Join us for an evening of learning, conversation, and connection with fellow event professionals. This is a relaxed, friendly setting, so come ready to think outside of the box, share ideas, and leave with insights you can implement right away.

The session is grounded in Part 2 of the upcoming Freeman Trends Report on Learning, which builds on the foundational framework introduced in Part 1. Together, we’ll dig into the research and talk through what it means for how you design your events.

What to expect:

• A 90-minute interactive education session
• Peer networking with fellow event professionals
• A happy hour reception to continue the conversation
• Practical, data-backed ideas you can put to work now

Research objectives:
The study was designed to:

• Evaluate how attendees expect to learn at events outside of general sessions and conference room learning
• Determine the preferred mix between conference room learning and learning that occurs in other areas of the event
• Identify preferred learning formats outside of session rooms and what attendees expect that learning to deliver
• Evaluate the perception of sponsored sessions and learning elements
• Explore the role expo theaters play in attendee learning and how they differ from session room experiences
• Understand the value of micro-learning and bite-sized content versus full sessions
• Examine learning’s link to commerce (product/solution discovery) and networking (peer and expert connection)

Planner takeaways:
Attendees will leave with five clear, data-backed actions:

• Takeaway 1: The expo floor is a learning channel. Attendees expect more than half their event learning to happen outside the conference room. Product discovery, hands-on demos, and SME conversations are already driving that on the expo floor. Designing for it deliberately is an opportunity most organizers are leaving on the table.
• Takeaway 2: Sponsored sessions aren’t a compromise, when done right. Most attendees don’t object to sponsorship; they just want to walk away having learned something relevant. The data shows exhibitors are viewed as equally insightful as industry influencers. That’s leverage, planners can give their exhibitor partners.
• Takeaway 3: Your attendees aren’t all learning the same way. The XLNC framework (introduced in Part 1, expanded here) profiles distinct attendee learning types. Knowing your audience mix changes how you structure programming, wayfinding, and exhibitor guidance.
• Takeaway 4: Pre-event communication is an untapped advantage. Attendees and exhibitors both want to connect before the event, but right now the event website is doing most of the heavy lifting. There’s a real opportunity to facilitate smarter pre-event discovery, including ensuring your event surfaces in AI search. 
• Takeaway 5: Help exhibitors track ROO, not just ROI. Most exhibitors aren’t tracking leads generated in learning environments or after sponsored sessions. Planners who help them build that infrastructure strengthen partnerships and better justify the expo floor’s value.

Location
Freeman
11 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 100,
Alexandria, VA 22314

Agenda
Thursday, July 23

4:00–4:30 p.m.
Registration

4:30–6:00 p.m.
Event Program

6:00–7:00 p.m.
Happy Hour Reception