Smart Meetings | Page 247 of 602 | Corporate Event Planning: Business Events, Meetings, Conferences

Attendees absolutely love to be pleasantly surprised during meetings and events, and this carries over to other experiences during their stay, including hotel activities. Some hotels have gone several steps beyond the norm by offering unique services that keep attendees buzzing during and well after their visit.

These services are offered by talented staff members, ranging from hotel flatterers to circus instructors. Here’s a rundown of some of the most innovative staff roles.

Zeroing in on Your Needs

Hotels worldwide always focus on addressing the specific needs of their guests, whatever they may be. Case in point: The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans provides hangover recovery concierges for its guests, many of whom enjoy experiencing the city’s boozy days and nights. The concierges are trained to provide all the special care guests need to recover, including escorting them to the spa and helping them to order a juice blend.

Not getting enough of a personal boost from hotel staff? Then opt for the Compliment Package at Kimpton RiverPlace Hotel in Portland, Oregon, where hotel flatterers will provide you with seemingly random but thoughtful remarks about how attractive and wonderful you are, and much more.

Want to enjoy an ultimate pampering experience? Upon request, Mirbeau Inn & Spa in Skaneateles, New York, will send a spa butler to your room, fully stocked with Zents ultra-hydrating body care products so that guests can choose their favorite. The chosen scent is promptly delivered to the room, along with chilled face towels, shower and hand wash, and detoxifying Epson bath salts to take home.

Guests who love to enjoy the smell of tobacco at any time of day are wild about The Ritz-Carlton Dubai International Airport Finance Center, where a hookah water piper sommelier addresses guests’ tobacco needs, such as helping to choose the blends and flavors that are perfect for them.

The Shelbourne in Dublin employs a butler who won’t assist with your bags and helped you get settled in, but will help to track down any Irish ancestors you may have. The genealogy butler develops personalized research plans, genealogical tours throughout Ireland, and assessment reports, and hosts trips to the city’s several genealogical repositories.

Animal Services that Go Beyond

The Peabody Memphis Hotel is famous for it twice-daily penguin march from the hotel roof to the indoor fountain. The penguins put on a spectacular show that would do military marches proud. The credit goes not only to the penguins, but also to the duckmasters, who train and escort them during the walks.

Lots of pigeons enjoy congregating in the courtyard at Rambagh Palace, Jaipur in India, and they leave fecal debris that can spoil guests’ experience. So, the property provides pigeon chasers, who spend several hours each day chasing the pigeons away.

Has your dog been eyeing the thrill of surfing, but frustrated it can’t join in the fun? Loews Coronado Bay Resort on Coronado Island in Florida employs a dog surf instructor who can teach your pooch how to ride the waves. The hotel even throws in a pair of stylish board shorts for your pet.

Want to enjoy some of the best truffles around, as chosen by dogs? Blackberry Farm, a luxury hotel and resort in Walland, Tennessee, has a full-time truffle trainer on staff who teaches his pack of Lagotto Romagnolo dogs—a breed from northern Italy—to expertly sniff out truffles that will later adorn dinner plates. The breed is known for its razor-sharp senses and laser focus.

Teaching New Skills

Has anyone noticed how nicely people’s bowties are tied at The Foundry Hotel in Asheville, North Carolina? Most likely, that’s due to the refined skills of the hotel’s bowtie butler, who shares bow-tying techniques and provides quick lessons to guests.

Dominoes is an especially popular game in Puerto Rico, and the newly opened Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico in Rio Grande has blended it into its offerings by hiring a dominoes master who sets up domino tables poolside, hosts games, shares professional tips and offers samplings of coquito, the traditional island drink.

Ever wish that you could learn circus tricks during your hotel stay? At Club Med Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, a group of circus instructors—employees trained in acrobatic arts—teach guests acrobatic activities such as flying trapeze jumping and tight rope walking.

Though mermaids have captured the public imagination for centuries, most people don’t realize the physical challenges that they would have faced if they actually existed. At Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, mermaid (and mermen) trainers offer guests an aquatic workout, complete with tails. The workouts are challenging, since the artificial tails lock your legs together, forcing you to really work your abs!

At a traveling roadshow promoting the opening of Caesars Forum, Las Vegas’ newest conference center, Smart Meetings chatted with Lisa Messina, vice president of sales at Caesars Entertainment, about trends she is seeing in the meetings and event industry during the 14-city tour called “All Roads Lead to Caesars Forum.” The five-week tour, which began in Dallas on Feb. 11, is offering a pop-up preview of the 550,000-square-foot conference center that opens March 18.

Crafting Spaces for Creativity

Messina said creativity is taking centerstage with the planners she has met on the tour. “We were in Washington, D.C., two weeks ago, and a customer was literally showing off her diagram because she can do something in the forum ballroom that she’s never been able to do before,” she said. “There’s a lot of excitement around being able to design the events that our customers have been wanting to do, but maybe they didn’t have the space, or there was an obstacle of some sort.”

The new Caesars space, Messina said, “Lets people’s creative side come out.”

Campus Feel

From Google to Facebook, businesses have adopted a campus-like atmosphere. “I think it’s very natural that organizations want collaborative workspaces. They want places where people are naturally creative, and creativity comes from you and me talking versus me sitting in my cubicle or my home office,” Messina said. “And it’s like ‘Hey, let’s go grab a coffee and talk about x.’”

Large, often outdoor, spaces provide the relaxed ambiance that stimulate productive teaming. Messina refers to this as a “throwback to school,” adding, “It’s the connection. The whole reason you have face-to-face meetings is because of the collaboration, the connection and the engagement. That’s what the campus feel allows you to do.”

The number of women travelers are growing twice as fast as their male counterparts, partly due to increases in the number of meetings professionals and other career-oriented women who are traveling, according to a new study by Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL).

The study surveyed more than 1,000 women travelers from India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and other countries. The data on men was based on research from CrowdTwist’s Gender Loyalty Report and IHCL’s internal data resources. IHCL, based in Maharashtra, India, is South Asia’s largest hospitality company by market capitalization.

Since 2015, IHCL has seen a 33 percent increase in the number of women travelers year over year, and a 34 percent increase in guest room bookings. Renu Basu, senior vice president of global sales and marketing at IHCL, emphasizes that this reflects the increasingly important contributions women are making.

“We, as a global organization, not only recognize the contribution of women in the industry and society at large but are also cognizant of their increasing value as a growing influence on business,’’ Basu said. “Women are responsible for up to 85 percent of all consumer purchases and play a very significant role in influencing business and leisure travel. Hence, responding to their thoughts and needs is an absolute priority for us.”

Another finding was that women tend to scrutinize their purchases more than men, and are generally more loyal to the brands they choose. In the study, 27 percent of the women surveyed said they would stick to a preferred brand, regardless of the price, quality, convenience or promises the brand has made, compared to 21 percent of men.

“Availability of trusted brand offerings around stay and travel are definitely a key consideration for women travelers,” Basu said. “Other factors like increased participation of women in the economy, more women of independent means who control their own travel decisions or even a surge in women traveling in groups all contribute to the increase.”

The tendency to remain loyal played a significant role in 76 percent of women saying they were interested in earning points on loyalty programs, compared to 69 percent of men. Forty percent of the women surveyed currently participate in restaurant loyalty programs, compared to 34 percent of men who do so.

Safety and security topped the list for women while selecting a hotel. The findings reinforce that women want hotels to support and facilitate a seamless experience through a thoughtful service approach. Besides these reassurances, 78 percent of women travelers prioritize local cuisines when traveling, while 69 percent expect healthier dining options and 61 percent would prefer smaller, “tasting” portions. Other services such as women butler options (61 percent) and women personal shoppers (69 percent) also influence their choice of hotels.

Do meetings cancelled as a result of coronavirus concerns qualify as force majeure? Lisa Sommer Devlin, J.D., attorney at Devlin Law Firm, explained in a recent Smart Meetings Accelerator webinar “COVID-19 Considerations for Meetings Contracts” that the answer is complicated.

The Reason Matters?

The legal question that determines whether you can claim force majeure—and therefore cancel without liability—rests on the difference between whether you physically can’t host a meeting (the building burned down) or don’t want to (because too many sponsors or attendees are dropping out). Sommer Devlin explained that if the truth is the latter, you will probably owe cancellation fees. In the case of the former, it is the responsibility of the planner to prove the impossibility.

“The facts are that the Centers for Disease Control says that the risks of [contracting] COVID-19 are very low in the United States,” Devlin said. “Maybe we should be, but nobody ever cancels meetings over the annual flu outbreak. The COVID-19 is just a new or different type of flu.”

If the U.S. government prohibited meetings altogether, that might be different, she said. “Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of legal guidance that you can rely on,” Devlin said.

What Should You Do Now?

“The first step is to read your contract,” Devlin said. Many contracts are negotiated with special or different or hybrid clauses. You’re going to have to see the specifics of what you’ve agreed upon.”

If, after you fully examine all the facts and really think that, you must cancel your event, bring a business solution. “You’re going to get a much better response from your hotel partners if you try work with them rather than just calling it quits,” she said.

And a postponement is not always the solution that will erase the cancellation fee. “If you have an event scheduled in April and you don’t have it, then you’re canceling it. If you come back in another time, that’s great and the hotel appreciates it, but the hotel is not making it up its loss for that April event.”

Understanding the mindset of the hotel—and the legal requirements of the contract—could help you make your case about how to work together to find the best solution for all stakeholders—and keeps everyone safe.

Event Goal

The primary goal of the international convention of Lions Clubs is to give members from all over the world the annual opportunity to meet and share motivation, objectives and experiences in person, as well as to elect the new international board of directors. Discovery of the destination has also become an integral part of the event.

AIM Group International, which planned the event, set a goal “to guarantee the smooth organization of a complex event, lasting 20 days and including multiple sidebar events; to shape those with a high level of customization and personalization, and to establish a deep emotional connection with the destination.”

In exploring the destination, members were encouraged to share the “true spirit of Lions” with the local community.

Biggest Challenge

AIM secured hotel-room blocks five years out for more than 5,000 people in the host city of Milan, Italy. Most other challenges were related to the sheer size of the event, with 25,000 members attending. AIM needed to source or create massive meeting spaces to suit a variety of events. It also managed transportation to and from those events, as well as external service trips and charity activities prior to the event.

Lions made visits to other parts of Italy, participating in cooking classes, photography excursions and other cultural activities, which AIM helped to facilitate. Another major challenge was coordinating and planning logistics for a huge parade through the Milan city center, heart of the busy northern Italian city.

“It was quite complex, since we had to manage the flow of thousands of participants, define the path, and deal with security issues and bureaucracy,” says Rosangela Quieti, managing director for the Congress Division of AIM Group.

Solution

Managing a vast number of attendants over the course of several weeks involved taking advantage of the location’s resources. “We developed a personalized program, leveraging the varied cultural, artistic and gastronomic assets of Milan. Gala dinners, entertainment, experiential activities, cooking classes, photographic safaris and cultural visits were among the events offered to the guests,” Quieti says.

Comprehensive travel management included keeping track of all arrivals and departures to and from many international airports, transfers from hotels to the congress center, as well as local transfers to and from events. Overall, 85,000 transfers were made. AIM also coordinated special assistance (wheelchairs, medical walkers and scooters) for disabled and mobility-impaired guests.

Focal Point

The focal point was the International Parade of Nations, a display of pride by the Lions family and the many countries represented. More than 15,000 delegates marched through the city center, wearing traditional national costumes and holding their flags and club banners.

The parade also included 28 marching bands, 15 Italian classic cars, and 190 security personnel and volunteers. It wove its way past 17th- and 18th-century buildings, ancient churches and modern fountains, through cobbled alleys, and finally concluded at Piazza del Duomo (Dome Square).

Success Measurement

AIM considered the event to be successful based on the client’s glowing feedback, as well as one internal metric, which Quieti shared: “We are really proud that we never uttered the word ‘no’ to any client or delegate. Each day, we received requests that were big and small, standard and peculiar, and we dealt with each one with a smile and the best possible solution.”

Lessons Learned

The entire team had to be totally committed and highly responsive, with a willingness to change the program and try something new to satisfy the need. Each team member fielded multiple requests, logistics changes, last-minute ideas and even crisis management. “The key to success was flexibility and problem-solving,” Quieti says.

Groups meeting in South Florida almost invariably take some time to step out and enjoy the local scene, which includes outstanding beaches, exciting nightlife and creative culinary offerings.

Many of the top restaurants can be found in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and The Palm Beaches. Here are some fabulous spots for groups.

Miami

Joe’s Stone Crab restaurant has been a Miami icon since Joe Weiss opened it in 1913. It’s open only during stone-crab season, from Oct. 15 to May 15. Attendees will be given bibs to wear…and they’ll want to wear them if they try the crab. These stone crabs, in addition to pretty much every seafood dish served at Joe Stone’s Crab, are widely considered among the best on Earth. There’s a good chance your group will see celebrities there, too.

Most restaurants lose their buzz after they’ve been open for a decade, but not Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink. It’s still a comfortable neighborhood eatery (although the Design District is always on the cutting edge of “cool”) with a casual vibe and innovative, award-winning cuisine. Don’t even think about walking the district without stopping at Michael’s Genuine. It will be worth every step.

Greater Fort Lauderdale

Well, Funky Buddha Brewery isn’t a restaurant, of course, and the food selection is still expanding. But it’s where Fort Lauderdale goes to hear good music, see happy people, enjoy some of the most distinctive craft beers in the United States, and play fun games such as Giant Jenga. And the “fun food” is pretty darn good, too. It’s beginning to gain national attention.

Tucked into a nondescript strip mall in the western Broward County city of Plantation, and open until 1:30 a.m. every day, Marumi Sushi restaurant nonetheless is gaining a “downtown” reputation. The cuisine, featuring Wagyu beef and creative sushi dishes, is enhanced by nightly surprises that even the chefs have no idea about until they feel a sudden burst of inspiration.

The Palm Beaches

Queen of Sheeba Ethiopian Restaurant is a casual restaurant in a West Palm residential neighborhood that is redolent with aromas of the sauces, powders and spices of the owner’s Ethiopian homeland. Dining is communal, so groups share each dish; it’s a fun way to try an adventurous type of cuisine.

Tucked into the trendy shops at Delray Marketplace in West Delray Beach, Burt & Max’s is one of the area’s most popular restaurants. Surrounded by upscale bars, restaurants, clothiers and specialty food shops, Burt & Max’s is always crowded and humming with a happy vibe…because the American food there is always great.

Read more in Steve Winston’s story, “In South Florida, Cultural Places are Meeting Spaces: Stunning New Developments are Transforming the Region, in the March issue of Smart Meetings.

As headlines in mass media warned of new cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States and big companies such as Google and Facebook announced cancellations of major user conferences, Mark Herrera, director of education and life safety with International Association of Venue Managers (IAMV) had a tough decision to make.

His group represents thousands of venue managers at stadiums, convention centers and public spaces around the world. Those members need the most updated information on the topic of keeping attendees safe from all pathogens, and his annual, weeklong Academy for Venue Safety and Security, scheduled to start Mar. 1, was the perfect place to deliver that information.

But was it safe to ask 130 people to fly to Las Vegas and sit together to learn the latest on this viral topic? And would they come?

Don’t Overreact or Underreact

In the weeks leading up to the training, Herrera held ongoing conversations with registered students, experts, his team and the venue, Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel. Ultimately, he decided going ahead with the gathering was the best course of action.

“Our job is not to overreact or underreact,” he said. “We give our members the information they need to be safe.”

The adjustment he made was to focus on collecting the most current and factual information possible on the virus and to present it as a resource within the curriculum of conducting risk assessments and procedures. He experienced no fall-off in attendees due to coronavirus concerns.

“When our community faces a health issue, natural disaster or other emergency, we have a meaningful opportunity to reflect on how we collectively manage through these occurrences,” he said.

Herrera is also moving ahead with plans for VenueConnect2020, an annual meeting for more than 2,000 people in Long Beach, California, in August. He is turning the resources he is collecting through an industry advisory group that includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) into content he can share at events and on the association’s website (see sidebar).

No Handshake Policy

Another group that made the decision that the show must go on is the joint CONEXPO -CON/AGG and International Fluid Power Exposition conference, which takes place every 3 years in Las Vegas and will bring more than 100,000 to Las Vegas Convention Center March 10-14.

While some international companies have cancelled exhibit space for CONEXPO-CON/AGG due to company travel restrictions (44,950 sq. ft. as of March 6), 15,000 was resold, according to Association of Equipment Manufacturers President Dennis Slater. No major exhibitors have cancelled.

Total registration is more than 120,000 and climbing. “We know customers are committed to attending the show in numbers and they are expecting to see and purchase equipment from the manufacturers of the best equipment in the world,” said Slater.

Safety measures being added include access to hand sanitizer and a no-handshake policy.

Stay Calm and Communicate Responsibly

Also moving forward with planning is IMEX Group, which is full-steam-ahead for its Frankfurt, Germany, hosted-buyer event in May. “We currently have no plans to postpone or cancel our show, despite some major events cancelling across Europe in the past few days,” said CEO Carina Bauer in a statement on the event website.

Like the rest of the travel industry, she is monitoring the situation by listening to experts, international health authorities and partners.

More: How Coronavirus Is Affecting a Meeting Near You

“We feel strongly that it is our collective responsibility to focus on the facts, and to act with common sense and sound judgement, taking the advice of the relevant authorities and scientists,” she said.

Gloria Guevara, president and CEO of World Travel & Tourism Council described the struggle to put the risk into proper perspective this way: “Containing the spread of unnecessary panic is as important as stopping the virus itself.”

Bauer also echoed words of advice from International Congress and Convention Association: “In general, it is good practice in situations like these to stay calm, communicate responsibly and follow official health and travel advice.”

Editor’s Note: On March 11, Bauer cancelled IMEX Frankfurt based on the German health minister’s ban on events with more than 1,000 people and that “we cannot guarantee…a large-scale, high quality hosted buyer program.”

A Pandemic of Fear

Mike Dominguez, president and CEO of Associated Luxury Hotels International, has also been talking to meeting professionals about the importance of listening to authorities about what is safe. “There are zero travel warnings in the U.S. and yet people are cancelling meetings there,” he said. “We need to listen to the real experts to understand what is actually happening versus the hysteria.”

Dominguez pointed out that the risk assessment for most of the world remains very low, according to World Health Organization, except for a small segment of the population—those already struggling with chronic conditions or who are fragile due to age. He contrasted the risk of contracting the virus (1 in 100,000) to the risk of being struck by lightning (1 in 3,000). The 3,000 deaths that have been reported globally are still a small fraction of the 650,000 that are attributed to influenza (the flu) each year.

Timing also plays a role in planner decisions. The “epidemic curve” of new cases peaked quickly in China and has been receding since mid-February. Most predict the same pattern will follow in other countries.

Dominguez acknowledged that, often, meeting planners aren’t the ones pulling the plug. At large companies, risk managers make the call, and the planner is forced to undo years of contracts in a day without the benefit of triggering force majeure clauses in their contracts—because attendees could still make the trip in most cases.

Pandemic Influenza Operational Review Worksheet

The following resource was developed by Department of Homeland Security and IAVM and is available in the COVID-19-outbreak-resources page of the group’s website.

Create a pandemic team to develop and execute influenza response plan.
Involve employees, labor representatives, and state and local health organizations.
Develop a venue-specific influenza response plan through Department of Homeland Security, CDC, state and local guidance.
Establish relationships with emergency response and health care/hospital facilities.
Identify key employees and cross-train for continuity of operations.
Establish communications plan for staff, suppliers and contractors.
Identify key suppliers and contractors.
Review supply inventories, coordinate shipments and workforce arrangements during pandemic influenza.
Review critical equipment (HVAC, fire pumps, emergency generator) maintenance schedule to ensure operations.
Review venue contracts to allow event postponement or cancellation based on “triggers” (e.g., venue staff level, state/local health departments’ closure recommendations, alternative operations).

Morgan Alexander

Alexander was named director of event management, a promotion from her senior operations manager position, at CSI DMC’s Chicago office. A longtime employee of the company, Alexander began her career as operations manager in its Orlando office.

Mark Vilagi

Vilagi is the new general manager of Marriott San Antonio Airport Hotel, set to open in the fall. Before joining Marriott’s opening team, Vilagi was general manager of Sheraton Gunter Hotel San Antonio. He also worked as general manager at Drury Plaza Riverwalk San Antonio.

Shawn Romeo

Romeo was selected as director of sales and marketing for AC Hotel Pleasanton in California. Before joining AC Hotel, she worked as general manager of Hyatt House Pleasant Hill in California. Romeo also served as director of sales and marketing at Sheraton Pleasanton, which has been converted into AC Hotel Pleasanton.

Sean Rigotti

Rigotti was named director of sales for Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa in Riviera Beach, Florida. He comes from a sister property, Fort Lauderdale Marriott Pompano Beach Resort & Spa. Rigotti also worked as group sales manager at Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, and group and business transient sales manager for The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort.

Jamal Mazhar

The Moran CityCentre in Houston has hired Mazhar as its director of sales and marketing. For the past 19 years, he was director of sales, marketing and revenue optimization for Sheraton Suites Houston. Prior to that, Mazhar worked as sales manager for Hilton Houston Galleria Area, formerly Hilton Houston Southwest.

Anthony Duggan

Miraval Austin has appointed Duggan to its general manager post. Duggan served as general manager for L’Auberge de Sedona in Arizona, The Westin Washington DC City Center and Aman Resorts. His other hospitality stints include Amangiri in Canyon Point, Utah; Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea, Hawaii; and Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park.

Frederick Sawyers

Sawyers is now managing director for Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria Orlando. He previously worked as complex general manager for Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. In his 20 years with Hilton, Sawyers has served as complex general manager for Hilton New Orleans Riverside and DoubleTree by Hilton New Orleans, and hotel manager for Hilton New Orleans Airport.

The Midwest features some of the most colorful, engaging events imaginable, ranging from the world-famous Chicago Blues Festival to the always-absorbing St. Louis Storytelling Festival.

These annual events give attendees a good feel for the character and personality of the cities, so many planners include them in their itineraries. Here’s a list of some of the best.

Chicago: The Chicago Blues Festival, held in June, is the largest free blues celebration in the world, offered in a city that helped define the blues.

Cincinnati: The Cincinnati Music Festival takes place in July and injects more than $110 million into the local economy.

Cleveland: Northeast Ohio’s largest annual festival is Oktoberfest, offered in September. It features plenty of strudel, schnitzel, and gemutlichkeit (good feelings).

Columbus, Ohio: The Ohio State Fair draws nearly 1 million people every summer to celebrate the state, its people and their accomplishments.

Detroit: At 2020 Ford Fireworks Detroit, held in June, 10,000 fireworks are shot from barges on the Detroit River. But there’s much more than fireworks: Music, art and food are also among the highlights.

Indianapolis: Hey, this is the Midwest, where state fairs are still lively, colorful, musical, foodie, happy spectacles, and attendance goes through the roof. The Indianapolis fair is offered in August.

Kansas City, Missouri: The Kansas City Scottish Highland Games & Celtic Festival brings a wee bi’ of Highlands games, music, food and merriment to the city every July.

Milwaukee: Summerfest is a very popular annual music festival, held at Henry Maier Festival Park, along the scenic Lake Michigan waterfront in late June and early July.

Minneapolis: The lush gardens and wildflowers of Loring Park are a beautiful backdrop for the art, music and food of Loring Park Art Festival, offered in July.

Peoria, Illinois: The Peoria Blues & Heritage Music Festival is a much anticipated event that takes place in September.

St. Louis: The art of storytelling takes on a vibrant life at the annual St. Louis Storytelling Festival, held for 10 days in April and May.

Traverse City, Michigan: Small Plates is one delicious festival, taking place in August on Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail.

Wisconsin Dells: When more than 1,200 beautifully restored classic cars roll into Wisconsin Dells in May, you know it’s time for Automotion Festival.

Read more about the Midwest’s offerings to planners in Steve Winston’s supplement, “Meeting Planner’s Dream: The Midwest Boasts a Vast Array of Top On-Site and Off-Site Venues for Groups,” in the March issue of Smart Meetings.

You have a lot to consider when selecting speakers for your next conference. Can they expertly speak on the theme of the event? Do they have information that hasn’t previously been shared? Do they have credentials that will draw a crowd? Oh, and most importantly, can they keep the attention of an audience and leave them wanting more? If you hire a skilled storyteller in your industry, the answer to all of those questions is a resounding, “yes.”

What is a storyteller?

Anyone can present information. What a storyteller does is take that information and put it in context to the larger world. They make it more understandable and memorable because they couch in it a narrative that is widely relatable to those in the audience. They also provide a memorable story arc to the information that makes it easier to follow and recall later.

Storytellers also know that it isn’t just about what is being said, but also how it’s said. We have all sat through presentations where the speaker has little to no energy or vocal variety. This doesn’t happen with storytellers. They use their voices and bodies as tools to draw the audience in and pay attention. If a good storyteller is on stage, no one is looking at their watch or their phone. They are too involved with the story.

How do you attract storytellers?

Unfortunately, you can’t just say “storytellers wanted” and expect them to come running. What you will find is that a lot of people consider themselves storytellers who really aren’t. You will also find that a lot of people have no idea what telling a story really is.

When putting out a call for speakers, be specific in how you expect them to present. Let them know that you want to not only know the topic they will present on, but the narrative they will use to present it. Make it known that you are looking for presenters who won’t be hiding behind a podium, but are comfortable using the entire stage. Tell them you are not just looking for someone to present information, but to bring it to life for the audience. Language like that will be music to a storyteller’s ear.

Can you coach presenters into becoming storytellers?

The good news is that anyone can be a good storyteller. It just takes time, practice and a willingness to try something different. You can help guide speakers into becoming storytellers by asking them to reconsider how they present their material. Feature video of storyteller-centered presentations on your submission page so that potential speakers know what you are expecting. Provide links to articles on why storytelling improves a presentation and how to do it well. If you let potential speakers know what you want, many will work toward that goal.

A conference is only as successful as its presenters. If attendees come away feeling like they didn’t learn anything new or if they can’t recall what they heard at all, it is less likely they will attend similar conferences in the future. Storytellers can keep attendees entertained, engaged, and coming back year after year.