Forum - January/February 2010

spreading” and began courting a global audience.

Now The Sapling Foundation hosts two annual TED conferences — in Long Beach, Calif., and Oxford, England. TED2010, taking place Feb. 9-13, 2010, has 1,500 registered attendees and sold out nearly a year in advance for $6,000 per person. To register, attendees must submit applications, as the organization approves only those who it deems strong contributors to the TED community. The annual conference is intended to provide attendees an escape from their day-to-day lives for an opportunity to engage in deep thought.

While TED stands for technology, entertainment and design, its breadth of topics now also spans business, politics, science and global issues such as the environment. Past speakers have included Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, World Wide Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee, jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock, Nobel Prize winner for DNA research James Watson, and robotic and drone warfare analyst P.W. Singer. TED is known for its widely eclectic content. In one sitting a participant could experience the modern dance troupe Pilobolus; see an atomic physicist’s invention to provide cheap, self-prescribing eyeglasses to the millions without access to an optometrist; and hear about the power of hope from a talented journalist who turned homeless and bounced back to win awards.

TED2010

The theme for TED2010 is “What the World Needs Now.” True to the original TED concept, the conference will be comprised of 18-minute talks presented in 12 main, movie-length (105 minutes) sessions. Each session will focus on one key attribute “the world needs,” including courage, provocation and laughter. Beyond the main sessions, “TEDsters” spend four days hearing talks given by other attendees in sessions called “TED University,” riding Segway people movers, test driving vehicles, enjoying receptions and art exhibits, and networking at nightly galas, among other opportunities.

Its scope also includes the TEDTalks
video site, which showcases the highest-
rated talks and performances from TED
that can be shared and distributed for
free, and the TEDTalks discussion pages,
which are available in more than 50
languages and include threads from TED
members discussing everything from
global warming to poverty and poetry to
architecture. You can search TED mem-
bers worldwide on Ted.com to find oth-
ers with your same interests, education
and goals.

LESSONS FROM TED The following are some lessons and best practices from TED that may be adapted for association events:

1. Like TED University does, tap into your attendees and give them opportunities to make peer-to-peer presentations during your event. Get to know your attendees in advance; facilitate their sharing and deeper involvement in your event. Consider asking for personal qualifications on your registration form to pinpoint likely participants.

2. Interaction with fellow and future attendees can be year round using recorded sessions and interactive forums on the Web. Track interaction through login registration. Create a deeper level of online involvement for those who attend. Give them logins to access special Web features not available to others — such as chat tools that let them make direct contact with fellow attendees.

3. Create a buzz and mystique that fills your event to capacity.

TED IS A PHENOMENON FROM WHICH WE CAN LEARN A GREAT DEAL.

4. Book mind-blowing speakers to challenge and excite attendees.

5. Provide RSS feeds and video playback of your annual meeting’s keynote speaker on your Web site.

6. Create an online chat room for attendees who want to share their personal interests as a way of better understanding their professional life. It could be as simple as taking your listserv to a new level using photos, personal bios and probing discussion questions that require strategic rather than operational thought.

7. Create rapid-fire webinars, or “ share-inars,” designed for sharing information about a hot topic. For example, have colleagues quickly share how they have incorporated the Flip camera into their everyday life in 30 minutes or less. There are infinite ways to use this low-cost, high-tech solution. Imagine share-inars on creative ways to cut expenses at your annual meeting or using Twitter to communicate with conference attendees. These share-inars can then be archived and indexed for on-demand access.

Coupled with viral distribution through Twitter, Facebook and other social networks, these no- or low-cost strategies enhance your organization’s visibility, increase feedback and just might provide that oft-coveted “ah-ha” moment. It is only through experimenting with these ideas that you will uncover what works for you and where it can take you.

TED is a phenomenon from which we can learn a great deal. The world, and the world of events, is far better for it.

Ann Rebentisch, CMP, CMM, is a strategic meeting and events consultant with expertise in conferences, trade shows and special events, including the Democratic National Convention and GRAMMY Professional Forums. She may be reached at Ann@Strategic EventDirection.com.