AttentionMax - Latest Comments in How To Make Conferences Great

Re: How To Make Conferences Great

maxkalehoff — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:11:06 -0000

Amber, Thanks for your note. Rubber chicken should have been at the top of
my list.
Max

Re: How To Make Conferences Great

Amber Naslund — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:04:09 -0000

Freaking beautiful. Seriously, I've gotten myself so amped up about many a conference, only to be brain damaged by said sandpaper poultry and mind numbing, scripted and canned powerpoint presentations. I go to a conference to be smarter, to meet other smart people (hopefully smarter than me), and nothing deflates me more quickly than realizing I've been duped. (Ok, maybe not deliberately buuuuutt...)

I'm especially YAY about #6 and #7. There are so many smart people out there and so few speaking slots. What say we relive a bit of a discussion forum and let the ideas emerge? I mean, hey. It works for Twitter.

Re: How To Make Conferences Great

maxkalehoff — Wed, 28 May 2008 10:06:03 -0000

TO'B,
Thanks for your comment. There is a school of thought called the
"unconference". I like the idea, but too many of those have had too little
structure. I think a great way to cultivate more meaningful conferences is
to remove the commercial aspect. Why do you need to pay thousands of dollars
to bring people together in a substandard venue? More on that later.
Max

Re: How To Make Conferences Great

tomob — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:49:25 -0000

Hi Max:

Interesting post - I am relatively new to the Web 2.0/social media conference circuit - and I am already tired of some of the stories. There are lots of smart people out there - and conference producers need to think long and hard about moving to Conference 2.0.

Conference 1.0 is having people (either smart in the field OR those representing gigantic global corporations) stand up at a podium and hammer us into our seats with powerpoint.

Conference 2.0 requires audience participation and involvement, and cracks open the podium to get some new ideas and speakers up there - it doesn't all have to be industry luminaries and pay to play does it? I think the WOMMA-U conference did something interesting with the WOM in Action program down in Miami.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/545ved

Regards - TO'B

Re: How To Make Conferences Great

maxkalehoff — Sat, 24 May 2008 14:52:04 -0000

Thanks, Smoke! And I hope look forward to seeing more about Wine 2.0!
Max

Re: How To Make Conferences Great

Smoke Wallin — Sat, 24 May 2008 14:47:20 -0000

Excellent piece! As the Chair of a number of conferences, I appreciate your many good thoughts here. I particularly concur with point #3 regarding PowerPoint abuse. This is a systemic problem with most speakers today. I do think paying for key speakers has its place in certain kinds of conferences and events, especially at the keynote or general session; however as a frequent speaker, I know having a platform upon which to present is valuable. The way we approach it at the Wine Industry Technology Symposium™ (WITS) and at Wine 2.0™is we generally do not pay, but will comp attendance fees and pick up out of town travel expenses and hotel rooms for key speakers. More important than pay in my opinion is your point #1. Being the authority or expert gathering in any industry draws the best talent to both speak and attend. Well done Max and do come back to one of our conferences soon!