I also agree with you about good lighting. I would add that a decent LCD projector with adequate lumens goes far and therefore you don’t need to darken a room! (Again, something not usually taught in many meetings industry courses.)

While we’re on it, let’s talk about seating options. Paul Radde has done some great work on this including a recent book and the saddest thing is that few are listening. Hotels certainly aren’t; sadder still is that conference centers (which have not moved very far) aren’t either. I recommend his book. Click on products at his web site: http://thrival.com/

Midori: I’d settle for simply GOOD ambient lighting and AV cos. and facilities that understand one doesn’t need to darken rooms!

One was modeled after the Speaker Corner in Hyde Park, London. A dynamic organizer provided a soap box (chair) and signs to round folks up. We put this in the middle of the crowd during 30 minute breaks. Anyone could step up and talk about anything for 2 minutes. A crowd gathered. It added an energy boost to the break, was fun for the crowd and an opportunity for the speaker.

The second was called 20/20 Lightening Rounds. We did not create this format, but modified it for our use. Those who wanted to participate applied to the volunteer who organized the session. He picked based on variety and interest. Each presenter had 20 slides pre-programmed for 20 seconds each. A short 6 minutes and 20 seconds later it was over. We drew a standing-room only crowd at the 4pm time slot to watch 11 presenters. The presenters went in together and had it video-recorded. Many of the presenters were not on the conference team’s radar but they are now.

If I were to do it again, I’d work even harder at creating networking-with-results. Maybe a ‘master mind’ session with a topic focus but relatively little structure. We need to keep finding ways for those who attend to share and learn from each other in addition to whatever general and concurrent sessions we offer. There is always so much knowledge and wisdom in the room.

Anyways, I’m so with you on turning an event on its head…literally! From an AV stance, lately I’ve been proposing a lot of asymmetrical screen options simply to obliterate the tired two or three screen stage sets. It requires a bit more pre-production work and scares a lot of professionals who are terrified that half of the room won’t be able to see (despite 3D fly-through’s demonstrating otherwise). But, it creates this lovely visual stimulation at seeing mirrored images in two different ways.
There’s also some incredible high-quality (and greener yay!) display technology we’re hoping to debut this year that involves building displays as you would build a glass cube wall (but different from a bexeled LED wall), releasing us from a rectangular world.

@velchain, I’m so with you on the emotion thing. I just left a comment on another blog about the importance of multimedia and how this simple, old-fashioned element can evoke such powerful emotions. Imagine the inspiring effect of well-timed track of Freddie Mercury singing “We are the Champions” to a downtrodden sales force who just met their annual goals. Talk about uniting a crowd in emotion!
To put a Jeff Hurt slant on this thought, when this multimedia is co-created by attendees, the potential impact is even greater. And what about engaging multimedia from a virtual audience? Perhaps the candids reel should include a short video blurb from a remote Account Manager as he attended the meetings at 5AM in his home office…

Ahh, the ideas floweth when so inspired.
Midori Connolly, Chief AVGirl
Pulse Staging and Events
http://www.twitter.com/GreenA_V

Thanks for adding to the conversation. Yes, yes, yes, you hit it on the head that event professionals need to create emotional connections through out their event. Help attendees laugh, cry, feel a sense of awe, wonder and gratitude. That’s exactly why storytelling is so powerful and some motivational speakers are successful. They’ve learned to move the emotions.

I also agree that it’s about making connections and networking. Tweetups, speed networking, Peer2Peer round table discussions, coffee klatches, open space meetings, “really live face-to-face chat rooms,” meetups, speed exhibitor dating, all have value and a place within today’s face-to-face meetings! I look forward to reading your articles for more about this subject too!

To get the ultimate purple cow conference experience though, one needs to engage the Heart in addition to the Intellect. If you can make the attendees laugh or cry, it will be a more memorable and shared experience.

In my view, the icing on the cake for face2face events is connections. Conference organizers need to find ways to put their networking on steroids (more, faster, better). Obviously, social media can play a role, but we need to go old school with it too. I’m collecting my thoughts on this now and will work it into a couple sessions and articles I’m working on in the coming weeks.

Dave Lutz – @velchain
Velvet Chainsaw Consulting

This post was mentioned on Twitter by GOAMPI: RT @JeffHurt: 8 Ways To Provide Remarkable, Purple Cow, Unique Conference Experiences #eventprofs http://ow.ly/BrFD #mpi…