Helping Conference First Timers And Solo Attendees Get Plugged In February 4, 2014 by Donna Kastner Imagine that you’re a first-time attendee at a conference that draws thousands. To make matters even more challenging, you’re flying solo. No safety net of colleagues to meet-up with every now and then. The Solo Attendee By day, you move from session to session, trying to make eye contact with strangers. You even manage to … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Networking, Experience Design Tagged With: , conference best practices, engagement
Six Tips To Create The Conference Introvert Advantage February 3, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Are you an introvert or an extrovert? If you’re an introvert, you’re trendy right now. There is a lot of media buzz about introversion and their inner strengths in a primarily extrovert world. One In Four… At least one in four people tends to listen more than they speak, often feels alone in large groups, … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education, Experience Design Tagged With: , adult learning strategies, andragogy, conference, conference best practices, conference tips, education best practices
Without People Your Conference Has No Knowledge January 27, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Who is more knowledgeable? The expert speaker or the room of conference attendees? In today’s rapidly changing world with knowledge at our fingertips, often the wisdom of the crowd outranks the insight of an expert speaker. Why? Because knowledge now lives in networks. The Web Facilitates Connections Hat Tips Cluetrain Manifesto The Internet has made … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , adult education, conference best practices, conference education
Delivery or Discovery? The Dueling Conference Competitors January 21, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Which is more important to your attendees’ conference experience? Delivery of information or discovery of content? There lies the tension for 21st Century Conferences offering education sessions. The Faulty Premise For Conference Delivery As A Priority In most conference experiences, an attendee’s role is to consume information and knowledge that is hypothetically scarce. A conference … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference education, conferences, delivery, education best practices
Avoid The Conference Zombie Zone January 13, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Do your conference’s education efforts result in the living dead or do they create life-transforming moments? Meeting professionals who understand Evidence Based Education (EBE)—the science and evidence on learning –and those who apply EBE strategies derived from the research, will find their conference education efforts becoming more effective and exciting. Here is the slide deck … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , brain science education, brain-friendly conferences, brain-friendly meetings, conference, conference best practices, education best practices
How To Use Shatterpoints as Early Conference Warning Signs January 9, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Have you ever hit a shatterpoint with your conference? You’ll know if you have because it made your entire conference unravel, freeze or die. Conference Shatterpoints What’s a shatterpoint, you ask? A shatterpoint is like a fault line, crack or an area of weakness in a path of action. In Star Wars, shatterpoints are a … [Read more…] Filed Under: Business Model Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference indicators, conference performance indicators, KPI, KPIs, shatterpoints
Defrosting New Conference Connections December 23, 2013 by Sarah Michel “It was awkward and painful,” my friend said. That’s how she described attending a professional meeting where she didn’t know anyone. She was at a loss for how to melt the ice and warm up to others. Especially professionals she perceived to have more experience and knowledge than her. Sound familiar? Here was someone who … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Networking Tagged With: , conference, conference best practices, meeting best practices, networking
Your Conference Is Not As Unique As You Think December 11, 2013 by Jeff Hurt I’ve got news for conference organizers and hosts. Your conference is not as unique as you think. For the past three years, the team at Velvet Chainsaw Consulting has been reviewing, evaluating and analyzing annual meetings and conferences. Almost every one of our 30+ clients has started our review process with the following statement, “Our … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference's common benefits, conference's unique benefits, meeting planning, meeting professional, status quo, unforgettable events
Establishing A New Model To Select Conference Content And Programming December 4, 2013 by Jeff Hurt Is it time to end the speaker call for proposals? Does the traditional open call for topics and speakers actually meet the conference audience’s needs? The traditional call for volunteer and professional speakers is a roll of the dice that the submissions meet the needs of the conference attendees. Too often staff and committees rely … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , association best practices, conference best practices, conference curator, content-strategist-curator, curate, meeting best practices, meeting experience, meeting industry trends
The Art Of Changing The Attendees’ Brain: Conference Style December 3, 2013 by Jeff Hurt Usually our view of conference education is an expert at the front of the room doling out their knowledge through witty repartee. The speaker stands on a stage, behind a podium, towering above the audience as if dispensing expertise from on high. Conference organizers and speakers view the audience as those that need the expert’s … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , adult learning strategies, brain-friendly conferences, conference best practices, conference education, conferences, learner-centric, lecture
