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…

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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. 

Outside looking in

The Dutch have interesting habits and ideas… I’m sure many are all too familiar.

But did you know that we often leave our curtains open in the evenings? When you walk on the streets at night, you can have a peek at families eating dinner, sitting in front of TV’s and other screens, celebrating birthdays, and so on.

 It all stems from a Calvinistic past, when the citizens felt a need to show that they were leading honest, sober lives.  But even in 2014 we do it. We’re on display, you can see what we are up to. Apparently we still  want to show the outside world that we are happy, responsible people living good lives in nice homes. And we have big windows, too.

I was thinking about this in relation to hybrid events and streams. In a way organizers are inviting us all to have a look,  using a screen as the window, and showing passers-by their content and products. 

In my experience – it is by far the best way to let a wide audience experience who you  are, and might result in a future face-to-face visit. 

Inspired by the window you show. No need to keep the curtains closed!

Anyway, I am looking forward to PCMA Convening Leaders, FRESH Conference and other events that are kind enough to invite me to have a look in their homes…and even join in the conversation with the people that are there. In that respect, hybrid events are even more inviting than an open window – they are opening their doors.

Just imagine…

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Just imagine …there are no conferences, tradeshows, exhibitions and corporate events. A blank page.

I know, it’s hard, but you can do it.

Then imagine you are sitting at home, thinking about your work, the subjects you really care about, the friends you have made over the years, the people you met in other countries, during your education, school, neighbors, family… What would it be like to invite all or some of them to meet, mingle and work towards a common goal?

How would you combine the experience, knowledge and ideas they share or have hidden in the back of their minds? How would you make sure that they would all have a great time AND learn and grow? What could they come up with?

Just imagine. At first chaos, and then some sort of order? Or the other way around? Groups and smaller groups evolve naturally, or a need of leaders to step up? Will you group people as you have met them, or mix business contacts with childhood friends? Or your older relatives with the neighbors children? Maybe just see what they come up with themselves?

Will they meet face to face, or online? In a building or on the beach? Will they show and tell, or just talking and discovering shared hobbies and experiences? Maybe playing a game….

How will you all get the most of it?  

And THEN realize there ARE conferences, tradeshows, exhibitions and corporate events. Are they different from your imagination? Somehow I have a feeling, that you will have thought of something out of the ordinary, something that you haven’t tried before. A new mix of people and settings.

Then it is time to start a change.Turn a page. And now’s time to do it. A new year, new ideas and lots of imagination.

Happy innovating!

Shared experiences

Remember that session when the speaker turned a tech failure into a tech success?  Or the ICCA network event when we tasted Dutch herring? Or the great fun we had in an Amsterdam pod connected to EventCamp Twin Cities?  

Well you probably do not – unless you were there.  But you have other memories  of events and tradeshows much like mine.  And more of them , I know most #eventprofs  get out a bit more than I do :-) . But that is not my point here.. it is about the power of events.

We share the same experience of venue, program, tradeshow, booths, sessions. The event provides a common ground, a framework and a shared interest even before we say Hello.

We are all out of our comfort zone, in a different setting, out of our day-to-day routine. That makes us more eager to connect and reach out to others.  And if we  already know people from previous events, even better. Than we can add another chapter  to our joint story.

That is why events, conferences and tradeshows  are so effective and irreplaceable. You do not just remember  the content and innovations, you also include the people you meet . They become a part of the story, and often turn into long term, valuable relations.

And  we keep running into each other. Through face to face meetings  maybe, but also online. We connect and re-connect in the events LinkedIn groups, on its Facebook pages, websites or via  hashtags. Giving us another umbrella to build relationships.

In fact the phrase ” long term relationships through a shared experience” was one of the tweets I sent  during an online event, the weekly #expochat that  @tracibrowne invented .  Another  way of building relationships…and a great way to share experiences!

Probably this topic was  inspired by the festive season, peace on earth, bringing people together and all that, but nevertheless it’s true.  

So any resolutions for next year? Adding to the story, I guess. Happy 2014!

Evolutionairy Road

These days it seems almost impossible to take things slow. We are following trends and new ideas like greyhounds, hoping to be the first to catch on to the latest app, the breaking news, the next big thing. Always on the go.

I must be getting old, but I have the feeling we do not allow ourselves the time to focus anymore. To slow down. To see clearly where we are going, and still look at the scenery along the way. Allowing for distractions, even. Because these might just add new thoughts and meaning to whatever goal we have in mind. Allowing a little bit of trial and error.

Hah! That reminds me of our road trip to Italy this summer. Our car broke down three (!) times on our way from Amsterdam to Ancona, but we had the best view of the Adriatic see. And some quality time to reflect :-)

Well , I am planning to stop and use my breaks a little more from now on.  Smell the flowers, see the sky, so to speak. How?

Using event  research in a more relaxed manner. Sure I know my goals and the objectives, and I will still deliver on time. But hey, if I spend a few extra  hours to look at reports more closely, add new angles or combinations, I might stumble upon an idea that is worth investigating. Small and slow. The dirt road just might  be the connection we were looking for.

Using social media in a better way. Planning time during the weekend to really read those blogs. Think about their content, see who can benefit from them, and pass them on. Not just retweet, but making it personal. Adding thoughts, asking feedback. More with less.  

Using event technology more based on personal need. To use as a reference after the event, for instance. Allowing myself to follow sessions as I see fit, ignoring networking tools once in a while and just enjoying the conversation. Or the white space. 

Don’t get me wrong, I love event tech, but not when it dictates the way I should connect. And, especially, the pace I should do it in. Even at events, it is worth to take it slow now and then. One great conversation might teach me more than a quick scan of the entire room...

So there you have it. Relax! And allow yourself a few mistakes. With the speed that we are going now, there is plenty of time to  adjust. Happy travels!

Let's keep in touch!

(workblog) 

The other week I was going through some old files, just looking if there were any data or details that I needed to get into the main database. And it struck me, that these pieces of paper really showed the big changes we have had in communication and connecting. In a way, a history just like the rings on a tree.  Busy years with a lot of letters and brochures , and slow years with almost no communication at all.

The best files are the oldest ones. You can see a change in pace, vocabulary and technology instantly.

We used to send letters in a very formal tone of voice and keep the carbon copies of them. So the file of association X starts in the ‘70’s, with these formal  letters and replies. If there were urgent issues, a telex was sent.  In the 80’s things were getting less formal, but we still kept in touch via letters. The occasional fax message appears in the files. Funny thing,  we had to put in a request  to send a fax and needed to get approvals  signed by  a manager before we were entitled to send it….imagine.  Then in the 90’s, communication via internet kicks in. The latest entries in file X are printouts of important e-mails, a signed contract (yey!)  and a message to check the database. Hah. I feel like an archaeologist.

Interesting to see how we connected with our customers and stakeholders over the decades.. . next to face to face, obviously. 

Did we do a good job? Probably…but it’s a new world now. We are connected all the time. We talk via mail and social media, via whatsapp and other tools, wherever we are - mobile and  free. We are updated  on a real-time basis, and are used to getting  answers to our questions even before we send them..

In 2013, “let’s stay in touch” means keeping the conversation going all the time. It means being in touch with machines, objects and  services, as well as talking to friends, delegates, companies and clients.  Whoa. Talk about connecting…

What does this mean for the events industry? How do we merge all these connections into our face to face meetings? We are talking with delegates, exhibitors and other stakeholders on a day to day basis. How do we do that?  Are we truly connected all the time?

I often see events with “see you next year” banners at the exit . Pretty old skool, don’t you think? I hope to see  “see you tomorrow” pretty soon…

(inspiration for this blogpost came from our  new Connected Society report.  Made me feel both nostalgic AND anxious for the future J . If you like, have a look and let me know what you think: http://www.rai.nl/en/amsterdam-rai/News-Press/nieuws/Pages/Connected-Society.aspx

X-ray your event

My cat broke his toe.

Strange, in the past  13 years he never had any problems. He came to our household as a kitten with his sister. She turned out  a petite, sleek and shiny black number, slightly nervous, whereas he grew into a big (OK, maybe too big), relaxed, laid back, no-nonsense, black-and-white rock.  

He had been walking with a strange limp for a while and when we saw no improvement we took him to the vet. There was nothing to be seen with the naked eye, but an X-ray showed a fracture. So now he is walking around with a bright blue cast, trying to make sense of it all and coming to terms with 6 weeks of indoor entertainment. Oh dear.

Why am I getting into such detail about my cat?

Well, imagine that it is not my cat, but your event that is the main topic of this blogpost. It sort of gives you the same story. I am sure you’ve heard it many times before: “the event model is broken, it needs to be fixed”. So many big events are like rocks. How do you find out which (if any) parts are broken? And how would you fix them?

Be aware of change – Is your event still going smoothly? Really? Look at all aspects, all delegates movements, all sessions, all communications, all surveys. Small changes can have a big impact if you leave them unattended. One not-so-good session this year might affect attendance at your whole programme in the next event. Are all aspects of your meeting still flawlessly joined together?

Get a second opinion – Sure you are the one that has the only day-to-day knowledge of your event. But when it comes to fixing problems you might need a fresh pair of eyes form a specialist. Marketeers, technicians, researchers, business analysts, IT specialists – all have special skills that can help you see your event in an new light – and inspire innovation.

X-Ray your event – Do not take things at face value. Use surveys, focus meetings, qualitative research and ROI measurements to see what issues might be hidden below the surface. That smile on your delegate’s face might not tell the full story. Dig deep. Do you provide a  perfect customer journey from beginning to end? Being successful for years is no guarantee, after all. One crack in the road can make you trip…

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I guess that my cat Kareltje (Dutch for Charlie) could not care less about events and analogies.  His focus lies mainly in eating and being outdoors. Well, maybe he would like another post about the brilliant flexibility that cats have and events need…..as long as he gets to be in the centre of attention J

For your next event: break a leg!

Exhibitions say more than a thousand words

First of all: I am really proud of the research we (my company and partners) just concluded. It is a study under Gen X and Y visitors of trade shows and exhibitions. We wanted to know what makes them tick. What do exhibitions and trade fairs mean to them?

I have to say, even though we all belong to one generation or another and can predict  some of the answers, the results  were pretty amazing. We matched the answers with overall generational trends and studies, and this gave some interesting points of view. If you want to check out the research, you can do so here: Gen X & Y research

So what is my point in this post? 

Well…as I was reading through the results of the study, one thing really struck me.

A thing that I wasn’t aware of or did not think about before. A simple thing, really.  Just the word: exhibition. What does it say? What does it mean to you? What image or feeling, which sentiment comes to mind?

An exhibition or an event? Searching on images gives an idea.

As it turned out:

Gen Y sees a possibly  outdated product. Just in the label “ exhibition” or “trade fair”.

Hm. Do they have a point?  Truth is, no matter how much we engage in renewing and reinventing the product, the overall word has stayed the same. We added hybrid components, apps, interactive features, show-and-tells, talks, peer-to-peer sessions, experiences, surprises, communities, a whole new live look, feel and world……but still call it an exhibition. Or a trade fair. 

The content might have changed, the label did not. 

As a result our potential Gen Y visitors have an old idea about a new product. Wow, that IS something to think about.

So I am wondering…should we include the terminology in our reinvention package? Add a new vocabulary to reflect the new meeting architecture and exhibition design?

Anyway, food for thought . Should we  give "trade fairs" and "exhibitions" a new image, a new interpretation? Or do we need to come up with new brands to make sure that generations to come will find excitement and learning in events that we used  to call trade fairs? 

What are the words that sum up an exhibition?

I bet we can come up with more than a thousand!

It’s an art to keep connected

Just imagine: you are an association conference or a trade fair  with a huge amount of international attendees and followers, you have a steady input of new ideas and views, you have an important story to tell…..and then you realize that your next event is 10 years from now. Whoa, 10 years!

How on earth are you going to stay  in touch with your community  and keep the momentum going? Will people forget about you? Will you become old news? How can you ever survive?
Well….it happens. Not just in the events industry. It happened to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, closing 10 years ago for major renovations, and due to open again April 13^th 2013. Less than a month away. And they had a way of keeping the conversation going that inspired me. And can inspire events as well.

1 Stay open, even though you are closed  

Confusing? Well yes and no. Even though the main building was closed, they kept a “greatest hits” collection on display in a separate part of the museum. Plus, the collection went on loan to other museums and special exhibitions, engaging people outside Amsterdam. Lesson learned: stay in touch using smaller spin-offs, and share your knowledge in other events. Be out there!

2 Tell your news – good AND bad

During the 10 years, the Museum kept an open conversation about delays, problems with builders and cyclists (well, it IS Amsterdam after all), as well as achieved targets and great designs. The mix of messages kept an open conversation going – we all had our own opinion and were able to share it. Lesson learned: keep the conversation going! Really…

3 Show your work in progress

During the building, they kept us informed. Not only by telling news, but also showing the building in progress face to face – they had “hard hat tours” and unveiled new acquisitions. Lesson learned: people like to share in progress. Invite your stakeholders to comment on new ideas, use surveys or your social media – ask questions and let delegates share their views.

4 Share your knowledge - everywhere

With the collection in other exhibitions and in huge depots, it was up to the museum to keep those great works of art “on view”- and they used the website to do it . They opened RijksStudio https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/rijksstudio , a part of the website where you can collect, share (on social media) and use your favorite parts of the collection. Images with a superb quality to make your own. Lesson learned: your content is valuable: share it in whitepapers, blogs, chats, events or webinars, and see which parts will spark a conversation.

5 Engage in all forms and formats

The museum used old, new, social, formal - you name it -  media to keep in touch. And now that the opening is getting close, there are numerous of different smaller special events and pre-viewings to get the buzz going. On site, on line – everywhere. For all stakeholder groups: all feel connected. Lesson learned: look at the segmentation of your stakeholders and  be relevant to all of them. Make sure to keep Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y on board and dare to change your event format accordingly, with a meeting architecture that meets all needs.

And then?…. enjoy the connection with old friends, new views, in a fresh environment where history is shown and made.

As far as I am concerned, the Rijksmuseum did a great job, and I am really looking forward to visit again. To do a little re-connecting. And safe to say – I will be inspired again.

Do you see what I see?

So, it has been a while, what’s new? Well…that depends how you look at it.

In the Netherlands we will have a new king soon, and I just learned that there is a new pope. On a more local scale, at work we changed the brand of tea in our offices and started flexible work areas, and in my neighborhood, the Chinese restaurant changed owners. Better spring rolls, but I won’t be ordering the noodles & vegetables again.

Things change on a daily basis. Some good, some bad. Also in events

Change, innovation and reinvention: they are key ingredients when it comes to keeping visitors, delegates and exhibitors engaged with the events we design and the conversations we start.

The blueprints of classic conferences and tradeshows are gradually changing into live maps with touchpoints, telling us which buttons to push and where to begin the change in content, format, design, venue…. a starting point, that’s all. Innovation never stops.

But let’s face it… sometimes, it is just too hard to find the creativity to deal with it.

I guess the trick is to keep it simple yet inspiring. Stay close to home, one thing at a time. But how?

I was thinking about this when I received a tweet from a friend, who is an artist. One of the many things she does, is photographing ordinary objects and turning them into a new reality, choosing the right angles and title. I always feel inspired when I see her work.

She turns torn paper into a hawk, a trash bag into a blackbird, metal fittings into an owl. Ready-mades, ready to change.

She shows that staying close to home can bring about a big change. One thing at a time.  It just depends how you look at it.

So back to events:  what do we really see? An old catering concept might be a new networking tool. A hallway can serve as a walking breakout. A brick wall could be a…  well, anything. Innovation is everywhere, it  just depends how you look at it. Have a special eye. Do you see what I see?

Thanks @mapestaartje (http://www.maartjejaquet.nl/) for letting me use the images: always an inspiration.

A hybrid fairy tale

Once upon a time there were two neighboring countries called “Outside” and “Inside”. The border was marked by big gates and fancy welcome signs, but appeared to be the most quiet on earth. For no one living in Outside seemed interested to visit Inside, and Insiders were never seen on the streets….let alone near the border.

King Content was ruling Inside with a college of  writers , his subjects happy to exchange thoughts online and in blogs. On the other side Queen Experia and her court-engagers ruled the Outside, with lots of people in the squares engaging in conversations and laughter.

A happy lot on each side, but safe to say that tourism rates were slow. Really slow.

Years went by and even though the countries were aware of their neighboring state, the borders remained the loneliest place on earth.

That is…until one fall afternoon. It just so happened that the Outside was having its annual conference near the border, and only a brick wall separated  Outside from Inside. Spirits were high and people were busy visiting sessions and keynotes, listening and talking, enjoying networking sessions in the sun with lots of food and entertainment. ( Just too bad that the sessions were not recorded.)

The joy of meeting people was so great that the mere sound of the conference drew lots of on-site registrations. In fact one of the conference rooms was so full that its breakout session literally turned into a break out: the wall of the room, which was situated on the border, broke down.

With a huge turmoil the bricks collapsed and revealed a small room, where one person was happily tapping on his keyboard and looking at his screen.  He was in tweeting  with lots of Inside people because they, too, were having their annual online conference, with chats  and webinars connecting  lots of people.

And then? Magic happened! An Outsider almost fell on the Insider and before they knew what happened, they  shook hands. The touch of that handshake was so powerful that the Insider tweeted about it…instantly reaching all Inside delegates. And also reaching the Outside delegate, who looked in awe at the online discussion as it developed. He immediately searched for his smartphone  and joined in the conversation.  And they were not alone… in the moments that followed, both Inside and Outside people gathered at the border, engaging in face to face conversations and online talks with the people that stayed in their homes.

For the first time both countries truly connected, and in the days that followed both the physical border and online communities were really busy; all wanted to learn about their neighbor. They  decided to merge their conferences, and when the face to face event was joined with year-round online content, it grew to be one of the best events in the world. With the best of both worlds, really.

Oh and yes,  the King and Queen got in touch as well and hey, since this is a fairytale, who knows where that story will lead to…