Our event industry has not seen such a profound and impactful strategic shift since the early days following 9/11. In those days, we could not have handled the pivot many are making today in shifting from live events to online event formats. Technology and network infrastructures were simply not advanced enough to support the tremendous rise in demand. 

Many say we are facing challenging times. We are, but isn’t that view a bit glass-half-empty? I prefer to see this as one of the biggest growth opportunities of our event industry.

While the industry is seeing a notable shift in pushing new meetings to 2021 and later, a Northstar Meetings Group survey showed that event planners are seeing increasing demand for all things online for the next 12-18 months.

Even after live events and conferences make their way back into marketing strategies and budgets, online events will continue to be a part of the event industry. They may not exclusively dominate the event space as they are today, but I believe there are three big reasons online events are not going anywhere. 

3. Attendee experience becomes more important.

While attendee experience has always played a role in the decisions made surrounding live events, the rise of online events is shifting the focus, and rightly so, to the attendee experience. The way I see it, allowing attendees to attend an event in a way they’re most comfortable with is going to become increasingly important. Even when live events return (and they will), some people are simply not going to travel for a while.

By shifting to online events, planners are opening up their events to new attendees who, for one reason or another, have not been able to attend.

This is why event planners who have shifted their scheduled live events to online formats are seeing impressive attendee numbers. Some event planners have seen double or triple their typical attendee count for live events.

In the future, I recommend adding online components or dedicated online sessions to live events so that brands will continue to see greater attendee reach, have new event monetization opportunities with sponsorships, and ultimately allow attendees to consume their content in the way that they choose, not how the event planner chooses. 

Online events are not going anywhere.

Even when live events return to the mainstream, online events are likely to continue to play a part in event strategies. From expanding sponsorships to amplifying brand reach, offering online event options as a part of live events may become a large opportunity for companies that serve the event industry. And I believe the decision to retain online elements for conferences, meetings and events will be mainstream for some time to come. (resource: Forbes.com)

Another demonstration in support of Black Lives Matter is slated to happen in downtown Vancouver on Friday. This will be the city’s first large-scale Juneteenth protest commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. 

The march will coincide with an eight-hour shutdown of cargo operations at B.C. ports to mark the occasion.

While the event’s origins are 155 years ago in Texas, this year’s Juneteenth protests have taken on greater significance across North America, as protests and awareness about anti-Black racism grow.

6. So, why are people marking Juneteenth in Vancouver?

   Granted this is an event marking a poignant moment in American history, but Clement Isanganino says there are important parallels to contemporary Canada. 

   He is a spokesperson for Black Vancouver, which is organizing Friday’s Freedom March. 

   Clement Isanganino is a spokesperson for Black Vancouver which is organizing Friday’s Freedom March. (Stacie DaPonte)

   “This is about human rights fundamentally … Americans like to celebrate Fourth of July,” he said. “But what kind of independence is it that leaves out Black people and only gives it to some people? It’s kind of hypocritical to celebrate that.”

   When the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, slavery was still rampant.

   He says Juneteenth is an opportunity to educate oneself about Canada’s dark and complicated history with racism against the Black community.

   “I went to school in Canada, I’m Black, and I only found that slavery existed here a few years ago,” he said. “How come we’re not talking about this more openly and teaching the truth in schools.”

   Looking toward Canadian history, Isanganino says there are many examples of systemic racism despite promises of  equality. 

   For example, nearly 4,000 American segregated Black soldiers helped build the Alaska Highway, which starts in Dawson Creek, B.C., during the Second World War. During the Second World War, Black soldiers largely were given menial construction, janitorial and cooking duties instead of active fighting — and despite that, their contributions were largely forgotten. 

   In this 1942 photo provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office of History, soldiers work at a makeshift bench while working on the Alaska Highway, in the Northern Sector of Alaska. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office of History via AP)

   “We’ve got to understand that there are still ankle shackles attached — it’s called systemic racism.”

   For many in the Black community, Francis says true freedom is still far from reality. 

   “There’s a freedom on paper which doesn’t reflect the lived experience of Black Canadians and Americans today,” she said. “We’re still waiting for our Juneteenth moment … when we’ll be treated equally.”

   While protesters are marching in Vancouver, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada and the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association have agreed to shut down cargo operations at B.C. ports from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to mark Juneteenth.

   “As businesses, as workers, as British Columbians, as Canadians, we cannot sit idly by. We cannot accept racism, hate and intolerance directed at people because of their ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation or faiths,” the union and employer said in a joint press release.

Planes, trains and automobiles… just some of the many travel options your groups or attendees have in traveling to, from and during your event. For some eventprofs, transportation plays a big role in the experience you provide to your guests. Building a flawless transportation plan can be a big undertaking, but with a few important reminders you can keep your event running smooth.

6. Be Firm, Yet Professional
   Sometimes you have to take a stand in order to get things accomplished in this industry and the transportation aspect of events is second to none. If you have paid for a transportation service, they should arrive on time and be attentive to the needs of your guests.
   Stay firm and don’t allow transportation companies to push you around. They often times have many clients that need a vehicle on a given night, and this can lead to delays in service, but they should never discount the value of your business. Many times if you follow up and communicate you can avoid any issues that might arise. Do your best to build a lasting relationship with vendors and they will make it a point to provide you with high-quality service.
7. Evaluate Your Routes
   We all take the time to do a site visit and a walk through prior to our guest arriving, but we should also make it a point to evaluate the routes we are using to move our guests from venue to venue. Perhaps there is construction, flight delays or train lines down. Prior to the arrival of your guests take a look at all of your routes, along with the weather forecast, to plan ahead and predict any challenges you might face.
8. Think Outside the Box
   Transportation doesn’t have to be traditional! Have you ever taken a boat to an event? Or perhaps ridden a bike between venues? Take a look at your location or host city with a critical eye and see what transportation options might be unique and special to your location. These creative methods of transportation will give your guests an interesting experience that they may not have had, and one that they can share with their friends and colleagues who could ultimately become your future clients.
9. Say Goodbye to Boring
   If you have a lengthy journey from one location to the next, do you best to create an entertainment opportunity while your guests are traveling. You could bring in a guest speaker or tour guide to provide information on the event topic or the host city.
   This experience serves as a bonus to your guests and will take away from the otherwise boring trip. Your guests will enjoy the opportunity to learn and enjoy the travel they are embarking on. Your speakers will also take pride in having the full attention of your guests while they are on this excursion.
10. Evaluate Areas for Improvement
    Each year you will learn and improve upon the event transportation you provide. You may find travel companies that are a joy to work with, while others may be a challenge. You should always be seeking out new and creative ways to move your guests between cities and venues, and never be afraid of changing up your transportation to bring a fresh aspect to the event. Ultimately you should be open to new ideas and seek to improve year after year!

In Conclusion

Many events have multiple components that involve travel from one venue to the next. Utilizing the steps above will set you apart as a prepared and innovative planner. Most eventprofs dread the transportation aspect of their event, because of the uncertainty. However, through proper communication, follow up and assertiveness you will be moving your event and your guests towards continued success.

Constantly coming up with new ideas is key to being innovative and standing out in the event industry. Here are 15 ways to get the creative juices gushing!

Part of planning events can be looking at things from a different perspective and either coming up with ideas or changing the narrative of something traditional into something attendees haven’t seen before. This can be tricky and we’ve all inevitably suffered from a creative block at one time or another. Here are a few ways to help you brainstorm new ideas, get everything you want down on paper and create the best events to make you an unstoppable eventprof.

10. Meditation
    You may find coming up with new ideas difficult because you have a lot of mental chatter that keeps coming to the forefront when trying to brainstorm. This can be the case with many event professionals as they are often have many jobs to do in a day and in a high powered environment you are used to multi-tasking and doing a lot of things at once. This doesn’t necessarily promote brainstorming and can not only hinder new ideas but also makes you struggle to keep focus.
    Regular meditation can help you to not only calm your mind but can also be a tool for organizing thoughts and becoming more creative. The mind is a muscle and meditation is a particularly useful way of exercising it so that it is conducive to calm and focus which are necessary for coming up with original, thought provoking ideas.
11. SWOT Analysis
    This technique that stands for; strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats is often used in business practice and strategies to understand your current situation. This can also be effective when brainstorming as it can show you what ideas need to be focused on, for example knowing the threats and opportunities of the current market can help an event planner create an event accordingly which allows you to frame new ideas and know exactly what you are looking for.
12. Round Robins
    In a group, create a game whereby everyone is only allowed to come up or contribute one element before passing on the idea to the next person. By the time it comes back to being your turn the idea or inspirations have changed and you are looking at it entirely differently, which can promote new thinking.
    Round robins also not only add a restriction that reduces the amount of bad ideas but also prompts people to put their best ideas forward and can also be a way to build on other’s perspectives in the same way collaborative boards do.
13. Idea Categories
    It can be helpful to form themes or connections between thoughts and ideas because it becomes easier to build on them as you go, which tends to lead to a flow. If you are struggling with linking ideas together or trying to come up with something new, create categories for your projects and then get specific about them to bring more depth and tie things together more closely. For example, when brainstorming event catering, you would start with the category “catering” and when you have run out of ideas for that, narrow it down to “finger food ideas” or “food stations” and then you can continue with niche brainstorming without getting lost in all the possibilities and adding context to your ideas.
14. Word Association
    Quick fire improv games such as word association can train your brain long-term to brainstorm and come up with new ideas quickly. For many eventprofs, it isn’t the creativity that is the issue, it is the time restrictions and deadlines for coming up with new and original ideas. Word association is best played with others and can help your event team when joint brainstorming as you don’t know what others are going to say and that surprise-triggers your own response. However, if this isn’t possible, you could create standardized cue cards that help to spark your creativity, face them down and mix them up and draw from them in the same way.

    Alternatively, you can play word association variations such as coming up with as many words as you can associated to a category and this helps get all of your ideas (good and bad) out and then you select the ones that are most suitable and build on them. Training your brain using improvisation games helps speed up its processes and makes you more reactive in the future too, so it helps now and later.

15. Multitasking
    Have you ever thought really hard about an idea, come up with nothing and then out of nowhere when you are doing something else, inspiration strikes? While you shouldn’t always multitask, moving onto something else while still thinking about your brainstorming can be an interesting way of being productive and coming up with new ideas. Specifically, choosing monotonous or repetitive tasks alongside brainstorming can help create a meditative effect for some and the act of doing something physically can trigger creativity responses and allow you to brainstorm better subconsciously so that when you come back to it, your ideas just flow.
    One thing to remember with multitasking is to not try to overload the brain with too many difficult tasks at once because this can have the opposite effect and actually reduce overall productivity so select tasks that are on the opposite ends of the spectrum of difficulty.

Brainstorming Tips
Remove Censorship – Don’t discount any of your ideas at first by limiting and deciding that they are bad. You may find that you have had an idea that you can build on later so just focus on getting ideas out and then judge them later.

Ask Questions – Free thinking doesn’t always come naturally and if it’s a broad subject you can struggle with where to start or to move on from. Asking questions can help frame your thinking and lead you to explore specific avenues with a little more guidance.
Take Breaks – Even the best of us can’t keep churning new and original ideas out day and night so remember it is okay to take a break and come back to it later. Sometimes it can be more helpful to take a step back and give your brain a rest from focusing on one area that it can be the breakthrough that you need.

Carry A Notebook – You never know where inspiration may strike so carry a notebook with you or a note taking app on your phone so that you don’t lose any ideas and you can refer to them later on.
Avoid Negativity – Negativity can be a creativity killer and if you are constantly getting yourself down then you won’t consider all the possibilities and ideas that could be your next big thing! Not every idea is going to be a winner but put it to one side, move on and try not to be hard on yourself; positivity tends to help you be more productive in the end.

In Conclusion

Brainstorming can be hard but to remain current and competitive in the fast-paced event industry it is necessary to keep coming up with new and innovative ideas. I have given you some tips and tactics for brainstorming that should hopefully prevent a block and keep your creativity juices flowing!

Working with corporate clients can be very different than working in the personal event space, but it can also lead to big rewards. Corporate business means larger events, expanded budgets and most of the time higher stakes. While working in corporate events can be a lucrative business for many planners, you need to work hard to maintain relationships with your clients in order to thrive in this industry over the long haul.

The importance of maintaining a relationship with corporate partners plays a big role in your continued success as a planner. Retaining a client and nurturing a connection is much easier and more cost-effective for your business than constantly scouting and attracting new clients. Most customers in this genre will bring you to repeat business, sometimes multiple events each year! Using the tips below will help you to maintain lasting corporate relationships which will be your key to obtaining their future business.

6. Get to the Point
   In the personal event space, some planners have a tendency to sugar coat certain aspects of an event. You may tread lightly when speaking about an unforeseen expense or change to the event schedule, but with a corporate client they want you to cut to the chase. Don’t talk in circles around a potential issue. Identify the problem, provide solutions and work it out in the most productive and efficient manner. Corporations are in the business of making tough decisions on a daily basis. They will respect you more if you get to the point and provide transparent communication.
7. Respect the Budget
   Corporate clients often times have a lot of money to spend, but that doesn’t mean you get to take advantage of the situation. Even though they may bring more money to the table than a private event, you must find a way to fit within the budget they have established.
   Showing them that you are willing to negotiate prices and come in under their set budget will establish a solid relationship with the client and show them that you are on their side, not just another vendor looking to make money. This level of mutual respect will pay off for you as the planner and will do wonders to ensure that you are their go-to planner for future events.
8. Bring Innovative Ideas
   Even though corporate events will have an established budget (see above), this industry is a great place to spread your wings and try out a new exciting technology that a small private client isn’t financially able to explore. If you can provide proof that an innovative idea is worth the added expense, the client will often times find a way to make it financially possible.
   Think outside the box and give them options on possible ideas that will set them apart from their competition. Businesses love the idea of being on the cutting edge of their industry and the event space is a great opportunity for them to show off their forward thinking ideas.
9. Maintain the Connection After the Event
   Even though the corporate space isn’t as intimate as a private event, you should do your best to establish a real personal connection with the lead decision makers. Follow up around the holidays or on their birthday with a handwritten card or letter just to let them know that you appreciate their business and see them as not only a client, but also a friend and partner. This small personal touch, in the sometimes harsh corporate world, can make all the difference in getting future business from their company.

In Conclusion

Good AV is essential to your meeting success and a great way to bring the wow factor to your event, but it can also eat up a lot of budget too. Here are 9 tips to save big bucks on your audio visual expenditure.

Having a solid AV set up at your event, provided by a tech team you can trust to deliver, is essential to keeping an event planner smiling. Likewise good sound, screens and lighting are basics that your participants expect to be right if you want to keep them happy and attentive to your event content. Unfortunately though, no event manager has a bottomless budget and your AV bill sometimes has to be trimmed back to stay in the black.

6. Ask Your AV Provider to Help You Uncover Inefficiencies
   It is always worth talking to your AV provider to learn any areas where savings could be made. If you have multiple meetings, a great AV partner will provide you with improvement ideas after each one. Ask them to have a Project Manager onsite who can identify opportunities to lower your costs by optimizing crew size, eliminating unnecessary equipment, and looking for ways to get the work done in less time.
7. Consider Various Service Levels
   For some events, you may need full service, including setup, onsite technicians to run the show, and teardown. For other events, you may simply need a self-service equipment rental. Make sure you’re not paying for service you don’t actually need.
8. Think About Creative Sponsorship Opportunities
   There are many event technology solutions that allow you to add powerful sponsorship potential. You can often pay for these technologies through the sponsorship revenues, and sometimes they can be profit drivers for you. For example, you could rent a video wall and utilize the displays to mix sponsorship messages together with event information and social media activity.
9. Ask Your AV Provider to Give Multiple Options
   A good AV company will not provide you with a “take it or leave it” proposal. They should be able to present several options, at various price levels, for you to choose from. An AV partner will work with you to identify different solutions to realize your vision, whilst staying within your event budget.

In Conclusion

Audio visual plays a vital part in the success of your event and you want to be sure to get it right. With these 9 tips you can be sure that you are saving money on AV and achieving the best value for your event, without compromising on quality.