EXPERTS & OPINIONS

Apr 27, 2018
The Millennial audience is a subject of interest and wielder of influence for good reason. A Brookings Institution study predicts that Millennials will account for 1 in 3 American adults by 2020 and up to 75 percent of the U.S. workforce by 2025. That ubiquity carries with it the ability to affect numerous industries, including live events. Our study with Ipsos and Crowd DNA found that in the past year, 89 percent of Millennials attended at least one event, up 7 percentage points from three years prior. As the current crop of 20-to-36-year-olds extends its purchasing power, event creators… more
Apr 23, 2018
For many corporate marketing or event departments, getting approval to add employee headcount is close to impossible. You may only have enough work to justify a part-time resource, or your events may be seasonal. Hiring a contract event manager can be a great way to make sure you get what you pay for, without excess overhead. What — you have some doubts? Let us guess: “But will they do as good of a job?” “How hard will they work, if they’re not officially part of the company?” Important questions, certainly. Of course you want to hire professionals who believe that “do good work” is a… more
Apr 17, 2018
This is the final piece in a three-part series recapping a conversation I had with Sue Falcone, Founder and CEO of Remarkable! A Speakers Bureau on how planners can strategically build relationships with speaker’s bureaus. Part one introduces the value of the speakers’ bureau, and part two talks about event speaker trends. Christy: What do you do about speakers who speak from scripts and are reluctant or unwilling to adapt the message to an audience? Sue: It’s essential to make sure every client gets a unique and custom experience. Audiences will not accept “canned” presentations, although… more
Apr 12, 2018
Having just reviewed my numerous hotel and airline accounts, I was reminded of how much I traveled in 2017. Most of my trips were visiting and training clients, helping conduct booth sales or attending industry shows. Event professionals spend a great deal of time on the road to prepare for and attend their events. Over the years, I have developed a few ways to cope with life on the road. Hope these tips help you in 2018 and beyond! Staying Organized Along with all the various travel partner apps (airline, rail, hotel, etc.), the TripIt app is great for keeping all travel confirmations,… more
Apr 03, 2018
Each year companies spend valuable resources on meetings and events – not because they are a nice add on, but because they are a proven, successful business tool.  A well planned, well executed event can invigorate a corporation and dazzle attendees.  But just because something didn’t go wrong, it doesn’t mean everything went right.  As event planners we need to stop accepting "no catastrophic failures" as a measure of success. These seven points of focus can help ensure you produce a successful event each and every time. 1. Define Goals and Know Your Audience Here are just some things to… more
Mar 29, 2018
Event organizers know that balancing tech trends with the realities of business and budgets is a challenge. Roll something out too early, or to an audience that doesn’t fit, and it can easily fail. Hold back on new tech and your event can feel dated. So how do you make sense of “bots” and voice-activated technology like Amazon Alexa? Well, the first place to start is understanding the difference between a new trend and a new technology. Bots, AI (artificial intelligence) messaging apps and voice-activated search are here to stay. This is not a "trend" – it's a technology. There is a… more
Mar 22, 2018
Event strategists always start with the end in mind. They know the core principle in strategic planning is that all actions and decisions must support the event goal. When it comes to choosing speakers, it can be easy to get distracted by celebrity status or choose topics that may be personally interesting but not right for your target audience. Engaging the professional skills of a speaker’s bureau allows you to add an expert to your team at no cost to you, saves time and will potentially introduce you to people and topics you may not have otherwise found. This is the second in a three-part… more
Mar 19, 2018
Bringing new tech to your event is easy; you just go to the event tech store, pick out what you want, take it home, unwrap it and press the big green "on" button. If only. Clearly there's more to it, and there are more opportunities for things to go awry, mistakes to be made, and issues to occur. We've put our heads together and came up with eight "dos" and "don'ts" for implementing event technology at your events. If you're ever had a problem with tech at your events, there's a good chance you made one of the mistakes we're going to address below.  But, no worries! With tips you'll have… more
Mar 14, 2018
Over the last few years, technology has become an integral part of the events industry. Anyone working in this dynamic area knows how painful it would be to juggle all the aspects of event management without the help of technology tools. The demands placed in front of today’s organizers? To execute the logistics of the event perfectly, while at the same time providing engaging experiences that are tailor-made for attendees, satisfying different needs they may have before, during, and after the event. It goes without saying that the most effective way for relieving some of this pressure is… more
Mar 07, 2018
Whether it’s making a list and checking it twice or end-of-year recaps and wrap-ups, winter is the season of lists. At Derse, much like when it comes to events, we’re all about preparation. So, we’ve scoured the internet for opinions and predictions on event marketing trends for the coming year. These predictions from Chief Marketer, Entrepreneur, Forbes and more, combined with our knowledge from the past year and our expertise in aiding companies with events, exhibits and experiences led to our own list. Here are the trends to look out for in event marketing over the next year Quality… more
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