In 1967, the iconic New Yorkers Simon and Garfunkel released a song “At The Zoo” in which they sang “It’s all happening at the zoo.” It is perhaps a little late, but I am happy to report that it is true for the Bronx Zoo in New York. I confess that for many years I did not know that there was a Bronx Zoo. Whenever I heard the Bronx Zoo mentioned, it was in reference to Yankee Stadium. It was…
Special Events
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Everything you need to know about professional speakers
If you’re planning a corporate meeting or special event for your company, your choice of professional keynote speaker to kick off the itinerary can be every bit as important as the venue, theme and timing for the occasion. While not every conference may call for the services of these individuals, who typically take the form of subject matter experts, thought leaders or bestselling authors, many promise to enhance team-building exercises, training programs and executive summits. Typically, motivational speaking presenters are…
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Creativity in the meetings and events industry
From where does creativity come? Let me just say, I dislike the phrase ‘thinking outside of the box.’ It means nothing. The sky is the limit. After having produced events with budgets ranging from small to large, I feel qualified to say that your creativity is only limited by your imagination. So, where do you start? Ask the right questions to discover your client’s vision, if they have one. Move on to the objectives, format for the program and demographics…
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Sad events can be special events too: An appeal to event planners
My life has been very fortunate. I have had to endure only a few sad and no tragic events. Recently, however, we had a death in the family where I was assigned the duties of organizing the funeral and related activities. This was the first time that I had to oversee such an event. I soon realized that although unique in its level of grief and confusing emotions, it is also a special event management challenge – albeit a very…
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Three tips for a successful trade show or event
By Geoff Martin In a marketing world dominated by technology and online engagement, trade shows still prove to be a successful marketing technique for most organizations. Nothing compares to being face-to-face with your target market and encouraging engagement with your brand. Planning a trade show exhibit or event display can be overwhelming, but keeping the following three tips in mind will not only help to simplify the process, but will also help ensure a successful event. 1. Plan ahead: Define…
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Can a corporate event be fun?
It had been a long and difficult day – an early start with numerous meetings and endless telephone calls. That evening I was required to host our corporate table at a charity fundraising event. It was one of many fundraisers that I had attended over the previous few months – often at the same venue with the same menu. As usual, I was seated at a table of 10, half of whom were corporate colleagues and the remaining guests were…
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How to re-think education and training to boost interest and attendance
By Ben Moorsom I received some great feedback and many questions from the last article I wrote on high-energy events. One of the questions that caught my attention was around how to ensure you’re bringing the right energy to the education and training components of an event. We know that if the education and training components of your event are stale, you’ll start to see a drop-off in event attendance. In fact, according to The Decision to Attend Study (January…
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Another year older: What the aging population means to the events industry
A new year has begun. As with any new year, it starts with hope and optimism. Of course, it also means that we are all another year older. These days it is more than just an expression. Canadians are living longer, and the proportion of Canadians over 65 is increasing. Indeed, never in the million year history of humanity has life expectancy increased so rapidly as over the last century. In 1922 the average life expectancy was 60. By 1950…
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Fitness first: How to combat conference fatigue with fitness energy breaks
By Dr. Kim Bercovitz Think back to your last meeting or event. How often did you feel tired? Did you get fanny fatigue from sitting too much? Brain freeze from hearing a lot of information in a short period of time? Conference fatigue is a common problem experienced by attendees who sit for a long time at meetings and conferences. Muscles tighten, posture becomes slouched and energy levels plummet as the day wears on. Attendee inactivity at a typical conference…
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Why a special events professional should lead the Pan Am Games
At last the Pan Am Games begin tomorrow. One can only hope that the Games themselves will be so entertaining and the drama so compelling that the residents of the Greater Toronto Area will remember them with pride. Regrettably, the lead-up to the Games has so far created anything but fond recollections. Indeed, the Games organizers seemed to have transitioned the population of the region from general indifference to outright hostility. The Pan Am Games are essentially a special event…
