Fly in, taxi to a sterile office park, sit in a darkened room, taxi back, fly out

There’s nothing inherently wrong with Fly-in Conferences and presentations. We all like efficiency.

But what if you want to inspire your audience to actually change their behavior? When it comes to creating a truly transformative conference, time away from the routines of home and office is the way to go.

Conferences of this type generally fall into two locational buckets: city and resort. Let’s talk about the city conference.

Five Benefits to the City

I recently produced a large conference in downtown Chicago, and it reminded me of all the free extras a great city can offer you when your goal is higher than mere information exchange.

So what makes a great conference city? Over the past 20 years, I’ve scouted for and produced powerful conferences in cities all over the world. Here are a few key characteristics that, in my experience, set you up for a potentially great conference.

1. Buzz: Mention Manhattan, Beverly Hills, London or Paris as the location for your conference, and instantly people are pre-disposed to going – even before they know the content. Buzz is free publicity. It’s a built-in incentive to attend. There’s a reason why these cities are perennial meeting powerhouses. (Also consider newer, trendy or unique locales. They’re less expensive and with the right marketing, can also supply the ‘wow’ you’re looking for.)

2. Metaphor: Boston, history. Washington, power. Budapest, crossroads. A good conference city offers you an easy shorthand when you’re trying to communicate a single, critical concept. Think about the opportunity to tap into hundreds or even thousands of years of history to reinforce your main point. The right location can be to help you enact real change.

3. Transportation. The quicker attendees get to your conference, and the faster they get on their way home, the more positive memories of their experience. On the other hand, hours in stalled traffic and dodgy buses can dull the impact of any presentation.

4. Energy. The ability to quickly find yourself walking through stimulating streets and architecture makes a huge difference when processing content. Cities like Chicago, London, and Quebec City (pictured above) offer that gift of ‘fresh air.’ It’s priceless.

5. Third places. Meeting rooms and hotel rooms can be stifling. Cities have restaurants, coffee shops and public parks where attendees can go to think, ruminate, converse, find perspective, and formulate change. Excellent extras available to you when planning out your days and nights.

Never Underestimate the City

Buzz, metaphor, transportation, energy, third places. Great conference cities provide a host of valuable extras that “Fly-ins” never have a chance at replicating.

Cities can set up your meetings for success. After that, of course, the rest is up to you.

Mike Vayda has been working with presenters, and presentations in great cities around the world for over 30 years. For more info on conferences and conference cities,  give him a shout.