Let me rephrase, “Are old style conferences dying a quick death?”

They are and in their place are conferences or summits that provide shorter keynotes and allocated networking time. Art of Marketing is taking place in Vancouver next week and hosting five Marketing “Artists”.

All five speakers are household names in Social Media and Digital Marketing. Not one is a motivational speaker but each will be sharing industry specific insight and best practice. No droning on for three hours – each speaker gets about an hour. Then the attendees are told, hey, it’s okay to network. Go out and shake a few hands.

People do want to get out of their offices (bricks and mortar or virtual) and meet real, live, thinking bodies. We are all starved for human contact because we have created walls for ourselves behind computer screens. It is down right cool to meet the face behind the Tweet and an easy lead in to break the ice.

Why are old school conferences a dying breed? Partly due to 2011 being the age of instant entertainment. We constantly want the feel good hit and to get it quickly. Also it’s due to a sophisticated consumer who has many options to satisfy their career development and knows what top quality, cutting edge information is. Today’s conference goer is not attending to listen to regurgitated material and is looking for innovative thinking and platforms.

Another type of conference that’s taking hold is “unconference”. Community members (from one industry or many) meet and they decide how the day will unfold. On arrival attendees volunteer to speak on a topic that they are proficient in. These topics are given a yay or nay and those chosen are given a time slot. There are usually three or four topics running concurrently. My colleague David Wees came up with an inventive way to give those not chosen a moment in the limelight – at lunch break they are allocated a table and anyone can join in to discuss the topic in a more informal setting.

Unconferences are very casual. It is not rude to leave if the topic is not what you thought it would be and move to the next room. Often the casualness is a given during the presentations too – it’s all right to ask questions, which sometime causes the presentation to move in unexpected directions. David has a great infographic and deeper definition on his site.

Sidebar: Funny story from David who observed people at his EdCamp event leaving very early in the day. He asked why they were leaving and the reply was, “We thought we wouldn’t have to work or think?” Enough said…

Old style conferences are dying and being attended by the uninitiated or those who don’t want to have to think. New conference styles that respect attendees intellect and their desire to meet new colleagues are the new kid on the block and a force to be reckoned with.

Stayed tuned for a report on the Art of Marketing, a speaker’s critique, and whether value was realized.

To your voice,

Janice

You should! Elena has built a few, well more than a few, thriving businesses from the ground up with little cash investment. A brilliant and hardworking young woman – one to follow (and learn from).

Elena and I both have a fascination for all things Social Media and learning how they best work for our businesses. We come from two different sides of the Marketing, Public Relations, and Sales perspectives. But I believe that we both agree that we are always presenting ourselves.

As a fellow business owner I am consistently working on growing my business and you will often find me networking (we have to come up with a better word) around Vancouver. From Elena’s latest article it looks like she is too.

Elena makes two great points:

• During conferences much of the meaty discussion and relationship building happens in the hallways. Yes, that’s right not where the bums in seats are. It is easier to sit back and observe but to propel a business it’s on your feet and shaking hands that will do it.
• Greet the hosts – find them and they will be glad you did. As Elena says they have created the event to be of service and they want to make sure their attendees are satisfied. Thank you for the kick in the pants Elena.

Elena and I agree, you are always presenting so extend a hand and meet someone new. Oh the possibilities.

To your voice!

Janice

To let you in on a secret, if I have the opportunity to meet the speaker before the event I never let them know what I do.

Oh yes, I am nit picky and relentless. That’s my job. I look for what is working well to engage and audience and what isn’t.

In early April I had the good fortune of attending PWN Event: The PWN Power of Connection, which for me ranked highly as one of the best events that I have attended this year. Cynthia Roney and Tracey Theemes facilitated the event – two powerful dynamos!

They introduced the event by sharing their networking experiences and how they have grown robust and soul fulfilling networks.

Many people in the audience shared how they had a fear of networking and initiating new conversations. Tracey had us all laughing and realizing that the possibility of meeting someone new at an event and having them ignore or be nasty to you is quite slim.

What made Tracey and Cynthia top tier speakers? They engaged the audience fully and practically had them eating out of their hands. How? They were full of enthusiasm and excitement for what they do and they shared their knowledge generously. They were simply comfortable and confident – their true selves shone through to everyone.

Right out of the gate they moved into the audience and asked questions and supported answers – sometimes offering a touch of their own wisdom. They facilitated the audience to think broadly and be fully engaged. Delightful!

Then they offered a challenge by arranging us into groups and encouraging us to make connections and building our own networks over the next thirty days.

So the excitement has lingered and I have met some dynamic women within my group of twelve.

For that, Cynthia and Tracey – Best Speaker Award for April 2011!

Image Attribution: Juan Luis García

Many people aren’t wired like me but I love meeting people and finding out what they do, both for work and play. It is why I love working with presenters – new industries (to me) and/or new people to meet. Ok, I’m admittedly a geek.

Jobs that I could not have imagined in my wildest dreams exist today. Ways of spending leisure time are resourceful and increasingly more bizarre.

My son introduced me to a video of passengers who roadskate while the car they’re in is moving. A fine analogy for networking done badly. The rate of speed is fast, it’s like a watching an anticipated accident, and it’s all about the skater. Think of the driver when the endeavour goes south – looks like a bad contact/referral.

And here is the rant part – have you met someone who’s eyes dart around the room rather than looking at you? To those who do that, this is what I’m thinking: You think I am not useful to you and have made that assumption quickly. I think you are not the sharpest stick because you don’t know anything about me and don’t know who I know or may meet. This type of networker is in the what is in it for me (WIIFM) category.

Call me old school, this is the type of networking I enjoy: forming deeper relationships, finding out what colleagues and friends do for work and play. Then seeing if we can make a project or idea work together. Or if I can connect you with someone I know who may be interested in you and your ideas/service/product, I gladly will if I get to know and form a level of trust with you.

A heads up to those who throw their business card at me with lightening speed – the ink and paper is wasted – my shredder inhales them.

A request: I would like to hear you’re positive networking experiences – what works for you and let’s hear about some of the cool people and jobs you’ve encountered…

dbking

Unless you are employed as a number cruncher and have been given an inside cubicle; and/or your contact with the outside world is through a mail slot or your computer monitor – whether you like it or not – you have to get out there and meet people to grow your business.

As my better half often reminds me, “No one can see you behind that monitor – you’ve got to get out there and let them see your lovely (thank you) face. I realize you know your industry inside and out, you are hardworking, and you make work seem like fun. But no one else does unless you get out there and show yourself”.

Yes, I do live with and know, a logical and smart man. But I’m not sure he realizes what those round robin networking events are like. The speed at which business cards move between hands and people sashay around a room. I’ve witnessed people who looked as though they had to muster up their courage to attend networking events, made it to the threshold, and turned on their heels and left.

Funnily enough, networking is like public speaking – if you are not passionate about you and your service and/or product – no one else will be.

I’m sure most people struggle as I do with wanting to make connections with like-minded people who authentically want to create mutually beneficial working relationships. And with people you like and respect.

Thank you to Imelda, who clearly articulated (in a Forbes Woman LinkedIn discussion) what I have been thrashing about with. Having the confidence to bring the real me to the table and not be massaged into believing that I ‘need’ to behave in a ‘certain’ way at these opportunities to meet others.

It is my new year’s resolution to grow my business by attending 2 networking events a week- dressed in a new couture – myself.

Have you ramped up your networking lately or is it your goal for 2010. Let us know how it went – your success and failures…