A Collection of the Web s Best Event Management Infographics
EVENT INDUSTRY
A couple of years ago, we designed and released an infographic detailing new regulations for events held on D.C. s National Mall. Ever since that piqued our interest, we ve been bookmarking event-related infographics as we ve come across them. Here s a preview of the best infographics in our collection. Some of these are long, get ready to scroll like mad.
Guide to the National Mall for Event Planners, by Decibel
How to Build an Event Budget, by Planning Pod
How Technology is Changing Events, by Event Manager Blog
Four Ways to Use Social Media to Boost Events, by Eventility
Space Planning and Story Telling, by GES
Green Events & Exhibits, by MC2
Noteworthy stats from 2015 s biggest event marketing study
EVERYTHING ELSE
We re just now getting around to giving the Event Marketing Institute s latest EventTrack study a look-see (shame on us this thing dropped in May), and
For those of you who aren t familiar with EventTrack:
The Event Marketing Institute and experiential marketing agency Mosaic released the fourth-annual EventTrack, the largest research on event marketing ever fielded. This groundbreaking annual study monitors the continual growth and expansion of the event and experiential marketing industry. Unique to EventTrack is its dual-channel format. Two research studies are created and fielded, one to brands across the Fortune 1000 and the other to thousands
of consumers. The result is an incredible pool of data that connects what experiential marketers are doing and why with how consumers react and buy.
Here s what caught our eye:
Good news: the industry is growing
A significant 79{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} of the brand respondents say they will execute more event and experiential programs this year compared to last year. There s also this: Companies and brands are increasing their event and experiential marketing budgets by a healthy 6.1{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} in 2015. This is up from an increase of 5.4{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} found in the 2014 EventTrack study.
Event planners really, really need to facilitate social media
It s no surprise that 85{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} of brands that they measure event success in total attendance and 58{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} said they measure that success in leads, a whopping 61{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} of brands said that event success is measured in Facebook likes and social media posts. That means that regardless of whether or not more social media activity means more sales (we think it does, but hey), clients perceive it that way. The more your attendees post, the happier clients will be.
Young men are more likely to buy during an event
Sixty-five percent of consumers purchase the product or service promoted at the event or visit. This finding is up significantly from the 54{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} found in the 2014 survey. Males are more likely to buy at events and experiences than women, according to the cross-tabulated survey findings. The age range most likely to buy on-site are those between the ages of 25 and 35.
Free samples are king
Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know, people like free stuff; in fact, 81{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} of consumers said that giveaways are the primary motivator for event participation. But 78{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} of also said that trying a product increases their liklihood of buying it. Combine those two statements, and we feel this confirms that freebies are still a powerful tool for driving sales at events.
Thanks EMI and Mosaic, we look forward to next year s write-up.
Throwback Thursday: Vintage Freight & Logistics Pictures
EVENT INDUSTRY
We re on a freight and logistics roll this month as we take a look at a couple of neat cargo, trucking and train transport pics from bygone days. In this episode of Decibel s #tbt, we learn that the more things change, the more things stay the same. These images from back-of-the-house logistics operations over the last 150 years are full scenes both familiar and alien.
1866: Central Pacific Railroad Company
Holy moly. When this picture of a Central Pacific Railroad Company train was taken, the American Civil War had just ended, and Kodak hadn t yet invented photographic film. This image shows a freight engine hauling goods across the post Gold Rush California landscape.
1943: Sleeping Truckers
This 1943 shot by photographer John Vachon shows drivers getting a little shut-eye in bunks at a Baltimore-based trucking terminal for the Associated Transport Company. Long hours and tiring routes: the rigors of the trucking industry haven t changed much in the last 70 years. Luckily, these days, the Department of Transportation has implemented that govern the number of hours drivers can be asked to stay behind the wheel (and you can checkout our write-up on new 2013 DOT rules here).
1906: Cargo Hold
Taken around the turn of the last century and owned by the Detroit Publishing Company, this shot shows the hold of the freighter S.S. JH Sheadle, empty of cargo.
1942: Train Dispatch
Hard to imagine a pre-computer world where dispatchers had to keep track of hundreds of trains on a chalkboard, but that world did once exist. This mid-World War II shot shows the engine dispatching office in Tulsa, Oklahoma s Frisco rail yard.
1909: Storage Company Truck
Good on ya, Guarantee Storage Company, for fireproofing that warehouse.
Event Logistics, Freight and Shipping: Questions to Ask When Choosing a Provider
EVENT INDUSTRY, TIPS & TRICKS
Organizing a large-scale event often means ensuring that bulk amounts of oversize items arrive on location, right on time. Considering that precision is so vital to a successful event, it follows that contracting a sloppy logistics company can quickly turn into a nightmare. Here are a few vital questions you should ask before you sign that contract:
Can I speak to some of your clients?
This one s a no-brainer: reputable logistics companies should have dozens of clients with solid recommendations who are willing to vouch for the company s timeliness and follow-through. Naturally, no one s going to give you names of unhappy customers, so it also makes sense to Google around and check reviews online to make sure there haven t been any major complaints. If you do find bad reviews, don t be shy about having a what happened there? discussion with the company reps.
What technologies are you using?
Tech-forward companies are forward-thinking companies, and logistics providers that have the foresight and care to employ the latest tracking and communications tech are more likely to have a better handle on where your stuff is at any given time. It s a good idea to ask when their back-of-the-house system was built, installed or updated. If the answer is more than five years ago , that should raise some eyebrows. You might also consider asking if they have an in-house IT guy or tech team, and whether or not they have a client-facing tracking portal, as a good provider will be able to keep you informed and relaxed with a system capable of providing to-the-minute updates on the location and condition of your stuff.
Have you shipped to our destination country before?
Did you know you re not allowed to import mineral water to Nigeria? That you can t bring electric fishing equipment into Lithuania without permits? Just because a provider has handled overseas shipping doesn t mean they ve got a handle on shipping to your specific destination. Every country has its own import laws, required documentation and shipping quirks, and if you need to move supplies internationally, you don t want any surprises on the other end. Ideally, your logistics provider will have a history of moving items to the destination country, will know the ins and outs of the local customs bureau, what types of items that country is likely to flag as problematic for cultural or legal reasons, any typical wait times in terms of cargo clearances, taxes and fees, and other place-specific issues.
Where are you going to store my stuff?
At some point during a long trip, it s likely your gear is going to be placed in storage. Tent sailcloth can get awfully moldy sitting in a poorly-cared-for facility, rats can chew on electrical cables, and in some places, warehouse theft is rampant. Get storage policies in writing, and make sure your provider clarifies how much liability they hold if your items are damaged, stolen, lost, or destroyed while sitting in a temporary holding space. And speaking of which
How can I verify your insurance policy?
No one wants to imagine the worst, but it does occasionally happen. Better to ask in advance: Does insurance cover the gear during each leg of the transportation process, or only some? What will happen in case of embargo? What is the process for filing a claim, if one is required?
Check all those boxes, and that ll be one more load off your mind.
4 Truly Useful Associations Providing Services for Event Producers
EVENT INDUSTRY, TIPS & TRICKS
The event industry is a connected, supportive place where you don t have to go anything alone. These great groups specialize in creating industry-specific networks where event producers can share resources, trade insights, and stay inspired.
International Festivals & Event Association
You want the most bang for your membership buck? Look no further than the IFEA, whose membership benefits include workshops, yellow pages, market places, award ceremonies for best-in-class work, industry surveys and worldwide support for overseas events. Members are also eligible to drum up further cred by writing for IFEA s magazines and publications, distributed to industry professionals all across the globe.
Event Marketing Institute
It s not just you: everyone feels a little bit behind on their event marketing know-how, a state of affairs EMI aims to overthrow. Their membership benefits list is extensive, including exclusive access to industry analytics, marketing training, quarterly conference calls with an EMI analyst, and custom educational programs.
International Association of Speaker s Bureaus
You can t join the IASB unless you re part of the speaking industry specifically, but they do offer a membership search page where you can dig through association-approved speakers bureaus (in case you wanna find a local firm or vet your existing one). And in an uber-meta move, the IASB holds their own conferences. With speakers. That speak about about speakers.
National Association of Catering and Events
NACE takes a holistic approach to event management and catering with the tagline One industry. One association. True that where s there s people, there should be food. If you re looking for a catering pro to plug into your event or as a partner for your event production shop, do have a peek at the NACE s member directory. And if you re seeking inspiration and business connections for planning your next mega-banquet, NACE s Experience! Conference and Expo is a can t-miss.
Five of the Hottest Event Photographers in 2015
EVENT INDUSTRY
Event photography is an art form all its own. You need someone who understands how to capture the action while it s happening without creating overly-staged shots, how to shoot under low lighting conditions for parties and night events, and how to take compelling action shots. Here are the Decibel Management picks for best-in-show photographers for 2015.
Shot by Rob
Speaking of low lighting, Rob is a roamer of the after-hours streets, a nightlife photographer with a real gift for capturing hot late-night club moments in which nobody looks tremendously drunk. Rob shoots around 500 events a year that s slightly less than two a day.
Dave Bird
With a portfolio that tends towards lovely conference and speaker shots showing the special of corporate events, London-based Dave Bird s event photography is top-of-the-line. About himself, he says: I love bright and exciting stories of people doing cool stuff, whether that s in their day job or what they do at the weekend. Natural interactions are really important to me, and I m always after that special moment my approach and process lets me light and then direct what s happening so that it works best for the camera, but still never feels posed or rigid.
Rukes
No post about event photography would be complete without a mention of Rukes, who specializes in electronic music and festivals. Snapping some of the hottest DJs and large-scale music events in the last few years, Rukes has been catapulted to the top his game with his amazingly colorful and dynamic imagery that showcases crowd excitement and scale like few others can.
Alan Klein
Alan Klein s photography is a mature but not at all boring, serious but not at all staid, and careful but not without a splash of fun. Based in New York, Alan s lens perfect captures political events, gallery openings, corporate functions, and visions of audience engagement.
Heisenberg Media
Heisenberg Media specializes in dramatic event photography and executive portraiture. We re not your standard documentarians. We seek out, capture and produce works of art that can be used time and time again in your marketing materials, publications, presentations and more.
4 Great Podcasts for Event Managers & Producers
EVENT INDUSTRY
The humble podcast: so simple, so perfect for busy event professionals to listen to while making brekkies. The popularity of the Podcast seems to be on a kind of wheel of reincarnation: everyone s making them, then no one is, then they re back in favor and all over the web. In the last few years, a there s been a minor resurgence in podcast popularity, and we thought we d gather up a few good event-related shows you might enjoy.
The Event Tech Podcast by EventHero
From the savvy team at EventHero comes the Event Tech Podcast, a great interview-format podcast on the latest developments in event production and management technology. The Event Tech Podcast has already heard from the folks at Attendify, Event Manager Blog, Eventbrite, and a host of other big industry players. Not sure the best way to listen? You can subscribe via Youtube, RSS or iTunes.
The Planner s Planner
We are two professional musicians who stumbled into event planning in 2012. We have also worked with some of the finest event planners around the world and now help to plan events for their clients. We quickly realised that there is more to planning an event than meets the eye, and are on mission to learn more and discuss this unique and creative world. We meet so many like minded professionals who share our passion for the event industry. We thought it would be great to share some of the conversations we have on an almost daily basis.
Speakeasy Podcast by Constant Contact
With topics like How Small Businesses are Increasing Engagement and Making More Money , and A Closer Look at 3 Social Media Tricks You Haven t Heard Before , Speakeasy is a good place to brush up on social media tips and tricks if you re still new to the online engagement game.
The Event Alley Show
Event Alley is the brainchild of two passionate event planners, Lindsey Rosenthal and Liz King, who built their businesses in the midst of a depressed economy and found success. As they met countless event professionals, it was clear an outlet was needed for industry professionals to discuss issues, challenges and new ideas. After a year of great success, Liz left the show to work on other projects and Lindsey was joined by two dynamic powerhouses in the industry, Brandt Krueger and Tahira Endean.
With a podcast listing numbering around 250, the Event Alley team isn t messing around. Subscribe via iTunes, or visit their website for a full event archive.
Decibel Vendor Profile: CGS Premier
EVENT INDUSTRY
CGS Premier, one of Decibel s vendors, has been around since 1993 producing awesome fabrications, specifically creating large-scale vehicle wraps for mobile media (trucks, trailors, vans, etc.), but also for custom trade show booths and displays, pop-up shops, and other set-it-up, break-it-down portable experiences. Fabrication is one of those things the public sees everywhere, but rarely questions where it came from: graphics and logos printed on semi trucks, advertisements on radio station mobile rigs, movie posters on the sides of city buses, branding on the outside of tour vans. We sat down with Bill Kurinsky, CGS s Director of Business Development, to talk shop.
Can you give us a quick intro to what you guys do?
CGS is a fabricator for the experiential marketing agency. We build everything from a 53 trailers to kiosks. The assets we build are used in marketing campaigns typically that provide a unique experience for the consumer. Some recent examples include: a mobile pro shop for the NFL, a pop-up retail station for the Gap store, and demos of mobile devices and high speed internet connections in a trailer for several telecommunication providers.
Can you give us a little rundown on when and how CGS got started and what was the inspiration or background behind the company?
We ve been in business for 20 years, and we started as a large format digital printer. In the mid 90 s, we starting building small marketing items for our print clients, such as unique trophies and other little things. We quickly grew into fabricating one-off trailers, and then in the 2000 s, our business really picked up and started to include larger fabs, such as SUV s, shipping containers, RVs etc
Your vehicle wraps are super cool. For those people out there who ve never done a project like that, can you tell us a little bit about how they re done (and how to get them off!)?
Wraps are a fun part of the business and truly give the projects we work on the special character everyone remembers about them. First, CGS creates a template to scale for our clients. The client s designers then use that template to create the custom wraps, and we provide insight about how to achieve the best wrap possible. We might call out areas that would effect the wrap negatively, or we might install the wrap in several layers to avoid seams in the vehicle or handles.
You guys print on a whole lot of unique surfaces what was one of your most challenging jobs?
This one s tough. We ve printed on concrete, I think would be the most unique.
For those readers that have never done a fabbing project, one burning question: what s the deal with photo resolution and printing at ginormous sizes? Can you get a quality print from a 300dpi image?
Actually, we like to see 400 DPI at 1/4 scale, but DPI isn t the only consideration in terms of quality you ve also go to think about how good the printing equipment is and how much the experience the installation team has with similar projects. Our printers take more passes across the wrap surface, which creates a prettier, more vibrant image, and our staff is very good at getting the digital color to match the actual printed product. You ve also got to be extremely well-versed in installing the final prints on a whole host of surfaces, expertly removing sideview mirrors and lights so that the vinyl can be tucked and flattened properly.
Boring business question: what sets you apart from your competitors?
Not boring at all, and that s simple: our people set us apart. We take all of our projects to heart, so much so that all of our staff can recall small details on projects they did years ago. Personally, I take great pride in two things: one, when clients come to the shop to see their finished project and they say Wow, I can t believe it, it looks just like the drawings we provided! At that point I know we hit a home run. Two, when a client tells us they plan to use something for a single-year summer tour, but three years later they come back and they ve been using our product the whole time. That s real craftsmanship.
A Yuletide Throwback Thursday: 3 Christmas Event Traditions, Then and Now
EVENT INDUSTRY
Merry Christmas! And a cheery tis-the-season thank you to all our vendors, partners, readers and clients. You guys are our favorite people; we wouldn t be here without you, and we wish you all a holiday season decked in lights and smothered in gravy. Not to get too sappy on ya, but this is inevitably the time of year when our thoughts turn to the past, and we remember with gratitude how far we ve come not just as a company, but as an industry. Fancy a spot of history?
Macy s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Started in 1924 by Macy s department store employees, many of whom were first-generation European immigrants. Proud of their new American heritage, they wanted to celebrate the American holiday of Thanksgiving with the type of festival their parents had loved in Europe.
[The] employees marched to Macy s flagship store on 34th Street dressed in vibrant costumes. There were floats, professional bands and live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo. At the end of that first parade, as has been the case with every parade since, Santa Claus was welcomed into Herald Square. At this first parade, however, the Jolly Old Elf was enthroned on the Macy s balcony at the 34th Street store entrance, where he was then crowned King of the Kiddies. With an audience of over 250,000 people, the parade was such a success that Macy s declared it would become an annual event.
What started as an audience of 250,000 is now closer to one million.
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting
Here s one for the event designers: did you know that the electric Christmas light was invented by none other than that titan of power, Thomas Edison? Before that, people lit their Christmas trees with actual candles, causing no shortage of house fires. The very first electrical Christmas tree lights were used in 1882 by Thomas Edison s business partner, Edward Johnson, but they didn t really catch on until President Grover Cleveland used them at the White House. Thirty years later, the official Christmas tree tradition at Rockefeller Center began in 1933 (the year 30 Rockefeller Plaza opened), [but] the unofficial tradition began during the Depression-era construction of Rockefeller Center, when workers decorated a smaller 20 feet (6.1 m) balsam fir tree with strings of cranberries, garlands of paper, and even a few tin cans on Christmas Eve (December 24, 1931), as recounted by Daniel Okrent in his history of Rockefeller Center.[10] One claim is the tree had some gum wrappers and detonator blasting caps as decorations.
These days? Things are little more polished:
Good Save: the NORAD Santa Tracker
Did you know that the much-beloved NORAD Santa Tracker program began with an event marketing slip-up?
The program began on December 24, 1955, when a Sears department store placed an advertisement in a Colorado Springs newspaper which told children that they could telephone Santa Claus and included a number for them to call. However, the telephone number printed was misprinted and calls instead came through to Colorado Springs Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Center. Colonel Harry Shoup, who was on duty that night, told his staff to give all children who called in a current location for Santa Claus. A tradition began which continued when the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) replaced CONAD in 1958.
These days, the program is run by a series of volunteers and staff. Here s the ad misprint that made history:
Neat, yeah?
The 12 Best #eventtech Tweets from November
EVENT DESIGN
It s been a big month for event tech, not the least of which reason being that on November 14-16, the Event Tech Awards were held in Paris and Las Vegas, highlighting some of the most exciting innovations in the field from the past year. These days the age of the smart phone we tend to focus on stuff like apps and social media when we talk about event tech. But there s a lot more going on, from smart bracelets and virtual reality to sensory tech and Twitter walls. To try and get a handle on some of the more exciting developments in the world of event tech, we collected 12 of the best #eventtech tweets from the last month. Read on to get the scoop!
Could Apple Watch be useful for #EventProfs? We decided to investigate. https://t.co/6KqFWJ6008 #EventTech
Noodle Live (@NoodleLive) November 3, 2015
#EventTech: 3 New Tools to Make Your Event More Fun https://t.co/4JPMBA7dxo pic.twitter.com/NhuOxdReso
TINT (@tint) November 3, 2015
Event Pros: How @oracleopenworld Used Bracelets to Bond Conference Attendees https://t.co/i5QsAjJnKq #eventtech #eventplanning
BizBash (@BizBash) November 4, 2015
Why event ticketing startups are the next big industry disruptor. | #eventtech #startups #tech via @Inc @picatic https://t.co/zFScdmVEmR
Picatic Toronto (@PicaticTO) November 11, 2015
Great post for #eventprofs on engaging #millennials. Think networking, #eventtech, packages & inclusion! https://t.co/gajjfRlDlV
MCI Live (@MCI_Group) November 4, 2015
RT @ProjXDesign #VR opens up realms of possibilities at events. How can you use it to your advantage? https://t.co/1rNdDnQDUN #eventtech
Event Tech Brief (@EventTechBrief) November 9, 2015
RT @DahliaElGazzar: 7 Things Innovative Event Organizers Are Doing https://t.co/Ct0dZbrjpW #eventprofs #eventtech #mondaymotivation
Attendee Interactive (@AttendInteract) November 9, 2015
Sensory tech brings new dimension to events, says @London_PR research https://t.co/8GL1JAEHqF #eventprofs #eventtech
PlatinumEvents (@PlatinumTomIE) November 16, 2015
Great post by @DanCarthy2 on @techsytalk on ways #Eventprofs can use #EventTech to engage their audience https://t.co/0uOxVQhrSa
TRC (@TRCBadgeRite) November 16, 2015
10 Eventtrends that Will Make Your Events a Success in 2016 #Eventprofs https://t.co/eMHGLQl8Pk #Eventtech pic.twitter.com/WKiz2dfwxm
Event Manager Blog (@EventMB) December 2, 2015
The hottest #eventtech trends from the hottest event technology conference https://t.co/6NxmQumvR9 #eventtechlive @eventmarketer
FreemanXP (@FreemanXP) November 20, 2015
