WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A CONFERENCE?

It's that time of year again, when VRMA is in the throes of conference planning so that the 2008 Annual Conference is the best one yet!

Rachel at VRMA just came across an article written during the Millenium (year 2000) from a newsletter called Associations Now called: Engaging the New Meeting Goer by Christy Kessler.

This article makes some assumptions about the types of meetings/ conferences that Future Leaders would like to participate in, which this post will lay out for you. Based on this, the blog invites you to comment on the accuracy and relevancy of these assumptions or there lack thereof and discuss what your personal preferences are related to this subject.

1. Your "... tending to expect to find plenty of high-tech enhancements to help ease their way through your events." Because, "Younger meeting goers expect technology to be available everywhere".

2. Slides and black-and-white overheads can put an audience to sleep. You would prefer "...computer-driven presentations such as animated video and colorful graphics".

3. You would like to be provided with routine conference information that can be accessed easily before a meeting such as e-mail addresses or staff and presenters so you can ask questions in advance.

What are your ideas on these main ideas discussed in the article? Is there anything that would make the conference more helpful, informative, fun and/or memorable for you? VRMA cannot promise to accommodate all of your ideas, but you can be guaranteed that VRMA will at the very least listen to them.

Thank you.