Smart Meetings

JUNE 11, 2021

What can meeting professionals learn from this popular pop-up social media craze? Why not transform the welcome reception into a jungle or beach to fit your meeting theme and put everyone in a fresh frame of mind? While tickets are for specific time slots, attendees are encouraged to make the journey their own.

Social Media 279

Social Media Meeting Media Production 279

Endless Events

JULY 27, 2018

You can also ask the potential attendees to pay a sort of “attendance deposit”, which will be returned when their attendance has been confirmed. Up Your Learning and Event Networking Experience at Meetings. That’s why it is important to design your meetings for event networking. Make Your Check-In Process Smoother.

Networking 200

Networking Attendee Registration Events 200

MeetingsNet

MAY 29, 2019

"Conversations & Input" eases presenter pressure, gets all attendees involved, and deepens learning. We're all quite familiar with the Q&A portion of a meeting session: The final few minutes where the audience has its chance to drill down a bit with the presenter. The Results.

Attendee 85

Attendee Meeting Audience Meeting Design 85

Conferences that Work

APRIL 11, 2022

Over the years I’ve designed and facilitated hundreds of meetings. One of the most common issues I address that is rarely acknowledged openly is the tension between the wants and needs of suppliers and practitioners at meetings. But what happens when both suppliers and practitioners at meetings attend sessions ?

Meeting 118

Meeting Vendor Sponsors Attendee 118

Conferences that Work

APRIL 18, 2022

I’ve been writing about hybrid meetings for a long time; my first post was in February 2010. The COVID19 pandemic created an explosion of interest in hybrid meetings, and the marketplace and event professionals are still defining what “hybrid” means. (No, 1—In-person attendees participate in an online session!

Meeting 164

Meeting Online Conference Booking 164

Conferences that Work

SEPTEMBER 26, 2016

I’ve been promoting the Conferences That Work meeting format for so long, that some people assume I think it’s the right choice for every meeting. two meeting types and three situations when you should NOT use a Conferences That Work design: — Most corporate events. Well, it’s not.

Meeting Design 88

Meeting Design Conference Meeting Conference Design 88

Conferences that Work

FEBRUARY 20, 2017

And yes, I admit it, during the second day of my vacation while enjoying the harmonies I hear, I’m jolted to think about religious meeting design…. Religious services are thought to be around 300,000 years old — by far the oldest form of organized meeting that humans have created. Include lots of communal activities.

Meeting Design 61

Meeting Design Meeting Speakers Conference 61

Smart Meetings

JUNE 1, 2022

” Read More : Virtual and Hybrid Meeting Tech Updates You Need Now. Instead, this interactive map provides a visual experience to see where all attendees are joining from. Break up a Zoom meeting by adding a Spark with 15 minutes of comedy or mindfulness – this will help your audience feel empowered. SnackCrate.

Audience 276

Audience Social Media Speakers Registration 276

Conferences that Work

JULY 19, 2021

Ever since my first encounter with the hybrid hub and spoke meeting topology at Event Camp Twin Cities in 2011, I’ve been a big fan of the format. Yesterday [see below], I realized that hub and spoke is a great format for purely online meetings too. What’s a hub and spoke meeting? But first…. A terminology reminder.

Meeting 132

Meeting Online Remote Fashion 132

Convene by PCMA

MAY 19, 2023

Amsterdam’s well-connected infrastructure means attendees can easily jump between venues, hotels, attractions, and restaurants. After all, when event organizers choose host cities that embrace innovation and forward-thinking ideas, those values inevitably set the tone for their event programs and become part of the attendee experience.

Sustainability 52

Sustainability Attendee Fashion Panel 52

Conferences that Work

NOVEMBER 8, 2021

What are the fairest rules to use when running meetings? ” I think it’s reasonable to concentrate on fairness to participants : the majority of those involved with the meeting. All meetings have rules, whether overt or covert, conscious or unconscious, that influence how they proceed. Status and power at meetings.

Meeting 129

Meeting Conference Speakers Booking 129

Conferences that Work

OCTOBER 21, 2024

I’ve not always agreed with Freeman’s Reports , but, if you’re in the meeting industry, Freeman’s Trends Report Q4 2024 is a must-read. “We’ve calibrated our research and confirmed our hypothesis: many organizers are operating on outdated definitions of attendee and exhibitor value. The good news?

Trends 80

Trends Event Design Networking Attendee 80

Convene by PCMA

APRIL 4, 2022

Travel Association provides graphics like the one above to promote Global Meetings Industry Day, April 7. Travel Association (USTA), which merged with the Meetings Mean Business coalition in 2021, reflecting USTA’s heightened focus on reviving business travel.

Meeting 116

Meeting Trade Show Social Media Hospitality 116

Conferences that Work

MARCH 29, 2021

The essential characteristics of meeting professionals. If there is a heaven on earth in the event industry, there are four essential characteristics of successful meeting professionals you’ll meet there. Every successful meeting involves thinking about, planning for and executing countless details. Details matter.

Meeting 121

Meeting Communications Communications Logistics 121

Smart Meetings

FEBRUARY 10, 2022

Software company twine’s announcement today that it is acquiring the relationship-building technology company Glimpse is a sign of the evolution of virtual meetings and possibly the first step toward a more tangible virtual event world. Read More : How Two Virtual Meetings Added Meaning to their Gatherings.

Remote 246

Remote Platform Production Technology 246

Social Tables

OCTOBER 6, 2018

Meetings don’t look how they used to. But when it comes to trends, where should meeting industry professionals put their focus? While the shifts are plentiful, there are five that stand out from the fold when it comes to modern event design. Here are five meeting industry trends that are changing the game.

Trends 157

Trends Meeting Trade Show Events 157

Conferences that Work

FEBRUARY 7, 2022

Companies bombard me with offers to check out online meeting platforms. Butter is an online meeting platform that is designed to support the facilitation of great interactive meetings. So here’s my review of Butter, a meeting platform for facilitators to shine. The usual caveats. Butter — the big picture.

Platform 62

Platform Meeting Online Production 62

Social Tables

OCTOBER 6, 2018

Change is imminent — and in the meetings industry, it’s upon us. While the shifts are plentiful, there are five that stand out from the fold when it comes to modern event design. Here’s how the meetings industry is changing the game. With that, they’re also now the largest pool of potential meeting attendees.

Meeting 158

Meeting Trade Show Events Social Media 158

Conferences that Work

AUGUST 16, 2021

And it made me think about meeting design. And, me being me, I thought about what Marcy had just said in the context of meeting design. And meetings are no exception. But when we are fully engaged in a meeting, we are just there , immersed in and responding to what is happening. Attendees want to feel safe.

Rehearsal 126

Rehearsal Meeting Design Conference Preparation 126

Gavel International

FEBRUARY 26, 2024

Reading Time: 7 minutes The first installment of this two-part series began with details about harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and the critical demand of sustainability requirements in meeting planning. Meeting Design Consider the format that is most likely to achieve the goals of the meeting.

Planner 52

Planner Meeting Vendor Culture 52

Conferences that Work

FEBRUARY 12, 2024

I make conferences better by dramatically increasing attendee satisfaction. Increasing attendee satisfaction increases the effectiveness of the event for all stakeholders: attendees, sponsors, and event owners. Since 1992, I’ve designed and facilitated hundreds of conferences and thousands of meetings.

Sponsors 80

Sponsors Registration Conference Attendee 80

Conferences that Work

MARCH 13, 2017

How do we get people to participate at meetings? We know that participants — people who are active learners — learn more, retain more, and retain more accurately than passive attendees. Seth Godin describes a desirable meeting mindset: What would happen… if we chose to: …Sit in the front row. Seth Godin, What Would Happen.

Attendee 80

Attendee Education Booking Meeting Design 80

Social Tables

DECEMBER 27, 2018

Meetings are growing and evolving rapidly, and each is an experiment in applying new methods to find a perfect formula. To succeed, you have to be dynamic, you have to be flexible, and, above all, you have to be in tune with attendee desires. Demand continues to outpace supply of meetings-eligible hotels. So will live events.).

Trends 167

Trends Meeting Venue Planner 167

The MICE Blog

JULY 27, 2022

One of the presentations that highly inspired me to think differently about event design took place in 2019 at the MICE Forum at ITB Berlin (Organised by VDVO ). In the connected world we live in today, the personal needs of each attendee have become even more important, and technology should enhance this experience, and not replace it.

Events 147

Events Speakers Conference Event Design 147

Convene by PCMA

AUGUST 2, 2024

In response to our sacred cow question, meeting designer Adrian Segar posted on X that we should “get rid of expensive keynotes, predetermined schedules of lectures, large events that try to cover everything with no support for tribes to find each other.”

Social Media 119

Social Media Events Consulting Culture 119

Conferences that Work

APRIL 25, 2022

Hosted by CSAE Manitoba , this free one-hour online Participate Lab will introduce you to the design of participation-rich events through the direct experience of participatory meeting techniques and formats. Today’s attendees are no longer satisfied sitting and listening to people talking at them. Where & When.

Online 116

Online Registration Meeting Design Conference 116

Convene by PCMA

AUGUST 19, 2024

Taking proactive measures, including making water stations available to encourage regular hydration, is essential for meetings planners dealing with a heat wave. Train staff in advance to recognize the physical signs of dehydration or overheating, so they can respond quickly if an attendee is in distress.

Site Selection 59

Site Selection Regulations Retreat Events 59

Brightspot Incentive Events

MARCH 18, 2021

Transforming an In-Person Sales Kickoff into a Virtual Meeting. Face-to-face events, conferences, and meetings were postponed or cancelled for the near future. Attendees have shorter attention spans when viewing a screen for several hours. March 13, 2020 is the date that changed the world forever.

Virtual Events 52

Virtual Events Meeting Speakers Platform 52

MeetingsNet

MARCH 18, 2019

Deepen engagement and increase retention at your meetings by embracing three fundamental shifts in the attendee experience. Rethinking “attendees” as “participants.” This fundamental shift changes the way we think about everything from our meeting spaces to our speaker content. Moving from static to active meetings.

Meeting 58

Meeting Sponsors Speakers Meeting Design 58

Conferences that Work

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

But Julius didn’t see them catch on and now focuses on other aspects of the meeting industry. I’ve been a facilitator, designer, and proponent of unconferences (aka peer conferences ) since 1992. For example, figuring out what attendees actually want and need to talk about doesn’t happen at the drop of a hat.

Preparation 106

Preparation Venue Conference Proposal 106

Conferences that Work

APRIL 9, 2018

Over the last five years I’ve heard increasing concern from the meeting professionals community about the deterioration of the quality of our national industry conferences. I’ll illustrate with the area where I have most experience: providing education at these meetings.

Education 74

Education Meeting Sponsors Speakers 74

Conferences that Work

SEPTEMBER 16, 2024

For decades, I’ve championed responsible conference designs that prioritize participants. This approach benefits everyone—participants, sponsors, and organizers—because when attendees’ wants and needs are met, their satisfaction positively impacts all other event stakeholders.

Platform 80

Platform Media Conference Sponsors 80

Stova

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

A hybrid event is one that combines a face-to-face (F2F) event at a physical location with a “virtual” online component for remote attendees. Some attendees may simply accept remote event attendance as an acceptable substitute with no travel time, no travel costs and reduced environmental impact.

Remote 111

Remote Audience Events Meeting Design 111

Conferences that Work

MAY 11, 2020

I’ve been designing and facilitating participant-driven and participation-rich in person meetings — aka peer conferences — for almost thirty years. Because participants love these meetings ! Now the covid-19 pandemic has forced meetings online. Zoom has rapidly become the dominant platform for online meetings.

Online 150

Online Conference Platform Publishing 150

Endless Events

JULY 19, 2019

This time around, we’re talking about event tech alongside some very special icons our team had the pleasure to meet during IMEX Frankfurt 2019. EventMobi is actually a platform that allows event planners to establish good communication with their attendees. A tad scary, right? It’s actually a funny story for these two.

Events 199

Events Publishing Platform Technology 199

Conferences that Work

MARCH 25, 2024

Since 2005, I’ve written three successful books on meeting design and facilitation and over 800 weekly blog posts on a wide range of topics. My books continue to sell, and this blog is the world’s most popular website on meeting design and facilitation. Attendees loved my events! Nothing worked.

Booking 80

Booking Consulting Meeting Design Manufacturing 80

Conferences that Work

JUNE 18, 2018

I’ll bet that even today, if you asked attendees what they remembered about the event, most would immediately recall the There Was No Coffee moment. Experienced meeting planners know that every meeting has its share of unexpected surprises. Minimizing surprises like CoffeeGate is default behavior for meeting planners.

Meeting 70

Meeting Conference Online Planner 70