Special Events Blog

The invitations that aren't invitations

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:13:00 +0000

Email and social media are a great way to share information--because they're broad-based, fast and cheap.

On the other hand, email and social media are a terrible way to share special information—because they're broad-based, fast and cheap.

Special Events Blog

Give your corporate guests entertainment that they don't expect

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:27:00 +0000

Corporate entertainment expert Paul Simms from The CEP suggests event planners stop being predictable and start booking unexpected acts.

Special Events Blog

Everyone's going green—for event decor and sustainability

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 22:07:00 +0000

This linen expert says going green—for event decor and for sustainability—is the way to go.

Special Events Blog

ISES San Antonio puts the 't' in team

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:42:00 +0000

You can talk about supporting your colleagues—who often are your competitors—in order to advance the profession as a whole. Or you can honestly do it.

Special Events Blog

A smart mobile app strategy: Keep it simple

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:38:00 +0000

Mobile apps provide some very powerful benefits to event attendees that previously weren’t available--they enable interaction with information and other attendees in real-time based on location.

Currently, mobile apps aren’t yet widely used at events. A recent Special Events survey showed less than 20 percent of event planners have created or commissioned one. Yet 73 percent would like to.

Unfortunately, mobile apps that really delight attendees are difficult to deliver for several reasons:

Special Events Blog

When to go native: Choosing between the mobile web and native apps for conferences and events

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:16:00 +0000

Special Events Blog

You don't have to be in Hollywood to need a script

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:46:00 +0000

You don’t have to be in Hollywood to need a script. In fact, all businesses that deal with clients need a script for their employees. So if you have clients, and I hope you do, this means you.

I had one of those "As a client, I am going to fire this business and find someone else to patronize" moments yesterday. (The name of the business will be omitted to protect the guilty.) I have gone to this business on a regular basis for years.

Special Events Blog

Once Upon A Time…. Creating Events that Tell A Story

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 17:28:00 +0000

Great events are more than decor—to be unforgettable, they have to tell a story.

Special Events Blog

DIY Centerpieces: Money-saver or Time-waster?

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 20:50:00 +0000

Does it really save money to create event centerpieces in-house? Heather Pilcher, CSEP, runs the numbers for us.

Special Events Blog

See you on the shuttle bus!

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 17:31:00 +0000

The Special Event starts next week, and I've been busy buying new shoes and such so I can look my best at the education sessions and networking events. But it's funny—it seems the places I most often meet people who turn into great interviews, ...

Special Events Blog

Curse you, Special Events!

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 00:56:00 +0000

As wonderful as working at Special Events can be, the experience has ruined me. And this is because I have now seen so many beautiful meals, floral arrangements and decor installations that I firmly believe life is so, so much better if it is ...

Special Events Blog

Gala grace under pressure

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 04:50:00 +0000

Last week we announced the nominees for the latest crop of Gala Awards, and the reaction has been the usual wild mix. Some people are over the moon, some pretty unhappy. But several times this year, I've been struck by how gracious many ...

Special Events Blog

The profitable politics of special events

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 07:30:00 +0000

The robocalls, the attack ads, the surprisingly nasty Facebook posts from people you thought you knew. There is oh-so-much to hate about a presidential election year in the United States. And yet I love the election years for one good reason: They ...

Special Events Blog

Coping with cancellations

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:38:00 +0000

While I was nervously switching between online news broadcasts and Facebook posts for news about the big Sandy storm, the team over at MeetingsNet, our sister publications group, was doing something much more productive. They have pulled together their ...

Special Events Blog

Write a speech—it's good for you!

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 21:30:00 +0000

“How do I know what I think until I see what I say?” ―E.M. Forster Right now, I'm at work on my presentation for this year's Midwest Regional Symposium for ISES Indiana on Oct. 10--if you're in the neighborhood, I hope you can make it. I'm not a ...

Special Events Blog