ModComms have partnered with Cordovan Branding to launch a new business called EventExtra.

Its sole purpose is to support internal ‘organisational’ conferences, making them more engaging and focused on outcomes.

It achieves this through two interconnected services:

a) Engaging both participants and the wider organisation through facilitated digital communication. By creating a ‘before, during and after’ component, people are more invested in the process.

b) Providing workshop facilitators who practice a ‘100% buyin’ principle, which takes participants beyond traditional ‘talking shops’ into accountability and commitment to achieve outcomes beyond the event itself.

If you’re involved in organising internal conferences, check out the EventExtra website.

Thanks to all those who attended Tuesday’s meetup. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

To both those who did and did not attend, a video is now available of Paul Foley’s introductory session on his GET™ sales technique. Special thanks to Andrew Herring of http://www.mediapool.co.uk for doing such a great job - singlehanded!

Talking with Paul later, it was good to learn that there were several people from the group who expressed real interest in joining his forthcoming Sales Workshop.

Speaking as someone who has hired Noodle Coaching to successfully improve my own sales technique, he definitely has my personal recommendation.

For details and how to book, check out: http://noodle-coaching.eventbrite.com

Although the workshop is primarily directed towards those of you working in supply organisations, or operating as individual practitioners and freelancers, those working in-house and needing to sell-in concepts and projects to internal sponsors and budget controllers will easily derive direct relevance in creating more attractive value propositions. At the end of the day we are all sales people!

This month’s meetup is going to be personal! Joining us is a relatively new member, Paul Foley. He runs ‘Noodle Coaching’, a business development consultancy.

Like it or not, we are all sales people. Whether we are selling our services internally or externally.

What makes us more effective at selling our products, services or initiatives? My own particular fear was cold calling. You may have other fears in getting your message across. I can personally testify to Paul’s results oriented, no B.S approach. It works!

Special thanks to Deenita Patni of Xchangeteam for hosting us. She’s always there when we need her help!

Location: Xchangeteam Group Limited, 20/22 Stukeley Street, London WC2B 5LR
Closest tube: Holborn
Map: http://bit.ly/a5iyeB
Time: Arrive at 6:30pm, Tuesday 21st September. 7.00pm – 8.00pm main session.

Event synopsis:

’Taking the Bullshit out of Selling’

Paul will share a very simple but effective way of communicating that will:

- Remove the heartache and frustration from gaining clients or securing budgets
- Help you to communicate from your customer’s perspective, or from that of your internal budget holder - not from your own
- Help you position yourself as a trusted partner, not just seller or cost centre
- Help you to differentiate yourself from other suppliers and colleagues

http://www.eventextra.net will be organiser and sponsor of the food & drink this month.

Drop me a note via the contact form if you’d like to come along!

Right. ‘Summer’ is here. Time to dispense with the formalities and just get social for the coming months. Although our next event will be one of our now legendary Barbeques, this one will be more than a bit different. It involves three locations, along a route that takes precisely 8 minutes, 39 seconds to walk.

Start location: ‘The Lord Clyde’ pub (back room), 27 Clennan Street, London SE1 1ER

Closest tube: Southwark / Borough

Map: http://bit.ly/meetup-start

Time: Arrive between 5.30pm – 6.30pm, Friday 11^th June.

(We leave for the SECRET second location at exactly 6.30pm. You will need to call on 07815 876 904 to find out where to go if you’re late. Bring a street map of some sort- you’ll need it!)

Event preparation:

Please take 60 seconds to answer the anonymous online survey. It will shape the outcome of the evening in a most unusual way! (Don’t worry. No one will be asked to perform in bizarre team building games)!

LINK: http://www.eventextra.net/poll.html

What about the third location? Well, you’ll just have to come along to find out!

There is a cost to participating in our summer social events. For this event, it includes a private BBQ space, food and two drinks. It also covers the ‘secret entertainment’ as well.

COST: £22.00 cash on the day. (No credit cards).. ;o)

Just drop me a line if you want to come along. Alternatively join the ‘London Communicators and Engagement Group’ on Facebook or LinkedIn.

To some, the word ‘Unconference’ is a regular part of your events related lexicon. To others, it’s probably a bit strange! Very simply, ‘Unconferencing’ is one variant of what’s known as ‘Open Space’ approaches to events. Those of you who are long serving members may remember an early foray into this area though an earlier ‘Pecha Kucha’ trial.

The time has come for another experiment!

Traditional approaches to conferencing often include multiple and lengthy plenary sessions, making the ‘audience’ quite passive. ‘Open Space Technologies’ generally work on the principle that ideas, knowledge and solutions are best created by groups working together, thus producing more active participants.

It will be run by David Paul Cordovan Branding and myself ModComms.

Special thanks to Jess Koslow of Smith and Williamson, for hosting the last ‘official’ meetup before the summer season.

Location: Smith and Williamson, 25 Moorgate, EC2R 6AY
Closest tube: Moorgate / Liverpool Street
Map: http://bit.ly/9gej1B
Time: Arrive at 6:30pm, Tuesday 25^th May. 7.00pm – 8.00pm main session.

Event synopsis:

LCEG: The Unconference!

There is no subject. There is no speaker. There is no PowerPoint. (There is food and booze)!

Apart from a brief introduction, this will be an entirely participant driven meetup based loosely around ‘Professional Communication’. What’s on your mind at the moment? Got an idea you want to explore? Maybe something’s challenging you? Maybe something’s exciting you? This is all about making up the event as we go along.

It’s not as chaotic as it may sound.

On arrival, people will have the opportunity to nominate topics for discussion in breakout groups. Those who wish to start a session will need to come armed with an idea, and simply write that idea on one of the large sheets of paper that’ll be displayed on the wall. Those participants who like an idea will sign up and join the discussion. This is real ‘vote with your feet’ stuff. At the end, discussion leaders will be asked to summarise findings in not more than one minute per breakout.

For example, I plan on running a breakout entitled ‘What could a 21^st century conference look like’?

Finally. I’d re-iterate this is experimental. There’s no right or wrong. Only that you come out having tried something you may not have done before!

http://www.modcommslimited.com will be organiser and sponsor for this month.

Drop me a line if you’d like to come along.