Overall editorial mission:
Unless the show is going to go *unreported* in the competing press and blogs, in which case you may report on actual presented content (because no one else will) in general you are NOT giving a rundown of speeches with speech one, speech, two, etc. You are also NOT giving speech highlights. Why? The blogworld and regular press already cover this. And if it's a juicy enough speech, you should talk the speaker into doing an interview or other content with us directly instead, so you get a better content element that's dedicated.
You are instead creating a behind-the-scenes, factoid/quote-packed journal of what folks said, learned, belched, etc. It's a "juicy, actionable bits from the show" wrap-up written as a series of notes & quotes -- just like a co-worker (who is not a professional journalist) might blog with lots of bullets.
1. Quote gathering:
At the show editorial staff should gather quotes (can be anonymous) from attendees and speakers (best are from brand-side attendees) on stuff like:
- big concerns/problems now in making their business work better
- big changes in their programs in past 6 months or so
- lessons learned from recent tests/trials/changes
To get good quotes do these things at the show:
- Sit in the middle of a row with people on all sides of you (including front and back) and introduce yourself to everyone and ask a good question to elicit quotes/conversation from all.
- Sit at a lunch table that's at least 3/4 full with a variety of company-execs (hint, they leave empty chairs in between each other.) Introduce yourself and start a conversation. Switch to a different table for desert.
- Stand in line for the bathroom... introduce yourself with a joke, then get serious.
- listen to what people are asking speakers during Q&A and the podium rush after the speech. Note which speakers get the biggest rush. The questions are often more interesting than the speeches by far.
- never report on what a well-known heavy speaker says, they probably gave the same generic speech at other shows.
- Wear a jacket with nice sized pockets on both sides. Use one side for cards you'll collect. Use the other side for your pen and your cards. Write people's quotes directly on the back of their cards - dashed off is OK. Invent a series of acronymns and/or ways of folding cards so you remember what to do with them next ("interview source", "sign up for email", "possible partner" etc.)
2. Quote writing:
These are not formal quotes - you're dashing off what people say. If it's not a speech, and you plan to give their name then do ask, Can I quote you? But do not ask for a formal quote because it will be unusable (especially from vendors.) Yes, you can cut and paste words, this is not a big formal thing.
Don't make this pretty prose. Just give a list of quotes, citing the source for each. If it's anonymous, say what type of executive it is (ie. "a CPG marketer" or "a GM for a large B2B online publisher".) Can be overheard quote or question someone asked a speaker.
Type up your list of quotes. Should be anywhere from 1/2 page to 1 1/2 pages long. This, together with a few factoids about the show size, general feeling, etc is your main story.
Try to include a range of speakers and attendees, with as few vendors as humanly possible. Annoying politics if we mention one vendor and not their competition in the story, so why bother going there?
Check the Blogsphere and Twitter for people who have blogged the show, to put in related links and more quotes if needed. Also useful to see what others thought the big themes were.
2. Quote organizing
The story is organized by theme across groups of quotes ... and NOT necessarily by whatever theme or speech organization the show organizers have. Their themes are usually lame.
So, the wrap-up writer should review all the quotes looking for patterns across them. Are there 7 quotes on pricing? Are there 3 quotes on frustrations with IT departments? Are there four common fears? Etc.
You should end up with 3-to-7 general themes or areas of quotage. Often one of them is "Marketing", one is "Technology" and another is "Office Politics" (which includes getting along with other departments, getting a good budget, getting the CEO to love you, etc.) If there were Bto-B vs BtoC people there sometimes you'll do a breakout BtoB section.
3. Intro writing
No more than 2-3 paragraphs, you want readers to be able to dive right into the chewy sub-heads right away. The goal of the intro is to set the stage so people can visualize what the event was like:
- Quick factoid on attendees (was it packed? Were they all US or mixed? What industries were they from? Drop some big brand names.)
- General location (Sunny Miami)
- general date (last Monday, earlier this week...)
- Biggest buzz point or overarching theme you took away from show (Search is dying! Mobile stronger than anyone guesses! Whatever.....)
- Now we're diving into details...:
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