event planning – Pagina 3 – Fedra Meetings & Events

Tag: event planning

Vegetarian and Vegan Catering for Events

Posted on 18 Ottobre 201618 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

In 2010, a report released by the United Nations Environment Programme encouraged a global shift to a more plant-based diet in order to combat the environmental effects of consuming animal products.

Event planners can also do their part by including more vegetarian and vegan options at events. Current menu options, however, usually lack a serious consideration of nutritional content and variety. As a result, event attendees may feel discouraged and don’t always choose the more sustainable vegetarian or vegan option.

Dedicated Vegetarian or Vegan Caterers

So what are some practical suggestions to make vegetarian and vegan food at your event more accommodating? Try simply catering from a local vegetarian or vegan caterer in your city.

If your city has a limited selection of dedicated vegetarian or vegan caterers, consider purchasing from a vegetarian or vegan”-friendly” caterer or restaurant. Many caterers and restaurants now have a selection of vegetarian/vegan options on their menus, oftentimes marked with a “V.” If you are considering making a fully vegan purchase, play it safe and ask for the list of ingredients to ensure that animal products, such as milk powder or egg whites are not hidden in the meal. As a general tip, Thai and Indian cuisines usually have a wide selection of veg dishes but don’t let that prevent you from exploring different cuisines.

Some caterers and restaurants do not have an existing vegan option, but customizing your meal is always an option.

If you are planning to dine out at a restaurant for your event, it is important to look for the vegetarian or vegan options on the menu before deciding to go. To play it safe, you can call in beforehand to confirm that the ingredients used are plant-based. While a greater number of people now understand the term “vegan,” making these assumptions may still be confusing to them. The safest option is to politely use the term “vegan” and explain if the term is not familiar to them.

As we recognize the role of food in sustainability, accommodating veg food is a great leap in the right direction.

Stay food-conscious!

5 Items Your Email Sign-Up Form Needs

Posted on 28 Settembre 201618 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

Why do people unsubscribe from your email? While there are a number of possible reasons, many can likely be traced to unmet expectations.

The content doesn’t interest me. They send too much email. The experience was not personalized.

So, how can you align subscriber expectations with your actual email program? Start with your email sign-up form. Set the right expectations here and you’ll avoid complaints and misunderstandings later on. You’ll also lay the groundwork for a relationship with your subscribers based on honesty and respect.

Here are 5 important items to include on your email sign-up form:

1) Email Descriptions

Include brief descriptions of your emails, focusing on what’s in it for subscribers. Do you announce major breakthroughs or new volunteer opportunities via email? Mention it here, along with how often emails are sent.

2) Samples of Past Emails

Allow people to “preview” your messages before subscribing by including links to past emails. This gets the relationship off to a good start by being very transparent about the type of content you send. Diabetes Research Institute’s email sign-up page below is a good example of including both descriptions and links to samples.

3) Links to Email Archives

Links to an email archives section offers potential subscribers access to news they missed. As a bonus, it adds new, search engine-friendly content to your website on a regular basis. Creating web-based versions of your emails doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s often as simple as pasting your email HTML into a web page.

4) Privacy Information

Include how your organization respects the privacy of its email subscribers and the fact that they can opt out at any time.

5) Incentives

If possible, offer an incentive with every email sign-up. Be creative here. For example, perhaps a corporate sponsor could provide a product discount or make a donation up to a certain amount for each email sign-up. Or, you could offer subscribers early-bird registration to a popular event.

While it’s a good place to start, setting expectations doesn’t end at the email sign-up form. Reinforce important information in your subscription confirmation email, offline communications and actual emails.

What tips do you have to reduce opt outs?

How To Plan Seating Arrangements [infographic]

Posted on 16 Settembre 201618 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

So you have found the perfect venue for your next event, now you need to start to think about the room layout and in particular the seating style for your audience.

As discussed before, the communication factor on any event is critical.

Whether you are setting up a business presentation, training classroom, hosting a full scale gala dinner or product launch, the arrangement of the seating can make all the difference.

You have invited your audience to communicate a message, so it’s important that your audience is seated in the best way to achieve the maximum impact for your message!

Check the infographic below and follow our tips: