Lessons from on the road.
Last month we did five events in two weeks, travelling between Glasgow, Manchester, Bristol, Cambridge and London.
It was a gruelling schedule, but the feedback from the 557 people who attended and the wonderful sponsors who made it financially possible, made it very worthwhile.
We learned/were reminded of many things, including these five:
1. Audiences are different.
On four of the events we had the same content delivered by the same people.
In Glasgow the feedback was so-so. The next day in Manchester it was one of the best reviewed events we’ve ever had. In Bristol it was pretty good, whilst in Cambridge it was incredible.
Sometimes you hit the mark, other times you don’t – that’s the way it is.
2. Opinions differ
Here’s a selection of some of the EBIs (even better if) we received:
Room was too hot.
Room was too cold.
Wish you could have spent more time on topic A
Too much time on topic A, not enough on B
I’d have preferred a later start
Would have been great to have finished sooner
Could have stayed for another four hours
I prefer shorter events
Each pair is actual feedback from the same event.
There’s no pleasing everybody.
3. Be careful with Q&A sessions
Sometimes, someone in the audience will ask a brilliant question that enables the discussion to go to another level.
However, often the question isn’t really a question, but an audience member seeking an audience for their own view.
4. Pros v Amateurs
Whilst professional speakers mostly deliver well, the best content often comes from practitioners who might struggle to present.
Content is king in our opinion.
5. Avoid vanilla
It’s very hard these days not to upset someone, particularly if you’re seeking to promote innovation and change.
But rather than pander to those stuck in their ways with a fixed mindset, instead focus on what you believe in, even if it’s just a minority that gets it.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway is how much people enjoy meeting up and sharing ideas. In a world of AI, WFH, and Zoom, live events are still very much wanted, and for that matter needed too.
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