voiceover

Welcome Back To The Cecil Sez Blog

October 14, 2025 by Cecil Archbold

Why I’m Returning to the Cecil Sez Blog: Creativity, Career & Consistency

It’s been a while, hasn’t it? About a year, to be exact. If this blog were a houseplant, it would’ve wilted, dried out, and had a little “please water me” sticky note taped to it months ago. But here we are — dusting things off, cracking open the laptop, and putting words back into the world.

So why return now? That’s a great question. The short answer: creativity (because it keeps me sane), career (because this blog supports my voice acting, acting, and entrepreneurial journey), and consistency (because Google likes it when we show up regularly).

The long answer? Well, that’s why you’re here.

Rediscovering My Creative Voice

When I first started blogging, it was part of the “you’ve got to do this if you want people to find your website” playbook. You’ve got to start a voice acting blog! Post regularly, be a consistent blogger, use keywords, sprinkle in links like parsley on pasta. All very practical. But somewhere along the way, it stopped being about expression and started feeling like homework.

So, I stepped away. And in that break, I realized something important: I actually missed it. Not the “ugh, I have to write a blog” feeling — but the part where I get to sit down and share what’s on my mind. Where I get to connect the dots between my worlds of acting, voiceover, sales, and entrepreneurship.

Because honestly, all those areas are messy, unpredictable, and kind of hilarious at times. And if I can share some of the lessons (and yes, some of the stumbles) with you, maybe you’ll take away something useful — or at the very least, have a laugh at my expense. Go ahead and laugh now if you like…

👉 By the way, if you’re new here you can get to know more about me on my About Page. And if you’re curious about what I do when I’m not typing out long blog posts, check out my Voice Acting Portfolio.

External reading break (a.k.a. homework you actually want to do): Content Whale’s guide to Why Content Consistency is Important for Your Blog

Key Goals for the Cecil Sez Blog’s New Chapter

So, what’s the plan now that I’m back? Simple, but intentional.

🎯 Build authentic connections — share real stories, not just polished soundbites.
✍️ Explore lessons I’ve learned (and am still learning) in acting, voice work, and sales.
🌐 Boost SEO (because hey, the nerdy side of me wants this site to rank).
🧠 Sharpen my storytelling voice — writing keeps my creativity muscles flexing.
💼 Support my business growth — this blog isn’t just therapy; it’s also part of the bigger picture. I’ll highlight the importance of creativity in entrepreneurship.

If you’ve followed my journey before, welcome back — I’ve missed you. If you’re new here, buckle up. We’re going places.

What’s Coming Next

Here’s the fun part: a sneak peek at what I’ve got cooking for the next few months.

🎭 Acting meets sales — what selling cars taught me about being in front of the microphone and the camera. And how storytelling in sales is the key to success.
🎙 Voiceover lessons — the gear, the grind, and the “finding your voice” stuff that no one tells you.
💼 Modern sales without sleaze because the world doesn’t need more pushy salespeople.
🧘 Entrepreneurship & balance — trying to juggle business, family, and self-care without dropping too many balls.
🤖 Industry trends — yes, even AI voice cloning and how it’s shaking up the VO world.

My goal is to post twice a month. Not too little, not too much — just enough to stay connected without driving either of us crazy.

👉 Pro tip: Bookmark The Cecil Sez Blog now so you don’t miss the ride. Or better yet, hit the follow button if you’re reading through RSS or subscribe to my mailing list once I get that polished up.

External resource for the blog nerds in the room: MailChimp’s Tips & Tricks on Planning Your Monthly Content Calendar

Closing Thoughts (and a Small Ask)

I’m excited to be back at this. Writing gives me a place to reflect, share, and — hopefully — connect with you in ways that go deep.

But here’s where you come in.

👉 Drop a comment below and tell me: what’s one area of creativity, career, or consistency you’re working on right now?
👉 Follow this blog (seriously, go ahead and subscribe) so you can stay in the loop as new posts go live.

Thanks for being here. Let’s see where this new chapter takes us.

WHAT TO DO WHEN LIFE REDIRECTS YOU?

September 27, 2024 by Cecil Archbold

RECALCULATION…RECALCULATION…RECALCULATION

Have you ever used the GPS feature in your vehicle to find a destination? Probably yes. Imagine that you’re meeting some friends at a restaurant that requires reservations. Reservations that took you weeks to get. You’re excited as you jump into your vehicle and enter the destination address in your GPS app. In your app you may have options like, quickest route, route to avoid tolls, route to avoid traffic congestion or maybe even a scenic route option. So, you hit the road; confident that you’ll arrive at your destination in the time stated on the GPS’s display. As you drive, you approach a turn that you’re supposed to take. You hear (for proper effect, read this next line in a robotic voice): “In a ¼ mile turn right on the next street.” (Don’t you wish they would use real human voices for those?) As you get closer to the street you see a large barricade with a sign attached to it that reads: ROAD CLOSED-DO NOT ENTER. And of course, there’s no sign present with directions for an alternate route. Uh oh! What do you do now? You’re not sure how to get to your destination, and now your only means of navigation failed to account for the road closure. So, you experience a bit of panic, but that panic promptly dissipates because your GPS sounds off with: RECALCULATING. You’re now at ease because the good ol’ reliable GPS will take care of you. Unfortunately, though, that feeling doesn’t last long. Because the RECALCULATING isn’t really helping, because each recalculation leads you to another closed road, or one way street, or dead-end street. You’re now starting to panic again! You decide that you’ll take matters into your own hands. You attempt to utilize your own navigation skills to get you to your destination. You sadly proceed with limited confidence knowing that you’ll likely arrive to dinner late…maybe in time for dessert!

Dealing with recalculations for road closures and being late to dinner, ehh…that might be an easy one to deal with. I however recently had a significant recalculation that detoured my plans. A detour that will likely last for the next 6-12 months. …more on that later.

*Your life does not get better by chance. It gets better by change. –Jim Rohn*

Life is all about change. That’s a concept I feel that most of us can embrace. The challenge is how do we keep moving through the change. Our response to change is sometimes to keep moving and ignore it. Acting as if nothing’s changed. At other times we simply stop moving or give up because we simply don’t know what to do in response to the change. Neither of those by itself is a proper response. What’s needed is a well thought out methodical and planned approach. One that reflects on past circumstances, bears in mind recent changes and simultaneously considers future objectives. Here are five recommendations that you can use to handle some of life’s detours.

5 Ways to Handle Life’s Detours

1. Build a Strong Support System

When a GPS recalculates, it doesn’t work alone—it relies on satellites, data, and many different connections. Similarly, when life throws unexpected changes your way, surrounding yourself with a support network is crucial. Family, friends, mentors, and professionals (like physical therapists for an injured athlete) provide emotional support, guidance, and practical advice.

Imagine an injured athlete leaning on their coach, teammates, family, and a therapist to not only rebuild physical strength but also to maintain a positive mindset. Having this community around helps them see that while they can’t compete on the field right now, they’re not on this journey alone.

Understandably, not everyone has access to a strong support system. If you do find yourself without assistance, please don’t give up. There are plenty of resources available to assist people in a variety of areas. Find them, reach out to them and ask for help. And most importantly…don’t give up.

2. Have Faith In God and In the Process

Much like how we trust the GPS to get us back on track, having faith in God helps provide peace and perspective. Faith can anchor you during challenging times. God can use your change in circumstance to develop you into something greater than you were before the change. Even though the outcome may not be immediately clear…keep the faith.

Some athletes may feel lost without the ability to be on the field in competition, but faith reassures them that this detour might lead to unexpected opportunities to perhaps develop new skills in different areas. Skills that may allow them to still be involved in the sport they love…things like coaching or mentoring.

3. Seek to Understand the WHY Behind the Change

Understanding the why behind the change leads to acceptance of the change. When the GPS recalculates, it’s sometimes because it has detected something you didn’t see—a traffic jam, an accident, or a closed road. Understanding the why can help minimize the tendency to resist the change, which is especially important if the nature of the change is beyond our control. This is also a time to consider being proactive for the future. Taking time now to reflect and prepare for future change will give you a leg up the next time a similar change event occurs.

In the sports world an athlete might come to understand that the injury is a signal to slow down, refocus, or prioritize long-term health. This insight can shift their mindset from frustration to personal growth.

4. Effectively Use Your Time During the Transition

Most of the time a GPS recalculation means you may have to take a longer route. But a longer route doesn’t necessarily mean a waste of time. It’s just a different way to get where you’re going. A positive approach is to look at this new route as a chance to experience a different neighborhood of your city. Or perhaps expand your personal or professional network. Whatever characterizes your change situation; there are likely numerous opportunities for you to learn something valuable that you can take with you once the change has passed. You just must keep your eyes open for the opportunities.
Athletes in the recovery process could focus on activities that they may not have had time for while they were actively participating in their sport. This may include deepening their understanding of their sport by watching more film, reading about those who have had success overcoming similar challenges or listening to motivational speakers.

5. Stay Open to New Opportunities

Let’s be honest, none of us really love the unfamiliar. When the GPS suggests a new route, it might take you down some roads you’ve never seen before. But if you’re open to it you may be led to some unexpected and beautiful discoveries. Similarly, staying open to new possibilities during a life transition can lead to personal or professional growth that you may not have experienced outside of your recent change.

You’ve probably seen many athletes retire. Some because of injury and some just because their time had come. Some of them have found new a new love in broadcasting, acting, coaching, training, teaching business skills to high school students or perhaps a non-sports related venture in the business world. They didn’t just wallow in self-pity about the end of their career. They made a conscious decision to move on!

I mentioned earlier of my personal detour. As I write this, it’s been a little over a week since my world was recalculated.

On a recent warm weekend morning, I was full of excitement as I headed to a local park to play softball. My 22yr old son and some of his friends played on the team I was about to join. It was a great feeling because I was anxious to show my son that I still had some ability to play. Now don’t get me wrong…I’m 56 about to play a game with some dudes in their 20’s, so I had no illusions about outshining anyone. I just wanted to show them, my son and myself that I could still hold my own (hit the ball, catch the ball and run). I felt great. I’ve been working out in the gym regularly, lifting weights, running, stretching…ya know the usual stuff! I had some minor aches and pains here and there, but I was virtually injury free. A far as I could see there wasn’t anything holding me back from performing at a respectable level for a 56-yr old guy.

My first at-bat was very underwhelming. The 2^nd at-bat resulted in a single, from which I eventually scored. My 3^rd at-bat is when things went sideways.

I hit a little dribbler to the shortstop, which I figured he’d easily grab and throw me out at 1^st. I then broke the cardinal rule: ALWAYS HUSTLE, and I casually began jogging to 1^st base. However, the shortstop bobbled the ball, which gave me the idea that I could arrive safely at 1st. So, I immediately turned on the jets and with a head of steam ran toward 1^st base. A few steps later I heard a loud pop! My leg gave out and I hit the ground hard, just a few feet from the base. I’ll spare you the sounds and words that came out of my mouth…just use your imagination. The next thing I knew I was being carried to the car by my son and one of his buddies. My wife speedily drove to the Emergency Room while I grimaced in pain the whole way. After being examined it was determined that my patellar tendon had ruptured. That’s the tendon that attaches your patella/kneecap to your tibia. You can say ouch now!

So, that was my RECALCULATION. What I thought was going to be a fun day on the softball field turned out to be the start of a 6-12 month journey of rehabilitation. As I write this my surgery was just yesterday. As unexpected and painful as this was, I have to say that it wasn’t all that bad.

My support system headed by my Lovely wife has been instrumental. She immediately jumped into care-giver mode; making sure that I was taken care of from the moment we arrived at the ER, to the doctor’s office visits to caring for me at home. She has truly made this experience more bearable.

As I move through this process, I’m reminded of the numerous life trials that I’ve been through and how God showed up right on time during each one of those trials. He did it then and He will do it again. I don’t know exactly how this rehabilitation will play out, but I don’t have to. God has got me in His hands.

Of course, I’m wondering why this injury happened and what I could have done to prevent it. Good stuff to know but I’m not gonna allow myself to get bogged down by that. My goal is to learn how to best take care of myself to minimize the possibility of future injury. That, I feel will be an effective use of my time. Also, while my motion is limited, I’m planning to get to some projects that have been on the back burner for quite some time…like my Blog, Podcast, catching up on some reading and organizing computer files.

Instead of doing all you can to avoid and reject life’s recalculations and detours, seek to embrace, learn from and grow because of them. Keep a long-term view and enjoy the fruits that come as a result.

START SHARING YOUR STORY…TODAY

December 8, 2023 by Cecil Archbold

Your Story Has Value!

Ok, children gather around, it’s story time! Do you remember hearing those words from your kindergarten teacher? Do you remember the feeling of anticipation about what was to happen? The building excitement as you and your classmates sat down, crossed your legs, and had a laser focus as your teacher showed you the book cover and then opened it to start reading. This wasn’t play-time, this was STORY TIME! Your ears were tuned into just the sound of your teacher’s voice. You knew something BIG was about to happen.

Why was that? What was it about story time that instantly subdued the rambunctiousness of 5yr olds? I believe the thing that commands the attention of children is something that some of us as adults have lost touch with…imagination. Humans of the kindergarten age have wild and vivid imaginations. To them, nothing is impossible. Nothing is unachievable. They don’t know or understand what limitations are. If they can dream it, it can exist.

The stories that are told to our precious little ones are very imaginative and full of illustrations. The combination of character driven voice acting by teachers and the book’s pictures serve as keys to open up a door of endless possibilities in the minds of our kiddos. They hang on to every word and feel as if they are connected emotionally to the characters in the story. It’s a very powerful thing. Most often the stories told to the little ones are lessons about character traits that we as adults want to instill in our children. Things like being kind to others, saying please and thank you, having fun as a kid, sharing your toys, being respectful and safety crossing the street to name a few. Presenting these important subjects in a way that meets kids where they are is key to getting cooperation and buy-in from these very young minds. Due to their age, it certainly wouldn’t work to give them a thick textbook and have them sit for an hour or two and listen to a lecture. That’s for us grown folks, right? Well, maybe not. Perhaps some of us grownups would respond well to a good old-fashioned story-time! I don’t know about sitting cross-legged on the floor though, because some of us may not be able to get back up! But what might be a good idea is for those of us with stories in our heads to take time to share those stories for the benefit of everyone.

But how do we do that? How about writing a book? You could write your autobiography starting with your early days when you were knee-high to a grasshopper and share all the details of your life’s journey and all the lessons you’ve learned. You could write a blog and call it My Life’s Story and put it out weekly to share your ups and downs. You could do a podcast where you have guest speakers who support the conversation you’d like to have. Or maybe a live chat where you take questions and comments from the public. It’s clear that today there are countless ways to share your story. But that’s the method. Where’s the why? Why should you share your story? Why should you open yourself to the world? What’s the big deal about you? Who would care about learning about you? Please read on…You may be surprised to learn about the power your story has.

3 Important Reasons You Should Share Your Story

1.There’s Power in Vulnerability

What? You’re saying that I actually gain power by lowering my guard and opening up myself to the world? No way! Well…YES way. Being vulnerable does indeed feed power to the person being vulnerable. Here’s why. There’s a lot of effort involved in protecting oneself; a tremendous amount of vigilance is required. To be effective, the focus can’t lie anywhere else other than on looking out for potential invaders to the fort. So, in a way, a focus on protecting oneself is kind of a show of strength. But that approach limits the potential reach that an individual could have and the potential impact that individual could have on the lives of others. The release of the protection mode doesn’t really create power but transfers it. The brain space that previously focused on holding it in can now focus on other creative endeavors, like relating and bonding to others. We’re now free to connect on a deeper level with those around us when we’re not worried about hiding behind self-built walls. We become less super-human and more…just human. And that deeper connection with others is truly where the real power lies.

2.Promote self-healing in you and others

If you’ve been living on this earth for longer than a few minutes you likely have experienced some ups and downs in your life. Maybe some extreme downturns or downright tragedies. If you’re an entrepreneur, you’ll probably find it easy to share your story with a group of wannabes wanting to start their own businesses. Or if you’re a multi-millionaire, financial expert, you’ll likely have no trouble sharing the steps you took to reach your level of success. But if you’re someone who has experienced significant downturns or downright tragedies, you may think that no one is interested in hearing your story. On the contrary, people are craving stories just like yours. And sharing your story with others can serve to help you.

Most of us know that sometimes, bottled up emotions have a way of escaping that isn’t necessarily healthy for us or those around us. Instead of sealing up perhaps a better way would be to deal with those emotions effectively by releasing them. Some choose to do this through visits to a professional therapist. Some write books, go on speaking engagements, or utilize one of the many technology tools available today. Regardless of how it’s done, the actual sharing of your story has a way of validating your existence beyond just identifying you with what you’ve been through. It sets you apart and above those past circumstances and is somewhat therapeutic. There’s something about you putting your story into words and saying them out loud that gives you the ability to repair and rebuild yourself. Additionally, the people who hear you will identify with your story, even if they haven’t had the same experiences. They can take tidbits of your life and apply it to their unique situations. You’ll then build trust and support with groups which will serve to lift you up!

3.To Inspire-Awaken-Encourage

Have you ever had what you thought was a great idea? Something that you were extremely excited about? Something you were on fire for? Well if you went full steam ahead right away…Good For You! But maybe you didn’t proceed with action. Maybe you let your excitement die down and it went on the “back burner”. Your idea didn’t disappear, but just kinda went to sleep. Then, jump forward sometime in the future and you hear a speech, see a movie, read a book or come across an article that awakens your idea. Now the fire in your belly is back! Interesting huh? Isn’t it great that merely hearing someone else’s story gave light to your vision? You have the power to do that for some else right now. You don’t have to be rich and famous. You don’t need to have super-human powers. You just need to share. Share what you’ve been through and where you’re going. Share your story.

Think of how amazing it would be for you to be the spark that ignites someone else’s fire. Talk about paying it forward…wow! And before you think you’ve got to have an audience of thousands to be effective, you merely have to start. Start writing a blog. Start recording videos. Start speaking with family and friends. Just start.

Social Distancing Free Time…What to do?

August 20, 2022 by Cecil Archbold

There is no doubt that all of us in some way have been touched by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a stressful time for most everyone as we’ve never experienced anything like this. People are suffering with finances, job loss, overwhelming health issues, loneliness and anxiety. It’s very likely that you have been touched by at least one of these. We will get through this…together.

Unless you’re a health care worker on the front lines, a first responder or working in what’s been deemed an essential business, you probably have an abundance of time on your hands right now. There’s no rushing to work for 8hrs a day or more. You’re sheltering in place. Spending more time in your home than usual. If you’re like me you’re catching up on the numerous projects that have been pushed aside. I’ve made decent headway in cleaning & organizing my garage. I’ve stepped up on my fitness and I’ve done some reading that I’ve been meaning to do.

So how about you? What have you been doing to fill your hours of sheltering in place? As a full-time voice actor, I’m accustomed to being somewhat isolated. Most days I’m either in my recording booth or reaching out to current or prospective clients. Both activities typically don’t require much interaction with others. I try to break it up a bit by connecting with others through lunch meetings or networking functions. But since that’s currently not possible I’ve had to do that virtually.

Like most voice actors, I spend a large part of my day auditioning for voice over roles. Since there has been a bit of a lull in the volume of auditions going out, I’ve had to find some other productive activities to fill my time. I’m trying to view this time in my life not as a setback but an opportunity. The heart of this opportunity is preparation. I believe that WE ARE going to come out of this. I believe that WE ARE going to be able to see each other face to face again. I believe that WE ARE going to experience an up-trend in our businesses. I want to be ready when that occurs. So, instead of wallowing in despair, I’m choosing to fortify the foundation of my business. Here are some things that I’ve been doing.

CLEANING UP MY DATABASE

Over the years I’ve met a lot of people and collected a ton of business cards. After meeting someone, whether at a networking meeting, trade show or industry conference, I’ll enter that person in my CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system. My CRM is filled with both business and personal contacts. Considering all of my pursuits I’ve amassed quite a collection of contacts. Managing this volume of contacts has been challenging.

People in the business world move around. So as I comb through the various categories and lists of my business contacts, I’ve discovered many company changes, which usually means the contact information has changed as well. Company changes may also mean a shift in job title and responsibilities. Which may mean that the original reason we connected may no longer be valid. However, it could also mean that there now exists a new opportunity for growth for my business or my contact’s.

Keeping all of this organized and up to date requires daily diligence. Getting it back to where I once had it is a slow and methodical process as I bounce between social media profiles to confirm my contact’s current company, role and responsibilities. Admittedly I haven’t been keeping up with this as much as I like but this time of securing in place has reinvigorated my desire to effectively maintain this valuable resource.

FURTHERING MY EDUCATION

I’m using this time to learn about, what I need to learn about! Voice acting is a performance using the voice. It’s composed of voice and acting. It’s a craft that needs continuous development. I have been putting together a plan to grow in both areas. Part of my plan involves setting aside future time to deepen my knowledge of voiceover script interpretation and remaining current on voice over industry trends. I want to be able to improve my ability to not only read copywriter’s words but deliver those words in the way the advertising creatives intended.

I’m also planning to develop the other half of this, the acting part. I had a valuable experience studying improvisation. I learned a ton of techniques on how to jump into a scene and add my personal touch to it. I love performing and want to dive deeper into it.

I’ve reached out to some of my actor friends and got some recommendations for on-camera acting classes in my area. I’m really excited about this! I’ve never done any on-camera work before…never really thought about pursuing it. But I do have some interest and I’m eager to learn. Who knows what will develop?

Unfortunately, due to the current COVID-19 climate there are no in person classes being held. There are some online opportunities that I’m sure are effective, so maybe I’ll look into that…

TRYING SOMETHING NEW

Currently I do voiceover work in commercials, eLearning, corporate video narration, automotive advertising, , radio imaging, interactive voice response (IVR) and on hold messaging. While I’m continually seeking work in these areas, I am always on the look-out for new business opportunities and new markets. My thought is to use the knowledge I’ve gained over the years in voiceover as well as that of my work in the years before voice-over to create some new income streams. Some of the things on my mind are:

Motivational speaking
Live event announcing
Public speaking

These would be new ventures for me which may require some additional training. I’ve been doing research on how I can leverage the skills that I already have into these new pursuits.

SURPRISE!

So how are you viewing the abundance of free time that you have right now? As a curse? As a blessing? An opportunity?

I feel this time I’ve been given is a gift. A gift I can squander or use sensibly. A gift I can use or loose. With regard to my business, I’m choosing to use this time to prepare for the time when I don’t have so much time. Get it?

If you share my view that this time is a gift, then by all means use it wisely because once the time is gone…it’s gone.

5 Steps to Success-A Guide for Conference Attendees

June 15, 2022 by Cecil Archbold

I sit here today with a long list of tasks ahead of me. A few weeks ago, I attended a voiceover conference called VO Atlanta. It’s an annual event attended by different individuals in the voiceover industry, including actors, agents, directors, producers and numerous resource providers. It spans four days and has over 200 hours of scheduled activities, breakout sessions and x-sessions. It’s a tremendous event that is applicable for new entrants to the voiceover industry as well as those who have been in it for years.

With conferences like this there’s a tendency to try to bite off more than you can chew. There’s so much good information that you want to absorb it all, but due to time constraints that’s not possible. So, what do you do? How do you make the most of your time and money at these events? Here are 5-steps to guide you toward Conference Success.

(1) Pre-Event Self Evaluation

What’s your overall objective?
- Some folks go to these conferences purely for the social aspect. They come to reconnect with old friends. They may poke their heads into a breakout session or panel discussion, but you’ll mostly find them hanging out in the lounge, or restaurant area. The conference serves as a mini vacation for them. And ya know…there’s nothing wrong with that. Their time…their money…their decision! Let’s face it we are social beings. We long for connections with others. Prior to the 2022 VO Atlanta Conference, there wasn’t an in-person meeting like this since 2018! So, you can imagine the angst that was built up. Thus, at the 2022 Conference there was a lot of relief to see friends whose faces were previously only visible on a screen.
- Others attend conferences to soak up all the possible information that they can. They’re starving for knowledge on how they can better themselves and their businesses. They want to maximize their time by collecting information and learning as much as they can. Their goal is to return from the conference with a bag full of knowledge that they can immediately apply. This is a noble effort, but it does have its potential pitfalls, as I’ll discuss in a moment.
- As you determine your objective for attending; you should do a self-evaluation. Be honest and don’t cut corners in your assessment. How do you measure up with others in your industry? What things are you doing well? What are you lacking? Picture yourself one year into the future…How do you want your business to look? Do you feel the conference can help you get there? Maybe you’ve never attended a conference like this, so you haven’t a clue as to how to evaluate if it’s a good thing for you. If that’s the case, seek out the opinions of others who have previously attended. Many conferences post reviews on their social media channels. Some allow you to take a glimpse into past events so you can get a feel for how it’s run. It’s very important to complete this step first, because it leads right into the next step of planning your actual attendance at the event.

(2) Create a Pre-Event Plan

Ok, you’ve determined your overall objective for attending the conference. Now what? Pay your registration fee, buy your plane ticket and book your hotel room, right? Whoa, whoa, whoa…not so fast! You’ll now want to spend some time thinking about what will happen while you’re at the conference.

Propper planning is essential when you’re attending a large conference. So how do you prepare yourself? How do you make the most out of your time? The last thing you want to do is step off the plane (or out of your car), head to the venue and dive right in. That’s a recipe for disaster that will likely leave your head spinning. It would be like setting out on a cross country trip with no plan on the interstates or routes you’ll drive. You’ll bounce around aimlessly, wasting a lot of time and energy. Conversely, a well thought out plan will help lead you down the road toward a destination I call, “Conference Success”. Here’s how I did it.

As soon as the program for VO Atlanta was available, I read through it completely. I marked off every single class and X-session that interested me. A note about the X-sessions…X-sessions were not included in the conference registration fee. They are designed to be a more focused session that lasts 3 hours instead of the 1 hour regular session. X-sessions offer more information, training and participation of attendees, thus the additional cost. If your conference offers additional content be sure to consider that in your pre-event planning as well as your budget planning.

Of course, after this initial program read-through there was a lot of overlap; numerous sessions that I wanted to go to but that were occurring at the same time. Also, the additional costs of the X-Sessions would completely blow my budget! So, I then went over the program again and whittled my choices down. I repeated this until I didn’t have any overlap and until my budget wasn’t busted. It was tough to make those cuts because I really wanted to absorb all I could. So, as I made the cuts, I allowed myself to be guided by this question: Within the next 1-3 months, will I be willing and able to act on or apply what’s learned from each of these sessions? If I didn’t see myself putting it into action during that time, I cut it. Now, these classes were all worthy of my time, but it just boiled down to me wanting to make the best possible use of my time and to be able to hit the ground running as quickly as possible when I returned home from the conference. The sessions that didn’t make the cut were put on a backup list just in case something occurred with my first choices.

With your participation plan completed, you’ll want to give some thought to the location of the event. Attention given here will increase the likelihood that you’ll have a productive experience overall.

(3) Scope out the Venue

Here you are. Day 1 of the conference. You’ve marked up your conference program with notes, you’ve determined your priorities and completed your schedule of sessions. You’re on your feet and are eagerly headed toward your first session. Then you realize you have no idea where the Chatooga Room is located. A slight panic sets in as you don’t want to be late to the very first session. What kind of tone will that set for the remainder of the conference? A small bead of sweat forms on your brow as you see the hallways start to clear while others make it to their rooms. You stop in your tracks and believe you’re experiencing one of those filming techniques where the camera rapidly spins around you creating a blur as your face becomes disfigured with fright. Arghhhh!!!… Well, let’s hope that doesn’t happen to you. Do the best you can to familiarize yourself with the layout before Day 1. Conduct a walk-though if possible. If you’re concerned, take detailed notes on the best routes to take to get where you’ll need to be. That’s what’s in your control. Here are some other things to consider.

A few things.

First is the size of the conference. A small gathering with under 100 people may be held in a small hotel with 2 meeting rooms. Not too difficult to navigate right? However, a conference with over 500 attendees will require much more room. The larger the venue…the more meeting rooms required…the more challenging it will be to get around. Consider this when you make your schedule. How will you get from point A to point B? What are the potential pitfalls? It would be a great idea to take a walk through the facility before the first day of meetings. Most places have virtual tours that you can take online before you even leave your home. Get as familiar as you can with the venue so that you won’t spin your wheels when you arrive.
Second is the level of organization by the conference owner. With the knowledge of the volume of bodies that will be moving around, any good conference planner will understand the need to aid with directions; whether it’s through large overhead signs, pop-up displays or table tents. The VO Atlanta Conference had a team of Ambassadors. These were people who were charged with keeping a lookout for those in need. They were equipped with the knowledge of the venue’s floor plan so they could quickly provide assistance to the directionally challenged. If these are provided, use them to the best of your ability. That’s why there present.
Lastly, there’s the level of assistance provided by the venue hosting the conference, a key element in the overall effectiveness of any conference. You may find that the venue’s capacity is a bit stressed during your conference’s appearance. The hotel rooms may be filled to capacity or service levels by housekeeping or in the restaurant may decrease. Or perhaps the venue’s management IS well equipped to handle the increased volume of people walking their halls, and thus provide partner-like assistance to conference attendees. If you happen to be on the receiving end of poor service, please be kind and report it to the facility’s manager. Despite what some think, they really do want our feedback. Also, if you experience exceptionally great service, be sure to let management know about that as well. You’ll be starting a flow of positive vibes ness that will likely spread from the manager to the rest of the venue’s staff.

(4) Open yourself up/Come out of your shell

This fourth step is kinda’ linked to the first step of self-evaluation. It focuses on you and your interactions during the conference.

Do you consider yourself to be outgoing or shy? How do you feel about crowds…are you at home and comfortable or do you tend to have a bit of anxiety when in large groups? Are you the type of person to just go up to a stranger and introduce yourself or do you shy away from such things? How you answer these questions will depend on your personality type and how you’ve done in the past in similar situations.

I have no issue being in crowds and I welcome the opportunity to meet new people. And while there are a lot of people like me, I acknowledge that there are plenty of people who are not. If you’re in that group, please understand that there’s nothing inherently wrong with you. You should not feel bad about being you. While you may be challenged with attending a conference with a lot of people, there’s no reason that you still can’t arrive at the destination of “Conference Success”.

Know yourself
- If you’ve been diagnosed with agoraphobia or you feel you may suffer from agoraphobia you should consult with a professional with experience who can assist you. A large conference may not be the best time to test your ability to handle this alone. Educate yourself on all you can about the conference, then communicate with your professional all you’ve learned. Your expert may be able to assist you with a plan to help you effectively manage your participation at the conference.
Step out of your shell
- Barring any clinical reasons if you’re resting on the shy end of the spectrum. This may be the perfect time to test yourself! After all you’ll be amongst a group of like-minded individuals who are probably there for the same reason you are. Take a chance and reach out a hand of friendship to a stranger while you’re in line for your morning coffee. It may be the start of a connection that could be wildly beneficial for both of you. Many conferences have scheduled time to facilitate such meetings. Use this time to connect with your existing network but don’t pass up the opportunity to develop new relationships. You never know where it might lead.

(5) Breathe-Review

Ahhh, you’ve made it through the conference. Your bags are packed with your notes, tons of conference swag and your lanyard name tag proving that you were actually there! Your head’s probably spinning full of ideas. Just like mine is every time I attend a conference. You’ve got some great BIG ideas. You’re thinking that as soon as you get home you’re going to jump right in and put everything you’ve just learned into practice.

Before you make that attempt; take a moment to breathe. Seriously, let’s do it now! Take a deep breath…hold it for a few seconds…then exhale. Repeat a few times until you’re a bit more relaxed. Pat yourself on the back. You just made an investment in your career by completing your attendance at a conference. Be proud! You’ve followed the 5-steps and achieved “Conference Success”.

CECIL ARCHBOLD

ARCHBOLD MEDIA SERVICES