Rule Four

Learning drives all objectives and design of your content.

The ideas that go into a learning strategy should be strategic in terms of each having a mix of presentations and workshops that link together in some way. Too many events leave this to chance. Relying on a great speaker to tie everything together is too risky. Start by asking some questions that lead to the design of the content side of the event.

1. What do people need to learn to be more successful in some way next year?
2. How do you want to involve people in the event?
3. What do you want people to achieve or create at the event?
4. How can the conference be used to provide the insights, contacts or opportunities that add directly to the bottom line of the participants?

In this section of the book each of these three questions has a planning template page for your use. For example the first question is written to have conference designers state explicitly what they want people to do at conference. Some events are satisfied if people show up for the event. Other events want people to contribute ideas and solutions to tough company problems. Both results are possible as long as we set our planning challenges properly.

Too much money has been invested in events that left ideas and brainpower waiting to be harnessed. Perhaps you should consider: how can you harness the brainpower in the room to achieve powerful results for the participants?

Questions for conference designers

• What do you want people to do when they participate in your conference? For example, they can sit and listen or they can help to solve an industry problem.