I enlisted the help of some friends to share experiences and ideas related to conference and unconference organizing. The hope is to kick off a conversation in which everyone — conference organizers, sponsors, participants, vendors, etc… — contributes and makes future events more smooth, successful and creative.

Contributors

• Dave Delaney
• Whitney Hoffman
• Jay Moonah
• Chris Penn
• Chris Brogan
• Linda Mills

Conferences mentioned

• Podcasters Across Borders
• PodCamps: UK, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Ottawa, NYC, Boston, Philly and Toronto
• BarCamp Nashville

Participate in the conversation. Leave a comment on this post or a record a voice comment at +1.206.350.6487.

 

 Thoughts on organizing a conference (part 1?) [35:13m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I had the privilege of hanging out with Linda Mills, editor of Podcast User Magazine, during PodCamp Philly. Among other things — and perhaps this is obvious — we spoke about podcasting and the challenges that lie ahead for both the community and the technology. Then Linda convinced me to accost unsuspecting students of Drexel University to find out what they know about podcasts.

This episode of my Sound Connections podcast documents that experience and finishes with an animated announcement made over the public address system in the train station. All transportation announcements should be that fun.

 

 Changing the world with Linda Mills [10:27m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Linda Mills is an amazing person. She’s fun, supportive and (perhaps most significantly) persuasive in the best sense of the word. We had a great time hanging out at PodCamp Philly. Among our antics was a Sunday morning excursion on the Drexel University campus and nearby streets to accost innocent people and find out if they have ever heard of or listened to podcasts.

On Saturday afternoon, Linda asked if I would write an article about Just One More Book for Podcast User Magazine. We talked more about it in the evening and I became increasingly interested in the idea. Forty-five minutes later I found myself committing to being a monthly columnist. And, do you know what? It felt good. It felt good because that’s the kind of person Linda is. Like the podcasting situations Linda and I were discussing, it was a defining moment — a phrase which may become the title of the column.

For my first submission, I am working on an article about making the decision to get started as a podcast producer. I’ll be exploring things like picking a subject that the creator is passionate about, developing a format and strategy, and making it all happen.

I am looking for some examples to cite in my article. If you are a non-music, non-techy podcaster and have an interesting story to tell about the genesis of your podcast, please contact me ASAP. My deadline is September 15.

Here are the titles, summaries, times and rooms of the presentations I will be a part of at PodCamp Philly. Note that times and rooms may change.

Editing Techniques and Decisions - (On special request of Whitney Hoffman) Practical examples and live demonstrations of five audio editing techniques and discussions on how to apply them. [Saturday September 8, 11:00am in Korman A]

High Impact New Media (with C. C. Chapman and Linda Mills) - Mistakes to avoid and ideas to consider when incorporating new media as part of a PR and marketing strategy for businesses, organizations, events, music and even personal projects. [Saturday September 8, 2:00pm in Pearlstein 102]

Greater Than the Sum of its Parts - Using examples of three elements that help to develop communities, I will present an understanding of Return on Influence that can be applied in both grassroots and business settings. [Sunday September 9, 10:00am in Korman B]

People: The magic ingredient of all podcasts (with Andy Bilodeau) - If it’s not fun, it’s really not worth doing - whether as a hobby or for financial gain. In this interactive session we’ll talk about proven ways to have fun podcasting, achieve rewarding results and avoid burnout - drawing on the experience of newcomers, podcasting veterans of over two-and-a-half years, and podcast consultants/producers. [Sunday September 9, 1:00pm in Korman B]