Why Having Board Games at a Conference is a Great Idea

Today, I’m going to recommend something a little crazy. Not all of you are going to be entirely on-board with it at first, but bear with me here – I’m hoping that, by the end of this piece, you consider it as good an idea as I do. What about the next time you plan a corporate conference; why not toss a few board games into the mix? Hear me out here. How many of you played board games like Monopoly with your family when you were growing up? How many of you have used table-top games as a bonding […]

Use Technology to Boost Event Attendance

The thought of planning an event can be exciting, until you realize one thing to be true: you must do whatever it takes to reach your goal regarding the number of attendees. For some, this is a piece of cake. Others, however, have to implement every trick in the book to get on the right track. One of the best things you can do is consider the many ways that technology can boost event attendance. If you focus on this side of things from day one, spanning through the end of the event, it will work out in your favor. […]

How Can Reddit Help You As An Event Planner?

If you aren’t yet on Reddit, maybe you should be. Although Reddit’s community is somewhat small compared to Facebook or Twitter, it’s nevertheless a teeming hub of Internet culture. Reddit doesn’t call itself “the front page of the Internet” without reason; some of the most popular viral content on the web either originated on Reddit or was promoted through the social media site. Used properly, it can be the perfect platform for event promotion.

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The Vital Role of Mobile Technology in Events

A funny idea occurred to me the other day. In much of the world, anyone who doesn’t own a cell phone is considered an oddity. 56% of people on earth own their own Smartphone, while a staggering 91% have a mobile device of some kind at their disposal. The landline phone is a relic! This data is based on the average user, but you can bet money even more people in the enterprise sector will be making use of smart mobile technology.

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Cost-Cutting Techniques for a Tight Event Budget

Budgeting is probably the most difficult task for every event management professional – particularly if you find yourself coming up short. If tight, it can be incredibly tempting to cut corners, but that’s not an advisable course of action. Skimping on features is a surefire way to ruin an event, and it’s not the way to solve your event budget constraints. So…how can you save money? Get creative, there’s ways to cut down on an event’s overhead without causing quality to suffer too much. Here are a few cost-saving event management techniques that won’t completely water-down your event in the […]

Top 5 Health Tips for Busy Event Planners

As an event planner, you’re probably used to doing several hundred things at once while running on little more than fumes. Ignoring the demands of your body in order to focus on keeping the show running is probably old hat to you. On some level, you’re aware that what you do probably isn’t the best course of action if you want to stay healthy…but you’ve so much to do, you don’t really bother thinking too much about it. You probably should. For one, it’s been proven time and again that your mental well-being is tied directly to how well you […]

How to Tell if an Event Venue is Bad News

As any event planner knows, choosing the venue in which an event is hosted may well be the most vital step in the planning process. After all, your chosen venue impacts everything about your event save for the content: how many people can attend, what sort of amenities you can host, and even the general mood of your conference. Now, there’s a good chance you’ve already got the sort of venue you’re going to need for your event clear in your mind. That’s good, because that isn’t going to be our focus today. We’re not going to work out how […]

Easy Steps to “Mapping” the Perfect Conference Layout

There’s a very good reason so many event planners tend to become control freaks. The amount of organization necessary to keep an event running on track makes such traits more or less necessary. If you’re an event planner, there’s a good chance you obsess over just about everything from keynote content to transportation needs to budget constraints right down to your event’s layout. That last one’s pretty important, by the way. “Mapping” of your conference layout design has a significant impact on how attendees will experience the event – and how much they’ll enjoy it. Now, most modern event planning […]

The Importance of Attendee Satisfaction Surveys

No matter how skilled you become at your job, you should never stop looking to improve. To disregard the idea of self-improvement is the ultimate expression of laziness and apathy. Those men and women who are truly successful at their jobs never stop trying to find new ways to better themselves. No, I’m not practicing for a career as a self-improvement huckster. I’m just offering a bit of valuable advice which every event planner should take note of. No matter how perfect an event seems to have been, there’s always something you could have done better, always a mistake you […]

Lessons from Reviewing Past Events: Top 5 Findings

Are you in charge of planning events for your company? Like anything, your first go around may be a bit rough. After all, you don’t know the ins and outs and for this reason it is common to make mistakes along the way. Fortunately, the more events you plan the more experience you will gain. From there, it is much easier to learn from the past to ensure greater success in the future. Here are five things you can learn by reviewing past events: 1. What went right? Even if you made mistakes in the past, it is safe to […]

5 Tips for Organizing an Event on a Tight Deadline

Organizing an event on a tight deadline may feel overwhelming, but it’s entirely possible with the right strategies. Whether it’s a corporate meeting, a wedding, or a community fundraiser, tight timelines demand focus, quick decisions, and teamwork.

Follow these five expert tips to make organizing an event on a tight deadline a success

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The Top 8 Event Planning Trends

A new year is upon us. Everybody’s putting together New Years’ Resolutions (which they’ll probably break after a month or so), all the while looking forward to new beginnings. With 2013 still fresh in our minds, it seems like the ideal time to have a look back. By examining the chief event planning trends from 2013, we can formulate a good idea of what to expect in 2014.

How will the life of an event manager change as we move into the New Year? What sort of new technology, skills, and challenges might one face in the profession? Most importantly, how can we best turn this to our advantage?

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Bad Weather Event Planning: Essential Steps for Event Organizers

When it comes to event planning, anticipating bad weather can be one of the most crucial steps you take to safeguard your event. Bad weather event planning isn’t just a backup idea—it’s an essential part of ensuring your event runs smoothly no matter what. Without the right preparation, a sudden downpour or an unexpected snowstorm can derail your event, leaving attendees frustrated and your team scrambling. Here’s how you can ensure your event is prepared for any weather conditions by addressing five key areas. 1. Can Your Event Be Rescheduled? Start your bad weather event planning by assessing whether your […]

Budget-Saving Tips for your Next Event

As an event management professional, one of your jobs involves juggling your event budget with the needs of your client. Unfortunately, running an event isn’t cheap, and a lot of clients will be looking to cut corners and save money wherever possible. Your clients might not necessarily understand what goes into getting an event up and running, and often end up trying to trim the fat from inadvisable components of your event, such as security costs, guest speaker budgeting, or equipment. Your job is to ensure that this doesn’t happen. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with trying to save money. […]

5 Tips for Planning a Successful Event

There is a fine line between a successful event and one that blows up in your face. It goes without saying that you want to be planning a successful event. And you’re in luck! Here are five simple tips of advice to follow that can lead to a more successful event.

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Prevent Event Burnout- Stay Energetic And Passionate

It’s Friday afternoon, and your anxiety levels are through the roof! Tell me if this sounds too familiar. You’re stressed. You’re tired. Nothing really seems as exciting as it used to because it all feels like a grind, a slog, and too much for one person to manage.

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Cold Calling 101 – Cold Calling for Event Sponsorships

Cold calling for event sponsorships is a task most event organizers face. Cold calling is vital to securing partnerships and boosting your event’s budget. But cold calling isn’t just about dialing numbers—it’s about strategy. Mastering the art of cold calling can make a huge difference in your success as an event manager or organizer. Here’s how you can do it effectively.

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Five Significant Ethical Issues In The Event Industry

As with any industry, event planning has its own set of sticky ethical issues to deal with. As an event manager, you’re eventually going to be faced with a moral dilemma (or two, or three…) over the course of your career. How you deal with them will not only define you as a professional, but as a person. It’s important that you’re made aware five ethical issues you might face in the event industry – and equally as important that you approach them with integrity. Honest Representation A few weeks ago we wrote about the most significant challenges a wedding […]

Protecting High Target Theft Areas At Trade Shows

It’s inevitable – if you gather hundreds or thousands of people together, a few bad eggs are bound to show up and make trouble. That’s especially true in the business of professional conferences and large events where there’s always valuable electronic gear everywhere. Expensive, often small technology attracts thieves like flies to honey; if you don’t create the impression of a secure venue you could quickly find your event targeted. It’s the event’s organizers’ job to best ensure that theft doesn’t happen. Hiring a security staff may be important step, but it’s not the only step that needs to be […]

Tasty Meal Ideas for Your Next Networking Conference

Let’s talk about food! One of the more fun parts to plan of any event is the food. An event planner must find the perfect caterer for each unique event to keep your guests happy with food and drinks. Networking conferences are great for attendees to meet potential clients, customers, and business partners. Networking conferences are often all about moving around and meeting new people, and mini-events like meals, round table discussions and cocktail hours often help create an environment conducive for meeting others. We’re going to skip over the itinerary phase and assume you have a schedule that includes […]