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Planning a meeting or conference is no cakewalk. Here are the top tips from expert event planners who have handled hundreds of association conferences: 1. Articulate Your Goals: This may seem obvious, but you would be surprised how easy it is to forget this step. It's harder to plan and choose when you have fuzzy thinking. Here is an example of a clear conference objective. To provide attendees with an opportunity to rethink their roles in the rapidly changing library environment and to enhance their change management skills. Here is a leadership retreat objective: To set priorities and shape the strategic planning process for the upcoming year so that we improve customer service. 2. Make the Location Enticing: Choose a place with a special feeling. For example, great weather (think Cancun), great tourist attractions (think Whistler), great food (a local restaurant) or an-off beat location (think Fantasyland Hotel). 3. Make it Easy for People to Network: According to a 2004 meeting industry poll, the number one reason people attend conferences--is to network. Too many conferences and meetings only offer a cocktail hour. Some people don’t drink or don’t know how to easily build rapport in that environment. In addition, unstructured environments like this usually reinforce existing relationships but may not encourage new ones. Hire presenters who can also create non-threatening ways for people to really get to know each other. Or, offer fun activities that encourage strangers to interact easily. One good connection can make all the difference to an attendee getting their money’s worth. 4. Balance Content with Entertainment: Too many conferences are chalk full of content specialists giving dry, boring lectures (with 150 Power Point slides). People attend meetings to get a break from staring at glowing screens. In addition, people learn more effectively when they are laughing and interacting. Choose speakers who can deliver an applicable message with a good dose of humor, stories and experiential learning. Also, have some speakers who cover a more general interest topic so that it feels applicable to non-industry attendees such as suppliers, relatives and guests. 5. Plan a Signature Moment: Include something that people will talk about when they get home. A fun experiential activity can get people talking, laughing, learning and spreading the word. For example, at a publishing conference teams created a “best ad” contest, at a government leadership retreat attendees participated in comedy improv, at a library conference attendees did a treasure hunt through the nation’s capital. 6. Encourage Implementation: Most people will forget everything they learned at the conference within 48 hours. Choose presenters who know how to help attendees implement their learning back home. This goes beyond simple goal setting. It includes case studies they can relate to, ways of delivering information into their long term memory, and systems that help people stay accountable. Golf Tournament Planning Etoolkit. - Serving Golf Tournament Planners Worldwide! Pac-Kit. - Daily calendar/planner for students.
Jonathan and I had a great time doing this episode with Mary Jo Foley. We did the broadcast live from TechDays Vancouver in front of a live audience as well as our usual online audience. Mary Jo was a great guest and even wrote a follow up blog post based on her experiences with us up here in the Great White North with tips for how IT mangers can keep up to date on the latest happenings in technology and at Microsoft. In this episode, we talk with Mary Jo about her views on what’s new at Microsoft and what’s important for technology managers, strategists, leaders and architects to keep their eyes on when planning for the future. This episode is also available as a audio podcast (download as MP3): Subscribe to the audio podcast series (so you don't miss an episode) :
Mary Jo Foley has been a tech journalist for more than 25 years. She has worked for a variety of tech publications and Web sites, including PCWeek/eWeek, CRN and ZDNet. She is the editor of the "All About Microsoft" blog on ZDNet, and the author of the book "Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft Plans to Stay Relevant in the Post-Gates Era" (John Wiley & Sons). She also is the co-host of the Windows Weekly show on the TWiT network and a frequent commentator and speaker on all things Microsoft-related on TV, radio, podcasts and at industry events. About AlignIT Manager Tech Talk The AlignIT Manager Tech Talk is a monthly live streamed video series hosted by Ruth Morton (LinkedIn) and Jonathan Rozenblit (LinkedIn). Each Tech Talk episode airs on the 2nd Thursday of the month from 12:00pm to 12:30pm ET. The show focuses on a range of topics for both infrastructure and development managers and is interactive, taking questions via a live chat and providing answers on air. About AlignIT The AlignIT program is dedicated to keeping IT leaders informed about what matters in business and technology. We do that through in-person events, web casts, our blog and, of course, this audio and video series. You can find more information about the Align IT program at www.alignit.ca. If you have comments, suggestions, and ideas for future topics please let us know by connecting with us via email, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
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Featured Guest: Mary Jo Foley