Posts Tagged ‘events’
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012
Let’s end this month with one more study, this time from the IMEX survey at their trade show last October. Yes, they had all the usual trends — do more with less, shorter meetings, going green. But this finding about associations and educational content got my attention.
According to attendee responses, associations are more firmly planted in the education business. Using content from the conferences before and after the event is pretty standard now. What’s new: the format is diversifying into interactive experiences and, yes, even — gasp — gaming!
I’ve preached for years that we experts need to “gamify” our content for corporate segments. Now it looks like we have a new group of customers coming up. My predictions: look for these formats to be underwritten by industry sponsors. This is a great way to be a guru to a community — you can go from being the expert in (fill in the blank) to being the creator of blah-blah game that is taking the industry by storm. See the difference?
Let’s put that on our resolution list. As for the IMEX study, click here to see the rest of the findings.
Tags: associations, events, experts, meetings, positioning, Speaking, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, August 18th, 2011
Do you think virtual attendees — those who attend conferences from the comfort of their cubicle — multi-task more than the audience you speak to right in front of you? Nope — everyone (over 80%) is checking their email during your presentation, according to this fascinating study about meeting attendees both virtually and face-to-face.
Conducted in May by PCMA (Professional Conference Management Association), so this data is pretty fresh. Most interesting finding: the different motivations between virtual and physical attendees. The former signs on for the value of the content (97%) and ease of use (90%). The latter gets on a plane to meet with the speakers and colleagues (68%) and to meet more customers and prospects (56%). And everyone (over 80%) seems very comfortable networking with strangers both online and off. (Thank you, social media!)
Pay attention to this finding: content marketing and distribution needs are not being met. Distribution on all devices — yes, that means smart phones — is now expected. Getting information before, during, and after the event is important to both types of attendees. Content is still king; the demands for searchability and availability are a given. And we’re not just talking white papers either. Videos and other interactive formats make a difference.
As experts who speak, we always want to know more about our audiences. This report is a treasure trove of cool information. Click here to get the report (sign in is required).
Tags: events, experts, Marketing, meetings, positioning, seminars, social media, speakers, Speaking, strategy, technology, trends, Vickie Sullivan
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Tuesday, October 26th, 2010
Interesting article from a meetings industry magazine this Fall about getting more value from speakers. Yes, it’s standard to ask for more than one session. What’s becoming standard now: travel expenses.
That means speakers need to include airfare and incidentals in their fee. And no, that doesn’t mean that you are paying for travel from the meager fee you get. Raise the dang thing to include travel and use your points if the airfare is an unpleasant surprise.
What’s the new standard? More stuff after the meeting. Buyers are looking at coaching, consulting, and facilitation after the event for implementation help. Remember, buyers are looking to us to change behavior. They know that can’t happen in one 60-minute segment, so they are demanding more help.
This is good news for experts who speak. Bad news for the general motivation folks as well as self-help/personal growth. My vote: do a pre-emptive strike by offering a “XX point ‘do it now’ program for implementing the ideas presented”. Those who do will have the inside track.
Tags: events, experts, Marketing, meetings, positioning, Speaking, strategy, trends, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, October 21st, 2010
Here’s more fuel for the virtual attendance movement. For associations, event management company Glasgows has launched EventCast, a webcast service with interactive technology. The big deal here is two-fold: first, the service sends responses instantly to the event for real-time display and analysis by presenters. Watch for more polls and questions rather than comments. Demands for facilitation and “on the fly” content will spike. If canned speeches weren’t dead before, they are now.
For corporate markets, Unisfair introduces “Virtual Classroom” Training Environment. The reason behind the fanfare is the price. According to Unisfair, companies that have used the classroom have reported a 95 percent reduction in training costs, with the average cost per attendee going from roughly $2,000 to $100. They also report that industry giants such as IBM, Intel, and Intuit are happy customers.
Both companies tout that this can replace face-to-face conferences and training. Don’t believe it. Many organizations will use this as an adjunct, not a wholesale replacement. But experts will be expected to be comfortable with the technology and use it creatively. Let the learning begin…
Tags: education, events, Marketing, meetings, Speaking, strategy, trends, Vickie Sullivan
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Tuesday, October 19th, 2010
As if the marketplace isn’t noisy enough, here’s another source for content at those association meetings: the attendees themselves.
Yep, the typical concurrent session of skill-building will make way for hot-topic idea exchanges, according to digital media researcher, Michael Mascioni. My reaction: this idea has legs, thanks to association industry focus on Gen Y’s in the audience and Corporate America’s desire to tap into its collective intelligence. I’m calling it the “reality TV trend of the meetings industry”. This will be a more popular option for association conventions, incentive meetings, and at leadership conferences.
Let’s not panic though. Not all concurrent sessions will ditch their speakers. Skill building and education are too important to leave to chance. Attendee-driven content will be another option, not a replacement. But… be prepared to answer this question: why should we hire you instead of using our attendees for free?
Tags: associations, education, events, Marketing, Speaking, trends, Vickie Sullivan
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Tuesday, August 31st, 2010
What I like best about Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI’s) bi-monthly economic report: the findings are based on the latest data. And so far, no surprises: 39% say attendance is bigger than last year. That’s significant — only 10% saw an uptick last April. The interesting news: that increased attendance will not result in higher budgets. Buyers are only going to pay for what they gotta have.
What else to watch out for: short lead times for more meetings. Negotiations will continue to run rampant in 2011 and possibly beyond. My recommendation: get your fee strategy that you can live with in place now.
Tags: budgets, events, experts, Marketing, meetings, positioning, speakers, Speaking, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Tuesday, August 17th, 2010
What do buyers look at first when you submit an RFP (request for proposal) to speak at their conference? The topic. It doesn’t matter if you are the Pope, if your topic doesn’t fit their agenda your proposal goes into the round file. Immediately.
Yes, this is basic and yet too many speakers don’t make the cut for this reason. My theory: we are blinded by what we offer instead of approaching the conference from a blank slate. The former approach assumes a fit and spins accordingly; the result is a topic buyers roll their eyes at. The latter doesn’t assume a good fit and compares the criteria in the RFP with other hot trends. Combining the two.
Yes, I have more thoughts on this subject. Click here to see my latest video rant. Want more? No problem: the next Extreme Mini Makeover call on Tuesday will explore how to turn your brilliance into a topic that gets picked every time. Click here to get more info and to register for the series.
Tags: events, experts, Marketing, meetings, positioning, speakers, Speaking, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, August 5th, 2010
When I mention “let’s do a social experiment,” my friends and family head for the hills. So this time I did one on myself. After ranting about all the pitching at an industry conference, I decided to do something about it: stop pitching myself. I figured, “Hey, I can’t gripe when I talk about my services.”
Instead of boycotting the conference, I boycotted the selling. Instead of charging for my time, I gave away five 30-minute sessions for free. (With no pitching afterward.) Two things happened: first, the gratitude from participants warmed my heart. Almost every one of them said, “This is brilliant. What can I do for you?” It never occurred to me that folks would want to return the favor so quickly. There’s a different reaction to when you give fully and walk away, versus giving fully with a pitch. My theory: it’s hard to fully appreciate what you’ve been given when you dread the pitch that’s coming next.
Second, I learned that when you give fully, the word spreads. Fast. I was approached by more people interested in my work than the last four conferences combined. Why? Don’t know. But I think it had something to do with what I gave on the first day.
Tags: branding, consultants, conversations, events, Marketing, Speaking, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Monday, August 2nd, 2010
Last week I explored major changes ahead for the incentive industry. Here’s another study to back that up: The Incentive Research Foundation’s newest Pulse Survey. Key finding: although positive vibes are on the rise, the budgets aren’t. Reason: buyers still feel stung by the “extravagant” label. Therefore, this will continue to be bad news for any speaker in the general motivation market (i.e., the sports figures, those with compelling stories) who don’t have a heavy dose of substance.
Another thing to watch out for: this study reports that almost half of the respondents believe their involvement in incentives will decline as more procurement departments take over. Prediction: buyers for agenda and speakers will move up the food chain. No one wants to be blamed for a low-fee speaker who bombed.
Tags: events, incentive meetings, meetings, positioning, speakers, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, July 29th, 2010
Another casualty of the economy: traditional incentive meetings. Industry insiders agree that a new model is morphing for these multi-day junkets. Now it’s a smaller party with a bigger purpose. And that’s good news for experts.
Three ways we can take advantage of the new trends:
- Instead of pure entertainment, a business portion is being added to the agenda. Most popular here: getting feedback from top performers. Facilitators, this is a perfect fit for you.
- I predicted this for years, and this trend is going strong: training is now an important part of the meeting agenda. More opportunities to interact with Corporate America is a good thing. Yes, speakers and trainers are a natural fit for skill-building. Consultants can get in on this act, too.
- And, finally, charitable activities are on the rise. This is a great area for CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) experts — especially those with relationships in Sales and Marketing.
Tags: education, events, experts, Marketing, meetings, Speaking, strategy, trends, Vickie Sullivan
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