Tag: engagement


Annual Meetings Overloaded With Scarcity Of Attention

Attention. It is the currency of today.  Squirrel!* Oops, back to the post. Attention is more important and more valuable than reach or impressions. Without it we cannot learn. Using it wisely and economically, we can increase our learning and change our future. Attention. We all want it. We all have it. We all want … [Read more…]

Confronting The Challenges Of Today’s Participatory Culture In Conferences And Events

This post is my contribution to the free eBook, What’s Next In Events 2011: 9 Event Experts Weigh In compiled and created by Lara McCullouch-Carter. We are witnessing the emergency of a cultural phenomenon that supports widespread participation in the production and distribution of content, information and media. Sociologists call it the new participatory culture. We … [Read more…]

9 Takeaways From Chris Brogan’s How Social Media Changes Events

“Social media is like hamburger helper. It helps spread our event content on the web,” says social media rock star Chris Brogan. Recently, Brogan spoke at PCMA Convening Leaders 2011 annual meeting in Las Vegas. He presented “The Event and the Pulse: How Social Media Changes Events.” Here are my top nine takeaways from his … [Read more…]

14 Conference And Event Trends That Will Shape The Next Decade

What do the next ten years have in store for conference and event organizers? Plenty. 14 Conference And Event Trends That Will Shape The Next Decade As 2010 comes to a close, many conference and event professionals have been looking ahead to the 2011. Here’s a look into 2011 and the next decade. 1. Increased … [Read more…]

Five Important Psychological Advantages Of Stories For Your Conferences And Events

Stories have important psychological advantages that help keep people engaged. Good conferences provide many opportunities to hear and share stories thus increasing engagement. Facts Coupled With Stories Connect Your conference can be full of factual information presented logically and sequentially. But facts alone fall short. They usually don’t persuade someone to change. Information is static. … [Read more…]

Information Dump Or Learning Facilitator?

It’s time to decide which one your conference is: information dump or learning facilitator. Is there a difference between information and education? Education and learning? A quick review of the definitions for each within the context of meetings helps provide clarity. Information Information is concepts, data, facts and research. Communicating information is normally show-n-tell lectures … [Read more…]

Obituary For A Conference Education Session

It was a wasted ninety minutes of life. 5,400 seconds of possibility that are now gone forever without a shred of hope, learning or motivation. It had such potential. It died so quick and so young. No one understood a single thing that was said. The barrage of PowerPoint slides with small fonts, too many … [Read more…]

The Benefit Of Shifting From Presenting To Participating

“Not a presentation, a participation,” says Scott Gould. The Typical Presentation Like Minds Conference founder Scott Gould raised an interesting question on his blog this week.  He was talking to his compadre Robin Dickinson about an upcoming presentation he was delivering. The presentation was on participation. Robin challenged Scott to move from presenting information about participation … [Read more…]

Move From Broadcast To Social Engagement With Your Facebook Page

Most organizations are using their Facebook page to broadcast information versus using it for two-way communications. Missing the Mark With Broadcast Marketing Only They are missing the mark. They are doing all the talking. They come across as arrogant, egotistical and self-serving. They don’t focus on their customers. They focus on themselves. These organizations are … [Read more…]

Two Conference Education Extremes: Reports And Stories

Most conference education sessions are broken. Creating The Walking Dead Attendee They are full of the requisite PowerPoint bullet presentations that promote status quo thinking. They lull attendees into a coma-like state of disinterest and boredom so that they become the walking dead. Admit it. You’ve been trapped in those dead presentations before. Even remembering … [Read more…]