The Ironic Challenge Attracting Academics As Your Conference Target Market June 2, 2016 by Jeff Hurt Many conferences depend upon academic researchers to present at their event. Yet that very research often puzzles their conference stakeholders. Even after their customers slice through the layers of jargon and technicalities, the research still seems mystifying. Sometimes the research seems to capture a resounding “Well, duh!” from the audience. Other times, the research presented … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , academic, conference best practices, diadatic, lectures, research, traditional conferences
Misguided And Misinformed Conference Barometers May 8, 2015 by Jeff Hurt Many of us who plan conferences have become so busy at the logistics of the event that we lose sight of the goal. When planning an event, we immediately go into automatic overdrive. We do the same things we’ve always done because it’s efficient and familiar to us. The over arching goals of the conference—providing … [Read more…] Filed Under: Business Model Tagged With: , attendee experience, conference best practices, conference experience, conference indicators, conference performance indicators, KPI, KPIs, shatterpoints, traditional conferences
The Growing Majority Of The Conference Declined February 26, 2015 by Jeff Hurt Who are the people that don’t regularly attend conferences? What are the traits of those that devalue the traditional conference experience? It seems that what attracts some people to conferences actually repels others. Some see the traditional conference experience as stale and predictable. They are uninterested in spending $1,500-$2,000 in registration, airfare, lodging and expenses … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , attendee experience, conference best practices, conference experience, traditional conferences
Too Many Conferences Provide Plop, Placate And Pay November 19, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Have conferences become too enthralled with experts and attendees swapping solutions? Have conference organizers resigned themselves to the inertia of the way we’ve always done it? Is the traditional conference experience in danger of being institutionalized which devalues individual expression? Are we addicted to providing passive plop, placate and pay* experiences? Are conference organizers sitting … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , attendee engagement, conference exper, conferences, curiosity, engagement, meeting planner, presentation best practices, presentation strategies, traditional conferences
