Since it has become apparent that the impacts of COVID-19 are here to stay, many catering companies across the world are having to adapt to stay afloat. Naturally, the most challenging aspect of the pandemic for catering companies is the fact that events are much more restricted due to social distancing measures. With most state… Read more »
If you and your partner were planning to get married in the spring or summer of 2020, it is likely that things probably haven’t panned out as you hoped. With COVID-19 impacting people who work in weddings in various ways, you might be turning your attention towards holding your special day virtually. Of course, as… Read more »
Planning a corporate event, wedding, and any other occasion in between can be a difficult task that requires balancing many moving pieces. Event planners and professional party organizers are highly sought-after for their ability to manage every aspect of the process. A successful gathering requires expertise and seasoned specialists to navigate the unpredictable nature that… Read more »
What do dinosaurs and conventions have in common? They’ve both gone extinct . . . or at least it feels that way. The standing room only panels and meetings, the gregarious socials that are the backbone of innovation and networking for many industries are, at best, just not a good idea during the covid pandemic… Read more »
Sales is an act of service. Unfortunately, its intrusive nature means it’s not always viewed that way. However, the fundamental concept of sales is clear: You have a service or product to provide. If this product or service is a solution to a problem for the consumer, you should be selling it. Your act of… Read more »
Address the “Why” The first tactic to planning your virtual event (VE) is to ask yourself why. Why do they want to attend? Why do vendors show up? Why do attendees show up? Normally, in a live event, the why could be getting buyers in front of sellers. Instead of an exhibit hall setup, you… Read more »
Regardless of your industry, and whether you are hosting a live, virtual or hybrid event, branding is everything. Your target audience will often make split second decisions about your product/service, based on their most recent encounter with your branding. Branding is how your company communicates valuable information about your values and strengths while your audience… Read more »
This time of year, we can usually start to look forward to our calendars filling up with parties and celebrations. But unfortunately, there are times (like now) when it just isn’t possible to gather your loved ones in person. Does that mean you have to forfeit the festivities? No! While you may not be able… Read more »
I recently had an event planner client ask me how I schedule out my days and what systems I use. (I coach event planners on how to start an event planning business without making costly mistakes or help kick their existing business to the next level.) The first thing I do each day is workout… Read more »
Food and beverage costs can be a significant part of the event budget. Here are some things to know when working with a caterer, and money saving tips to consider. When putting your catering budget together consider the following factors: Number of attendees Length of time Food Beverage Rentals Table décor Permits Labor (captain,… Read more »
An effective retreat should build camaraderie among the attendees, provide thought-provoking content, relieve stress, offer healthy food and beverage options, and include fun and motivating activities that are good for the mind, body and soul set in a positive environment. Here are a few tips for hosting an effective retreat: Purpose The first thing you… Read more »
Listen, I know better than anyone that running an event planning business can be extremely challenging but you can’t sit around and cry about it, you have to pick yourself up and keep going. Just this past month I was told NO more times I want to admit. HOWEVER, I was told YES. We need… Read more »
With the growing concern of sexual harassment and sexual assault, event planners are finding it more important than ever to have conversations around code of conduct at their events. Many companies like the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) are implementing stronger guidelines to address unacceptable and harassing behaviors, and the consequences for such… Read more »
Whether you are an event planner or hosting your own event, balancing an event budget can be challenging. As an event planner, it is your responsibility to provide a detailed budget and manage the finances throughout the planning process. We always like to cushion the budget so we don’t have to come back to the… Read more »
Hotel agreements can be extremely intimidating but if you know what concessions can be negotiated you can save your clients thousands of dollars. 1. Sleeping Room Nights – In addition to negotiating a low attrition rate on our sleeping room block, we negotiate 1 complimentary sleeping room for every 40 sleeping rooms booked by our… Read more »
As first published in Special Events Magazine. As a service-based event business, we have had our fair share of difficult clients from the know-it-alls, last-minute-changers, Prada-ideas-on-a-Wal-Mart-budgeter, can’t-make-a-decisioner, never-happys, the polite-and-pickies, and the fighters. High-maintenance clients are never easy but here are seven simple but powerful strategies you can use when dealing with difficult clients. 1…. Read more »
On any given night, people have numerous options regarding how they’ll spend their time and money. If you’re hosting an event, obviously you want more of those people to give those things to you. However, planning a sellout event is not something that just happens naturally. The entire marketing strategy surrounding the event must tie… Read more »
The success of an event can be a disaster if you don’t hire the right event staff. Start Your Search Early On It’s always best practices to have your event staff in place as early as possible. Quality and experienced staffers are in high demand and it’s inevitable that there will be some staffers who… Read more »
We all know there’s a million details to handle for any event. One of the most important meetings you can have when planning is the site visit. Based on past experience, we’ve compiled a list of the questions you need to be asking at this visit with your venue. Can I bring in my own vendors?… Read more »
It’s hard to keep your employees happy these days. It’s been shown that happy employees are more productive with greater longevity. Why else would Google and Facebook go to such extremes to make their offices so employee-friendly? One thing we’ve found is that events are a great way to improve company morale. Here are a… Read more »
