5 Things a Theme Can Do for Your Next Association Conference

Conference themes aren’t whimsical tomfoolery. They play a very important role in your association’s ability to connect with your audience and reach your business objectives.
If you’ve ever been to a themed party, you know the creativity and fun it brings to the event. Association conferences are no different. A theme can certainly liven things up and breathe new life to the event, but it also does some remarkable things for your business objectives.

How to Select a Pertinent Theme
A theme offers a condensed version of what you’re interested in accomplishing. Things you’ll want to consider when selecting an effective theme:
– Your audience and their interests/needs
– The host city and how it ties in
– Something that is in line with your objectives that personifies them, but still leaves some room for interpretation

Once a theme is selected, it should permeate all aspects of your conference.

A Theme Unifies Objectives and Provides Focus for Events

Themes don’t have to be kitschy costume parties. They can be whimsical or serious but they should always focus on a business objective. For instance, a “Focus on the Future” theme sets the tone for presentations, conversation, and innovation. It signifies to the conference goer that this will be a forward-thinking event. You won’t be hashing out the same old topics. You’ll be charting a course for future success.

A successful theme shapes your conference agenda and personifies your objectives for the event.

Keep Content Interesting with an Event Theme

Your signature event requires a lot of content support. You’ll create content on the host city, content around the keynote speaker, miscellaneous content for newbies, etc., but after a while your event content can start looking formulaic and like everyone else’s, especially if you begin marketing and creating the content shortly after the last event ended. That’s nearly an entire year of content surrounding your event!

A theme gives you something new to say about your content – a new filter with which to create. It should color your social media posts as well as your video and written content. A theme also draws people in, makes your content feel unique each year (and not another post about what to bring to conference), and gets people excited about the event. It helps attendees draw connections, which makes people more engaged and supports more lively discussion.

A Theme Generates Buzz

Attendees will get excited about a well-chosen theme. If you take the time to select something with mass appeal to your constituency, one that resonates with them, they will help you with the marketing of the event. The excitement will build with each piece of shared content and their posts may elicit questions from others who see it in their streams. Themes are interesting. Themes draw a crowd.
Themes effectively shape your marketing collaterals and the big reveal of what your yearly theme is can generate a buzz on its own. For instance, the Higher Education Users Group (HEUG) ties its conference theme tightly into its host city. The theme and host city reveal are widely anticipated.
Speakers Feel and Understand Direction with a Theme
One of the hardest things to do when you select a big name keynote speaker (and any speaker outside of your industry for that matter) is to ensure s/he understands your audience and their needs. In order for the keynote’s message to resonate with them, the presenter needs to speak the language of your audience. They need to understand your audience’s concerns and goals from an industry perspective. For the largest emotional appeal, speakers need to know what keeps most of your audience up at night.

When you create a theme you’ve taken that into account. Your theme should, and must, resonate with your group. It will give the speaker meaning, context, and focus for his/her content. It provides a subtle direction of lens in which to view his or her approach. TED and TEDx events incorporate themes as “taglines” for their wildly successful speaking engagements. Past themes include: “The Substance of Things Not Seen” and “The Big Questions.”

Themes Have a Visual Appeal

Themes bring visual appeal to your message. The theme can, and should, influence everything from your meeting logo to your catering and snacks. Attendees should be able to glance at components and collateral in a large conference center with multiple conferences occurring at once and know which ones are yours merely by scanning.

Your conference theme anchors and shapes all visual aspects of your event including logos, apparel, giveaways, and other graphic representations of your event.

In Conclusion

A theme is not a silly party. It is a meaningful reflection and interpretation of your event’s goals and objectives. It functions as the elevator pitch for your conference and helps people understand in a very short period of time what your event is trying to accomplish. You don’t need a theme for your conference to be successful but why pass up a way to encapsulate your mission to your attendees and the outside world in such an effective way?

Source: Event Manager Blog

byBest Events

in Conference Talk

12:28 PM

5 Things a Theme Can Do for Your Next Association Conference

Conference themes aren’t whimsical tomfoolery. They play a very important role in your association’s ability to connect with your audienc...

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8 Tips for Creating an Effective Presentation Space

Lighting, lectern selection, and accessibility are all key components in producing a successful stage setup for speakers.

The lectern and stage setup at the Big Bang Gala at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco in June 2013 allowed easy access for speakers. 

Photo: Show Ready Photo

By Alesandra Dubin Posted November 5, 2015, 7:00 AM EST

Setting up a stage for speakers and presenters may seem like an uncomplicated matter compared to creating an elaborate performance platform. But the success of a presentation—and of the people delivering their messages—depends on nuanced (and sometimes overlooked) details like size, lighting, and accessibility, as well as the right selection of microphones and lecterns. Industry experts offer their tips for producing stage setups that are operational, effectual, and impactful at meetings and conferences.

Choose the correct height.

Consider attendees’ sight lines and comfort when raising the stage. “For any presentation, I always like to be at least 12 inches high off the ground so that audience members have a good line of sight,” says Jon Retsky, co-owner and lead designer of San Francisco-based event design and production company Got Light. “For larger galas, big stages, bands, big fund-raising events, or fashion shows, we typically go as high as three to four feet off the ground to help elevate the speakers and presentations and give a good line of sight for all guests.”

Use appropriate lighting.

Lighting should be properly situated for all of the individuals who will be standing on the stage at various heights. “This requires research from the event team on who will be on the stage, and working with the lighting designer,” says Todd Hawkins, C.E.O. and founder of Los Angeles production company the Todd Group.

Though it may seem surprising, Retsky says stage lighting is often the most-forgotten element, especially during summer months when organizers assume daylight will be adequate. “Once that sun goes down, your presentation will be in the pitch black,” he says. “Adding a stage wash for basic visibility will make your presentation pop with light, both before and after the sun goes down.”

Make sure audio is loud and clear.

In addition to lighting, quality sound also contributes to the effective communication of target messages and to an overall positive audience experience. “The core of staging design begins with audio,” says Corporate Magic senior creative director Stephen Dahlem. “It may sound simple, but you can add all the … bells and whistles … to a presentation, but first and foremost the audience has to hear. If an audience cannot hear, they will not care. The correct style and amount of audio is key to delivering the fundamental message of any successful event.”

Select microphones based on speakers.

Some speakers may feel more comfortable speaking with a hands-free lavalier microphone, while others may prefer the comfort of a handheld microphone they can raise or lower to their preference. “We try to have both lavalier and handheld microphones available so we have options,” says Stacy Seligman Kravitz, the director of events and stewardship for the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California.

Beyond that, she advises having speakers arrive early, when possible, to build comfort with their mics and other details of the setup.

Pick the right lectern.

A lectern may seem like the most basic and ordinary of staging needs for presentations, but selecting the right one is actually a critical task.

“If it’s an acrylic [lectern], ensure it is spotless and clear of scratches. Particularly as the light hits it, any and all imperfections will show,” Hawkins says. “If it’s a custom-built lectern, ensure it’s built correctly to aid and support your presenters.” Additionally, he says, organizers should make sure there is enough space for speaker notes and relevant reference materials to minimize unsightly clutter.

Beyond that, it’s also wise to have a lectern on site, even for those who think they’re unlikely to use it. “[It] can help calm a presenter’s nerves,” Retsky says. “It gives presenters a prop to lean on, to read from, and [to make them] feel more comfortable.”

Keep it simple.

Elaborate stage decor or sets may pose a distraction for speakers, as well as audience members—those watching live or those watching virtually or at a later time.

Hawkins says: “Simple is more. We can go overboard with flashy sets, but in my experience the best staging is when I keep a very simple layout and design, as the more complicated sets don’t always ­translate well in photos or on camera.”

That being said, decor could serve a strategic purpose when necessary. “One need that was specific to one of our esteemed trustees was that she did not want her legs showing through the Lucite lectern,” Kravitz says. “Because I shared photos of it in advance, she was able to share her concern, and we addressed it with a selection of greenery on stage that is not always part of our staging plans.”

Allow easy access.

A stage with insufficient or complicated access can pose a threat to a successful event. “Are there performers who need a special way onto stage or have props that require to be rolled on or can come up steps? Additionally, when I’m producing charity events, there are often surprises where folks come to the stage who might have not originally been written into the script—so it’s important to have a fully accessible stage,” Hawkins says.

Remember: Size matters.

Retsky says the number of speakers will likely dictate the appropriate stage size. “If you only have one speaker at a time, a massive stage will dwarf the speaker and minimize the impact of the speaker or presentation,” he says. “Are there panelists? If so, you’ll want a larger stage and want to think about where to place the lectern, if any, so that the speaker can communicate seamlessly and with the panelists.”

Source: Bizbash

byBest Events

in Event Tips, Event Venues

3:00 PM

8 Tips for Creating an Effective Presentation Space

Lighting, lectern selection, and accessibility are all key components in producing a successful stage setup for speakers. The lectern...

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#2016: Tech Trends to look out for this Year #tech #eventtech

Facial and gesture tracking, expanded use of virtual reality, and a focus on creating frictionless user experiences are some of the topics that will impact events next year.

Virtual reality is one of the technologies that will gain traction at events in 2016.

Photo: Courtesy of Hill Holliday

By Mitra Sorrells Posted December 22, 2015, 7:30 AM EST

BizBash asked industry professionals to share the event technology tools and topics that will impact their work in 2016. Here are their predictions, gathered through phone and email interviews.

Mobile Matters

“Mobile isn't a trend, it's a reality. The majority of Google searches in 10 countries, including the United States, now happen on mobile devices. The majority of digital advertising (62.5 percent, according to a recent eMarketer study) will be spent on mobile advertising in 2016. Digital components of event experiences are under even more pressure to be mobile first than other forms of marketing, and 2016 is the year where brands shouldn't be thinking responsive or adaptive, but truly mobile first. It's how people are exploring today's digital universe in a big way. That means being Google Maps-friendly, integrating travel details with TripIt, considering geofenced advertising, having a mobile website and a mobile app, thinking about whether your emails are mobile optimized, and much, much more.” —Ben Grossman, vice president, strategy director, Jack Morton Worldwide

“When you go through an event and you see people, the majority of the time, most of the people are just watching their phones. So the ability to design experiences to pull people away from their phones becomes more and more critical. In 2016, how do we tie technology through their mobile device back to what’s happening as a real experience on the show floor or in a common area? It’s around the trend of Internet of Things. Devices are able to speak and communicate with each other and have this sharing of content that can occur.” —John Woo, vice president of design and creative, Global Experience Specialists

Improved User Experience

“You have all these different pieces of technology—beacons, apps, digital signage—but they don’t work together. The big thing that will happen next year is the integration of these things so they work together to create the most seamless experience for people. It will be driven by a lot of technology that will be released in the next year or two—the Internet of Things—what will finally happen is it will be practical.” —Wilson Tang, senior director of experience design and digital strategy, FreemanXP

“How can I connect your complete experience? I want to remove transactions, I want to remove redundancy. So how is the first time I enter information then carried on throughout the entire experience? I never have to enter it again, you know who I am, you’ve optimized my experience, all by virtue of the fact that I have some sort of identifiable R.F.I.D. or N.F.C. or beacon on me that then connects your event experience. The great benefit of that is it then turns an attendee into an active participant. That’s what I get excited about regarding the user experience.” —Kirstin Turnbull, director of account development, Mosaic

Facial Recognition

“Where we were doing a ton of R.F.I.D. even a year ago, we’re doing very little now. A lot of R.F.I.D. I used to do I’m replacing now with facial recognition. Where you used to use an R.F.I.D. bracelet to actively check in and for tracking and measurement at events, I am able to accomplish the exact same thing passively by looking at the human beings that are there. Seeing what dwell times are, when they are coming in, how many times they come back. The ability to implement facial recognition at scale and the cost of doing it [has come down] and… I’m able to anonymize the data very easily. I don’t have to worry about the cost of shipping and broken parts and things. And it requires far fewer calories, even no calories, for the people attending an event. It’s so cheap and easy to deploy these cameras, software, algorithms, and to work with companies that are providing facial recognition technologies. The biggest challenge we have is helping our clients understand it’s not a big brother thing. We live in this video monitoring environment, and we’re leveraging that benefit for our clients.” —Jason Snyder, chief technology officer, Momentum Worldwide

“The idea of facial tracking and mapping is coming into a little bit of a new space. We just built a prototype for an event with very simple facial tracking. It’s really accessible now through standard web cams where you can track facial features, overlay graphics, create playful visuals. It’s interesting for photo experiences. But then the deeper implications of where this research is going now in terms of understanding and responding and creating really personalized responsive content in terms of emotion is very interesting.” —Jamie Barlow, vice president of creative technology, Sparks

Virtual Reality

“We’ll see even greater adoption of virtual reality, and expect interactivity to be a bigger part of the overall experience moving forward as the spectacle of 360 video or 3-D 360 within a headset isn’t impressive anymore. This means more physical elements in the virtual reality activation space, longer experiences, and integration of more sensors to create a more complex virtual world. The bifurcation of virtual reality hardware will force event marketers in the planning phase to differentiate and chose their display headsets early on so experiences can be tailored to the specific strengths, weakness, and differences of Samsung Gear, Oculus VR, Google Cardboard, and the host of other products likely to hit the market in the coming year.” —Mo Twine, senior interactive producer, MKG

Data Analysis

“By fusing data from marketing automation systems (generally held by digital marketing teams) with event registration and tracking systems, we begin to get a more complete picture of attendees' behaviors and value to organizations. Adding a layer of predictive analytics over that data analysis can help us understand how to anticipate needs, create better experiences, and make investments where they're projected (with statistical rigor!) to really matter. Event marketers need to ensure they have someone on hand who can speak the increasingly complex language of data.” —Ben Grossman

“We are working on a number of projects related to event data. All these different systems generate massive amounts of data. Every time you access your app, every time you log into a website. How long did it take the system to respond, what did you do, where did you mouse hover. People finally get to see what’s going on at their event. We can gather meaningful insights, and you will finally be able to figure out with hard data what is the return on your event, what can you do to improve it, what can you do to enhance the user experience. In the past I might hire a DJ because I think you like this music, now I can have it tied to your Spotify in registration so the music you like is playing when you walk in. Analytics will be coming to events in a big way.” —Wilson Tang

New Challenges From Shifting Control

“More and more the attendees are having the ability to control and stream content live from the show. Content control is slowly shifting from the marketing team to what the attendees are actually bringing in terms of transformation of space as well as their ability to create their own content onsite in the middle of your event and push it to their followers. So we have to understand that attendees are no longer passive. This loss of control is an interesting dynamic because it pushes us to try to create better content to capture that audience. The ability to create these moments along the attendee journey—to be able to feed the audience content that you want them to share versus them finding their own content. I think it will be critical in the way we leverage technology and the way that we have conversations with our attendees during our event. It’s an opportunity and a scary challenge. More sophisticated marketers will start to leverage this challenge, conquer this fear, and create content that is more engaging and more meaningful for people share.” —John Woo

Remarketing

“The event industry is woefully behind when it comes to other parts of the marketing world. Digital advertising has had Google Analytics for more than a decade. If I drop something in my Amazon cart and decide not to buy it, I start to see that product in ads across the Internet. As creepy as that sounds, that’s commonplace now. So you’ll start to see a lot more of these what I call advanced digital marketing techniques come to the world of events. So maybe you go to an event website and don’t purchase, then you’ll start to see ads pop up for that event. Almost every part of the marketing world has advanced techniques for social media. They use dashboards and utilities that allow you to target all sorts of social platforms. Right now that hasn’t been done much at events.” —Wilson Tang

The Access Economy

“I think 2016 will be the year that we see the complete disintegration of the distinction between business technologies and consumer technologies. Attendees want to navigate events with the same tools and apps they use in their real lives. They are looking to buy back time by 'outsourcing' tasks and errands as you can see with the surge of brands like Blue Apron, Shyp, and Luxe, and they are going to expect the same conveniences, efficiencies, and quality. From a planning standpoint, we’ve already tapped into the access economy and have used services like UberEvents where you can pre-pay for rides and give attendees the freedom to manage their own schedule as far as when they leave and in the manner which they are used to on an everyday basis.” —Angela Stassi, vice president of marketing, Barkley Kalpak Agency

LED Displays

“We are seeing a much greater use of LED both panels and monitors in the event environment. It always amazes me that in a meeting environment you’d put adults in a space for eight hours straight—which they’re not used to—then we feed them at lunchtime and put them in a semi dark room and wonder why their attention spans go away. By using some of these newer technologies that can overcome the ambient light of meeting space, it allows you to have brighter learning environments… which has been proven to keep people’s attention and it’s much more conducive to adult learning. The other value of LED technology as display technology is it allows you to readily do different things within a room and the space, to alter the look to battle what we refer to as “room fatigue.” You can make subtle changes to the room without completely resetting the room to trick to the mind into thinking it’s a different experience. If you are doing widescreen LED display, you can change the area where the content is, maybe a little to the left or right. It does enough to the mind that you look at that room a little differently, and you have a much better experience from an attendee perspective.” —Jim Kelley, vice president of sales and industry relations, Production Resource Group

Personalization

“Where I see next year going is the ability for more personalization with R.F.I.D., beacons, etc. We envision events where the content interactions change dynamically based on the participant’s preferences and prior interactions. So it’s not so one size fits all, it’s tailored to the specific participant. Augmented reality is where virtual reality was before. Microsoft is doing hololens, it’s another layer of interactivity. It goes from virtual to augmented. And if you look at Magic Leap they raised $1.4 million for their very secret augmented reality startup. I don’t think it’s next year, but you’ll start to hear more and more of it. But the technology can only be as good as the rational for it to being there. Implementing the technology without a plan on how it fits into the overall experience creates a bad user experience.” —Bryan Icenhower, president, IMG Live

Gesture Technology

“Motion control within a large audience can start to change what’s on the screen or on a wall or what happens in an immersive experience… so the attendee can start to transform the event space. Now you have environments that are reacting to the people that are there—being able to have the attendees just walking through a show hall and having the entire hallway transform into a specific content message just because they’re walking in front of it. It’s a special reveal that makes the audience stop. Digital architecture, large mural screens, the way that [technology] interacts with people through motion capture and gesture technology is going to be something that is more and more visible in 2016.” —John Woo

360 Photos and Videos

“A technology we’ve seen a lot of lately and [that is] coming around to adoption is definitely 360 video. You might think of it as panoramic, but it will also lay the foundation of what’s behind virtual reality content as well. On a mobile device you can turn your phone or pan with your finger to look around a scene or literally put it into a virtual reality headset to be immersed inside a scene. It’s becoming cheaper and more acceptable, and being adopted by major platforms [with] Facebook and YouTube both supporting 360 video now. So 360 photo booths, video booths are something you’ll start to see more of. You’re not being dictated what the frame of reference is that you are supposed to be viewing a story from—you as the viewer get to choose that frame of reference. It’s a more immersive experience of content. Live-streaming 360 video is not there yet, but think about Periscope. As the viewer I’m watching my screen and looking at whatever the person who’s shooting that video is pointing their camera at. If it was a 360 camera I’d have the ability to rotate that view anywhere I want to look because it would be capturing the entire scene. So if you have a 360 rig in the middle of a sports event or a trade show hall, I could look around from a particular vantage point and explore visually the environment on my own.” —Jamie Barlow

Data as Decor

“The first thing I was thinking of is how can I make data beautiful. How can I use information and storytelling to make dynamic visual displays and guest interactions. Taking that information and linking it to my goal and purpose so I’m still conveying content that is interesting, useful, and relevant, but how do I deliver that in visual form and not just use it as an activation, but actually incorporate it into decor in my spaces?” —Kirstin Turnbull

Security Issues

“What can be shared? What information should flow from one system to another? We are definitely looking at how to protect participants and their data. Does it scale, and will my attendees be protected as information flows, for example, from registration to the app? These are technical and societal issues that will come to the forefront when it comes to events. As an industry we’ll start to address that in a much more stringent and more professional kind of way. It’s been very haphazard.” —Wilson Tang

Artificial Intelligence

“Machine learning and deep learning are growing more powerful by the day, and in turn artificial intelligence is increasingly tangible as an enterprise software tool. Deep learning and A.I. will make it possible to analyze traffic data through an activation on day one and have the computer spit out a new installation arrangement to maximize retention for day two. To give you a sense of how immediate this is, Google just open-sourced its artificial intelligence engine TensorFlow to encourage advancement and adoption. There are other open-source A.I. engines available, but when it comes to data that matters, no one does it bigger or better than Google.” —Mo Twine

Custom Construction

“We’re seeing newfound appreciation for the old ‘vertical integration’ model. As experiential and event marketing grow as a part of the marketing mix, the emphasis is moving from logistics (putting on an event that runs smoothly) and into the creation of experiences that dazzle. This often requires specialized fabrication and engineering. That requirement is growing as brands seek to achieve differentiation of their brand activations via superb craftsmanship that enhances their brand.” —Scott Kellner, vice president of marketing, George P. Johnson Experience Marketing

Source: Bizbash

byBest Events

in Event Technology

3:00 PM

#2016: Tech Trends to look out for this Year #tech #eventtech

Facial and gesture tracking, expanded use of virtual reality, and a focus on creating frictionless user experiences are some of the topics...

Read More

13 Ideas for Black and White Events

When a company department or social club is given the task to come up with a corporate dinner or annual dinner theme or product launch, a safe option is to go for a colour theme.

Black and white will always be classy and here's how to rock it!



Two by Two for AIDS Art Gala and Action

Todd Events designed the October 2013 event at the Rachofsky House in Dallas. "The black-and-white theme was selected because every year the event has an honorary artist," said a rep for the company. "The artist from last year worked in a black-and-white medium for his art pieces, so we played the event decor off that." Tables were decked with striped linens and glassware that reflected the theme.

Photo: Roderick Peña



Two by Two for AIDS Art Gala and Action
The event's menu items also reflected the black-and-white theme.

Photo: Roderick Peña



Two by Two for AIDS Art Gala and Action
Instead of a red carpet, designers laid down a black-and-white-striped carpet at the entrance.

Photo: Roderick Peña



Canada's National Ballet School Gala
This year's event took place at Toronto's the Carlu in February. To bring the old-Hollywood-style Casablanca theme to life, planners filled the dining room with tables decked in simple black linens and surrounded with white-cushioned chairs.

Photo: Courtesy of National Ballet School



Design Exchange Gala
For the 2008 event in Toronto, graffiti artist Mike Echlin painted trees against a black backdrop for a haunted-forest effect.

Photo: George Pimentel



The Art Institute of Chicago's Woman's Board Gala
The museum hosted a gala in 2013 to fete its "Impressionism, Fashion, and Modernity" exhibition. Event designer Bill Heffernan of HMR Design Group used a black-and-white color scheme inspired by some of the 19th-century dresses on display. To complement the fashion-inspired setting, tables were topped with 19th-century-style wire urns set atop black-and-white hat boxes.

Photo: Courtesy of Art Institute of Chicago



The Phillips Collection's Gala
At the 2007 event in Washington, designer David Tutera wrapped napkins in paper filmstrips to create an old Hollywood look.

Photo: Anne E. Stewart/BizBash



Central Park Conservancy’s Halloween Ball
The 2006 ball had a look inspired by writer and illustrator Edward Gorey. Grayson Bakula Design's enchanted forest looked slightly more sinister with Bentley Meeker's barren branch projections.

Photo: BizBash




Massachusetts General Hospital's Storybook Ball
The 2011 event in Boston had a Batman theme. In a subterranean carnival area, black-and-white signs for sponsors hung above the games. Winners received prizes from the designated sponsor.

Photo: Aviran Levy for BizBash




Emmy Governors Ball
The 2011 Emmy Governors Ball had the theme of "mod illusions" with a 1960s-style black-and-white decor scheme that hearkened back to the era of Truman Capote's famous bash.

Photo: Nadine Froger Photography



HBO's 'Boardwalk Empire' New York Premiere Party
The theme played out in an exotic, draped setting at the 2010 premiere in New York. The venue was divided into three distinct areas, one of which was the black-and white-toned Rink Bar. The producers built custom cabanas in the area, using striped draping, votive candles, and seven-watt globe lights for illumination.

Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash




The San Francisco Symphony's Black and White Ball
In 2012, the symphony decked its ball in elegant, black-and-white decor from Blueprint Studios.

Photo: Damion Hamilton



LongHouse Reserve Summer Gala
In 2010, the summertime event took place at an East Hampton sculpture garden and preserve. Presenting a more casual take on the black-and-white theme, planners erected a tented white lounge with large black scrims. The scrims displayed lyrics from honoree Laurie Anderson's songs, including "Falling," "Strange Perfumes," and "Thinking of You."

Photo: Marc Dimov/PatrickMcMullan.com

Source: BizBash

byBest Events

in Event Decor

3:48 PM

13 Ideas for Black and White Events

When a company department or social club is given the task to come up with a corporate dinner or annual dinner theme or product launch, a s...

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10 Critical Questions You Should Ask When Booking a Raw Space

The nearly limitless potential of an unused warehouse or an open loft can spark an event host’s creativity, but the flip side to that freedom is that raw space can demand much more in terms of logistics, from permitting to scheduling to laying out the space. Above and beyond the usual rundown event and meeting professionals would ask a venue before signing a contract, insiders say there are a number of specific, sometimes surprising questions that need to be asked when it comes to taking over raw space for an event.

1. Are you legally allowed to have events?

It sounds like a no-brainer, but it is a question planners need to ask when considering raw space. “Many raw spaces are not licensed to host events, so the first thing is to ask to see an occupancy certificate and what licenses they have,” says Sean Cannon, owner and C.E.O. of Event Creative in Chicago. “There are too many raw spaces that just decide to rent out for events,” he says, without bothering to verify the legality first.

2. What permits will we need?

Permitting is a topic that should be brought up regardless of where an event is being held, but raw space might have special requirements or considerations. If organizers are running a generator for auxiliary power or need to valet cars from the street, for example, they might need specific permits for those activities. Likewise, “Ask if their loading space requires street closure permits for load in and load out,” says Jeremy Nichols, executive producer at Sonoma, California-based Pix Productions.

3. Will we need to bring a generator?

If the event requires running catering, lights, audiovisual, and production equipment, the power capacity in a raw space might need a boost. “Ask how many dedicated 20-amp circuits they have,” says Merryl Brown, president of Merryl Brown Events in Carpinteria, California. Organizers should find out if there are any disconnects—switches that shut down individual circuits—available in the space, she suggests; while “plug and play” venues have these, raw spaces often don’t, Brown says.

4. If so, where will the generator go?

If the space’s power needs aren’t adequate and a generator is being brought in, planners should find out where they’re allowed to put it (and if it requires a permit). “If it’s in a raw space you may not be able to help it being in earshot of your event,” says Corrine Statia, president of Absolute Events By Corrine in Jersey City, New Jersey. “It’s not always an optimal situation.”

5. What kind of elevator access is there, and is that included in the price?

“If it’s a freight elevator, ask if access is included in the price or if you have to pay extra because it belongs to the building,” says Michael Tardi, C.E.O. of MMEink, an event management company based in New York and California. Tardi also suggests organizers go over exactly what kind of equipment they plan to bring in to ensure that it will fit in the elevator. (Oversize lighting trestles, for instance, might not.) If a freight elevator is shared by other tenants in the building where the raw space is, hosts might be required to list the entire building rather than just the space itself on their insurance, Tardi says.

6. Where and when can we load and unload equipment, and will we require overnight security?

Many spaces have only a single freight elevator, and the event team might have to share that with other tenants or businesses in the building, Statia says. To avoid having a “traffic jam” with vendors, planners should make sure everyone has a separate, specific time slot for loading and unloading—and don’t expect it to all be the same day, she warns, especially if the elevator is a shared space. “There’s a lot more time needed. If you’re in a raw space everything has to come in, rental companies don’t deliver on the morning of your event,” she says. In all likelihood, Statia adds, organizers will need to either supply their own or pay for security services supplied by the vendor to keep everything secure overnight.

7. Can I put tape on the floor?

Whether wires and cords running across the floor need to be secured to give the crew a guide of what goes where, tape is indispensable. But it might not be allowed, Tardi warns. “Some of the modern raw spaces don’t let you use tape on the floor anymore because it pulls up their finish,” he says.

8. What do you have by way of climate control?

“Ask what they do for HVAC,” Nichols says. If heating and cooling infrastructure is minimal or nonexistent, planners should ask if they can bring in gas heaters or swamp coolers, he advises.

9. What kind of kitchen facilities are there?

It’s a good idea to work with a caterer who has experience working with raw spaces, because they’ll have to bring in everything from stove tops to spoons. “Ask if there’s a kitchen facility, and if it has hot and cold running water,” Brown says. If the space is open and loftlike, hosts might need also to factor in the time and expense to cordon off a makeshift kitchen area with screens or pipe and drape. “Ask where you need to take garbage and recycling,” Brown adds, and find out if that will incur an additional fee.

10. What kind of restroom and parking facilities are there?

Don’t expect it to be like a conference center or banquet facility. “They’re very limited,” Tardi says. “You’re not going to find a large number, and it’s usually a coed bathroom,” he says. Organizers can expect maybe four or five units in a typical raw space, he says. Like everything else, if planners need more, they’ll have to bring them in.

Parking space might also be limited so you might have to consider arranging for shuttles from various meet up points.

Source: BizBash

byBest Events

in Ask Best Events, Event Tips, Event Venues

5:00 PM

10 Critical Questions You Should Ask When Booking a Raw Space

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7 Year End Gifts to Give your High End Customers

It's the end of the year and if you've been scratching your heads about what to give your high end customer, here are some ideas for you:

RITZ-CARLTON GIFT CARD



The Ritz-Carlton GiftCard is an extraordinary way to delight the people in your life, celebrate a special occasion or to simply indulge in the exclusive experiences. The GiftCard may be used for a relaxing spa treatment, a gourmet meal or an overnight stay — all the exclusive experiences only The Ritz-Carlton can provide.

As The Ritz-Carlton GiftCard may be used at participating properties worldwide, their choices are endless.

BUY HERE

CARTIER ART DECO PEN

Available in lacquered, leather-encased, mother-of-pearl, solid gold and hardstone versions, Cartier pens are a signature of unique taste in fine accessories. These most precious writing instruments offer a perfectly proportioned shaft and cap and a 750-gold flexible nib.

Art Déco rollerball pen in black composite, palladium-finished details, red resin cabochon. Dimension: 132 mm high.

BUY HERE


MONTECRISTO PETIT NO.2 25'S

Habanos s.a. presents Montecristo Petit No.2, a new vitola that enriches the historic Línea Clásica of Montecristo and designed for those who love the brand’s figurados –tapered at one end-formats can savour the Montecristo flavor in less time.

BUY HERE

CERRUTI 1881 WINE SET TENANCIER

Cerruti 1881 Wine Set Tenancier The perfect wine set for wine lovers who prefer a solid color set. Features quality black plastic to create a sophisticated look, four piece wine instrument, and a black wooden pull-out box for safe storage. Ideal star-up set for beginner wine lovers. Box dimension of 134 x 188 x 30 mm.

BUY HERE 

CHANEL NO.5

The world most sought-after perfume, CHANEL No.5

HARROD'S STRAWBERRY JAM & CERAMIC JAR GIFT SET 

Take a piece of Harrods home with you with this strawberry jam and ceramic jar gift set. This delightful set is a lovely memento of your visit to their world-famous department store.

BUY HERE

CHOCOLATE GOLD COLLECTION

The GODIVA Chocolate Gold Collection is like a colorful palette, with unparalleled taste and texture through expanded expressions of the five most loved GODIVA chocolate ingredients: hazelnut praliné s, ganaches, carré s, caramels and nuts chocolate series all crafted into new pieces of ultimate temptation.

8/15/24/25/32pcs. Gift boxes go with seasonal charm.

BUY HERE

byBest Events

in Fabulous Finds

6:28 PM

7 Year End Gifts to Give your High End Customers

It's the end of the year and if you've been scratching your heads about what to give your high end customer, here are some ideas fo...

Read More

8 Things to Double Check at a Conference Run-Through

Ensure a smooth conference experience for presenters and attendees by reviewing these critical elements at rehearsals.

1. Eyeball the lighting.

No matter the plan for the lighting design on paper, it’s critical to see how it works for presenters after the room is set up, suggests Lana Spivak, director of operations for Bisnow, a digital media company that hosts more than 250 events a year. “A lot of people don’t realize that what may look good in photographs and on stage can actually be blinding to the speaker, especially depending on their height,” she says. Work with the audiovisual team on tweaks if they are needed.

Further, instruct speakers on the correct stage positioning relative to lighting levels, says Hugh Lee, president of Fusion Productions, a meetings, learnings, and technology company that runs the DigitalNow summit. “If a speaker intends to walk the stage during their presentation, be sure to instruct them about how far upstage, downstage, and right and left they can wander,” he says. “This is especially important if there are portions of the stage where the lighting level begins to diminish, if you are capturing video of their presentation, or there are sight-line limitations.”

2. Test out the sight lines.

The surefire way to know what attendees will see when the program begins is by literally sitting in their seats. “Experiment,” Spivak says. “Make sure to do test seating prior to the event to ensure none of your audience members will have any sight-line obstructions.”

3. Proof all files and slides.

Avoid embarrassment caused by a misspelled or inaccurate slide by using the run-through as a last opportunity to double check each file. “Check all video and audio files,” says Bloomberg Global Events team lead Holly Duran. “Play them and run them all the way through. Spell-check all slides, and make sure all are in correct format.” She says that adding this procedure to your pre-event protocol also helps confirm timing and ensures actual presentation lengths match the time allotted.

4. Manage microphones.

Prep the stage by placing a backup wireless handheld in a place nearby, such as under a chair, Duran suggests. This serves as a contingency in case a speaker’s microphone backfires while in use. Also make sure the speaker knows what to do should his or her microphone give out. “Establishing a lectern on stage with a wired mic is always a great backup plan,” Lee says. He also advises using the run-through time to consult with the speakers about whether they’ll be using paper notes, folders, or props, and where they prefer those are placed.

5. Confirm Internet connectivity.

In order to make sure the event runs smoothly, and also so guests can proliferate messages on social media, it’s essential to confirm the Internet is connected and operating without hiccups. That means double checking the Wi-Fi password, Duran says. She also advises checking—and testing—that all hashtags and logins listed on slides are correct.

6. Prepare the speakers.

If using a teleprompter, make sure speakers have familiarity with and are comfortable using it. For the cleanest look on stage, use the run-through as a time to evaluate the speakers’ appearance for professionalism. “Ask the speaker to remove any credentials, pins, or other accessories they may be wearing prior to taking the stage,” Lee says. “These typically reflect light and can be distracting not only to the audience but will also appear as flashes of light on any program record videos.”

Beyond that, Lee suggests having a mirror or restroom available for presenters for makeup touch-ups, tie straightening, and other last-minute visual checks.

7. Consider speakers’ comfort.

At the run-through, make sure the event space is equipped with the essential items speakers will need so they’re comfortable enough to do their jobs on stage undistracted. That means checking to make sure there’s ample water supply and designating a person to take water on and off stage as necessary, Duran says. More specifically, Lee suggests having room-temperature water available for the presenters: “Cold water constricts the vocal cords. Have that available for after they present. Tea and coffee should also be available.”

8. Make sure the space is safe.

No event detail trumps the safety and security of participants and attendees. Those matters should be essential parts of any run-through. “Make sure cables and lines are taped down and the path to stage is clear of obstruction,” Duran says.

Source: BizBash

byBest Events

in Event Tips

5:14 PM

8 Things to Double Check at a Conference Run-Through

Ensure a smooth conference experience for presenters and attendees by reviewing these critical elements at rehearsals. 1. Eyeball th...

Read More