Seriously, Your Conference Marketing Is Not About You! March 26, 2014 by Jeff Hurt It’s not about you! Seriously, I really mean it; it’s not about you! There is not a more accurate line about marketing your conference than that! No One Cares About You It’s not about you. It’s not about your organization. It’s not about your speakers and your sponsors. It’s not about what unique partnerships you’ve … [Read more…] Filed Under: Attendance Marketing Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference marketing, conferences, target market
When Speakers Truly Care: From Spouting Witty Repartee To Transforming Lives March 20, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Our conferences and association education programming depend upon speakers as experts sharing their knowledge with the crowd. Yet, the education research is loud and clear that people talking at an audience does not necessarily lead to attendees’ learning. Actually, there’s more likelihood that you’ll win a multi-million dollar Powerball lottery than telling leads to learning. … [Read more…] Filed Under: Speaker Coaching Tagged With: , adult education, conference best practices, conferences, education best practices, presentation strategies, professional speakers
Five Steps To Take Your Education Programming From Blah To Wickedly Smart March 14, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Curation: it’s more important than you think. And it’s extremely critical to the success of your education programming. When it comes to choosing education programming, curation involves deep excavation of the right content for the right audience at the right time for the right issue. Authentic Curation For Education Programming Curation is more than just … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , conferences, content-strategist-curator, curate, curation, curator, education best practices
How Much Faith Do Your Attendees Have In Your Conference? March 10, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Faith. When you read that word does your mind jump to religion? Mine does. Our American experience tells us that “faith-based” refers to an organization that promotes a specific religious belief. Yet, there is another type of faith we need for conference success. Faith In Your Conference Your success as a conference organizer is entirely … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference design, conferences
7 Fundamental Ways To Drastically Improve Conference Breakouts February 25, 2014 by Dave Lutz Concurrent sessions, often known as breakouts, are the meat and potatoes of conferences. They are also one of the most difficult areas for your continuous improvement efforts. In many associations, volunteers vet submissions, decide topics and select speakers for their annual meeting’s concurrent sessions. While well intentioned, volunteer committees rarely are equipped with a big-picture … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education, Experience Design Tagged With: , conference education, conference session, conferences, learning trends, meeting industry trends
The Neuroscience of Networking: Why Networking Matters To Your Conference February 18, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Your brain is passionate about one thing. So much so that when it is not thinking about a problem or focused on something specific, it defaults to doing this one thing. Neuroscientist Dr. Matthew Lieberman says that our brains have a passion of their own. “We know this because our brains seem to devote all … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Networking, Experience Design Tagged With: , brain-friendly conferences, brain-friendly meetings, conferences, connections, connexity
Using Gamification As A Crowdsource Channel To Improve The Conference Experience February 13, 2014 by Donna Kastner Gamification is catching more attention in conference and expo circles. Typically, conference organizers will create a game within the context of an event to increase attendee exposure to a product or service. Gamification is often used to shine a light on sponsors and exhibitors. Things like “Visit these exhibitors and get your passport stamped for a … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design Tagged With: , conferences, crowdsourcing, Gamification, Social Media, twitter
Conference Education List Sessions Are Deliciously Temptatious February 6, 2014 by Jeff Hurt “37 Mobile Apps In Less Than 60 Minutes!” Tina Brown’s “12 Tips For Engaging Events.” “15 Industry Trends You Need To Know.” Lists! We love them! We are drawn to them. We fancy them. The Lure Of The List Conference session titles that contain a numbered list have become ubiquitous ways to attract a crowd … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education, Event Planning Tagged With: , brain-friendly conferences, conference marketing, conference tips, conferences
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
Stop Trying To Offer Conference Content To Everyone January 8, 2014 by Jeff Hurt As a conference organizer, you want everyone to become a registrant, right? Male, female, young, old and everyone in between. So you try to attract as many people as possible with your programming. And you try to reach as many people as possible with your marketing. You are willing to take money from anyone willing … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , adult education, Attendee Acquisition, conference education, conferences, event marketing, target market
