Tech Expo 1.0 Executive Summary and Follow-up Meeting Minutes

Conference Attendance: 117 Attendees, Exhibitors, Sponsors

 

Income: $19509

Expenses: $15889.19

Net: $3619.81

The conference was defined as a success by those involved and those attendees who were interviewed. Plenty of points for improvement were identified.

 

Key strengths were identified as topical content, quality of venue, the evening social, and the quality of the presenters.

 

Key weaknesses were identified as low attendance (attributed to a combination of this being a first-time event and slowness in getting the word out), and coordination issues such as printed materials being poorly organized, scheduling difficulties, and real-time communications.

 

A survey was performed that collected reactions from some attendees. Overall the statements in the survey were positive with constructive suggestions for improvement.

 

It was generally agreed among all conference team members that we should begin planning next year’s conference very soon (May-June time frame) and should have a date and location announced before the end of May. We have confirmation that use of the TCC campus during spring break next year (2009) has been approved by Dr. Law if we decide to use the same venue again.

·         Survey of attendees and results compiled (attached)

·         Email contact for attendees encouraging web site visits and discussion

·         Posting of conference session content on web site

·         Discussions of next year’s conference and ways to improve it (minutes attached)

·         Begin planning and promotion of next year’s conference

-          Keep special rate for education, promote early

-          Great speakers

-          Good topics and tracks

-          Location was good

-          Dinner was excellent – stand up and not sit down

-          Board Member intros of speakers provided positive image

-          Provide a “dinner ticket” again and publicize it

 

-          Need easier to read program (layout)

-          Need presentation content before event

-          Need more in kit to give away

-          Document incoming registrations and reporting (in real time)

-          Need a better process to track financial status

-          Need to include financial support manager as more integral part of team

-          Figure better way to handle second day

o   Suggest having social event evening before first day

o   Suggest having an additional keynote on the second day to help retain attendance

o   Follow-on activities after second day?

-          Work with other Chambers of Commerce in the region for getting the word out

-          Put purchase of mailing list(s) into budget

-          Need to be able to capture emails on the TalTech web site

-          Speaker Contact Information in central location

-          Be clearer about what is Business and what is Technical?

-          Keep Speakers on time (avoid schedule slip)

-          Need Speaker gifts for all presenters

-          Setup of speaker area for large groups needs to be improved

-          Try not to have a speaker during the night event – focus on social factor

o   Chairman Promo, plug sponsors, sponsor words

o   Ensure sponsor logos on slide show

 

-          Need to document what Sarah did (create operations manual)

-          Make better use of RSS, Blogs

-          Possible first evening dinner, afternoon golf?

-          May want to have three tracks:

o   Informational Worker

o   Exec/Business Owner

o   Technical Developer

 

-          That the net positive cash from the TechExpo not be incorporated into the general funds of the Alliance, but kept separate for funding next year's Expo and activities in support of it.

-          That we use the Business Leadership Network (via Ability First) to obtain interns who will improve our contacts database through a combination of data analysis, database integration and design, and person-to-person contact validation -- with the understanding that all payroll costs will be reimbursed by the BLN at the end of the program, but we will need to pay the interns during the project.

-          That the Alliance switch to a more full-featured web platform for its main web site, such as the one used for the TechExpo, which should provide the following:

o   Better management of our general contacts/donors database and membership database

o   Better communications management with our members

o   Easier updates/additions to the site for non-technical staff

o   More collaboration opportunities to draw members and participants to the site and encourage participation