EXPERTS & OPINIONS
Oct 22, 2021
Live event production is still feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Event professionals have had to explore other kinds of touchpoints since 2020. One such option has been drive-in events, providing a unique, convenient and memorable way to engage attendees from the safety and comfort of their own car.
Creating a safe and successful drive-in event during a pandemic is not the easiest thing to do. These three strategies can ensure your drive-in event is a smooth ride.
1. Plan around local guidelines and regulations.
Be aware of local COVID-19 policies and plan accordingly. The… more
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Oct 11, 2021
There’s an interesting debate raging at the moment. It’s focused on whether hybrid events are here to stay or if the world will merely return to business as usual and resume in-person events.
It’s an important conversation as the “return to normal” continues running up against new COVID variants, but the decision doesn’t need to be a binary one.
Even as in-person events make a comeback, companies can and should include a virtual component in their events. It’s a relatively easy—and cost-effective—way to “upsize” smaller events into larger ones that reach more people.
There is a sense in… more
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Oct 06, 2021
Today’s marketing teams are focused on engaging with the thousands of prospects and customers in their contact databases to generate awareness. Once you have that prospect engaged, the next step for any customer in their journey is education.
Customers need to evaluate the companies they want to work with. That process includes attending trade shows, corporate events, webinars, one-to-one meetings, sales meetings, expert meetings and executive meetings. But sessions are where prospects learn more about a product and specific use-cases.
Sessions: Uses and Types
Sessions can educate… more
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Sep 29, 2021
Humans love to measure things and put names to them. We create measurements for individuals such as IQ and EQ as well as organizational maturities of all kinds. So, it only makes sense to add one more to this ever-growing list of quantification: data maturity. An event organization’s data maturity is the level of the staff’s understanding, adoption and utilization of available data to guide decision making, ideation, product development and procedural improvements. It may just be one of the single most important measures you can assess.
In today’s dynamic exhibitions and events industry, the… more
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Sep 21, 2021
Open your calendar on any given day, and chances are good that it looks nearly identical to the day before: chock full of video meetings and conferences. Meeting after meeting can be taxing enough, but those held in the digital realm are leading to a phenomenon known as “Zoom fatigue.”
This seems almost counterintuitive, as little effort is required to attend. However, there are many reasons why virtual meetings and conferences feel so exhausting. For one, they require an exorbitant amount of eye contact. No longer are you looking around a room as people speak; your attention is directed… more
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Sep 15, 2021
It comes as no surprise that the past year has significantly slowed down group and business travel. While digital platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams have proven an effective mode of keeping in touch, there is no replacing an in-person conversation. We all have an inherent desire to travel, explore and feel connected. With more than half of the U.S. corporations not currently traveling stating that they plan to resume domestic business travel within the next three months, the sentiment will continue to grow. With that in mind, destinations that speak to travel needs and wants will gain… more
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Sep 08, 2021
In the past several weeks, I have traveled to several cities across the U.S. for different-sized trade shows and industry meetings. As a frequent business traveler pre-pandemic – at least a few times a month – I will tell you that traveling right now is simply not quite the same as it used to be in more ways than one.
In short – PACK YOUR PATIENCE – and realize that everyone, and I mean everyone, is doing the best that they can in a challenging environment.
Also – work with your hotels, venues and CVBs to find out what impacts there may be on any of the points below in their cities and… more
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Sep 01, 2021
“Become comfortable with permanent uncertainty.” ~ Unknown
Since March 2020, your lives as planners, show managers and suppliers have been nothing short of topsy-turvy. For many seasoned event professionals, the last 19 months are new to someone whose planning cycle is three to five years in the future.
While many are touting a “new normal,” what is that exactly? And how do you pivot when your local, state or federal government changes direction with COVID-19 guidelines or mandates? One guiding principle is to stay calm and always make safety a top priority.
Let’s walk through some… more
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Aug 25, 2021
As we all know, the in-person event industry was brought to a halt by the pandemic, and many live events have been missing from the business schedule for more than 18 months as a result.
While virtual events have been an effective alternative for both organizers and attendees, according to Event Manager Blog’s Event Statistics, 72% of live events failed to profitably pivot to a virtual format, and this has inevitably driven the renewed demand for hybrid and live events within the industry as restrictions begin to ease.
There is no denying that the past year has changed the event industry… more
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Aug 18, 2021
The events industry (among others) has certainly taken its share of hits over the past 18 months. Just as we’ve discussed change and resilience in this space, I now want to challenge us all to start to move forward and shift! Below I detail some of how we can efficiently handle chaos and start to shift through our most difficult moments.
Analysis paralysis
When life goes into complete chaos, there is a human response called fight or flight – you’ve probably heard of it. However, a third response that I’ve seen (and felt) lately is that we also tend to freeze. It is a physiological response… more
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Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is more