FriendlySeminar.comConference directory with the best lists of events for 2011 in the world.



005.05.11 What Should You Do with Your Hands in Public Speaking?

admin to Speaking — Tags: , , , , ,  

What do you do with your hands when you are talking to your family, your friends or your colleagues?

Next time, pay attention to your body language and specifically your hands. As you talk, notice whether you move them or not. If you are standing, where are your arms? Are they hanging loose at your sides or are you using them as you speak. If you are sitting at a table or desk, are your arms resting on the table or are they folded across your chest?

If you find that you tend to use your hands when you talk, then do the same thing when addressing an audience. Another suggestion is to hold something in your hand – like the remote for your PowerPoint presentation.

While using your hands in speaking adds to your delivery, if you find you are perfectly rigid, I suggest you practice learning how to use them effectively by recording yourself on video. The best way to do this is to record yourself during a normal conversation.

conferencesWhat I do not suggest is making movement that is not natural. One of my clients was giving a presentation and she would throw her right arm into the arm in a most unnatural manner. When I questioned her about this, she said that she was a member of Toastmasters and they told her that she didn’t move enough.

Making movement for the sake of movement is not what I am advocating. Expressing yourself with color by means of your vocal variety, facial expression and body language is very individual. Some will be more colorful than others. There is no right or wrong except for the lack of any expression.

We tend to make public speaking more difficult than it is because of our fear or nervousness.

105.05.11 Tips to Start Your Seminar Business

admin to Business Events — Tags: , , ,  

seminarIn the seminar business, the marketing process also can be a challenge.

Here are the questions to consider before launching your first event:

1. How big is your mailing list?

If you don’t have a mailing list or have only a few hundred names on your list, think about postponing your event and devoting your attention to list development.

You don’t need a mailing list of tens of thousands of names to successfully fill an event. The better the relationship you have, the more easily you’ll be able to persuade subscribers to attend your event.

2. Are you an established expert?

One of the top questions in prospects’ minds is whether you are qualified to teach them about the subject matter. If you can’t clearly explain why you are an expert in your subject matter, you’ll have a hard time convincing prospects to spend their time and money with you.

The solution to this problem varies. You may find that you simply need to rewrite your bio to emphasize the experience you have with the subject matter. You may want to strengthen your position by finding another subject matter expert to co-teach with you.

3. How much are you willing to risk?

The fact is that when you’re first starting out, you really don’t know how your event will be received. You need to approach your marketing efforts with a sense of curiosity.

If you are betting everything on the success of a single event, not only do you stand to lose a lot, the pressure may blind you from seeing the lessons your marketing campaign has to offer.

005.05.11 Webinar, Podcasts and Video Are a Good Reason to Consider Voice Training

admin to Business Events,Other Conferences — Tags: , , , ,  

conferences

When you think of voice training, your first thought may be that it is something for actors or politicians. Presently voice training is something more and more people are becoming aware of because of YouTube, webinars, and the marketing of themselves by means of video. In truth, video is one of your greatest marketing tools today.

Certainly people in the past have seen and heard themselves on video; however, those situations were primarily for familial reasons – capturing great moments in their lives. While many were not pleased with what they heard, it was still a video that had limited use.

The world of the internet and easy access to inexpensive recording devices has changed all that. Those previously dismayed at hearing themselves on video were at least comforted by the thought that their recordings would not have the possibility of being seen by the entire world. Today, this is not the case. Video has taken on a new meaning. Because people are now using video as part of their marketing campaigns with the possibilities of being seen by the entire world, they realize that they need a professional and polished image.

This is where having good presentation skills can make all the difference in just how inspiring your videos are. And, a vital component of your presentation is the sound of your speaking voice, the one you hear on recordings that you may not recognize or like.

If you speak too softly or have a heavy accent, then your message will not be heard. Perhaps you sound like a child or pre-teen and are over 21. Maybe your voice is wimpy or high-pitched or perhaps you speak too slowly or too fast. It is also possible that an abundance of nasal twang is marring your sound. Any number of traits or problems may be affecting your voice but it doesn’t mean you are stuck with what you hear.

You have a better voice inside. It is merely a matter of discovering it. Richer, deeper, and warmer in quality, your ‘real’ voice sounds authoritative – not too old, not too young, and not overbearing.

In addition to how you sound, it is also possible that your speech is plagued by ums or ahs. Your job in your video is keep your listeners focused on you and your message. That is what sells.

If the success of your business depends on videos and webinars, then you might consider changing this aspect of the image you are projecting. It will also do wonders for your confidence and self-esteem.

002.28.11 Great Conferences in 2011

admin to Religious Conferences — Tags: , , ,  

NEXT

ChristianNEXT (formerly known as New Attitude) – Orlando. This conference is sponsored by Sovereign Grace Ministries and will feature speakers D.A. Carson, R.C. Sproul, Kevin DeYoung, Jeff Purswell and Scott Oliphint. NEXT is geared to a college and career/young adult kind of crowd with 18 being the minimum age of those who may attend.

Notable by their absence are C.J. Mahaney and Joshua Harris. It seems that the new location, new format and the absence of Mahaney and Harris mean that the event is transitioning into something a little bit different.

I have been to this conference one time and was very impressed by it. I would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone in their late teens or early to mid-twenties.

Date: May 28-31
Location: Orlando, FL
Cost: $150 – $175
Web: thisisnext.org

Gospel Coalition

It is a conference that is geared toward pastors and yet it is attended by far more than pastors. This year the plenary sessions will be directed at pastors with many of the breakout sessions targeted at the rest of us. Keynote speakers this year are Al Mohler, Tim Keller, Alistair Begg, James MacDonald, Conrad Mbewe, Matt Chandler, Mike Bullmore and D.A. Carson. Breakout speakers are far too many to list.

If you want to have an opportunity to hear your favorite preachers and to meet them, this is probably the best place to do so. It’s very much a who’s-who type of event.

Date: April 12-14
Location: Chicago, IL
Cost: $200 and up
Web: thegospelcoalition.org/conferences/2011/

Ligonier Ministries 2011 National Conference

What happens if you take John Piper and Desiring God and smash them into R.C. Sproul and Ligonier Ministries? You get Light & Heat: A Passion for the Holiness of God. Here is how R.C. Sproul introduces the theme: “Several essential doctrines of the Christian faith are under attack in our day, even from within the church, and it is important that we be well grounded in these truths so that we may have a deep affection for our triune God. John Piper will join me and Ligonier teaching fellows Sinclair Ferguson, Robert Godfrey, Steven Lawson, and R.C. Sproul Jr. as we look at several important tenets of the faith, such as divine sovereignty, biblical worship, evangelism and missions, apologetics, and justification. John and I will also host special sessions on the history of the work of both Ligonier and Desiring God, and we will endeavor to share some of what we have learned in our ministries as pastors and theologians.”

It is a great event to attend with your spouse or with a couple of friends, and especially so if you are from the north and are looking for a respite from winter.

Date: March 24-26
Location: Orlando, FL
Cost: $129 – $179
Web: ligonier.org/events/2011-national-conference/

Basics 2011

Basics is a pastors’ conference hosted by Alistair Begg’s Parkside Church in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. One of the great strengths of the event is that it all happens at Parkside Church; it is a relatively small event and one that has a sense of intimacy to it. This year’s speakers are Alistair Begg, Rico Tice and John Dickson and the conference theme is “Do the work of an Evangelist.”

If you want to send your pastor to a conference that will not be overwhelming, that will be a time of focused teaching and yet genuine relaxation, consider this one. I can pretty much guarantee that he’ll enjoy it.

Date: May 9-11
Location: Chagrin Falls, OH
Cost: $120 – $140
Web: parksidechurch.com/partners/basics/

202.28.11 Conference or Journal

admin to Business Events — Tags: , ,  

Why To Prefer Conferences?

Some reasons:

  • Conferences have higher status. In part this is a historical artifact of the field of computer science, but it is self-perpetuating since that makes the best researchers want to send their papers to conferences rather than journals.
  • Conferences provide higher visibility and greater impact. Many people will attend your talk, you will have the opportunity to answer questions, and people will talk to both you and to one another in the hallways.
  • Conferences have higher quality. Acceptance rates to good conferences are often around 10% , whereas even the best journals are less selective. Naturally, there exist low-quality conferences, but if your c.v. is cluttered with them, then you will appear to be incapable of good work, and your good publications will not stand out. A good rule of thumb is that the best conferences are sponsored by ACM.
  • Conferences are more timely. It can take years for a journal publication to appear, whereas the turnaround time for conference reviews is a few months, and the proceedings also appear quickly.
  • Conferences have higher standards of novelty. Journals often only require 20-30% of the material to be new, compared to an earlier conference version.

Why To Prefer Journals?

  • Journals may have longer page limits. If you have too many experimental results to fit in a conference publication, then a journal affords an opportunity to include them. A journal paper could recap or given an overview of an entire research area.
  • Journal reviews tend to be more detailed. A journal reviewer may spend days on a paper, whereas a conference reviewer cannot afford to do so for each of the many papers he or she is assigned. In any event, the extra details can help you to improve your work or to understand its shortcomings.
  • Journals give the opportunity to revise your work and re-submit it for review. Actually, conferences give this too: if a paper is rejected from one conference, then you can revise based on the reviewers’ comments and submit to a different conference, or the same one the next year.
  • Journals have higher acceptance rates, giving the opportunity to get your research published.
  • Some lesser-ranked universities evaluate faculty on the basis of journal publications, because the Dean of Engineering is unable or unwilling to understand computer science.

The best papers at a conference are often solicited for expedited journal publication. I sometimes decline these opportunities, but your circumstances may be different. Whether you accept this invitation should be based on the factors above, such as whether there is value to the community of an expanded version of the paper, and how much more work it is to prepare the journal version. (For example, is there a thesis, technical report, or other document with additional material beyond the conference paper? Even better, are there additions that were suggested by reviewers or during discussions at the conference?)

The journal version of a publication will be cited more than the conference version, because the journal version has a later date and thus seems more authoritative. This is a good thing if the journal version adds real value (or corrects problems!). However, if you have cluttered the paper with a lot of details that aren’t crucial (like extra tables of results, experiments that support your point slightly less strongly than the main ones, or discussions of tangential issues), then your paper may actually have less impact because readers will get mired in the irrelevant details. Good writing can avoid such problems.

602.18.11 Choose the Best Writers Conferences

admin to Other Conferences — Tags: , ,  

Define the purpose, then choose a conference that meets those needs.

Networking With Writers

Writer ConferencesIf the main goal in a conference is to network with writers then a local conference might be fine. Review the description of the conference, including the presenters. Check the schedule to see if networking opportunities are available, such as special dinners, award presentations, and no host networking meetings.

Take advantage of the opportunities to meet other writers, not just published authors, but also those that are at various stages along the journey. One never knows how far these new relationships might develop, and what other connections they might bring. Business cards that include a current personal picture are helpful. A picture will jog the memory and help others to remember the writer.

Learn Writing Craft at Conferences

If one wants to go to a conference for learning opportunities, then check the schedule carefully. Some conferences are geared around a specific genre, such as romance, science fiction, or children’s literature. Some are more general, with writing seminars on many different topics.

Deciding what specific writing techniques one wants to learn at a conference will help in choosing one that meets those needs. Most writers’ conferences have websites that list the writing seminars offered.

Attend a Conference to Pitch a Novel

Editors and agents offer pitch sessions at conferences. Some are formal appointments, and must be arranged through the conference organizers. Others can be informal, such as during a meet and greet session. Again, check the conference guidelines to see which editors and agents will be attending and offering pitch sessions.

One should always prepare a pitch in advance for a conference. It should be short, succinct, and easy to remember. That way, a writer can talk about his or her work even when there is only a minute or two to share with an editor. One caveat: don’t stalk the editors. Use common sense as to when and where to pitch.

There are many advantages to attending conferences, and there are literally hundreds from which to choose. Shaw Guides is a well known online resource for finding writers conferences, retreats, and seminars. The listings include contact information and websites.

Some writers even combine conferences with vacations by choosing ones in other countries or fun locales such as the Maui Writers Conference, the San Francisco Writers Conference, or the Backspace Writers Conference in New York.

When time and money is at a premium, online conferences are an option, such as the Gotham Writers Workshop, the Muse Online Writers Conference, and the Gemma Halliday Summer Online Workshop Series. There are many venues available making conferences an excellent way to grow as a writer.

102.18.11 Choosing The Best Conference Venues

admin to Business Events — Tags: , , , ,  

Business owners and event coordinators know the importance of choosing the right conference venues for upcoming company events. The site you choose can say a lot about the focus of an event and the overall goals of your business.

Conference VenueSize & Accommodations
The conference venues you consider should be of an appropriate size for the event. Is it a small business meeting with people from surrounding offices or a week-long convention bringing together executives from across the country? The bigger the event and the further attendees have to travel, the bigger the venue needs to be. Overnight accommodations and nearby restaurants or catering services may be necessary when hosting visitors from out of town.

Event Type
Business events can range from light-hearted gatherings where socialization is as important as the agenda, to serious endeavours with concrete goals that must be met during the course of the event. Conference venues are available that cater to both types. In order to make the right choice, it’s important to keep in mind what you hope to accomplish during an event when seeking out locations.

Atmosphere
To accomplish the goals of a business event, conference venues must reflect the appropriate atmosphere. A lavish location decked out in cheery themes and surrounded by natural beauty may be tempting for a big business conference but could be quite distracting for attendees. On the other hand, rows of desks in cramped rooms with drab colors or poor lighting can breed boredom or restlessness. Finding the right balance between business and leisure can contribute greatly to the success of your company event.

Booking conference venues online gives you a great deal of control over all these factors. The ability to search for exact criteria and book the perfect location without leaving the office takes much of the hassle out of event planning and can save your business both time and money.