1 Assess various stakeholder groups' needs - using SurveyMonkey.com or Zoomerang (http://info.zoomer ang.com) to run a series of quick polls.

2. Engage as many people as possible to brainstorm about how the meeting can offer maximum value - scheduling open conference calls using a service like FreeConferenceCall.com. Post the conference audio online.

3. Enlist a cadre of volunteers as on-site journalists to generate daily podcasts and blog posts - complementing the on-site newsletter with electronic files that people can download at sponsored electronic conference kiosks.

4. Have a group of volunteer shutterbugs take digital photos during the event - to be posted online to a conference Flickr.com account. Give gift certificates to key conference volunteers, speakers, and leaders for an online site that can print their photo selections in a full-color hardcover book. Run the best of each day's photos before general sessions and hold a vote for favorite photos in several categories.

5. Invite representatives from various stakeholder groups to be "feedback friends" - reviewing and refining drafts of marketing materials, educational content, and conference program. Use online wikis like pbwiki.com or Writeboard.com to facilitate this real-time, on-demand collaboration rather than e-mail drafts back and forth.

6. Develop short orientation slide presentations and video clips for YouTube.com and SlideShare.net accounts - maximizing the amount of advance info available to participants and shifting the emphasis of on-site orientation sessions to networking and planning to make the most of the conference experience.

7. Engage each general session speaker and any other significant presenters as bloggers, one per week in advance of the conference - and create short relevant podcasts or YouTube clips with as many of these folks as possible.

8. Start participants learning before the conference with an online field trip - taking them to Web sites of interest, including keynote speakers' sites. An annotated and tagged list of Web bookmarks can be stored in a conference del.icio.us (http://del.icio.us) account. Open another del.icio.us account to participants to post Web links they value in their daily work.

9. Strengthen the skills and sense of community among conference speakers and facilitators - by allowing them to post to an online Webinar and speaker resource area. A free site like Nicenet.com allows files to be posted, and participants to have threaded discussions.

10. Minimize the financial risk of untested conference events - by using PledgeBank.com, a site that lets you make an offer if terms are met (such as a special off-site session for CEOs if 50 people register at $100 each).

11. Avoid dropping the ball on any details - by using the productivity tools offered at 37signals.com, including Ta-Da List, an online to-do list and tracking service. Pre-schedule reminder e-mails on specific dates using FutureMe.org.

12. Shorten long web links in conference communications - by using TinyURL.com.

13. Tap into potential attendees who might not otherwise be reached - by posting news of the conference at MeetUp.com and Upcoming.org (http://upcoming.yahoo.com). You can find links for all of the italicized sites listed in this article at: http://del.icio.us/leadinglearning.

Disclaimer: Neither Convene nor the author endorses the sites mentioned in this article. Many sites offer similar services and readers should carefully assess each service and how it meets their needs, including data security.

° Jeffrey Cufaude is a former higher education administrator, meeting planner, and association executive. He currently writes, speaks, and facilitates on a variety of individual and organizational leadership issues. Learn more about his work at www.ideaarchitects.org. To submit topic ideas and feedback on the Leading Learning column, e-mail jeffrey@ideaarchitects.org. Convene's Leading Learning series is sponsored by AVW-TELAV. Visit its Web site at www.avwtelav.com.