Do’s and Don’ts: Six Tips to Help Justify Attendance at Your Event November 30, 2022 by Dave Lutz As we progress through the event industry’s recovery to 2019 levels, conference organizers must have a laser focus on helping potential attendees make their business case for attending their events. The best path for helping them get approval to attend is to ensure that the majority of your education program is aligned to advance business … [Read more…] Filed Under: Attendance Marketing, Conference Education, Experience Design Tagged With: , attendee marketing, business case, Education, event business case, justification for attendance, workforce challenges
My Professional Home December 9, 2021 by Lisa Block 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 … [Read more…] Filed Under: Ramblings Tagged With: , adult learning, Convening Leaders 2021, Education, networking, PCMA
[Webinar] INFLUENCE 2020, National Speakers Association Virtual Experience September 2, 2020 by Betsy Bair Meet the brains behind the design of the highly successful National Speakers Association’s INFLUENCE 2020 Virtual in August. Discover how they created memorable experiences, facilitated networking and delivered inspiring general sessions. Understand the strategy behind transforming a 3-day event into an 8-week virtual experience that launched their new digital vault. Hear testimonials from first-hand attendees–experts … [Read more…] Filed Under: Ramblings Tagged With: , adult education, community, connections, Education, netowrking, virtual conference, webinar
Education Committee: More Advising and Curating, Less Slotting June 24, 2019 by Dave Lutz Most meeting organizers invest a significant amount of time creating the educational programming for their annual conference. Models vary, but most include a 15- to 20-person conference committee (slotters) and army of reviewers (graders). Progressive organizers are shifting to a blended model, where conference committees act more like content curators and advisors and less like … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education, Experience Design Tagged With: , abstracts, curation, Education, education committee, grading, posters, rubric, slotting, submissions
Your Conference Content Has Magnetic Pull July 23, 2018 by Dave Lutz Content marketing has grown by leaps and bounds during the past five years. Unfortunately, too few event organizers fully embrace the long-tail, pull benefits of content marketing. Likewise, many conference professionals have no idea what embracing the long-tail, pull benefits of content marketing even means. It’s a foreign concept to them. Most marketing and communications … [Read more…] Filed Under: Attendance Marketing Tagged With: , Attendance Acquisition, attendance marketing, conference best practices, content marketing, Education, Education & Adult Learning, marketing, meeting planning best practices, Session Marketing
Ninja Moves for Improved Conference Session Marketing September 8, 2016 by Dave Lutz Better session copy helps put butts in seats! As conference education trumps the exhibit hall experience at many association meetings, or creeps into your trade show experience to create a solutions-driven, holistic experience for your attendees, upping your game with session titles, descriptions, and learning objectives has become more important than ever. In 2013, we … [Read more…] Filed Under: Attendance Marketing Tagged With: , Attendance Acquisition, attendance marketing, conference best practices, content marketing, Education, Education & Adult Learning, meeting planning best practices, Session Marketing
You Need To Move The Finish Line For Your Learning Participants August 22, 2014 by Jeff Hurt We are sending the wrong message with the majority of our organization’s learning opportunities. Our programs often end with a certificate of completion, CEU credit or some type of recognition. It implies that the learner is done. The learner has arrived. That learners have completed all that is required of them. The Real Work The … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , adult education, certification, CEU, conference education, Education, education best practices