2017 - A Year in Conferencing
Andrew Klein, professional MC and presentation skills speaker and director of SPIKE Presentations, presents his front line observations on conferences in a regular feature in BEN.
I CONFESS. I love end-of-year ‘best-of’ lists. Best albums, best movies, best books, best dual citizens who had to quit politics etc.
So here’s my own “Best of 2017” entry, “Best Things I Experienced at Conferences in 2017”.
In no particular order…
1. Throwable microphones:
Cube-shaped spongy microphones that you can throw around a conference room during Q& A sessions. I saw these at a few conferences this year. A great innovation which always created a buzz and a few laughs in the room. Google “catch-box” and give them a try.
2. Shorter conference presentations:
It has taken a while for the shorter, sharper TED-style presentation to catch on in conference world. But thankfully, companies have finally started accepting the fact that attention spans are shortening and it is simply too hard for most non-professional speakers to hold an audiences attention for longer than 20-30 minutes. Less is more.
3. Mango Conference in Bowen:
Cyclone Debbie ravaged the Qld town of Bowen back in March, just a few days before the Australian Mango Industry Association were scheduled to hold its large conference. The town banded together and a massive cleanup took place, involving not just all the tourism and event operators but what seemed like the whole town, including the conference venue. Community spirit in practise and an excellent conference took place which I was fortunate enough to take part in. Well done Bowen community. Well done Mango people.
4. Fresh New(ish) Speakers:
As an MC, in 2017 I was again fortunate to meet, introduce and hear many brilliant conference speakers, way too many to mention here. A few relatively new-to-the-circuit speakers (well at least first time I’d seen them!!!) that everyone should hire and hear next year include Lucas and Nic from Orange Sky Laundry, Mentalist Anthony Laye, Matina Jewel, Steve Sammartino and Future Crunch.
5. Great Conference Locations:
I was fortunate enough this year to conference in some stunning and exciting locations as diverse as Queenstown (where there is no such thing as a bad view), Darwin (which is a simply wonderful and unique destination which always puts on a great conference), Fiji where everyone smiles, sings and Bulas all day long, the amazing Laguna Beach California (the Montage Hotel was one of the most spectacular conference locations I have ever worked at), beautiful Cairns and Port Douglas, the awesome conference facilitities at Adelaide Oval and my favourite conference location this year - the new ICC Sydney (simply because it’s my hometown venue). A great Convention Centre for a great city.
So many more ‘BESTS’ – but so little time.
Have a relaxing break. See you all in 2018.