There is a key component missing from 90% of conferences that can, when properly utilized, mean the difference between a forgettable experience and engaging conference that will leave attendees with insight, further education, and feeling of being involved in something great.
The missing key is something so easily attainable and usable that it will change the way you attend, plan, and execute conferences in the future. The crucial key component is social learning, which is unlocked by properly using audience engagement.
Though we understand the value of pre-event engagement, under no circumstances should audience engagement end there. Audience engagement is an outcome that requires participation from the audience. While many conference directors and keynote speakers may aim to deliver audience engagement during their session, many fail to utilize this discipline to its full potential.
Most people have attended a conference or listened to a keynote speaker who’ve asked for a “show of hands” during their speech. With some speakers, this may be as far as audience engagement goes, and while this tactic is often used, it doesn’t even come close to unlocking the potential of social learning.
When you involve your audience in the conference or speech in a way that pushes past a raise of hands, you’re able to unlock highly interactive participation on a social level. This could be utilized with group activities in which participants cooperatively or competitively work together or an activity which lets them be heard either vocally or electronically.
The reason social learning is so vital is because people retain a far greater amount of information when they are involved in the learning process, versus when the information is only presented to them. Adding the social aspect allows participants to use several parts of the brain to collectively learn the information, thus making it easier to recall. Social learning is a crucial element that leaves a lasting impression on an audience and ensures the success of a conference.
Today, technology is integrated into every part of our lives from personal smartphones and computers to high-tech office equipment. Why should your conference be any different? Utilizing dynamic tools like audience response systems can benefit the conference, speakers, and attendees alike and will promote audience engagement in a way that leads to social learning.
Audience response systems are perfect for large gatherings and conferences where a group activity focused on movement would be difficult. Using these systems, a speaker can collect survey data, ask questions, and play games with the audience. These games, questions, and surveys, promote participants to interact with one another, as well as the speaker, which leads to a much more collaborative, memorable, and lasting speech.
Option Technologies is a pioneer for audience response systems, and our dynamic solutions have helped conference directors, meeting holders, and keynote speakers maximize their audience participation for over 30 years. If you’re ready to unlock the potential of social learning in your next conference, contact us today and let’s get started.