The scene at Podcamp at the last session on Sunday was initially humorous. Christopher S. Penn showed a slide of the Podcamp rules, then advanced to the next slide, with rule #4 blanked out, and proudly revealed that Rule #4 had been revoked?
“What was it?” The crowd asked. Eventually Chris went back a slide and revealed that Rule #4 was that Podcamp should be free.
Wow, that could have been a session unto itself!
In the hours that have passed, I have had time to contemplate just what this rule revocation could mean to the future of Podcamp and the “un” conferences that have sprouted up over the past several years to help podcasters and new media professionals network, make friends, and create new ideas.
The reasoning concerning the revoking of the rule is pretty straightforward and understandable. Despite some 1300 advance “free” registrations, only about 600-650 actually attended Podcamp Boston 2 this past weekend. Even before the conference, I was amazed when Chris Penn actually expected a 30-50% no-show rate. I was shocked, and kept asking myself, “Really?” Well, REALLY. There is a HUGE no show rate at free unconferences and get togethers, no matter how hard you try. This is a big problem in securing sponsors for the events.
A sponsor basically gives you money to help cover the costs of running the event. These can be administrative or even promotional costs – however the organizer sees fit in dispersing the funds. Now think of this – a potential sponsor has visions of 1300 people walking out of the BCEC wearing their logo on the backs of all the visitors to the conference. They sponsor the shirts, shirts are then printed. Only 600 people show up. Attendees are told “take 1, 2 or 7 home with you” at the last panel of the day. The rest are given to homeless shelters throughout the city. Now the charity giveaway sounds good, but it definitely not what the sponsor had in mind. If you reach only half of what you intended, you would definitely rethink your sponsorship next time.
So what about charging a fee? CC Chapman has a good conversation on the topic happening at his blog here . There are many excellent thoughts, but let’s focus on one by New Media Expo’s Tim Bourquin. He writes:
“The moment you charge a single dollar, people’s expectations of what the conference should be change dramatically. ” – Tim Bourquin
Indeed. Now Christopher Penn and Chris Brogan were not, I repeat not, saying that future Podcamps HAVE to charge a fee, nor were they saying that the fee would be hundreds of dollars and up like some conferences. Rather, a $20 reservation would secure your name on the list and provide benefits that unregistered attendees would not receive. Such as a definite T-shirt, admittance to a certain party – whatever.
I agree whole heartedly with Tim Bourquin – this will change everything. If people start paying for a conference, or unconference, attendees will start demanding that the event change. Suddenly, we will expect the “big boys” of the medium to be in attendance which more than likely will mean presenters and keynote speakers will need to be paid a speaker’s fee. In terms of podcasting, if Podcamp Boston 3 charged money for registration, suddenly those who converged on the site will expect to see the top names in new media. (which isn’t hard since they are there already….) We will expect to see Adam Curry give Saturday’s welcome, maybe Ricky Gervais will host a panel Sunday afternoon. We will expect to see Musician’s Friend, Sweetwater, Shure, etc all have booths around the permiter. At the very moment that there is a registration fee, suddenly it is not a bunch of people coming together … but it because… (drumroll) – a real conference. And with that, it inherits all the good, bad and ugly that comes.
More thoughts on PodCamp Boston 2 later. I’m still somewhat bewildered by my 14 hours sitting in Logan Airport.
If you would like to have your voice heard on this topic, join the conversation. I will have a segment on my podcast dedicated to the subject later in the week. Please call 1-206-338-2923 and leave a comment on the voicemail line, then listen to Rutter’s Ramblings for the next show.
[TAGS]podcamp, podcamp boston 2, christoopher s. penn, chris brogan, cc chapman, Troy Rutter, Tim Bourquin, unconference[/TAGS]
