Creating a Memorable Meeting Experience

How are you enjoying the snow and cold?  For those who shovel and shiver rather than ski and skate there's still the compensation of bright days with the sun reflecting off the snow. There's also the start of a new season of my favourite CBC radio program — Under the Influence, with Terry O'Reilly.

The latest episode How the Raptors turned hockey country into basketball nation gives examples from sports of how to get fans in the stands — you can't count on a winning season. Terry concludes it all comes down to one critical thing: creating a memorable experience that fans crave.

Are your family history meetings memorable experiences? I thought about meetings I attended in the past year. Undoubtedly my most memorable was RootsTech London.

But I hear you say — local genealogy groups don't have the budget of RootsTech or a major league sports team.

What they do have is the opportunity to get more personal. Does your society welcome visitors and new members making sure they don't stand by themself looking lost and have more than a perfunctory interaction with an experienced member?

Do your meetings always follow the same routine? Have you tried shorter presentations? TED talks are 20 minutes or less. The Walrus events have 7-minute presentations. Have you tried panel sessions? Is there music?

What has been your society or group experience with innovative approaches? Was it successful? Can you think of other approaches?