Events · free template

Call for Speakers Form

Conference talk proposal form covering abstract, format and AV needs, with format-based field branching.

A ready-to-use registration & events form for event organisers, venues and community teams: 16 questions, 3 pages, 6 conditional rules.

Questions
16
Pages
3
Layouts
classic · card
Conditional rules
6
Typical time
5 min
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Live preview and test console

This is the real form. Answer it to test the 4 conditional rules — nothing is sent or stored.

Page 1 of 3Speaker details

Submit a talk

1 question is hidden by conditional logic right now — change an answer above to reveal it.

What happens after submit: nothing is stored in this preview. On your own copy, every response triggers an instant email notification and lands in your response dashboard, ready to export or forward.

Happy with it? Take a copy into your workspace — every question, rule and setting comes with it.

Who this template is for

Call for Speakers Form is built for event organisers, venues and community teams who need to collect registrations, dietary needs and ticket choices in one pass.

  • Event organisers, venues and community teams working in registration & events.
  • Teams who need to collect registrations, dietary needs and ticket choices in one pass without writing code or paying for a custom build.
  • Anyone replacing headcounts that change hourly and no single attendee list with one structured record per enquiry.
  • Respondents are attendees, guests and speakers — the form asks them 16 questions across 3 screens.
  • Mobile-heavy audiences, thanks to the one-question-per-screen card layout.

Why this form is useful

It removes the cost of headcounts that change hourly and no single attendee list and turns each submission into a record your team can act on immediately.

  • 7 questions are required, so submissions arrive complete instead of needing a follow-up email.
  • It collects a verified email address so replies and confirmations land.
  • It allows multiple selections without free text.
  • Conditional logic hides 6 questions until they are relevant — shorter forms convert better than long ones.
  • Splitting the form across 3 pages keeps each screen short and shows respondents how much is left.
  • Every response is stored, searchable and exportable, so nothing depends on one person's inbox.

How to use this template

From copy to live form is a few minutes of work, and every step is reversible.

  1. 1Press “Use this template” — a fresh copy of Call for Speakers Form lands in your workspace, ready to edit.
  2. 2Rename or delete any question, and change what is required. Nothing here is fixed.
  3. 3Open Notifications and add the email addresses that should be alerted on each submission; add an auto-reply to the respondent if the form collects an email address.
  4. 4Publish it, then either share the link directly or paste the embed snippet into your site — the embedded form resizes to fit and loads no marketing or advertising trackers.
  5. 5Watch responses land in Submissions, where you can filter, label and export them to CSV or PDF.

Logic and conditions blueprint

Exactly how this form behaves as it is answered — 6 conditional rules ship with it.

  • Features advanced show logic: if “Proposed talk format” is Keynote, the form dynamically exposes “What's the one takeaway the audience should leave with?”. Otherwise that question never appears.
  • Features conditional validation: if “Proposed talk format” is Keynote, “What's the one takeaway the audience should leave with?” becomes mandatory before the form can be sent.
  • Features advanced show logic: if “Proposed talk format” is Workshop, the form dynamically exposes “Hands-on requirements and ideal group size”. Otherwise that question never appears.
  • Features conditional validation: if “Proposed talk format” is Workshop, “Hands-on requirements and ideal group size” becomes mandatory before the form can be sent.
  • Features advanced show logic: if “Proposed talk format” is Panel, the form dynamically exposes “Are you proposing to moderate or join as a panelist?”. Otherwise that question never appears.
  • Features advanced show logic: if “Is this your first time speaking at a conference?” is Yes, the form dynamically exposes “Would you like a mentor or a practice-run slot before the event?”. Otherwise that question never appears.
  • All 6 rules are editable in the Logic tab, and the built-in checker warns about rules that contradict each other.

About this template

Reviewing speaker submissions is much easier when the form itself sorts proposals by format instead of asking every applicant the same generic questions. This form starts with speaker details and a short bio, then asks for the proposed talk format — keynote, workshop or panel — before branching. A keynote submission is asked for a single clear takeaway the audience should leave with; a workshop submission is asked about hands-on requirements and ideal group size, since those materially affect room selection; a panel submission is asked whether the speaker is proposing to moderate or simply join, which changes how the programming team assembles the session. Every format still shares a common core: a title, an abstract, the intended audience level, and AV or accessibility needs, so the review committee can compare submissions on equal footing regardless of format. A first-time-speaker question reveals an optional section offering mentorship or a practice-run slot, which lowers the barrier for people submitting to a conference for the first time without adding friction for repeat speakers who don't need it. Collecting format-specific detail up front means the programming committee spends review time on content instead of chasing missing logistics after the fact.

What this form asks

Every question is editable — rename it, make it optional, or delete it entirely.

Page 1 — Speaker details

  • Full namerequired
  • Email addressrequired
  • Company or affiliation
  • Short speaker biorequired
  • Is this your first time speaking at a conference?
  • Would you like a mentor or a practice-run slot before the event?

Page 2 — Talk proposal

  • Talk titlerequired
  • Proposed talk formatrequired
  • Abstractrequired
  • Intended audience levelrequired
  • What's the one takeaway the audience should leave with?
  • Hands-on requirements and ideal group size
  • Are you proposing to moderate or join as a panelist?

Page 3 — Logistics

  • AV or room requirements
  • Any accessibility needs we should plan for?
  • Link to a recording or slides from a past talk

16 questions in total.

How the form changes as it's filled in

This template ships with 6 conditional rules, grouped into 6 behaviours driven by 2 questions. Everything below is already set up — edit or delete any rule once the template is in your workspace.

Driven by “Proposed talk format

  • Reveals questions

    If “Proposed talk format” is Keynote, the form reveals “What's the one takeaway the audience should leave with?”.

  • Makes answers required

    If “Proposed talk format” is Keynote, “What's the one takeaway the audience should leave with?” becomes required before the form can be submitted.

  • Reveals questions

    If “Proposed talk format” is Workshop, the form reveals “Hands-on requirements and ideal group size”.

  • Makes answers required

    If “Proposed talk format” is Workshop, “Hands-on requirements and ideal group size” becomes required before the form can be submitted.

  • Reveals questions

    If “Proposed talk format” is Panel, the form reveals “Are you proposing to moderate or join as a panelist?”.

Driven by “Is this your first time speaking at a conference?

  • Reveals questions

    If “Is this your first time speaking at a conference?” is Yes, the form reveals “Would you like a mentor or a practice-run slot before the event?”.

Set it up step by step

  1. 1

    Sort proposals by format before reviewing

    Review keynotes, workshops and panels as separate batches — they're judged on different criteria.

  2. 2

    Check the takeaway line first for keynotes

    A strong one-sentence takeaway is usually the fastest signal of whether a keynote pitch is focused enough.

  3. 3

    Confirm workshop logistics before accepting

    Match the requested group size and hands-on requirements against your actual room capacity before sending an acceptance.

  4. 4

    Follow up with first-time speakers personally

    Anyone who requested a mentor or practice run should hear back with next steps, not just a standard acceptance email.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Asking every speaker the same generic questions regardless of format, leaving the committee to chase format-specific details later.
  • Accepting a workshop without confirming the room can fit the requested hands-on group size.
  • Ignoring the first-time-speaker flag, which misses an easy chance to bring in newer voices with a bit of support.

What it pairs with

Most teams don't run this form on its own. These are the forms and systems it sits next to.

What to do with the responses

Batch review by format, confirm logistics for accepted workshops and panels, and send first-time speakers a personal follow-up alongside their acceptance.

Works in both layouts

These pages cover the same subject ground as the call for speakers form, matched on the words people actually search for.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the keynote question differ from the workshop question?

Keynotes are judged on narrative focus, so we ask for the single takeaway; workshops are judged on feasibility, so we ask about room and group logistics instead.

Should the abstract be required for every format?

Yes — it's the one field every submission type needs so the committee can compare talks on content regardless of format.

Can I add a compensation or travel question?

Yes, add a short field to the logistics page asking whether the speaker needs travel support — many conferences track this separately by budget.

What if a submission doesn't fit any of the three formats?

That's why 'Standard session' is included as a fourth option — it keeps the core fields required without forcing an odd fit into keynote, workshop or panel.

Is the Call for Speakers Form template free to use?

Yes. You can preview and test Call for Speakers Form on this page without an account, and take a copy into your own HelloForms workspace on the free plan. There is nothing to install and no card required to publish it.

What does the Call for Speakers Form template ask for?

It asks 16 questions across 3 pages, 7 of which are required. Every question is listed in full further down this page, and each one can be renamed, reordered, made optional or deleted after you copy the template.

Can I edit the Call for Speakers Form form after copying it?

Yes — the copy is entirely yours. Change wording, add or remove questions, switch between the classic and card layouts, restyle it to match your brand, and set who gets notified on each submission.

How does the conditional logic in this registration & events form work?

6 conditional rules ship with the template: Features advanced show logic: if “Proposed talk format” is Keynote, the form dynamically exposes “What's the one takeaway the audience should leave with?”. Otherwise that question never appears. Features conditional validation: if “Proposed talk format” is Keynote, “What's the one takeaway the audience should leave with?” becomes mandatory before the form can be sent. Features advanced show logic: if “Proposed talk format” is Workshop, the form dynamically exposes “Hands-on requirements and ideal group size”. Otherwise that question never appears. All rules are editable in the Logic tab.

Where do responses to the Call for Speakers Form form go?

Submissions land in your workspace under Submissions, where you can search, filter, label and export them to CSV or PDF. You can also email a notification to your team on every submission and send the respondent an auto-reply.

Can I embed the Call for Speakers Form form on my own website?

Yes. Publish the form and paste the embed snippet into any page or share the direct link. The embedded form resizes to fit its container and loads no advertising or marketing trackers inside the iframe.

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