Making your event a "Status Story"

As mentioned in a previous post, one of my favorite sites to take time to sit and read updates from is Trendwatching.com.  

One idea that was raised in their July 2012 post entitled Newism was that of the 

"Status Story."  

A year and a half has passed and this idea is as predominate as ever.  What would Facebook be without people updating their every experience, "checking-in" at that cool new bar or posting photos of their wild bash?!  The idea of the "status story" is that people have s desire for a never ending supply of new experiences.  Even better is when this experience is exclusive and unique because taking part isn't only about you having that experience; it is about what people are going to say when you tell them you did it. 

When it comes to events, now more than ever this is a big question organizers are asking themselves: 

"How do we get them to talk about it after (or better yet during) their experience?"  

This has resulted in a new wave of technologies being developed, but in my opinion it seems that we have focused more on creating tools for people to share than on giving them something worth sharing.  If the focus switches to ensuring that unique, new experience, people will share it themselves.  A fantastic example of this is the Tough Mudders and Spartan Races out there.  People have accessed their own Facebook and Twitter accounts on their own accord to go on and share and like and re-tweet on the basis of the experience.

I loved this briefing and will likely return to it numerous times as it is packed with lots of other great ideas, but I want to leave it here and end by simply asking you to share what some of your most memorable status stories have been.  (If you can't think of any, see my previous post about some awesome free events this weekend sure to end up on your Twitter feed.)

Memories without breaking the bank

One of the reasons I have loved living in Toronto is that there is an endless supply of exciting new things to experience.  (In a small town things tend to get repetitive and quite predictable.)

The even more fantastic thing is you don't have to be a high roller to create some incredible memories!  Thanks to Blog TO for so thoughtfully putting together this great list I am looking forward to an amazing weekend.  I will admit it will not be a chilly one at the Polar Bear Dip, although I may wander down to watch but I would turn lobster red in water that cold.

Here is the link for you to check out for yourself!

Blog TO Free Events January 25- Feb 2 2014

Cheers!

A New Year

I fought with myself about whether to create a "New Year" posting, however I feel I must as it has been a crazy 2013 for me and I let that get in the way of keeping this up to date.  Not that I am labeling it a New Years Resolution, but I do hope that I can prevent that from happening in 2014.  I have already been brainstorming lots of ideas to write about and can't wait to start tackling them.

As far as events go, I do hope you managed to find a fun one to attend on New Years whether it was braving the cold at a ball drop, a fancy dinner, a night out dancing, or something cozy at a friends or your own place!  I was lucky to be at a friends, and was reminded of the big reason I love events, the bringing together of people for a celebration, whether big or small.  Events make memories and I truly feel a life well lived is one overflowing with memories of smiling faces and stories that begin with "Do you remember that time we..."

Here is to 2014 and beyond!

Cheers!

The way we think about charity

I recently watched a TED Talk by Dan Pallotta concerning the way we think about charity and not for profit vs. for profit businesses.  I do recommend that you watch the whole talk and you can find it below, but to summarize:

He discusses how we place those working for charity into this category of you have to be wiling to get paid very little to do good for others.  This results in the majority of people looking for work to go into the for profit sector where they can find a greater income and simply donate more to a charity.  For profit business has shown that making long term investments and spending on marketing can create a greater return.  Everyone in business knows this, so how come we shun this idea when it comes to charity?  We know that these activities create a greater return for a business, yet charities miss out on this return because there is a negative stigma about using donated funds for "overhead costs."  Pallotta looks at how we need to change the focus from percentages to changing the size of the pie.  If we are holding an event and we make $100, and 10% goes to overhead we are donating $90 directly to the cause, but if we hold an event and make $10,000 and 40% goes to overhead and $6,000 is donated people are upset, even though by investing in the event and people we were able to donate $5, 910 more to the cause.  If we want to create events for charity that really make a difference for the cause it will  take some investment, to get people involved and recruit top talent that will make a difference.  Investing in charities more like a business will create a greater impact on the causes and isn't that really what we all want in the end?

I do hope I did some justice to his message.

I also feel this is seen where many charities post volunteer positions that require a large commitment and are making critical decisions.  You are going to have much better people looking to hold this position if you provide incentive.  I know I often see positions I wish I could take but am unable to do to financial situations or the sheer time commitment of it while trying to hold another job.  

Hopefully this view will start to take hold and we will be able to see a greater return going to those who need it, and people won't be so against people making a decent income for providing that.

Let me know what you think about his talk!

Cheers :)

Why do I enjoy the event industry?

If you love putting together events, then I know that I don't have to say anything for you to understand. However, I have often been asked by people who cannot stand putting together events, how do I have such a passion for creating events?

I almost find it hard to put in words because the reasons can be so varying.

From a marketing perspective I enjoy taking products and companies off a screen or piece of paper, and even off the internet.  Creating a real experience for consumers that is tangible is an incredible opportunity to create true loyalty in a time where there is very little.  People remember experiences, people share experiences and being able to create experiences for people that creates a call to action for them to bring that to others is exhilarating.

Then I consider all the events I have done for charitable or city organizations.  Being able to give back through an event that creates a difference in someone's life is something that I take great pride in.  Bringing people together and really seeing how much people care and want to make an impact in this world is life changing.  It is also a hard feeling to understand until you have been to such an event and taken a moment to soak it all in.

Now although this doesn't always apply to my clothes, I simply enjoy gathering and organizing all the different aspects of events.  Seeing all the pieces come together and building something from nothing is exciting.  It is even something I enjoy so much that any event I am involved with, if it is a recurring event, I ensure that the files I create, and the systems I put in place will allow for everything to stay organized into the future.

If you have the same passion for events as I do, I would love to hear what it is that drives your passion!

The small details add up

When creating an event there is always that moment where every single detail seems to be up in the air, half planned but not quite complete. Finding ways to maximize the details can be what makes a good event great and a great event extraordinary.  Now when I mention details, this encompasses a number of different areas.

In communication:

The need to consider details starts with each initial communication to any contact.  How are you presenting the event from the very beginning?  Are you ensuring your vision and purpose is clear?  Doing so can open up opportunities for your suppliers and vendors to make suggestions they feel will compliment this.  The truth of the matter is, you cannot be an expert in every single area of an event, so this feedback from suppliers can draw in ideas that you may not have been  able to generate on your own.

In decoration:

You never know when that one small extra item will be the perfect touch that pushes the event over the edge.  It is always ideal to have people saying things such as "Did you notice the napkin rings that went so perfectly?" or "The picture in the bathroom was a hilarious."  To make a theme or idea clear at an event consider how you can do so in ways that people would not expect.

In wording:

Now I separate this from communication as here I am referring to wording of any written material presented to those attending your event.  From invitations (which is the most obvious and usually taken care of) to signage, entertainment and menus, ensuring the theme or tone of the event is reflected here can make a great difference.

In supplier and venue selection:

When selecting any supplier or vendors for an event, it is important not to only compare your options based on cost.  The time I find most critical to do so is for charity or cause events.  This is because having suppliers and vendors that can align with your cause, I truly feel, drives them to bring even more to the event.  Now of course this needs to be weighed against creating the best return for your charity/cause as well and most  every situation is unique.

*Note, I do not suggest someone loses site of the big picture of an event, or stresses over trying to ensure every single last small detail is capitalized on, but rather to help ensure they simply take moments to delve a little deeper every now and then.

I'm sure I will be back at some point to reassess how I feel about these points as I often find as my experience in events grows so does my perspective on a number of topics.  Please feel free to let me know any thoughts you may have in the comments.  I'm always excited to hear and discuss events with others who have a passion for event planning. :)

Your Ambassadors Are Your Event

After a recent experience working an event as a brand ambassador it is clear to me that it can be easy even for experienced experiential marketing firms to miss the small details.

I truly feel that it is critical to ensure that you take care of your brand ambassadors to ensure that they are in turn creating the best experience for your consumers.  Key considerations include:

• various scheduling options should be considered, weighing the value and cost of long shifts with breaks or shorter shifts not requiring breaks 
• if breaks are required and the event is ongoing with no clear opportunities to take breaks, take the guess work out and schedule breaks to ensure appropriate breaks are taken, helping to ensure reps are at their best the entire time 
• develop clear check in-check out schedule, whether by text or simply a designated paper, allowing for management of hours worked and breaks taken
• determine clear sampling plan (if applicable) based on expected traffic and amount of product available
• provide what you promise your reps, don't want to be the one to make them uncomfortable or disappointed because you didn't follow through, for example promising hat or gloves when running an event outside 
• create opportunities for managers to follow up with reps and create coaching experience, reps should always be growing in their ability to interact with consumers 

Happy and satisfied reps create the most memorable experiences for consumers.