Author Archives: Kerry Rea President of GovEvents

About Kerry Rea President of GovEvents

Twitter: @Kerry_Rea | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kerryrea/ I am a business and marketing professional with an extensive background in company start-ups. I have 20+ years direct experience in the information technology, government, franchise, and construction industries. Having a passion for business, I love brainstorming, collaborating and strategizing on the best ways to achieve our clients' and partners' business objectives.

Wrapping up 2015’s Key Events

Posted on by

With back to school activity wrapping up for the kids, it's time for professionals to think about their own continuing education. As we've done throughout the year, here's a list of some of the remaining 2015 can't miss events for the government market. [Tweet "Remaining 2015 can't miss events for the government market. #GovEventsBlog"]

  • NASCIO Annual Conference (October 11-14 Salt Lake City, UT) - The National Association of State Chief Information Officers represents the interests of state chief information officers and information technology executives and managers. This annual meeting brings together these professionals for a chance to share challenges and successes with one another and meet with the vendor community. This year's event is focused on "advancing smart government."

Continue reading →

Video Killed the Multitasker

Posted on by

With travel and training budgets remaining tight, getting people to an in-person training or event can be difficult. Many agencies are embracing online learning and video to achieve their training objectives and needs. While in-person trainings provide a high level of collaboration and attention, technology has evolved to make online training an incredibly attractive option for learning.[Tweet "Technology has evolved to make online training an attractive option. #GovEventsBlog"] From wide access to audio and video technology (with cameras and high quality speakers and microphones built into most devices) and high bandwidth, organizations are no longer limited in what they can present to remote participants. But, this does not mean every bell and whistle should be used in online training. What technologies and tools to use is a strategic decision that needs to be made based on the audience and the content.

Emily Timmerman, Senior Solutions Consultant with Adobe Connect recently shared with us some of the tips she and her team give their customers when designing virtual environments. Continue reading →

Tale of Two Cities: Social DC and Federal DC

Posted on by

Washington, DC is a city with many sides to its personality and vibe. There is the social circuit defined by extravagance, power  and wealth, and an event circuit more recognizable by our readers--one defined by restraint in an effort to not break any ethics rules. The Washington Post recently ran an article about how even the traditional Washington social circles are working hard to attract the right guests to their parties and the changes they are looking to make. [Tweet "Tale of Two Cities: Social DC and Federal DC #GovEventsBlog"]

While the events listed on GovEvents do not have the budget or the purpose of these more social, fundraising events, there are some lessons we can take away from these gatherings to make them more attractive and memorable. Continue reading →

You Know the Type

Posted on by

As we gear back up for tradeshow and conference season it is good to be prepared for the variety of challenges and experiences that come your way on the show floor. If you have spent any time staffing a booth you know that many attendees can be lumped into general "hard to deal with" groups. Below we list out some of the people you are likely to encounter and how best to turn around the experience and make it a positive one for both of you.[Tweet "You know the type... Which one is your favorite? #GovEventsBlog"]

  • The one who never makes eye contact - some people are shy, introverted, and just not interested in making small talk. Valid reasons for someone to avoid interacting with you, but as an exhibitor you cannot write these folks off. Try to engage them in a way that is comfortable for them. Have some self-guided demos on hand so they can walk through them (alone) and hopefully afterward they will have some questions to engage you in conversation.

Continue reading →

F is for Federal and Fun

Posted on by

When we saw the headline, How to Entertain a Serious Audience, we immediately thought of government events. We know it is an overgeneralization and a misrepresentation that people who serve the government tend to be more serious, bureaucratic, and careful with their words, but there is some truth to this stereotype. With very real mandates around gifts, endorsements, and the reality of austere budgets, events for the federal sector cannot be as flashy as those for commercial-focused attendees. But that does not mean they cannot be fun.

While the day-to day work and missions of government audiences are incredibly important, vital, and sometimes even deadly serious, it does not mean they don't enjoy some levity. Here are a couple ideas to lighten the mood at events and create some fun differentiators in the crowded federal event marketplace. [Tweet "Ideas to lighten the mood at federal events and create some fun differentiators. #GovEventsBlog"] Continue reading →