Inspiration Hub

Addendums, amendments, mutual cancellation clauses, “frustration of purpose”—what do they all mean? And when should each be applied? In the latest Smart Meetings Accelerator “Top Planner Contract Questions Answered,” Lisa Sommer Devlin, an expert in contract law at Devlin Law Firm, answers those very questions (and more) for planners.

In my conversations with meeting planners, many of the concerns I hear around planning live meetings in this new normal are logistical: how will we practice social distancing? Will I need more space for the same size event? How can we handle food and beverages?

As we are entering further into the year, we must take a look around us to see if we have the boundaries that we need for our lives put in place. Boundaries are limits, simple limits put in place to prevent us for going overboard. Also boundaries can be limits that are in place so that others do not interfere with them. Here are 10 boundaries that you should put in place right now to help you lead a more healthy and productive life.

Keeping on top of everything in the run-up to the big day is essential. But what is an event timeline? Put simply, it’s an overview of what needs to happen before, during and after your event. It’s something every coordinator should have in their back pocket – after all, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

Do you ever get so overwhelmed with work that you start to feel paralyzed? The to-dos keep coming, and you don’t even know where to begin. It’s ALL important, and it all HAS to get done. 

If so, you’re certainly not alone. Even if you’re an extremely organized person, it can be hard to determine what tasks to tackle first. If your to-do list is no longer cutting it, and prioritization is starting to become an issue, try this alternative approach to time and project management.

We’ve all done it. Waited until the last possible moment to finish a project. Barely getting the project in on time, much less in quality condition. We do it to ourselves all the time. The battle with procrastination is real and can be somewhat emotional. Although working alongside procrastination can be a delicate dance, to win the battle is very simple. Yet, although winning the battle is simple, it is not easy. I may not have the final answer on how to beat procrastination, but I do have some helpful tips that could help you.

Planners have a thousand details to consider when organizing a private event. So how can they keep the vision aligned?

A webinar by Skyline Exhibits aimed to answer that, hosted by Sofia Troutman, senior digital marketing and product innovation manager, and Jon Althoff, senior director of global marketing. The industry experts described how to keep the process focused, as well as some underestimated details that will help ensure your event’s success.

Finding speakers is vital for any conferences, as well as conferences,  are essential for interacting with people within your profession. With the increasing number of congresses, you would think it is easy to find a great speaker. There are thousands of speakers, but most of them do not have what it takes to appeal to the audience. The success of an event relies on engaging the audience through effective keynote speeches. The last thing you want is someone who will stand on the podium and talk throughout the session.

Whether you’re wondering how to fund a fantastic new conference or expand an existing one, a crowdfunding campaign could be your non-traditional route to event growth.

Would you like to be seen as an event professional whose opinion is valued and can have a permanent seat at the table where strategic decisions are made? Howard Givner, founder of Event Leadership Institute, shared the secrets to attaining trusted advisor status in an exclusive interview with Smart Meetings.

Most of the people I work with across the meetings and events industry know that I’m a huge fan of investing the time to develop deeper relationships. For instance, I always encourage suppliers to evolve from a transactional relationship with clients into the role of trusted advisor whenever possible. And while it’s unrealistic to become a trusted advisor for every client, I urge people to put in the extra effort in any instance where it seems the relationship can be elevated and maintained over time, and they’ll certainly reap benefits from that.

It was April 2005 when the thought first struck me. I was in Hall 8 of Messe Frankfurt, walking down one of the aisles of IMEX—the international trade show I was working for at the time. It was 3 p.m. and the noise was incredible; everywhere I looked people were interacting: discussing, debating, gesticulating, negotiating, smiling, sharing, influencing and convincing and it was then, as I surveyed this sea of human connectivity, that I realized what powered the most successful global business events.

Organising events is a stressful job — and you can’t do it alone. But growing your team can also be stressful, especially when you’ve already got a million things on your plate, and you need to interview candidates.

So what’s the key to making the hiring process as efficient and quick as possible? Start with a go-to list of interview questions that will make it easy to find your next team member. 

More and more people are engaging in - and even seeking out - remote work. It’s a trend that doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. 

But even though working from home has its advantages (for both employers and employees), it also comes with its own disadvantages. For example, if you do have one or more offices where a number of employees work, it can be easy for your remote employees to feel left out. 

Some 14,000 event professionals walked into Sands Expo this week to talk about advances in hotels, destinations and event services, and then an imaginative career development program broke out.

The theme for the ninth annual IMEX America, which ran Sept. 9–12 in Las Vegas, was the Power of Imagination. IMEX paired the hosted buyer appointments with Smart Monday powered by MPI sessions (900 people strong) and She Means Business content to add value for planners who came from all over the world to share best practices.

Nothing at IMEX America quite matches the excitement and energy of participants when the trade show floor opens at Sands Expo Convention Center on Tuesday morning.

“When the doors open, the crowds rush in—and keep in mind that the booth staff are already inside,” says Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX Group. “People don’t just stroll in; they want to get inside, to get new ideas, make new contacts and learn about new venues, sources and suppliers. They are keen and ready to do business, and the electric show floor atmosphere reflects the excitement that comes with people doing business and meeting both old and new friends.

IMEX America, the Super Bowl of the meetings industry, always generates excitement as professionals from around the globe gather to do business, learn and socialize. This year’s event delivered on its promise, with a Discovery Zone full of innovative ideas and a record number of participants and booths.

Corporate and association meetings often leave a positive impact across a destination that goes beyond simple financial benefit. But while most organizations do understand the impact of their events’ social-responsibility initiatives, there is another legacy component that’s often overlooked: event content.

We’re all in the meetings business. We understand how effectively meetings can increase collaboration and communication among teams and help organizations reach their business goals. But, in our efforts to plan a successful meeting, sometimes we lose sight of the “why.” Why are your attendees being asked to gather in the first place? What do they hope to get out of the event? When they return home, will they reflect positively on their time away? Can we get them to put their phones away?

Throughout your career you’ll build professional relationships with a LOT of different personality types, and some of those personalities will be very different from yours. And that’s ok! Different perspectives allow for more creative problem-solving, thoughtfulness, and innovation...but, that doesn’t mean you won’t clash with someone from time to time.

Frequently, meeting professionals have challenges linking with leadership to get their sponsorship for new programs, such as strategic meetings management. It is important to connect with them to get their buy-in for an initiative’s governance, value drivers, and outcomes.

Are you in the middle of your organization’s busy season? Conference season, perhaps? If so, you’re not alone. But even if you aren’t, chances are, that time is coming...soon!

So when that happens, how you can you stay productive and get done what you need to get done without wanting to pull your hair out? It’s all about working smarter, not harder. 

At Meeting Professionals International’s World Education Conference in June, speaker Joanne Dennison, CMP, of The Ordinary Success Project, offered an hour of advice on how to make “bad” business more valuable to host venues. The packed house of planners and suppliers heard these eight tips.