Today’s audiences want to be part of the presentation.  People don’t just sit there anymore – they want to be engaged and amused as they learn something useful.

Engaged audiences smile more.

Mobile phones are rarely turned off during speeches.  Yes, folks may silent their phone, but the phone’s power is on.

Today’s mobile phone cameras surfaced a mutually beneficial opportunity during a seminar for Air Conditioning professionals in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

“May I ask you to take a few photos during today’s speech?” I asked Roxanne Yushchak from Kelleher HVAC in Richmond, Virginia.  Roxanne’s positive reply changed her role from attendee to participant.  We were now collaborators.

Click above photo to enlarge

Other audience members were asked to take photos and then send the image files to me afterwards.  These engaged audience members had more fun during the seminar.

The Hampton Roads ACCA Chapter ensured a good time for all by hosting the seminar at the Hampton Yacht Club.

Our seminar room overlooked the harbor.  The lively venue and aesthetic view added value on this clear, sunny day.  The lunch was tasty and the Yacht Club staff excelled in hospitality.

Then a small problem arose.  There weren’t enough seats.

Click above photo to enlarge

Seminar attendance exceeded expectations and the Yacht Club staff had to scramble to set up more chairs.  Then more people arrived.  And the staff kept bringing in chairs.

A packed room adds to the excitement.  People want to be where the action is.  And the Hampton Roads ACCA Chapter did their part to ensure an informative and fun time for all.

Then a small problem arose.  There weren’t enough seats.

FOMO is a relatively new term associated with today’s high-tech millennial generation which includes those born after 1980.  They fear that they’ll miss out of something fun and interesting.  FOMO is a powerful force and it correlates to people’s tendency to avoid losses.

This seminar’s marketing buzz promised added-value and guaranteed ROI and members were urged to attend and this resulted in the FOMO phenomenon.

Associations who advertise value and then exceed member expectations will be able to leverage FOMO in future event planning.

Audience engagement is the new frontier for public speakers.  The old lecture model is dead and buried. Today’s audiences expect more value and a little entertainment too.

Hat’s off to the the Hampton Roads ACCA Chapter for hosting a terrific event.

Click above photo to enlarge