The Code of Conduct is more than just a terms of service. They help your attendees feel safe. They help you know how to address potential issues. So what happens when something actually goes wrong? Timestamps to relevant points within the episode: 00:00 Intro 00:49 Where do Codes of Conduct come from? 05:16 Three components of a good Code of Conduct 12:07 What should you actually do when a CoC violation is reported? 16:30 Codes of Conduct apply online too! 19:12 Taking action 22:29 TL;DL summary of the episode Key takeaways Codes of Conduct you aren't willing to implement are useless! Your CoC needs to be updated constantly; You can't just copy and paste something that you found on a conference website from five years ago A good Code of Conduct is communicated. Put it out there to your attendees, your speakers, to your sponsors, even to internal staff. If you don't, then it makes it really hard to enforce or back that information up A good code of conduct is enforcement and has a plan of action attached to it A Code of Conduct is not "wokeness" cred. Stop using it that way. It's not just about what you're going to do when something happens. It's also, how are you paying attention to what's happening? If you found this episode helpful, please share it! http://www.kickassconf.com/ (Visit our website) at http://kickassconf.com/ (kickassconf.com) https://www.linkedin.com/company/kickassconf (Follow us on LinkedIn) Next episode: It's Kickass Conference's birthday! We are celebrating with a special episode. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Event accessibility is not just about captions or a ramp at the entrance. Accessibility is about full access. How are you making it easy for all of your attendees to participate fully in your event? This week we discuss our thoughts on accessibility in the events industry and some of our lessons learned. Timestamps to relevant points within the episode: 00:00 - Intro 01:16 - #DisabilityDongles 03:40 - Accessibility is access 12:53 -Our lessons learned about captions 17:33 -Our lessons learned about geographic accessibility 23:47 - TL;DL recap Key takeaways from this week's episode: Liz Jackson, disability advocate and strategist, teaches about #DisabilityDongles: solutions to a highly specific problem that isn't actually the solution to the problem. There's so many different ways we can talk about accessibility across an entire spectrum of people, abilities, modalities, and economic positions. Event organizers and producers just aren't thinking about this enough and instead use the ADA as their only basis for helping people access events. Even if you "only" have two or three people who have a direct benefit from a particular accessibility service, that service is still valuable and valid. Having captions for your virtual event isn't helpful if your captions are low quality (inaccurate) and hard to access. The same tools used to used at in person events do not necessarily translate in the same way as the tools that are available through live streaming. RESEARCH and adapt. In terms of geographical accessibility, are you presenting valuable content to people all around the world, or is it only designed for your specific region? How are you making your content/event easier for your international audience to consume and fully participate in? Resources relevant to this episode Liz Jackson: https://linktr.ee/eejackson (https://linktr.ee/eejackson) If you found this episode helpful, please share it! http://www.kickassconf.com/ (Visit our website) at http://kickassconf.com (kickassconf.com) https://www.linkedin.com/company/kickassconf (Follow us on LinkedIn) Next episode: Codes of Conduct, what the heck are they for? And why do so many conferences use them wrong? This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

So you're going to speak at a conference. How do you make the most impact with your presentation, especially in this world where it could be virtual, it could be in-person, it could be hybrid, it could be something entirely different that we haven't even discovered yet. How do you do this? This week, what it really takes to give a talk the audience actually wants to listen to. Timestamps to relevant points within the episode: [01:22] - How to give a standout talk in an intra-pandemic or post-pandemic world [05:10] - An attendee's surrender to the speaker [10:48] - Conference organizers should be caring more deeply and investing more heavily in the quality of the presentations being given at their conferences. [13:45] - The new set of skills speakers need to develop [18:07] - Start with good content [19:59] - TL;DL summary of the episode Key takeaways: Care deeply about your topic Know who you're speaking to Know your outcomes. Start with the end. With online events, there is no social contract keeping the audience in their seats. It's more important than ever to work to keep them engaged. Start with good content and then develop the performance skills unique to the particular presentation format. Look to other types of performers who've figured out how to pivot to virtual; YouTubers, stand up comedians etc. Conference organizers should be caring more deeply and investing more heavily in the quality of the presentations being given at their conferences. Zoom fatigue is not an excuse for boring content. If you found this episode helpful, please share it! http://www.kickassconf.com/ (Visit our website) at http://kickassconf.com (kickassconf.com) https://www.linkedin.com/company/kickassconf (Follow us on LinkedIn) Next episode: Event accessibility, it's more than ramps. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

With the avalanche of new online event platforms and tools launched in the last 15 months (thanks, pandemic), how are you supposed to know which one's the best? How do you choose what'll give you the greatest chance at success? Is there really "one to rule them all" event tech out there? Timestamps to relevant points within the episode: [00:00] - Intro [02:15] - The two major types of event tools [08:32] - How to reframe your thoughts when looking for the right tools [11:00] - How do you figure out what you need? [15:19] - Building your tech stack [23:58] New segment! Too long; didn't listen, the TL;DR version of this episode Key takeaways from today's episode Reframe your thinking: don't look for the best tool out there, know your strategy and goals first, then look for what serves those best. The event platform shouldn't be there first thing you look for when producing a conference. The only right tool is the one that works for your particular audience and your particular needs in that moment. There is no blanket 'right' thing. There isn't one event tool that does it all- yet. Instead, build up your tech stack with tools that play nicely together. Learn about our EventLab at http://kickassconf.com/eventlab (kickassconf.com/eventlab) If you found this episode helpful, please share it! http://www.kickassconf.com/ (Visit our website) at http://kickassconf.com (kickassconf.com) https://www.linkedin.com/company/kickassconf (Follow us on LinkedIn) Music courtesy of When There Were Animals. https://open.spotify.com/artist/5hZQf3pKv8ULzOqFzvvD4H?si=NKSaeyU7S2W2a4D5elbz0wanddl_branch=1 (Find them on Spotify) Next episode: Have you ever wanted to speak at a conference or make speaking your next career move? Find out how to attract attention from conference producers and hosts and put your best foot forward. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

What makes an amazing conference host? What are their strong skills? What are the things that need work? We discuss three key characteristics of a kickass host based on past clients that lend themselves to creating an incredible end product for their audience. Timestamps to relevant points within the episode: [00:00] - Intro [00:35] - Defining a "host" [01:49] - Purpose [05:23] - Curiosity and vulnerability [11:00] - Strong work ethic [17:30] - Bonus! Trust [24:52] - Developing these characteristics [30:40] - The entrepreneur's mindset If you found this episode helpful, please share it! http://www.kickassconf.com/ (Visit our website) at http://kickassconf.com (kickassconf.com) https://www.linkedin.com/company/kickassconf (Follow us on LinkedIn) Music courtesy of When There Were Animals. https://open.spotify.com/artist/5hZQf3pKv8ULzOqFzvvD4H?si=NKSaeyU7S2W2a4D5elbz0wanddl_branch=1 (Find them on Spotify) Next episode We wade into the waters of event tool overload and what to do when you're drowning in so many options. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

As in person events are slowly making a comeback, the long list of online event platforms born during the pandemic are scrambling to keep their clients and stay on the market. Isaac and Nessa discuss the newest wave of platform marketing: the 365 event "experience" and declaring community the event trend of the year. Timestamps to relevant points within the episode: [00:00] - Intro [01:23] - Why is community being called a trend and why now? [05:20] - What is the 365 event experience? [14:36] - What it actually takes to keep a community all year round [26:22] - Brands and communities that do the community experience right If you found this episode helpful, please share it! http://www.kickassconf.com/ (Visit our website) at http://kickassconf.com (kickassconf.com) https://www.linkedin.com/company/kickassconf (Follow us on LinkedIn) Music courtesy of When There Were Animals. https://open.spotify.com/artist/5hZQf3pKv8ULzOqFzvvD4H?si=NKSaeyU7S2W2a4D5elbz0wanddl_branch=1 (Find them on Spotify) Next episode, Nessa and Isaac break down 3 characteristics of what makes someone a kickass conference host. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

How do you know your event was successful? Can you show someone your conference met your goals? What should or shouldn't you record to demonstrate ROI? This week Isaac and Nessa jump into figuring out how to define success for a conference and how to measure it. If you found our conversation helpful, please share it! http://www.kickassconf.com/ (Visit our website.) https://www.linkedin.com/company/kickassconf (Follow us on LinkedIn) --- Opening and closing theme is Just Dance by Patrick Patrikios This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

This week Isaac and Nessa sit down to discuss the attendee journey and why ultimately you need to ask yourself, Are you telling conference attendees a compelling story? If you found our conversation helpful, please share it! http://www.kickassconf.com/ (Visit our website.) https://www.linkedin.com/company/kickassconf (Follow us on LinkedIn) Opening and closing theme is Just Dance by Patrick Patrikios This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Isaac and Nessa take it back to basics to discuss why anyone would want to host a conference in the first place. For a full transcript of the episode, visit us at kickassconf.com/pod