Why pre-record content? In a nutshell, for your sanity! Pre-recording content ensures that everything will be ready to go on the day, limiting the amount of technical issues that could occur. There’s no chance of speakers failing to turn up, having connection issues, forgetting what time zone they are in or any of the other myriad things that can go wrong with a live event. Another important and often overlooked benefit is that it gives your speakers a chance…
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…
By Janice Cardinale Anticipation is what drives every one of us in the event industry. At The Idea Hunter, my corporate entertainment agency, we do our best work when we anticipate the future and craft ideas before our clients are aware they need it. Our work needs to inspire, resonate and, most importantly, add real value to our clients’ businesses. When we’re successful, it’s fulfilling not only for my clients and the talent I connect them with, but for me, too. To…
“OK, so, here’s what I want to talk about.” I meet with 75 or so presenters every year to help them craft talks, presentations, fireside chats and panels, and this is often the first set of words a speaker shares. This is a problem, and it’s big enough to derail your entire presentation. Many speakers think about presentations as moments of tell, as in, “I have something to tell the audience.” But the truth is, presentations are moments of sell.…
By Ben Moorsom With the IMEX focus being on purposeful meetings this year, it was apparent, after attending many sessions and talking with all sorts of folks in our industry, that if we’re going to engage our audiences we must be really strategic with events and meetings. When we build experiences, we can better shape event design and flow in order to improve many areas of an event, including engagement, retention, restoration, understanding, energy and beyond. Neuroscience and psychology can play…
By Jessica Symons and Sarah Stockton Before determining what the perfect event space is, you first need to understand your client’s needs, their demographic, and their expectations: Do they prefer downtown locations versus the suburbs? Do they need to be close to transit or the airport? Do they need to have off-site social locations close by? Where is the majority of their membership coming from? How many people are expected to attend this event? Are they mostly women, mostly men,…
In the face of today’s fast-moving, highly-volatile business world and the ongoing disruptions it brings, many businesses and individuals continue to struggle with the concept of innovation. But according to leading experts (and Merriam Webster’s dictionary), innovation is far simpler than you may suspect: By definition, it’s simply the introduction of something new. But innovating is often far easier said than done: If it were simple, everyone would be doing it, naturally. Surprisingly though, as we’ve found through our ongoing…
Have you ever wondered why you get so agitated sitting in a presentation longer than expected? Or why you are so relieved when it ends a few minutes earlier? To understand why this is the case, I interviewed Dr. Brynn Winegard, award-winning professor, brain science expert and keynote speaker. Dr. Winegard opened my eyes as to why sticking to a schedule matters more than you can imagine for the attendee experience. As event planners we know how important it is…
When the perfect speaker is just out of reach, it’s time to get creative I’ve been there a few times before – you know of the best and most perfectly suited speaker for your event, but the event budget can’t afford them. Those situations can be disappointing and, sometimes, the quality of the event will suffer. But, over the years, I’ve learned that a lack of money doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t get the speaker you want; you just have…
Young professional events can be super tricky to plan, because of the wide range of individuals attending (often anywhere from 21 to 35), varying from junior, to mid, to sometimes even senior-level professionals. Considering that you’re probably marketing to both Baby Boomers and Generation X (if they’re controlling the budget for professional development and other events for their staff), and Generations Y and Z (yes, the first-born of this group are now 22!), it can be very challenging to make…
