Event Operations

Best Practices to Reduce Event Food Waste

2022/07/14

Second Harvest works with thousands of food businesses from across the supply chain, and across the country, utilizing logistics and technology to reduce the amount of edible food going to waste. Our inclusive model ensures this healthy surplus food is redirected to thousands of charities and non-profits across the country, providing millions of Canadians experiencing food insecurity access to the nourishment they need. Through our work with the hospitality industry and specifically events teams, we have learned some best…
Designing Impactful Event Spaces

2022/06/20

Event experience is everything at conferences and conventions. Impactful venue space design can create the right atmosphere and bring an event to life. Even prior to COVID-19’s impact on the meetings industry, the event experience was very important to conference attendees. With so much material available online, the in-person event experience is an opportunity to meet and network with new and existing colleagues and is one of the main reasons people attend events. According to Brian Tennyson, principal at…
Stories: the Secret to Social Media Success

2022/06/16

by Victoria Alves Bob Burg, author of Endless Referrals, famously said, “All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like, and trust.” Although these words were first said in 1994, with the dawn of social media and the ever-increasing amount of people spending their time and posting their lives online, these words ring true more now than ever. So how do we get people to know, like, and trust us? We…
Experiential Entertainment For Team Building

2022/06/06

With all the available options and directions for an event there is nothing more effective at bonding people, team building and creating a lasting impact than moments attendees can feel. There is abundant research to support the value of fun and entertainment. According to communications guru Dale Carnegie, “People rarely succeed unless they are having fun in what they are doing.” By creating an environment where people enjoy the time they spend at an event, you set a welcoming…
Chef Q&A: Duff Lampard, MTCC

2022/06/03

When it comes to creating menus not typical of the North American convention scene, look no further than chef Duff Lampard. The executive chef of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) in Toronto has more than 20 years of experience in some of the most renowned hotels across Canada. He has also worked in London, England where he brought to life exciting menus for renowned clients such as Chanel Paris, The National Gallery and Sir Richard Branson. He took…
How to Navigate Net Zero Events

2022/05/23

Corporate lingo for “mind the planet” is constantly changing. Start feeling comfortable talking about “sustainability” and “CSR”, and suddenly it’s all about “carbon neutral” and “net zero.” As challenging as it can be to keep up, it is important for event professionals to stay on top of what these terms mean if they are to deliver value and avoid liabilities in the corporate event space. So what do you need to know to speak confidently about net zero? To begin,…
Will Contract Complacency Set in Again?

2022/05/09

by Heather Reid As an entrepreneurial event planner since 1994, I’ve been through the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the SARS outbreak in 2003-2004 and the Great Recession of 2007-2008. After each of these crises, there was a palpable buzz in the industry about the importance of event contracts and balanced contract clauses, and yet each time, that buzz quickly took a “backseat” to the plethora of planners’ more pressing responsibilities. Now that we are all emerging from the…
Leveraging Technology

2022/05/05

2022 is ramping up with many eager to see a return to in-person events. Most are also leveraging the widespread improvements in technology and increased digital dexterity on the attendee side. This new digital confidence is unlocking the potential for wider reach, stronger networks and longer, more meaningful conversations. It’s also helping the events industry feel positive about its future and building confidence in creating impactful and measurable hybrid experiences. Many have taken on the challenge of merging digital…
Virtual vs Face-to-Face Events

2022/04/25

Over the last two years, everything has moved online. Our commutes to offices have been replaced with working from home computers; dining out has been replaced with Uber Eats orders or at-home meal boxes; and even in the world of events – an industry grounded in bringing people together – has had to transition online too. From hosting virtual meetings, cooking with famous chefs, attending galas… the list can go on and on. But despite the progression we’ve made…
Building Proposals that Close Deals

2022/04/22

Writing great proposals is not rocket science. But too often we try to short cut the process. If you follow these four simple steps you will be successful with your proposals. 1) Understand the prospect’s needs. This means extensive discovery sessions. Before you can build a proposal, you need to know the prospect’s specific goals. Are they sales? Is it about building brand awareness? Is it a PR or GR move? Perhaps it is about employee engagement. Perhaps it…