There’s good reason why the position of event planner is consistently named to the top ten most stressful jobs each year. There are so many moving parts, demands, and unexpected complications that can arise. And through it all you not only have to find viable solutions, you need to ensure you keep your composure and remain gracious to attendees, sponsors, and vendors.

That’s a lot of pressure!

One way to decrease the pressure is to set up a strong and well-executed plan for the day of your event. Streamlining your operations will help ensure you’re at your most productive, which in turn will yield brilliant results.

But how do you increase productivity when you’re already feeling stressed and not fully in control of your schedule? These productivity tips will get you on your way.

1. Reach out to sponsors a week to three days out and ask them if they need anything.

   Get to their requests that day, if possible.

2. Do a walkthrough of the venue space.

   Make any final corrections. Note anything that is still outstanding. Assign that to someone on your team to follow up on. While you may be tempted to add it to your list, it’s likely not something that really requires your attention. Make a note on what needs to be done and what is considered a success and pass that on. Speaking of….

3. Delegate without micromanaging.

   If you trust your team and you took the time to ensure everyone was in the right place with the right skills, giving them additional responsibilities will make everyone happier. Remember you don’t have time to micromanage and no one performs well under those terms. There may even be negative health ramifications. No one needs to be sick and stressed.

4. Always have a “MacGyver” kit.

   Fill it with all those little items you might need like a needle and thread, duct tape, a lint roller, stain stick, batteries, chargers, mints, floss, clear nail polish, etc.

5. Always have a “MacGyver” kit.

   Fill it with all those little items you might need like a needle and thread, duct tape, a lint roller, stain stick, batteries, chargers, mints, floss, clear nail polish, etc.

6. Assign someone to watch social media streams so a small issue doesn’t become a big one.

   Create a social media escalation procedure chart to give this person some autonomy. In this flowchart, list “if/then” scenarios that explain what they can handle with pithy comments (or attendee support) and what requires direct intervention. Include both situations and attendee status. For instance, you probably don’t want your social media person running to you if someone complained about dessert. However, you do want them to notify you if the CEO of your organization did.

7. Batch tasks that are similar or in similar areas and do them all at once.

   For instance, if you know you need to check in on the kitchen staff and take a picture of the meal for Instagram, do these things at the same time, even if one is much less important than the other. You’re there anyway and it will improve efficiency because you’re not running back and forth

8. Do it when you have the time.

   Don’t put something off just because you think you can. The only block of time you’re assured of is the one you’re in now. When things are hectic or you’re tired, it’s easy to put something off. But with an event, you never know what’s going to happen. You may think tomorrow morning is open and you can slide the “to-do” in there when you’re more rested, but there’s no way of predicting what that spot will look like come tomorrow. If you have the time, do it now. Now is all you have.

9. Maintain a Good, Productive Attitude:
10. Give yourself a small win early on to build momentum.

    While many experts suggest tackling your toughest tasks early, and that is important, adding a small, quick task that you know you can finish first thing, allows you to build momentum and feel good about getting something done fast. After that, tackle a tough job but break it into manageable pieces to keep up the momentum.

11. Don’t rent space in your head to doubts about the choices you’ve made.

    Move on. Revisiting past decisions can take up a lot of our emotional reserve. Make a decision and let it go. If you need to change the decision, do so for good reason, not because you’ve been dwelling on it and second guessing your original thought.

12. Remember: completed trumps perfect.

    In most events, tasks need to be completed. Working on something longer than necessary because you’re trying to get it perfect doesn’t help you or your client. Your client wants completed work, not perfect ideas.

13. Smile.

    You’ll feel better and so will those around you. While it sounds a little trite, a recent study found that those people who were unable to frown were happier than those who could. So if you want to be happier, consider that what we do with our bodies may have an effect on how we perceive emotions.

14. Listen to the issue at hand.

    Don’t try to solve it until you understand it. Many people hear a problem and immediately begin searching for solutions before they fully understand the issue at hand and what has been tried. If someone comes to you with a challenge or issue, give them the time they deserve in understanding their side before you propose solutions. If you’re busy thinking of solutions, you could miss the point behind what they’re saying.

15. Streamline Your Operations for Greater Efficiency:
16. Use a chatbot to cut down on FAQs to you and your staff.

    This technology is still novel enough that people enjoy using it. (SXSW’s chatbot fielded 56,000 questions at its 2017 event.) It’s easy to implement and most attendees are familiar with voice search as it’s likely what they use in their personal and professional lives.

17. When problems arise, ask yourself if they need your attention or if they can be handled by a junior staffer.

    Make good use of your time. If you’re working on a printer jam at registration, you can’t be handling the issue with the VIP. Doing tasks that can be passed to others (like the printer) gives the appearance that you are running a one-person show or that you don’t trust your team.

18. Streamline and automate what you can.

    Is ticketing a major headache for you? Consider self-check-in kiosks, which require minimal staffing.

In Conclusion

There are many moving parts when overseeing an event and that doesn’t even cover the pieces you have no control over. Look for ways you can streamline tasks and delegate to become more productive. By doing so, you’ll free up time to handle the challenges that you can’t plan for.

Good word-of-mouth marketing draws a crowd and industry bloggers are well-situated to get your meeting some attention, but how do you get theirs?

1. Give Them Something Special

   If you’d like bloggers to attend your event you need to do something special for them. For instance, Content Marketing Institute offers a bloggers den at their meeting. It’s a room set aside with plenty of charging stations, comfortable seating, refreshments, and more. It’s a quiet space for bloggers to duck in to gather their thoughts, and put together their posts, without having to retreat to their hotel rooms. It also feels pretty special when you excuse yourself from conversation “to enter the den.”
   Another way to make them feel special is a sticker on their name tag identifying them as a blogger, a badge for their website, or asterisks denoting them as a blogger on your member list. This may also get them more followers.

2. Rate Them Accordingly

   Comping someone’s meeting attendance so she’ll cover your event, is questionable blogging ethics. Anything you give them directly that has a monetary value (like a comped ticket) must be declared. Even if the blogger is up front about it, the blog will look less authentic and resemble more of a paid advertisement so it’s best to avoid these potential pitfalls.

   However, some associations offer a press pass. Press passes can be free or offered at a discounted rate. Normally there are requirements of members of the “press.” At the American Society of Association Executives Annual Meeting in Atlanta a few years ago, the “press” had to attend a debriefing where the mayor spoke of all of the exciting changes and opportunities in Atlanta.

   If you offer a discounted rate for bloggers, it should be available to all bloggers who meet certain requirements. While those requirements are up to you, they should be in writing.

   Remember, you want to avoid offering a free pass for a blog post. The requirements should speak more to their credentials and influence (i.e., must be a daily blogger with at least 2,000 Twitter followers) than asking them to do something for the free ticket.

3. Know Influence is More Important Than Title

   A person needn’t be a blogger to have a great influence in your industry and they needn’t have a large blog following to have a large social media following. For this reason, asking your association members and attendees if they’d like to blog about the event, can bring some interest you may not expect. For instance, you may have a very well-known attendee, who has many industry connections, and a large social following, but he has never written a blog post even though it’s something he’s always thought about. While not an influential blogger, per se, he does have great influence, and the fact that he’s well-known in your industry will give his post lots of traction. Don’t be afraid to reach outside of traditional blogging lists to find someone vocal in the community and on social media.

In Conclusion

Blogger outreach is important to your annual meeting because it amplifies social reach, increases awareness of your meeting and your association (plus lots of talk about your association is good for your Google rankings), and ideally more talk about your conference will increase future attendance, and may increase membership in your association as well.
In finding influencers you want to look for engagement with the audience (whether on social media or through a blog). When you work with influencers for your meeting, you’re building a network of content creators and curators, many of whom will continue to share your content long after the meeting is over.

Choosing a site can be the most difficult part of the whole planning process. When planning for an outdoor event for a corporate group, here are things to consider:

4. What is the seasonal weather like in the region?
   • Are you working in a covered space, such as a pavilion, or with an open area such as a tennis court or golf course? Mother Nature can be unpredictable. If you are working with an open area, it may be possible to arrange for a tent or other back-up facilities in case there is inclement weather.
5. How will your menu support the theme or objectives of the event?
   • If you’d like people to be able to mingle easily, finger foods may be the best option. Or, if you’d like a more formal vibe, it’s possible to create an elegant dinner setting with three-course meal within a partially enclosed or semi-covered space.

Case Study: Spring Solstice Outdoor Event

In the spring of 2012, Q Center hosted a “Summer Solstice” themed corporate event in its outdoor pavilion for over 500 people. It was an opportunity to chase away the winter blues on a beautiful spring evening.
The tables were dressed in bright spring colors – blues, greens, oranges and yellows. A spring floral bouquet or beautiful pot of vibrant wheat grass was placed on each table.

Daisies were draped from the ceiling of the pavilion and highlighted using accent lighting. The buffets were dressed in fresh sod with the chafing dishes placed on top, so the event took on the look and feel of an outdoor picnic.

The bar served fresh lemonade and signature “Springtini” drinks from under a gazebo. At the end of the evening, the path that walks the guests back to the sleeping rooms was lined with candlelit luminaries.

The event went off flawlessly and created a memorable night for the group. The guests had a wonderful time from the moment they got there until the moment they left.

In Conclusion

One of the biggest benefits of an outdoor space is the energy and freshness it lends your event. Whether you are looking to create a productive networking or team building environment, fashionable dining experience, or energizing meeting space, open-air venues can help take your event outside the box by keeping people active and social.

Be creative in highlighting the character of the outdoor setting and you can create a truly impactful event.

Food is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your event. It’s also one of your largest expenses. So how do you ensure you’re getting an amazing caterer and offering a tantalizing menu? Here’s what you need to look for.

Event planners work with lots of people. And finding the right vendors for your team can increase your ability to meet your client’s needs. Once you find a reliable vendor, partnerships are possible and often extremely helpful. But what if you don’t have something as essential as a good caterer? Or what if your best caterer is booked and you need to audition another one? How do you separate the talent from the wannabes? Here’s what you need to look for when hiring a caterer:

1. Responsiveness and an ability to work with you.
2. Good recommendations.
3. Experience working with your type of event and/or venue.
4. Sharing your vision.
5. Willingness to do a tasting.

Why Is It Important to Find a Good Caterer?
This question is almost a no brainer. Of course, your caterer provides the food and will be a large part of your event budget. You want to get your money’s worth. The beauty of your venue will be ruined with burnt or cold food. The experience you’re trying to provide, shattered. But there are other reasons to look for a good caterer.

1. Responsiveness and Ability to Work with You

   A critical part of working with any new vendor is responsiveness. If you can’t get in touch with them and they don’t return your calls, it’s extremely difficult to hire them in the first place.A critical part of working with any new vendor is responsiveness. If you can’t get in touch with them and they don’t return your calls, it’s extremely difficult to hire them in the first place.
   But the second part of this is an ability to work with you. They should provide you with ideas and suggestions based on their experience. You want someone who is willing to take an active part in creating something that will be the talk of your event. However, if you don’t want the food to be a major part of the event experience and memory, you need to convey this as well. Maybe the budget is top of mind? Or maybe you are just looking for unobtrusive canapés and finger foods that don’t detract from the event happenings and networking opportunities. A good caterer fits within the parameters of what you are looking for.

2. Good Recommendations

   People talk about caterers. Good or bad, it’s out there. Ask a caterer for past clients you can contact about their experience but keep in mind, this recommendation could be coming from a cousin or a significant other of the owner. Businesses never share the bad. They only share those customers they know will give a good rec.

   That’s why it’s also important to do your research on the Internet. Chances are someone has said something about them online. It’s fine to ignore a couple of less than stellar reviews. Everyone has an off day or maybe it was a difficult client to work with. But if there’s a pattern of things that appears in the reviews like “late” or “short staffed,” you want to give careful consideration to these things.

   Another place to get recommendations is other people in the industry. Just know that if you go this route, other event planners may be protective of their favorite caterers in the same way parents protect the identity of their favorite babysitters.

3. Experience Working with Your Type of Event and/or Venue

   Familiarity breeds experience and having an experienced caterer on your event team means a lot less explaining and hand holding. It’s valuable to have experience in two areas – the type of event and the event venue (or places like it).

4. Sharing Your Vision

   You’re entering into a partnership with your caterer. While most are willing to accommodate event planners and their menu visions, you want to ensure you’re working with a caterer who moves beyond chicken and cheesecake. Are you looking for down-home comfort food or trendy fusion dishes? You want to work with someone who can see what you can and are ready to bring it to your audience.
   Here’s an easy question to ask to get to the heart of whether they share your vision or are simply “yes-ing” you. Ask them what ingredients they most often use.

5. Willingness to Do a Tasting

   Before you arrange a tasting with half of the caterers in town, you should use the requirements in this section to narrow down your list of caterers to three. Any more than that and it’s difficult to differentiate between them and thus make a decision. Plus, when it comes to tastings, you want to be seen as a credible potential client, not one stopping by for free cake.

   Because of this, many caterers are hesitant to do a tasting. After all, they’re not just sticking some food in the microwave and putting it on your plate. They’re spending time in preparation. So out of professional courtesy to them, only ask to do tastings for those who have made the shortlist for your event.

   Don’t discount a caterer who requires a tasting fee, as long as it is minimal or applied against your bill should you select them. You are asking for their time and skill. That deserves payment. After all, you know the feeling when others want to “pick your brain” for free. A free tasting is the equivalent to that if you’re not a serious potential client

   Remember, you’re not here just to taste the food. You’re also both performing a face-to-face interview during this time. This gives you an opportunity to get to know them and not just their menu.
   Additional Things You May Want to Consider When Selecting a Caterer

Proximity

Delivery has made leaps and bounds. Amazon can deliver food in an hour in some locations but with a caterer, the distance of their kitchen from your event is a major consideration if they’re not preparing food at your location. Large distances from their kitchen to your tables can mean cold food and additional expense. Check if they have a fee for going across town. This is essential to your event budget.

Additional Services

It’s important to be clear on just what the caterer will do. Are they supplying the linens, serving dishes, and wait staff? Do they handle clean up? Pricing varies a lot based on services so it’s important to understand what’s entailed. Your venue might handle some of these things as well so make sure everything required is made clear at the beginning.
Some caterers also provide additional services like decorations, table lighting, flowers, and other rentals like tables. If you need any of these services, you’ll often save money if they’re booked as a package.

Venue’s Preferred Vendor

If you’re short on time and want a caterer that has already been vetted, ask your venue if they have a preferred list of caterers. Before you sign a contract with the caterer, make sure you find out from the venue how they add people to that list. Are they caterers that have worked the venue with high marks? Or is it simply open to those who ask? This is a big difference in assessing quality.

Pay a Visit

In the section above, the importance of a tasting was mentioned. The tasting serves two points: to ensure the food is up to your standard and to get to know the caterer. But a casual meeting is not the ideal way to see them in action. If possible, find out where their next event is and stop by. Don’t crash it; just see how things are going.
Are things frantic and chaotic or is everything happening with only the usual amount of stress? Yes, those are kind of the same thing but it’s all in how the caterer and staff are handling it.

In Conclusion

Hiring the ideal caterer for your event can make everyone happy. They provide an excellent experience for your guests, make your job easier by coordinating the kitchen with self-confidence, and often give your attendees something else to talk about, especially on Instagram. But finding a fantastic caterer takes some work. Perform your due diligence. It’s worth the effort.

Your event is completed and everything was a roaring success! Now that the dust has settled and your guests have returned home, what tools and tactics are you using to foster the relationships you built during the event? Staying connected with your guests is important, so here are some creative tips to help you stay in front of mind after your next event.

4. Email Marketing

   While social media has long been on the rise as a marketing and communication tool, email is still alive and well. Email is the number one direct channel in terms of daily use and consumer preference for both personal and marketing communications, with 91% of people checking their email on a daily basis*.
   Your audience is expecting you to follow up through email and they also want to learn more about your future events in this format. The key is finding a unique way for your message to stand out and be opened by your attendees. Using creative subject lines and providing valuable content is a fantastic way to increase your open rates.

   Email can be used long after your event and is the best way to keep your audience engaged and informed. Create a content calendar that spans throughout the year and utilize this to regularly communicate with your audience.

5. Additional Events

   After your event has wrapped and you take the time to thank all of your guests, you may be looking for unique ways to keep them actively involved. Providing an opportunity for face-to-face meetings helps to foster the connections your group made onsite at your event.

   Hosting follow up meetings is a good way to stay in touch and build long standing relationships with your audience. These smaller events could be local happy hours, lunch and learns or networking functions. Keeping your group connected in this fashion provides another opportunity to follow up with your audience.

In Conclusion

No matter how you choose to follow up with your attendees, be sure to stay creative and active with your communications. Using a combination of the different methods above will provide a nice mix for your audience and not seem as overwhelming. As long as you show gratitude and provide value to your audience they will appreciate your efforts to stay connected.

Technology and political changes will shake up the event industry as we know it. Are you ready to embrace the change?

I am not sure if you noticed but there is a lot going on in the world. The last 6 months have been quite dramatic, scary and exciting at the same time. It seems we are going through one of those cycles of intense change that happen every 10 years.

1. What Smart Eventprofs Do

   BE CAREFUL.
   I am not saying you should start playing 90s retro games or lock down your event altogether because you read it in the news. What I am proposing here is that we get deep into understanding what is happening around us.
   Smart event professionals look into the recent terror events and understand what they can do to protect their event going forward. They start a conversation with local authorities to have a clear image of potential threats. They invest in extra security if they have established that there could be problems with their event.

   Smart event professionals understand why live streaming and augmented reality games are all of a sudden mainstream. They read about the dynamics motivating such a surge and then they make educated decisions about incorporating such technology in their event.
   I put together these two VERY different topics because they elicit similar reactions. Rejecting the likelihood of an attack at your event is very similar to rejecting technology driven change. Of course the results can be quite devastating in the former, but they are two sides of the same coin, rejection to change.

2. No Excuses, Keep Up

   Change is around us and recently is happening faster than we’ve ever experienced. Developments are faster and we need to keep up. No excuses, you need to keep up. If you want to be a good event professional you need to keep up.

   Get the facts, read, think, strategize, protect your attendees, understand your attendees. Think how they are changing.

   There is no such thing as hype anymore, understand change and be ready. Your attendees will thank you for that.