After many decades, if not centuries of following the same format of death-by-PowerPoint, the conference industry is ripe for disruption. The Unique Speaker Bureau (USB) has decided to use their expertise gained from being involved in over 6 500 conferences locally and internationally to infuse new life into conferences. They will be showcasing this new approach at Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town on Friday 28 July 2017.
Anyone who has sat in a conference lately would agree that conference fatigue is real. Attendees are overwhelmed with back-to-back talks from internal speakers, using bad PowerPoints, loaded with information, in a darkened room with shortened breaks because the speakers have overrun their time allocation and the one great external Keynote speaker is probably the only thing the remember.
In the new approach, the USB team works in close collaboration with their top speakers who have contributed their extensive experience to create a fresh and interactive delegate experience. It represents a new way of listening to key messages, thereby becoming a participant rather than spectator. This takes the value of the conference far beyond the end of the conference when the lights have been switched off and the bar billed paid.
The USB Build a Better Conference strategy is effective because it connects the conference experience to the strategic intent of the organisation. With conference budgets being under pressure, the importance of maximising the value both at and after the conference is paramount. Because of this, USB has emphasised the importance of the strategic planning phase of the conference and the value that is harvested post-conference. The key questions that conference organisers should be asking are: What is the strategic intent of the conference? What do we want to walk away with? How will it feed into our strategy and culture going forward? How do we create an experience for our delegates that is compelling? And perhaps the most important question, how do we maximise our conference budget to get the best strategic return? It is not about spending more, it is spending wisely for increased value.
Imagine a Financial Director going through the quarterly financial results. Ten minutes into the presentation delegates start checking their email or Facebook feed because they cannot read the complicated spreadsheet analysis anyway and the smokers start ducking out the room. What if a top-class interviewer were to draw out the key facts and its impact on the company’s future for the delegates? That way the power of the message is more engaging and is not drowned in the data dump. And if the interview is recorded on video, it enables the delegates to take the message first hand back into the organisation which avoids the inevitable dilution of the message.
And then the keynote speaker presents, taking the energy in the room into new heights, bringing inspiration and thought leadership to the stage. Their message ignites a new level of thinking and touches the heart. Delegates typically respond with two questions: “What does this mean for me?” What does this mean for the company?” USB has responded to this by introducing Team Thinking into its events where the lights on the stage go down from the stage and up into the audience in order to engage the delegates in conversation. This surfaces the wisdom in the room, gives the company valuable feedback for management decision making and leaves the delegates feeling that they have been given a voice.
USB will be showcasing not only their Premier League of speakers but also inviting those wanting a new and fresh approach to come and experience Building Better Conferences and turn their next conference into a critical milestone on their strategic journey rather than just another event.
To register to attend the USB Speaker Evolution Showcase in Cape Town on Friday, 28th July 2017, CLICK HERE
If you click here, URUP uses mobile technology to allow event organisers to connect with audiences. If you would like to know more, URUP will connect you to the Cape Town Evolution Journey, introducing you to the speakers who will allow you to experience Team Thinking Interventions, Keynote Presentations, Interview style presentations and business conference television. Follow the journey through to the end to uncover the programme for the day.