EXPERTS & OPINIONS
Sep 03, 2020
With everyone adapting to working from home, there has never been a better time to host a virtual (and regularly scheduled!) employee engagement event, and it’s not as difficult as it may seem.
Here’s how you do it:
Schedule it. Using Zoom or a similar platform, have a company leader schedule the call as an “all hands on deck” so employees know their attendance is expected. Be sure to keep the subject line and messaging upbeat. With layoffs happening daily, the last thing you want is to scare your employees.
Set a clear agenda. There is nothing more awkward than going into a meeting and… more
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Aug 27, 2020
Everyone is anxious to start replacing Zoom calls with face-to-face interactions and making personal connections once again. When that time comes, will you be ready to hit the ground running and plan and execute event experiences that will not only engage but leave attendees motivated and inspired? Now more than ever, ITA Group’s legal team is working to ensure our clients are protected by mitigating risk with well-executed hotel contracts.
We’ve put together the following four focus areas critical to creating a strong contract that protects client interests to every extent possible.
1.… more
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Aug 20, 2020
COVID-19 has made a devastating impact on all the aspects of our lives, but it is also prompting an outpouring of creativity in the events industry.
The way we communicate and interact with colleagues, professionals and members of the public in trade shows is, in fact, playing a more and more relevant role. It’s key to streamline the way we present ourselves to others, making sure that without even interacting with them, they are already aware of where we are standing.
This is why the launch of the new social bands in the industry has been received with success.
Social brands was created… more
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Aug 13, 2020
Did you know that event management consistently ranks within the top 10 most stressful jobs each year – alongside the likes of enlisted military personnel, firefighters, pilots and police offers?
For event managers, there’s no shortage of things to do: finding a venue, hiring staff, getting equipment, organizing travel, liaising with speakers, enlisting caterers – the list goes on.
And to make matters more complicated, each year brings with it new challenges and new trends.
Recently, we conducted a survey of more than 100 event management professionals asking them what they believe to be… more
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Aug 05, 2020
Many trade show and conference producers have found themselves in unchartered territory as they’ve made the in-person to online event pivot over the past several months. These professionals have been reading about best practices, researching new vendors, consulting with industry peers and otherwise learning as they go. Meanwhile, there’s another group of industry professionals—a subset of Freeman called Freeman Digital Ventures—that has been producing digital events since 2015. I asked three of the strategists that align with this group, Mark Fein, Stacy O’Connell and Tyler Day, to share what… more
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Jul 30, 2020
Do you know how large of a role the live events industry plays in our nation’s economy? If you’re in the events industry, you likely do — but not all Americans are aware. As Congress prepares to deliver new business relief legislation in the upcoming weeks, it’s important to note how big that impact is, as well as the critical characteristics for that legislation to be most effective — for all small businesses and especially those in the events business.
The live events industry employs roughly 2.8 million people, and when factoring in direct jobs and indirect jobs (which includes labor,… more
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Jul 22, 2020
Right now, it’s a challenge for many to simply visit the grocery store. What will it be like once things start reopening on a large scale? Will people immediately resume their pre-coronavirus behavior, or will they be wary about being in places with large groups of people? For the events industry, this is a crucial question to unpack, as it determines how they will approach business going forward. What steps will they need to take to ensure that people will continue to attend conferences, expos, panels, and the like?
Combining in-person and virtual events
With infection numbers on the rise… more
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Jul 16, 2020
In the early days of March, the world began retreating to their houses and home offices in response to the growing threat of the coronavirus, changing — and testing — business as we knew it. Corporate event planners had to make the difficult decision to postpone, cancel or transition their in-person events into digital experiences. It wasn’t possible to gather, yet the guessing game of when we might resume life as we knew it was too difficult to understand.
Even now, after four months of stay-at-home or safer-at-home orders under our belts, the return of in-person events remains elusive. Yet… more
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Jul 08, 2020
As we’ve watched events be forced to postpone, change location and/or go virtual, it got us at Fixation Marketing thinking: Do these changes affect an event’s brand?
Not if the brand story is strong.
Your brand story is a narrative you create around your event that inspires an emotional response. It goes beyond the standard value proposition of describing event features to convey how the experience helps participants be more productive, make more money and advance their careers. In telling a brand story, you draw people into a narrative they not only want to be a part of, but also feel they… more
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Jul 01, 2020
In the past four months, events have radically shifted from in-person gatherings to virtual events. Speakers play an integral role and can make or break the attendee experience. Understanding the importance presenters play into this dynamic, here are some tips for helping you to create a positive virtual experience for your attendees.
1. Test, Test, Test
To ensure everything runs smoothly, schedule a rehearsal with your speakers. Here is a short checklist of items to practice:
Test microphone and audio to confirm optimum sound.
Test lighting (i.e., not sitting with back to a window).… 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