“Until we meet again.” Sure, that’s the catchphrase found in many movies and songs. But event and meetings pros have been saying this since the pandemic began – longing for the days to be back together, doing what they love. And it isn’t just event and meeting pros...
When fall rolls around with back to school sales and fresh supplies in every store aisle, it’s easy to feel the nostalgic pull of starting a new year of learning. Let’s be honest – who doesn’t get a little excited about cracking open a brand-new notebook and filling...
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused massive disruption to calendars. Birthday celebrations have been replaced with drive-by parades, social gatherings now take place via Zoom happy hours, and many community-based events – including fundraisers – have been canceled...
For many event and meeting peeps, tech tools are an essential part of their planning toolkit. Now with events going virtual or incorporating hybrid components and new guidelines requiring socially-distanced layouts, comprehensive guest list records, contactless or...
When this is finally over, we will all look back and say, in the immortal words of George W. Bush (muttered after leaving the Trump inauguration ceremony) “Well, that was some weird sh*t.” But what exactly does ‘finally over’ look like and when will we get there? ...
The Event Leadership Institute checks in weekly with a select group of event planning business owners across the US and Canada. Group members report on how their businesses are faring and offer coping strategies amid the massive disruption from COVID-19. We call it...
The Event Leadership Institute checks in weekly with a select group of event planning business owners across the US and Canada. Group members report on how their businesses are faring and offer coping strategies amid the massive disruption from COVID-19. We call it...
The Event Leadership Institute checks in weekly with a select group of event planning business owners across the US and Canada. Group members report on how their businesses are faring and offer coping strategies amid the massive disruption from COVID-19. We call it...
Smarticle Any time humans convene, there are risks. Labor strikes, political unrest, natural disasters, cyber attacks, and deadly viruses can threaten even the most well-planned events. The key to surviving the potential impact of these types of threats lies in having...
Smarticle READ TIME: 3 minutes Whether you own your own event industry business or work in sales for someone else, you are always looking for new clients. The elevator pitch is a short pitch that will help you turn casual meetings and connections into new business. If...
Smarticle READ TIME: 3 minutes Depending on existing resources, event planners can avail themselves of a wide range of marketing channels for attendee acquisition. Traditional tactics like print advertising, email, and direct mail are still effective under certain...
Smarticle READ TIME: 3 minutes A mention in the local media or trade press can boost the credibility of your event planning business and potentially bring new customers your way. However, getting your company’s name in print (or online) requires some finesse. Here’s...
Smarticle READ TIME: 3 minutes Pricing is an important consideration for budding event entrepreneurs. However, you’ll need to do some homework before you decide your hourly rate or whether pricing by the hour, project or budget is a better way to go. Here’s what...
Smarticle READ TIME: 4 minutes No one wants to be judged solely on the assumptions of others or how things appear. One way to prevent that is to build a personal brand over which you have control. Having a personal brand—an expectation about what you bring to the...
Smarticle READ TIME: 3 minutes I recently started my own event company after 16 years working as an in house planner. My accountant sent me over an Income Statement and a Balance Sheet. Do I really need to understand both documents? Overview Yes. Think about financial...
Smarticle READ TIME: 4 minutes Of all the elements of a trade show strategy, booth design can be the most challenging. It’s customer facing, so the design has to protect and preserve the brand. Booths are a marketing form factor, so the copy and graphics have...
Smarticle READ TIME: 4 minutes I’m starting my own event company and my accountant is asking me if I want to use accrual or cash accounting methods. She thinks accrual makes more sense for my business, but friends and family have said a cash method is easier. Which...
READ TIME: 5 minutes We’re currently in the longest economic expansion since World War II, 125 months specifically, as I write this. It’s not a matter of “if” we’ll head into a recession; it’s a question of when, for how long, and how bad. The last...
Smarticle READ TIME: 1 minute Many event business owners hand their financials over to their accountant or bookkeeper, but a strong understanding of how to protect your company’s financials is crucial for success and futureproofing your business. This...
Smarticle READ TIME: 3 minutes As an event professional, you have likely spent a great deal of time getting publicity for the events that you produce. Planners are so focused delivering ROI for their clients that they often forget to work on their own businesses. Not...
Smarticle READ TIME: 2 minutes When talking about your rate with a client, how do you convey that your services aren’t a commodity? How do you express that even though you’re providing the same service as the planner down the road who is charging half as much, you’ll...
