She Who Dares Conference Improvement, Wins May 21, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Most conferences are so safe. Yawn! So boring…so tame! Contagious yawn, setting off a chain reaction of conference meeting yawns. Don’t misunderstand me. I don’t think that conferences are supposed to be boring. But most are! Big yawn, time to sleep. Creating An Adventure What if your next conference was an adventure? Weren’t conferences created … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference best practices, conferences, Innovation
Conference Execution As Attendee Learning April 28, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Most conference organizers believe that the delivery of information in an efficient, timely, productive manner is the key to attendee satisfaction, success and financial stability. We focus primarily on the efficient execution of delivery of content. But in today’s knowledge economy, that is not enough. The focus on controlling information flow, creating a one-way and … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , adult learning, conference best practices, conference education, conferences, learning, meeting planning best practices
Three Amen-Astonishing Ways To Improve Your Conference Networking April 21, 2014 by Dave Lutz Networking! It’s one of the top reasons participants say they attend your conference. Yet few know how to do it effectively. Give them a helping hand. Networking’s Value Proposition Networking can be the most subjective and variable portion of your conference value proposition. For some, one or two meaningful interactions can more than justify the … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Networking, Experience Design Tagged With: , conference best practices, conferences, connections
Innovation Starts With Observing Your Conference Attendees In Action April 14, 2014 by Jeff Hurt With today’s tools and environment, radical innovation is extraordinarily accessible to those who know how to cultivate it says author Steven Berlin Johnson. Some environments and workplace cultures squelch innovation while others breed it he adds. So what do conference organizers need in order to embrace innovation in their conferences, meetings and events? The Innovators’ … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design Tagged With: , conference best practices, conferences, Innovation, meeting planning best practices
Conference Education Should Drive Business Growth April 10, 2014 by Jeff Hurt The only reason that conference education sessions exist is to drive a business’ outcomes. (paraphrase author Rita Smith.) Ok, sure some conference education sessions exist for personal development, hobbies or pleasure. But most of us attend conferences to learn and grow professionally. Yet, in many cases, the business, meaning an attendees’ employer and business, is … [Read more…] Filed Under: Business Model Tagged With: , business case for events, conference best practices, conference education, conferences, Event ROI, meeting planning best practices, meeting professional
Four Blissfully Easy Ways To Use Social Media For Your Events [Infographic] April 4, 2014 by Jeff Hurt According to Joinin (formerly Eventility), events and social media are a match made in heaven. Take a look at their infographic to learn why. Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: , conferences, events, facebook, social media for events, twitter, YouTube
Crank Up Your Conference Emotional Intensity With Bright Lights April 3, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Forget about turning down the lights to set the mood for your opening general session. Why? It’s the perfect way to disengage and dial back your attendees’ emotions. If you want to emotionally connect and increase your audience’s emotional intensity, a University of Toronto study says you need to turn lights up bright! Bright Lights … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , attendee engagement, conferences, engagement, general sessions, meeting planner, meeting professionals
From Strangers To Friends: Bridging Attendee Loneliness With Conference Community April 1, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Everybody needs to know Somebody who cares. Just a friendly face You can trust to be there. Are you afraid to be known And not be a stranger? Everyone’s connected but no one is connecting The human element has long been missing Tell me, have you seen it? Have you seen it? Alone by Armin … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Networking, Experience Design Tagged With: , conference best practices, conferences, connections, connexity, emotional connection
Flipping Conference Education For Successful Learning March 28, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Sure, the “flipped classroom” is a buzzword and the trend right now. However, the concept of being learner-centric and providing active learning during the education session is not a trend! It’s here to stay because it works! Defining Flipped Education So what is the flipped conference education session? In short, the term is used to … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education, Experience Design Tagged With: , adult education, adult learning, conference best practices, conference education, conferences, flipped learning, The fl
Strategies To Create Conferences That Angry Millennials Love To Attend March 27, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Millennials are angry, vocal and hungry for social change says Nancy Lublin, CEO of dosomething.org and Umair Haque, director of Havas Media Labs in a September 2013 Fast Company article You need to adapt your conference or die! (Paraphrasing these two thought leaders). “You have to [change] if you want to stay in business. You’re … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , attracting millennials, conference best practices, conferences, generations, Millennial, next-generation conferences
