By: Brittany Nicole La Hue

Heading to SXSW Interactive 2016? The Panel Picker tool is now live at http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/. Whether you’re a PR professional pitching your client, or a thought-leader who wants to share your ideas with the creative community, here are some tips and tricks to securing the best possible panel!

2016 will be all about AR and VR

Chances are, you’ve been hearing all about Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality recently. With major studios presenting VR experiences to tie in with film releases, tech studios working on interactive videos and video game companies integrating VR headsets, AR and VR are definitely here to stay. Thus, the main focus of SXSW 2016 will be AR and VR. To get your panel topic to stand out from the crowd, think outside the box. How else can AR and VR be used besides in gaming and entertainment? Will your VR tool revolutionize healthcare or military training? Will it be cheaper and accessible to the masses? Get creative and be unique.

Focus on diversity – in gender, ethnicity, location and topics

SXSW attendees come from anywhere and everywhere. Thus, a broad audience calls for a broad event. Make sure your event appeals to many types of people. Or, cater to a group of people that wouldn’t normally find a place at SXSW.

The panel picker dashboard

Don’t duplicate or repeat!

The panels from previous years are listed online at SXSW’s website. No matter how popular a particular topic or speaker was in the past, the SXSW jury will NOT choose that topic or speaker again. Take the time to do your research – if a topic has already been covered recently, don’t waste your time pitching it.

Keep your audience in mind

Most SXSW attendees are from a marketing and branding background. Thus, keep your audience in mind when pitching a panel topic. Will a marketing person, SEO expert, branding pro, salesman or PR professional want to attend your panel? Would they learn something useful from it? If not, go back to the drawing board.

Show that you’re a dynamic and charismatic speaker

There are hundreds upon hundreds of panels, speakers and events at SXSW. With such a crowded schedule and a travel-weary crowd, your panel needs to impress, entertain and inform. The best way the SXSW ensures that your panel will be worth adding to the lineup is by choosing dynamic speakers. How to show this? Submit a video of you (or your client) speaking at a previous event. No previous public speaking experience? No worries – sit in front of your computer and record yourself briefing the jury on your topic. The most important thing to show is that you’re passionate, knowledgeable and not monotone. Lack of shut eye is already making it hard for SXSW audiences to stay awake – make sure your presentation isn’t.

Don’t be too sales-y

Last but not least, SXSW Interactive is designed for everyone to learn from each other. You’re here to be a thought-leader, or to learn, or both. You’re not here to sell products, gain customers or promote your company. SXSW does not want speakers who are going to get on stage and overly sell themselves and their businesses. Rather, make sure your panel focuses on the industry as a whole and the greater good, not just your particular niche.

Good luck pitching your panel and we’ll see you in Austin in 2016!