A Journey Down Conference Street February 6, 2015 by Jeff Hurt So go downtown Things will be great when you’re downtown No finer place for sure, downtown Everything’s waiting for you* *Downtown as sung by Petula Clark. Take A Mental Stroll It’s time to take a nostalgic journey downtown on Conference Street. Visualize yourself walking down a traditional city lane. Both sides are lined with the … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference experience, emotional experience, event experience, meeting experience, user experience design
Our Screwed Up Thinking About Creating Conference Experiences January 28, 2015 by Jeff Hurt As conference organizers, we need to learn about the power of experience. Well, we already know about experiences. We have them all the time. We’ve had experiences with our families and friends. We’ve had experiences with work. We’ve had school experiences. We’ve had experiences with institutions and organizations. We’ve had vacation experiences. Terrible, Horrible, No … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference experience, emotional experience, event experience, meeting experience, user experience design
Attendee Experience The Next Frontier For Differentiation September 4, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Most conference experiences are very similar. They have similar schedules, receptions, general sessions, breakouts, exhibit halls, lecture-style education offerings, quality and price. They all look and feel alike. Too many conferences are on the verge of commoditization. One of the conference’s main offering—delivery of information disguised as education—is so widely available and mutually interchangeable with … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design Tagged With: , attendee experience, conference best practices, conference experience, emotional experience, event experience, experience economy
How To Create A Bodacious, Mind-boggling, Unforgettable Conference Experience August 14, 2013 by Jeff Hurt Now, more than ever, conference organizers can’t continue to play it safe! Your annual conference is part of your organization’s brand experience. Most conference hosts and organizers understand the power of experience to inspire people and drive business growth. Yet few take the time to consider, plan and design an amazing conference experience. They just … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference experience, conferences, emotional experience, meeting planning best practices, unforgettable events, wow experience
Why Conference General Sessions Should Be More Like The Olympics August 15, 2012 by Jeff Hurt The 2012 London Olympics were an interesting diversion from U.S. politics, the scorching heat and a questionable economy. They captivated our attention as we rooted for our countries, the underdog and individuals that had overcome great odds. Even when an athlete from another part of the world broke some amazing record, we united with our … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , conferences, emotional experience, event experience, general sessions, meeting experience, meeting professionals
Exceeding Conference Attendee Expectations July 5, 2012 by Jeff Hurt What would it take for your conference attendees to call your annual meeting the greatest event on the Earth? Animal acts? High wire tightrope acrobatics? Clowns? Three rings of ongoing entertainment? A live band? It’s challenging to keep annual meetings fresh and exciting while maintaining integrity. Yet it’s very easy to duplicate last year’s event … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference best practices, conferences, emotional experience, event experience, loyalty, meeting planning best practices, meeting professionals, wow experience
Mapping The Emotional Highs And Lows Of Your Event August 12, 2010 by Jeff Hurt Do you as an event or conference organizer plan scream machine roller coaster event experiences? Or ho-hum, obligatory amusement park train rides? What do your attendees want in their conference experience? Do you even know what they want? Do your attendees want a plain vanilla, flat-line experience? Or do they want something unforgettable with unexpected … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design Tagged With: , emotional connection, emotional experience
Roller Coaster Scream Machines, Ho-Hum Train Rides And Event Experiences August 11, 2010 by Jeff Hurt Your palms sweat. Your heart races. Adrenalin pulses through your veins. The closer you get to the main entrance, the more your body is on high alert. Part of you wants to run away as fast as possible. Part of you wants to stay and conquer. Finally, it’s your turn. You sit in the small … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conferences, Education & Adult Learning, emotional connection, emotional experience, event experience
