It’s no secret why the most seasoned speakers dread presenting after lunch. Nap time.
You have provided that wonderful lunch of chicken and salmon, complimented by a side of mashed potatoes, asparagus, and baby carrots. And raise your hand if you can pass up that slice of cheesecake covered in raspberry sauce. I see no hands.
I hate to throw out medical terms, but here comes the inevitable “post-meal sleepy-time syndrome”. Attendees file out of lunch and head towards the General Session like a herd of zombies. The occasional zombie will stop and pick up a cup of Joe. But coffee won’t help. An IV bag full of vitamin B and Red Bull may be the only hope in keeping this undead herd awake. Or is it?
Since typically it’s not in the budget to stock coffee breaks full of Red Bull, I find it hard to believe that there is any room in the budget for registered nurses and IV equipment. So what can be done to keep your attendees awake? It’s simple. Senses need to be stimulated with the likes of music and lighting. I’m not saying there is a need to pump 50 Cent at an ear-drum popping decibel. Nor am I implying that there is a need to have a light show comparable to a Pink Floyd concert. Rather, a well thought out music playlist with a change of lighting here and there. It’s not that hard to accomplish and guess what? We do it for you.
The music chosen should be targeted towards the age of the attendees and the overall theme of the conference, no doubt. In other words, it’s probably not a good idea to play Beck’s “Loser” at the Star Trek Convention. But there is no reason why the playlist can’t consist of upbeat, modern music. It wakes people up and gets people going. Much like when one goes to the gym, their mp3 player is chalk full of upbeat, motivating music to inspire a good work out. The same can be said for stimulating the mind for a good presentation.
So we’ve got the ears in tune with the conference, now for the eyes. With the modern day technology of LED lighting, changing the color of a set is not only easy, green friendly, and cost effective; it’s a fantastic way to keep the audience engaged. Instead of having attendees walk in to the General Session room and being “wowed” on the first day, they can remain in that “wow” state of mind throughout the conference.
These guys thought your post lunch speaker was just super! Yes!
Often overlooked, music and lighting can turn a good event into a memorable one, fighting off “post-meal sleepy-time”, every time
Two final points: If you can find ANYONE that has better music knowledge and/or collection than that held by the DBG family, I will listen to Meatloaf’s “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” for 8 hours straight. Seriously, I will. And finally, if I hear Black Eyed Pea’s “Get It Started” one more time to kick off a conference, I will personally punch our sound guy in the face.
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