Inspiration Hub

Email—a great invention, though it occasionally can feel like the bane of an event professional’s existence as we try to meet deadlines and separate the must-reads from the deletes. With regular sign-ups for white papers, subscriptions for nuggets of key information and personal messages all combined in one inbox, it can feel overwhelming to open your mail app to tens of emails throughout the day. But there are ways to combat this without sacrificing your sanity, and few barely take more than a few minutes.

Event planners are a special breed of hard-working, hyper-organized adrenaline junkies. Consistently named as one of the world’s most stressful jobs, the role of event organizer is uniquely challenging — yet equally rewarding for some. Think you were born to be an event planner? Check out these must-have event planning skills to see if you’ve got what it takes.

One element that is constantly under serious scrutiny by event planners, is the budget. Event budgets of course vary depending on the event’s scale, however, throwing a large amount of resources into it does not guarantee  success. Cost-effective doesn’t have to mean cheap in the world of event planning, therefore experiences with a smaller budget can be equally impactful and engaging, as long as event planning is executed strategically to activate and excite attendees. After all, it is the value that needs to be high, not the price.

We’re inundated with emails — in the time it took you to open this article, you probably received a few new messages. But according to Miguel Neves, CMP, head chef at digital engagement firm Social Media Chefs, that’s all about to change.

As market leaders are often all-too-aware, today’s cultural and business environments are rapidly shifting—often in highly unpredictable and disruptive ways. In the past few years alone, physical has quickly given way to digital (including cloud and app-based solutions); meetings and events have evolved into virtual and streaming solutions; and promotional and outreach efforts once aimed at connecting with Gen Xers and Baby Boomers are quickly being transformed into initiatives targeted at Millennials and Gen Zers. 

Whether you're a seasoned or first-time exhibitor, the busy trade show season can sneak up on you fast. Here is a great infographic with some important tips to help you prepare for a successful trade show.

Event planners are the some of the busiest people that I know. We work hard, and we equally play hard. However even the best of us have trouble finishing our work and putting the finishing touches on an event. Maybe it is the perfectionism taking over. Other times, our aim to control every little thing leaves us paralyzed only to complete nothing. In an event we need to overcome these situations and keep ourselves focused on finishing what we do.

Have you ever noticed how you may be on your way to your dream job, body or relationship and somehow, you’ve sabotaged yourself? Why would we consciously or subconsciously derail efforts that are bringing us towards what we believe we want? While a few reasons may be that we’re afraid of change, afraid to put ourselves out there, and afraid to shine, there are many other reasons too.

There’s nothing more frustrating than when someone refuses to take responsibility for their behaviors and actions-especially when those behaviors and actions caused harm. While we’re often so willing to overlook and forgive an error in judgment or a transgression, we tend to hang onto it more tightly when the person who caused the harm refuses to own it. So, instead of blaming, making excuses, getting defensive, ignoring it or assuming the other person doesn’t need an explanation or apology, take responsibility for the part you played (whether it was intentional or unintentional) and own it.

Most companies have one (or more) morning meetings; unfortunately, attendees often find them annoying and disruptive to their daily routine. The National Statistics Council says 37 percent of employee time is spent in meetings, and 47 percent of employees consider too many meetings to be the biggest waste of time on any day—more than social media or email.

Sometimes, you just need to look at leadership from a different angle. In Zoom Leadership: Change Your Focus, Change Your Insights, organizational consulting expert Janet Britcher urges readers to “zoom in and out” with a flexible, open mind when problem-solving, rather than looking at a situation from a single point of view.

The IMEX Group and EventMB announce new partnership - industry research, case studies and exhibitor storytelling define ‘unprecedented journey’. We are very glad to announce a partnership with IMEX Group. We have been following the evolution of IMEX and participated in some of it with #IMEXpitch, one of the first event technology pitch competitions.

At Convening Leaders 2018, Kelly Peacy, CAE, CMP, founder and CEO of Insight Event Strategy, and former senior vice president of education and events at PCMA, shared with student attendees five things she wished she had known when she was just starting out:

In the events and hospitality industry, dealing with clients on a regular basis is part of the job. Whether you are a planner, hotelier or supplier, your goal is to make clients happy and do your best to meet their demands. At times, however, the demands become excessive and difficult to manage. This is where it becomes important to maintain a positive client relationship (even if it seems impossible at times), and do your best to keep the client happy while being realistic.

David Owens, PhD, began his presentation at Professional Convention Management Association Convening Leaders in Nashville with a photo of a bumper sticker saying, “Creative People Must Be Stopped!” The message summed up his session, “Everybody Wants Innovation (but No One Wants to Change).”

Loyalty. Education. Content. Attendee experience. According to a report in association management company SmithBucklin’s 15th annual Circuit publication, these will be among the key issues affecting associations this year. 

We are each responsible for our own career progression, and we all benefit from the growth or our industry. That’s why I believe it is incumbent upon all of us to articulate our value in three ways:
• The value you personally deliver to your organization
• The value our industry provides to the global economy
• The value of your community service

When I began writing Intentional Event Design: Our Professional Opportunity, it was to delve into and provide information on designing events that are people-centric and purpose-driven. The more I wrote, the more I realized it came down to one thing: using meetings to build trust – in the organization, between teams, and between solution providers and their potential clients. To create environments that allow the time and space for conversations is part art and part (neuro) science, and deeply understanding how humans respond to live event environments is our new currency as we build the value of our industry.

Some meeting executives handle multiple events at the same time. Many plan events that are mission critical and financially consequential to their organizations. Some have demanding travel schedules. Some manage teams. Some volunteer their time inside and outside the industry…. And some—many, in fact—handle all these responsibilities at once. 

For Carina Bauer, CEO at IMEX Group, productivity is a reflection of the passion we bring to our work. But like any efficient machine, tune-ups are a must. “Everyone has ups and downs in terms of motivation but at the end of the day we like to feel that there’s some purpose in the work that we do. I think if you find yourself in a situation where you’re wondering why you’re working so hard, you have to take time to step back to question what you’re doing and why.

That New Year’s resolution to increase your productivity might seem impossible, given never-ending emails to answer and phone calls to make. In his new book The Compass Solution: A Guide to Winning Your Career, pharmaceutical industry veteran, motivational speaker, and The Compass Alliance founder Tim Cole describes these distracting and often mindless tasks as “the storm,” capable of keeping us from true effectiveness at work. Here are three tips from Cole on how to lower your daily anxiety and focus on the tasks that matter most in 2018:

You know better than anyone: managing events is stressful. With so many moving parts, it might seem tough (or even impossible) to prepare for an event that’s a year away. Luckily, there are tricks to make your preparation effective (and achievable) as the event gets closer. Here are 5 ways you can prepare for your event — a year early.

There’s nothing more frustrating than getting all hyped up for an event, and then feeling awkward and unsure about what to do the second you arrive. Or worse - going to purchase a ticket, and having such a lousy registration experience that you completely give up on the idea of attending all together. Events are crucial to association life; no matter the size or purpose, each one should be given the white glove treatment of member experience. You want to make it as easy as possible for any member to attend, all while making sure they get the intended value out of the content you’re presenting...talk about pressure!