SMERF Meetings Evolve [Meetings Focus]

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By Eric Anderson

A look at the changing social, military, education, religious and fraternal landscape.

The SMERF market is generally known as the “old reliable” standby, which continues to book meetings even in the harshest of economic climates, while always remaining budget-conscious.

However, it would be incorrect to say the SMERF market planners (who plan events in the Social, Military, Education, Religious and Fraternal segments), haven’t had to adjust their strategies over the years. An aging population, new advances in technology and the rise of the millennial generation must all be accounted for. In addition, hospitality providers need to be aware of the budget restrictions and limitations most SMERF groups face, even while hotel and convention business is on the upswing.

Here is a breakdown of what is on the mind of professionals who work in each of the traditional SMERF sectors, including details on the specific needs and challenges associated with each segment.

SOCIAL
Whether working on family reunions or nonprofit events, the social event planner typically has to find a balance between providing a memorable experience for attendees and staying within a limited budget.

“With social clients, the event is much more personal, and less objective focused,” says Cassie Brown, president and CEO of TCG Events. “We are conscious of this difference and strive to make sure that we communicate the value of each line item as contributing to the overall goal of the event.”

TCG Events works with a variety of social gatherings and groups, including nonprofits, conferences, fundraisers, reunions and donor thank-you events. Many of these clients value face-to-face interaction.

“Having ample opportunities for togetherness, for real connection, is important for social groups,” Brown says. “They want private space big enough to have breakfast together, but at a leisurely time. They want to accommodate both retired Uncle Bob that gets up at 5 a.m., but also Cousin Sally and her three young kids who can’t possibly make it down to breakfast until 9 a.m.”

As far as those troublesome contracts are concerned, Brown says simpler is better.

“As a planner, it’s important to keep in mind that social groups want contracts that are particularly easy to understand, i.e., no hidden fees,” she says.

Regarding modern trends, the rise of smartphones and social media can help reduce printing costs and allows planners to share their ideas for social events on platforms such as Pinterest, where they can pin examples of themes, décor, food, beverage and invites for inspiration.

“We’ve seen an increased use of social media to distribute information,” Brown says. “A few years ago, a guest might have gotten a hard copy invitation to the reunion in the mail, including a typed document with all the logistics. Now they get an e-vite with a link to a basic web page or a Facebook group.”

Finally, when asked what she thought was the biggest challenge social planners’ face, Brown said burnout is easily number one on the list.

“Social clients don’t always understand office hours and boundaries,” Brown says. “And planners make the mistake of thinking providing good service means being available 24/7.”

MILITARY
Military reunions are a valuable asset to many hotels, as they tend to offer flexible meeting dates and multiple room nights booked at times when properties would otherwise sit empty.

“The beauty of military reunions is that they are flexible to book in off-peak times within the April to October window,” says Sharon Danitschek, president at Reunion Friendly Network–a trade organization that aims to help connect volunteer military reunion planners with CVBs, hotels and other vendors. “For this reason, rates do not change more than a couple of dollars year-over-year.”

According to Danitschek, military reunions are typically four-to-five days long, including two-to-three days of sightseeing in the local area, alongside a banquet and memorial service of some kind. Reunions can be as small as 25 or as large as 250, but can vary based on the individual group and its needs.

As a more general trend she says “World War II reunions are fast becoming a distant memory,” whereas “Korea, Vietnam and Gulf War reunions are still taking place.”

Danitschek mentioned that attendees consider reunions to be one of their vacations, tend to drive versus fly and that veteran planners know where to book in the U.S. to get the best attendance.

She also noted that social media has allowed for increased connection among military members, something that was a problem area for reunion planners in the past, and thus has improved attendance.

In regards to special accommodations for military reunion groups, Danitschek said mobility, menu selection and portion size are all considerations. The hospitality room is a major factor as well.

“In some cases it must be large enough for memorabilia tables and there is also the trend of groups bringing their own snacks, beverages and alcohol,” she says.

EDUCATION
Educational groups provide steady meetings business, yet this segment of the SMERF market is harder to define, as it contains many different groups (with differing needs).

“The ‘education market’ is broad and depending on the type of association and their issues, meeting attendance will vary,” says Joan Eisenstodt, president of Washington D.C.-based Eisenstodt Associates, and a meetings and hospitality consultant, facilitator and trainer. “Attendance for the educational clients I work with has been steady–in some cases, because of their issues, increasing.”

Eisenstodt says she has noticed a change in guest room occupancy, with people now looking for the lowest hotel rates they can find, sometimes out of the designated block(s), along with more doubling up of participants versus single room requests. She also notes that education planners have to be particularly aware of how their groups receive funding and lookout for changes.

“If funding is dependent on state or federal government grants, or grants from other nonprofits, everyone is being cautious about projections,” Eisenstodt says. “I do not take attendance for granted and advise clients of the same. One has to look at so many factors (including air fare, lift into the destination, taxes in the location of the meeting, etc.) to determine what the attendance will be.”

She says a developing trend among the education market is that more groups want to meet in first tier cities because of draw and access, which can be tough to budget financially. However, that’s not saying you should count out other destination options.

“We’ve all looked to those secondary and tertiary markets–and we can still,” Eisenstodt says. “The best thing again is to know one’s group and ask the DMO in the city what other like groups have met there and how the destination is catering to those groups.”

RELIGIOUS
Rev. Cricket Park has been a meeting planner and association executive for over 30 years, but in that time she also managed to attend seminary and become an Episcopal priest, and is currently assistant rector at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C.

“Currently, I am manager of our diocesan convention,” Park says. “I also help couples who are getting married to brainstorm venues for their receptions and work with our parish life coordinator to provide space at the church for outside groups.”

According to Park, one particularly challenging aspect of planning religious meetings is adapting to the changing needs of current and future generations.

“We need to keep in mind the incredibly busy lives of the people in the Gen X and millennial generations,” she says. “They are not going to attend things the way we ‘old folks’ did (and still do).”

Park pointed out that many religious groups are continuing to be stretched financially, which may result in less days being booked or limit total F&B expenses. However, these groups still expect the same standards as other SMERF and even corporate groups.

“My attendees are ‘stuck’ in a plenary session for a day and a half, so they want to be comfortable. We need lots of space,” she says. “We’ve recently gone paperless and that means large bandwidth on the Wi-Fi. Oh, and Wi-Fi needs to be an automatic part of the package–stop charging extra for something that is as necessary as a water station these days.”

Another trend that Park feels is of increasing concern among all meeting groups, but perhaps especially within the SMERF market, is the increase in those who are attending meetings with disabilities. “Most of these are going to be people with invisible disabilities, although I’m seeing more people using wheelchairs and other medical equipment,” she says.

FRATERNAL
While the fraternal category includes groups such as Shriners and Freemasons, a continuously growing portion of the SMERF segment is dedicated to fraternities and sororities looking to hold meetings and reunions for local and national chapters.

“This portion of the fraternal market is very active, because the organizations put on events beyond their own annual meetings, leadership and regional conferences,” says Sidney Dunn, executive director of the Fraternity Executives Associations (FEA). “Typically each fraternity will have five or six board meetings in addition to alumni gatherings that are significant.”

It’s well-known among planners and hoteliers that the SMERF market stays steady, even during the bad economy, and Dunn said the most recent recession had actually benefited the fraternal market.

“As the economy improves, the fraternal market is finding hotel and conference room pricing has gone up significantly and continues to go up,” he says. “Which is more of a challenge for us to plan the same types of meetings, as all of our groups are not-for-profit and work under tight budgets.”

As far as general trends are concerned, Dunn said most fraternal groups tend to hold their large meeting in the summertime and the fraternal market greatly varies in number, which means there are a wide range of meeting needs that have to be accommodated.

“The biggest challenge, really is finding good value, like any other market, find good value for the money you have available,” Dunn says. “We’re the same, we want to find good value for our fraternities and sororities and give them a good experience, but still be able to afford it.”

Read the original article in Meeting Focus Magazine.

Savvy Sponsorships [Successful Meetings]

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By Alex Palmer

For the inaugural year of the Miami New Construction Show, event founder Anita Funtek knew sponsors would be essential to the show’s success. But with no prior history, the three-day event, which brought together South Florida-based real-estate buyers and investors and included an extensive education program, was a hard sell — even with guests that included Florida Gov. Rick Scott.

“For the first year of any show, there can be a lack of confidence from sponsors, and allocating money can be difficult,” says Funtek. “I’ve seen some companies that have a policy where they will not sponsor an event unless it has been in operation for at least five years.”

Last month, Anita Funtek launched the Miami New Construction Show,
using a creative sponsorship program. With that in mind, as she reached out to potential sponsors, Funtek avoided promoting specific avenues of revenue. Instead, she created a multi-faceted opportunity that would promote the sponsor, offer value to attendees, and help bolster the nascent conference. She found a partner in Macy’s, which wanted to provide support for the event but shied away from “assigning money, which would have had to go through corporate channels for approval,” according to Funtek.

Instead, Funtek and the department store chain worked out an arrangement by which Macy’s provided gift bags, containing such items as certificates for complimentary facials (for women) and samples of Paco Rabanne cologne (for men), to be given out to attendees. “It enabled the show to start our relationship with our audience off on the right foot. The attendees received items they could use, and it was good exposure for Macy’s,” says Funtek. “But it came out of having conversations with the company, and being open and flexible about what would work for them and us.”

Funtek’s experience points to a complex consideration for meeting planners: Event sponsorships are a delicate balancing act of competing demands. Focus only on keeping sponsors happy, and the excessive promotional messaging may turn off attendees. Focus only on attendee needs, and opportunities to bring in valuable sponsorship support can fall through the cracks.

As demand for stronger meetings ROI has grown (a recent study from TCG Events found that 75 percent of executives are seeking greater return from corporate events than they have in previous years), meeting professionals are working to get smarter about how they leverage event sponsorships. They are finding it increasingly vital to work closely with their sponsors while also understanding their attendees, designing a creative sponsorship program that will benefit both.

“What planners ought to be doing is selling solutions,” says Ron Seaver, founder and president of the San Diego-based Seaver Marketing Group, which specializes in sponsorship sales. For the past 20 years, Seaver has run the National Sports Forum, which brings together more than 1,000 sports business executives to talk sponsorship, marketing, and business development. He emphasizes that effective sponsorships are those that are developed with solutions for all three major event stakeholders — sponsors, planners, and attendees — in mind.

MAKE IT SPONSOR FRIENDLY

Seaver says that for events today, selling “inventory” (e.g., lanyard, meal, or badge sponsorships) doesn’t cut it. Instead, it’s a question of “what can the planner create, package, or bundle within their existing program or event that will help the sponsor to accomplish ‘X’?”

That “X” can mean very different things to different sponsors. While some companies may be seeking to make key introductions to corporate decision makers, others might want a platform to let prospective customers test out their new products or services. They may be looking to establish themselves as thought leaders in the industry, or just seeking to keep their brand awareness at its current level.

“It’s a mistake to assume that every sponsor wants to accomplish the same thing,” says Seaver. “So ask good questions — and listen.”

Seaver points to the example of next year’s National Sports Forum (NSF). He sought a way to provide long-time sponsor Daktronics (a major electronic signage and scoreboard company) with more bang for its sponsorship buck than a standard logo on a name badge might provide. Daktronics wanted to showcase its new portable scoreboards to attendees, and, as a company offering enterprise products that can run into multiple millions of dollars, it also wanted to be sure that NSF “keeps their brand center stage in front of our audience of senior team and sports property executives,” according to Seaver.

So Seaver is literally putting his sponsor center stage — the main stage of the conference will be transformed into the Daktronics Stage, with sponsor branding and the side screens being replaced by the sponsor’s new portable scoreboards (one in HD and one in standard definition to make the difference obvious to audience members). This messaging extends to the event website as well, with a Daktronics-branded scoreboard clock counting down the months and days to the February 2015 event.

This type of sponsorship, tailored perfectly to the sponsor’s needs, can only come about through a flexible attitude from planners.

“There is a demand for more customized sponsorship opportunities,” notes Cassie Brown, chief experience officer for Charlotte, NC-based TCG Events, which runs numerous events that rely on sponsorship dollars. The bottom line, according to Brown, is “don’t ever assume — be open and first learn what they’d like to see happen and how they’d like to be involved rather than just throwing a package at them.”

CREATE AN EXCHANGE OF IDEAS

BlueGrace Logistics, a transportation and logistics firm based in Riverview, FL, recently brought together owners and staff of the company’s franchise network for its Annual Franchise Conference. While this was the event’s fourth year, it was the first time BlueGrace offered sponsorships. It became clear that the greatest benefit would come from offering franchise owners and sponsors alike a “360-degree view of each others’ businesses,” according to Natalie Lane, director of marketing for BlueGrace, who planned the event.

To facilitate this, Lane and her team created Sponsorship Social, a two-hour event that got both attendees and sponsors together at the end of the shwo’s second day in a conference room in The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas, where the gathering took place.

“Sponsors had decorative booths and tables set up with promotional items that gave the room the energy you would find on an actual trade-show floor,” says Lane.

The social was a huge success, resulting in a room full of lively conversations, and the Franchise Conference earned a 9.55 out of 10 on the post-event Net Promoter Score Survey.

Bobbie Carlton, president of Carlton PR and Marketing, based in Woburn, MA, has taken this networking between sponsors and attendees a step further with her launch five years ago of Mass Innovation Nights. The monthly product-launch party is funded entirely by sponsors, who pay to have their offerings showcased at the events, where social media-savvy attendees can try them out, chat with the sponsors, and tweet, post, or blog about them. On a recent Innovation Night, American Airlines gave away points to its Business Extra program.

“We work very closely with our sponsors to incorporate their programs into ours,” says Carlton.

MAKE IT ATTENDEE FRIENDLY

While sponsorships should be designed with the specific needs of sponsors in mind, it is of course also key to create opportunities to meet the needs of attendees.

“Understand your attendees in terms of demographics and what will be important to them,” says Brown. “Think about what would make their experience more enjoyable or fill a need.”

She gives the example of having portable charging stations with sponsor branding that can provide convenience to attendees. If it’s a car sponsor, for example, explore having the car company shuttle and transport attendees from the meeting venue to the parking garage.

Dave Weil, vice president of event services for Chicago-based association management and services company SmithBucklin, agrees that practicality should be king when devising a sponsorship. He recommends working to get sponsors behind the services that improve the attendee’s experience — complimentary transportation, water coolers, or Wi-Fi, for example.

“Every time I’m logging on [as an attendee] I’m understanding who the sponsor is,” says Weil. “Anything that can create a higher level of comfort is great to get sponsored.”

But Weil adds that effective sponsorships can take a more multi-pronged approach, combining both the fun and practical aspects of a meeting. For example, a sponsor that emphasizes a brand message of power or energy could sponsor a series of charging stations where attendees can connect their phones and laptops, but also give away branded energy bars to drive the message home.

TCG works closely with clients to develop sponsorship opportunities that target attendees in ways that will best make an impact. And Brown finds that a great way to meet sponsors’ demands and make their messages stand out is to make the on-site solution interactive and fun.

Brown gives the example of a recent event her company planned for a nonprofit client where a number of elements were turned into effective for sponsorships. TCG provided private cabanas where attendees relaxed, using cabana pillows emblazoned with logos of major sponsors such as Accenture, Microsoft, and Bank of America, delivering their messages in what Brown describes as “a welcoming, relaxed, and more natural environment to foster networking and conversation.” Further, an event martini lounge provided signature drinks into which sponsors could incorporate their brand colors.

TrivWorks creates customized trivia games for sponsors — delivering corporate messages in an entertaining way. To help make a sponsor’s message fun for attendees, some planners have gone so far as to create an actual game out of it. New York City-based TrivWorks develops customized trivia games for corporate events, meetings, and promotional gatherings. Attendees create teams, which compete against other attendee groups for prizes and bragging rights.

The focus of these competitions is on having fun, with a high-energy host, and questions generally focusing on pop-culture topics. But the organizer can customize virtually every element to help broadcast the themes of not only the event, but of specific sponsors as well.

“TrivWorks always seeks to create a fully immersive brand experience for participants, and we encourage branded signage, logos for flatscreen TVs, napkins, coasters, and so on in as many places as possible,” says David Jacobson, owner and founder of TrivWorks, adding that client-branded pens and answer sheets, as well as branded T-shirts for the “grading staff” to wear, are also effective ways to create brand consistency.

Of course, trivia questions themselves can be creatively customized for the goals of the event and its sponsor. “[We] seek to educate and appropriately integrate key sponsor messages, features, capabilities, or facts for the participants to take home,” says Jacobson.

He points to a program the company developed last year for Every Day with Rachael Ray, where a gathering of the magazine’s advertisers was enhanced with food-themed trivia. The program helped to create a fun, memorable experience for advertisers. It was then expanded and modified to appeal to a consumer audience, with a hundred of the questions printed in the magazine’s April 2013 issue to encourage readers to play at home — creating another way for the brand to deliver its message through an entertaining channel.

Read the original article in Successful Meetings.

8 Mistakes Planners Make When Booking Entertainment [BizBash]

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By Rose Curiel

Planners and producers weigh in on how everything from placing too much importance on a big headliner to choosing the wrong venue can negatively impact entertainment at an event.

A lot of work goes into successfully producing musical performances at events, which means there’s also a lot of room to commit mistakes. Whether it’s launching a music festival or hosting an intimate corporate event featuring talent, avoid these mistakes to secure acts without upsetting band members—or guests—along the way.

1. Ignoring the audience
While organizers may think they have excellent taste in music, event attendees might disagree. In fact, TCG Events’ Kim Atwell Martin says one of the biggest mistakes planners can make when booking talent is “selecting entertainers based on personal likes or dislikes versus the demographic of the event.”

Similarly, Adam Kahan, senior vice president of Empire Entertainment, which has produced more than 1,000 concerts, including performances for artists such as Diana Ross and Robin Thicke, suggests thoroughly researching the anticipated crowd.

“The most important information, I think, when it comes to booking musical acts for corporate events is the age range of the audience; it will tell you a lot about the type of music they will be into,” Kahan says.

2. Choosing the wrong venue
“A venue that has a lot of windows might have great sunlight and views, but glass, generally speaking, is difficult for sound,“ Kahan says. “The same goes for marble, actually. There are some really spectacular, beautiful spaces that just aren’t ideal for sound. Good production companies can work around that but it’s just not ideal.”

3. Breezing over the contract
What the event’s host and band expect from the same gig may differ greatly. “I would suggest putting anything very important in a written offer to the agent,” Kahan says. “Don’t just say, we’re offering $150,000 to Huey Lewis and the News to perform on the stage if you also know that you want Huey Lewis to do a meet and greet and hang out with a few V.I.P.s before the show.”

Martin Atwell adds: “Key elements of a contract should include cancellation policies, rider negotiations (if applicable), stage and production requirements or restrictions, travel and accommodations, set times, attire, sound check times, media—including social media—clauses, and rights to photography and videography.”

4. Disregarding up-and-coming acts
Bigger is not always better, especially if you’re on a budget and want to avoid diva-like behavior.

“Find someone who is recognizable but is on the verge of stardom; they are great value at low-cost, they typically are putting lots of effort into their shows, and their demands are usually low, making for a great working relationship,” says Atwell Martin. “Look out for them being a little rough around the edges—they may not have quite figured out what is and isn’t appropriate for the corporate or social event settings.”

Likewise, Aurelian Marketing Group’s Rehan Choudhry, who founded Las Vegas’s Life Is Beautiful festival in 2013—and attracted a crowd of 60,000 over a two-day period in the process—points out that a big headliner doesn’t necessarily guarantee a good fit.

“More often than not, when people are booking talent for an event, they typically want to get the biggest band they can get for the price they can pay,” Choudhry says. “People end up booking just based on the name and what ends up happening is that there’s a disconnect between the experience and what they’re trying to achieve or create.”

5. Bypassing music industry pros
So, when it comes to actually booking a band, who should you turn to?

“There’s protocol in the industry: when you book an act, you go to the exclusive booking agency,” Kahan says. “The booking agent will take your offer and bring it to the manager, and the manager will then discuss it with the artist.”

And once you’ve actually settled on a musical act, you want to make sure you tap an expert who understands how to deal with the band’s logistical demands.

“When it comes to the block and tackle production of the stage for musical talent, it’s really important that you have someone with a lot of experience,” Choudhry says. “Have a great producer, who knows how to produce shows with the type of talent you’re bringing in. You want to make sure that when the talent is on the ground that they have a flawless experience.”

6. Waiting until the last minute
The bigger the band, the sooner you should start taking action to book them.

“The ideal situation for A-list entertainers can be a one-year lead time,” Atwell Martin says. “Smaller acts are best secured within a three- to six-month window.”

7. Promoting an act as a surprise headliner
A surprise act can create buzz, but it can also generate problems.

“I think it’s a mistake when some clients have their headline talent be a surprise for attendees because I’ve seen at least one example of the audience starting a rampant rumor that it’s going to be one performer that everybody gets really excited about when, in fact, it’s somebody else,” Kahan says. “When the other person comes out, there’s a bit of an ‘oof’ moment, like a grenade. Also, if it’s a surprise it doesn’t give a lot of people in the audience a chance to listen to that artist’s music in advance, which you need to do if it’s a newer artist.”

8. Neglecting local restrictions
“Permits are always something to keep top of mind,” says Discovery Communications vice president of global events Jeff Kaplan, who recently planned the first FinFest in Hermosa Beach that included a concert with Jimmy Buffett. “Sound ordinances and curfews are always key in figuring out how long a set can go, and what other noise restrictions are allowed. Are there any load-in, load-out restrictions once the headliner equipment is set? How do other bands need to work around the stage? These are all things to consider when in the booking process.”

Read the original article in BizBash.

10 Tips for Hosting a Wildly Successful Event on a Tame Budget [Entrepreneur]

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By Cassie Brown

When you consider events, you might think “My business isn’t big enough to hold an event large enough to make a difference. Where am I going to find the budget?”

That is a mistake. Events, when done right, are a successful technique for marketing, engagement and networking. Bigger isn’t always better, even when you have the budget. What’s most important is spending your event budget on what will make the strongest impact conveying your message to the audience you need.

The need to track expenses under a microscope can inspire creativity that results in an event your attendees will remember for all the right reasons. At TCG Events, we re-invented a “ribbon cutting” at a biotech center where we had the ribbons fall from the ceiling on a grand scale with a kabuki drop. It incorporated an element of surprise the audience wasn’t expecting.

Here are my top 10 do’s and don’ts on how to spend your event budget to create maximum impact with minimum headaches.

1. Plan. Don’t treat events like an afterthought. Plan ahead. Budget for them. Be strategic about objectives. The event should have a business-driving purpose beyond “it’s nice to have a holiday party.”

2. Drinks. Don’t assume that a hosted bar, in which you pay a set amount per guest, is the best deal. In most cases, a consumption bar, in which you pay for what people actually drank, is a more cost effective option. On a hosted bar you are paying the same charge if a person drinks soft drinks all night or a string of Long Island Ice Teas.

3. Fees add up. Don’t forget to include all the additional fees into the budget. The fees in hotels are endless – chef fees, bartender fees, service fees in addition to charges for power, loading docks, security, etc. A good event planner can provide you with insights into which fees are negotiable.

4. Snail mail. Instead of an email invitation, design an invitation to stand out and spend the money to mail it.

5. Tunes. It used to be that a live band was the prestigious thing to have but DJs are hot again. A great DJ is more fun than an average band at half the price. Design a cool stage set for the DJ so they can make a great visual as well as keep the energy high.

6. Pay to play. Avoid major fines after the event is over by making sure you have music licensing in place up front, whether DJ or live music.

7. Linen on the table. Do use linens to the floor. Linens that touch the ground are more appealing to the eye. It is also an inexpensive way to add color to an event.

8. No swag. How many mugs, beer glasses and t-shirts do we really need? Instead of handing out party favors and swag at your corporate event, add an experiential aspect where people can get involved.

9. Less talking, more watching. Don’t have a guest speaker/talking head address the crowd from the front of the room. Instead, take those dollars and invest in create a compelling two-minute video featuring your employees and senior leaders. They’ll appreciate it!

10. Brevity. Don’t disregard the two-minute rule for videos. There are almost no exceptions to this. Videos should be less than three minutes.

There is a reason commercials are a minute or less. The most successful viral videos on YouTube are short. Shoot less b-roll and spend more time in the editing room. Make the most of this opportunity to brand your company!

Read the original article in Entrepreneur.com.

Make Your Next ‘Big Meeting’ Unforgettable [CEO]

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By Cassie Brown

It’s that time of year again: the big company meeting that you hope will be even better than last year’s. However, for some reason, registrations aren’t flying in like they used to. This isn’t exactly good for business and could be a strong sign you need an event “refresh.”

As CEO, a company-wide meeting is the last thing you want to worry about when you already have so much on your plate. Consider these five reasons your attendance may be dropping and how to keep your business partners, vendors and other attendees excited about the event.

The old format is dead.

People love the unexpected. They love the mystery involved in an event and not always knowing what will happen next. Therefore, if you have the same general theme, type of speakers, predictable content and refreshments each year, what’s to get excited about? Change up that hackneyed pre-event networking cocktail party from 6-8 the night before with not-so-great wine, with only people they know.

Evaluate what’s not working.

You may typically have an after-hours session with a key speaker or a presentation that is similar to content already in the program earlier that day. If few people are going, and it’s not delivering much value, scrap it. Moreover, to truly take an accurate pulse on what is and isn’t working, make sure attendees have access to feedback cards or email feedback forms to gauge what they like and don’t and would like to see happen.

Have a format.

Yes, guests like a bit of surprise, but they also like structure too. It’s important to keep speakers on time and moving. Don’t let speakers go too far over their allotted time, as once you’re off schedule it’s difficult to get back on track. Research shows that the human brain can work well for about 90 minutes then it needs a break. That’s why the best speeches are 18 minutes or under. Every 7-10 minutes there should be a change at your event – a song, a video or something interactive to allow the attendee’s brains to take a break.

Make it intimate.

For a big meeting, letting people do their own thing and “hope” they talk to the right people or make connections isn’t the way to go. Instead, consider having smaller groups of people in intimate breakout sessions with one or more facilitators to structure the networking. Small breakouts and spaces encourage more thoughtful and engaging conversation especially with those they didn’t think they should meet.

Don’t shy from controversy.

I’m not suggesting you invite the local picketing group to your conference. However, if all the speakers have all similar views, it’s not really challenging attendees and bringing any fresh viewpoints. It’s okay for people to disagree. It engages people and gets them to reassess their assumptions about a particular subject.

As CEO, it can be difficult to strike the delicate balance between an informative and a fun company-wide event. But with just a few critical pieces in place, you can pull off a successful event with no hiccups.

About the Author:

Cassie Brown is the chief experience officer at TCG Events, an award-winning, full-service event planning company.  TCG’s work includes milestone, corporate, and nonprofit events, grand openings and more. TCG Events specializes in planning and executing corporate events with the company’s proprietary EventSmarter™ approach. This includes a detailed pre-event walk-through that covers every facet from the perspective of the attendee, to ensure absolute success.

Read the original article in CEO.com.

Birthday Party in Paradise: Margaritaville in Charlotte [Catering Magazine]

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By Catering Magazine

TCG Events brought Margaritaville to Charlotte, NC, for the 40th birthday celebration of Robert Frost, the president of a Charlotte-based company, who enjoys traveling around the world with his wife to attend Jimmy Buffett concerts. Inspired by the Parrothead lifestyle and the Tommy Bahama luxury brand, TCG created an event of tropical sophistication at the Ritz-Carlton Charlotte. As they entered, ladies received fresh floral leis and men kukui nut leis from Hawaii. During cocktails, guests mingled amongst tropical plants, while being served tropical-inspired appetizers and drinks as a ukulele player performed. In the background played a photo montage of the guest of honor’s favorite island vacations and Jimmy Buffet concerts. In a photo booth, guests could pose with live parrots; the images were printed on site and put in custom frames for guests to take home. After cocktails, doors opened to a room filled with cabanas, lounge furniture, hammocks, tiki huts, a steel drum band, flair bartenders, and a custom dance floor draped with bamboo, string lights and fabric. Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean—one of the host’s favorite characters—greeted guests as they entered. Hula dancers performed a traditional Hawaiian dance for guests, who were then invited to learn the moves themselves. The linens, flowers and décor created a lush, breezy, tropical vibe. On small cards, guests wrote notes to the host, responding to prompts such as “The first time I met Rob…” and “If I could dedicate one Jimmy Buffett song to Rob, it would be…” Guests were sent home from the tropical bash with bottle openers for the men and nail polish bottles (with such names as Bikini-So- Teeny and Barefoot) for the women.

Read the original article in Catering Magazine.

Where to Seek Hotel Savings [Successful Meetings]

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Hotels can be wonderful places to hold a meeting or event, as many are designed to meet every conceivable guest need and come with a bevy of resources and staff. However, as with any outside venue, thorough planning with an eye on costs is necessary. Knowing what to look for before you sign that contract, and knowing what is reasonable to ask for, can help put many concerns to rest — and leave you free to focus on running a fantastic meeting or event. Here are my recommended negotiation points to consider when booking a hotel meeting or event.

1. Event Room Rental Fee: Don’t always assume that you need to pay a rental fee. Many times this can be waived or adjusted with food-and-beverage minimums, as well the timing of the event.

2. Food: Don’t be afraid to ask for discounts. Always ask about available packages, and don’t forget to break these down to ensure that they haven’t just added each meal period together. If you are supplying your guests with a breakfast, re-plate your non-perishables and fruits for morning breaks, and serve the desserts from lunch at an afternoon break time.

3. Beverage (non-alcoholic): If you have an all-day meeting, don’t pay by beverage consumption, as you will be charged several times throughout the day for gallons of wasted coffee, decaf coffee, and hot water. Ask for an all-day beverage break, which will reduce your costs by one third.

4. Bar: There are generally two rates to choose from: hourly, and by consumption. Hourly is not advisable if 25 percent or more of your attendees do not drink alcoholic beverages. If your event has a large number of children, ensure that you are receiving a reduced rate for their non-alcoholic beverages (make sure the venue gives you an age cutoff).

5. Sleeping Rooms: If your dates are flexible, ask if there are any “need dates” promotions, as these can often result in lower room rates along with food, beverage, and A/V discounts.

6. Parking: Especially when the hotel is a city property, parking is a top concern. Ask for a reduced rate for all attendees.

7. Internet: For guest rooms, have the lowest bandwidth put into the rate. For meeting space, ask to have the fee waived; if the hotel is not willing to do that, then pay only a one-time fee rather than per day/per connection.

8. A/V: If the hotel permits the use of outside A/V companies, always make sure that there is no outside A/V company fee, or get it waived. Request that the in-house A/V provider bid on the event, while asking for a discount right up front.

9. Staffing: Many hotels, if you don’t request otherwise, will provide just one server per 100 guests at a bar, and one server per four tables for food service. We recommend you request a higher level of service: one server per 50 guests at a bar, and one server per table. No one likes to wait in line.

10. Amenities: No need for your guests to pay full price for hotel amenities. For example, try to negotiate group discounts at the hotel spa, or at the golf shop.

Read the original article in Successful Meetings.

 

The Day the Music Died – Don’t Forget the Music Licenses! [Meetings + Events]

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By Cassie Brown

There’s one major rule that everyone is breaking at events: not having a music license. This is a big mistake, as music licenses are a necessity – you can’t play copyrighted music publicly (at least not legally) without one.

Copyright laws require music users to get permission from songwriters and composers, who can then charge a fee for playing their music publicly. Two main organizations represent the majority of artists and music – BMI, the largest music rights organization, and ASCAP. It is their job to collect the fees from organizations that use music and distribute that to the artists. It is best to get both licenses unless you will only play a few songs and the ownership can easily be determined between the ASCAP and BMI. Why multiple licenses? Because different licensing organizations own different songs and it would be a miserable experience to take the band’s set list and look up every song.

Music-Licenses-2.19-204x300

Unfortunately, many people don’t understand the law, its scope, and the implications of breaking it. US Copyright law defines “public performance” as any music played outside a group of family and friends. By that definition, all company holiday parties, conferences, grand openings, etc. must obtain a license. Non-profits aren’t exempt either. If you pay an entertainer, a music license is necessary. Many companies assume that their music license includes events. Unfortunately, it doesn’t.

By not having the license, the organization is at risk of receiving copyright infringement penalties. By not doing it, the organization is risking very large fines – the ASCAP fine is a minimum of $750 per song plus attorney fees and court costs.

There is another common misconception that the contracted band or DJ is responsible for obtaining the license. Many band and DJ contracts have a line in their contracts stating it is the responsibility of the organization. In addition, the entertainers couldn’t get the license even if they wanted to…the license must be held in the organizations name. Venue contracts also typically pass off the responsibility of getting music licenses to the client.

Once you come to an understanding that you do, in fact, need to get a license, the good news is that they are fairly easy to obtain. Each site offers the ability to download the appropriate license. Fees are based on the number of people at the event, and each license covers all events for one year. You will fill out a reporting document at the end of the year with a total count of all participants.

One last caution: these licenses don’t cover sync rights, video usage, dramatic rights…that is a separate form (and expense).

Forewarned is forearmed: get the licenses you need, avoid future headaches and stand back as attendees dance the night away!

Originally published in Meetings+Events Media Group.

On Trend: Youth Must be Served A Great Time [Special Events]

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By Lisa Hurley

In some good news, several top planners say that budgets for children’s events seem to be on the upswing since the sharp falloff in 2008. But the days of “top that party” are gone.

“Budgets are slightly larger than they were two or three years ago, but I am noticing that even when I work with families who can afford to spend a great deal on their child’s party, they request to keep things lower key, not opulent or over the top,” says Penny Rabinowitz, head of Save the Day Events in Englewood, N.J. “They aren’t looking to one-up their peers as they did in the past.”

In the same vein, Cindy Hassel, president of SRO Events of Tarzana, Calif., points to a “slight uptick” in the size and budget of the mitzvahs she produces. But this is not all good news.

Hassel must cope with clients who spend “an inordinate amount of time—primarily on the Internet—looking for newer, seemingly trendier, less expensive elements for their parties, and we are being charged to vet their finds, which—for the most part—rarely pan out,” she explains. Also, many venues now offer packages that include linens and chairs, while DJs may sell lighting—”all of these were traditional sources of revenue for event production companies like ours,” she says. So despite the better budgets, “We are spending more time producing events and having to find new sources of revenue.”

Rabinowitz recently helped some clients keep costs down by creating one event for three boys traveling with their families to Israel at the same time to celebrate their bar mitzvah.

“Coincidentally all three boys’ names began with the letter ‘J,’ and so the theme they chose was ‘The J. Crew,'” Rabinowitz explains. “Invitations, logo, table decor, signing boards, candy displays and food stations, etc., all had the preppy J. Crew look that made this ‘Jerusalem’ event very unique.”

THOUGHTFUL THEMES These event experts note that themes are still an essential part of children’s events, and popular culture—movies, TV shows and music—is still a big theme driver.

But as Hassel notes, it’s no longer enough to simply paste a theme onto decor.

Kids today “want to capture the attitude–edgy, cool and popular,” she says. “But, they all want to be understated and classy at the same time. Because teens–and their parents–are so much more exposed to popular culture, there is a greater pressure on them and us [as planners] to be unique. And herein lies the rub: If it were unique and cheap, we’d all be doing it, and then it would not be unique!”

As an example of a richly developed theme, Alisa Zapiler, head of Denver-based Creative Events and Occasions, and the design team at Denver-based Newberry Brothers to create a pool-theme bar mitzvah for a boy who loves to swim. At the event, the dance floor was reimagined as a lap pool, acrylic “bubbles” floated above dining tables, and guests departed with custom-embroidered towels saying “Dive In with Joseph.” The event was nominated for a Gala Award last year.

Along with the trend toward more subtle, sophisticated theme interpretations at children’s events, Zapiler points to a growing sense of altruism at the events she creates.

As an example, Zapiler is working on a “go green” bat mitzvah for an environmentally conscious girl that will include trees “growing” out of tables. Using the theme “Go Green with Lauren,” the event will include a gobo of the earth on the dance floor.

She is not alone.

“Events that I produce and design for kids invariably consist of at least one element of charity, be it in specific acts of kindness they coordinate for them and even their friends to work on in the months leading up to their party or having their guests donate to one or several charities they like in lieu of gifts,” Rabinowitz says.

“I see this more now than I have in the past and in many ways feel that parents may be infusing better values into their children and attempting to take away that ‘all about me’ mentality we’ve seen so much of in the past.”

Kim Atwell Martin, CSEP, and Dawn Collier, event architect and director of business development respectively with TCG Events of Charlotte, N.C., list these event essentials for children’s events today:

It’s my brand: Kids and teens love to brand themselves. Monograms and event logos are “everywhere” these days, “and with companies like Etsy, everything is available via custom order.”

Just shoot me: Not only are photo booths a must, but they should offer social media interactivity, so guests can post pix ASAP. And even before the event, “Teens like to have photo-shoots prior to their event and then splash their pictures on invitations, event art and decor, and Facebook and Instagram.” And of course, establish a hashtag for the event to make sure the brand is easy to follow.

Cakes in crazy shapes: “Thanks to the Food Network, everyone wants a funky, elaborate cake. No better way to punctuate your theme than with an over-the-top cake!”

Worthwhile favors: “Favors are either very material or gift-card focused. The days of a small DIY bag of random junk are gone.”

Generation Z saves the world: “The teen generation—17 and younger—is inquisitive and globally aware. They are interested in solving problems, “So make sure to add elements to their events “to do just that.”

My cell, my cell! Kids just cannot deal without mobile phone service at their events, Hassel says. “We are surprised at how unnerved the teens get when their cell phones don’t work at venue,” she notes. “This is for the most part an area we don’t have control over but it is a curious phenomenon we’ve noticed.”

Read the original article in Special Events Magazine.

5 Must-Have Technologies for an Event [Meetings + Events]

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By Cassie Brown. Read the original article in Meetings + Event Media Group.

So, you’re tasked at pulling together an event. The charter? To produce an excellent event for the client that will engage the attendees, foster great conversation and networking, and not to mention, run smoothly. One of the key components to having a successful event is the choice of technology, which can be overlooked or underestimated. Technology can affect the overall energy, perception, and even communication of the event. It is an element that, if done right, can boost your clients ROI, increase networking, and keep the event running seamlessly. Here are the top five technologies that can really make a difference at your client’s next event:

1. Wireless LEDs

When lights need to be in a place where cord placement is inconvenient (cords over doorways, through a room, placement where there is no power, etc) wireless LEDs work very well. Good lighting sets a tone and energy for the event that is important for networking. Research shows that light, music, color and food all affect learning. Neuroscience has determined that when multiple senses are employed, the brain remembers better.

2. iPad registration:

The first impression of the event begins when the guests arrive, which is not the time to be scrambling to find that piece of paper with the guest list and frantically scanning to check off names. Not to mention, you’d have to cross reference later with any colleagues to see who they checked in. Invest in an iPad for unified guest registration and consider event check in apps such as Event Check In or Check In Easy, which can efficiently help you check in guests, and will make you look sophisticated too. Or, if you’re not interested in purcasing a tablet or iPad, CheckIn Tech can provide iPad rentals, staff people and more. Key advantages of online registration:

  • Know how many people have arrived at anytime
  • Can add/change guest names and information quickly and succinctly
  • Retrieve an historical data report of how many people arrived at what times (helpful for staffing future events)
  • Each iPad has the most up-to-date information (vs printed list which are outdated when a second list is printed)
  • Can add notes and photos so key sponsors, speakers, VIP are acknowledged (no embarrassing situations of not realizing you are speaking to a high level donor or a speaker)
  • Easy to see if there are empty seats at a table
  • Visually cleaner, faster, more welcoming – not to mention it looks stylish and smart

3. Screen size appropriate for room size and content

Limit live speakers to a minimum and consider incorporating short two minute videos to portray messages. This introduces a visual element that is captivating and often, more engaging. Video also helps avoid “wasted time” by having speakers walk to and from a podium.

  • If seats are too close to screen, people can’t see content
  • Content determines the seats that will be able to see clearly. Seating 4x from the height of the screen is good for graphics (so a 6×8 screen means graphics can be clearly seen up to 32 feet away – anyone seated further away than that won’t see the graphics as clearly). Whereas you should consider 8x the height of the screen for video and 6x the height of the screen for any visual in the middle.

4. Countdown clock for speakers

  • Reconfirms the amount of time someone has to speak to avoid going over the allotted time and keeping your guests too late
  • Subtle on stage
  • Helps speaker stay on track – they don’t want to go off on too much of tangent and not get their point across
  • It provides comfort for speakers to know how long they have been talking
  • Make sure tech company resets the clock! It’s important to walk through the process in advance with the speaker.
    – If a countdown clock isn’t available – warning signs also work. Holding up signs noting 10, 5, “Wrap”, from the back of the room helps your speaker stay on track.

5. GREAT sound

Sound can affect the energy, mood and thinking for attendees. The clarity of the sound is just as important as the level of the sound and it’s evident that one without the other doesn’t get the job done. Loud, inarticulate sound is blaring and offensive to the listener. Clear, articulate sound that’s not loud enough to hear is, well… not loud enough to hear. It’s important to note the point of measurement of which sound can be heard clearly. Sound will decrease by approximately 6dB for every doubling of distance. If the sound level at your loudspeaker is 100 dB at 1 meter, it will be 94 dB at 2 meters, 88 at 4 meters, and so on.

  • Speaker placement is important, as it needs to be evenly distributed into the room
    – The ability to hear a spoken word vs a thump thump (think rock concert)
    – Prevents sound delay from front of room to back (producing an out of sync effect – think bad foreign film dubbing)
  • Wireless microphones: anyone speaking at the event should be hands free so they can engage with the audience effectively and not be distracted by the technology itself