Clear goals.

It all starts with clear goals. "What should be different the day after your conference? What should people know, feel and do?"

milestone.

Many moderators only look at your event. But a good event is not a stand alone event. It is part of your promotion or public affairs strategy. It is the beginning, catalyst or grand finale of a longer process. We look at your event from that perspective. We help you make the event fit nicely. And advice you about the steps before and after your event to maximize your effect.

strategy focus.

Many moderators work from a journalistic starting point. Asking questions, wondering and making your guest say something newsworthy. We can do that as well. But it is not our starting point. That is strategy. We build the program, interaction and our interventions from a strategic angle.

Case: rethinking 'reports from the working groups'

After a long day of conference - opening plenary, workgroups and lots of networking - you come back to the plenary where all groups can send one 'rapporteur' to report what they discussed in their group. Everybody is tired and this person takes an eternity to tell people about something they weren't involved in. They look at their watch: is it time for drinks? The other people from the group look at each other: 'that is not what we came yup with, that is his personal opinion'. All the energy of the day dies a silent death.
Instead: we advised our client to not do the reporting verbal, but visual: give all the groups a template to fill, and when they come back for the closing, they see them all on stage. What a harvest! we symbolically give this to the client, together with a treasure box full of suggestion forms - look at all your free advice! - and we spent the closing for something full  of energy. Debates, a stand-up comedian or an inspirational speaker.

Case: rethinking the strategy of a debate

Rogier: A while ago I moderated the annual meeting of the umbrella organisation of real estate agents in Uganda. At the end of day one there was debate with the minister of housing. "We want to use that to gather new ideas about what the government should do for us."
I told them: "No can do. In a plenary debate, rarely new ideas float. And I think you already know what you want the government to do. The problem is not a lack of ideas, but a lack of commitment. You don't want that minister to see your members argue about ideas, but put pressure on him to do something."