Ten Things Great Conference Organisers Do Differently · Videoconferencing, online meetings, telepresence and other collaboration technology are gaining traction. Does that mean the

The Future of Conferences

Gihan PereraFuturist, Speaker, Author

Ten Things Great

Conference Organisers

Do Differently

The Future of Conferences 1

Is the In-Person Conference Dead?

Videoconferencing, online meetings,

telepresence and other collaboration

technology are gaining traction. Does

that mean the in-person conference

is obsolete?

No – not by a long way! But its role has

changed. Some of the benefits of coming

together for a conference can be achieved

just as effectively in other ways, but that’s

a good thing because you can focus on the

things that make the conference

experience special.

In this short book, we look at ten trends

affecting our professional and personal

lives, and how conference organisers

take advantage of them.

Good conference organisers adapt to

these changes.

Great conference organisers embrace

them and create transformational

conference experiences.

“The report of my death was an

exaggeration.”

- Mark Twain

http://gihanperera.com/greatexpectation





Networking is not enough. Your attendees

want to make strong connections and

build lasting relationships.01

Their thinking starts before they arrive.

Help delegates with better preparation so

they make the most of the conference.02

They are not just attendees sitting silently

and listening; they want to be active

participants in co-creating the conference.03

Gadgets and gizmos don’t impress

anymore, unless they are transformational

tools that enhance their experience.06

They want to take their corridor

conversations inside, and actively take

part in in-session collaboration.07

There are other places where they can

learn new skills. They want the conference

to shift thinking instead.08

The Ten Trends

They don’t come to the conference for

more information. They want actionable

insights that make a lasting difference.04

They don’t want you to work at keeping

them entertained and engaged; they want

a conference that flows effortlessly.05

A conference isn’t a one-off event. It can

now be an integrated part of their entire

journey.09

Online events aren’t the enemy of in-

person conferences. They can enhance

and extend the overall experience.10






Ideas and Actions

From Networking to Connections

People have always attended

conferences for the chance to connect

and reconnect with peers and

colleagues.

Good conference organisers already know

the importance of creating spaces during

the conference for networking and

relationship building.

Great conference organisers facilitate this

by expanding it to include connections with

speakers and helping delegates connect

before they arrive.

Publish speakers’ contact details –

especially their LinkedIn address – on

the conference Web site.

If appropriate, publish delegate names

and contact details (again, LinkedIn is

a good balance between access and

confidentiality) as they register.

Create opportunities for planned

serendipity.

1






Why LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is the best social media platform for

connecting people at your conference because:

It’s a business/professional platform

Many of your speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, panellists and

attendees are already using it

It’s not as private as Facebook, and not as public as Twitter

It provides space for positioning and profiling

It has built-in features for publishing (Pulse), connecting,

recommending and collaboration (groups)

A great LinkedIn profile

has:

Good quality photo

Descriptive summary

Up-to-date history

Recommendations for and

from other people

Links to videos, slide

shows, downloads, etc.






Ideas and Actions

From Promotion to Preparation

Don’t assume any real thinking by

delegates only happens at the

conference itself. Now, you can get

them thinking well before they take

their seats.

Good conference organisers use a variety of

promotional tools – including speaker

videos, e-mail bursts, social media, and in-

person promotion.

Great conference organisers take this

further by sparking conversations, seeding

ideas, and building momentum for the

sessions.

Ask speakers to write a 400-500 word

article about their topic.

Ask speakers to create a 60-second

video asking three key questions for

delegates to consider.

Interview leaders about key messages

and offer them as MP3 downloads.

Use the Twitter hashtag pre-conference

to promote interesting material.

2






12 High-Value Promotional Tools

promotional webinar

delegatesurvey

promotional video

Google hangout

password-protected page

conference Web site

free report conference app

books from speakers

audio programs from speakers

sponsor giftspromotional CDs






Ideas and Actions

From Attending to Participating

Your audience mix is changing (see

next page), with less than a third of

them happy to just sit and listen to

lecture-style presentations, as Baby

Boomers have done in the past.

Good conference organisers also cater to

Gen X attendees, who like group

participation and facilitation.

Great conference organisers also cater to

Millennials (Gen Y), who value individuality,

social media, and technology seamlessly

integrated into the conference experience.

Promote the Twitter hashtag widely

during the conference. Appoint social

media leaders to seed the online

conversations.

Ask speakers to tweet key messages

automatically during their session.

Live stream selected sessions.

Encourage speakers, sponsors and

exhibitors to share conference

messages to their online networks.

3






Who’s Turning Up?

Most of your conference attendees fall

into one of three groups. According to

McCrindle Research, this is how they are

distributed in the Australian workforce.

38%

Gen X (age 35-50)prefer interaction and

discussion groups

33%

Millennials (age 15-35)like technology, social

media, and having their say

29%

Boomers (age 50-70)prefer traditional lecture-

style learning

Three Generations, One Event





http://www.mccrindle.com.au/resources/Australia-Population-Map-Generational-Profile2014_McCrindle-Research.pdf


Ideas and Actions

From Information to Insights

People don’t need more information in

their life, and they certainly don’t need

to attend a conference to get the

information they need.

Good conference organisers create

programs that balance information with

interaction, collaboration, and participation.

Great conference organisers find ways to

capture insights in the moment, package

them for future reference, and distribute

them in bite-sized chunks.

Coach internal speakers in the use of

visuals, stories and audience

interaction in their sessions.

Book external speakers who can help

participants make sense of the

information overload.

Create a Storify.com story to capture

key ideas and insights from the

conference.

4





http://storify.com/


Crafting Magnetic Messages

You can’t turn inexperienced speakers into brilliant presenters

overnight, but you can give them some useful guidelines to help

them improve their presentations.

Download the Presentation Skills chapter from my book

“The Future of Leadership” for simple ways to

improve presentations.

You have my permission to share it

with your speakers.





https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2711314/books/TheFutureOfLeadership-2-PresentationSkills-7796.pdf


Ideas and Actions

From Energy to Flow

Managing delegates can be like

herding cats, and one of your biggest

challenges is keeping their attention,

focus and energy.

Good conference organisers manage their

delegates’ energy by arranging the program

to balance action and reflection, listening

and talking, education and entertainment.

Great conference organisers align

everything with the conference theme, and

help delegates flow through the conference,

so they manage their own energy and

achieve their own goals.

Brief speakers, sponsors and exhibitors

about your organisation, the audience

expectations, and the conference

theme.

Emphasise the importance of speakers

presenting a session customised and

tailored to the audience and theme.

Coach the MC to tweak speaker

introductions and session

announcements to align with the

conference theme.

5






Briefing for Speakers

Do you send briefing notes

to help speakers prepare?

Here are a few of the

questions I ask clients. Use

them to create a briefing

sheet to send to speakers.

The best speakers will ask

these questions anyway, but

most won’t.

What do you want my presentation to accomplish?

What do you want your audience to do or do better

as a result of my presentation?

How would these results affect their professional

and/or personal lives?

What is their current attitude about the topic?

How receptive is the audience to change?

How will you measure the results of my

presentation in three to six months?






Ideas and Actions

From Gadgets to Tools

Technology has the power to transform

the entire conference experience, but

only if it used effectively and not just a

random collection of Bright Shiny

Objects.

Good conference organisers use technology

that replaces old techniques – such as a

conference app, online session bookings,

and downloadable resources.

Great conference organisers use technology

that enhances and transforms the in-person

experience, rather than just making it more

efficient.

Provide reliable, high-speed WiFi for

delegates; it can make or break all the

other technology you use.

Use QR codes (and teach delegates

how to use them) on all printed

material.

Always ask, “How we can get more from

this technology?”

6






Beware the Bright Shiny Objects!

These are common, but consider

whether they really add value:

Prezi

Electronic polling systems

Geo-fencing technology (e.g. iBeacon)

On-stage Twitter stream

3D imaging

On the other hand, these usually

are valuable for your conference:

Free WiFi for delegates

Charging stations

Conference mobile app

Twitter hashtag for conference

QR codes on printed material

LinkedIn

“Every piece of technology you use reduces your chance

of success by one-third. That’s why I don’t wear a watch.”

- Gihan Perera






Ideas and Actions

From Corridor Conversations to In-Session Collaboration

If so many delegates think the

conversations they have outside the

sessions are the most valuable part of

the conference, why do you bother

with the sessions?

Good conference organisers know the

sessions are important, but only if they

allow opportunities for participants to chat,

contribute and collaborate.

Great conference organisers look beyond

the list of delegates and tap into the

extended community for conversation and

collaboration.

Design sessions that allow back-and-

forth interaction with the presenters,

group discussions, and one-on-one

conversations.

Use the conference Twitter hashtag to

spark conversations, ask (and answer)

questions, and invite input and

feedback – even from people who

aren’t at the conference.

Provide a live stream of selected

sessions, and enable anybody to

comment.

7






Can You Afford to Let Outsiders In?

If you open up your conference material to outsiders with live streaming,

Twitter hashtags and public comments, doesn’t that diminish the value of

registrations? Not if you do it right!

The power of your conference is in the people, not the material – and people have more

influence than ever before. Your delegates have access to networks you could never

reach. By allowing them to share with their networks, you gain access to those networks

as well.

You don’t have to provide access to everything.

Choose bits and pieces at first, and watch what

happens. Chances are you’ll improve the value for

everybody – including yourself.






Ideas and Actions

From Skills to Shifts

There are so many channels available

for learning new skills, and a

conference isn’t usually near the top

of the list.

Good conference organisers include some

sessions for developing skills, and provide

multiple streams to help participants self-

select the most valuable sessions.

Great conference organisers focus on

shifting thinking rather than teaching skills,

and plan the program around ideas,

mindsets, and inspiration for new ways of

thinking.

Choose speakers who can change the

audience’s minds, but can also show

them “how to get there from here”.

Schedule sessions that encourage

fearless conversations on controversial

topics.

Ask keynote speakers to provide

breakout sessions that reinforce their

key messages.

8






Use Online Courses for Skills Training

Online courses have transformed the way people can learn new skills.

Instead of using valuable conference resources for training, encourage

people to use online courses instead.

There are large online course providers like Coursera.org, but it’s easier to start

with smaller – but still high-quality – providers like Open2Study.com (backed by

leading Australian and New Zealand universities).

Browse Open2Study for courses related to your

conference them, and link to them from the

conference Web site and mobile app.





http://www.coursera.org/

http://www.open2study.com/


Ideas and Actions

From Event to Journey

A conference shouldn’t just be a single

event in a participant’s life; it’s one

part of an engaging journey.

Good conference organisers show

participants how to get more value from the

conference material after they leave the

room.

Great conference organisers create ways for

participants themselves to keep the learning

alive.

Ask speakers to suggest post-

conference activities that keep the

learning alive after their sessions.

Create mastermind groups or “buddies”

for participants to keep each other

accountable.

Host follow-up sessions as webinars,

videoconferencing, and mastermind

groups.

9






Ideas and Actions

From Online Substitute to Online Enhancement

Online collaboration tools can replace

some of what happens at the

conference. You can see that as a

threat or an opportunity.

Good conference organisers create hybrid

events by adding online components before

and after the conference.

Great conference organisers treat the

combination of online and in-person events

as part of one continuous learning journey.

Ask speakers to provide additional

online resources in a variety of formats

(written, audio, video, interactive).

Capture key takeaways and drip-feed

them by e-mail to delegates post-

conference.

Help each participant create their own

Personal Learning Network for ongoing

actions.

10





https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_learning_network


You Don’t Have to Change Everything

Some people suggest throwing out

the old conference format and

completely replacing it with

something else.

That is one option, but not the only one.

As you can see from the ideas in this book,

you can add, mix, complement, enhance

and extend the traditional conference

format to create a better experience.

It’s also worth exploring other

formats for your sessions, such as:

Fishbowls

World Café

Kinetic Spectrum

Professional Speed Dating

Appreciative Inquiry

Open Space Technology

Ignite presentations






Do you like these ideas? Ask me to help you!

I’m a conference keynote

speaker, but when you

book me, you get more

than just a presentation!

I can help you implement

some of the ideas in this book

to improve the experience for

your next conference.

Here are some of the most common ways I

help conference organisers who book me:

Additional online resources

Post-conference modules to keep the learning alive

Interviews with key people before the conference

Advice on using Twitter

Promotional videos and slide shows of my session

A selection of articles and audio programs for use

in your marketing and promotion

And more – just ask!






About Gihan Perera

Gihan Perera is a futurist, conference speaker,

author and consultant who gives business

leaders a glimpse into the future - and what you

need to do to take advantage of it.

Since 1997, he has worked with thought leaders,

change agents, business leaders and

entrepreneurs, helping them with their strategy

for thriving in a fast-changing world.

Forbesmagazine rated him the #5 social media

influencer in the world in his area of expertise.






Some of My Speaking Topics

The Future of Leadership

Great Minds Don’t Think Alike

We need a new kind of leadership to navigate our volatile,

uncertain, complex and ambiguous world.

Bright Sparks

Innovation and Collaboration in a Customer-Centric World

Customers have more power than ever before, and that’s

good news if you actively involve them everywhere.

Channelling Chaos

The New Rules for High Performance

Instead of fighting our “always on”, 24/7, connected world,

harness the chaos so it works to your advantage.






Gihan Perera

thank you

Published under a Creative Commons

Attribution-NoDerivatives licence.

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Ten Things Great Conference Organisers Do Differently · Videoconferencing, online meetings, telepresence and other collaboration technology are gaining traction. Does that mean the