Information and Resources for Applicants

Successful events are built on the foundation of strong education sessions. This is your opportunity to highlight your expertise and offer real solutions to the most urgent problems sales compensation professionals face today. We want to help you craft an excellent proposal so you can make your voice heard, and deliver impactful, intelligent solutions to the sales compensation community via three key topic areas:

Sales Compensation

Sales Operations

Sales Analytics

We are offering the following resources to support you, our applicants: 

  • Read the information on this page to learn about selection criteria, topics, available session formats, and speaker types.
  • Download the Submission Planning Worksheet to help you think through your submission before heading to the digital form. We highly recommend completing your submission in the Planning Worksheet first and then copy and pasting that information into the online form as it can timeout due to inactivity. You will not be able to save the online form as you go.
Submission Worksheet (Word Doc)
  • Attend an Office Hour session. During this time WorldatWork staff will be available to help solve any technical problems, or answer general questions about the event or Call. Staff will be waiting to help in a Zoom room during the following times. You should feel free to attend for as short or long of a time as you need, and we take questions on a first-come-first-serve basis.

All submissions must be completed through the online form and are due by February 24 at 5:00pm PT. If you need an accommodation or have questions, please email us at speakers@worldatwork.org.  

Key Dates
Selection Criteria
Key Topic Areas
Session Formats
Speaker Types
Call FAQs

What are the Key Dates?

Monday, January 27

Call for Content Opens

Thursday, February 6, 11:00am - 12:00pm ET

Office Hour (Add to Calendar)

Wednesday, Feburary 19, 2:00pm - 3:00pm ET

Office Hour (Add to Calendar)

Monday, February 24

Call for Content Closes

by Friday, April 4*

Notifications Sent

*After sessions are selected, accepted speakers will receive more details about the venue, technical requirements, deliverables and training.  

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What is the selection criteria?

Our selection advisory committee will be looking for ideas that will intentionally engage participants and will make selections based on the following criteria:

  • Session Outcomes: Are they actionable and participant/practitioner-centered?
  • Topic: Is it a unique or progressive take on the evolving trends or emerging challenges faced in the Sales Compensation, Sales Operations or Sales Analytics landscape? See below for a list of key topic areas.
  • Alignment of Level: Does the information provided align with the stated learning level?
  • Speaker Profile: Does the applicant demonstrate a unique point of view, expertise, and enthusiasm for the topic for all speakers included in the submission?
  • Speaking Skills: Does the applicant provide evidence of ability to engage participants? Examples of evidence include prior speaking experience in your bio, quotes from past participants, or speaking sample video.

Want your submission to stand out? Follow these tips:

  • Get specific: The more details you provide in your description, the more likely you are to be selected.
  • Be creative with your session format: How can you present your ideas in a new or different way? How can you ensure participant engagement?
  • Include practitioners: If you will have multiple speakers in your session, be sure to include at least one who has executed the strategies “from the inside.” The in-house perspective, combined with consultant expertise, is highly valued by attendees, as there is no substitute for sharing lessons learned from an internal viewpoint.
  • Be timely: The event will occur in August. What will be top of mind for sales compensation professionals during that time? How can you connect your content to a larger trend in the macro environment?
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What Key Topic Areas can sessions address?

Sales Compensation
Discover emerging, high-impact solutions for designing and implementing competitive sales compensation plans that motivate your sales teams.

  • Sales compensation approach for new selling models
  • Sales compensation elements of design; mechanics, quotas, caps etc.

Sales Operations
Gain insights that will help you shape a successful strategy and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your sales processes.

  • Setting Quotas
  • Productivity of the Sales Team – Rewarding revenue generating activities

Sales Analytics
Get a data-driven edge, allowing you to precisely pinpoint your sales team’s performance, gauge sales trends, and assess growth opportunities. 

  • ROI in sales compensation 
  • Measures of sales compensation effectiveness
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What type of Session Formats will be at Sales Comp '25?

We all have different learning preferences. In order to meet as many individual preferences as possible, Sales Comp ‘25 will offer a variety of session formats. The submission form will ask you to suggest which of the following formats you believe will best help participants engage with your ideas. If your submission is accepted, you will work with the WorldatWork team to finalize your session format. 

Presentation

The classic conference format. Whether you have a case study, a panel discussion, a debate, a 1-on-1 interview, or a big idea to share, this 60-minute format is for you and will emphasize practitioner experience, deliver breakthroughs in research or academic insights, or engage the audience in highly technical insights and guidance from consultants or service partners.

Interactive Deep Dive

Immersive sessions designed to help participants explore a topic in depth. Through focused group or independent activities—such as in-depth discussions, case studies, brainstorming, or role-playing—participants will engage deeply with the material, analyzing concepts and applying insights in meaningful ways. At least 40% of the session should prioritize interactive exploration, or fostering an advanced understanding of the subject.

Sales Comp Talk

A Sales Comp Talk is inspired, fun, and makes you think big and small - in 25 minutes or less! Presenters with a specific story, discovery, or revelation who want to hone their ability to impact participants in a condensed amount of time are encouraged to consider this session format. Delivery should convey a pointed insight, a thought-provoking inspiration, or share an actionable learning from experience.

Fast Skills

These sessions should have one learning objective. They should set the stage and deliver “how to” or provide quick impactful solutions that participants can make actionable within their own organization.
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What types of speakers present?

Academic: Full or part-time professor with no other source of employment.
Consultant: A professional hired to provide expert advice to multiple clients or organizations. Does not include internal consultants. See practitioner definition.

  • Examples: Partner, Managing Director, Principal, Practice Leader, Attorney

Non-Profit Organization Representative: Advocate from a relevant non-profit, offering industry-specific insights and expertise, aligning with our event's cause and mission. 
Practitioner: “Internal” professionals accountable to influence or deliver rewards for that one specific organization. Excludes those working in professional services supporting external customers.

  • Examples: Head of Sales Compensation, Sales Compensation Analyst, Incentive Compensation Manager

Service Partner: A supplier or someone who works for a company that provides organizations with services other than management consulting. See consultant definition.

  • Examples: Sales Compensation Platforms Provider, Incentive Information System Solutions

Still have questions?

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