Tag: conference

Tips on working with an event photographer

Tips on working with an event photographer

An investment in great photos just keeps on giving.

Photography that successfully tells the story—and captures the emotions of an event—pays dividends for years on end, in everything from printed collateral to social media to future promotions and presentations.

But good images come from more than just a photographer’s artistic eye, technical skill, and instinct for human behavior. Good images require preparation as well.

These eight tips will help you get the best results from your event photographer.

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Find the right fit

After you’ve studied a photographer’s portfolio and like the style, it’s time to see if you “mesh.” Even the most casual conversation can give you a feel for whether he or she can become a good, if temporary, extension of your team.

There is real value in hiring someone you and your attendees will feel comfortable with— and the results will show in the end product.

A good event photographer needs to be a good listener, assertive enough to ask good questions and seek out great moments, friendly enough to coax genuine smiles, and calm and confident enough to be a positive force in a group of people.

Spell out your needs

Every event is unique, and stating your specific needs up front will yield the best results. Discuss the intent and purpose of the images. Photographers, being visual animals, often like to imagine the “story” of your event, how it unfolds in print, a Facebook gallery, or a YouTube video of still images. A good photographer can discuss all the options and their requisite needs.

If the primary use will be Web and video, the photographer will want to shoot mostly horizontal content. But if your particular print materials require lots of vertical images, let him or her know. Are there specific shots you really need? Want? Want to avoid? Make a list.

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Plan ahead for overlap

You can’t expect your photographer to be in two places at once. If you need a press wall or head shots at the same time you need coverage of a breakout session, tell the photographer well ahead of time. He or she can likely bring in help for those few hours.

Relying on your chosen photographer to assemble the team will yield better results than if you bring in an unknown quantity. After all, this person must be willing to work in concert with the lead photographer, and to take direction on where to be, when to be there, and what to shoot.

With the exception of using a videographer or second shooter for overlapping events, stick to one lead photographer. Dueling photographers scrapping it out for prime position at key moments won’t produce good results.

Show your support

Once onsite, give the photographer a walk-through of the event locations, following the agenda. Point out any changes to the agenda and offer an initial (even if brief) introduction to the CEO, VIPs, and speakers. It will give the photographer a sense of their personalities, body languages, and gestures.

In fact, an introduction promotes a more comfortable shooting experience for both sides. Onstage, for instance, the speaker will see the photographer not as some stranger buzzing about with a camera, but as a friendly face and part of the team.

How to prepare for these 4 common speaker hiccups

How to prepare for these 4 common speaker hiccups

No matter how ready you think you are, rest assured at your next meeting or conference, there will be a few blips along the way. Here are four common speaker-related challenges that can pop up just when you think it’s smooth sailing—and here’s how to be ready for them:

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The presentation pitfall

Yes, sometimes, laptops fail, and it is a heart-stopping moment for all, particularly the A/V guy. Obviously rehearsals help curtail problems, but when speakers are especially high-level, often they can’t spare the time. For those guests, it’s best to have their presentations loaded onto two laptops (at least), cued up and ready to go in the A/V booth so an almost seamless switch can be made should a major issue arise.

The see-you-later speaker

You’ve allotted 45 minutes for the conference’s opening speaker to share her wisdom.  Unexpectedly, she wraps her speech up in 20 (including Q & A) and is off to her next command performance. Great for her schedule, but not so great for yours. How to manage a workaround?

To start, expect big names, especially those who are speaking gratis, to be on the brief side. Not ideal, but it does happen more than we’d like to admit, so don’t be taken by surprise.

When building the conference schedule, try putting in a coffee break immediately following the opening speaker so whether they go long or short, it won’t mess up the rest of the day’s schedule. Also let your banquet manager know they may need to be flexible on the break’s start time, should the opening session let out earlier than planned.

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The forgetful speaker

It always amusing to see what speakers will forget to bring along for their conference sessions—things like laptops, handouts, their actual presentations (!) and any number of items directly related to why they’ve been invited to speak in the first place.

How to prepare? Start by remaining calm, especially when the speaker is on the verge of a meltdown, and:

  • Have extra, backup laptops on-site and immediately available, preferably PC and Mac
  • Make sure you’ve boosted the storage capacity of your Dropbox account so you can quickly deal with large file shares (PowerPoint presentations can be enormous, you know).
  • Spare thumb drives to swap files when Wi-Fi is dicey
  • Fast access to a printer for the handouts the assistant forgot to send, FedEx didn’t deliver, or their dog ate. Ideally, a printer in the conference workroom is best, particularly when the hotel’s business center is an eight-ballroom sprint away.

The clumsy keynote

A dollop of marinara sauce or cup of coffee spilled on the speaker’s white shirt moments before taking the stage is the stuff of nightmares – and they happen all the time.

Here are the basics of how to get a stain out, or at least tamp it down ‘til they can get to the dry cleaners:

  • Blot, don’t scrub – scrubbing damages fabric fibers and drives the stain further in
  • Put hot water on grease stains – to help dissolve it
  • Put cold water on a wet stain – or any spot that contains water (like fruit juice)
  • Lighten up on club soda – no need to hose guests down with club soda – it’s not a miracle cure – water is almost as effective, so no need to break out the Perrier.
How To Take Notes at Events

How To Take Notes at Events

Thanks to technology, nowadays we have many gadgets to track things. They are the personal secretary whom we cannot afford.

Similarly, at an event,  to maximize the ROI (return-on-investment) in terms of money and time, it is also important to track important things such as “check out the book <<Hooked>> mentioned by the speaker”, “follow up with John on the introduction to a potential engineer recruit”, etc.

Note taking is not just for event goers, but also for event organizers.  Organizers can use notes to track TODOs to make sure that nothing falls through the cracks during the busy event days.

Here are 8 tips for note-taking at events and suggestions on how to easily take notes within the context of the event activity.

What to write? [For Event Organizers]

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1.  TODOs for event management

You probably already have a general event checklist to make sure everything goes smoothly. After checking that, it is important to write down all the details to do during an event, e.g. checking special A/V equipment or catering schedule before a specific event.  It is also helpful if you can easily share the notes with your fellow organizers.

2.  Speakers / VIPs Information

To make sure that speakers and VIPs will arrive on time and you greet them appropriately, it is helpful to take notes about their phone numbers, extra parking permits arranged, seating information, etc., just in case.  If you need to pick them up from an airport, it is also helpful to have their pictures to recognize them as well as any useful information helpful for ice breaking.

3. About people you met at an event

Engaging new members, attendees, or VIPs  is important especially if you are organizing an event for community building, networking, or fundraising. You can also meet potential sponsors and vendors to work with in the future. It is useful to remember not only their names and contact information but where you met, what you talked about, and what’s the next step to follow up.

4.  Onsite feedback and observations for the future events

As an event professional, you will also learn new things by making mistakes, listening to attendees’ feedback, and observing how pleasant or unpleasant things happen unexpectedly.  A quick note taken at each moment will be a precious resource for you when you recap lessons after the event and apply them for future events.  You can also take a note about attendees / members who provided a valuable input for you and send a thank you email after an event.

What to write? [For Event Attendees]

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1.  Pre-event notes: Questions to ask & people whom to meet with

I bet you attend a professional event to gain new knowledge and experience, and/or network with new people. To achieve it, you need to do homework prior to the event: explore event programs and think about questions to ask speakers or industry experts; research their backgrounds and take note on what to talk about with them.

I know it is not easy especially if you don’t know who else will attend the event or don’t have time to search their backgrounds on the internet.

2.  New information and experiences you get  

You get lots of information from others at an event, but it is unlikely to retain all the information. It is often just a name of a book or a new product, buzzwords, or a person’s name mentioned during a conversation. It is always helpful to take a note of them and do web search later not to let useful information slip through our fingers.

3.  About people you met at an event

If you met an important person at an event, for example potential clients or business partners, you would like to write down any useful information to engage them after the event, such as what she/he was interested in, commonality both of you have, summary of the conversation and contact information.

4.  Personal plans on event activities and logistics

While organizers  usually provide you enough information about local attractions, directions, parking information, etc., it is always  handy if you bring your own notes about a direction from your place, more cost-effective shuttle bus or parking lot. It will be good to take a quick note for organizers’ announcements, such as schedule changes, meeting scheduled onsite, and wi-fi password.

 

How and where to write?

Nowadays many people use smartphones to take a note and there are good note-taking apps out there such as Evernote or OneNote. While they are much better than writing on a piece of papers or napkins, they are not the best tools for notes at events as it is not easy to associate your notes with the specific event activity the notes were taken for, such as a session or meeting you wrote about.

How to work a room

How to work a room

Knowing how to ‘work a room’ is a valuable talent.

Make it your mission to meet as many people as possible. Don’t spend all of your time with only one or two people. Even if you buttonhole CEOs, they probably don’t want to spend the whole evening with you glued to their elbow.

Introduce people to other people: everyone is there to meet people. By introducing people you know to others, you are helping the process and creating goodwill to boot.

Obviously, you are there to sell yourself, but don’t just turn into a speechmaker.

Ask questions to get others talking about themselves. Most everyone likes to talk about themselves. And, you could learn some valuable info that you can use later. For example, if someone mentions that their son is on the football team at school, at another meeting it makes a great opening to ask about how their son’s team is doing.

Reserve two pockets for business cards. One pocket is for your cards. The other pocket is where you put cards you receive from others. This keeps them separate and you don’t hand out someone else’s card inadvertently.

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Turn your cell phone off. Interruptions are distracting and make it appear that you value your caller more than the person you are talking with.

The old adage of not discussing politics or religion holds true. With so many divergent opinions out there, you do not want to get embroiled in an argument you cannot win. It is the best way to make a bad impression.

And, lastly, industry receptions may look like a party, feel like a party and sound like a party – but they are not parties. They are social business events. If you drink too much and make a fool of yourself, people will remember that about you for years.

6 Ways to refresh your annual conference

6 Ways to refresh your annual conference

An annual conference provides the unique opportunity to bond relationships between peers, clients, investors, vendors, and prospective business partners.

It creates a stage where people can come together and reflect on exceptional accomplishments as well as opportunities missed throughout the year, creating a reflective and honest environment.

This atmosphere can act as the perfect catalyst for supercharging your whole company and motivating members to move forward together towards a common objective.

Your annual conference can prove to be productive time well spent if your audience is engaged and people are poised to collaborate. Here are some ways to breathe life into your annual conference:


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Change the scenery

Create anticipation for your meeting even before attendees step foot inside the door.

Host your annual conference in a different location from where you do business to give a feeling of a fresh start and unlimited possibilities. For example, if your office setting is typically in an urban industrial area, try hosting your conference at a forested retreat surrounded by wildlife and natural habitat.

A change in scenery can completely alter the way attendees approach issues and transform perceptions.

Plan some functional free time

Try balancing out a lecture-heavy agenda by adding other non-traditional activities to the mix.

Building excursions, recreation opportunities and friendly competitions into the schedule provides an outlet for creative thinking, thus giving attendees the chance to regroup and fully engage during traditional work sessions.

Sample activities can be as simple as furnishing a bike for each attendee to explore a nearby trail system, or simply providing interactive maps for attendees to discover must-see places throughout the host city.

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Get to know your peers

With so many great minds in one place, try to make it easier for people to reach out to one another and start meaningful conversations. Ask attendees to fill out a “nametag” that includes not only a name but also lists the one accomplishment he or she is most proud of for the year, or a question he or she is hoping to have answered by the end of the conference.

This is a great way to get individuals interacting to share similar accomplishments and goals.

Break from the classic break

Sitting stationary for long periods of time is not good for the mind or the body.

Intermittent breaks allow attendees to move around and shake off stiff limbs, clear heads, and seek refuge after a morning filled with strong coffee and bran muffins. Take coveted break time to a whole new level by inviting in special relaxation and movement experts to help loosen the tension.

A few easy yoga moves in the fresh air will get people bending and stretching to increase blood flow and brain function, while a visiting chair massage specialist can ease the aches of sitting all day and give attendees a chance to temporarily zone out so they are less likely to do so in the middle of the session.

Interactive food fare

Food relaxes the atmosphere and helps sustain positive energy levels throughout a conference. Instead of opting for the regular ol’ soda and sandwiches theme, change it up a bit for a new spin on snacking.

Rather than one generic buffet, offer diverse lunch stations with different types of cuisine available in each area. There can be an Italian-themed create-your-own-pasta station, a sushi rolling area, or a station offering food distinct to the area in which you are hosting your conference.

Change the furniture

At one time, banquet chairs in meeting rooms were replaced by ergonomic seating. Now ergonomic seating is being replaced by bean bag chairs, overstuffed couches and “living room” areas where groups can meet and talk in a less formal and more comfortable venue.

Whether it’s incorporating aromas to energize the room, or requesting fitness balls and free weights for breaks at association events, the smallest ideas can breathe life into your traditional conference.

Utilize some of these tricks during your next conference for a brand-new approach to the old way of doing business. They will help foster great ideas to propel your business into the future.