Tag Archives: event planning

Exploring Vendor Relations

Posted on by

In this post we're going to to get real about our relationships. Before you think we've changed our focus here at GovEvents, this post is focused on the relationships with the vendors who make events happen. This vendor group includes hotels and other venues, catering companies, AV services and product companies, as well as transportation and logistics partners, and photographers to name a few.

A great vendor relationship is worth its weight in gold. Having a great relationship with all vendors involved in an event has benefits for attendees and planners.[Tweet "A great vendor relationship is worth its weight in gold. #GovEventsBlog"] Attendees get a seamless experience and the event planner or  host can feel a sense of calm even during the mad rush leading up to the event. But how do you cultivate long-term relationships and how do you get off on the right foot? Continue reading →

Playing Games

Posted on by

While the topics discussed at government events can be incredibly serious -- national security, cyber threats, defense -- that does not mean events have to be solemn. We've talked here before about bringing some fun to federal events without undermining the critical nature of the content.

Whether we realize it or not, Gamification has made its way into our professional lives. From "medals" awarded during mandatory online training to challenge.gov-type procurements to department contests for holiday cube decorating or charitable collections, we've inserted gameplay seamlessly into our work lives and it can also be done at our events. This game motivation goes back to our school days when teachers would post stars next to classmates' names for good behavior or excellent grades.

Continue reading →

Making Event Things Internet Things

Posted on by

The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) wrapped up in Vegas earlier this month, and there is a buzz around the latest connected devices that will make our lives easier, more connected, and of course, fun. The Internet of Things is a topic covered in many events, but it also has a huge impact on events themselves.[Tweet "The #IoT is a topic covered in many events, but also has an impact on events themselves. #GovEventsBlog"]

The Internet of Things (IoT) can be defined simply as everyday objects connected to a network. This means everything from the Fitbit on your wrist, to the thermostat in your home, to a sensor in a ceiling tile that connects to an app on your phone and welcomes you by name. This talk at a BizBash event highlights some lavish ways event producers and marketers can use the IoT to enhance the attendee experience including networked drinking cups that link you with colleagues on social media when you tap them in a "cheers." There are also social coolers that open up to reveal sodas or other drinks when you walk by with an app open. While some of these ideas may be impractical for the government event market, there are some basic IoT principles that can be applied to keep pace with the consumer-facing event market.[Tweet "Some IoT ideas may be impractical for government events, but a few do apply. #GovEventsBlog"] Continue reading →

Don’t End Up on the Naughty List

Posted on by

As meeting and event planners, it is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day work of planning, publicizing, and measuring events. However, this can often lead to overlooking some of the basics or getting caught in the "that's the way we've always done it" trap. Looking around the web for advice, we found five tips on ways to avoid common event failures.[Tweet "Five tips on ways to avoid common event failures. #GovEventsBlog"]

  1. Make them "Just do it" - every communication you send out should have a call to action. Even a 'Save the Date' can invite potential attendees to download a promo code or register to attend a pre-event webinar. Don't let them click by your emails--make sure there is something in it for them.
  2. Be practical - make it easy for attendees. Include details on parking, public transport, nearby hotels, restaurants, and dress code. This will build goodwill among attendees when they realize they don't have to do independent research to figure out the basic logistics they need to attend your event.[Tweet "Tip #2: Be practical - make it easy for attendees. #GovEventsBlog"]
  3. Search for the best deal - while most event planners are shrewd negotiators, it can be easy to get complacent when a price seems "fair." Be it printing, venue, or catering, always make a final ask of vendors to ensure you are getting the best price. Think about ways you could compensate vendors with advertising in exchange for lower rates.
  4. Make metrics measurable - make sure revenue and attendance goals are reasonable and achievable. Look for multiple ways to survey attendees (online, in-person, social channels) to get a bigger number and range of feedback on your event.
  5. Take it with you - in a content-centric marketing world, organizations are always looking for something to share and events are ripe with information. Make sure to capture all of the content presented at your event either through recordings, notes, or speaker materials.[Tweet "Capture all of the content presented at your event for future use. #GovEventsBlog"] Then you can use it for the weeks and months after the event ends. One keynote can become three or more blog posts. A panel discussion could be re-broadcast as a podcast. A number of related sessions could be combined into a whitepaper.

 

We'd love to hear from you. What are some of the biggest "gotcha" traps you see events and their erstwhile planners fall into?

Planning the End of Meetings and Events

Posted on by

No, we're not putting ourselves out of business by suggesting we do away with meetings and events. Rather, this post aims to look at how we close out events and how we can keep people engaged to the very end.[Tweet "A look at how to keep people engaged to the very end. #GovEventsBlog"]

We've all seen it and done it - sneaking out toward the end of an event to miss the traffic or get in some email time. Many events have relied on incentivizing attendees by saving their best speaker for the closing keynote or doing prize drawings. While this can work, it can backfire and give a great speaker a less than full room and a less than engaged audience, or it can make prize drawings feel more like roll-call in Ferris Beuller. How can meeting planners avoid short changing end-of-day speakers and ensure attendees want to stay and get the full benefit of the event? Continue reading →