The art of letting go

When I read about event trends there is a lot of talk about co-creation, audience involvement, peer-to-peer sessions, whitespace, unconference sessions, sharing of ideas and so on. 

I wonder: how do we all feel about this trend? For sure it sounds great to have visitors and exhibitors a say in the way the event evolves, but how about the goals and strategies of the organizers? Are they ready to share their ideas about growth, development, content and formats? It will be hard to let go of the driver’s seat….

However, if the meetings industry does not give more stakeholders a voice in its development, it might end up empty handed. It is not about the brands we create, but about the opinion others have about our brands. An opinion that used to be hidden in post-event surveys, and now is shared on social media for all to see. Real-time, as the event takes place. It’s up to the event to turn this into a true conversation – and embrace the invitation to build the future …. together.

Just this week the company that I work for, RAI Amsterdam, started to let go – a little bit.

We started a blog on our website that will enable a lot of RAI employees (chef, event supervisor, sales manager, marketeer, CEO , and more) to share their own thoughts on aspects of the meetings industry. A brave idea that will, hopefully, turn out to be a multi-facetted view of the world of events. Written from an organizer/venue perspective maybe, but always with an open invitation to all stakeholders to join in our conversation. And co-create.

Scary? Maybe. Interesting? For sure. New discussions? I hope so. To be honest…I can’t wait!

(I kicked off the series, my first official blogpost can be found here: http://bit.ly/1LmpZ8P . About trends, what else? :-) )

Off season

I don’t have that much china.

Plates, cups, bowls and serving dishes are all from different eras and households  and together they form the daily set we use. 

Fifties memorabilia, a strange small plate with cowboys on them, plain white ones from my grandmother, Chinese  ones: some are nice, some are not so nice.

Never mind, we eat our dinner with all kinds. Everything is functional.

And then there are my three Christmas plates. Special gifts for special days. Do I treat them as such? No. They are in the stack with all the others. I figured, why set them apart and use them only on special occasions? I can use them year round, every day.

So there you have it: no matter which season, I use the Christmas plates we have. I can serve summer antipasti on them, Easter bakes, autumn roasts, and, of course, seasonal cookies  in December.

Sometimes just seeing these Christmas plates makes me happy. Reminding me of winter days, Holidays, seeing old friends and sharing time, watching old movies of trying out new hikes.

OK, so here’s the thought.

Think of these Christmas plates as if they were an event. A live event, only a few days a year. Then think of them as an event community. It makes sense, doesn’t it? Having actual items that remind you of something you like. Just like the community you share thoughts and ideas in, before, during and after the event.

My plates present themselves at random (depending on the dishwasher and whoever empties it), but they never fail to remind me of those few days in December. In February I don’t care so much about them, in the summer they are interesting and funny, and when October and November come, I get anxious for the next month: longing to see them in full swing, in season. Never fails.

In short:

Keep your event relevant year round

Accept the fact that nobody keeps you on top of mind all the time

Surprise your delegates when they least expect it

Be there when you are In Season – big time!

Make sure that you have a basis that is functional

….and share at least one item that we really can use year round. It works!

How to make the most of Trend Reports

It’s that time of year again…we are looking back AND looking ahead. How did we do this year? What awaits us around the corner? Which events, trends, and changes will the world see? How will this impact our lives and companies? It is a time in which many companies , bloggers and organizations share their thoughts about the future. To be honest, it is getting hard to avoid the posts that include a vision of 2015…

Well, first of all, I’m also guilty of sending out a trend report. True, it is looking a bit further ahead, but still. We also have a vision on future events and think it is a view worth sharing. So below you will find the link – just in case J.

However, the thing I personally like most about it, is the way how we made it. And that is something worth sharing, too.

In the meetings industry we are with many different stakeholders. Organizers, exhibitors, sponsors, convention centers, hotels, cities, planners, associations - and many more. We all have our goals, strategies, five-year plans, etcetera. We organize large and small events, meetings for 5 and meetings for 5000. We are involved in events once a year or every day. So reading all those trend reports can be a bit daunting. There is so much out there…are all trends equally important? Will we be left behind if we don’t change according to latest technology? How do we fit trends into our goals?

At RAI, I have been making an internal trend report for many years. Using information from industry associations, economic sources, trade journals, and so on. I read a lot during the year, and in the summer I combine the main trends that impact our own company and share them.  This year, we had a different approach. We had several sessions with colleagues from different parts of the company and discussed the past as well as the future . An extensive “from….to…..” exercise, combining the energy and knowledge of my colleagues with their valuable insights from clients and stakeholders: exhibitors, visitors, organizers, suppliers, builders, local government and so on.  An inspiring track, that in the end resulted in a clear picture of how we see events evolve. Not by reading the trends, but by living them.

Some takeaways from our sessions:

 

• Take your time – most trends do not happen overnight. Distinguish between trend and hype.
• Involve all – trends happen on the show floor, as well as  in the boardroom.
• Look beyond your own industry – there are big learnings when looking at your neighbors.
• Find the common ground – often trends are part of a bigger change. If you identify that, you can make better choices.
• Never lose focus – always keep your own goals in mind.
• Ask your stakeholders – they can tell you where they see change and expect value.
• Make choices that are fit for you – always translate trends into the shape and size of your own needs.
• Start small – trial and error is part of the game, allow for the experiment.
• Step into the future! – because let’s face it, can you do otherwise? I think not. Embracing change is crucial.

 

So  get all those trend reports and start making them your own. Happy reading!

 

 

As promised the link: http://bit.ly/1wFOZVH . Wld be interested in feedback :-)

 

Fusion – old and new

This week my father published a book. An old fashioned one, with paper pages, a nice cover and a great introduction.

It’s in Dutch, and shares some observations about today’s Dutch society. My dad was/is a sociologist and has written more books in his lifetime – real studies, big issues, true problems. 

Not to be compared to the things I sometimes scribble – everybody has their own talent.

But here’s the thing – my dad was born in 1928. And even though he is well in his eighties, he still has a sharp mind and the wish to share his thoughts on paper – and with his family, children, grandchildren and friends. He has interesting views to share with us. From a different perspective, with a unique life experience, and with a different idea about the things we don’t think twice about anymore – such as tweeting, blogging, giving our data to apps  and stuff. 

In the conversations we have, we are teaching and learning at the same time.

That triggered something for me. Even though in the meetings industry we are talking a lot about the different generations we need to cater for – are we incorporating the ones that have left the active workforce? Or can we forget about them?

What are we doing to keep older generations involved in our meetings? Obviously, people who are getting older might not want to join in face to face meetings across the world anymore. But hey, even my dad learned to use a computer when he was well in his retirement…  so I feel that connections are not the issue here. Then what can we do to keep all involved? 

Some ideas…

.

Communicate all options we offer to all stakeholders – emphasizing the options to keep in touch online.

Invite our older members and visitors to stay in touch. Involvement in the community via skype or hangouts, and by starting discussions on our facebook or linkedin profiles that ask for the “old”views. For many of our younger members these views can trigger even bigger innovations.

Match young and old (former) attendees  online – the conversation of a mix of generations will be of value to all and mentorship can work both ways. We all have  different skills and the fusion of these keeps the conversation going.

Think about new services, such as one day or one session passes for the face to face or online event. Or a subscription to an edited summary of the event – online and in print. Or think about special memberships.

Think about new ways for peer to peer sessions, inviting older members to give short lectures from the comfort of their homes – and why not a keynote? Or introduce interview lectures where the questions are crowdsourced online beforehand in the community.

Celebrate the history of your event!  And let it live even longer – with a fusion of all stakeholders. Young, old, and older. 

Fusion. The best recipe for innovation.

Building bridges

The other week I had a short conversation with a fellow cyclist. As we were parking our bikes at one of the Amsterdam RAI  parking areas, we were both looking at the big sign of one of the events: “Unleash your people”, it read. Intriguing! 

I asked if he was going to the event but he answered “No, all the stands will be showing things that I can look up on the internet anyway, so there will be no extra value for me there.”

As I am just in the middle of writing my trends report, this came as a blast from the past. Surely any 2014 event will be more than a selection of websites…. So I suggested there could be a conference attached, with best practice sessions scheduled, peer-to-peer networking areas, opportunities to share ideas and news with exhibitors, industry leaders, attendees…and so on.

The next morning we met again, same routine. The event was still on. But this time the fellow cyclist had been looking at the event website…and had realized that Yes, there was a lot going on in terms of interaction, conversation, learning, sharing and meeting new people…He planned on attending after all.

Isn't  that strange? 

As an event industry we look at every detail to ensure the best face to face interactive experience possible. Yet we cannot shake the image of trade fairs and conferences as grey, uninspired and old fashioned. Especially when it comes to younger generations.

So how can we deal with this? 

Show and tell!  Building bridges between perception and reality. 

We need to address the value of the face to face experience! The event I mentioned above is doing things right – social media, interaction, quotes….

I think we need even more conversations, pictures, recordings, vlogs, blogs, champions, discussions -  and interact before, during and after the face to face event. Interaction in communities and with individuals. We can even meet online –  by interacting we can change the image. 

After all, we know that a face to face interaction generates great ROI – right? 

It is about engaging all senses, serendipity, personal relationships,  the effect of the true handshake…it’s something we need to talk about J. 

And let's face it; without the main event, no online spin offs.

(the used image is not from the mentioned event, it's from a great conference earlier - building bridges in it's field of expertise)

Welcome! Tech or no-tech?

I know, corny title. But I’m a bit rusty, long time since I added a post.

As we are looking back at the past half year and getting ready  for exciting things this fall and winter, my usual summer job is preparing the annual trend view for my company. 

What are the big trends and developments in meetings and events? Where will we stand in, say, 2017?  And, more importantly, how can we act upon the big changes? 

What do we need to do to ensure that all visitors, exhibitors and organizers will experience their best event ever in the years to come?

Needless to say, event technology plays a big role in the trends. Whether it’s about ROI, big data, wearables, beacons, apps or social media: we all seem to agree that meetings will be affected by technology more than ever before. On every level. Or do we?

This week I read two news items that seem to tell two different stories.

In Cupertino, CA , the Aloft hotel started experimenting with robot service.  An experiment in which a robot is used to deliver “razors, toothbrushes, smartphone chargers, snacks and even the morning paper” to any of the rooms in a matter of minutes. It uses wireless to operate the elevator, and can sense it when the hotel room door opens. It does not ask for tips, but for a review on social media, and apparently does a dance when it receives a mention…Wow.  Any ideas for the event industry? I could think of a few…

On the other side of the world, in Amsterdam, the Stedelijk Museum (contemporary art museum) decided to get rid of the electronic  turnstiles in the main entrance and instead have museum staff welcome visitors, check their tickets and give a personal, human welcome to the collection.  This is in line with the museum director’s vision of an open and inviting  environment. Any ideas for the event industry? I could think of a few…again.

So which would you prefer? Robot service or a personal touch?

In my opinion? I want best of both worlds. When I go to an event, I want both the personal touch AND the amazing technology. Wow me, inspire me and make me feel at home. And I think I am not alone here J. So my trend view will feature both tech and no-tech developments: it all comes down to a memorable and meaningful event-experience.

Note to tech: IF we get robots, can they be retro? Almost human :-)

See http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/12/technology/hotel-to-begin-testing-botlr-a-robotic-bellhop.html?_r=0  for more details on the Aloft robot.

Not so fast!!!

( OK, true. It’s probably me, not you.)

Things happen at an incredible pace. I might be getting old, but in my younger days (talking about the 80’s here) we had at least a year or so to get used to new ideas and ways of living. We had an economic crisis as well, I might add, and no internet. So things were slower anyway. The world was a different place. 

Hah!  A real-time Google hangout with #eventprofs friends was science fiction.   

Still, when it comes to introducing new ideas and technology to events now, I think an 80’s approach might not be such a bad idea. 

Because let’s face it:

Apps are great, but not all attendees have smartphones and with the majority of them still figuring out the “smart” basics, it might be pushing it to get them to follow all the great things we include: games, online networking, real-time stats on popular booths and sessions....

Yes we need those, but be patient.

It might take a few years to really get the most out of it. In the meantime: educate and allow your app to grow with your audience.  All segments of it.  So cater for all generations :-).

Hybrid events. I believe they are definitely here to stay, but do not expect all your potential  remote attendees to sign in for the full experience and understand how to proceed.  For a first time attendee it’s confusing, and before you know it, you’ve lost them. Be smart in you hybrid strategy and start with a few  well stocked hours … easy to manage and just enough  to send a positive vibe that might just give that extra commitment you are aiming for.

..and everything else. 

I love new tech incorporated into events, but once tech takes over, the event itself loses. Smart segmentation and careful  distribution and key here. Make sure that you do not alienate your stakeholders!

Crowdsourced venues, hologram speakers, robot attendees: I’m all for it, but keep in mind that your average doctor or scientist might not have read the latest articles in Wired…. 

Give it time.

Yes. Let’s use technology to make our events better. Absolutely. But also remember the pace that our industry is moving in: one step at the time.