Posts Tagged ‘seminars’
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, February 8th, 2011
Heads up: many meeting planners want to limit their speakers’ availability for other events. Check out the language alert reader Dave Paradi found in this Request for Presentations (RFP) for an industry event: “It is a policy of XYZ that all speakers at XYZ agree to not present their session within 6 months prior and post XYZ 2011 in the City of ABC. Do you agree to this policy?”
That’s right — you can’t speak in that city for SIX MONTHS. Why do meeting planners care? According to Dave, many are concerned about speakers who schedule events right before/after the conference that would compete for the same attendees. The good news: this is negotiable and many groups have changed the wording or dropped the issue entirely.
I can see both sides here. Competition for attendees is fierce. And… six months is ridiculous. Moral of the story: read the dang RFP and don’t be afraid to question the policies. Many thanks to Dave for giving me the heads up and the backstory.
Tags: meetings, positioning, seminars, speakers, Speaking, strategy, trends, Vickie Sullivan
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Tuesday, November 24th, 2009
Like incentive meetings, fam trips — those hospitality tours to showcase hotels and locations — are undergoing an extreme makeover. What’s hot now: education sessions for meeting planner attendees. Topics are wide-ranging, with the main criteria being CEU credits. Including seminars with these credits has boosted attendance for Las Vegas Harrah’s trip, which gets 1200 applications for just 175 slots.
Why do you care? Let’s stop and think…where do you think they get the speakers for these sessions? Some will be other meeting planners/industry insiders and some will be local folks with something to share. In this age of competing venues for attendees, watch this trend steadily grow next year.
Tags: CEU, education, hospitality, makeover, Marketing, seminars, strategy, trends, Vickie Sullivan
Posted in Marketing, Speaking, branding, strategy | 1 Comment »
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
Interesting study from Meetings and Conventions magazine: the biggest draw to trade shows is not the booths. According to 83 percent of the respondents, the #1 reason for attending is the education seminars. And 93 percent cite that these events are extremely / somewhat important.
So why are trade shows less attended? Yep, it’s the economy and lack of time. And…one-third of respondents report that they are attending just as many shows as last year.
What’s going to happen next year? Education will continue to be the major draw, but don’t expect the inclusion of the general motivational speaker. Prediction: prominent industry folks will reign, along with tactic-driven sessions.
Tags: Marketing, seminars, strategy, trade shows, trends, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, September 24th, 2009
No, it’s not your imagination. Corporate America has but back on training. Key question: what topics are considered “nice to have” and therefore being cut?
Workplace Options sheds some light on that question. Their recent poll shows only 39% of employers make time management, communications and leadership training available, and 32% offer personal growth topics, such as wellness, stress, and financial management. That’s an 18% drop for work-related skills training and a 15 percent drop on personal growth from the results in November last year.
Folks still need this information, so look for associations to pick up the slack. It won’t be in classroom format though. Webinars and other online formats will dominate these topics well into 2010. If you haven’t jumped on this bandwagon yet, now might be a good time.
Tags: Marketing, seminars, strategy, training, Vickie Sullivan, webinars
Posted in Marketing, Speaking, strategy | 1 Comment »
Thursday, June 11th, 2009
Last month I talked about the content bar being raised by seminars with no registration fees. Just ran across a perfect example from a long-time colleague: Blog Marketing Experts CEO Bruce Inouye is conducting a seminar with absolutely no pitching and no registration fee. He keeps his events small and intimate — only 25 people can attend — so that folks get individual attention. That’s right: all content, for free. Why? Because he has enough confidence that his content will get him all the clients he needs.
His next event in Scottsdale, Arizona is June 25th if you want to check it out. Here’s the link: http://blogmarketingexperts.com/seminars/
Tags: blog, experts, seminars, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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