Shake Up Your Next Meeting
As a business speaker, I have attended thousands of meetings; most of them have been awesome. But I’ve also been to some real turkeys.
Planning an epic meeting means creating an experience of value for ALL attendees—from the newbies to the veterans. Everyone who attends needs to feel like it was the best meeting ever and that they got so much out of the event that they can’t afford to miss it next year.
TIP #1 Shake It Up, Start Fresh
Many meeting planners create a template for their meetings and rarely stray from that model. Find a new template and shake it up! There’s no need to follow the same path each year—in fact, doing that is a mistake. Start fresh and ask yourself, ‘what’s the best format to follow to create value for ALL of my attendees?’ Boom! You are taking a new path and orchestrating a meeting no one wants to miss.
Power tip: if your meeting uses the exact same template that they used twenty years ago it’s time to think fresh.
TIP #2 Deliver Value Right off the Bat
Eliminate the opening session pomp and circumstance and aim to deliver value, energy and fun from the moment the meeting starts. All too often, I see meetings kicked off with the usual housekeeping—thanking the board, having the president speak and giving out scholarships. While these items are important and necessary, they don’t create immediate value for the audience. (Ok, let’s say it… To most attendees that stuff is boring.)
Think through the opening session to make sure both experienced and rookie attendees think:
• I’m glad I wasn’t late.
• I’m already getting value
• This energy is awesome!
Powertip: It’s probably time to invest in a professional Emcee.
TIP #3 Interactivity is Crucial
Here’s a typical scenario for a conference: three days of comprehensive data delivered by talking heads while the audience sits unengaged in uncomfortable chairs. Interactivity is CRUCIAL in the learning process. Audiences crave networking opportunities and facilitated conversations help them make sense of all the info you have given them. Investing in interactivity assures your people get what they crave: human connection and improved learning.
Power tip: invest in a pro (like me!) to facilitate high-powered, high-energy networking that will serve everybody … Including the introverts.
Let’s sum this all up—start fresh, deliver value and create opportunities to connect. Taking these steps will create unforgettable meetings that your audience will look forward to every year. Even if the convention isn’t in Hawaii.
Brad Montgomery has been featured at thousands of meetings and conventions as a professional keynote speaker. He’s not sure of exact statistics, but thinks it’s in the range of 9823-9987 meetings. Brad can help make your next meeting epic with his interactive keynote address and facilitated break out sessions. Contact Brad today for ideas about how you can shake up your next meeting.
