Ultimate Conference Blog

One of our clients recently polled their attendees to ask them why they attend their annual meeting.  95% named networking as either the #1 or #2 reasons for attending.  My guess is that your attendees would say the same thing.  Considering the importance attendees place on meeting new people and learning from their peers, this seems like a huge opportunity for show organizers to add value.

What are your attendees doing during “networking” breaks?  My guess is that they are using the restroom, checking emails on their phone, standing in line for coffee or walking to the next session.  Even if you plan breaks that are long enough for people to actually network, are you doing anything to help facilitate conversations and meaningful dialogue during those times?

Here are 10 ideas that we have tried ourselves or have seen implemented at conferences we’ve attended:

1. Create a Conference Hub; an informal gathering place where people can hang out between sessions, meet with their peers, or just relax.
2. Don’t over-program. I know it’s tempting to pack in the sessions, especially if you need to offer CPE credits.  But, not all of your attendees are on a CPE marathon.  And, those that are need a break, too. If attendees are not given time to assimilate what they’ve learned, chances are, they will forget almost all of it before they even get home.
3. Create focus groups or “birds-of-a-feather” opportunities to bring together attendees of similar interests.  One example might be to assign tables at one of your plated luncheons, each with a different topic or constituent group.  Publish the table assignments, in advance, and display table numbers prominently so attendees can sit with peers that share their interest.
4. Start a book club, or at least pick a relevant book and invite interested attendees to join a discussion group around it.  Publish this as a session in your program. Make sure you have a moderator that has read the book.
5. Create a mini theatre on the show floor, show video excerpts of relevant news media or other presentation such as TED Talks, and facilitate short discussions around them.
6. Poll your attendees.  Add a question to the registration form, asking attendees what their burning issues are; what keeps them awake at night.  Then bring in knowledge experts to facilitate conversations around those areas.
7. Use ice breakers to get the conversations going.  Remember that half of your attendees are introverts.  That doesn’t mean they don’t like networking, it just means they appreciate some conversation starters.  At an opening keynote, ask attendees to turn to the person sitting next to them, introduce themselves, and share something about them selves.  At a plated lunch, have attendees play bingo, where all the people at each table play together as team.  You could also use the poll idea in #6 to ask attendees a lighthearted question, like which do you prefer, bacon or ice cream? and print the answer on their name badge.   Its an instant conversation starter when attendees meet their fellow bacon lovers.
8. Host a first time or new member event to connect the newcomers to other folks in your organization.  Create a mentor/mentee program that, if nothing else, gives new people someone to hang out with at the opening reception.
9. Encourage your speakers to engage the audience.  Help them make the audience an active part of the learning experience.  If your speakers just talk the whole time; trying to cover all of the important stuff they think your attendees should know, your attendees will begin to tune out.  The speakers are the experts, right? So how do you do this?  Create a page on your website just for them with resources and tips.  Educause does this very well with their Speaker Concierge site.
10.  This last one is so important; I’m going to say it again. Encourage your speakers to engage the audience.  If your speakers just talk the whole time, your attendees will tune out.  You know it’s true because you’ve experienced it.  But if you want to know more about the brain science behind it, check out John Medina’s Book, Brain Rules.

Let us know what else you have tried at your events.