Client Conference 2024

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Frequently Asked Questions

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General Information

How do I register as a conference attendee?

Click on the green REGISTER TODAY button in the header menu.

The ministry will be invoiced for accrued registration costs.

Multiple people can be registered at once.

How much does it cost to attend the conference?

We are offering an Early-Bird Discount of $100 per person for anyone who registers by July 15th.

The Standard Admission rate is $550 per person. The StudioEnterprise Training Camp rate is $600 per person and this fee is in place of, not added to, the Standard Admission rate.

We are also offering a Group Discount if your ministry will have multiple attendees. Your ministry will receive 10% off the total registration if five or more people attend. Your ministry will receive 20% off the total registration cost if 10 or more people attend.

Group Discounts and Early-Bird Discounts can be combined, so be sure to register soon to take advantage of both!

Registration Types	Per Registrant Pricing
Early Bird Registration (Ends March 15th)	1-4 Registrants	5-9 Registrants	10+ Registrants
General Admission	$499	$449	$399
Training Camp	$599	$539	$479
Standard Registration	1-4 Registrants	5-9 Registrants	10+ Registrants
General Admission	$599	$539	$479
Training Camp	$699	$629	$547

What time does the conference start/end?

Start: Sunday, May 5 at 6:30pm

End: Wednesday, May 8 at 11:30am

Daily Activities
The daily activities will begin at 9:00 AM and end at 5:00PM.

Additional Schedule Information can be found HERE.

What should I wear?

Business Casual

We recommend dressing in layers because the Dallas area tends to be warm but the conference rooms can be quite chilly. Weather in Texas can be unpredictable and surprising at times, so be prepared!

Additionally, please wear your conference name tag at all times so other attendees know who you are and which ministry you are with.

How much do the extra activities cost?

Extra activities are complete free for conference attendees!

Please let us know during registration if you plan to attend them so we can get an accurate headcount.

Are food, drinks, and meals provided?

Sunday
Light refreshments provided
We recommend eating dinner prior to this event.

Monday and Tuesday
Light refreshments, including tea, soft drinks, and snacks will be provided throughout the day.
Dinner is provided both evenings.

What about breakfast and lunch?
Breakfast and lunch are on your own.
The Renaissance has a restaurant that is open for breakfast and lunch. There are also plenty of nearby restaurants with delicious food, just ask a DonorDirect staff member for recommendations or a ride.

DoorDash also delivers to The Renaissance, if you'd rather stay back and work on other things.

Alcohol
Alcohol is not provided at any conference event.
It will be available for purchase on Tuesday night at the Ministry Mingle for anyone who wishes to partake. We ask that you drink responsibly and ride with a designated driver.

Travel Arrangements

Where is the conference held?

The Renaissance Dallas - Richardson
900 E Lookout Dr.
Richardson, TX 75082

Where should I stay?

We have a special rate for rooms at The Renaissance. See the "Hotels" tab at the top of the page for more information.

There are also a number of other nearby hotels, also detailed in the "Hotels" tab.

Where do I park?

If staying at The Renaissance, parking in the garage across is included as a part of your room package. You will use your room key to enter and exit the garage.

If staying at another hotel, please park in the same parking garage. Bring the barcoded ticket in with you, and we will validate your parking each day before you leave.

Which airport is closest to the conference?

There are two Dallas area airports, and they are about equidistant to The Renaissance:

Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
Dallas Love Field (DAL)

Do I need to rent a car?

There are several ways to get around town after arrival to the Dallas area.

Some options:
Rent a car
Ride Share (Uber, Taxi, Lyft, etc.)
Catch a ride
DART Rail Shuttle

For lunch breaks and the Ministry Mingle:
Catch a ride
Ride Share (Uber, Taxi, Lyft, etc.)
Local Shuttle to CityLine Shopping/Dining (leaves from Hotel)

Please visit our DonorDirect Help Desk in the foyer for assistance in coordinating a ride or to join a group for lunch during the conference and we'll pair you up with someone from the DonorDirect team.

Conference Sessions

What can I expect in the sessions?

All attendees will be given access to our private, interactive schedule after registration has been completed and once the session topics have been finalized.

Sessions will be offered for all different roles and experiences for both StudioEnterprise and Advanced StudioOnline. Most are classroom format, some are hands on.

Do I have to stick to a set schedule?

Those attending the Training Camp are expected to attend all sessions within that track.

Otherwise, you can adjust your schedule as needed throughout the conference. We simply ask that you update your agenda on the Sched so you can review the sessions you attend and the speakers can communicate with you.

What is the Training Camp, and is it for me?

Training Camp is just that -- Basic training of StudioEnterprise geared towards the brand new or entry-level user. It is a high level overview of the entire system with hands on experiences to enhance learning.

This is a closed, dedicated track that requires a different type of registration than the General Admission registration.

What is the ELS and can I join?

The Executive Leadership Summit is a private, invitation-only track lead by DonorDirect's top leadership group.

This private track is only open to C-level or VP-level attendees and the agenda for this track will be provided to those that have been invited.

What is a private one-on-one session, and how do I get one?

After you have registered for the conference, your emailed receipt will include details about how to request a private one-on-one session with a DonorDirect expert.

These sessions are 45 minutes in length and are designed to cover the one or two ministry-specific topics that you would like someone to connect with you about and discuss in more detail.

Technology

Do I have to bring a laptop?

It is highly recommended, but not required.

The interactive sessions, such as the Training Camp and Workshop sessions will require attendees to have a laptop since they offer hands-on learning opportunities.

Will WiFi be available?

Yes, the WiFi connection information will be provided at the conference.

Are power outlets available?

There will be power drops around each conference room. They are available on a first come first served basis.

How can I log into the system to follow along during the conference?

We will provide access to a training environment for the StudioEnterprise Training Camp attendees.

Workshop attendees will need to have access to their own SE test/PROTO environments. These arrangements will need to be made with your ministry's System Administrator ahead of time.

What is the interactive schedule?

We will once again be utilizing Sched as our interactive scheduling tool.

A few weeks before the conference, you will receive an email with instructions on how to login and see the conference details. There is a great mobile phone app for Sched as well, so making changes on the fly should be a breeze!

We ask that you choose your sessions before or during the conference for three reasons --
1) It helps us prepare the spaces as needed for attendees.
2) Speakers can communicate with attendees for their sessions directly through Sched. Recordings, slides, etc. will be send through this portal as well.
3) If you opt in to a session, you will be asked to rate and review the session, which provides tremendous feedback for our staff and speakers.