Discovering Healthcare (Event) Options

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With the future of the Affordable Care Act being hotly debated, healthcare is a huge focus for a number of government-related sectors. From IT professionals looking for ways to make healthcare more efficient, to policy makers looking for answers to affordability, to physicians trying to stay up on the latest technologies, procedures, and compliance, there are varied needs at healthcare-focused events.[Tweet "Healthcare is a huge focus for a number of government-related sectors. #GovEventsBlog"]

The diverse audience for healthcare events does have some common needs as pointed out in this article from FreemanXP. These include: Continue reading →

5 Ways to Disaster-Proof Your Meetings

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From time to time GovEvents will come across information we feel our members and audience would benefit from. Here's something we wanted to share:

Disasters can take many forms--from earthquakes and floods that damage infrastructure and halt business, to war, terrorism, cyber attacks, and pandemics, to technological failures such as power outages. The one thing they all have in common is the potential to cause trouble for, and perhaps even shut down, your meetings.

And yet planning for a disaster is something many meeting managers tend to give short shrift to. When meetings go off year after year without a hitch, it's easy to relax your guard. After all, what are the chances a tornado will hit during your meeting in Salt Lake City? While unlikely, it has been known to happen. And earthquakes aren't just an issue for California-based meetings--Oklahoma actually is the most seismically active region in the U.S. If your meeting is being held in the Pacific Northwest, are you prepared for cyber attacks? Continue reading →

Behind the Curtain: International Wireless Communications Expo

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The International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE) is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Over the years, IWCE has stayed true to its roots in two-way radio communications, keeping attendees abreast of the evolution of technology from mobile radios to push-to-talk integrated cellphones to today's coordination with IoT devices. But what IWCE is even more excited about is what the next 40 years hold for the communications technology industry.

As the core technology and devices have evolved, the audience at IWCE is increasingly moving toward a more public sector crowd with public safety, utilities, and transportation sectors highly represented. At the show, attendees meet with vendors showcasing the latest technologies, discuss policy, and receive training on new tools, policies, and techniques.[Tweet "Behind the Curtain: International Wireless Communications Expo | March 27-31 #GovEventsBlog #IWCE"]

Show Director, Stephanie McCall, shared some insights into what to expect at this year's show happening March 27-31 in Las Vegas, NV. Continue reading →

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Conference

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Winter is cold and flu season, but it is also prime conference time. This reality sent us looking for tips on how to stay healthy when you are in a confined space with 100 to 1000 of your newest friends. We've pulled together this quick list as a resource for us all.

  • Hand washing and sanitizer - It goes without saying you should frequently wash your hands or at the very least use hand sanitizer. Event planners should consider making hand sanitizer dispensers readily available. Small versions that fit in your pocket should be on your attendee checklist of event must-haves, right below business cards.[Tweet "Tips for staying healthy when attending events. #GovEventsBlog"]
  • Walk - Get outside for fresh air if you can. If not, take laps around the convention center or hotel to get your blood moving and keep you from the prolonged exposure to germs you would get sitting at lobby chairs and tables. You can even schedule meetings while taking your walk. If you are flying to your meeting, health professionals suggest walking the plane aisle once every hour to promote better circulation.
  • Eat well - Eat foods with high nutritional value, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Event planners should look at their menus to make sure these are available to attendees and also consider adding teas and other drinks with Echinacea, ginseng, vitamin C, and probiotics to help bolster the immune system.
  • Pace yourself - Events and conference are notoriously draining--all day sessions followed by all night parties and networking. While it's tempting to try to do it all, make sure you are pacing yourself and listening to your body. Getting quality sleep helps tremendously in your ability to fight off illness.[Tweet "While it's tempting to try to do it all, make sure you are pacing yourself. #GovEventsBlog"]
  • Wear your glasses - If you are flying or even taking a train to your event, switch out your contacts for glasses. With contacts, eyes dry out more easily and that creates a more hospitable breeding ground for germs. Glasses also make it less likely that you will touch your eyes, transferring germs that way.

[Tweet "Winter is cold and flu season, but it is also prime conference time. #GovEventsBlog"]We'd love to hear your tips for combining professional development with immunity development. Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

I Am a Good Event Planner But Nobody Shows Up

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From time to time GovEvents will come across information we feel our members and audience would benefit from. Here's something we wanted to share:


Are you a good event planner with dwindling event numbers? You may be making some of these common newbie mistakes.

Planning an event and driving traffic to it are two different skill sets. The first requires meticulous attention to detail, while the latter involves marketing and people skills. The first falls in the introvert's wheelhouse, while the second speaks to extroverts.

So how do you cultivate both sets of skills to become a great event planner? By avoiding these common mistakes.

12 Mistakes Top Event Planners Never Make

While "never" is an absolute that may not be fitting for most of us, seasoned professional event planners avoid these things as best they can because they understand how deeply it can affect their events and attendance. Continue reading →