Vickie Sullivan

Market Strategy for Thought Leaders

Resources  >> New Conference Formats On the Way

Written by: Vickie Sullivan  |  December 03, 2013

New Conference Formats On the Way

Heads up: the days of giving a lecture with interactive exercises are numbered. Thanks to TED, YouTube, and other players, we are now entering the age of bite-sized content.

Exhibit A: the “Conversations That Matter” series at the American Society of Association Executives annual meeting. Lecture time: 20 minutes tops. Then the next hour is facilitated discussions.

And this is just the mild version of the trend. Rapid-fire, multi-presenter programs create a frenzied pace at “Ignite sessions,” replacing the traditional motivational program at the end of the day.

Bottom line for speakers: short and sweet. What remains to be seen: the role of story-telling. Are we telling shorter versions or ditching them altogether? Stay tuned…


Comments:

  • Author : Vickie Sullivan

    Published: 2013-12-03 14:39:46

    LOL...I don't like jumping jacks either. Our audiences are too smart for that stuff anymore. they want meaning and to come up with ideas they can implement immediately. That's what TED really provides. And you are perfect for that. Thanks for the kind words and kudos Tamara!

  • Author : Tamara Lee Taylor

    Published: 2013-12-03 14:31:12

    I'm not a big fan of the interactive presentations and didn't have anything planned for my last Keynote, however, I was asked to include one. I made sure I came up with something that would incredibly impact the participants (which it did). I feel if there is going to be interaction, it must add tremendous value beyond raising your hand, high-fives, hugs and jumping jacks. Storytelling is beneficial to some learning styles and not others. I think it depends on the audience. Our attention spans are getting shorter by the day, the presentation need to go with that trend. I love the TED format, that's what I choose to use. Love your info and updates Vickie!

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