Inspired by Olivia Mitchell and encouraged by the CEO of ASTD, one of the first uses of Twitter in concurrent sessions was at the 2009 ASTD International Conference & Expo in Washington, DC. You can read the 'tweets', enter here the search hashtags of '16thmin' and 'W113' without the quote marks. A few lessons I learned as presenter and audience guy.
Before session
- When presenting have someone else be the 'twitter tracker' [mine was Kathy]. The presentation [16thmin] was a very engaging facilitated dialog with the audience. Tweeting & talking same time is not for me.
- Plan for Twitter moments during session, when speaker takes the opportunity shut up and let the audience 'talk'
- If there are no/few Twitter users in the audience, the twitter tracker can capture the 'shout outs' from the audience.
- Seed the session hashtag with tweets days if not weeks beforehand. Start the conversation before the meet.
- Promote the session hashtag to attract the interest of the in the flesh and virtual audience.
- Decide if the Twitter conversations will be shown at all times or when to go black.
- Twitter tracker can capture questions/statements from audience.
- Best when tweets start coming into session with photo of tweeter. Keeps it authentic and respectful.
- For those not having a Twitter account, demonstrate how they can search using 'search.twitter.com' at begining and end of session.
- Tweetchat.com is an excellent app to show the audience the conversation. Only a few seconds delay between posting tweet and appearing on the big screen.
- Or use Visible Tweets which provides an interesting visualisation of the tweets in the meeting rooms/hallways.
- Audience will comment and surprise you, some welcome, others create an *OMG moment.
- Have tweets include URLs when websites mentioned by anyone. I used Shareaholic with bit.ly to post website reference. Fast and quick.
- Continue posting tweets. Just because the audience left, the conversation continues. Much the same as when the audience goes to the next session, lunch or the bar. They keep talking.
- Using Tweetchat was superior means to capture thoughts/expression from the audience Q&A and debrief. No need to write the end of session comments to email to one's who don't care. You want it, go get it whenever.
- I can't wait to do it again, BIGGER & BETTER.
- Read my collection of Tweet the Meet ideas and discussion here.
- Not convinced yet, read Kathy's blog
TWITTER IN PRESENTATIONS...LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT? here
Technorati Tags: Kathy reiffenstein, tony bingham, olivia mitchell, tweet the meet, search.twitter.com, tweet the meet, tweetchat.com
3 comments:
This looks good, Doug. I need to re-read it a few times, but I get the jist of it. I suppose this is from real-life exerience. I did not make your conference.
I think you are leaving us (me) in the dust of your twitter'ing off into the sunset. [grin]
Hi Doug,
I like your strategy to engage the audience before, during and after the session. I hear people talking about giving the audience direction when responding - to make sure that the tweets are on topic and relevant to the discussion. Did Kathy help with that?
After the event, did you do any type of summary or recap of the presentation, tweets, etc and share them with the audience on Twitter?
- Sam
TKS for your interest, Sam
Yes, Kathy was lots of help. We made up the job title of 'tweet tracker' someone to make tweets of the shout outs, Q&A, and other comments from the audience. That way the presenter can focus on the audience and the tweet track can make sure we capture what's being said. Assuming the audience is not tweeting much if at all.
For the this particular presentation the session handout is on-line which I referenced in a tweet so it can be shared far and wide. As we were capturing key points during the session [www.tweetchat.com] and making tweets the audience can go back later to read them searching hashtag #16thmin. In my current weekly Internet TV program I am using #twtnow.
Since writing the blog, I would consider using www.visabletweets.com for any audience not in the session, but elsewhere at the conference; common areas/hallways.
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