Skip to main content
Category

mesh11

Eight Tips for a Great Conference Experience

By mesh11

Having been to dozens of conferences and organized seven (mesh and meshMarketing), I’ve learned there is an art to having a great experience. With some planning, a good conference experience can be that much more better. Here are a few tips:

1. Look beyond the keynotes. Like a beautiful girl or a handsome guy, the keynotes are sexy, glamorous and capture a lot of attention. And while they may meet expectations, much of the real value at a conference happens on the panels and workshops. It’s where you get into the news-you-can-you sessions that deliver the goods that can implemented after the conference is over.

2. Leverage the breaks. By accident, we learned the breaks between sessions at mesh and meshmarketing have as much value as the sessions themselves. This is when people have time to meet, talk and exchange ideas. With nowhere to go until the next session, it’s the perfect time to soak in the atmosphere, immerse yourself in the knowledge and enthusiasm of other attendees, and create some new relationships and friendships.

3. Wear your name tag and make sure it includes your name, employer and Twitter ID. It’s a lot easier to meet new people if you provide them some easy to access information.

4. Drink lots of water. Operating inside a building all day with lots of other people is physically taxing so be sure to stay hydrated. I suggest bringing your own refillable water bottle; it’s not only environmentally friendly but makes sure you have a nearby supply.

5. Have a good breakfast. My mother always said breakfast was the most important meal of the day – something I still believe. This is particularly relevant at a conference in which a good breakfast – and a good night sleep – can give you the mental and physical energy to enjoy the day. And breakfast doesn’t mean donuts and coffee! It means yogurt, fruit, juice and water..and maybe a donut.

6. Don’t be afraid to approach the speakers after they have done their presentations. In many cases, speakers tend to stick around and, like you, they’re looking for good ideas and interesting conversations. A few rules of thumb: if they’re engaged in conversation with someone else, be patient and wait until there is a window of opportunity. If you enjoyed the presentation, let them know. And if you don’t agree with some of their assertion, that’s okay but do so politely.

7. Enjoy the social events and make it a point to strike up conversations with new people. After soaking in so much information, having a drink with other attendees is a great way to share ideas and relax.

8. Record the highlights of the conference on a blog, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Flickr, YouTube or Vimeo. It’s a great way to document the speakers and sessions that resonated and, at the same time, share your ideas and thoughts with people who were not able to attend the conference.

Speaker Spotlight: Valeria Maltoni

By mesh11

One of the luxuries of organizing mesh is being able to invite people that you think do great work. One of those people is Valeria Maltoni, who writes Conversation Agent, one of the leading marketing blogs.

I’ve been a big fan of Conversation Agent because Valeria sinks her teeth into some meaty issues, offering in-depth perspective and insight. When the opportunity arose to invite her to mesh as part of our influence panel, I was thrilled Valeria could make it.

Valeria is a brand strategist with 20 years of experience, including a decade on the Web. She’s worked with Fortune 500 and small start up companies in five industries, and specializes in taking companies to what’s next in their business cycle through integrated marketing communications, customer insights, and brand advocacy.

On the panel along with Valeria is David Armano, another well-known marketing blogger and a vice-president with Edelman. There’s little doubt we’ll have a great conversation about the role and importance of the influencer, which happens May 26.

15 Minutes of Fame Returns to mesh

By 15MOF, mesh11

After being on hiatus for a couple of years, we’re excited about bringing 15 Minutes of Fame back to mesh this year. It’s a chance for entrepreneurs, startups or someone with an innovative or interesting idea to grab the spotlight at mesh.

The winners will have the opportunity to show their work or ideas to marketers, journalists, venture capitalists and lots of other people attending mesh on May 25 and 26.

So, how do you apply for 15MOF? All you have to do is fill out this form, which will take about five minutes.

Three winners will receive a ticket to mesh, the opportunity demo/present in the Sponsor Village, and the chance to do a five-minute presentation at mesh on May 26 in a dedicated workshop space.

The Grand Prize winner will receive the following package:

– A mentorship lunch with Farhan Thawar, vice-president, engineering, with Xtreme Labs

– A half-day PR training session from Edelman

– A one-year membership from the Toronto Board of Trade (more details here)

– A one-hour consulting session with Mark Evans, a mesh co-founder and digital marketing strategist.

mesh happens on May 25 and 26 at the Allstream Centre in Toronto. Tickets can be purchased here. For anyone in Western Canada not able to make mesh, we’re coming out to Calgary for a one-day meshwest on June 8.