Just in time for fall event planning season, here’s a cornucopia of news stories specially curated to keep you up to date. One of our objectives is to keep our readers up to date on new technology in the field, and this post is no different: we’re sharing a great article on leading-edge event website technologies.

To round things out, we cover a unique dinner held in a football stadium, partying with tequila, and an update on the sustainability practices of an industry giant!

Trends In Event Websites

With more than a billion websites on the internet, standing out from the crowd is never easy. Author Sean Burke makes sure you know that mobile functionality and great SEO are critical: he lists them early. Burke says to be sure:

…that the site is mobile-friendly and… …that the site doesn’t use Flash, as it doesn’t show in mobile and loads slowly on desktop. Over 50% of all traffic most sites get is mobile, as confirmed by Google’s mobile update, so this is an easy win.

But he notes that:

Due to the complexity of SEO, you may want to have someone handle all of this for you.

https://meetings.skift.com/2016/09/15/6-trends-in-cutting-edge-event-websites/

Tequila Trucks To Pencil Centerpieces: Great Event Ideas

In their efforts to differentiate their event from all the others, professional planners work hard to come up with unique ideas. Here we’ve collected a bunch of the best for your inspiration.
For the Excel Academy’s Celebration of Excellence, the folks at AB Events designed awesome table centerpieces to fit the education theme. According to author Ian Zelaya:

…sunflower centerpieces wrapped with a row of pencils…and table numbers were created with new covers on old books, which were then used in classrooms and libraries.

https://www.bizbash.com/event-venues/10-best-ideas-of-the-week-a-mini-tequila-truck-display-pencil-centerpieces-a-budweiser-swing-ride

An Awesome Party In A Football Stadium? Absolutely!

There aren’t many sit-down dinners hosted in professional football stadiums, but that’s exactly what American Express did at CenturyLink Field, where the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL play.
Deborah Curtis, vice president of entertainment marketing and sponsorships for American Express, explained the firm’s reasoning in choosing this venue:

…we are focused on delivering amazing experiences for our card members by tapping into their passion points, and the ‘Dinner on the 50’ event worked to accomplish just that… By leveraging our partnership with the Seahawks, we were able to create this unique experience that brought the 12s even closer to the team they love at one of the most exclusive locations in Seattle.

https://www.bizbash.com/event-venues/why-american-express-hosted-a-seated-dinner-on-a-football-field

Industry Leader Freeman Management Goes Green!

Titans of the event industry, Freeman Management, are demonstrating leadership in sustainability and green practices. With more than 4,000 exhibitions and 11,000 corporate events yearly, Freeman is certainly the “gorilla” in the field, and now they’re environmental leaders as well.

The firm earned the International Event Sustainability Management certification, ISO 20121, certifying that the organization’s management system complies with environmental, economic, and social aspects of sustainable development, and it requires the organization to integrate sustainability into all stages of planning and throughout the supply chain.

https://www.freeman.com/resources/green-for-the-greater-good/

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As we come to the end of the summer season, we added some focus in this month’s post on event planning as a business.  From best practices in pricing event planning services, to those podcasts you should be following to stay up to date, it’s all here. 

Stay Current With Podcasts

One of the most effective and convenient ways of keeping up with the event planning industry is through podcasts, you can listen pretty much whenever it’s convenient.

Author Josh Levine notes that although “social media has dominated interaction between event experts and event planners…

some influential organizers are turning to Podcasts as an alternative means of sharing event planning tips, tricks and best practices.

The 7 Best Podcasts for Event Planners 

Update on Pricing Best Practices for Event Planners

For most small businesses, setting pricing is one of the most challenging parts of running their business.  Event planners are no different.  How do you know your pricing is competitive?  Or are you committing the sin of “leaving money on the table”?

The Event Leadership Institute in partnership with the International Live Events Association conducted a survey this spring of 516 respondents, following a similar survey done in 2013.

A key takeaway from the survey was that:

Most independent planners—those who work for external clients either on their own or within a planning company—earn $5,000 or less on an average event.

Are You Charging Enough For Event Planning Services? 

Think Outside the Box for Your Outdoor Event

Outdoor events are popular, but how do you set your event apart from all the others?  Here are six real creative venues from a train car to a tree-house.  Writer Michele Laufik admits that:

Now more than ever, planners are seeking out the newest, most novel event settings to wow guests

6 Outdoorsy Spaces for an Out-Of-The-Box Event 

Apps for Events.  No Longer All The Rage?

One day something can be on everyone’s lips, yet a month later you rarely hear of it.  In the event planning world, apps were the darlings of the business not long ago.  But has that trend stalled, or even ended?  Author Florian Courgenouil notes that:

The volume of downloads from the top US app developers on both Apple iOS and Android has fallen 20% over the last year, with global downloads slowing to a modest 3% growth year on year.

But he adds:

At the heart of technologies adopted and adapted for events remains the event mobile app. Many events today have chosen to get digital.

Mr. Courgenouil offers five things for event planners to consider to make sure that everyone benefits from a mobile event app.
Has The Event App Bubble Burst? 

A Creative, Nostalgic Twist on the Bar Cart

When it comes to alcohol at events, there’s almost a sense of “been there – done that”.  Here’s an idea for serving drinks that is at the same time unique and nostalgic.

The folks at Bar Car converted a 1965 Airstream trailer into a mobile bar. The side opens to reveal a full liquor bar with customized spirits, while self-service beer taps can pour local micro brews. A sound system is available to play iPod playlists.
Bar Car Debuts Airstream Traveling Bar 

Wrapping Up the Summer Season

Even though the summer event season is drawing to a close, there are still plenty of nice, warm days left for a great event.  When you’re looking at an outdoor venue, or planning one in a location with limited facilities, don’t forget that Luxury Restroom Trailers offers your guests the nicest “place to go”.

Covering the Northwest from Seattle to southern Oregon, no matter the size of your event, we’ve got a luxurious restroom to meet your needs.  Give us a call today!

The summer event season is in full swing, and we’ve rounded up a great selection of reads to keep you up to date on everything in the event planning arena.  From insights gleaned from industry leaders, to the emergence of airbnb as a reputable option for planners, it’s all here!  And we top it all with some great ideas from a Cuba-themed party.

Getting That Promotional Email Right

Email is one of the most popular (and disliked) of all digital marketing techniques.  Despite the nuisance factor, when done right it is a very powerful tool.  And, since your prospects are likely bombarded by dozens of emails every day, yours has to stand out to be successful.
Email marketing expert and author Maddie Veal notes that:

…to make your messages cut through the noise, you’ll have to choose your words wisely.

She closes the article with perhaps her best advice, focused on calls to action, saying:

Put your CTA at the very top and bottom of your email to make it as fast and easy as possible for attendees to find — and click.
Your reader should know exactly what to expect when they click

Email Copywriting Tips for Event Organizers

Twitter Advertising Gets You In Front Of Attendees

Of all the major social networks, Twitter has been latest to the paid placement (nice phrase for advertising) game.  With over 300 million monthly users, it’s very much worth exploring to see if it can be another tool in your promotional arsenal.

Writing for Event Manager Blog, Michael Chidzey says that advertising on Twitter is perfect to:

…get in front of the right Twitter users, sell tickets to your events, and engage with attendees leading up to the big day.

Most importantly though, Mr. Chidzey sees the network as a:

…great place to advertise to users that have visited your event’s site but not bought tickets. This involves setting up a pixel (you can easily create a Twitter pixel to place in the header tag of your event’s website template) and target people on Twitter that have visited your website. Since they’ll already be familiar with your brand, they’ll be much more receptive and likely to engage the second time around.

How to Use Twitter Advertising to Get In Front of Attendees

Hot Havana Nights: Bringing Cuba Alive For A Corporate Party

Few events are as popular as themed parties.  And what fits better with a warm summer’s evening than a party with a Cuban theme? The organizers pulled out all the stops to make sure attendees really felt like they’d taken a trip to Havana.

From a variety of rustic table settings and centerpieces, to a “vintage car” themed mural, this was an event to be remembered.
Hot Night in Havana: Koncept Events Brings Cuba Alive for a Corporate Client

Airbnb: It’s Not Just For Vacations Anymore

Now that AirBNB has become nearly as ubiquitous (and disruptive to the market) as Uber has, event planning professionals are standing up and taking notice of the firm as a legitimate vendor for their events.

MeetingsNet interviewed Jack Johnson, DMAI (Destination Marketing Association International) chief advocacy and board compliance officer who confidently stated that:

Airbnb is a legitimate option for lodging, just like boutique hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, and campgrounds. Airbnb is a global business with a platform offering a different product mix.

Why DMOs Need Strategic Relationships with AirBNB

7 Experts Share Their Event Planning Advice

Nothing beats expert advice, and this month we close with wisdom from 7 leading corporate event planners.
Julius Solaris, editor of Event Manager Blog makes a strong case for technology saying:

2016 will be about event technology, more than ever before. As the event tech market expands, VCs invest and attendees grow tired of usual concepts, more event professionals see a direct link between the use of technology and better engagement

Liz King, CEO of Techsytalk, is at the other end of things.  She thinks:

…[the]key is through visual involvement. Making your event feel inclusive, exciting and fun, by posting a selfie using a common hashtag, will help to raise event awareness among social media users. It will make everyone at the event feel as though they are part of a larger, welcoming community.

7 Event Industry Leaders Share Their Planning Advice

Keeping Up To Date In A Busy Time

During the busiest part of the year is not the easiest season to find time to catch up on the happenings in your industry.  Look to your friends at Luxury Restroom Trailers for a great selection of quick reads every month.  And don’t forget, when your guests need a nice “place to go”, give us a call for the Northwest’s largest selection and widest service area. 

With the summer event season in full swing, we’ve curated five of the best reads in the industry.  From the always important swag to social media promotions, we’ve got something for everyone here, and we close with a little wardrobe guidance for professional event planners.  What more could you ask for?

Up to Date Ideas for Swag

It’s a fact, everyone thinks about swag when they think of conferences or events.  It’s important to attendees, and if it’s important to them, it’s important to event planners.
Author Ronnie Higgins says:

Like speakers and sponsors, the contents of your event swag bag can say a lot about who you are and what your brand represents. If you hope your event will be memorable, carefully consider what you’re giving attendees.

New Ideas for Show and Event Swag

Promoting Your Event with Social Media: Do It Right!

There’s not a professional event planner out there who doesn’t already know about social media and how important it is to event promotion.  But with anything changing as fast as social media, you need to stay constantly up-to-date.
Event Manager Dan McCarthy of Ultimate Experience thinks:

Social media is not just about getting butts on the seats. It should also be used to generate engagement during the event. Strategically place a few social media walls where people tend to cluster. Encourage attendees to share their own thoughts and submit selfies while the event is in progress.

Using Social Media for Event Promotion

Branding Your Event: Details Matter

Marketing professionals know how critical branding is. Are you putting enough emphasis into branding your event?
Writing this blog as well, Mr. Higgins urges you to:

Think about your content as your brand. Attendees don’t register for your event because it stands for something. When it comes down to it, they show up to hear speakers talk about topics that interest them. Kat suggests making sure your event agenda is not only front and center on your event website, but available in formats that can be easily digested. That means offering a printable PDF attendees can bring to their boss to get buy-in to attend.

Details Matter in Branding Your Event

Improve On-Site Logistics, Reduce Your Pre-Event Anxiety

Logistics can make the difference between event success and failure.
They’re pretty much an event planner’s life.  It’s really as simple as that.  And, when you know that all the logistics are taken care of, it takes stress off and lets you focus on making the rest of the event perfect.

Tracy Kosolcharoen, writing in the Eventbrite Blog, advises that:

If you’ve ever had pre-event anxiety, you know it’s often due to uncertainty over the unexpected. From traffic jams to electrical issues, anticipating problems will help you avoid them.

Improve On-Site Logistics; Lower Your Stress

Presenting Yourself–Dressing for Success in the Event Industry

Looking the part is important in any role, and event planners are no exception.  Here are pointers for dressing the part.

Author Holly Barker is a digital native with a passion to help shape events and brands through storytelling, creativity and digital magic. She has over 10 years of experience consisting of social media marketing, events and promotional management, digital marketing, and brand development.

Everyone knows that they should wear comfortable clothing.  But are there some additional things you should do?  Of course, says Holly.
Her advice is:

Dressing for success as an event planner can be challenging. Long, active work days need you to keep moving quickly, and always be prepared for the unexpected! You need to have your essential go-to outfits that are made for comfort and convenience.

Dressing for Success in the Event Planning Business

Wrapping a Hot Summer for Events

We know that the season is keeping you busy.  Don’t forget how important the details are: good promotion, great giveaways, and a clean, comfortable “place to go”.

At Luxury Restroom Trailers, we’re proud to offer the Northwest’s largest fleet of luxurious restroom trailers suitable for any event.  That includes the area’s only ADA-compliant model, and the only 8-stall model that can handle events with up to 600 guests.  Give us a call today!

With all those wonderful summer events in front of us, our May Event Planning Roundup focuses on some of the “little” things that will make your event a hit with attendees and your boss as well.  In this post, we’ll share some technology that’s making inroads into events, great ideas for putting a personal touch to your gala, and some new thoughts on the all-important SWAG.

Adding A “Personal Touch” to Your Event

Many of the attendees at your next event probably attend several a year.  So just how do you make your event stand out for them and make them want to return?  Author Deborah Pannell, writing in Techsytalk, suggests adding some personal touches—like personal introductions—saying:

The more your attendees connect with one another, the better. Here’s how you can help ensure that the right people meet one another…
When people arrive, be prepared to introduce them to folks who may be of interest to them. Not only will this be a great icebreaker for people who might not otherwise speak to one another, but you’ll be stimulating conversations that have more of a potential to lead to actual relationships.

Ms. Pannell also says you should carefully consider dietary issues and make sure restrooms are stocked with hospitality supplies.  But we can assure you that when you rent a luxury restroom trailer from us, that’s already taken care of.

Just one less thing for you to worry about.
These Personal Touches Can Take Your Networking Event Over the Top

Promote Your Event With Facebook Official Events

Everyone knows Facebook is one of the most popular and fastest growing social media networks, and most event planning professionals already make good use of it to promote their events.  But did you know there’s a feature called Facebook Official Events that get your message even further out there?

Although not straightforward at all, this feature might just be worth the effort says Eventbrite columnist Keiko Tokuda, noting that:

Facebook Official Events can only be created through a custom Facebook integration…

Tokuda says that “…information like event date, time, venue, and a link to buy tickets, [can be] sent directly from the ticketing partner to Facebook.”  And, as a result,

…Facebook Official Events may be more likely to show up on search and News Feed recommendations where people are spending most of their time. This means your event can get in front of more people, and help you boost your event registration.

Plus, using Facebook’s analytics, you can easily see how the event page is performing.
Reach More People in Less Time with Facebook Official Events

Avoid These 11 Common Speaker Failures

A great speaker can make the event; a failure in that area can spell event planning disaster—plain and simple. For sure, every planner who’s been in the business long has a few horror stories.
Writing for Event Manager Blog, Christina Green notes that “…demands on speakers are greater than ever…”, adding that:

The requirements have switched from a one-way content presenter to a much more dynamic role of thought leader and discussion instigator. If you aren’t connecting with your audience, you’re failing them.

Ms. Green presents eleven of the most common problems with speakers and makes great suggestions on what you can do to avoid them.
11 Speaker Fails and How to Avoid Them

6 Great Ideas for Swag To Keep Them Coming Back

Every professional in event planning knows that swag is much more important than anyone wants to admit it is.  And some say good swag can make the difference between attending and deciding to skip next year’s event.

Writing for the MeetingsNet blog, guest columnist Neen James, notes that since she gets to “…have the privilege of speaking at some of the coolest events around the globe”, she gets to see the lengths some planners go to in order to please their guests.

Something as simple as “the meeting planner handed us a $1 bill as we stepped out of the taxi to give to our bellman. They had thought of every little detail!”, goes a long way.  James notes that, among other things, you need to:

Satisfy the senses… …Fresh flowers and candles appeal to the olfactory learner (those who remember through smell, but be sure to also provide scent-free zones for the allergic); flowers and colored linens appeal to the visual guests; linens and touchable fixtures appeal to the kinesthetic (those who are tactile and enjoy a sense of touch).

Have a look at all of her suggestions at: 6 Ideas for Interesting Extras that Appeal

Consider Using Snapchat for Your Next Event

With the video sharing platform Snapchat growing by leaps and bounds, it’s finally becoming something to consider for event planning.  And if you look at its user demographics, should your event cater to the 35-and-under crowd, you should seriously think about it.

Although author Sue Pelletier admits that “I haven’t felt compelled to play around much with image messaging app Snapchat as a social channel for meetings and events…”, she’s found six reasons why it just might work for your event.

Noting that:

more than 60 percent of 13–34-year-old smartphone users use Snapchat

And that:

with 10B snaps a day… …it’s now overtaking Facebook in the video wars…

Pelletier also thinks that the Snapchat Live Stories feature is great because it lets event planners create a community around an event that attendees can easily contribute to.

6 Reasons Why You Should Use Snapchat to Power up Your Event

Summer is a busy time for event planning, especially for corporate events.  Our takeaway from these stories is that the little things can help make your event a huge success and make your attendees want to come back next year.

We’re proud to provide the Northwest’s finest luxury restroom trailers, including ADA-compliant models and the area’s only 8-stall model.  Serving customers from Portland to Seattle and everywhere in between, your friends at Luxury Restroom Trailers are ready to help with your next event.  Give us a call today.

With Spring well on its way, it’s prime season for corporate events.  Our event planning roundup for April is chock full of great information from dealing with cancellations to getting attendees jazzed about the event.  The icing on the cake is a new FaceBook feature sure to find favor with the corporate meetings set.

Tips to Cut That Food & Beverage Budget Down to Size

Although it’s traditionally one of the high ticket items for any event, food & beverage can be cut down to size with these eleven tips from the experts.  While some of the suggestions are quite obvious (like “shrink the coffee cup size”), others are not only ingenious, but also clearly the result of painful experience, while still others are counter-intuitive.

And done right, your attendees will never know you cut a few corners on the event. Author Chris Freeman with Kansas City Catering is even willing to put people’s guilt to work, recommending that you:

Use servers rather than offering hors d’oeuvres buffet-style. People tend to take only one item when served by wait staff, but help themselves to more at a buffet table. Buy enough so everyone gets three to five pieces….

But we found his suggestion of placing the water bottles and juices in ice baths the best of all.  Chris says he’s found that folks aren’t quite as willing to slip an extra into their bag when they’re dripping wet!
http://meetingsnet.com/food-amp-beverage/11-tricks-spending-less-fb

Eight Great Ideas for a Nature Themed Event

Outdoor events become more popular every year.  And even when your event can’t be outdoors, a nature theme can help bring it inside.  Here event planning experts share some of their best inspiration for nature-themed events.
Author Alesandra Dubin has her own way of explaining it:

The word “organic” may conjure images of rustic, down-home event details—but that’s far from the only way to interpret a nature theme. Event producers can also use materials found in the natural environment to create a sense of refinement, sophistication, and even opulence.

At a late March event, Patina Catering of Los Angeles incorporated the theme into everything from the chairs to the name tags.
http://www.bizbash.com/8-elegant-ways-to-interpret-a-nature-theme/los-angeles/story/32007

Stoked When They Arrive; Happy When They Leave

Everyone in event planning wants their guests to enjoy the event—that’s what keeps them coming back.  And it’s better yet when they arrive on a high note.  The experts at Eventbrite created a two-part series to help make sure they arrive happy and leave happy.

Event professionals know there are a million things to do for a successful event.  And even the most seasoned of them tend to focus on the “big things”.  That’s not the best approach says Tricia Rosetty. In fact, she says:

Organizers often laser-focus on getting the big ticket items right—things like headliners, on sales, or merch. But we’ve found that spending a little extra time on the details can make a huge impact on your attendees’ experience.

As an example, she points to the ubiquitous entry ticket.  It’s often the first place attendees look for information on a number of event details—start time, dress code, hashtags, refund policy. Customizing the ticket with these critical details can drastically reduce any “day-of” confusion for attendees.
https://www.eventbrite.com/blog/ds01-how-to-make-sure-customers-show-up-stoked-and-go-home-happy-part-i/

New Facebook Feature Finds a Home With Event Pros

Recent updates to Facebook Live, the live video streaming tool for Facebook, make it something worthy of serious consideration for event planners.  Included in the new features is live streaming from event pages, allowing organizers to target the content before, during, and after the event.

Bizbash interviewed three live-streaming experts to learn more. Joel Comm is an author and digital marketing strategist; Brian Fanzo is co-founder of BackLamp, which builds digital strategies for brands to integrate live streaming; and Ryan Bell is also co-founder of Backlamp and creator of Summit.Live, an annual event for digital creators.

Comm and Fanzo see key differences between Periscope and Facebook Live, with Comm saying:

Periscope gets these drive-by viewers because they’ve got the discoverability aspect to it. But your numbers peak early and then they tend to fall off, whereas with Facebook Live I’m seeing my numbers consistently increase the longer I’m on. That’s really powerful.

Fanzo added the powerful observation that:

With Facebook live streaming you are streaming to people that already know, like, and trust you. They’ve either liked your page, they are following your personal account, or they’re in a group or an event that you are hosting or a part of.

http://www.bizbash.com/why-facebooks-video-updates-matter-for-event-pros/philadelphia/story/32013

An Event Planner’s Nightmare: The Canceled Event

It happens sooner of later to every event planning professional: the client cancels.  No matter how much time you’ve invested or how great the event would have been, you have to move on.  Writing in Special Events Blog, event planner Jennifer Taylor makes her key point first:

Handling a canceled event requires a fine balance of safeguarding your business and understanding the reason behind the sudden change.

She suggests specific cancellation clauses in your contracts that reduce refunds the closer to the event the cancellation occurs. Another key piece of advice is to have your contract reviewed by an attorney or business coach to ensure it is ‘iron-clad’.

Her firm reviews cancellations on a case-by-case basis.  In the case of a death or medical issue, she notes that her firm is usually sympathetic.

There may still be opportunities to book the time/space with another event.
http://specialevents.com/blog/how-bounce-back-canceled-event

It’s Going to be a Great Few Months

With the change in the weather, the event planning world is abuzz with activity.  There was so much more news that wouldn’t fit, but you can count on another helping next month from your friends at Luxury Restroom Trailers.
And remember, from north of Seattle to Southern Oregon, we proudly offer the largest and most luxurious fleet of rental restrooms.  Give us a call today!