Yesterday I asked Google how much juice I get from a lemon (the Lemon Chicken recipe was a success, by the way). For someone who grew up with a rotary dial phone on a party line, the pace of technological development in communication is often breathtaking. I think we stopped shaking our heads in amazement about 10 years ago but it still sometimes comes as a surprise. I, for one, look forward to The Internet of Everything as it moves into the home and small business environment and connects my growing collection of devices.
You’re going to see a little more “techie” approach to the MCAA meeting this year in Scottsdale (April 19-21, in case you forgot to register–and rooms are already at a premium).
RB Marketing Communications is the sponser of an app from WHOVA which will allow you to create a personal profile which will be shared with the attendees at the meeting so that you can access information and communicate easily–arrange to meet for conversations, comment on sessions, see the meeting program, the hotel map, speaker bios and sponsor links. Of course, the app will have the full attendee list. You won’t have to carry around the Meeting Book to remember names! We should have the app configured and available for attendees to get started making appointments or touching base with old friends by the first week in March.
Although we have not completely abandoned paper at the meeting we have cut down considerably since so many attendees acquire information through their various devices. Our Meeting Book this year will contain the printed program, hotel map, attendance lists and speaker bios but it will NOT have any copies of presentations. Instead PDF versions of the presentations will be available for viewing or download from our website (but from the private members only section which will require login) and we will try to upload the very latest version we receive from speakers. Additionally, we will create a full meeting book in a digital magazine format with all the meeting materials: program, map, attendees, bios AND presentations–a private link which won’t require you to log in. You can look during the meeting sessions and download/print when you get home.
These days everyone has a different style for the acquisition of information and communicating with others. Moving away from our dependence on paper is a dramatic change for our organization as I am sure technologies such as cloud collaboration is for many of your companies. Cybersecurity has ever changing areas for concern. And its requiring some of us who are more fossilized to develop a whole new set of skills.
We’d like to hear from you about these enhancements to the meeting and learn what works for the majority of our attendees. Please let us know!
