The last two years have been a wild, scary and sometimes exhilarating ride for many in our industry. Having attended several in-person shows and events this fall, I am bullish on a healthy return for events and the people who run and support them. I am also excited to kick-start 2022 by attending PCMA’s Convening Leaders (CL) in Las Vegas in January, fully vaccinated and masked up. I’ve been an active volunteer and engaged CL participant for many years and it’s always been a great way to … [Read more...]
Deliver Superior Conference Education Value
Here’s what hasn’t changed: Education continues to be essential to a participant’s experience. Here’s what has changed: I’m convinced that “something for everyone” programming — including basic content for the novice or intermediate practitioner — is no longer the right strategy for positioning your conference as a can’t-miss experience. We need to raise the bar higher and meet the needs of the experienced and advanced practitioners. Early and mid-career professionals can catch on, and are in … [Read more...]
How Is Your Association Using Learning Technologies?
Improving digital learning and amplifying conference content to a larger audience is a high priority for many clients we consult with. With the advent of DIY solutions, business models that include sponsorship and the strategic alignment of reaching a global audience, we’re seeing an increased focus on expanding the impact of digital learning. If you work for a membership organization, whether or not you use technology to deliver or enhance your learning products, we’re asking for your … [Read more...]
How to Improve Your Call for Presentations Process
When Velvet Chainsaw Consulting conducted speaker research with 120 associations with research and consulting company Tagoras Inc. in 2013, we found that nearly 77 percent use a call for speakers/sessions process. Associations value member input. One-third of these organizations accept 60 percent or more of the proposals, indicating either a low number of submissions or very forgiving quality filters. About 62 percent close off submissions eight months or longer before the conference. These … [Read more...]
Mental Effort
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 (not on social media, but rather one-to-one relationships) and 2) those who are committed to life-long learning. The life-long learners aren’t necessarily the ones who attend a lot of … [Read more...]
What If Attendees Remember Nothing From Your Event?
Yes, what if they remember nothing from your event? “Meetings are often so overloaded with material that learning may be hurt more than it’s enhanced,” says Andrea Driessen, Chief Boredom Buster, No More Boring Meetings. (Read her article for seven ways to boost learning.) What’s worse than remembering nothing from the event? If attendees learned something and can’t apply it. Then they can’t improve their job performance. Learning Scrap Or Learning Gold? Learning comes before … [Read more...]
Meet Today’s Overwhelmed, Distracted, Impatient Modern Learner [Infographic]
View original here. … [Read more...]
Lose the PPT Template
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 idea and will fight it tooth and nail. Use these talking points to win that discussion and implement the … [Read more...]
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