Key General Session Attention Getters to the Venue

When in New Orleans, bring on the 'Second Line.'

When general session attendees go to a convention in a city they don’t know well, oftentimes they want to get a sense of the local culture. And attention getters in the general session is one place where you can give them some local flavor.

Culture in North America is often accused with being pretty much the same wherever you go. If the cool kids in Santa Monica start wearing skinny striped pants, it won’t be long before the cool kids in Brampton, Ontario are doing the same.

You can see much the same in food. A McDonalds in Manhattan Beach, California is about the same as one in Manhattan, New York, as are all the McDonalds in between.

But for all the sameness of large food and retail chains across the country, this is just a surface analysis. North American culture has much more range than just the culinary distance between McDonalds and Taco Bell.

Again, you can see it most clearly in food. You might be able to buy a decent New Orleans style Po’boy sandwich in Minneapolis, for instance, but the best experience eating one is going to be in the Crescent City itself.

Likewise, you can find talented improv troupes in many cities. But seeing Second City in Chicago or Toronto is going to be more special because of their history in those two cities.

When people are at a convention or show in an unfamiliar city, they want to sample some of its local flavor. If your convention is in Nashville, even people who aren’t country music fans want to hear a little twang when they’re in town. Oblige them in the general sessions with attention getters that feature a slide-guitar band.

In Maui bring out the Polynesian dancers and musicians. In New Orleans hire a brass band and invite attendees to serve as the “second line.” In Las Vegas find a place in your general session for some showgirls. In Memphis it would be a crime not to use a blues band in your general session. In Tucson you’re almost certainly going to eat some deliciosa Mexican food. Why not hire a spirited mariachi or ranchera band to perform during your general session?

By keying general session attention getters to your show’s venue you’ll help cement their memories of that city and the show you held there.