What would make a normally sane person leave their secure and predictable routine, fly to another city (or country) and voluntary sit for days in meeting after meeting? A good meal, a legitimate excuse to duck family responsibility or the possibility that you might meet a person that could revolutionise your life.\u00a0 For me, probably none of the above. What takes me away from home is the opportunity to meet a bunch of similarly minded delegates, to talk, share ideas and practice. Strangers at conference are less strange because they share the same interests as you do. It\u2019s an optical delusion though.\u00a0This \u00a0atmosphere of ambient intimacy that has been created around this temporary community will probably vanish, until we meet again at another conference. It does not have to be this way though. Conference organisers, caught in the rush of the urgent, sometimes neglect to include in the programme\u00a0networking opportunities.\u00a0 Below are 12 points to consider when organising a conference that would enhance nodes (like me)\u00a0networking capacity.<\/p>\n
Before the conference<\/strong> During the conference<\/strong> After the conference<\/strong> What would make a normally sane person leave their secure and predictable routine, fly to another city (or country) and voluntary sit for days in meeting after meeting? A good meal, a legitimate excuse to duck family responsibility or the possibility that you might meet a person that could revolutionise your life.\u00a0 For me, probably … <\/p>\n
\n1. You have a hidden audience.<\/em>
\n<\/strong>Remember to include people that could not physically attend the event. Think about ways in which they could participate
\n2. Like and Retweet
\n<\/em><\/strong>Create a Facebook and\/or Twitter account for the conference and ensure that a Facebook \u201clike\u201d button or a Twitter \u201cretweet\u201d button appears on your conference web page.
\n3. Let\u2019s play tag
\n<\/em><\/strong>Select a conference tag and ask that when speakers post resources that pertain to their presentation on their blog, Twitter, Delicious, YouTube, Facebook that they also use this tag.
\n4. TweetUp<\/strong>
\n<\/em>Number the tables and suggest that delegates arrange a Tweetup \u2013 put real faces to avatars – at a selected table number at a certain time
\n5. Network Weaving
\n<\/em><\/strong>Supply delegates with speakers Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook profiles<\/p>\n
\n6. Expand the four walls of your conference venue<\/em><\/strong>
\nTake and upload photos to a conference page, live blog the proceedings, record or stream the keynote presentation
\n7. Get them talking<\/em><\/strong>
\nEnsure that the key note speaker\u2019s presentation has a tea break scheduled right after so that the delegates can discuss what was said.
\n8. Ride the backchannel<\/em><\/strong>
\nDelegates are passing notes electronically, probably using the conference tag as a hashtag (if they are on Twwitter). Project the backchannel onto a screen during the conference
\n9. Hotspots Help<\/em><\/strong>
\nEnsure that WiFi is available and that delegates can login without too many hurdles<\/p>\n
\n10. Delegates Directory<\/em><\/strong>
\nSend an email to all delegates thanking them for attending and informing them of a conference attendees directory
\n11. Sharing is caring<\/em><\/strong>
\nIf speakers presentations were not available on the web before the conference, ensure that they are available after the conference
\n12. Continue the conversation
\n<\/em><\/strong>A conference Facebook account or Twitter account need to fade into oblivion immediately after the conference. Use these tools to elicit thoughts, ideas etc from speakers and delegates.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"