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Eco-minded Planning

Posted on 5 Agosto 201618 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

Sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) are terms that continue to generate thought in the events industry. If you’re still not sure what those terms mean or how they impact the way you plan, here are the definitions:

Sustainability is a method of using a resource so that the resource is not depleted.

Corporate social responsibility is an organization’s sense of responsibility towards the community and environment. The hospitality industry might express this through their waste and pollution reduction processes, or contributing to educational and social programs.

How can you plan with greener practices in place? How can you work better with hoteliers and vendors to make sure they are using the best practices? Here are some ideas:

Interactive technologies like tablets, video walls, and kiosks allow you to communicate your messages electronically on a real-time basis, saving on both paper and printing.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle by offering recycling bins, and/or partnering with sustainable organizations that help keep materials out of landfills and allows them to be re-purposed instead. Let guests know of your efforts so they can participate—and feel good about doing it.

Transportation contributes to your carbon footprint, of course, so be conscious of that when considering your transportation options. To green up your transportation:

1. Understand the most efficient ways your guests can get to your hotel or destination. Promote those ways on your website for meetings when transportation is not being covered.
2. Utilize bus shuttle service instead of individual sedans to get groups to/from the airport versus.
3. If individual sedans are necessary, work with companies that offer hybrid or electric cars.
4. Consider destinations with a high ‘walkability’ score.
5. Encourage attendees to walk to local restaurants and attractions and/or share a cab when they have free time.

What are you doing to be eco-friendly?

Outdoor meetings: some practical considerations

Posted on 3 Agosto 201618 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

Outdoor meetings are the perfect opportunity to take participants out of their routine, stimulate brainstorming and foster out-of-the-box thinking.

But planning outdoor meetings is not exactly the same as planning outdoor events.While some of the same best practices apply, there are other considerations as participants will be outside longer, and they will need to focus and get work done despite some distractions.

Site Inspections

Sometimes, clients are tempted to skip site inspections to save money. If an outdoor meeting is on the horizon, site inspections are a must, not a nice-to-do. Audiovisual and lighting suppliers must also conduct site inspections.

Sensible Schedules

Some of the considerations for outdoor meetings include:

providing shade cover for hot periods of the day and cooling units if necessary
if shade cover is not possible, start early (e.g. 8 am) take a break at 11 am and resume the meeting at 3:00 in the sunbelt (e.g. Dubai, Oman, Singapore, the Caribbean)
if you must meet during hot times of the day at hot destinations, move the lunch and early afternoon portion of the meeting into a marquee or pop-up event venue
carving out some downtime for participants who will look forward to some R&R after spending time outdoors

Seating

Unlike strictly social or recreational corporate events, chairs for business meetings must have backs that provide good support and enough comfort for longer periods of seating. Portable tables with firm surfaces will be needed for work.

Mikes May be a Must

Even for small to medium groups, if participants are seated at more than one table, microphones and sound systems may be needed to counteract background noise. If some participants are soft spoken, it will be important to punch up the volume.

For small meetings, save on audiovisual costs by sending out the presentations in advance for participants to load on laptops and tablets.

Plan B: Always Have a Back-up Weather Plan

You will need a flexible agenda in the Caribbean and Mexico during rainy season (May and October). However, rain isn’t the only weather-related concern. In the Middle East, sandstorms are cause for concern in some destinations; in Canada and Europe, watch for unseasonable drops in temperature.

Set-up Fees

There will often be special set-up fees for outdoor meetings. It’s important to check what they are and determine if they will still apply if the event must be pulled indoors due to weather or other considerations. At some destinations, resorts are located on beaches that are government owned and a fee must be paid to hold an event or meeting on the beach. Sometimes, this has to be paid a week prior to the event and there are no refunds if the meeting is rained out.

Dress Codes: Brief Attendees on What to Wear

Opt for a casual dress code. Send out a packing list a few weeks in advance and a reminder before the event. Remind the group again during orientation. Despite reminders, I have seen participants show up without boots in areas where there has recently been rain, in sandals and high heels for horse riding, and without head coverings for meetings in the desert.

Be prepared. Pick up extra, sun hats, umbrellas and rain ponchos at a “dollar store.” $20 – $25 will cover it and it may make the difference between participant comfort and discomfort.

What are some other practical considerations for outdoor meetings?

Furniture for your event: rent, build or buy

Posted on 27 Luglio 201618 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

The right furniture can set the mood – as well as provide comfort for the attendees.

The key is to create an environment that enhances the event. It’s not just about renting furniture, it is about creating the right ambiance.

For example, it’s trending now to provide open space seating at meetings, instead of just rows of chairs. People are different sizes, they sit in different ways, yet there is a tendency to make all chairs alike. With open space seating you try not to furnish any room with chairs that are identically the same.

Choose a variety of different chairs, some big, some small, some softer than others, some with rockers, some with arms, some wicker, some wood, some cloth. Put some highboys in the back of the room for people that prefer to stand. Have some tables, for those that prefer table seating.

A furniture rental company can help you plan the space. Most cities that host a lot of conventions have one or more furniture rental companies. From these, you can rent all types of furniture suitable for indoor and outdoor events.

You can even buy their furniture. At least once a year, most furniture rental companies have liquidation sales to reduce their inventory so they can bring in new and fresh designs.

This is a perfect time to refurbish your office or home with a new look by adding new sofas or easy chairs. Contact furniture rental companies in your area and get put on their mailing list to be notified when the liquidation sales will occur.

6 Ways to use GoPro at your events

Posted on 27 Giugno 201618 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

GoPro helmet-mounted cameras have been around since by Nicholas Woodman invented them in 2004. They’ve made him a billionaire. Even though they are a perfect fit for the events industry, they are underutilized by event planners, who can use them to speed up the action to cover more ground or slow it down when it’s time to show details.

Here are 6 ways in which event and meeting planners can use GoPro.

Training and Development

Some processes are very intricate. Learners benefit from seeing the details from the point of view of the individuals carrying out the task. Videos shot using GoPro are an ideal vehicle for capturing minute details and walking learners through tasks step-by-step. Retailer Experticity has created a GoPro channel where associates can log in and learn from custom designed videos.

Capture meetings, conferences, and concerts from the point of view of speakers and facilitators

Instead of just giving lip service to audience engagement, incorporate the audience reactions and the point of view of performers and speakers into video highlights.

Relive Outdoor Adventures

Whether it’s zip-lining, bobsledding, dune bashing, or desert adventures on quad bikes, GoPro is the perfect way for participants to relive their adventures.

Capture the Intensity of Action Sports

For fast-paced action sports like polo, GoPro places viewers in the center of the action. In combination with drones that cover a large territory, GoPro is a great way to convey the full intensity of action sports.
GoPro is in the process of developing a quadcopter drone for release in 2016. Event professionals can look forward to this type of footage.

Provide Tours of Resorts

Site inspections are always the best plan, but, when they are not possible, a professional video with images captured through GoPro can give clients the look and feel of a resort or venue.

Preview Off-the-Beaten-Track Adventures

For adventures in rugged territory, footage from a GoPro camera can give clients the information they require to assess whether or not the experience is a good fit from the group.

Finally, here are some tips for using GoPro for events:

Storyboard what you want the final video to look like to ensure that you get all required shots.
Be sure to obtain the right mounts and other accessories.
Invest in large memory cards and always bring backup as memory cards fill up fast.Carry extra batteries and ensure that all batteries are fully charged.
Make sure that the lenses are clean. Unlike a digital camera, it won’t be possible to check the lenses before or after every shot.
Shoot when lighting is best. Early morning will produce clear and well-lit shots. Late afternoon shots will have shadows and drama.

Online vs face-to-face networking

Posted on 16 Maggio 201618 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

When the balance is tipped towards online rather than face-to-face networking, and we step out of the bubble, it can all feel a little strange. The screen we sit behind is the ultimate shield, it protects us and from behind it we can be more confident to approach or instigate contact knowing that an online rejection is less visible to others.

Don’t lose this assurance when you set out face to face, remember that others are there for the same reasons you are, to network, explore new opportunities and develop relationships. You’d be happy to engage with the person online, so do it face to face too.

So, you’re open to meeting anyone and everyone at the event, you’re happy to make the first move, but how to ensure a positive, enriching conversation? When networking online you might write or share articles to develop relationships, perhaps sending something you think would be of interest to a specific contact.

Your online content can assist to position yourself as someone with a worthwhile opinion, so make sure you are as prepared to do this face to face. Have some relevant stories to share, and introduce when the time feels right.

Although of course online networking is two way, a conversation of two or more with each party having a chance to share and have their say. Online etiquette dictates that whilst it is great to share content, it is also good to engage with what others are putting out there. Take these principles to your face-to-face networking events, talking is great but listening is key.

Face-to-face networking isn’t that different to online networking; the most difficult part is often pulling open the doors to that spin class to be greeted with 20 expectant faces looking back at you, you imagine them questioning your fitness, your ability to perform.

Well now you can look each and every person in the eye with a confidence that comes from knowing you have all the networking skills you need.