5 Ways to Make Your Next Conference Amazing
By Gary Hirsch
If you are part of the next event planning committee, here are five tips from our 20 years of helping to engage audiences and create learning experiences that stick way beyond the conference.
1. Engagement Is Just as Important as Content
Most conference organizers focus solely on who will be presenting and what their agenda will be. In your agenda design, plan for engagement and give it time on the agenda, just like you would for a customer panel or fireside chat with the CEO. Put in time for your audience to reflect on what they just heard, to get reenergized, and to take a break (yes, give them breaks, most of the best connections happen in the hallway). They will thank you for this in your post-session survey, we promise.
2. Start with the Ending
What do you want your audience to walk out with? Put these objectives down on paper, and be unwavering in your discipline to stick to them as you design your agenda. Also, just explicitly tell your audience what the ending is. For example, if someone wants a video of the new product to be played in the opening sequence as people take their seats, make sure this fits one of the conference objectives. If it doesn’t, don’t do it.
3. Be Clear with the Audience
For all aspects of your agenda, tell your audience why this topic or speaker is relevant to them. Make it easy. In your introductions say, “You are about to hear from __________, because they have vital information that will help you understand __________.” This is not a tedious step. Doing this each time helps your audience know that you designed every aspect of the conference with them in mind.
4. Focus on Feelings
Ask yourself, “How do I want people to feel after this conference?” Then deliberately design aspects that help them feel that way. If you want your audience energized and excited, then reveal something new or secretive in the conference. If you want them to feel proud to be part of your company, then offer a panel of old and new employees talking about their experiences. No matter what, you should make JOY one of your objectives. If people feel joy, they will remember what happened and use what you gave them.
5. Make Connection an Objective
Simply prioritize connection. This is especially important after these last few years. Your people have a deep psychological need to connect. See our Acknowledge - Connect - Explore guide for the science of why and the practice of how.
Bonus Guide: A Deep Dive on Ending Experiences
Endings are important. Take a deep dive into the powerful science and nuanced art of designing an amazing ending with our “Guide to Great Endings.” Create something that is reflective, memorable, and completely audience engaging.
To more see ways On Your Feet can help you with your next conference, click here.
