What is PowerBlitz?
Powerblitz is a telephone-based Conversation Engine in which one person has short 1-on-1 conversations with one or more people based on a single phone call. Internet phone systems like Skype can be used.
How does it work?
The events contain two phases: Conversations and Conferences.
At the start of the call, the Conference phase allows an event host or moderator to speak to all of the participants attending the event over the phone.
In the Conversations phase, each participant is connected into 1-on-1 private conversations with another participant attending the event over the phone. As every participant has their own dial in line, the technology randomly “pairs” up individual participants.
While two people are engaged in a conversation, PowerBlitz allows each person to view the other’s profile on the online system. This profile may include a name, picture, employment history, web site links, etc.
How can it be used?
Typically, organizations and people use PowerBlitz for business networking. However, other uses are possible, including networking teleseminars/webinars, speed mentoring, networking, interviewing among others.
When a person or organization uses PowerBlitz for a teleseminar or webinar he or she has control over who may speak in the event and what slides may be shown to event participants.
What formats are there available?
There are three common formats available:
Conversation event: Traditional one-one Conversation events, as described above
VIP event – where a VIP is made available to speak to a number of participants sequentially. For example, the CEO can talk to his/her senior reports on a one to one format. The CEO would stay on the line, and the senior reports would dial in at an indicated time to be put into their one-one conversation with the CEO
Glass bowl event – The Glass Bowl event allows people to go in and out of conversations. In this format, participants to a PowerBlitz conference are divided into sub-groups and randomly connected to discuss a particular point/network.
For example: In a one-hour speech, the Keynote Speaker talks for 10 minutes then breaks people into conversation to discuss a point. After the conversations, keynote continues for another 10 minutes, then breaks into conversation again for another point discussion. After that conversation, the keynote speaks for another10 minutes, then breaks into a final conversation. After that final conversation, the keynote speaker wraps up for 10 minutes. During this time everyone stays on the phone and the system does the heavy lifting to put people in the proper place.
What other formats might be possible?
Yes, we have also piloted the idea of small groups or round tables as well as one-on-one conversations. We always recommend the one-on-one pairings in events – but if your organization wants something different we can support you.
Is it flexible?
All aspects of an event’s agenda may be configured except the following:
- There is always a 30 second break between 1-on-1 conversations
- There is always a 1 minute feedback session between the last conversation and the last “Conference” element.
- The event always starts and ends with a “Conference” element
- All aspects of events are timed
- Conversations are always 1-on-1
Can I modify it for my company?
Yes. We can work with your organisation to create a private, custom-branded site (your “PowerBlitz site”) which looks and feels like PowerBlitz but is branded with your brand rather than ours.
By default each PowerBlitz site will be a sub-domain of BlitzTime.com. However, we can support an organization’s wish to have their PowerBlitz site routed to one of their own existing domains.
To participate in an event held on a PowerBlitz site a person must have an Event Credit. Event credits are purchased from Aquitude on behalf of the person by you or your client before or after the event.
Can we share content on the PowerBlitz platform during a session?
During any event you can share PowerPoint slides and video – content with participants.
How many participants can use the platform concurrently?
A PowerBlitz event may have up to 200 concurrent attendees.
Can I add special messages, advertising or targeted communication?
Yes. A host may place messages into the event which are played to event participants while they wait for their next conversation to begin.
How do I get feedback on the effectiveness of the event?
A host may listen to participant feedback after the event is over.
Do you offer technical support to integrate the solution to our corporate site or even use local telephone exchanges?
Yes, our tech team can support on whatever you would like doing. Talk to us and we can establish approximate costings and timescales.