Conference Planning: Beyond the Walls

Current technologies and hopes and aspirations of your fans dictate that if you are planning a conference or event you need to ask yourself this question:

“How can I bring those not able to attend into the room and how can I engage them as active participants?”

Why worry about engaging your fans who are not paying to attend your event?

People attend events for: information / knowledge / ispiration and networking. Information is free! Knowledge is free. Inspiration and Networking are greatly enhanced by being present at your event. Don’t confuse information presented at your event with the value of attending your event. Give the information away. This grows your reputation and enhances the desirability of attending in the future.
People who engage with you online from outside your event are kicking the tires of your event. They want to attend, but want to be sure. Your efforts to bring them in, grow your credibility and enhance your relationship with these future attenees.
People from outside the event might get excited about attending a future event if you stream good stuff because of peaking into the online window on what they are missing.
People from outside the event will see you and your event as the agent that connects them with great people. The better your in person audience, the more attractive your event becomes – as something to attend.
Encourage people at the event to share video, audio, blog posts, twitter notes to expand the reach of your event and reach more people who are in other places