Conversations, Collaboration and Chemistry April 5, 2017 by Dave Lutz Judith E. Glaser, an author, business executive, and self-described “organizational anthropologist,” says science has now proven that the chemical nature of relationships, conversations and collaboration is more than an attraction metaphor: it’s a reality. So the quality of our conversations — especially those participants have with others at conferences and meetings — has a direct … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Networking, Experience Design Tagged With: , active participation, brain health, brain-friendly conferences, collaborative intelligence, human network
20 Ways to Remake Your Annual Meeting – Part 2 February 21, 2017 by Dave Lutz We outlined the first 10 things you need to kill — from making your annual business meeting part of your general session to promoting invitation-only events — in order to bring your meeting up to speed. Here are the next 10 elements to knock off. 11. Your distinguished-lecture series does not engage. Many associations have … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning, Experience Design Tagged With: , kill conference elements, remake annual meeting
20 Ways to Modernize an Annual Meeting – Part 1 February 20, 2017 by Dave Lutz Most annual meetings have used the same template agenda for decades. They just replace the filling each year. If you want to breathe new life into your conference, and increase relevance for next-generation attendees, start with this kill/change list. Part two of this series will include the remainder of the list. 1. Annual Business Meeting … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning, Experience Design Tagged With: , annual meeting changes, conference improvement, conference sacred cows
Mental Effort February 17, 2017 by Dave Lutz I’ve been in this industry longer than I like to admit, during which time I’ve had the privilege to work side by side with some of the most progressive professionals in the conference business. To my mind, there are two things that separate the good from the great: 1) those who are uber-connected and trusted … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , adult learning, life long learning
Patient-Centered Care Conferences January 26, 2017 by Dave Lutz Most healthcare professionals are career motivated by saving/improving lives. They make a commitment to lifelong learning to be the best that they can be. Keeping up with the latest in evidence-based diagnosis and treatments is, in itself, a herculean task. In the new world of value-based care and compensation, private practices will have the most … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education, Experience Design Tagged With: , conferences, healthcare reform, medical meetings
Exhibitor Priority Points System that Rewards Loyalty September 29, 2016 by Dave Lutz Your Points System Should Influence Current Spend Decisions Like any storefront business, exhibitor booth selection is heavily influence by three factors: location, location, location. Most trade-show organizers use a priority-points system to help determine the order of booth-space selection for next year’s expo and their system has been in place for quite a while. Over … [Read more…] Filed Under: Business Model, Sponsorship & Exhibits Tagged With: , exhibit sales, Exhibitor marketing, exhibitors, loyalty, sponsor acquisition
Ninja Moves for Improved Conference Session Marketing September 8, 2016 by Dave Lutz Better session copy helps put butts in seats! As conference education trumps the exhibit hall experience at many association meetings, or creeps into your trade show experience to create a solutions-driven, holistic experience for your attendees, upping your game with session titles, descriptions, and learning objectives has become more important than ever. In 2013, we … [Read more…] Filed Under: Attendance Marketing Tagged With: , Attendance Acquisition, attendance marketing, conference best practices, content marketing, Education, Education & Adult Learning, meeting planning best practices, Session Marketing
Getting More Value from Conference Keynote Speakers June 29, 2016 by Dave Lutz Not long ago, becoming a professional speaker was a third step in a thought leaders career path. Many built their expertise in an industry or function, shifted to consulting and then wrote a book to launch their speaking career. In today’s digital age, the path to creating a thought leader platform, leading to speaking gigs, … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design, Speaker Coaching Tagged With: , engagement, keynote, meeting planning best practices, professional speakers, Speaker Emerging Practices, speaker selection
Betsy Bair Joins Velvet Chainsaw May 31, 2016 by Dave Lutz VCC is excited to welcome Betsy Bair, Vice President, Strategic Narratives to the Velvet Chainsaw Consulting team! To better resonate with target attendees, most of our clients are embracing new and more agile attendance acquisition and communication strategies. Betsy’s vast expertise in content and digital marketing will improve our ability to help conference organizers engage … [Read more…] Filed Under: Ramblings Tagged With: , Attendance Acquisition, content marketing, content strategist
Lose the PPT Template May 20, 2016 by Dave Lutz Many conference organizers are actively seeking and experimenting new learning formats and innovative room sets. Both are worthwhile quests to improve conference learning and participant value. If this describes your organization, strike while the iron is hot and discontinue mandating usage of your conference’s PowerPoint template. The brand police at your company won’t like this … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education, Speaker Coaching Tagged With: , adult learning, industry speaker, PowerPoint, Speaker Emerging Practices, speaker tips, visuals
