Are We Creating The Wrong Type Of Conference Experiences? June 28, 2017 by Jeff Hurt Everyone’s talking about the need to create customer experiences. (Yes, including us, the Velvet Chainsaw team.) It’s as if Joe Pine and Jim Gilmore’s Experience Economy is just now hitting its stride—for conferences at least. The word is out: we’ve got to create conference experiences, not just conferences that feel like a patchwork quilt of … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design Tagged With: , 4Ds conference experience, conference experience, conference experience design, deep connections, deep learning, deep play, deep reflection, dopamine drip, limbic system, prefrontal cortex
Attract With Content; Keep Them With The Experience March 23, 2017 by Jeff Hurt The internet has made world-class content front, center, mobile and affordable—often free. Anyone can hear the best experts for free (or nearly free) on almost any device they own. Anyone can get thought leadership at their fingertips. And your conference audience does. They have access to the same information you do. They can hear, watch … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design Tagged With: , attracting attendees, conference experience, conference experience design, content, content marketing
What Participants Expect From 21st Century Conference Experiences January 30, 2017 by Jeff Hurt Everything we take for granted about conferences, and planning them, faces disruption. Participants from all generations and cultures increasingly expect conferences to mirror their work and personal lives. They expect conferences that are authentic, connected, contextual, mobile, participatory, work-related and transparent. Savvy conference organizers meet these disruptions head-on. They know how to segment their target … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning, Experience Design Tagged With: , 21st century conferences, cognitively stimulating, collaboration, conference experience, conference experience design, engagement, learning spaces, mental engagement, participants, purpose-driven
Conference Experiential Design: Why Emotion Trumps Efficiency May 28, 2015 by Donna Kastner This post, Delivering Experience, by Anthony Iannarino stuck in my mind as it sparked new ideas about conference experience design. Iannarino recounts a dining experience with his wife at a “funky, cool, eclectic” restaurant. Within moments of arriving, drink orders were swiftly taken and delivered. Entrees arrived moments later. Then the check, lickety-split. The Speed … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning, Experience Design Tagged With: , conference design, conference experience design
Conference WOW Moments Require Perpetual Reinvention May 20, 2015 by Donna Kastner Your mighty event team managed to transform a “what if?” idea into a five-star, conference greatest hit. The attendee WOW factor was off the charts. This big moment gave your brand a major boost, with social shares rippling out to others who didn’t attend, but now wish they had. Everyone’s talking about this incredible experience, … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design Tagged With: , attendee satisfaction, conference best practices, conference experience design