Many meeting planners feel that the conference experience and content is not their job. They are responsible for the logistics and details, not the attendees' overall experience. That's where those meeting planners are wrong! If Meeting Planners Cannot... If a meeting planner cannot focus on the big picture and goals of the event, then all of their plans are in vain. If they don't understand how their details uphold and provide the structure for the attendees' experience, they will never be … [Read more...]
The Way You View Your Annual Meeting Changes The Way You Look At Things
We see the world as we are. Scientists will tell you that there is no objectivity. Researchers influence the outcome of their research. The questions that we ask influence the information we uncover. If you change how you think, you'll change how you see the world. How Do You View Your Annual Meeting? Valeria Maltoni talks about how our point of view matters. She says that people want great products and great experiences. When it comes to your organization's annual meeting, the way you view … [Read more...]
Changing Attitudes: The Conference Mindsets Of Progress
Where are the dynamic conferences going in the future? Who is driving these conference changes? A renewed vision focused on learning, value, connections and ROI is driving this change. Participants and conference organizers are leading the charge. Mindset: Conferences Are About Learning Not Just Distributing Information Participants can find information online. Ask any Millennial for a synonym for information and they say, "Oh, that's on the Internet. It's Google and Bing. We don't need to go … [Read more...]
Want To Be A More Strategic Meeting Professional? Adopt These Perspectives!
Meeting professionals often hear they need to be more strategic in order to succeed. The successful meeting professionals that can move seamlessly back and forth from the logistics to the big picture are those that rise to the top. They are the ones that gain a seat at the executives' table. Defining The Strategic Meeting Professional So what exactly does being more strategic mean? How can those charged with managing the details begin thinking differently without overlooking the … [Read more...]
Are You A Glorified Scheduler Or Strategic Meeting Professional?
As a conference organizer, are you focused on checking off your daily to do list or focused on fulfilling your participants' needs? When you focus only on completing your task, you deliver what’s required. But not what’s expected. You follow the standard operating procedure precisely. And yet you miss the point completely. You comply with the process but usually do not satisfy the need. Check Marks Don't Equal Satisfaction Tamsen McMahon discusses how many people satisfy orders but not their … [Read more...]
Meeting Site Selection Cheat Sheet: Logistics
While a journey is a road, not a destination, most meetings are about the destination not the road. Choosing the right destination is critical to a meetings' success. Effective meting professionals focus on two key factors in the site selection process: Foretelling an organization's meeting requirements and Evaluating a potential site's ability to meet those requirements. Eight Steps To Successful Site Selection The needs of an event must be identified first and then aligned with sites … [Read more...]
Meeting Site Selection Cheat Sheet: Attendee Perspective
Location, location, location. Three of the most important words in a meeting professional's repertoire. The selection of a city and venue is a critical factor in the success of a meeting. Choose the wrong city and your potential attendees may not register. Choose the wrong venue location (airport, downtown, resort or suburb) and your attendees may complain that it doesn't meet their needs. Choose the wrong venue and you can have challenges with logistics, service and possibly perceptions. The … [Read more...]
What’s Your Experience With Attendees Staying Outside The Hotel Block And Driving Pick-up To The Max?
This post is by Dave Lutz, Managing Director, Velvet Chainsaw Consulting. Why do attendees choose to stay outside the official conference hotel block? How do you manage it? What strategies have you used to drive maximum pick-up of your block? We're looking for more examples and experiences to share and add to our list. Please add your ideas and suggestions in the comments section. Upcoming Presentation On Thursday, May 20, I’m moderating a session at the Passkey Housing Forum on … [Read more...]
