Event Leaders Live 2021 Summit: Call for Speakers

Our inaugural virtual event is coming – and we’re on the lookout for new thought-leaders to join our roster of #eventleaders scheduled to speak.

Changes to Make Now for Better Events in 2021 and Beyond

To mark Global Meeting Industry Day, ELI hosted a panel of event professionals who shared how they have met the moment with new strategies for formats, sponsors, ideation, and more. Moderated by ELI founder Howard Givner, the conversation offered informed optimism even in a time of flux.

What Do I Need to Know About Health Passes?

As health passes and vaccine passports make headlines, here’s what planners need to know now about using them at meetings and events.

How to Use Digital Credentials to Build Your Career

What is a digital credential, how do they serve as social and professional capital, and what are the best practices for sharing them? Jonathan E. Finkelstein, CEO and founder of Credly, which manages ELI’s digital credentials and whose Credly platform is powering ELI’s new Certified Event Pro Directory explains.

New ELI Member Chats to Kick Off Wednesday

The Event Leadership Institute is kicking off a series of regular conversations just for members—and you’re invited to join the conversation.

Your COVID Event Testing Protocol Questions Answered

The Event Leadership Institute explored how to create testing protocols before, during, and after events at a recent webinar. Read answers to common questions about creating an on-site COVID testing program.

The Road Ahead: What’s In Store for the Event Industry In 2021 & Beyond – Part Three Virtual Events

ELI founder and CEO Howard Givner looks at the road ahead for virtual events, including business context, their design, strategy, and careers in events.

525,600 Minutes – How Do You Measure, Measure A Year?

Last week I attended an online fundraiser celebrating the 25th anniversary of the hit Broadway musical Rent, and its signature song stuck in my head as the perfect anthem for the brutal and transformational year ….

Addressing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Meetings & Events

Conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion don’t have to be tense. How can you make it fun? When people feel welcomed, they feel included and are more likely to contribute their voice to solutions.

Introducing ELI Event Tech Test Drives

ELI’s new Event Test Tech Drives. Hosted by Liz Caruso, CEO of Liz King Events and techsytalk, the video series takes a deep dive into several leading virtual event management platforms where you can learn about new platforms as well as upgrades to existing providers.

‘A Long Way to Go’: Event Industry Leaders Reflect on Diversity, Opportunities, and Challenges

A historic public reckoning on social justice prompted pledges for change across corporate America. What has that meant for the industry and for event professionals personally?

The Road Ahead: What’s In Store for the Event Industry In 2021 & Beyond – Part Two In-Person Events

Here are some fact-driven insights that may help us manage expectations and find a way forward.

ELI Virtual Event Profile: Nicole Noonan, Grainger

The team made the difficult decision to cancel the live show, which had been scheduled for March 15-17 in Orlando, FL, at the Orange County Convention Center. Rather than lose all the work that went into planning this event, the team hosted Grainger Show 2020 virtually in July.

Venue Ventilation: Essential Questions to Ask Before Your Event

Mark Herrera, the director of education and life safety at the International Association of Venue Managers, spoke with the Event Leadership Institute about best practices on venue ventilation.

How to Run Your In-House Event Team Like an Agency

Lance Wieland of Boston Consulting Group shares tips on how to be more entrepreneurial, what to look for in new hires, how to provide value, and investing in your team’s skills.

ELI Virtual Event Profile: RE:VISION 2020 by Pathable

After COVID-19 disrupted the events industry and forced numerous in-person meetings and events to go virtual, one event technology company decided to host its first-ever virtual event, on its platform, in November of 2020.

The Event Leadership Institute in Partnership with Meeting Professionals International Launches New Pandemic On-Site Protocol Micro Training Course

Event Leadership Institute (ELI) – the long-time leader in professional development programs for event & meeting professionals – has developed a new online micro training course in partnership with Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the largest meeting and event industry association worldwide.

ELI Modified In-Person Event Profile: Leigh Bentley, SERVPRO®

Every year, SERVPRO® holds an “Elite Retreat” to recognize 90 of the Top 100 Franchises from across the U.S. and Canada. It’s an incentive trip that franchisees look forward to every year. In 2020, the company decided to continue the tradition of honoring its top-performing franchises despite the COVID-19 pandemic, but with a modified in-person event in Miami, Nov. 5 – 8.

The Road Ahead: What’s In Store for the Events Industry In 2021 & Beyond – Part One

This article, and the ones that will follow, will provide insights on many inflection points likely to occur in 2021 and beyond.

ELI Virtual Event Profile: Shannon Angelakis, KPMG

KPMG Events & Meetings Manager Shannon Angelakis explained how the company re-imagined the annual in-person conference to a virtual event to deliver much-needed updates.

ELI Virtual Event Profile: CloudBees DevOps World 2020

CloudBees originally planned DevOps World 2020 for September 21-25, 2020, in Las Vegas. But with a significant portion of the U.S. and international audience limited to travel combined with national and international guidelines regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, CloudBees realized it wasn’t going to be possible to hold DevOps World 2020 in-person.

ELI Virtual Event Profile: Michelle Brown, Project Management Institute

Project Management Institute (PMI) quickly pulled together a team of event planners to pivot and create a series of virtual events for the global membership.

ELI Virtual Event Profile: Carlee Warner, KPMG

KPMG Events & Meetings Associate Director Carlee Warner shared how the firm successfully transitioned to a new, entirely virtual format.

33 Questions to Ask When Planning for the Return of In-Person Events

Read on for 33 questions to evaluate when planning for the return of in-person events, curated from planners who recently completed our Pandemic Meeting & Event Design certificate course.

ELI Virtual Event Profile: Suzanne Neve

Suzanne Neve, CEO of FFEA, put the promotions she began in January 2020 on pause and set out to determine a new plan. And Suzanne knew her decision would have a more considerable impact.

29 Tips to Successfully Promote Your Virtual Event

Follow these tips to create a successful multi-channel promotion plan for your virtual event.

What Are and What Do Digital Credentials Mean for Event and Meeting Pros?

In the event and meeting environment, a digital credential generally serves as proof that a person has taken a professional development course and demonstrated understanding of a set of related skills or competencies.

ELI Virtual Event Profile: Sharon Schenk, CMP

Like many others, at the end of April 2020, Sharon Schenk, Director, Conventions and Event Management for CCA Global Partners, knew their in-person summer convention couldn’t proceed as planned. But canceling the convention wasn’t an option. Sharon and the entire convention team knew members still needed education, and now, critical pandemic-related information.

How to Keep Event and Meeting Skills Sharp

Our goal is to provide our community with the resources and timely insights to stay informed. Check out these resources to keep your skills sharp for the rest of 2020 and into 2021.

Event Leadership Institute Announces New Business Owner Mentorship Program

The Event Leadership Institute (ELI) – the long-time leader in professional development programs for event and meeting professionals – has announced a new Business Owner Mentorship Program for event agency owners and other event industry business professionals needing support during this time of crisis.

4 Content Design Tips for Virtual Events and Meetings

Now that events and meetings of all kinds have moved to virtual formats, planners face additional considerations around content design. Paying careful attention to content delivery is necessary to meet online learners’ expectations and achieve overall event goals and objectives. Here are four tips for effective content design.

The Event Leadership Institute Releases Results from Attendee Preferences for Live Events in the COVID-19 Era Survey

According to new research conducted by the Event Leadership Institute (ELI), 96 percent of attendees expect organizers and planners to provide a clear statement and agreement for all participants to follow event rules.
This is just one of several key findings from the ELI research report released today, “Attendee Preferences for Live Events in the COVID-19 Era.”

New Research Reveals Attendees’ Preferences for Live Events in the COVID-19 Era

As many begin planning for 2021 and are wondering what to expect for live events, the Event Leadership Institute (ELI) recently set out to provide planners with data and insights around how guests feel about attending on-site events – including the health protocols and procedures they expect to feel safe.

14 Inspirational Reads for Event and Meeting Planners

Whether you’re downloading something new on your Kindle to curl up with on your next staycation, or are embracing this time to invest in professional and personal development, here’s a fresh dose of new reads to keep you going strong.

Planning for the Return of Modified In-Person Events

What will on-site events look like when they do resume? What shifts do planners need to make in their strategies and plans? And how can we convince all involved it’s safe to participate?That’s a tall order to answer, which is why we sat down with Kevin White, head of the Boston-based, award-winning experiential event agency XPL.

4 Reasons Why Now is Ideal to Invest in Your Event Team’s Professional Education

Whether you and your team’s goals are to find new ways to pivot this year’s meetings and events to virtual approaches or start the wheels turning for pandemic meeting and event design, here’s why embracing professional education now has a significant pay-off.

The Event Leadership Institute in Partnership with Meeting Professionals International Launches New Pandemic Meeting & Event Design Online Certificate Course

As meeting and event professionals continue to grapple with the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Event Leadership Institute (ELI) has developed a new online certificate course in partnership with Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the largest meeting and event industry association worldwide.

The Essential Checklist for Virtual Event Planning

Here is an essential planning checklist to get started, which can be tailored for your specific virtual event to stay on track, on-time, and on-budget.

How to Plan a Virtual Non-Profit Fundraising Event

To understand how to successfully and strategically plan a virtual non-profit fundraising event, we talked to Lindsay Landman, founder of Beyond the Benefit and a widely respected event designer who has helped non-profits in every sector raise millions of dollars to support their missions.

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