Diversity and Accessibility – the Coefficients of Inclusion

Diversity and Accessibility – the Coefficients of Inclusion

As Event Leaders it is on us to ensure that any person attending an event will have the same experience and this means as event designers we must think deeply about the symbiotic relationship between diversity, accessibility and inclusivity in order for all attendees to feel valued, respected and most of all…

Golden Nuggets – The Hidden Value of Professional Development

Golden Nuggets – The Hidden Value of Professional Development

So much like mining for precious stones and mineral, conference experiences are defined by the golden nuggets we forage. It might be that one connection made unexpectedly during a coffee-break, a speaker that inspires one golden idea, or even an event set up we experience in a session that will make a difference in the work we do.

When Life Gives You Lemons

When Life Gives You Lemons

When life serves you up a lemon we don’t need to pucker up and take the sour! In the world of event management, anticipating the unexpected and being prepared is crucial to our success.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID): What It Is & Why It Matters

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID): What It Is & Why It Matters

One of the latest technologies that you’ll start to see more of over the next few years is Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). You may have even heard of this type of tech before, but maybe you’re not quite sure what to do with it. To help you decide if RFID technology is right for your next event, we’re going to dive into what exactly Radio Frequency Identification is, what problems it solve, and additional benefits it can provide.

10 Ways to Measure Audience Engagement at Your Event

10 Ways to Measure Audience Engagement at Your Event

Planning an event requires more than ordering supplies and securing a guest list. Beyond the basics, you need to ensure that your message is not only reaching the right audience, but also eliciting the right feedback. Event audience engagement can reflect how effective your methods are and influence future events in positive ways. Here’s how to measure (and increase) audience engagement at your event.

5 Benefits of Untraditional Event Venues

5 Benefits of Untraditional Event Venues

Untraditional venues break the mold and can help you deliver an unparalleled attendee experience. Untraditional venues are spaces that were typically not created for events as their main purpose. Airplane hangars, warehouse spaces, breweries, wineries, bowling allies, art galleries, zoos, museums, aquariums, or even parking lots could all make great untraditional venues for conferences, workshops, fundraisers, galas, or other business-related events.

A Quick Guide to Key Social Media Channels for Event Profs

A Quick Guide to Key Social Media Channels for Event Profs

Event marketing is an essential step in pulling off a fantastic event. Not only can it help spread awareness about the event, but it can also help you engage attendees before arrival, disseminate important information, and more! And yet, many event planners leave social media as an afterthought when it should really be at the forefront of an event management and marketing strategy. 

Part 2 of 2: Four Tech Tips for Increasing Your Event ROI

Part 2 of 2: Four Tech Tips for Increasing Your Event ROI

Communication is key to establishing a life-long donor. For fundraising events, it is so much more than generating one-night revenue (although that is important). The data we can collect before and during an event can translate into a much larger campaign that drives greater value.

Part 1 of 2: Four Tech Tips for Increasing Your Event ROI

Part 1 of 2: Four Tech Tips for Increasing Your Event ROI

Today’s event marketers are tech savvy and data driven. They understand the importance of engaging attendees long before and after the event itself. Delivering personalized experiences isn’t a “nice to have” anymore. Customers expect seamless experiences, interactions and personalization.

How to Pitch Your Favorite Speakers for your Next Event

How to Pitch Your Favorite Speakers for your Next Event

So your client (or company) is in the middle of planning their signature event or company meeting, and they’re turning to you to come up with ideas on who the speaker should be that will inspire the crowd, while also not costing a fortune. If you’re anything like me, you know that speaker vetting can be, at best, a time-consuming process and, at worst, a frantic, soul-crushing search for someone who is going to both deliver AND make your client or boss happy. While I can’t help you meet your next best speaker, below is the tried and true process I use with all my clients, that often yield them better results than pricy search firms and mass press releases.

Leveraging Social Media for Event Marketing

Leveraging Social Media for Event Marketing

You’ve sent out invitations. You’ve secured sponsors. Months of planning. Endless phone calls, meetings and details. So what are you missing? It might just be capitalizing on social media to take your event to the next level. But event planners often find social media marketing near the bottom of their to-do list.

10 Tips for Limiting Event Attrition

10 Tips for Limiting Event Attrition

One of the greatest challenges event planners face is how to minimize attrition while maximizing attendance and engagement. Making sure guests attend the event and have an amazing time is vital—but how do you ensure that everyone who RSVPs will actually show?

An Event Producer’s Guide to Putting Out Fires (Literally)

An Event Producer’s Guide to Putting Out Fires (Literally)

Event planners are notorious for their attention to detail, perfected timelines, relationships with vendors, venues and clients, and overall not-messing-around standards of excellence. They’re also known for their ability to adapt and flawlessly execute their Plan B, C or even D as naturally as if it were Plan A.

How to Moderate a Panel

How to Moderate a Panel

Moderating a panel discussion is a lot like being a TV talk show host. It’s a lot harder than it looks, and is an exercise in ‘planned spontaneity’ (think about that). A good panel discussion can…

When Should Venues Disclose Pricing?

When Should Venues Disclose Pricing?

Today’s planners are used to getting information quickly, and that includes pricing and availability. If you withhold pricing until the client comes to your space, there’s a pretty good chance…

Key Ingredients for Event Success – Part 1: Defining the “Why”

Key Ingredients for Event Success – Part 1: Defining the “Why”

Ok event holders (clients) and do-ers (planners) – it’s time to get real.  Whether you’re internal to an organization, independent, or part of an event agency, you know the critical part of the event process is defining the “why” of the event on the front-end and the second is taking the time to do a thorough debrief on the back-end…

Top 5 Hybrid Meeting Mistakes

Top 5 Hybrid Meeting Mistakes

With so many meetings having some kind of online component, it’s no wonder that more and more planners are trying to get educated on the topic of hybrid and virtual meetings and events. Learn from those bold planners that…

Death to the 60″ Round

Death to the 60″ Round

The 60 inch, or 150 centimeter, round banquet table, seating 8 or 10 people, is possibly the worst invention in the history of the hospitality industry.  Having spent over 20 years producing events, I know I am risking…

Top Mistakes Planners Make When Ordering AV

Top Mistakes Planners Make When Ordering AV

In the process of preparing the lessons for my upcoming 5 week online course, Technical Meeting & Event Production, I thought about the most common mistakes I’ve seen meeting and event planners make when it comes to ordering AV…

Are You Producing Yesterday’s Event?

Are You Producing Yesterday’s Event?

You’re in charge of the annual (insert your event here).  It’s long since become a staple of your organization’s calendar, the event around which everyone plans their schedule.  It takes up several months…

The Debrief from Hell

The Debrief from Hell

You’re sitting across the table from your client, pleasantly chatting about the event you produced for them two weeks ago. You’ve got lots of ideas on how to make it even better next year, and are even thinking about whether you should raise your fee next time, when your lead client contact drops the bomb on you…

When Content Is Everywhere, Curation Is King

When Content Is Everywhere, Curation Is King

Twenty years ago, if you wanted to see an expert speaker in your field give a presentation, you had to go to an industry conference.  Likewise, if you wanted to read about new ideas you had to subscribe to a trade magazine.  There were really…

The Hollywood Staffing Model

The Hollywood Staffing Model

When they make a movie in Hollywood (or anywhere, really), nobody who works on the film is a permanent employee. Everyone is brought in, often as independent contractors, for a fixed amount of time until the movie is finished. Then they all go…

The Rise of Event Planner 3.0

The Rise of Event Planner 3.0

Most event planners go through their careers reacting to assignments given to them by their bosses or clients. Someone says, “We’re doing an event. Here are the details. Go work your magic.” And to be fair…

End of content

End of content