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Finding the Perfect Sized Venue for Your Event

Finding the right-sized venue for your event can be a difficult feat, but with the right guidance you can determine the perfect size and atmosphere for your attendees.When serving food, 6-10 square feet of floor space should be given per guest:

6 square feet per guest
* Guests feel close and will have less ease of accessing food and drinks

7 ½ square feet per guest
* This is considered “comfortably crowded”
* Ideal for receptions and other similar functions

10 square feet per guest
* More than ample space for guests to mingle and easily visit food & drink stations
* Perfect for any luxury reception

For more information on number of buffet tables per guests and what size of buffet tables you might need you can access the article here.

For a sit-down dinner (wedding reception, gala, corporate event, etc.), you can calculate the number of tables you’ll need by dividing the number of guests by the “comfortable” seating capacity of each table. This number will vary depending on the type of table. For example, a standard 8′ banquet table seats eight people, so if you were expecting 150 guests, your calculation would be:

150 guests / 8 (at 96″ rectangular tables) = 18.75  – Round UP to get 19 Tables Needed

You can find the capacities and calculations for other table sizes here.

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Finding the Perfect Vendors for Your Corporate Event

One key to success for every event planning company is assembling a professional, dependable, creative team of vendors to support your efforts. No matter how great your ideas are, you can’t compete in the event planning industry without a reliable, effective group of suppliers behind you.

Having the right vendor for a specific purpose is like a good marriage.  You want to hire reliable vendors that view this as a long-term relationship.  While they may likely won’t be the cheapest, over time, their prices will be fair and their service will be well worth the cost. Make sure to take the time to get to know them before starting work, in order to forge a long-term alliance.

Your event can be tarnished by even one bad vendor, as he/she can leave a bad impression on the event attendees. The decorator may choose the wrong color or performers may not be well prepared. It is almost impossible to erase all these bad moments from your client’s mind. So, finding the perfect vendors for your corporate event is essential to success.

If you are ready to start your research, here are several of the types of vendors you may need for your corporate event:

  • Performers to keep attendees entertained
  • Photographers to capture the best moments of your party
  • Decorators and florists to create the perfect atmosphere
  • Waiters to serve food and beverages
  • Caterers to prepare the foold
  • Art director to handle computer imaging, design, and signage
  • Audio/visual (AV) firm to install and run the sound and lighting
  • Graphic artist to create event posters and invitations
  • Registration staff to welcome attendees, register them and direct them

Successful event planners say that the best way to choose the right vendors is to carefully vet them ahead of time, both directly and indirectly.  Before contacting vendors, make sure to talk with other industry leaders and ask them about their own experiences with vendors.

When not working with our expert vendor team, we use a CRM system, like Salesforce.com, to keep track of any information we find about vendors, in addition to using it for our sales process and to track our competitors.  This allows us to keep track of positives and negative about any company over time, in addition to prices paid.

Issues always arise at events. The best vendors are those able to minimize the occurrence of issues, but more importantly, to deal with the unexpected properly and promptly.   We are generally more impressed with vendors that have solid processes and procedures as planning allows us to decrease risk and have a better event.

When you have a list of recommended vendors, you are ready to start your research and collect information about them, including:

  • Vendor name, address, contact information
  • Specialization
  • Prices
  • Discounts offered
  • Payment and refund policies
  • Insurance coverage
  • Licenses held
  • Qualitative information:  This can be experiences from both customers and competitors.  What did they do well?  What didn’t they do well?

Having such a vendor file is crucial, as it will save you much time and effort down the road. When you have all this information in a CRM system, the vendor selection process becomes much easier.  Before hiring a vendor for your corporate event, make sure to find as much information as you can about that company’s past interactions, successes, failures, and any tidbits of information you can glean.

The first indicator of a good vendor is the responsiveness and professionalism they show in interacting with you.  Here are some specific things to understand when vetting a vendor:

How professional are they?  You want to deal with a vendor that will expedite the process seamlessly and one that won’t suck away your precious time.  Time is at a premium when it comes to large events and you want someone that frees your time.

One of the best ways to tell is to find out their process for a proposal. This can be enlightening as it will tell you whether they treat their business like a business, or as a hobby.

From there, dig into the proposal to find out what their contingencies are.  We are surprised by the number of seemingly basic issues that event planners deal with when it comes to vendors.  Two questions that we are very rarely asked, but seem obvious are:

  • What happens if your performers don’t arrive on time, or just don’t show up?
  • How do you deal with unplanned changes during the event?

Have they done a similar event before?  You really want to understand their experience.  This will dictate how they deal with changes and reduce issues.  If they can tell you what has worked and what hasn’t in the past for a similar event, their experience becomes obvious.

It’s always a good idea to ask questions for which you already know the answer, and more importantly, ones that they should know the answers to.

Do they have contracts in place or will they need to draft one?  This is obviously a deal killer, but it still amazes us how many vendors still do not use contracts, and even more so, how many event planners hire vendors without them.

Contracts are not in place to ensure that vendors do what they intend.  In fact, most any vendor will plan with best intentions to execute well ahead of payment.  Instead, contracts are necessary to detail what happens when issues arise.  You generally get what you pay for, and vendors without them are sketchy, at best.

Also, do they use electronic signature software?  We use and like DocuSign as it reduces the contract process and lets us focus more on the event.  Will you need to chase vendors down for a COI?   These questions will give you a good understanding of the experience and amount of time you will need to “invest” in your vendors.

When you are ready to hire, make sure that they create a detailed proposal showing what the vendor is going to do for your event. In general, vendor proposals consist of the following parts:

  • Description of the main service offered
  • Costs and payment methods
  • Description of the equipment provided
  • Scheduling information
  • Insurance and other risk management methods
  • List of vendor requirements (e.g. electricity, water)
  • Additional services offered

With all the above-mentioned information in mind, here are some bonus tips that will help you to find the right vendor for your corporate event.

1.     Determine your needs

First of all, before starting the research process, create a list of your needs and requirements. What kind of corporate event are you hired to deliver? Is it formal, or more interactive and fun? How many people will attend the event? Will it be indoors or outdoors? What is the theme of the event? Are there any special guests to invite? What is the vendor budget for the event?

You should clearly understand your needs and prepare a list of how your vendors match them.  Doing this will make it easier for you to judge their proposals.

2.  Ask for referrals

As the great investor Warren Buffett says, “Price is what you pay.  Value is what you get.”  What he means is that cost is not indicative of value.  For example, we work with a saxophonist who is very pricey.  Most customers balk at the price and instead go for a much cheaper option as budgets are tight. The only way we’ve been able to book him is because customers have asked for referrals.

However, this saxophonist is fantastic and really elevates the mood at the event.  He’s fun and guests absolutely love him.  Despite the high price, 80% of event planners who have booked him a first time have booked him subsequently.

Try to connect with other clients the vendor had worked with and ask their opinions. Also, since many vendors in the same city interact a lot with each other, you can ask the vendors you have already booked if they had worked with that particular person to find out whether you are making the right choice.

3. Don’t be afraid to negotiate

What should you do when you’ve found the perfect vendor for your corporate event, but you think that they are too expensive compared to alternatives? Don’t be afraid to negotiate, because you never know whether they will offer some discounts or special promotions for you.

As Benjamin Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”  Finding the perfect vendors for your corporate event is one of the most difficult steps in event planning. Do your research and hire carefully; a little extra work on the front end is well worth it to avoid an embarrassing disaster.

Do you have other tips for selecting vendors that you would like to share with us? We would love to hear about them in the comments section below.

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Five Ways to Add Value to Event Sponsors

Event sponsors go out of their way to provide financial assistance so you can achieve your event goals. A successful event can hinge on the number of sponsors and assistance they provide. Because of the important role they play, it’s vital to make sure they get proper recognition and that you show your appreciation.

Follow these five tips to ensure that event sponsors feel valued when participating in your event:

1)    Add sponsors’ names to ALL the event’s media announcements.

Nothing shows appreciation and adds value to your sponsor like putting their name on all the elements of the show. Add their name and logo to all of the following:

a)    Social media sources – LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and all the mobile apps as well
b)    All press releases
c)    All printed materials

 

2)    Present them as experts.

Do a speed-networking event, where you have each sponsor present or host a table highlighting their expertise so attendees can ask questions. This gives them credibility and puts them in the position to sell to your attendees without being “salesy.”

No one wants to be overtly self-promotional, and your attendees don’t want to be sold to. This practice is the best way to give your attendees information they are interested in and to allow your sponsors one-on-one time with attendees who may be interested in what they offer.

3)    Feature sponsors as speakers for breakout sessions.

Have your sponsors speak on their expertise and be the featured speaker for a breakout session. This is a great way to fill your program with speakers who will speak for free.

This method also sets your sponsors up for success. A well-delivered presentation will automatically make them the expert in the field and people will approach them for more information following their speech.

4)    Highlight sponsor logos and names.

Use the walk in and out of your general session as time to flash sponsors’ names on screen – this builds sponsor brand recognition. They are your audience and funders for your show; show them the LOVE!

The screens in your general, opening, and closing sessions should be used to the fullest. There will be approximately 30 minutes before the event that guests will be entering the room and getting situated.

Use the visual space to thank sponsors, do light housekeeping, and remind attendees of special events or breakout meetings – but really use that time for sponsorships. If your sponsors have commercials or YouTube videos, you could play those as well.

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Event Hero Survival Guide: Week 2

This week, we continue our three part series on surviving events and becoming the hero. Click here to read Event Hero Survival Guide: Week 1

The Big Day is here

On event day, make sure you have all your communication devices: cell phone, headset, radio and mobile devices, everything you need to stay in touch. Other items you will need include a printed schedule, speaker contacts, and contact numbers of all the people you may need to stay in touch with.

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Event Hero Survival Guide: Week 1

What you need to know to survive an event

What would Superman or Wonder Woman do if they were event planners? I can image a mild-mannered young woman dressed in a shapely suit, standing with a clipboard while she oversees all the attendees and happenings of the event. Suddenly, a call comes in from her sidekick and she rushes off to solve the problem at hand.

How does this SUPER event hero stay calm, cool and collected as she deflects bad sound systems, grumpy speakers, and lost PowerPoints for the breakout rooms?

We’ve come up with a list of ways for you to stay cool and save the day for your clients! Over the next three weeks we’ll progressively share our top fifteen tips for surviving an event and becoming the hero.

Pick a venue that works

When choosing an event venue, make sure you think about traffic flow. Are all the rooms on the same level? Do attendees have to travel a long distance between the general session, trade show exhibits, and breakout rooms?

Keeping all of the event spaces close keeps your attendees close. If they have to travel up and down the elevator or from one venue to the next, you are likely to lose a few.

Dealing with stairs and elevators is also hard on you, as the event planner, to try to manage event spaces that have a lot of distance between them.

Make sure you have an event office close to the meetings that are going on.

Stay close to the venue

Make sure your hotel room is close to the venue and whenever possible, stay on property. There might be times you need to run down to the ballroom or meet with one of your VIPs or speakers on site the evening before the event starts or bright and early in the morning. Staying close will make it easier for you to do so. Make sure you aren’t driving while tired or after dark in a strange neighborhood.

Having your room on property will also allow you to run to your room when you have a chance to freshen up or just escape for a few minutes.

Create your dream team

You will need all the eyes you can find for an event. Make sure you have introduced yourself and “made nice” with the venue staff. This includes the custodial staff, craft services, set up staff, sales and event staff, your tradeshow vendors, volunteers and your event staff. It takes a village to make an event happen. And remember: every person you work with is as important as your VIPs, and should be treated as such.

Dress for Success (and of course, work too)

We know you love those great shoes you just purchased and they look amazing with that pencil skirt, but leave the new shoes at home! Or save them for the dinner function where you get to sit down for a while.

We suggest you take shoes that will be comfortable for long days and many hours on your feet. We also HIGHLY suggest you bring a second pair. Switching out shoes midway through the day will keep your feet happy. And you rely on them for many days in a row – be nice to them!

NEVER take your shoes off and expect to get them back on again. Switching pairs will provide the same relief as taking off your shoes. Being barefooted is not acceptable in public places.

Wear clothing that will allow you to move easily and offer you the ability to bend, stretch, lift and look amazing. It’s a challenge, but you will build your event clothing wardrobe fairly quickly.

Dress in layers and take a sweater. Facilities often wait to turn on the air conditioning or heating until the night before the event starts, and you will want options during the event.

Preparing for event day

Before you turn in at the end of the day, make sure you have everything done for the start of the event. Check the general session room and breakout room/s to make sure they will be ready for your morning sessions. Check in with your event team and the venue team. Knowing everything is set and ready for the event will allow you to rest easy.

We even lay out our capes, super hero outfits, and shoes to make sure we know exactly what we will be wearing in the morning and for the day. In fact, we go as far as hanging our credentials (name tags and tickets) on the hanger with our shirts so we make sure we have everything we need to jump into super hero gear for any early morning emergency that might arise.  If we had a magic phone booth we could jump in and instantly be dressed, we would take that with us!

Be sure to tune in next week to see the next five tips to survive an event!

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Tradeshow Tips: Better Serving Your Vendors

Planning and managing a trade show can be both exciting and overwhelming. There are a lot of details to attend to prior to, during, and after the event.

One of the most important aspects is managing your vendors. Because they’re taking their time and resources to be there, you want to be sure to manage their expectations and provide them with accurate information throughout.

Our Vendor Experience

We’ve been vendors at numerous trade shows throughout the years and wanted to share one of our most memorable experiences as an example of what not to do—and help you learn how to better serve your vendors.

We attended a trade show a few years ago as exhibitors, in order to meet and network with event and meeting planners in a different part of the state.

It was a one-day show that promised to bring in as many as 500 event and meeting planners. In order to extend our reach and visibility in the community, we took the plunge and paid the booth fee, hired labor for travel and hosting the booth.

On top of this, we created new graphics for a fresh look and produced flyers and additional collateral to furnish our booth. Preparation wasn’t cheap–we put in several thousand dollars to make this happen as vendors.

One cost saver was that the event was from 3-7 PM and didn’t require an overnight stay. We arrived and set up in four hours, had a pleasant check-in experience, and were able to grab lunch at the local café before the show began.

Less Than Expected 

After doors opened, there was a VERY light crowd. We thought attendance would increase, but boy were we wrong. The expected crowd of 500 turned into a potential 100 and by the end we only saw about 25 meeting planners.

To say we were disappointed in the turnout is an understatement. To say the show was well organized, well, I’m just not going there. This was especially surprising with a room filled of vendors with extensive meeting and event planning experience.

Taking Advantage of Our Situation

To turn this negative experience into a positive one, we spent our time visiting with other vendors. We were able to set future appointments with them and have in depth conversations with the few meeting planners we were able to find in the slim group that attended.

Vendors are the core of trade shows, so it’s important that you understand how to best serve them in order to ensure the success of current and future trade shows. Learn our top tips for vendor management and appreciation from our most recent trade show experience below.

Here are a few ways trade show organizers can better serve their vendors:

1) Offer a vendor hospitality room

Although we weren’t there for a long amount of time, a place to put our coats and grab a water and small snack would have been nice. Any time you have people standing on a hard floor for a long amount of time, it’s nice to have a place for them to get away. Even for five minutes.

2) Underpromise and over deliver

Gather friends and friends of friends that are in the demographics you promised and make sure you deliver on the promises of attendees made. Trade shows are expensive ventures for your vendors so make sure you deliver the crowd.

3) Pay special attention to noise levels

Keep music and presentations to a level where the attendees and vendors can have a conversation. We could not hear the people that attended our booth and they couldn’t hear us over the very loud bands that had been booked to play during the event.

4) Make sure your deliverables are outlined and clear

I was told by the trade show intern that I would get a list of attendees. In this group, the attendees this probably didn’t make that much of a difference, as they turned out not to be my audience.

However, there was one person whose business card I didn’t get that I would have really liked to communicate with later. I was later told by the organizer that no list would be delivered. I understand that several of the other vendors were expecting a list as well. This should be clearly outlined for both the vendors and the attendees.

5) Offer incentives to help pull in attendees

For the companies and meeting and event planners in this area, an educational series or discussion might have made the difference deciding to attend. Tapping into the speakers’ or performers’ social media followers could have also increased the opportunity to reach more of the audience and incentivizing them to attend.

6) Don’t forget signage and/or mapping

Make sure there is a banner for each booth to hang on the drape at the back of the booth. If the vendor has their own signage, this is a waste of money but if they don’t, this would have certainly helped to identify the vendors. In this case, those were not provided and several vendors didn’t have any signage to identify them.

We know it’s a lot of work to put on a trade show, we know that there are a bazillion things to manage, but keep in mind that your vendors have paid you money to attend and are expecting what you promised in return. They too, have taken a risk of time and money to be there and it can be quite costly for them. Make sure you deliver!

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Five Reasons to Theme Your Next Event

Take a moment and think about the last event you attended. If you can vividly remember the handwritten invitations, the elegant entryway, gourmet foods and classy décor, chances are, you got themed. Themes help drive the vision and also create a seamless flow during any event.

Whether you choose something fun or funky, fantastical or serious, theming will ensure attendees are engaged and relaxed.  Here are five more reasons you should theme your next event:

1) Clear, Concise Messaging: When your theme ties into the message your client is trying to convey, the event is more influential and impactful.  For example, let’s say you’ve been hired by an organization that will be opening new offices all across the U.S. A great theme for a company’s journey to expand is the historic Route 66 theme.  You could also use this theme for a venue along old Route 66. See other themes we love.

2) Setting the Mood: Theming enhances the atmosphere of any event. From the time attendees receive their save the date cards to the end of the event; theming sets the tone and makes the difference between a good event and an event attendees will remember forever.

3) Cohesiveness and Connection: Nothing says professional as much as seamless elements flowing as one. When the food choices, the entertainment, lighting and room arrangement all work together, attendees feel connected and in tune with all the combined elements.

4) Manageability: By using a theme, every single element becomes easy to manage and deliver – which means success for you and your client looks like the hero!

5) An Event They’ll Remember: The best reason to use a theme is that your client and the attendees will remember and recall your event – taking delight in how everything flowed and how every element made them feel connected and a part of something bigger.

Don’t know where to get started? Read our blog on 8 Steps for Creating a Theme or How to Choose a Theme

Instead of relying on a broad vision, choosing a theme for your next event can guide you as you plan, alleviating any chance for missing an important detail. The focus that comes from theming your event will benefit you as an event planner, and will delight your client and their guests. And don’t even get us started about how much time and money you’ll save –that’s a whole other blog! Find more great resources, tips and tricks for being an Event Hero at www.eventheroes.com/vip-membership

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Troubleshooting at a Large Event: Behind the Scenes with Tracy Fuller-White

An Event Hero knows and understands that while setting up for an event, not all things go smoothly. If you are starting out as an event planner and don’t know this, it’s time you come to realize this reality.

Events have a LOT of moving pieces and many different people are involved in the production of an event. Therefore, there are many opportunities for Murphy’s Law (whatever can go wrong, will go wrong) to come into play. Sometimes it feels like this:


However, there are ways to handle this professionally and ways to be prepared for when things do go wrong. This is something we cover extensively in our VIP Membership. Just to give you an idea of what can go wrong, I’ve gone ahead and documented some event day hiccups from a recent event I helped produce:

LOAD IN START TIME: Timing can be a bear! We were unable to get into the facility until 3:30 AM the day of the event (Show time = that evening at 6 PM ). [Picture me silently screaming inside]

The best way to explain this was facility error. The venue had an event happening the night before and rather than sticking to the agreed upon load-in time, they chose to extend the time of the previous event, overriding our original load in time.

While I can see the incentive for the facility to allow flexibility to their other event, it really threw a wrench in our schedule and was not a best-practices way of operating.
Luckily, we have a wonderful crew that worked diligently from the wee hours of the morning until the next evening. They put in all the bells and whistles and still managed to function during the show. In fact, they were cooperative and nice to work with. That’s what we love about our AV team, they are a part of the team and know how to work as team members.
3AM load in had me like:

RIGGING for specialty acts: Things don’t always work out the way you had planned, even when you’ve spent months planning. This was true of the Lyra that was being rigged in the ceiling for the show. (Lyra – an aerial hoop that performers swing on)

The performers were doing the rigging, had done all the pre-event work to ensure safety, load in time frames, etc. but when on site, knowing where and how to pull the ring up and let it back in became a conundrum.

 

This is where discussion/decision making come into play, as well as being flexible and early on the scene. These factors helped us make sure we had a plan before the event start time. After a few discussions and some trial and error, we found a solution that worked for everyone. No one was the wiser that we had this little challenge and it was just that, a little challenge.

PULLED in many directions: As the meeting producer/ planner/ large scale decor for this event, I held all the information for load in and was multi-tasking like crazy. Yes, my adrenaline was on fire and I was loving every minute of it. Phone to my ear, giving direction to the stage hands on décor issues and sending people to their prospective places all at the same time.

I did have help from committee members and from my wonderful crew, but all were waiting on my direction for final placement, final confirmation and sometimes the exact know-how to make it work.

YEP! We got it done in fine fashion and the show looked great!

Other moving pieces: This show happened to be filled with volunteers – 80 designers, 100 models, 35 other volunteers for the day-of and a pretty great team from the organization itself. Most of us had been working on this event for the better part of a year.

Our talent wrangler, fashion show script writer and show producer probably had the lion’s share of the pressure. How do you make sure your designers, models and backstage support team shows up to help pull off this event? Well, you make it a great show! AND she did.

BACK STAGE REPAIRS: Bubble wrap can be difficult to work with and sometimes the welds or the seams don’t hold as hoped. We have a whole area set up for repairs. We learned this early in the game and now there is someone there to help with last minute repairs up until show time.

HAIR: Boy, this event lines up the hard stylists! – We have models of all ages in unbelievable outfits and even sometimes bubble wigs. YEP! That’s a lot of different styles. There are about 15 hairstylist that handle all the different hair styles to go with the fashion designs.

MAKEUP: Once hair is done, the makeup begins. Again, from airbrush artist to makeup artist, we have them lined up and ready to go.

DRESSING ROOMS: Dressing rooms are created out of drape and 4 rooms stay busy for those who feel shy. Otherwise, there is a big open room for getting ready and lots of people to help get the models in their costumes.

MODELS that didn’t show up: Need a size 6 that is at least 5’4” and only weighs 115 pounds…..OH and is available to walk the catwalk in costume in just 3 hrs. YIKES! But yes, it happens every year….this year, the backstage manager was able to step in, but let me tell you, managing the backstage before heading out on stage in this outfit was no easy task! – She did a beautiful job and again, no one knew we were a model down.

These were just a few of the challenges that we encountered that day, but the show was amazing as well as the entire room. In addition, the food was great and the guests had a POPPIN’ good time! This is a total win for this event and we all went home feeling great about the show we had just completed!

The lesson I want you to take away from this is that when planning and setting up for an event, do your best to expect the unexpected. Even if it is something you could have never seen coming, take a deep breath, put your thinking cap on, and get to work.

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How to Stay Sane as a Solopreneur

As a solo entrepreneur (solopreneur) sometimes it’s hard to stay sane. If you are like me, you might find yourself in front of your computer working away and the days just fly by. I sometimes forget to eat lunch and may not see another human or talk on the phone for a full day. I have worked this way for years.

Even though I own a business with a handful of other people involved, I’ve chosen to work from my home in my nice cozy home office. Frankly, I enjoy it that way and find I get so much more work done than I do in a social work environment.

Honestly, if you aren’t communicating with a human outside your family or pets for a few days in a row, your brain starts to turn to mush! So how can you stay connected with the outside world as a solopreneur? Here are 7 ways, I’ve found to stay connected:

#1 – Attend networking events

 

I love to network and meet new people. There are so many ways you can get out and network. In my city, there is a magazine that holds an event once every quarter to release their new magazine. I attend these unveiling events as often as I can for several reasons. Those who attend often includes many of my clients, so it’s a great chance to connect outside of our usual atmosphere and stay connected. It’s also nice to jump out of my casual work clothes and into something dressier. Lastly, it brings me a lot of joy to have intelligent conversations that stimulate my brain.

I really can’t say enough about how important networking is for your business. Being seen at an event will remind people that you have a business and that you are still active. Bring a friend along and take turns introducing each other to people you know. After a while, walking in to a networking event will be easier because you will know a ton of the people there. Yes, I know it’s hard to go alone, but after one or two short and sweet conversations, you’ll get in the groove and be ready to take on the networking challenge.

#2 – Get involved in a non-profit fundraiser

This is perfect for those of you looking to become Event Heroes. There are many organizations that can use your event planning skills to help make their event super fantastic, and they will welcome you with open arms to their organization. Make sure you have the time and energy to handle taking on a charity.

This is one of the best ways to get your company off the ground and get the exposure you are looking for. Ask the committee, one on one, it they know anyone planning an event, getting married, etc. that they could introduce you to. Use these well-connected individuals to help you build your business. Be subtle when asking, but know that most committees have community leaders that will be happy to introduce you to someone that has needs for your business.

#3 – Stay active in online chats

Although this is still in front of the computer, tucked away in your cozy office, it can sometimes feel like face-to-face communication. Read a blog, then comment on the blog (It’s another way to get your company noticed); not only are you having a ‘conversation’ with someone that shares similar business or life interests, but you are exposing your name and business name to the public. Haven’t you clicked over to see what the person replying does? Connected with them on LinkedIn or other social media outlets? I have.

#4 – Set morning meetings

It doesn’t matter if you like coffee or tea or a full-on breakfast, make your meetings for first thing in the morning. Nine AM is my favorite meeting time frame to get my day started. This gives me some computer time before I head out. If anything comes up during the meeting, I also have time to research and respond to it the rest of the day.

This is also a great way to meet with other solopreneurs and discuss what you might do together to create business for both of you. Coffee is an easy way to meet; there are few expectations, both of you are relaxed, and the conversation flows easily. Who knows what kind of scheme might arise.

#5 – Start a mastermind group

I love mastermind groups, masterminding is based on a theory by Napoleon Hill’s book Think and Grow Rich. In the book Napoleon states that a mastermind is created when two or more people come together with a collective objective. He goes on to say that when this happens, a third invisible, intangible force likened to a third mind is created.

Some fellow entrepreneurs and I started a mastermind group after a highly motivating morning coffee meeting. It has now run for 5 years. Most of the original members are still with the group. Mastermind group building has some rules and you can find our outline for the group here.

#6 – Join a gym

I’m lousy at this one. I love my home office so much, sometimes I really don’t want to leave, especially in the cold, dark winter. Not even to go to bed. But this doesn’t fulfill my need to get some human interaction.

I need to make sure I exercise in the early mornings, like 5:30 AM If I can drag myself out of bed. Then I can be showered and ready for my office by 7:30. In all honesty, this really doesn’t happen as often as it should. I’m not a huge fan of exercising when I first get started, but after exercising a few weeks it gets easier. Yoga is really my thing, so I joined an early morning yoga studio with a few clients to help get me motivated.

#7 – Join a Meetup

A Meetup is like networking, but the group is based around a common interest. For example, a canoeing meetup or a book club, just make sure you are joining one that others have similar interests as you.

In my city, we have a group of meeting planners that meet up. They swap stories, ideas and even sometimes clients. (it’s a great group and if they are too busy, they pass the client on to someone else, what a great way to get along with your competitors) Check online to find were your local meetups are happening.

Overall, there are hundreds of ways for you to get that social craving met, but you have to look for it. Join in and serve as an asset to the group. Make sure you don’t eat into your work and family time too much and target some your groups to where your clients might hang out. Don’t be afraid to network with many groups to see where you fit best and to change when the usefulness of one group no longer fits your needs. This is a great way to combine advertising your business and getting your socialization all in one.

Are you starting an event planning business and looking for someone to guide you along the way? Look no further as I work with you to get you started and teach you all the lessons, tips, and tricks I wish I would have learned when I started 30 years ago. Being a solopreneur doesn’t have to be hard, join my VIP Membership Program to learn how I’ve done it successfully.

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Event Technology Inspired by the Super Bowl

As the biggest sporting event of the year, Super Bowl 51 did not disappoint! It is a great event, for both sports and non-sports fans to watch. It has something for everyone from the game, to the year’s most anticipated advertisements, and the musical guests. After watching the Super Bowl, I was inspired with all the new possibilities of event technology!

Drones:

During the halftime show, you may have noticed the use of drones above Lady GaGa! I searched and found that it was several hundred drones creating the light display by her. Specifically, they were Tiny Shooting Star quadcopters by Intel. It is amazing what the team who managed the drone display did!

The use of drones is one thing that I have always wanted to do. There are so many innovative ways to use these, including lighting, video and photo, as well as an aerial display. I expect the use of drones to be used more and more during events.

180-degree projection:

Another technology that I forecast will be a big hit with events this year and was used at the SuperBowl is the 180-degree room with projection screens. This year, Hyundai brought the Super Bowl to our service men and women overseas while they sat them down surrounded in a 180-degree projection while their families were watching Super Bowl 51. Watch it here to see the technology for yourself!

Using this type of technology pulls your audience in and gives them the full effect of being somewhere else. Ideas of this could be for an ‘Under the Seas’ theme or a ‘Space’ theme. The possibilities are endless! Giving a similar experience as Virtual Reality.

Work to give your audience an experience, something that they will never forget. I think we will be seeing more of these technologies in the event space! Talk to your AV team when considering this for an event!

After watching the Super Bowl, I am very excited to see how these technology takeaways will be applied to the event world! Keep an eye out for these innovative event technologies, and let us know what you think!

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