Many tech companies already have a strong bench of subject matter experts with deep knowledge they can tap into for insights. Maybe their CISO has seen real breaches up close, or their CTO has a history of leading companies through periods of modernization, from the cloud to AI. 

Having the in-house expertise is great. What’s even better is having a plan to turn that expertise into executive speaking slots, interviews, and a point of view people remember.

In this blog, we’ll cover how tech vendors land speaking slots at events like the RSA Conference (RSAC) and Black Hat. We’ll also look at how to make a technical leader stand out as a thought leader, and how to train executives who are more at home in front of a computer screen than talking to a reporter.

How Do Tech Vendors Get Speaking Slots at RSAC and Black Hat?

Start with a speaking submission, including an abstract of what your speaker will talk about and a bio. Both events review submissions for their main stages, and competition is tough. Reviewers see hundreds of submissions that sound alike. Anything that reads like a product pitch is usually cut first. Black Hat, in particular, favors original research and technical depth over vendor messaging.

Accepted submissions usually share three traits: 

• They focus on a specific finding, lesson, or contrarian take, not a broad topic. 
• They show the speaker’s firsthand experience, such as original research, a hard-won implementation story, or unique data. 
• They’re submitted on time. These calls often close six months or more before the event, so planning for next year’s conference should start soon after this year ends.

Sponsored sessions are another option, especially for companies that want guaranteed stage time. They’re good options if you want to make sure you get your message out. There might be a slight tradeoff in credibility, however;  audiences can tell a paid slot from an accepted talk. Of course, there’s always the option to both submit and sponsor, which essentially covers all bases.

It also pays to look beyond big events like RSAC and Black Hat. Regional events –  including community-driven, grassroots BSides conferences – industry webinars, and podcasts might be easier to land. They also build your speaker’s track record and let you reach a smaller, highly targeted audience.

How Do I Position My CISO or CTO as a Thought Leader Without Sounding Like Everyone Else?

Every security vendor’s executive is talking about AI threats, zero trust, and the talent gap. The topics aren’t the issue; everyone tends to say the same thing about them. A real point of view starts with what your executive believes that others don’t, or what they’ve seen that others haven’t.

Try this: ask your CISO what they’d argue about over dinner with peers. Maybe they think a popular framework is overhyped, or that most breach postmortems miss the real cause. That’s where a POV starts. From there, test it against what’s already being said in the market. Then sharpen it into a few core positions. Finally, repeat those positions across bylines, interviews, social posts, and stage time. Consistency is what turns an opinion into a reputation.

It also helps to separate the executive’s POV from the company’s product messaging. Reporters and conference submission reviewers can tell when a “perspective” is a sales pitch in disguise. A strong POV should hold up even if your product didn’t exist, and when it does, it naturally makes the case for your company without having to say so.

How Do You Train a Technical Spokesperson for Speaking Opportunities?

Technical leaders are used to talking to customers about how technology works. They naturally get excited talking about feature sets and how their products fit into the bigger picture. 

That can be a benefit and a detriment. Your subject matter expert might feel the need to explain every nuance, which can confuse audiences. Good spokesperson training helps them find the one or two takeaways that matter and land them clearly.

Effective training focuses on four areas:

• Simplifying complex topics. Explaining technical ideas in plain language without losing accuracy.
• Staying on message. Anchoring the presentation or submission abstract around a few key points.
• Handling tough questions. Preparing for audience questions on sensitive topics, like a competitor’s breach or an active incident.
• Practice, practice, practice: Practicing out loud in front of several team members helps change any odd wording or grammar that doesn’t translate well from writing to speaking. 

Building Visibility That Lasts

Executive visibility works best as a long game. One great talk is a good moment, but a recognizable point of view, repeated across the right stages, is what makes your executive the person reporters and event organizers call first. 

The right PR partner handles the heavy lifting, from shaping the POV and managing submissions to pitching media and preparing your spokesperson for every interview. If you’re looking to build your executive’s presence ahead of next year’s conference season, REQ’s team can help you get started