High def is changing the Event Industry too

Much has been written on the growth of digital high definition coverage on television, blue ray and other innovations that make watching movies, sports and other content crisper, more vivid and a more enjoyable experience overall.

Video sharing sites like YouTube are upgrading to high def and the promise of higher resolution Web TV is an exciting one. Why can't we access content of interest, including events, anytime anywhere?

Through our riiPlay.tv service, we are very pleased to help push HD, and other innovations like pay per view into the arena of conferences, workshops and business events. There are still some challenges related to need for viewer high connectivity, resolution settings and so on but the message is clear - High def is the way of the future for Events.

Check out this recent event HD magic we did for a workshop featuring Angel Investment Fund manager, Basil Peters that was featured on the top technology blog Techvibes. Not only is Basil presented in life-like high def but the presentation material are conveniently displayed in the interface.

Almost as good as being there. Let us know what you think. Would convenient access to your events online be of interest to your members, audience or customers? Stay tuned as we share best practices on online event delivery in future posts.

21st Century Skills - Teacher Murray Bulger shows students the way

Many parents and students over the years have echoed the challenge today's schools face in staying "current." How do we best prepare our kids for the brave new digital world? Not to mention most of us adults!

The dramatic global changes that technology has enabled have meant new careers, challenges and skill sets. This has trickled down into schools - computer labs, more business and computer courses - through the efforts of many dedicated teachers, administrators and parents.

Still, it takes a true innovator to create change in a more dramatic way. Meet Argyle Secondary teacher Murray Bulger, creator of the Digital Media Academy.

I had coffee recently with Murray to learn more about him, his experiences around innovation in education and how he navigated changing "the system."

Like many other institutions (health care) - the school system often embraces status quo as "safe" or "proven." Fortunately, visionaries like Murray, with enough charisma and determination do find a way.

I had seen an article on Murray in the North Shore News and given our shared interest in innovation, education and technology arranged to connect.

I later learned that Murray had also been awarded the Prime Minister's Teaching Excellence Award and that he had fought through adversity along the way. Read more about finding his calling when he found himself critically ill at the age of 40 at the UBC Faculty of Education site here where Murray himself got schooled.

So here's some rapid-fire nuggets from coffee with Murray:

• On his history: Three years in Japan and experience with a youth program for ICBC
• On philosophy: It's about the people and ideas not the technology
• On traditional school approaches: A key issue is the traditional seperation of left brain vs. right brain. For instance, distinct Art class vs. Science class. The DMA program brings them together.
• On his mandate: Give kids life skills for the 21st Century

Given the length of this post, look for more Rapid-Fire in a follow-up post on the DMA program, Murray's philosophy, lessons learned and a very cool student output called 44 magazine.

This thumbnail links to a very cool promotional video done by the students, of course, that shows their talent and overviews the program. A pure testament to the DMA impact is how many leaders in the Digital Media industry like EA and New Media BC are captured within embracing the program's innovation and real world value!

Here is a link to the application for students interested in the DMA which are being accepted until September.

Step 2 in the 5 Step Selling Success Cycle - Prospecting

We are pleased to share the slides from Step 2 of the Selling Success Cycle - Prospecting - How to fill your Sales Funnel. This is excerpted from a Workshop presented recently to 50 entrepreneurs -largely services, retail and some small-scale manufacturing - in B.C., Canada as part of a program supporting self-employment. The Workshop's goals were to:

• anchor a sales process
• develop their selling skills
• help them view "selling" in a fresh, positive way
  
• give them resources to apply to their businesses
  
• entertain and create interaction and networking to better retention

5 Step Selling Success Cycle Step 2 Prospecting Bret Conkin July 31 2009

View more presentations from Bret Conkin.

In every case, it is very rewarding to learn about the exciting new businesses being nurtured or the innovative ideas being launched or readied for market. Some keys to the prospecting step included how to best approach your database, the art of networking, how to produce an introductory letter or email and an example of Tony Robbins to make the key point of why people buy. I had the pleasure of collaborating with Tony for a major event in Vancouver a few years back and he is a master of delivering sales because of his understanding of the 2 reasons people buy: 1. to impact how they feel and 2. to find a solution to a problem.

We expect some big things out of the most recent session -from exciting new golf clothing to helmet cams to organic farming and much more!

While we were in-doors the day before a long week-end, on a sultry summer day and surrounded by forest fire smoke from a fire up in Whistler the attendees were very involved and asked great questions. Thank you for the positive feedback and we look forward to connecting again with any of you we can support!