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\u201cHow friendly is my brain and is there going to be a quiz?\u201d That\u2019s the first thought that occurred to me when I heard about PCMA\u2019s recent educational session in Dallas called Brain-Friendly Networking<\/strong> presented by Sarah Michel from Velvet Chainsaw Consulting.<\/p>\nTo my relief there was no quiz, but I did learn how attendees hunger for new experiences through networking and how adding five principles to your conference design results in a smarter event for attendees.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sarah explained that we are wired to be social. No matter if you have hermit-like tendencies; when a subject comes up that you are passionate about, you want to share your likes, dislikes and opinions.\u00a0\u00a0 When you find your community and make that connection it is\u2026 Connexity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n How have networking experiences at conferences you\u2019ve attended made you smarter? That was the question posed to our small table of five people. Answers included one from a woman who made a networking connection in the restroom that developed into cost savings for her business.\u00a0 Another mentioned meeting a fellow attendee in a bar and learning about a new category of lighting that was more informative than any session she attended.\u00a0 Both examples emphasize that attendees come to conferences for education and networking.<\/p>\n These types of interactions don\u2019t have to be chance meetings. Organizers can strategically design conferences to make attendees smarter, using these tips from Sarah.<\/p>\n 5 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR ATTENDEES SMARTER<\/strong><\/p>\n Novelty:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 Something new or different can stimulate the brain.\u00a0 A great example of creating a memorable experience involved an event\u00a0that issued badges with the name of half a famous duo on the bottom like \u201cSiskel\u201d or \u201cBatman.\u201d\u00a0 Attendees were tasked with meeting other attendees until they found their other half. (Ebert and Robin, in case you were wondering.) Also walking tours are a great way to stimulate the mind and generate conversations.<\/p>\n Challenge:<\/strong>\u00a0 Attendees want answers to their problems, not necessarily a speech with great content.\u00a0 Have a panel of experts do a Q & A with folks lined up and ready to ask their questions. Be prepared for follow up to see if the answers worked out the way they expected and what could be improved.<\/p>\n Thinking:<\/strong> Just like our table was allowed to converse during this presentation, go ahead and embed questions to spark networking conversations in education sessions. Peer-to-peer learning is valuable and can be accomplished by having attendees utlize small tables, chairs in a circle or even standing.<\/p>\n Networking:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 There\u2019s a reason we gather at the water cooler. It\u2019s a place to relax (hopefully), get refreshed, learn and grow.\u00a0\u00a0 Have designated and maybe even sponsored areas for attendees to feel comfortable and down their guard.<\/p>\n Thanks to Sarah Michel and my fellow attendees, I did feel a little smarter after this PCMA event.\u00a0 And, after making a few connections, even my brain started to feel more friendly.\u00a0\u00a0 Keep in mind attendees are hungry\u00a0 for new experiences and if you keep feeding them, they will return to your event for years to come.<\/p>\n Todd Carruth is the Interactive Marketing Manager for The Expo Group and has pledged to make his brain friendly in all his future interaction. You can contact him at tcarruth@theexpogroup.com <\/em><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/theexpogroup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/6f3caecf-a5e6-4544-9eb8-d4233e61dd8f.jpg\")
Creativity<\/strong>: Co-create learning experiences by offering ways for the attendee to participate.\u00a0 One event used an \u201cidea runway\u201d with sticky notes attached to a graphic airplane on a wall.\u00a0 They were encouraged to write down their challenge with their email address or twitter handle and then get solutions from colleagues.\u00a0 Or they could simply share their great idea or comment offering solutions to others.<\/p>\n