Helping Smart Planning Teams Learn So That Their Conferences Prosper April 7, 2015 by Jeff Hurt As conference organizers aspire to succeed in tougher and progressively more complex environments, they’ve got to resolve one basic and major quandary: Success today depends upon learning. We can’t continue to do what we’ve always done and expect different results. We’ve got to learn new ways “to conference,” so to speak. Success today depends upon … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference organizer, conference planning, conference planning team, culture of learning, learning organization, meeting planner, meeting professional, strategy
Become A Ridiculously In Charge Rock Solid Conference Leader January 19, 2015 by Jeff Hurt Every person in a team is a leader. ~ Alison Levine, 2015 PCMA Convening Leaders. Leadership matters! Whether leading an entire conference team or working in a meetings department as part of a team, leadership matters. So are you a conference leader? Do you lead others in a way to get their brains, hearts, minds … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , becoming a conference leader, Conference 2.0, conference best practices, conference leadership, leadership, meeting professional
Four Visionary Leadership Conference Mindsets Needed In The 21st Century January 5, 2015 by Jeff Hurt Vision…it’s easy to talk about. It’s hard to create and implement. And it’s often even harder to upgrade. What’s your vision for the 21st Century conference? How are conferences evolving? As the new year starts, there’s no time like the present to think about creating a fresh vision and adopting a new frame of mind … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference best practices, conferences, meeting industry trends, meeting professional, mindset, trends
Growing Conference Technology Competency To Increase Your Value November 21, 2014 by Dave Lutz As a conference organizer, how would you rank your competency regarding conference technologies like registration, speaker management databases, exhibits, conference apps, wayfinding signage, email marketing, CRM data bases and social media? Technology geek, technophobe or somewhere in between? The most effective and valuable meeting professionals are squarely in the middle. Why Two Tech Extremes Don’t … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Technology Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference experience, conference technology, conferences, meeting professional
Walk A Mile In Your Attendees’ Shoes To Improve Their Experience And Increase Your Empathy October 7, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Improving your empathy is a key to increasing your conference profit. Many conference organizers and hosts think that empathy has no place in their conference business. They believe that registration systems, schedules, speaker management tools, marketing, social media and conference attendee, exhibitor and sponsor forecasts are more important. But their view is wrong. At least … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design Tagged With: , attendee experience, conference best practices, conference experience, customer empathy, meeting professional, strategic empathy
Conference Education Should Drive Business Growth April 10, 2014 by Jeff Hurt The only reason that conference education sessions exist is to drive a business’ outcomes. (paraphrase author Rita Smith.) Ok, sure some conference education sessions exist for personal development, hobbies or pleasure. But most of us attend conferences to learn and grow professionally. Yet, in many cases, the business, meaning an attendees’ employer and business, is … [Read more…] Filed Under: Business Model Tagged With: , business case for events, conference best practices, conference education, conferences, Event ROI, meeting planning best practices, meeting professional
Your Conference Is Not As Unique As You Think December 11, 2013 by Jeff Hurt I’ve got news for conference organizers and hosts. Your conference is not as unique as you think. For the past three years, the team at Velvet Chainsaw Consulting has been reviewing, evaluating and analyzing annual meetings and conferences. Almost every one of our 30+ clients has started our review process with the following statement, “Our … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference's common benefits, conference's unique benefits, meeting planning, meeting professional, status quo, unforgettable events
Helping Speakers Move From Dispensers Of Information To Facilitators Of Learning December 2, 2013 by Jeff Hurt The greatest sign of success for a speaker is not a full room and positive smile-sheet summaries that only indicate attendees can successfully sit through long lectures. The greatest sign of success for a speaker is to be able to say, “The audience is now working on the content as if I did not exist!” … [Read more…] Filed Under: Speaker Coaching Tagged With: , adult learning strategies, conference best practices, conferences, facilitator, learner-centric, meeting professional, speaker tips
Meeting Planner, You Are Responsible For The Outcomes Of Your Decisions April 29, 2013 by Jeff Hurt This post is inspired by Mike Monteiro’s LeWeb 2012 presentation How Designers Destroyed The World which has application to all professions. Meeting planner, you are responsible for the work you put into that meeting. And you are responsible for the effects that work has upon that meeting. Meeting Planners Are Gate Keepers Of Conferences Meeting … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , meeting planner, meeting planning best practices, meeting professional
Fighting Cynicism As A Meeting Professional April 26, 2013 by Jeff Hurt Cynicism is contagious! So is hope! Which do you display the most? Cynicism or hope? And if you work with others that are true cynics, do NOT forward this post to them. It will just make matters worse. Cynicism Is A Luxury You Can’t Afford Cynicism is an ugly lavishness that you don’t need. It … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conferences, meeting planner, meeting planning best practices, meeting professional
