Category: Business Event Planning Ideas

May 17, 2017 by Donna M. Autuori
George Bernard Shaw once said, “There is no sincerer love than the love of food.” I am sure there are some people who would disagree, but not many. Food definitely speaks to most of us and can be a great draw at a trade show booth. The question is what is the right food to serve? And, what foods should you avoid having at your booth? Convention Halls Set Guidelines for Food in Booths In part, the answers to those questions rest in the regulations presented by the various trade show venues ...

Apr 19, 2017 by SmartSource
The show floor at ExhibitorLive 2017 was buzzing with technologies that wowed even this hard to impress consumer of technology. Holding my attention for more than 10 seconds is a tough sell unless you deliver an experience I can’t resist.  Here are my top picks from the show floor this year. Virtual Showrooms Why: Virtual showrooms are an excellent way for manufacturers of large products, think industrial manufacturing equipment, to compete on a show floor without having the expense and ri...

Mar 07, 2017 by Michelle Bruno
There are a number of considerations beyond room size and lumens that event planners and AV companies have to contemplate when selecting a projector for an event. Think about the end result first and work backwards from there. What You Need to Know First: Before you pick a projector, you’ll need to answer a few questions. Use this list to start a discussion with your supplier. What is the Audience Size? If you’re planning a presentation to a small group of ten to twenty people, a bas...

Dec 14, 2016 by Donna M. Autuori
The post-event review is always important. It typically, however, doesn’t include any assessment relating to the use of event technology by sponsors and exhibitors. It should. Event technology can be a significant revenue stream for event organizers. This, however, requires more insight into how sponsors and exhibitors perceive the value and ROI they are deriving from their use of event technology. The best way to gain their feedback is through a survey. There is a science to effective ...

Nov 30, 2016 by Michelle Bruno
Jane McGonigal, the game theorist and author, describes games as sharing four traits: a goal, rules, a feedback system, and voluntary participation. While nothing in that description refers to mobile apps, there are a number of benefits for event organizers that use them. In fact, when education, collaboration, engagement, and networking are the goals, mobile game strategies can be highly effective. Why Games, Especially Mobile Games, Work In her book, “Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us B...

Nov 30, 2016 by Michelle Bruno
There are many ways to track attendees for continuing education units (CEU) during conferences. While the process begins with recording when attendees enter and exit a presentation, it ends with the actual issuance of the credit. Of all the methods being used, using wearable beacons to optimize CEU tracking has benefits and capabilities that other systems don’t.  Traditional CEU Tracking (Without Beacons) [caption id="attachment_903378" align="alignright" width="444"] Manually tracking doze...

Oct 16, 2016 by Donna M. Autuori
Here’s a reality check. Most trade show exhibitors are not technology integration specialists. While you may be able to connect a Bluetooth device with your PC, integrating trade show technology can be daunting. Yet, integrating technology is exactly what's required to recoup costs and get the full benefit of the technology that makes an exhibit competitive in the trade show environment. How to Integrate Trade Show Technology? The answer is easier than you think. Hire an expert. Of course ...

Oct 03, 2016 by Michelle Bruno
Long lines at registration check-in—a source of frustration for meeting planners the world over—can be a thing of the past. Advances in badge printing, check-in, and cloud-based software have streamlined what used to be a huge drag on the attendee experience. Here’s what’s happening at business events across the country and a glimpse into what the future holds for your guests. If printing an attendee badge is required, high-speed badge printers connected wirelessly to barcode scanners...

Oct 03, 2016 by Michelle Bruno
Light plays an important role in all types of meetings. Whether it comes from traditional fixtures, bulbs that can almost match Pantone colors, computer-controlled consoles, or moving-head projectors, the impact of light on an event can be profound. Knowing what the options are and having a basic understanding of the different types of equipment available can help planners design both memorable and highly effective events.   Transforming a ballroom from daytime classroom to evening nightclub...

Aug 11, 2016 by Michelle Bruno
Lead-capture devices and software have come a long way in the past five years. Planners can access lead retrieval devices and software through event registration vendors, full-service rental companies, and mobile conference guide developers. There are lots of options and new capabilities available. Here’s what you need to know. The basic hardware for scanning a badge—whether the badge contains a magstripe, 1-D or 2-D bar code, or RFID tag—is primarily manufactured by two companies and m...