Confessions of a conference producer

April 5th, 2005

to reinvent the business conference or, at the very least, to point out its shortcomings.

As a former conference producer, I feel a need to explain. Not defend, just explain. You see, certain things get drilled into conference producers from interview until resignation. Things like:

  • The agenda is not there to map out a useful event - it is a marketing document.
  • Agenda and brochure copy must work the fear and greed angles at all times.
  • The best way to work fear and greed is to tell your audience that there is something they don’t know and need to know urgently
  • Promise delegates: You will meet and network with all the top people in your industry.
  • Call it CEO level to persuade other directors to join the panel.

Institutionally then, conference companies encourage “emperor’s new clothes” syndrome. To protect their modesty, conference producers adopt the contorted language of the acronym and the buzz phrase.

But we shouldn’t try taking the splinter out of the conference company’s eye, until we have taken the plank out of ours. Conference producers do a lot of research with their target market and they try hard to use the same kind of language as the delegates they want to attract.

Which means there are people out there who really do talk about turbulence in the board room. Like Regina Miller said: Yikes!

There is an easy way to cut through all the ridiculous copy written in conference brochures - simply look at the agenda, then ring or email the speakers that interest you most. Usually they are happy to share with you. If you get a good feeling from those conversations, then by all means book your seat on the conference. Often, however, you will learn everything you need without leaving the comfort of your executive chair.

Entry Filed under: Writing , Marketing

16 Comments Add your own

  • 1. regina  |  April 19th, 2005 at 11:20 am

    some good tips - thanks Adrian!

  • 2. Adrian  |  April 20th, 2005 at 6:27 pm

    Hello, Regina. Thanks for the comment.

    In some respects, I fear I painted slightly too negative a picture. I ought to do a follow up, to talk about some of the good things that conference producers do. The research skills, for example, that I got from conference producing have stood me in good stead, so I will post about that at some point soon, I think.

  • 3. Brigette  |  January 5th, 2006 at 5:32 am

    Hi Adrian,
    I am just curious…I have experience in clinical research and applied for a position as a conference producer on this industry. I no literally nothing about being a conf. producer but your take on it is quite interesting. Is there any money to be made (ie. is the salary decent?) and general would you recommend someone considering the position stay as far away as possible?
    Thanks,
    brigette

  • 4. Adrian  |  January 7th, 2006 at 3:02 pm

    Hi Brigette

    If you have clinical research experience you should think about getting into pharma industry conferences. I don’t know how the money would compare with clinical research, but if your conferences do well (lots of delegates; lots of sponsors), your profit share can add a lot to your salary.

    Completely coincidentally, I decided at the end of last year to return to conference production. I have been interviewing over the last few days and expect to be in a job later this month.

    If you are UK-based and want to know which recruitment agencies I have used and recommend for conference producer posts, then send me an email: .

  • 5. Pawel  |  January 17th, 2006 at 12:33 am

    Hi Adrian,
    I’m going to have an interview for a conference producer on Friday. What would you say are 3 the most important skills in this job? What I should pay the highest attention to?

    I’d really appreciate your answer.
    Thanks,
    Pawel

  • 6. Adrian  |  January 17th, 2006 at 1:26 am

    Pawel, it depends on the firm you are interviewing with, but in most cases, you will be on safe ground if you say the key skill is the ability to conduct in-depth research with your target audience. Not only will you be required to understand the subject matter of the conferences you produce, you will also need to know whether or not the target market will pay to attend the event you have planned. If you get your research wrong, then you will be lucky to break even. Get it right and the event will be over-subscribed.

    For two, you might talk about being able to relate well with senior people and persuade them to become speakers.

    Three could be time/project management. If the company you interview with has productivity targets, then you will need to manage your time well and stay on top of the people contributing to your project, eg marketing, sales and logistics people.

    Good luck!

  • 7. linda  |  January 30th, 2006 at 7:08 pm

    Hi, Adrian,

    I was a broadcast journalist, could you please take a few minutes to answer the following questions?

    1, As a journalist, is it possible that I enter into the industry and got a job as a conference producer?
    2, What quality should be emphasized when writing my CV for a position of conference producer?
    3, Apart from send CV and cover letter to agencies, what things should I do to get interview opportunites?

    Thank you.

    Linda

  • 8. Shawn  |  April 21st, 2006 at 5:09 am

    Hi Adrian,

    I’ve no conference production experience, but because of my work experience in China and my bilingual language skills, I may have a chance to join a conference production company called IQPC (www.iqpc.com) to produce conferences in the ecnomic sector in China. I’ll do an interview with their Head of Production. Have you ever heard of this company? What advice can you give me regarding how to present myself in the interview to leave a good impression?

    Thanks a lot!!

  • 9. Shawn  |  April 26th, 2006 at 3:44 am

    Is profit sharing on sales value or net profit? Thanks!

  • 10. Gemma  |  May 16th, 2006 at 6:03 pm

    As a current conference producer I am interested to learn what Adrian does now!?

  • 11. Gerry Catania  |  June 30th, 2006 at 4:31 pm

    Dear Adrian,

    Please forgive the unsolicited email but I wondered if you may assist in my search for a strong candidate in this field of work.

    My Client an International B2B events Company are currently recruiting a Senior Conference Producer to expand on their operations.

    Do you know of any strong people in the industry who might be interested?

    regards

    Gerry

  • 12. Gemma  |  July 27th, 2006 at 8:17 pm

    Where is adrian?

    Gerry of 30.6 give me a shout, I at least know of people looking. Not all at once:

  • 13. ash  |  September 30th, 2006 at 9:26 am

    hi adrian,

    i just started working in a 5 year old conference company. unfortunately, the management, though have 22 yrs of experience in exhibition, know nuts about producing conference. therefore, it’s up to me to materialize whatever conference that they want me to produce. there’s no work structure and i don’t even have a job description i.e. i’m like adam when he was first sent to earth. though my description might sound negative, fact is, i love my job since i’m left doing with what i love the most, doing research. however, since i don’t have an in-depth training in doing research (undergrad doesn’t count), i’m just wondering if there is any source that i could look up for research in conference producing.

    p/s: had a diamond talk with my bosses y’day, and i’m eyed to head the conference company in 5 years time. am i pleased? a part of me; the other part was just sweating from knowing the conference co has no work structure and is dictated by an exhibition specialist!

  • 14. Sarah Zheng  |  October 24th, 2006 at 6:31 am

    Hi adrian,

    I found your article while I’m doing my routine research. I’m a young conference producer working for a 3-year-old company based in Shanghai, China. I strongly agree with you about the shortcomings you mensioned.

    Well, to be franckly, I quite love my job. The research sometimes is very painful but never dull. It is quite interesting to study the differenct market. And it makes me feel good to imagine myself a decision maker just like those guys I’m dealing with. Anyway, I’m just a graduate. What more I can expect from a job.

    Thank you very much to share your experience and it is really helpful. I do not know whether there has any differences in conference producing between we two countries. According to the articles I read before, I found the China is studyding the international experience. However, we will put more effort to establish and maintain a good relationship with China government. Maybe this is the difference.

    Well, I’ve to go back to work and go on my research:) I’m working on a project right now.

    BR
    Sarah

  • 15. Maria Wilkinson  |  November 22nd, 2006 at 2:22 am

    Hi there, I am a Recruiter and am looking for excellent Conference Producers and Managers to be based in Singapore and China.
    If you know of anyone who is experienced and qualified, do email me at

    Thank you all!!!

    Maria

  • 16. manny  |  December 14th, 2006 at 6:09 pm

    Hi,

    I have worked for a conference production company in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its an exciting and rewarding field. I am thinking to start a conference company in Amsterdam and looking for a partner/ freelancer who can work as a conference producer with me, and together we can build and expand our team.

    My Email Address is:

Leave a Comment

Some HTML allowed:

Trackback this post  |