EXPERTS & OPINIONS
Feb 13, 2019
Events are one of the best ways for businesses to showcase products, promote services and increase brand awareness, and one of the key advantages of event marketing is the ability to provide attendees with something memorable to link back to you. However, as we all know, organizing events can be extremely complicated and time consuming — and that is especially true for startups and small businesses.
For example, an event marketer might need to research potential venues, hire expert speakers, organize catering, transport equipment, process payments and build an event team. This can be a lot to… more
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Feb 06, 2019
If the past several years go down as “The Era of Acquisitions” in event tech, 2019 and beyond just may become known as “The Era of the Niche Solutions.”
We’ve all watched as smaller event tech companies were snapped up by a few big names, as the massive end-to-end platforms expanded to deliver the ever-elusive Holy Grail; the all-in-one stop for event planners. Yet Corbin Ball of Corbin Ball Associates recently pointed out that we have to look at another trend happening concurrently in our industry — toward small, nimble companies pulling in best-in-class providers to build event-specific… more
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Feb 04, 2019
What happens when your event’s security is lacking, the gourmet food doesn’t arrive, your lodging accommodations turn into a health hazard and the entertainment bails? Sounds like a disaster, right? This is exactly how the Fyre Festival of 2017 will be remembered: a total disaster.
If you have yet to see, both Netflix and Hulu are streaming documentaries about the Fyre Festival. Check out the Netflix trailer here. In short, inexperienced “planners” (Billy McFarland, rapper Ja Rule and others) attempted to throw a luxury music festival. Attendees were promised a plush experience in the… more
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Jan 29, 2019
With this month’s focus on YOU (and what subject is more interesting?), it seemed the perfect opportunity to discuss making it a full year of year of YOU, whatever that may look like. To have a successful 2019, you need to be willing to get out of your comfort zone, put in a few extra hours of work every week and stay committed to your goal. If you’ve got the desire to get there, I’ve got the roadmap.
Step One:
Get out of your own way. We are the authors of our success. There are endless reasons why something cannot happen but there is only one reason why something does happen;… more
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Jan 23, 2019
Technology evolves faster every day and that’s a great thing when it comes to the event space. This rapid innovation means there are new event technologies available at a constant pace, bringing new ways to collect data, engage audiences, manage details and more.
But how can event professionals stay on top of these new offerings and figure out what best applies to their needs and challenges?
Read on for our predictions on what’s ahead when it comes to digital and event technology in 2019 and beyond.
Data Is Driving Everything
Analytics augmented by AI
Jo-Anne Kelleway, CEO, Info Salons… more
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Jan 16, 2019
You’ve spent months, maybe even years, planning your next big conference or event. It’s one of your organization’s most significant milestones this year and also, a big opportunity to generate earned press coverage.
If you want to leverage the media and PR opportunities that trade shows and events provide, make sure to do these three things.
Think Local
In the past six years, my agency has managed the public relations for more than 80 conferences and events hosted by Experience Grand Rapids. While the majority of these meetings and groups hosted were from outside of the Grand Rapids region… more
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Jan 09, 2019
It's no surprise that military personnel, police officers, firefighters, and pilots have some of the most stressful jobs. But it may surprise you what the number five position on that list is.
According to recent research from CareerCast, the fifth most stressful role is events coordinator. Travel, long (and often odd) hours, interaction with the public, fixed deadlines, and the myriad details involved all contribute to that stress level.
Yet one of the biggest challenges cited by top experts that event professionals face has little to do with the day to day stress: it's "keeping up with… more
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Jan 02, 2019
Traditional seminar spaces are a thing of the past. Replacing them are engaging, tech-enabled, bespoke spaces that are beautiful, functional and sharable. Events should feel tailored to each attendee and excite from start to finish. By rethinking what each attendee needs from your seminar space, utilizing tech-enabled furniture and understanding the need for collaboration, you can create a space that feels daring, yet completely practical.
Use these tips to create a fresh and engaging space that works for your client and your attendee:
Connect to Tech: The best technology integrates what’s… more
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Dec 19, 2018
Simply defined, the word procurement means “the act of obtaining or buying goods and services”. So, if that’s the case, let me ask a quick question to all the corporate event suppliers in our industry – “Why wouldn’t we seek out more people who do this”?
Taking costs out of the system is a good thing. And so is choosing partners that add value. Collaboration works.
In the events space, let’s take a closer look at procurement and why it makes sense to engage the teams responsible for corporate procurement.
Greater Opportunities
Every procurement initiative has a purpose – find out what it… more
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Dec 18, 2018
“Oh no, the overall satisfaction rating from our quarterly regional meeting is down five percent from last year,” says the CMO, who then asks the event manager to “figure out what happened.”
Meanwhile, a product marketing manager looks at a different report and declares, “Our attendance was up seven percent…that new marketing campaign must have really helped.”
Event planners should be careful comparing one number against another, as two data points usually don’t make a trend. Thankfully, there are some simple and visual methods that can help us react less, lead better, and improve more.… more
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Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is renowned for its exceptional service and diverse venue options across Las Vegas, Detroit, Springfield, National Harbor, Biloxi, and Atlantic City, providing flexible spaces for meetings of any size. Beyond these offerings, MGM Resorts distinguishes itself through a strong commitment to social responsibility and sustainability, making it an ideal choice for your next meeting.
At the core of MGM Resorts' company values is its platform, "Focused on What Matters," dedicated to meeting customer needs while advancing socially responsible practices. This commitment is evident more