at Retail's BIG Show

Did you know that Retail's BIG Show has more than 130 education programs and more than 25,500 attendees? Don’t miss out...be a part of the excitement!

What is the timeline for program submission and approval?

The approximate timeline for submitting session ideas for the 2013 Annual Convention, EXPO and Pavilion Stage is as follows:

Who should submit a proposal?

Industry experts, practitioners and those interested in advancing the retail industry are encouraged to submit a session proposal for Retail's BIG Show.

What considerations should I be aware of before submitting a session proposal?

• We show preference to proposals with: fresh ideas relevant to a broader retail audience; confirmed current retail practitioners from well known or new and innovative retail brands; original research featured for the first time at the BIG Show; and/or topics with international retail appeal featuring top global brands.
• If you are proposing another individual to speak on your program, you will need to confirm that he or she is eligible to speak.
• Many public relations firms submit session ideas on behalf of their clients. It is the responsibility of the session submitter to communicate acceptance or non-acceptance of the session to their clients.
• Each speaker listed understands that he or she will not be paid an honorarium or reimbursed for expenses. However, speakers will receive one complimentary full registration to Retail's BIG Show. (Please do not register for Retail's BIG Show until you have received notification whether the proposal has been selected. If you are accepted, your registration will be made for you).
• If the program is selected for presentation, you and any other speakers agree to coordinate a PowerPoint presentation for this program and agree to submit this in advance to NRF. (Guidelines for presentation development and submission will be sent to speakers once they have been selected.)
• By submitting a proposal, confirmed speakers agree that the session will be video recorded for use by NRF at its discretion.
• Sessions can be scheduled at any time during the convention, and speakers must be available on any day of the show. Acceptance notifications will be announced by September 14.
    

Who is the audience?

The audience comprises leading senior retail executives and top industry business partners from around the world. Programmed to the C-level, content is developed to cover all major aspects of retail strategy, such as technology, marketing, digital retailing, merchandising, store design, store operations and supply chain.

What are the topics of interest?

Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• Best-in-class Store Design Strategies
• Business Analytics and Insight-driven Retailing
• Customer Engagement Strategies
• Demand-driven Trade Strategies
• Designing and Delivering Merchandise that Sells
• Digital Marketing and Merchandising Best Practice
• Digital Retail: 2015 and Beyond
• Emerging Store Concepts and New Growth Strategies
• Emerging Technologies in Retail - Fraud Implications
• Global Sourcing and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)
• Innovation from Parallel Industries
• Integrating Store and Digital Experiences
• International Expansion Strategies
• International Retailing Best Practices in Global Markets
• Inventory Optimization and "Endless Aisle" Strategies
• Leadership, Mentoring and Succession Planning: Retail’s Next-Gen Leaders
• Leveraging Social, Local, Mobile (SoLoMo)
• Meeting the Demands of Emerging Mobile Consumerism
• Merchandising Innovation
• New Marketing and Brand Awareness Strategies
• Omni-channel Retailing
• Organizational Structure for an Increasing Digital Retailing Footprint in Multi-channel Retail
• Organizational Structure to Incorporate Teams for Global Expansion
• Perfecting Store Operations Execution
• Reducing IT Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
• Retail Supply Chain Visibility
• Social Commerce 
• Trade Promotion Optimization
• Visual Merchandising Strategies
     

What are the types of sessions programmed?

The educational program comprises:

• Keynotes: One-hour general sessions presented to the total audience (*limited sponsorship opportunities available).
• Breakout Sessions: Ninety-minute or one-hour sessions on relevant topics (*limited sponsorship opportunities available, but not required).

*Those interested in sponsoring a Keynote or Breakout Session should contact Lisa Marzetti at 202-626-8136. Sponsorship decisions will be made by June 1, 2012.

How are sessions selected?

Programs are selected by the following criteria:

1. Overall program quality and uniqueness of topic
2. Presenters are practitioners from retail firms from within or outside of the United States; all retail segments are of interest
3. Relevance to the broader retail industry 
4. Originality - preference is given to content or original research that would be 'debuted' at Retail's BIG Show 
5. Topics with international appeal and featuring top global brands 
6. Creative and innovative presentation format
      

Questions?

For proposal submission and deadline information, please contact Eric Olson.

For technical assistance, please contact Rachel Weintraub.