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October 28, 2005
Conferences are for connecting
I've been to at least five industry conferences this year, and I still think their value is meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends.
Just recently, I spoke at BlogOn: Social Media Summit. While there I met people whom I know almost exclusively via their blogs, like Jory Des Jardins, Elisa Camahort, Robb Hecht, Steve Hall, Jeff Jarvis, Mena Trott, Suw Charman, and Shel Israel.
I also met podcaster extraordinaire Cameron Reilly (all the way from Australia!) who recorded a podcast with Mena Trott (president of Six Apart), blogvangelist Steve Rubel, and myself.
Hey conference planners: How about less content and more networking.
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Hi Jackie. It was great meeting you. This is exactly part of the response I provided in my post-BlogOn survey: more networking opportunities!
And when we did BlogHer, even though we had a dinner the night before, breakfast, a Birds of a Feather session mid-morning, and a cocktail party at the end...it was one of the main pieces of feedback: more networking!
We're a social crowd I guess :)
Jackie I totally agree with you. I've been saying that for years and years. I remember back in my Microsoft days, they would fly their people halfway around the world for a sales conference and then the whole time talking AT them. Every year I gave the same feedback: I can read your powerpoint in five minutes. Send it to me ahead of schedule, then let's spend the hour we have together DEBATING the subject - either in the conference room or over drinks. To go to a conference like BlogOn from Melbourne costs me $4000 and a week of my life, which is also a week out of my business. The most value I get out of those events is the networking, meeting great people, like yourself! Funny isn't it - the value we place on meeting people, on connecting with like-minded people.
