Conference Organizers Are Space Designers, Cultural Translators And Learning Facilitators June 14, 2012 by Jeff Hurt Meeting space is the body language of the conference host organization.* Conference organizers have the ability to transform behavior, affect mood and foster learning with their attention and intention to the space’s design. Their lack of intention to that design also has an impact on the attendee. Your Space Decisions Define Your Beliefs The conference … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference design, conferences, design for participation, meeting best practices, meeting space
Maximizing Your Conference Professional Speaker Investment April 9, 2012 by Jeff Hurt You’ve spent hours surfing websites, reading bios, evaluating presentation descriptions and viewing speaker online videos. You’ve finally reached a decision and secured a professional speaker to keynote your opening general session. You feel relief, accomplishment and maybe even exhaustion. Then you wonder, “Did I ask the speaker to do everything possible? Are there other things … [Read more…] Filed Under: Business Model Tagged With: , conference best practices, conferences, meeting best practices, meeting planner, meeting professional, professional speakers, speaker tips
How Conferences Can Find Their Future January 23, 2012 by Jeff Hurt For most of us, the future is our past. So many people try to create a new future by modifying their past. We insist on doing more of the same that we’ve always done. We cross our fingers and hope it results in a new future. It won’t. Nostalgia Is Good For A Rose Tinted … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference best practices, conferences, meeting best practices, meeting planner, meeting planning best practices, meeting professionals
The Top Traits Of Rock Star Event Professionals December 16, 2011 by Jeff Hurt Rock stars! Just those two words create images in our minds of fun, money and pleasure. Rock stars get paid to bang on drums, strum guitars and scream into microphones. They get to do what they love daily. Traits Of The Rock Star Event Professional So what does it take to be a rock star … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , #eventprofs, event professionals, meeting best practices, meeting planner, meeting planning best practices, meeting professionals
Conferences Need Dynamic Planning That Relies On Insight October 27, 2011 by Jeff Hurt Your conference planning process needs a dynamic strategy that relies on insight, not call for proposals and scheduling of speakers. Most meeting professionals who devote their time to the development of detailed conference schedules are destined to eventual disappointment. Why? Because the focus is entirely on the structural framework for the meeting. Until the focus … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference best practices, conferences, meeting best practices, meeting planner, strategic planning
Social Isolation In The Midst Of A Crowded General Session October 14, 2011 by Jeff Hurt Rows and rows of chairs in straight lines face the stage. Aisles separate sections of chairs so people can navigate the room. The large ballroom easily seats 5,000 people theater style. The air is cold and stale. The lights dim. A dancing image appears on the front screens and the delay screens hanging from the … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , brain science education, brain-friendly conferences, brain-friendly meetings, conference best practices, general sessions, keynote, meeting best practices, social learning
Four Conference Model Options October 5, 2011 by Jeff Hurt Once upon a time, many, many moons ago, in the days of old, in the rooms of the Inn, in the city of yonder, the time-honored, habitually-replicated, customary conference experience was basically always the same. It was one-directional, from organizers to attendees. Today, meeting professionals can select from a variety of conference models to customize … [Read more…] Filed Under: Business Model, Conference Education Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference models, conferences, meeting best practices, meeting planning best practices
Is Your Conference Like A Five Course Meal Or A Smorgasbord Buffet? September 9, 2011 by Jeff Hurt If you had a choice and money was not a concern, which would you prefer? A fine dining five course dinner or an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord buffet? I prefer a fine dining five course meal anytime. Smorgasbord All-You-Can-Eat Buffet Smorgasbord buffets are usually prepared fast, easily and inexpensively. They are a popular method for feeding a … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design Tagged With: , conference best practices, conferences, meeting best practices, meeting planning best practices, strategic planning
Are You A Glorified Scheduler Or Strategic Meeting Professional? September 6, 2011 by Jeff Hurt As a conference organizer, are you focused on checking off your daily to do list or focused on fulfilling your participants’ needs? When you focus only on completing your task, you deliver what’s required. But not what’s expected. You follow the standard operating procedure precisely. And yet you miss the point completely. You comply with … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference best practices, conferences, meeting best practices, meeting logistics, meeting planner, meeting planning best practices, meeting professional, strategy
Three Infographics On Conference Content And Delivery August 31, 2011 by Jeff Hurt Dare to color outside the lines. Have the courage to take risks. Let go of outdated, dead sacred cows. These were just a few of the overarching themes from Experient’s e4 2011 Conference “Outside the Lines.” Bye, Bye Breakouts! Hello Innovation Labs! The Experient team always delivers a stellar conference that’s engaging. They are willing to … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education, Speaker Coaching Tagged With: , committee best practices, conference best practices, conference tips, conferences, content, content strategist, content-strategist-curator, meeting best practices, meeting planning, meeting planning best practices, Speaker Emerging Practices
