If there is to be "social" and "networking" involved in a conference, I'd like it to be face-to-face. For me, that's the whole reason to visit a conference. If it's something I could do online, I won't buy a plane ticket. I remember at Web 2.0 a few years ago, there were plenty of sessions and a nice trade show floor but most of the activity that I found interesting and valuable took place in the blogger's lounge. They had games, a few booths, refreshments, a professional interview area, etc. I'm interested in seeing an entire conference that's just a larger version of that lounge. But hey, I'm an old man so maybe my perspective is all wrong. But it's a thought-provoking topic Chris.
Aaron Deckler
· 9 months ago
For me it's all about the speakers, and don't assume I know everyone on the circuit. I'm a busy dude and don't have time to Google half the roster. Make sure I know what(who) I'll be missing if I don't attend.
brandonacox
· 9 months ago
I go to about three conferences per year. Two are associational in nature and then I choose one other that relates more to my field and my personal advancement. I look for a concentration that features a concentration of powerful voices - where can I go to hear a bunch of inspiring people at the same place? I don't care too much about breakout sessions or small group / one-on-one time - I just want to be inspired.
To me, a conference is like an old-fashioned revival - the intent is not just to teach me, but to get my creative juices flowing again. So I want to be challenged by an atmosphere of creativity that begins with the initial marketing. Just the thoughts of one guy. Thanks for asking all of us!
Cliff Atkinson
· 9 months ago
Hey Chris - I'd add "Present great content in a way that adds value". Just coming from #SXSW, there was a wide range of presentation quality - some panels and keynotes were top-notch, clear, engaging and useful; while others were sub-par, unfocused, boring and of limited use. With the backchannel audience turning up the volume when they are unhappy about how a presentation is going, it's more important than ever for presenters (and conference organizers) to step up their game and really focus on what it takes to add meaningful value to an audience.
krissy knox
· 9 months ago
A few things that determine whether I attend are location and price.
A few ideas I have for outside events, and I don't know how feasible they are, but just some things to think about, would be: teleconferences, tweetups (as you mentioned), breakfast, lunch or supper or even nighttime clubs -- that meet about once a week or once a month -- just like a social media club, a newsletter to keep everyone informed, some kind of forum in a blog, a blog that keeps up info after a conference on the subject matter, a regular meeting say once a week on twitter (some kind of "conference circle"), some kind of radio show or tv show, a video series or podcast series, anything you can think of that is interactive!, okay, I guess that's enough for now.
I think the boom in conferences in recent years has largely been thanks to pre-crisis economic wellbeing. Even the half-baked crappy conferences could get a couple of hundred attendees without trying as discretionary spending wasn't hard to find.
Now it's all different. Discretionary spending is gone. Or nearly so.
Over here, we call it "bums on seats", and getting them, and sponsor dollars are now an equal and terrifying struggle for conferences and their organisers. The ordinary events will, no doubt, vanish. The best events on the other hand, may need to scale down through lack of sponsor money and lack of ability to attract attendees.
As an example that's touching me, I'm keynoting and running an all-day Enterprise 2.0 workshop at the GOVIS conference in NZ in May (http://www.govis.org.nz/conference2009/govis-20...). Even though we've effectively halved the price for the workshop to support current market conditions, we have no sign ups. I'm expecting we'll get some, but planning to cancel if we need to.
I'm lucky I get to attend a lot of conferences as a speaker and therefore don't have to pay for the experience. The paying attendees deserve the absolute best show we can put on for them - great, knowledgeable speakers; real, complete case studies; practical workshops; fun after hours events.
But if we can't get them to come, and can't find sponsors to pony up the tens of thousands of dollars it takes to carry off a good event, it's going to be hard. Hell, I'm co-unorganising a BarCamp next weekend and we couldn't attract a single cash sponsor this year.
Lorne Pike
· 9 months ago
My geography probably makes me more price-conscious than most attendees. Living in Newfoundland and Labrador, on the extreme east coast of Canada, I am closer to England than to most cities west of Chicago. Therefore, a trip to a conference will almost always eat thousands of dollars. For that reason, the content has to of course be great, and you present many of the things I do want. But for me, the real value often comes from the long-term relationships that will be formed or nurtured. Your "Be Empowering" points are great, Chris, but I'd like a chance to connect with other attendees, as well s the speakers & featured names. In some conferences, the people in the audience are often as valuable as the people on the platform.
I've seen one or two events that ask attendees to profile themselves -- interests, needs, & objectives. Everyone then gets contact info when they register of the attendees who complement their profiles. Add some time built in to connect with both the key people and those other attendees, and you've gone a long way to making sure everyone comes away with some tangible long-term benefits.
Oh, and those pastries with the berries and the icing powder are good too!
Robby Slaughter
· 9 months ago
We're organizing a small conference (the Indianapolis Productivity Summit on March 30) and are facing these issues as the event draws nearer. The main challenge is providing a compelling, yet brief argument for how the experience of the conference will benefit participants.
Part of this process is marketing (what we say about the conferece), partly positioning (conference fees and location) but mostly it is a question of targeting. Our research shows that the number of people who should be interested and available for this event exceeds the available seat count by a factor of a hundred. How do we get the message to this group, without interrupting or annoying the millions of others in our community at the same time?
There are no clear answers, but this is likely something else that social media will shake out in the near future. Perhaps we won't be promoting future events as much as quietly discussing them with trusted contacts, and allowing merit itself to empower overall success.
Colin Beveridge
· 9 months ago
Great post, you describe the model approach to events - in a normal climate.
However, the present scenario is far from normal so the "fail-safe" recipés for a successful event are under threat. There are a few tell-tale signs in your piece that make me think that numbers are falling off. That is my own observation of events in the UK so I would expect this to happen in the U.S. too.
Great speakers, great content, great venue, great networking - all may still be in place. But the budgets are not. And even where the money is available, there is definite pressure against potential delegates taking the time out from the day job, especially for multi-day events.
Likewise potential sponsors are likely to be even cannier than usual about putting their paws into their pocketbooks.
People are turning the change in their pockets over twice before spending.
Your mileage may vary, of course. But I feel that the challenge facing every event organizer for the rest of this year will not just be about whether people will pay to attend a great [even the best] event but more about not sparing the time (or being allowed to spare the time) to attend.
A few suggestions: half day or single day make it freeeven better than usual contentno frills
Paula Crerar
· 9 months ago
Our company had a technology that collected data from attendees in real time, so we fhad 5 years' worth of attendee data, including what attendees considred valuable at conferences. Across the board, attendees told us (via electronic surveys) that they want to connect with others at events. Yes, they want to gain knowledge from speakers, but they also want to share views with others and make new contacts. Attendees who make many connections tend to feel highly satisfied with the event (i.e. the more connections the attendee made, the more likely they agreed with the statement "This event was valuable" and "I will recommend this event to colleagues"). To get attendees to come back and to rave about your conferences, invest in ways for your attendees to easily connect with others. There are various strategies to accomplish this, depending on the type and size of conference.
Cliff Atkinson
· 9 months ago
Is there anyone who has conducted a successful virtual conference? Some webinar tools like Adobe Connect have break-out room capabilities, and have always wondered if anyone has used them in a conference format....
Becky Carroll
· 9 months ago
When I look for conferences to attend, I look for a few things. I look for information that will help me improve what I am doing for my business and for clients. I am getting a little tired of panels, to be honest; I think I prefer to hear case studies (like the BlogWell series). I want to see what people have done, what works/doesn't, and hear about metrics/results. I also look for who else will be there so I can meet up and network with them.
The conference I just finished organizing and running, the 11th Annual AMA Cause Conference, turned out to be a huge success because we had speakers which spoke on the current needs for the attendees. This is a tough year for conferences, as you said, and especially challenging for the Cause Conference as the target attendees were non-profits (whose budgets are very tight). But it worked. People who had attended in the past helped rally those who weren't sure. Facebook and LinkedIn groups helped get people interested. Shout-outs from partners and sponsors all helped spread the word.
But the true value was in the event itself. We made sure to understand exactly what attendees wanted to hear and had our speakers tailor their talks to those topics. We set up opportunities for attendees to network with each other, share frustrations, and look for success stories. We hit directly onto their deepest concerns.
I hope these ideas and examples help! I know you will have a rockin' event!!
Mary H Ruth
· 9 months ago
Excellent teaching in this post, thank you Chris! I'm enticed by your question about how to extend the conversation. While there may be a note of sentimentality in wanting to keep the party going forever, to let fabulous momentum go down the drain is truly a waste, I agree. What about joint venturing with a couple community organizers? You're right, people have plenty of social networks to maintain, but they'll still be attentive to a new one that has an irresistible ringleader.
Ruth Deutsch (aka bubblyideas)
· 9 months ago
I've been to lots of conferences and put on some myself as well. In these times, I would maximize the chance of success by having the conference in a large city at a venue where you could change to a bigger or smaller room if need be; have it on a weekend; have speakers covering very timely topics with info not easily found elsewhere; just before networking events have a short inspirational presentation to get 'em in a good mood; create a follow up scenario to add more value such as a social media "group" of some type for people to connect later who didn't get to meet there; and have speakers who are there mostly to present and get a following and not heavily SELL on-the-spot. Of course, the price has to be a darn good value as well. I've been used as a consultant for conferences. I find it challenging and exciting. Good luck!
Dave Ferguson
· 9 months ago
At some conferences I know well, allegedly Big Names are almost always featured presenters, time after time, even if they've been on cruise control for a while. I heard the president of an association say, well, we're not going to reject a proposal by [Fred Frack]. That sort of assumed entitlement helps widen the gulf between the commoners (whose fees pay for the conference) and the inner circle.
In my own field (training / learning / improving on-the-job performance) I tend to be less interested in Big Names than in people sharing their experience in detail. (This is similar to the case studies that Becky Carroll mentions in her comment.) I may attend a session because the topic relates to what I'm working on, or because the solution being tried is one I want to know more about.
So on the positive side, the conference needs to offer the possibility of further contact; the Helicopter Speaker who drops in to talk and heads out again is of much less value. (If I want a revival, I can go to the Solid Rock Church of Increasing Demands.)
And on the negative side, while I recognize that consultants and vendors have services to sell--I'm a consultant myself--the presentation shouldn't be an infomercial.
Another thought, shocking as it is to deep-dyed 2.0 types: not everyone has a laptop, not everyone's on Twitter, not everyone has an iPhone, not everyone even wants to be sitting next to someone tapping away nonstop. So: be clear on who your audience is. You can encourage greater community (what about an option of "let other people know I'm planning to attend" so I can see who else might be attending?), but remember the folks in parts of town that aren't wired 24/7.
Alicia Arenas
· 9 months ago
This is a great question Chris.
Two things. I've seen a couple of conferences do something that encourages attendance: negotiating special pricing for hotels, rental cars and even sometimes, local attractions. This can be the difference between buying a plan ticket or not.
The other thing really isn't a technique. It's something that I do because it's part of who I am. At every event I'm involved in, I give a non-profit an opportunity to come, set up a table, bring 1-2 guests and to give a short presentation either at the beginning of a workshop or during a break - all for free. It's great for the non-profit because they get additional exposure, volunteers and even money. It's great for the participants because they learn about resources in the community. And even though I don't expect it and never ask for it, sometimes the non-profit tells their board about it or puts it on their website.
I've found that people are more willing to invest in their own development if they can help a great cause at the same time.
Gordie
· 9 months ago
Having been in the restaurant business for 30 years, the question of how to put butts in the seats is not a new one. Nor is the answer. Value. Not a simple answer, despite the brevity of its spelling. How does one determine the value of something that isn't quite as tangible as food? It depends on the focus of the conference. Especially in tight money times, things need to have as much value for the attendees as possible to be justifiable as expenditures, either corporate or personal. The conference organizer, therefore, has to wring as much value as possible out of the presenters. Maybe the headliner does the keynote, but also does a one-on-one interview on stage followed by questions from the audience, is part of a panel with several other speakers, and commits to attending a couple of informal social events during the conference. I suspect the headliner will gain as much from that level of interaction as any of the attendees.
At one foodservice conference I'm familiar with, there is an informal roundtable discussion, with each table of 8 to 10 attendees having one designated "expert" join them for an unstructured and typically wide open discussion about whatever the table wants to talk about. (Food and beverage are much in evidence, which leads to that state of 'wide open' previously mentioned.)
It may be useful to plan the event as a continuing one, rather than a one-shot. Make the event as useful and memorable for both the attendees and the presenters as possible, knowing that if you do it right, they'll want to return for the next one themselves and recommend their friends do so as well. Sometimes it pays to work toward future butts as much as present ones.
infolode
· 9 months ago
Snippets of the conversation reveal the answer, at least to me. "So, I’m looking for other ways to extend the conversation." "Sometimes, people can’t make an event for one reason or another." KrissyKnox: "just like a social media club, a newsletter to keep everyone informed, some kind of forum in a blog, a blog that keeps up info after a conference on the subject matter, a regular meeting say once a week on twitter (some kind of “conference circle”), some kind of radio show or tv show, a video series or podcast series, anything you can think of that is interactive" Lorne Pike: "the real value often comes from the long-term relationships that will be formed or nurtured" "Add some time built in to connect with both the key people and those other attendees, and you’ve gone a long way to making sure everyone comes away with some tangible long-term benefits" Paula Crerar "but they also want to share views with others and make new contacts. Attendees who make many connections tend to feel highly satisfied with the event (i.e. the more connections the attendee made, the more likely they agreed with the statement “This event was valuable” and “I will recommend this event to colleagues”). To get attendees to come back and to rave about your conferences, invest in ways for your attendees to easily connect with others. " My suggestion is that any of the attendees who want to journal the experience and share it with other attendees as well as those who couldn't come. This goes on anyway in attendees' blogs. However, are the keynotes making an effort to comment on attendees' journals, giving added value for attending? Not just a top few, but EVERYONE who journals on the conference? An official hashtag for the event would allow keynotes or anyone to search for those journaling bloggers who don't hit the top of any social network search. A special banner would be a plus as well. Only available at the conference for attendees to keep it exclusive, thus another bonus for attendence. A website group that only they can join to keep sharing what they learned at the conference and how they're acting on it, which keynotes moniter and participate in (more added value). And, finally an 'uber-group' for those who are faithful followers of keynote's conferences and are following their recommendations, thus are sterling examples of how following keynote's advice WORKS. Of course, keynote would participate in this group as well. Molly
Jeff Korhan
· 9 months ago
Chris - Make sure the people attending have a chance to have their voices heard too. Everybody has something to say, and the more you encourage that, the more you keep 'em coming back for the next event.
If you need a social media speaker in a pinch, give me a call.
Great post. When I'm considering which conferences to attend, there are 2 key questions I consider: interesting people and fresh conversations. Where can I meet the most interesting - people that can help me get where I am going? And where am I going to get access the content and conversations that are going to accelerate my learning? I believe the new breed of social event platforms (like the company I work for, http://zerista.com) are really helpful in enabling events to extend the networking and conversations before and after the event - in a way that complements and builds on the on-site experience.
John Kanarowski
· 9 months ago
Great post and conversations. When I consider which conferences to attend, I look for two key things: networking and conversations. Where am I going to get access to the most interesting, thought-provoking people? And where am I going to get access to the freshest content and conversations that is going to accelerate my learning? I think the new breed of social event platforms (like Zerista) are critical to extending both the networking and conversations before and after the event - in a way that complements and builds on the in-person event.
In the seminar and event planning business, filling the seats is the hardest thing to do. In my experience, for people to make the sacrifice of giving up their time to sit at your event, there better be some ABSOLUTE OPPORTUNITY/INFORMATION/EDUCATION that they can't get anywhere else!
Your speakers have to be known experts. Your info has to be fresh and timely. The venue has to be in a good location, easy to get to and comfortable. And it doesn't hurt to have some surprises in store.
And don't make it free. Give away tons of VIP (Free tickets) but anyone who doesn't have an in, gets to pay. People won't go if they don't have any skin in the game.
Corinne Edwards
· 9 months ago
Hi Chris -
Excellent ideas above.
As a travel agent/meeting planner for over 20 years, here are my two cents –
I would add –
Families are hungry for a vacation in this recession economy but an attendee does not bring them to a city location. If they could kill two birds at once, we might have a better chance of attendance. Two people - or even a family of four in a room does not cost much more, if anything.
Pick a resort location – just a little off season to get the best prices. Not off the beaten track – with nonstop flight from major cities.
If your market is in the US, stay here. The IRS is much more lenient about education write-offs if your meeting is in the US.
Include the hotel in the price so they know what they are spending. People are not familiar with many places and it is daunting to find a convenient hotel.
Choose a large hotel as most of the rooms are similar so there are no gripes about who got the best room for the same price. They will also make deals for free rooms for your speakers who are not paying. Usually about one free for every fifteen. They also will deal on meeting space and parking.
A large hotel will have varied sized meeting rooms for different events.
Staying in one hotel keeps the group together and promotes community.
Arrange sightseeing for spouses and children. A separate package. Perhaps sponsors could underwrite some of these. The person who rocks the cradle ….
Dave Lutz
· 9 months ago
Chris, great post and very thought provoking comments by all! I think the challenge that most event organizers have is that they feel they need to control the channel. Some will make you join a new platform or group, others will want to moderate the user generated content, most will just not generate enough interesting content. It should be a requirement for all speakers to provide advance blog content and to invite VIP's to attend.
Most big conferences have another challenge. Their web traffic will be off the charts several weeks before the show and then drop off to nothing after the show. Those conferences/expos usually are doing little to nothing to re-package the live content and build upon it. How about doing a session of the week with multiple blog posts, video archives, discussions?
Thanks for some great ideas...there is definitely an art to "getting butts in chairs" and of course there is some science too. And of course one of the keys, like you mentioned, is reaching out and attempting to bring the best speakers in, as well.
Thanks again,
Sean
Jon Moss
· 9 months ago
Great post, and some very useful comments so a big thanks to all!
Currently in the planning stages of my first conference, so this is spot on for ideas and feedback. I'm lucky in the fact that the city where I live has never had a tech / business / online conference, so am hoping it will be a success.
Charlotte Tomic
· 4 months ago
What do you do if you are invited to speak at a conference that promises 5000 attendees and then no one shows up to hear one of the major speakers? How would you handle that crisis?
Chris Brogan
· 4 months ago
That's a really tricky one, Charlotte. I've had the same happen on a much smaller scale, but it's not ever any fun at any level. I think the best one *can* do is to apologize to the speaker, to ask if you can record it on video (all tight shots) for their speaking collection, and then maybe offer even better transportation back to the airport and an upgrade to 1st class (if that wasn't your original plan). There's not a lot of ways to fix that problem once it starts, so you have to begin the "exit gracefully" protocol instead.
All Comments
To me, a conference is like an old-fashioned revival - the intent is not just to teach me, but to get my creative juices flowing again. So I want to be challenged by an atmosphere of creativity that begins with the initial marketing. Just the thoughts of one guy. Thanks for asking all of us!
A few ideas I have for outside events, and I don't know how feasible they are, but just some things to think about, would be: teleconferences, tweetups (as you mentioned), breakfast, lunch or supper or even nighttime clubs -- that meet about once a week or once a month -- just like a social media club, a newsletter to keep everyone informed, some kind of forum in a blog, a blog that keeps up info after a conference on the subject matter, a regular meeting say once a week on twitter (some kind of "conference circle"), some kind of radio show or tv show, a video series or podcast series, anything you can think of that is interactive!, okay, I guess that's enough for now.
Hope that helped, Chris!
krissy knox :)
visit me on twitter
http://www.twitter.com/iamkrissy
Now it's all different. Discretionary spending is gone. Or nearly so.
Over here, we call it "bums on seats", and getting them, and sponsor dollars are now an equal and terrifying struggle for conferences and their organisers. The ordinary events will, no doubt, vanish. The best events on the other hand, may need to scale down through lack of sponsor money and lack of ability to attract attendees.
As an example that's touching me, I'm keynoting and running an all-day Enterprise 2.0 workshop at the GOVIS conference in NZ in May (http://www.govis.org.nz/conference2009/govis-20...). Even though we've effectively halved the price for the workshop to support current market conditions, we have no sign ups. I'm expecting we'll get some, but planning to cancel if we need to.
I'm lucky I get to attend a lot of conferences as a speaker and therefore don't have to pay for the experience. The paying attendees deserve the absolute best show we can put on for them - great, knowledgeable speakers; real, complete case studies; practical workshops; fun after hours events.
But if we can't get them to come, and can't find sponsors to pony up the tens of thousands of dollars it takes to carry off a good event, it's going to be hard. Hell, I'm co-unorganising a BarCamp next weekend and we couldn't attract a single cash sponsor this year.
I've seen one or two events that ask attendees to profile themselves -- interests, needs, & objectives. Everyone then gets contact info when they register of the attendees who complement their profiles. Add some time built in to connect with both the key people and those other attendees, and you've gone a long way to making sure everyone comes away with some tangible long-term benefits.
Oh, and those pastries with the berries and the icing powder are good too!
Part of this process is marketing (what we say about the conferece), partly positioning (conference fees and location) but mostly it is a question of targeting. Our research shows that the number of people who should be interested and available for this event exceeds the available seat count by a factor of a hundred. How do we get the message to this group, without interrupting or annoying the millions of others in our community at the same time?
There are no clear answers, but this is likely something else that social media will shake out in the near future. Perhaps we won't be promoting future events as much as quietly discussing them with trusted contacts, and allowing merit itself to empower overall success.
However, the present scenario is far from normal so the "fail-safe" recipés for a successful event are under threat. There are a few tell-tale signs in your piece that make me think that numbers are falling off. That is my own observation of events in the UK so I would expect this to happen in the U.S. too.
Great speakers, great content, great venue, great networking - all may still be in place. But the budgets are not. And even where the money is available, there is definite pressure against potential delegates taking the time out from the day job, especially for multi-day events.
Likewise potential sponsors are likely to be even cannier than usual about putting their paws into their pocketbooks.
People are turning the change in their pockets over twice before spending.
Your mileage may vary, of course. But I feel that the challenge facing every event organizer for the rest of this year will not just be about whether people will pay to attend a great [even the best] event but more about not sparing the time (or being allowed to spare the time) to attend.
A few suggestions: half day or single day make it freeeven better than usual contentno frills
The conference I just finished organizing and running, the 11th Annual AMA Cause Conference, turned out to be a huge success because we had speakers which spoke on the current needs for the attendees. This is a tough year for conferences, as you said, and especially challenging for the Cause Conference as the target attendees were non-profits (whose budgets are very tight). But it worked. People who had attended in the past helped rally those who weren't sure. Facebook and LinkedIn groups helped get people interested. Shout-outs from partners and sponsors all helped spread the word.
But the true value was in the event itself. We made sure to understand exactly what attendees wanted to hear and had our speakers tailor their talks to those topics. We set up opportunities for attendees to network with each other, share frustrations, and look for success stories. We hit directly onto their deepest concerns.
I hope these ideas and examples help! I know you will have a rockin' event!!
In these times, I would maximize the chance of success by having the conference in a large city at a venue where you could change to a bigger or smaller room if need be; have it on a weekend; have speakers covering very timely topics with info not easily found elsewhere; just before networking events have a short inspirational presentation to get 'em in a good mood; create a follow up scenario to add more value such as a social media "group" of some type for people to connect later who didn't get to meet there; and have speakers who are there mostly to present and get a following and not heavily SELL on-the-spot. Of course, the price has to be a darn good value as well. I've been used as a consultant for conferences. I find it challenging and exciting. Good luck!
In my own field (training / learning / improving on-the-job performance) I tend to be less interested in Big Names than in people sharing their experience in detail. (This is similar to the case studies that Becky Carroll mentions in her comment.) I may attend a session because the topic relates to what I'm working on, or because the solution being tried is one I want to know more about.
So on the positive side, the conference needs to offer the possibility of further contact; the Helicopter Speaker who drops in to talk and heads out again is of much less value. (If I want a revival, I can go to the Solid Rock Church of Increasing Demands.)
And on the negative side, while I recognize that consultants and vendors have services to sell--I'm a consultant myself--the presentation shouldn't be an infomercial.
Another thought, shocking as it is to deep-dyed 2.0 types: not everyone has a laptop, not everyone's on Twitter, not everyone has an iPhone, not everyone even wants to be sitting next to someone tapping away nonstop. So: be clear on who your audience is. You can encourage greater community (what about an option of "let other people know I'm planning to attend" so I can see who else might be attending?), but remember the folks in parts of town that aren't wired 24/7.
Two things. I've seen a couple of conferences do something that encourages attendance: negotiating special pricing for hotels, rental cars and even sometimes, local attractions. This can be the difference between buying a plan ticket or not.
The other thing really isn't a technique. It's something that I do because it's part of who I am. At every event I'm involved in, I give a non-profit an opportunity to come, set up a table, bring 1-2 guests and to give a short presentation either at the beginning of a workshop or during a break - all for free. It's great for the non-profit because they get additional exposure, volunteers and even money. It's great for the participants because they learn about resources in the community. And even though I don't expect it and never ask for it, sometimes the non-profit tells their board about it or puts it on their website.
I've found that people are more willing to invest in their own development if they can help a great cause at the same time.
At one foodservice conference I'm familiar with, there is an informal roundtable discussion, with each table of 8 to 10 attendees having one designated "expert" join them for an unstructured and typically wide open discussion about whatever the table wants to talk about. (Food and beverage are much in evidence, which leads to that state of 'wide open' previously mentioned.)
It may be useful to plan the event as a continuing one, rather than a one-shot. Make the event as useful and memorable for both the attendees and the presenters as possible, knowing that if you do it right, they'll want to return for the next one themselves and recommend their friends do so as well. Sometimes it pays to work toward future butts as much as present ones.
"So, I’m looking for other ways to extend the conversation." "Sometimes, people can’t make an event for one reason or another."
KrissyKnox: "just like a social media club, a newsletter to keep everyone informed, some kind of forum in a blog, a blog that keeps up info after a conference on the subject matter, a regular meeting say once a week on twitter (some kind of “conference circle”), some kind of radio show or tv show, a video series or podcast series, anything you can think of that is interactive"
Lorne Pike: "the real value often comes from the long-term relationships that will be formed or nurtured" "Add some time built in to connect with both the key people and those other attendees, and you’ve gone a long way to making sure everyone comes away with some tangible long-term benefits"
Paula Crerar "but they also want to share views with others and make new contacts. Attendees who make many connections tend to feel highly satisfied with the event (i.e. the more connections the attendee made, the more likely they agreed with the statement “This event was valuable” and “I will recommend this event to colleagues”). To get attendees to come back and to rave about your conferences, invest in ways for your attendees to easily connect with others. "
My suggestion is that any of the attendees who want to journal the experience and share it with other attendees as well as those who couldn't come. This goes on anyway in attendees' blogs. However, are the keynotes making an effort to comment on attendees' journals, giving added value for attending? Not just a top few, but EVERYONE who journals on the conference? An official hashtag for the event would allow keynotes or anyone to search for those journaling bloggers who don't hit the top of any social network search. A special banner would be a plus as well. Only available at the conference for attendees to keep it exclusive, thus another bonus for attendence. A website group that only they can join to keep sharing what they learned at the conference and how they're acting on it, which keynotes moniter and participate in (more added value). And, finally an 'uber-group' for those who are faithful followers of keynote's conferences and are following their recommendations, thus are sterling examples of how following keynote's advice WORKS. Of course, keynote would participate in this group as well.
Molly
If you need a social media speaker in a pinch, give me a call.
Jeff Korhan
jeffkorhan.com
John Kanarowski
Zerista.com
Your speakers have to be known experts. Your info has to be fresh and timely. The venue has to be in a good location, easy to get to and comfortable. And it doesn't hurt to have some surprises in store.
And don't make it free. Give away tons of VIP (Free tickets) but anyone who doesn't have an in, gets to pay. People won't go if they don't have any skin in the game.
Excellent ideas above.
As a travel agent/meeting planner for over 20 years, here are my two cents –
I would add –
Families are hungry for a vacation in this recession economy but an attendee does not bring them to a city location. If they could kill two birds at once, we might have a better chance of attendance. Two people - or even a family of four in a room does not cost much more, if anything.
Pick a resort location – just a little off season to get the best prices. Not off the beaten track – with nonstop flight from major cities.
If your market is in the US, stay here. The IRS is much more lenient about education write-offs if your meeting is in the US.
Include the hotel in the price so they know what they are spending. People are not familiar with many places and it is daunting to find a convenient hotel.
Choose a large hotel as most of the rooms are similar so there are no gripes about who got the best room for the same price. They will also make deals for free rooms for your speakers who are not paying. Usually about one free for every fifteen. They also will deal on meeting space and parking.
A large hotel will have varied sized meeting rooms for different events.
Staying in one hotel keeps the group together and promotes community.
Arrange sightseeing for spouses and children. A separate package. Perhaps sponsors could underwrite some of these. The person who rocks the cradle ….
Most big conferences have another challenge. Their web traffic will be off the charts several weeks before the show and then drop off to nothing after the show. Those conferences/expos usually are doing little to nothing to re-package the live content and build upon it. How about doing a session of the week with multiple blog posts, video archives, discussions?
I've written a couple recent articles that may help. This one is on - SEO for Event Websites and this one is about - Attracting Attendees & Sponsors in a Down Economy.
Thanks again,
Sean
Currently in the planning stages of my first conference, so this is spot on for ideas and feedback. I'm lucky in the fact that the city where I live has never had a tech / business / online conference, so am hoping it will be a success.
How did you handle it?