An average conference is often planned by an average meeting professional. Most conference attendees do not want to pay for an average and common conference. Instead, they would like something difference and would like to experience a unique conference. Unique conferences are planned by unique individuals who think differently.

There are certain characteristics that unique conference leaders have. These traits allow them to plan for a unique experience. The first trait is associating. Unique leaders are able to connect things that are not connected. They are able to create connections and create off combinations. They are also able to look at the big picture and the details.

The second characteristic of a unique conference leader is the inclination to question the norm. Unique leaders push boundaries. They are a lot like journalists and ask many who, what, when, where, why, and how questions.

The third characteristic is the ability to network. Unique leaders are able to link ideas from things they have learned in their own lives to other people’s ideas. Unique leaders are those that intentionally go outside of their own worlds to meet other people with different backgrounds and perspective so that they may expand their own knowledge. They also attend conferences that are outside of their industry and cross-train with experts in other fields to gain more knowledge.

Another feature of unique leaders is their ability to observe. They like to inspect how things work and figure out why things don’t work. Unique leaders do not focus on a speaker at a general session; instead they focus on how the audience reacts to the speaker. They use all their senses to observe others and how they respond and react.

Unique leaders also like to experiment. They like to train new ideas and gain new experiences.

In order for a conference to be unique, you have to ask tough questions. By making the conference unique, you can make the conference experience a more enjoyable and valuable one for your attendees. No one wants to attend a basic and boring conference. People want innovation and something that will make them think differently, creating a unique conference will help achieve this goal.

When beginning to plan a conference, an organizer must first determine the demographics of the attendees. Who do they want to attend their event?  While it is important to have large numbers of people attend, it is also important for the right people attend for the conference to be a success. Having the right attendees at a conference can change the atmosphere of your conference and how things are run.

Think of your attendees as customers. You have to get to know the attendees in order to find out what they are looking for in a great conference experience.  Is there an age or gender group you are trying to target?  Is there is industry that you will be focusing on? What type of professional specialties would you ideal attendees have?  Getting to know your attendees will allow you to refine your event

Conferences usually exist to either aid an attendee with a problem or with work they are doing. Determining the reason why an attendee is going to your conference can help you in directing them to the right information sessions of your conference. Directing attendees to the right sessions can help them to create a positive conference experience. In addition, the right sessions for an attendee can help them and the event planner. By bringing together attendees that are looking to achieve similar results by attending a conference, you will be able to generate a positive learning experience. Attendees will be able to bounce ideas off one another and will also be able to gather knowledge through the experiences and opinions of others who are attending the conference.

Creating a positive conference experience for your attendees will generate more attendees. Those that have attended your conferences before and have had positive experiences will be more likely to tell others about your conference and you will be able to draw the right kind of attendees to your conference.

Tag(s): Ontario Conference Resort

Autumn has just begun but we’re already thinking about winter! Our 2012/2013 season passes are on sale at an early bird rate until November 1^st! Our new Lite pass is only $149 at our early bird rate! We also have old favourites like the 5×7 pass. This year the 5×7 is only $199 at the early bird rate. If you plan on coming to Blue Mountain this season, save money by purchasing your passes at our early bird rates!

Check out the prices of our other passes here: http://www.bluemountain.ca/winter_passes1.htm

Networking both online and offine is more important than ever. People share information, gather information and more through networks. Conferences can play a vital role in networking and as an organizer it is your job to ensure that the right connections are made at your event. Here are some conference connections to keep in mind when you are planning your next conference:

1. The connection between participant and participant
   Learning and education can be a social tool that can be used to connect people. Most people learn better in a group setting rather than when alone. When planning your conference, plan it in a way that facilitates discussion and collaboration. Attendees should talk to one another, share and discuss ideas from the conference.
2. The connection between participants and information
   Your conference should connect participants to information and topics that are significant and relevant to them. Participants need to be able to connect the content that they learn at a conference to what they already know and  apply the knowledge they learn at the conference to their everyday lives and projects.
3. The connection between participants to exhibitors
   Many conference attendees go to conferences to find out about new trends and new products that can aid them with their work. Helping attendees identify exhibitors that can provide them these products or services is imperative in both the exhibitor’s and participant’s success.
4. The connection between participants and their personal goals
   All attendees go to conferences for their own personal reasons. Figuring out what participants would like to achieve and what their interests are can help you to create a better conference experience for attendees. You can help direct them to sessions so that they can fulfill their goals.

Ultimately, conference attendees are looking for two things when going to a conference: information and networking. The conference experience is about making significant  and lasting connections. Keep these conference connections in mind when planning your next conference as this will allow you to create a better and more memorable experience for your guests.

Tag(s): Ontario Conference Resort

It’s that time of year again! We’re having our annual Turkey Tent Event and Ski Swap between October 4^th and 8^th this year. The Turkey Tent event is bigger than ever before! You can save up to 75% off on skis, snowboards, bindings and outerwear for adults and children. You can even purchase your Blue Mountain Seasons Pass at the early bird rate! This event is located at our South Base Lodge.

Thursday, October 4^th – 9am-6pm
Friday, October 5^th – 8am-10pm
Saturday, October 6^th – 8am-6pm
Sunday, October 7^th – 9am-5pm
Monday, October 8^th – 9am-12pm

If you book a weekend getaway for the weekend of October 19^th-21^st by October 4^th you can take advantage of our great resort rates! Take a weekend off during autumn. There are plenty of activities to do and places to explore here. In the evenings you can spend your time enjoying delicious food and hear and see great entertainment. Some of the village suites are as low as $129 per night. The package includes two nights accommodation.

You can reserve your October weekend getaway online: https://lodging.bluemountain.ca/booking/Default.aspx?RCR=FAMFUN#availability

You can also book a reservation by calling 705-445-0231 or 877-445-0231 and speak to one of our representatives to find out the best rate for any of our accommodation types.

On Friday September 28^th, we will be hosting our 8^th annual charity golf event. Join us for breakfast hosted by Sunset Grill, golfing with prizes, culinary delights, and activities all on course at the Monterra Golf Course. There will also be cocktails and dinner by Blue Mountain Resort. Entertainment will also be provided. Once again we will have our silent action. The Blue Mountain Village Foundation Charity Golf Event is in support of the Leadership Conference hosted by Pretty River Academy, the Collingwood Alternate School, regional high schools and Georgian College bursaries.

All companies run into obstacles when going through there day-to-day processes and projects. Some problems are minor and easily fixable, while others are more complicated and take more time to solve. In the case of a major problem, some companies choose to set up meetings in order to solve the problem. Solving a problem as a group can be difficult to manage because everyone has their own opinion on what would make the best resolution.

Here are a few rules on how to run a problem solving meeting:

1. Everyone should attend in person. Do not allow anyone to participate in the problem solving meeting through a conference call. Having someone away from the office and participating in the meeting can change the tone and dynamics of the meeting. Ensure that everyone that needs to be at this meeting is physically present.
2. All participants should have the information that they will need to help solve the problem, prior to the meeting. This will allow them to gather their thoughts before the meeting begins and they can come up with informed solutions to the problem and bring the to the table during the meeting.
3. In order for a problem solving meeting to be successful, only the minimum number of participants should be invited to the meeting. You shouldn’t invite someone to the meeting simply because of political reasons. You should invite people to the meeting that are relevant to the problem and will be able to assist you in solving the issue.
4. Creating an agenda will help you to ensure that the meeting stays on track . An agenda will help to deter you from talking about other topics that are not related to the problem.
5. Brainstorm all the solutions your group comes up with, from there narrow the options down to the three best solutions or two depending on how many you have. Once you have narrowed it down to your best options write down a pros and cons list of each solution. From there you can determine which solution will work best for your problem.

When you are running a problem solving meeting keep these tips in mind. These tips will help you to ensure that your next problem solving meeting will run more smoothly and you will be able to solve the issue at hand.

Tag(s): Ontario Conference Resort

Saturday September 22

In support of the Sears Canada Charitable Foundation, funds raised will be directed to The Hospital for Sick Children and national initiatives across Canada which support the research and treatment of kids cancer.

The second year of The Sears Great Canadian Run will link together major Canadian cities and resort destinations, providing solo runners and teams of up to 20 people with an exciting, challenging and beautiful experience.

For more information visit: http://www.thesearsgreatcanadianrun.ca/

Conferences are often packed back to back with talks and they are often left with too little to no time for questions and answers or for genuine discussion. At conferences, speakers are not sufficiently briefed and often run over their allotted  time. There is also not enough time given for coffee breaks or lunch in order for attendees to converse and reflect about the day’s events. Creating a participatory conference for your attendees will help them to create a more enjoyable and valuable experience.

One thing to keep in mind when creating your conference is that conferences are meant to be both educational and social. So it is important to facilitate adequate networking time for the participants.

When setting up the tables where your participants will be seated, you should plan to use round tables to help create a participatory environment. Round tables are better for participants to talk to one another rather than rows of tables. After each speaker has finished speaking, participants can discuss with one another their thoughts on the speaker and ask any questions they may have.

Another way you can create a participatory conference is by creating “speed networking” sessions at the beginning of the conference and also in the afternoon. These “speed networking” sessions don’t have to take up a lot of time, 10 minutes is  sufficient amount of time.

Be honest with your speakers and tell them they only have ‘x’ amount of time for their presentation. The rest of their time should be allotted for discussion and questions.

Use social media to create a participatory conference. You can create a hashtag for your event, so participants can let you and others know what they have been learning at the conference or their general thoughts about the conference. You can take lots of photos and video and upload them online so that you really capture the experience that your participants are experiencing. This will also allow those who were not able to attend the conference to get a feel for what your conference was like and could also help them feel more encouraged to go next time.

Creating a participatory conference will make your conference much more enjoyable for your participants. No one wants to simply just sit at a conference and hear someone speak for hours on end. Conferences are a way for participant to learn new things from speakers, but they can also gain valuable insight and knowledge by talking to one another as well.

Tag(s): Ontario Conference Resort