Are You Listening?

Few months ago we were talking about Meetups, user generated events and about getting back networking.

As part of the late venture with amiando, we sparked a series of user generated events across the world, to display the power of our online community.

Obviously clever people were listening, they implemented what we pioneered and are now getting great successes.

Photo by b_heyer via Flickr

We feel good about it, because we creatively shared that.

Good News

Good news is that we are sharing right now as we speak and we are way forward compared to what’s going on right now. It’s a fact.

Leave us alone

We strongly suggest you unsubscribe from this blog if you are perpetrating practices of a distant past.

On the other hand, if you like challenges we have few suggestions for you:

- We think that Pecha Kucha is the way to go.

- We think that technology should be part of the present event industry as it increases streams of revenue while decreasing intangibility of the event in itself.

Start now

If you read this blog you are well aware of new trends and whatever is going on with Event Planning 2.0, but make sure:

- You read most of it, search categories and get out of your comfort zone.

- Interact, commenting on each post.

- Engage in our communities, specially on Linkedin where we are more than 6500 (yeah you remember when we were 400).

- Get in touch directly with Julius, if you want targeted guidance with your project.

On Virtual Event Technology

This is a guest post by Brent Arslaner, VP of Marketing, Unisfair

Recently, the Event Manager Blog posted a great article on the differences between Webcasting and Webconferencing, and went on to detail the role of the event manager in both instances.

I’d like to add my two cents, and describe another exciting new resource—virtual events and environments—that is helping event managers extend both the reach and impact of their events, even as budgets and travel continue to decline.

What is Virtual Event Technology?

Read More

Be more Pecha Kucha!

Pecha Kucha Montreal 2007 Photo by JamesEverett via Flickr

Pecha Kucha nights were started in 2003 by Mark Dytham and Astrid Klein in Tokyo. The nights are aimed at young designers, the format teaches a lot to all of us engaged with boring presentations.

Pecha Kucha means chit-chat. Back in 2003 two architects started what is now a very popular movement, with nights all over the globe.

Why?

The format answers to a compelling question, how to give space to young designers without throwing the audience in 2 hours long, endless presentations.

How?

Mark and Astrid created the 20 presenters/20 slides/20 seconds format.

20 designer are given the chance to present a total of 20 slides, 20 seconds each, for a total of 6 minutes and 40 seconds.

As simple as that.

Results

An immediate result is that attention levels are kept very high and everyone involved gets value out of the experience.
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Do you feel like a CD?

If you are a traditional event manager (or studying to become one) and think that recession is the major threat for your career, I think you are not on the right track.

There are several trends in event management that are making the role as we know it obsolete. I am convinced that we are trying to sell CDs during the hype of the MP3 era.

Of course this could be arguable. Events will always take plae and there will always be someone in charge of management. But the skills required are completely new.

Here are few of the trends who represent a threat for the traditional event manager:

- User generated Events

BarCamps, unconferences and Meetups have given the power to the user. Scientific committees or sponsor panels can no longer control content. In the future if you’ll ask to pay 400$ for a one day conference, you’ll be probably laughed at and find yourself in a budget drama.

- Technology

Technological changes are making several professions redundant. Webinars, online conferences, Second Life meetings and events to name a few require new management skills. Just have a look at the video below and draw your conclusions. Read More

Fancy an event in Atlanta?

As part of the Global Event Management section, a featured interview with Todd Thurston, president and CEO of CretiveWharehouse.

Convention Capture is a service offered by Creative Warehouse, Inc. creators of the MarketLearn(TM) design and development model, will create an ongoing return from your event by keeping your message in front of your target audience year-round, while simultaneously promoting next year’s event with their Convention Capture services.

They have serviced numerous Fortune-500 clients. Aspects of their services range from video and audio highlights of events to complete recorded workshops and keynotes. One of their most popular ad-on services is the Convention Highlight video, generally played to attendees during the gala event.

I invite you to check the above links for more information.

Read More