As the global meetings and events sector continues to recover, a focus on balance, belonging and sustainability will create many opportunities in the industry. The pandemic had a significant impact on meetings and events, but people have largely returned and attendance is expected to rise in the years to come. This is great news for the sector but it also brings fresh challenges and opportunities that will alter the way events are booked, planned and executed. “The pandemic was…
Event Operations
Planning Strategies for Private Events
Even for corporate event strategy and management companies like ours, we have found ourselves lucky enough to produce large scale private events for some notable Canadians including milestone birthday celebrations, retirement dinners, wedding productions, memorials and more. It’s not lost on us just how special these events are. Private events are highly personal, heartfelt and are typically focused on a more familial or individual endeavor or outcome. This means it can be hard to understand objectives, or the desired…
Digital Marketing Guide for Nonprofits
Digital marketing for nonprofits is the way of the future. If you aren’t leveraging digital marketing to reach new audiences and drive more membership dues, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to grow your organization. Digital marketing helps you spread your organization’s message and make a lasting impact on the community you serve. It helps you build relationships with members, volunteers, sponsors, donors, and those who have yet to hear about your organization—and it gives you the tools…
Learn How to Find the Best Speakers
Imagine that you are planning your client’s annual conference, and they have assigned you the task of finding the perfect-fit professional speaker. The speaker’s goal is to engage the entire audience during the opening Keynote address, bringing the event to life and energizing the attendees. This will set the tone and energy for the rest of the event. No pressure right? The speaker is “only” going to be addressing the entire audience at once. If it does not go…
Freedom of Choice: AV Contracts
By Heather Reid Did you know that as much as 55 per cent (yes, you read that right!) of a customer’s audiovisual (AV) invoice can be paid by the in-house preferred audiovisual supplier to the venue as a commission for the privilege of being identified as the “in-house preferred supplier”. With commissions at these staggering rates, significant revenues can be generated. It is no wonder then, that carefully crafted policies and fees are found in venue contracts to influence the…
Five Challenges Planners Face Today
I have been an event producer for three and a half decades. I have lived through many recessions in the event industry and survived. And through all of these years, I have seen all kinds of challenges, but the new challenges we are facing today in the event industry are affecting our ability to do our job effectively. It is a known fact that planning events is stressful; in fact, event planning ranks up there with careers such as…
Demand For Casual Events Growing
The biggest shift we are seeing in corporate events – and our strong prediction for the evolution of event design in the future – is a demand for more casual, authentic conversations, thoughtful content design, comfortable spaces and lots of opportunities for conversations and interaction. Gone are the days where people dress up in stiff business attire, travel far to a boring venue and sit in rows listening to some “sage on the stage” for content or for a…
Calgary’s BMO Centre Set For Debut
Calgary’s BMO Centre will welcome visitors to the new building in 2024 with the project on time and on budget. The $500-million expansion will add 500,000 sq. ft. of convention space to the BMO Centre, making it the largest convention centre in Western Canada, with more than one-million square feet. The new space will feature three floors of tradeshow and convention space, with a more than 100,000 sq. ft. exhibition hall, 38 additional meeting rooms, and two new ballrooms…
The AV Journey of an Event Planner
Meet Nancy, a seasoned corporate event planner known for her ability to create unforgettable corporate experiences. As Nancy prepared for her latest event, she faced a crucial decision – whether to stick with in-house hotel AV services or venture into the world of external AV partnerships. Join us as we delve into Nancy’s journey, where the power of choice, creativity, and collaboration intertwine to elevate corporate events. 1. Setting Your Vision Free: Unshackling from In-House AV Constraints Nancy understood…
Insurance For Hybrid Events
Event planning and insurance over the last couple of years has become more complicated with the advent of virtual and hybrid meetings. These meetings tend to be more expensive, particularly a hybrid meeting and losses, should something go awry can be even more costly. Due to the rise in the number of virtual and hybrid events, the insurance industry is slowly changing to be able to respond to the challenges of hybrid and virtual events. New virtual event cancellation…
