#eventicons - Meet The Icons Of The Events Industry (audio)

We’re about to get down to the nitty and gritty of behavioral science in event design! This topic will probably send every event professional into overdrive. At the end of the day, events are all about people. Events are about changing behaviors. And behavioral science teaches us about people, what they want, want excites them, and why. As such, knowing these things can be a true game-changer when it comes to event design. And to help us dive deep into behavioral science in event design, today we welcome Nick Borelli. Nick is the founder of Borelli Strategies, and he dedicates his life and career to improving the experiences of event attendees. Through consulting and guidance, he gives event profs all the tools to elevate their professional undertakings. Resources: Top Event Tech Trends in 2019 – #EventIcons Episode 143 Predictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness Naked Statistics: Stripping the

So, it’s no secret that everybody loves gifts, right? They’re a fantastic way to send a message to someone, whether it’s a special occasion or not. However, when we start to talk about gifts in the context of business, things get a little more complex. Curious to find out how you can turn your clients into your own personal sales force to drive exponential growth? Take a seat and press play.  Resources: Never Lose A Customer Again by Joey Coleman Give And Take by Adam Grant Seth Godin’s Blog Our Favorite Gifts for Event Professionals  

This week’s #EventIcons continues on the topic of event design. Last Wednesday we dove into design thinking and its impact on events. And to take it a step further, today we’re introducing the #EventCanvas methodology! Now, as everyone knows, designing an event is stressful. Not only is it stressful, but it’s also unbelievably time-consuming. This is exactly the part where having processes in place can make a world of a difference! However, putting the machine to work can be hard if you have no idea where to start… Resources: Event Design Handbook – Systematically design innovative events using the #EventCanvas Event Canvas Download CIRKUSTÄLT Children’s tent Event Design Handbook: Systematically Design Innovative Events using the #EventCanvas

On today’s #EventIcons, we’re taking a closer look at how to plan an event without visiting the venue using AR and VR in events. During a very recent episode of the Event Tech Podcast, Will Curran and Brandt Krueger already tackled a similar topic. However, it’s never quite enough! When considering all the unbelievable potential of AR and VR in events, endless (Endless? Get it?) possibilities for discussion are out there. And this week, we’ll jump on the topic of venues, and what AR and VR can mean in this context. The advancements we’re witnessing in technology are staggering. And while the event industry might be a little slow in adopting some trends, attention should be paid to how our lives as event planners can change. One of the amazing possibilities of AR and VR is paying virtual visits to potential venues while simulating experiences. The concept alone is mesmerizing, and the number of resources that can be saved is more than appealing. Resources: Slack Trello How to Use AR and VR at Events The All-I

This week’s episode of #EventIcons will tackle the amazing world of design thinking for events. Your favorite podcast will have a few episodes dedicated to design, and how it impacts the world of events coming up. As such, today we’re talking all about design thinking, and how this solution-based approach can be an asset for event planners. When it comes to planning, the eyes should always be on the prize – and in this case, the prize is your attendee experience. Resources: Mural – Design Thinking Online The Ten Faces Of Innovation Cibola Systems The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker OpenIDEO Challenges Design Thinking USA A Virtual Crash Course In Design Thinking AVIXA Three Day Courses

So, you’ve heard of a play within a play, but when was the last time you heard about a podcast within a podcast? Okay, perhaps the Shakespearean element doesn’t quite fit here. However, today’s episode of our podcast is, indeed, about podcasts. More specifically, podcasts and events. It seems like every way you turn, someone has their own podcast going on. But there’s still quite a gap in the industry when it comes to bringing podcasts and events together. Why is this the case, considering there’s so much this form of content can give companies?  Resources: EP. 277: ALEX PLAXEN, THE YES MAN OF HITTING GOALS, THE WOW MAN OF SOCIAL MEDIA Zoom Handheld Recorder Shure SM7 Microphones Dropbox iIsotope RX7 Hubspot & Gmail Integration Auphonic  

A couple of weeks ago, #EventIcons was all about Meetings Mean Business, the coalition behind Global Meetings Industry Day. As one of the most important days of the year for the event business, GMID joins professionals from across six continents and over forty countries in events all over the world. In fact, the purpose of the Global Meetings Industry Day is for everyone involved to celebrate the tremendous worth and economic impact of the industry. Ahead of this remarkable date, Lindsay Martin-Bilbrey sits down with two very special guests for this week’s #EventIcons. First, we welcome Tracey Smith, a longtime meeting planner who now leads the world’s largest association of senior-level meeting & event planners, SPIN. Joining them is Cathy Breden,  an executive VP and COO of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) In addition to this, she currently serves as the CEO for the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) whose primary purpose is to promote the growth, awareness, and

Transparency in the event industry isn’t talked about nearly as much as it should. The issue of transparency is paramount in any business. How else are we expected to generate and cultivate meaningful relationships with clients and vendors alike? This is only possible once we build these relationships based on trust, honesty, and – you guess it – transparency. In a long-term perspective, transparency in the event industry ensures we thrive. On today’s awesome episode of #EventIcons, we are joined by Event Tech Podcast and Endless Events’ Agent Provocateur and Event Tech Podcast co-host, Brandt Krueger. Together with Will Curran and Brandt, we welcome Jaclyn Bernstein, an acknowledged leader in NYC’s hospitality industry, sitting on the Board of NYC & Company / Convention and Visitors Bureau. Among many other honors, Jaclyn won the Spotlight ‘Event Planner of The Year’ and ‘Samaritan Service’ Awards. The three discuss what transparency in the event industry means. Join Will, Brandt, and Jaclyn as they delv

ommoditization in the event industry is real. Despite what we might think, it’s very real for creative industries. With the overall business paradigm changing, entire job positions being eradicated by advances in AI and automation, and the wave of commoditization ready to be ridden, what are the options for those working in the event planning industry? Join us today for another amazing episode of #EventIcons, starring Kevin White. Kevin is a recurring guest, with decades of experience telling organizations’ stories through the design and production of live events. He provides an entrepreneurial approach to innovative systems and thinking, moving the needle with audiences on what they think, feel, know and do. Kevin and Will walk us through the issue of commoditization in the event industry, how it all started, what are the consequences, and how professionals can adequately prepare themselves to tackle it. Are you looking to create a more engaging event? Click here to download our free event planning checklist

Today is all about Meetings Mean Business. How do you prove the real worth of your multi-million industry to your local newspaper? How can you make a small community understand that your ventures in the event business aren’t a colossal waste of money, but rather a contribution to the economy? In today’s episode, we explore the campaign Events Mean Business and how professionals can work together to show the world – and every single stakeholder! – the full positive impact of the industry. Meetings Mean Business unites over 60 professionals from across the business in the United States, with global partnerships that include Canada and, soon to be, India. The alliance seeks to engage with outside parties in an effort to bring the Event industry the recognition it truly deserves as a value creator. Our very special guests today bring decades of experience and some incredible insights into the right path to recognition. Michael Owen is a true veteran of corporate entertainment and event management services. Michae

Today we are diving into MPI’s World Education Congress. The World Education Congress (WEC) is a gathering where both MPI members and non-members alike come to gain education, network and more. The event has grown to about 2500 attendees and each year MPI is working to raise the bar. They strive to change the way we meet and it’s working! In 2018 MPI’s World Education Congress had a complete overhaul. The World Education Congress went through the event design canvas process, where all stakeholders needs were considered and the event was completely redesigned to be in line with what their needs were. There was a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that went into the planning and redesigning and it really paid off. The hard work resulted in an even better World Education Congress. No detail was too small, MPI really kept in mind the needs and desires of attendees during overhauling the event. Changes were made to allow attendees more flexibility, open floor concept that allows attendees to choose and customize their

For the second time ever, the International Live Event Association (ILEA) held the Global Events Forum in August 2018 in Denver, Colorado. The forum brought together 30 of the brightest and biggest influencers in the events industry to delve deep into issues, challenges, and opportunities facing the event industry today. The influencers who were a mixture of partners, producers and planners took a hard look at issues such as commodity pricing, education within the industry, data security and much more. Joining us today are our iconic guests Kevin White of XPL, Keri Miller of e=mc² events, Sara Grauf of Giants Enterprises, and Christian Seidenstuecker of JOKE Event AG. They will be discussing their findings from the Global Events Forum and even give you a sneak peek at the topics we might see at the 2019 Global Events Forum. Listen below to hear what these brilliant minds have to say about the opportunities, as well as challenges facing our industry and their unique perspectives on the Global Events Forum! We

Today we are joined with a dynamic duo Samantha Vogel and Judy Payne of GameStop. Together their event department raises millions of dollars in sponsorships and create an event that crosses generational boundaries, uses creative ideas to engage their audience, all while meeting stakeholder objectives. For those not familiar, GameStop is a worldwide retailer and the largest selling retailer in the video game industry. They also own ThinkGeek. On top of these impressive facts, they hold an annual trade show and conference with approximately 5000 store owners, 100-200 international partners, 150 different vendor companies and 2000 vendor staff. There are over a quarter million square feet of exhibit space, yes, you read that right. If that wasn’t impressive enough, occasionally they open the tradeshow portion of the conference up to the public which adds roughly an additional 5000 attendees. In this episode, our iconic guests Samantha Vogel and Judy Payne will answer your burning questions about this truly inspi

One of the main reasons people attendee events is for education and development. However, 80% of what is learned at events is forgotten in 48 hours. It is crucial to make sure you implementing learning and performance design for your event. Designing meaningful educational settings and formats can truly set your organization apart, improve retention and application of knowledge attendees learn and ultimately deliver on personal and professional needs of participant and organization. On this episode, our iconic guests Avinash Chandarana of MCI Group, and Dru Cutler of Drury Design Group are here to discuss learning and performance design and how it can enhance your event and improve your attendee’s experiences. If you want your information and sessions to stick you need to watch this episode! You’re watching this recording of our event industry podcast episode here on our blog, but wouldn’t you rather watch live, ask your own questions, and participate in person? Subscribe now to watch live! (We’ll remind you

Women are everywhere in the event industry, crossing all sectors of the industry and from entry-level positions to the most senior roles.  It’s clear women are making an impact and have made great strides. But women still face unique challenges at every level, there are still many glass ceilings to shatter. Joining us today are three incredible women in the industry Kiki Fox the co-founder of the Association for Women in Events,  motivational speaker and social impact champion, Courtney Stanley, and Sarah Soliman of Soliman Productions. They are smart, strong, powerful women and paving the way for others. This episode is a must watch for men and women. If we want to make big changes and see women move up into more powerful roles it takes a village. We want to help keep you up-to-date with the latest and greatest! Below, in our Epic Resources section, we link the awesome insider favorites that were mentioned in this episode! You WANT to check these out! What has been your favorite episode so far? Comment below

Are you thinking beyond the surface of event sponsorship? Sure almost every event requires sponsorship but long gone are the days that it is enough to just plaster up a few banners from your sponsors and call it good. Now more than ever before event sponsors need to enhance your event and your attendee’s experience, and planners need to be able to highlight the benefits that your event can bring to potential event sponsors. You should have a mutually beneficial partnership with your sponsors. In this episode, Peter Poehle returns to offer his annual update on the status of event sponsorship. He will answer questions about what sponsors truly need, mistakes planners make in proposals, inbound sponsorship and so much more. Always useful, always interesting, this is a don’t miss episode! We want to help keep you up-to-date with the latest and greatest! Below, in our Epic Resources section, we link the awesome insider favorites that were mentioned in this episode! You WANT to check these out! What has been your f

On this episode of #EventIcons we are live from GO WEST! GO WEST is the largest gathering of event professionals in Western Canada. The event focuses on education, innovation, and networking. Getting everyone connected and building relationships is one of the events main goals. Today our iconic guests; Dustin Westling of OneWest Event Design, Brent Taylor of Timewise Event Management Inc., and Arlene Schilke of Timewise Event Management Inc. are joining us to talk all about the 2019 GO WEST. They will cover why they started the event, how they get attendees engaged in their experience hall, the amazing food served and best moments from the event. If you have ever been curious about GO WEST this is a great show to watch! Lets jump in below! We want to help keep you up-to-date with the latest and greatest! Below, in our Epic Resources section, we link the awesome insider favorites that were mentioned in this episode! You WANT to check these out! What has been your favorite episode so far? Comment below and let

We have come to a time and place where event Wi-Fi is expected. Unfortunately, it’s not always delivered as you expected maybe the quality is terrible or the price is through the roof, none of these are surprises you want to run into your event. But how do you avoid these issues? How can you ensure you are getting great Wi-Fi for your event? Today we are getting down into the nerdy details of just how you can make sure your event Wi-Fi doesn’t suck. Today on #EventIcons our host Will Curran and iconic guests Matt King of Glisser Ltd., and Ian Framson of Trade Show Internet are going to answer all your burning questions and share their best tips on how to make sure you have the best Wi-Fi possible at your next event. They know planning your event wi-fi can seem daunting and stressful. They will answer questions regarding speeds, signal strengths, contract negotiations, and so much more. This is a can’t miss episode! We want to help keep you up-to-date with the latest and greatest! Below, in our Epic Resources

January is national human trafficking awareness and prevention month. Sex trafficking is an issue that feels almost impossible to solve but if everyone took steps to recognize the signs and help we could make an impact. The International labor organization estimates that over 40 million people are living in trafficking worldwide, 1 out of 4 being children. This isn’t an issue in a far away country either, human trafficking has been reported in all 50 states. Everyone should be aware of human trafficking signs. Today we will talk about how the Events and Meeting industry can take steps to slow human trafficking down. It’s a difficult and multi-sector issue and we are all responsible for helping prevent and catch it. Joining us today is the iconic Michelle Guelbart, Director of Private Sector Engagement at ECPAT-USA. ECPAT-USA is a policy advocacy organization that works to end the sex trafficking of children. They are part of a larger international network with offices in 94 countries. She will teach us about

Today we are giving you an exclusive sneak peek into our 2019 #EventIcons show line up. We are stepping up the game for event industry podcasts. From tips on how to grow your business, to event safety and technology there will be something for everyone! We even are filling you in on some of our mega guests who will be joining us! Don’t miss this preview! What do you want to see from #EventIcons in 2019? Leave us a comment below and let us know. We want to help keep you up-to-date with the latest and greatest! Below, in our Epic Resources section, we link the awesome insider favorites that were mentioned in this episode! You WANT to check these out! What has been your favorite episode so far? Comment below and let us know! You’re watching this recording of our event industry podcast episode here on our blog, but wouldn’t you rather watch live, ask your own questions, and participate in person? Subscribe now to watch live! (We’ll remind you of upcoming episodes.) We would love for you to join us LIVE and bring