Becoming A Conference Possibilist And Foster Mind-Share Collaboration Event Experiences July 13, 2016 by Jeff Hurt What is the breakthrough you most want to see happen in your conference in the next year? What do you imagine could be possible if you were truly collaborating with your conference planning team, leadership and volunteers? What effect would leading through collaboration have on those who follow you? In order to do so, you … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , co-creation, collaboration, collaborative intelligence, conference collaboration and co-creation, conference possibilist, mind-share mentality, webinar
When Conference Participants Vote With Their Feet July 11, 2016 by Jeff Hurt They’re voting with their feet. It’s a common phrase. And one that we as conference organizers should pay attention to. And let’s not forget: after participants vote with their feet, they vote with their wallet. We often wonder if a topic or session is valid or valuable to our stakeholders. The answer is frequently painfully … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design Tagged With: , conference debriefs, conference evaluation, conference observation, conference pet projects, consumer driven events, customer feedback, feedback, vote with feet
Getting Serious About Forecasting Future Conference Topics June 23, 2016 by Jeff Hurt Savvy 21st Century conference organizers can effectively demonstrate strategic learning alignment of their conference networking and education programming. (Can you?) Smart conference professionals are skilled at articulating the value of their event’s networking and learning opportunities. They can discuss how their programming helps their target market achieve their business goals. (Can you?) These effective meeting … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , forecasting, foresight, future focused thinking, future-focused conference programming
Copycat Cookie-Cutter Conference Or Unique Event June 20, 2016 by Jeff Hurt You are unique. And the conference and events you plan can be unique too. As a one-of-a-kind meeting professional, you are called to create one-of-a-kind conferences. You have an infinite amount of possibilities to create something new. Something different. Something unique. Thanks to Will Mancini for continually challenging me to think and be different. Too … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , copycat, copying great ideas, mimicry
Relabel Conference Registrants June 9, 2016 by Jeff Hurt A Momentous Catalyst To Conference Attendee Behavior Change I am often asked how to get conference attendees to adopt 21st Century learning habits. The majority of conferences treat attendees as consumers of information. We encourage them to attend our programming and passively listen. Some of them resist any changes we make to that model. They … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , Registrants, Relabel
It Is Time For Some Conference Metrics Maintenance June 3, 2016 by Jeff Hurt If you own a car, you don’t want to ignore preventive maintenance. Rotating the tires, checking the oil and getting scheduled inspections are important to a safe ride and keeping you from expensive future repairs. Just like regular preventive maintenance for your car, your conference needs regular preventive maintenance. The first place to start with … [Read more…] Filed Under: Business Model Tagged With: , actionable metrics, conference metrics, metrics, vanity metrics
The Ironic Challenge Attracting Academics As Your Conference Target Market June 2, 2016 by Jeff Hurt Many conferences depend upon academic researchers to present at their event. Yet that very research often puzzles their conference stakeholders. Even after their customers slice through the layers of jargon and technicalities, the research still seems mystifying. Sometimes the research seems to capture a resounding “Well, duh!” from the audience. Other times, the research presented … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , academic, conference best practices, diadatic, lectures, research, traditional conferences
These Ideas Worked A Decade Ago For Your Conference But Not Today June 1, 2016 by Jeff Hurt Times change! 10-20 years ago, we saw conferences grow both in numbers and maturity. We could throw just about any idea at our event and it seemed to work. Yet the world continues to evolve. These days, our society, our culture and our conferences change. Those ideas, assumptions, methods and features that worked in the … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , bad conference ideas, broken conference ideas, conference best practices, gimmick
Does Your Team Say Your Mandatory Workshops Are Unbearable? May 27, 2016 by Jeff Hurt Mandatory training triggers groans in most people. They even trigger groans in the presenters. They are usually long, tedious and unforgivably mind-numbing as well as butt-numbing. Most of us despise them. Here are some suggestions on how to make mandatory workshops more bearable. Find more education infographics on e-Learning Infographics How do you make mandatory … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , blended learning, mandatory training
Many Conferences Lack Connective Tissue May 26, 2016 by Jeff Hurt Your conference is lacking! Yes, it lacks the connective tissue to support it participants’ true business objectives for attending your event. Yes, it lacks the connective tissue of an obvious framework for the current and future needs of its stakeholders. Connective tissue is a material that supports the vital organs of your body. It provides … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , business case for events, business objectives, business objectives for conferences, conference best practices, conference connective tissue, conference strategy, connective tissue, target market
