Four Events With Three Things in Common

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October 29, 2018 by Harry Jackson

We recently had the opportunity to attend several events across the US and beyond. These events were  cPanel Conf , Momentum 2018, An Event Apart , and WordCamp Vancouver. Each conference had different highlights and focus areas, but there was a common thread that connected them all together.

Location

“There is a direct correlation with how many people arrive on time and the distance from their bed to the keynote session.” That is a paraphrased quote I read on an event planning article over ten years ago. Location matters. And it matters to different people in different ways. Let us look at how each event used location to their advantage:

cPanel Conf: This event was held at the Westin in the Galleria Mall in Houston, Texas. As the venue was connected to the hotel, this made it easy to go back to your room for a call or even take a break between sessions. Additionally, this even was connected to a mall with dozens of bars and restaurants. This made it easy to continue the networking past the official event hours.

Momentum 18: This conference was specifically for entrepreneurs who love Disney.  Being held at Disney Spring was an excellent choice for two reasons. First, there were dozens of restaurants and bars within walking distance of the hotel. Secondly, since it was not at a Disney owned resort, the lure of skipping sessions for the theme parks was reduced. This kept people engaged close to what they love, while still being an awesome event.

An Event Apart: On the opposite side of the coin An Event Apart was held at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. However, this was not an event for Disney fans specifically. This had many people come not just for the event, but also a family vacation. This helped bring the right people to the event and also allowed them to unplug and connect with their loved ones at the resort.

WordCamp Vancouver: This event was located downtown with easy access to public transportation, parking, and hotels. This made it a centralized, convenient, and an ideal location for locals and those who were from out of town alike. Sometimes events don’t think about those who are traveling and don’t have a vehicle, so it was nice to attend an event where transportation was easily accessible.

People

The community of people are what make an event an Event. If you don’t bring in the right mix of people, your event may feel rather boring and doesn’t have any engagement.

Too many people downplay the importance of the hallway track. This is the opportunity to network and socialize in the hallway. This is one of my favorite ‘tracks’.

cPanel Conf:  This conference brought together a mix of their users, employees, and vendors. This allowed people to engage with other people in the cPanel ecosystem. A system administrator may not join with sales very often, but having everyone in one spot encouraged discussion that people do not get daily.

Momentum 18: This event focused on people that all have a similar love in common, Disney. This gave everyone a common ice breaker to start conversations that evolved into something more significant. If you can help people find other people with similar passions, you help engage them on a level like no other.

An Event Apart: This brought together a specific type of professions. In this case, designers and UX/UI professionals. This got creative people in a room to discuss what they love and design. They also had table talkers during lunch for people to find topics to present that they are passionate about or had questions regarding.

WordCamp Vancouver: This WordCamp brought together people from a community that skipped a year. They didn’t put on a WordCamp in 2016. This is important to note as the people that make a great event don’t go away, but there is always a need for volunteers and people to assist. It takes people to run an event. If you value your local non-profit conference or meetup, consider taking time to sponsor or volunteer. These things take hard work.

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Content

Content is what conferences are built around. Moreover, building a program that is interesting and insightful is no easy task. You want to provide value and give people tools they can use right away. However, you need to know the audience and build your program with that in mind, so it is not too fundamental or overly technical.

cPanel Conf: This year, cPanel Conf offered something called the Lab. This was where people would give general technology talks maybe not tied to cPanel directly. This exposed attendees to other ideas that they would not frequently hear about.

Momentum 18: At Momentum, they had a unique approach as almost 20% of the attendees gave a talk or was on a panel. This means not only were the attendees gaining value, but they were also providing it. At some events, speakers are held up on a pedestal. At Momentum, the person sitting next to you is sharing what they know. Everyone is an expert at something, how can you help share what you know?

An Event Apart: At An Event Apart, they had a few in-depth talks from some of the best in the industry. They also had some discussions that went over lunch to give extra value to those that wanted it. This allowed people with different learning styles to choose what worked best for them.

WordCamp Vancouver: This event offered talks that were very timely for what is going on in the WordPress ecosystem. Multiple Gutenberg talks allowed users to know what developments have happened and what it will mean for the future of WordPress. Giving people up-to-date content is very important.

We are privileged to attend dozens of events each year and notice it is the little things that make the difference. If you happen to be at WordCamp Orlando next month, please stop by and say hi.