Many Conferences Lack Connective Tissue May 26, 2016 by Jeff Hurt Your conference is lacking! Yes, it lacks the connective tissue to support it participants’ true business objectives for attending your event. Yes, it lacks the connective tissue of an obvious framework for the current and future needs of its stakeholders. Connective tissue is a material that supports the vital organs of your body. It provides … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , business case for events, business objectives, business objectives for conferences, conference best practices, conference connective tissue, conference strategy, connective tissue, target market
Impotent Conferences Are Powerless To Influence Forward Movement July 1, 2015 by Jeff Hurt Imagine a radio station that played adult contemporary, classical, country, dance, electronic, golden oldies, heavy metal, news, pop, R&B, rock, southern gospel and talk alternating between each. What if this commercial radio station tried to appeal to everyone’s musical taste as well as news and talk radio? How successful would it be? It wouldn’t work, … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , attendee experience, conference best practices, conference experience, conference organizer, learning, meeting professional, networking, strategic thinking, target market
Your Conference Planning Really Is Brain Surgery July 30, 2014 by Jeff Hurt You’ve heard the saying, “Come on, this is not brain surgery.” It means that something is really simple to do. We use it to encourage people to stop whining and do the obvious. Planning the right conference programming for the right target audience is profoundly simple. If you have a vision and focus. And it … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , attention, brain science education, brain-friendly conferences, brain-friendly meetings, inhibition, neuroscience, target market, working memory
Measuring What Matters To Your Conference July 11, 2014 by Jeff Hurt If the only conference numbers you care about are attendance, exhibitors, revenue and profits, you will never be able to understand why those numbers fluctuate. You’re only guessing and planning conference programming through a shot-gun approach if you don’t get serious about measurement. It’s time to stop relying on your gut. Or your volunteer conference … [Read more…] Filed Under: Business Model, Event Planning Tagged With: , Attendee Acquisition, conference best practices, conferences, empathy mapping, measurement, target market
Using Empathy Mapping To Create Conference Target Market Personas July 10, 2014 by Jeff Hurt We could all use a little more empathy…and a little less yelling! And your organization could definitely cultivate more empathetic team members who help plan and design your conference and education offerings. Why We Need More Empathy For Our Stakeholders Empathy is walking in another person’s shoes and understanding life through their eyes. It is … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning, Experience Design Tagged With: , conference, conference best practices, customer, empathy mapping, Innovation, target market
Do You Have Inbred Conference Marketing? March 31, 2014 by Wendy Holliday Sure, it is much easier to use association-owned media from your magazines, newsletters, website, blogs and discussion lists to promote your conference. But using only your own lists creates inbred conference marketing. So who are you missing with that marketing? Four Steps To Move Beyond Inbred Marketing How do you find the 20 something that … [Read more…] Filed Under: Attendance Marketing Tagged With: , conference marketing, market segmentation, target market
Seriously, Your Conference Marketing Is Not About You! March 26, 2014 by Jeff Hurt It’s not about you! Seriously, I really mean it; it’s not about you! There is not a more accurate line about marketing your conference than that! No One Cares About You It’s not about you. It’s not about your organization. It’s not about your speakers and your sponsors. It’s not about what unique partnerships you’ve … [Read more…] Filed Under: Attendance Marketing Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference marketing, conferences, target market
Your Conference Needs To Go On An Education Session Diet February 7, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Your conference attendees and prospects are less satisfied with an extensive list of education offerings than a narrow one. Too much information overwhelms them. And they walk away without any action. Ultimately, confused customers don’t buy anything. The Paradox Of Choice Yes, it’s true that when given a choice between a small and large assortment, … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education, Event Planning Tagged With: , Attendee Acquisition, conference education, conference marketing, marketing, target market
Stop Trying To Offer Conference Content To Everyone January 8, 2014 by Jeff Hurt As a conference organizer, you want everyone to become a registrant, right? Male, female, young, old and everyone in between. So you try to attract as many people as possible with your programming. And you try to reach as many people as possible with your marketing. You are willing to take money from anyone willing … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , adult education, Attendee Acquisition, conference education, conferences, event marketing, target market
Why Your Conference Needs To Focus On Building A Loyal Proprietary Audience January 7, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Quick: What is the most important asset of your conference today? Sponsors? Exhibitors? Your brand? Your events team? Your history? The venue? Your vendors? The content? Your speakers? Your technology? Yeah, all of these are likely responses. However, there’s one asset that most conference organizers and hosts constantly miss when responding to this question: audiences. … [Read more…] Filed Under: Attendance Marketing, Business Model Tagged With: , attendee loyalty, audience expectations, loyalty, target market
