Chief Marketer’s survey on what makes a meeting worth going to is out. The results aren’t too surprising:

Seventy-four percent of respondents flagged networking opportunities as “extremely” or “very” important, and 70% said that the experience level of their fellow attendees really mattered as well. More than four-fifths (83%) felt that the reputation of the conference presenter made a big difference in their decision and satisfaction; a full two-thirds cited “exhibit hall expectations” as important, with 7% citing them as “extremely” important. In contrast, just 14% felt that entertainment mattered.

Yeah, but if the entertainment isn’t good, I’m sure the meeting planner would hear about it! (Read Kevin’s post about the importance of grabbing people in the first 10 minutes for more.) And, while I doubt they asked in the survey, the food better be pretty good, too.

On to the comments. When asked “What is the one critical element or characteristic that must be present in any conference you attend, that influences your decision on attending the same event next year?” respondents emphasized the importance of being able to walk away with actionable–and preferably cutting-edge–suggestions. To wit:

• “Pertinent, practical, relevant to my job and my day-to-day challenges.”

• “I must be able to learn one new thing. Usually, this means I have met other professionals from whom I learn. They can be presenters, exhibitors, or other attendees. If I get all three, it’s a winner.”

• “Cutting-edge topics and innovative ideas, challenges, solutions–that’s what brings me back.”

That’s what Harris Interactive asked in recent survey. While half the respondents said there’s something they’d be willing to pay more to get while at a hotel, they didn’t seem to want any one thing too badly. The winner was better Internet access, at 10 percent, followed by spas/jacuzzi/massage at 5 percent.

What I’d be willing to pay more for? Good service.

Great idea from the Mesa, Ariz., police dept.—the Crime Free Hotel/Motel Program Turns Hotel Workers into Crime-fighters (from Hotel Online). A snip:

The Mesa program includes a four-hour classroom session that outlines fundamental facts about crime, how to spot some of its telltale signs, and how to discourage it through the use of better locks, outdoor lighting and other practical tips.

He said the key to the program, however, was the personal rapport that developed between patrol officers and property workers. In Lenexa, selected officers are assigned about a half-dozen properties that become their responsibility.

As someone who actually was menaced by a hotel worker during one long, awful night in Newark eons ago, anything they can do to keep us—and attendees—safe on the road is more than welcomed. Good job, guys.

It’s such a cliche in the meetings business, yet still true, that most of the best learning takes place outside the general sessions and breakouts. You know, the hallway track, where people meet and spark up some amazing conversations. Internet guru Dave Taylor writes about this very phenomenon, and even encourages people to stay in the headquarters hotel to maximize the experience.

So, planners, what do you do to encourage this informal networking? We all know how important it is, yet it so seldom seems to be an actually planned part of the event (no, receptions don’t count. Especially those with live music and other entertainment. Those are for business-card exchanges, not real conversations, IMHO).

This is just cool–a NASA computer simulation of air traffic over the U.S.

For the women of a certain age among us, do you remember the circa 1966 game What Shall I be: The Exciting Game of Career Girls? The choices were Teacher (College), Actress (Drama School), Nurse (Nursing School), Model (Charm School), Ballet Dancer (Ballet School), or Airline Hostess (Airline School). But the boy’s version as well, where guys could see if they had what it takes to be Statesmen, Scientists, Athletes, Doctors, Engineers, and Astronauts.

Funny, neither gender had the option of meeting planner (or journalist, for that matter). When I see stuff like this, it makes me realize that we have come a long way, even if we still have a long way to go to encourage boys and girls to be whatever their little hearts desire.