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You'll Never Plan The Perfect Virtual Event

While we celebrated the end to the unprecedented year that was 2020, we’ve taken a look back at the virtual events we’ve done; what’s worked and what could have worked better. It was with this mindset we set out to interview professionals from a variety of industries who’ve been invited (and sometimes subjected) to other virtual events over the last year. Our goal? To find out in an unfiltered way, what they like, what they want and what they loathe.

Now, I personally love a good, thoughtful critique. I think most folks in the event world would agree. We can’t improve if we don’t receive candid feedback. The responses we got on our ten question survey were not only brutally honest and delightfully refreshing but SO insightful. We came away with a new sense of what a virtual event is and should be – and guess what? You’ll never plan the perfect one.

Yes, that’s right fellow perfectionists. You cannot and likely will not please every attendee. Why? Because everyone may want something different! Some folks love the vulnerability of a speaker being broadcast live while others find miscues take away from the content and feel amateur. Some people love a little team-building while others would rather tune out. What seems to be universally true though is that attendees want a more personalized experience. They want to make decisions about what sort of content they view, when and how they want to view it.  After all, even if the content is free, it WILL cost them their precious time.

  

Top 10 Takeaways:


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1.     A Variety of Content, Not Overload.

If your goal is education and retention, then it’s best to break up heady, information-rich sessions into consumable “chunks” less than 15 minutes/session and provide that same information in a downloadable format that allows the attendee to revisit for reference. It’s also important to break up mandatory educational sessions with content that will keep viewers excited and engaged.

I’m looking for a variety of breakout sessions, topics that interest me, & a few entertainment or fun options too!
— Inside Sales Specialist, Technology
...The events I have participated in this year had too much content slammed in a 9 hour day with almost no breaks. It was as though since we work from home, we are robots that do not need a break.
— Global Account Manager, Technology

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2. Make sure your agenda is as easy to navigate as possible! Create tracks, highlight key content, “include” mandatory sessions in attendees’ schedules - use the system you’ve chosen to its fullest capacity to create opportunities for choice without creating confusion.


I’m done with unclear agendas, huge or confusing catalogs to sift through to register for events or sessions.
— Inside Sales Specialist, Technology

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3.   Session Discretion

Some content needs to be delivered to one group, at one time and it’s vital to be able to track who watched it and when. That is probably not the majority of sessions you produce. If we’re honest with ourselves and our clients about the purpose and goals of their meeting we can best determine what is key information and what can be viewed at leisure. If we can provide attendees the freedom to choose how, when and even what to watch within a timeframe, we can win the overload battle.

The benefits of freeing up your attendees is two-fold:

A. They will certainly be able to retain more information from two consecutive sessions than they would from five.

B. They will be able to use their breaks to catch up on email, calls, etc. leaving them feeling less “falling behind,” more balanced and willing to engage.

I preferred…the ability to watch the content I needed to watch (on-demand) vs. sitting in a live, all-day meeting where only a percentage of the content is relevant to my role.
— Global Account Manager, Technology
The length…if it’s multiple days, long sessions and I’m still expected to do my job in the background? It’s too challenging and I just won’t attend much.
— Inside Sales Specialist, Technology

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 4.   Keep it 9 to 5.

It’s official, “Happy Hours” are dead. No matter HOW great a conference or a session is, don’t drag your content into family/personal time. Attendees need to re-charge their batteries and not listen to a keynote speaker while trying to make dinner.

If I’m at home on my computer I can have a drink while the meeting is going on. Keep it moving.
— Sales Representative, Fashion
After sitting all day, I don’t want any additional entertainment, I want to get off the computer.
— Global Account Manager, Technology

 5.     Considerate Collaboration

While most events in 2020 were free or very inexpensive, a few major conferences still commanded a hefty price; particularly for sponsors. Companies who shelled out funds for a virtual booth may have been disappointed about their ROI (Return On Investment) right along with the sales professionals usually working a physical booth and networking for their commission.

We need be more considerate when choosing platforms for clients who are interested in involving sponsors. Speaking directly to a potential sponsor can help planners better understand their expectations and set them up for success by instructing them in ways to leverage platform capabilities and employ best practices in a way that equates to real revenue and not just their logo above a session description. Their sales team will thank you.

“These events cost a lot of money and industry feels like they are not getting good ROI for supporting these clinical engagements. Example (no engagements with key customers). Customers are not motivated to engage virtually or don’t have the training to do so.”
— Sales Partnership Lead, Biotech
“In my industry, virtual events were almost worthless… zero visitors at a virtual trade show booth at 5-7 shows in a row. With vendors trying to charge just as much as live events, I am holding out for live events in the second half of 2021.“
— Director of Sales, Technology

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6.     A Connection

Whether respondents wanted live content delivery for the warmth or pre-recorded sessions for the professional delivery, one sentiment was the same – they want responsiveness and they want interaction. If you’re planning to pre-record, be sure to have the speaker or speakers available for live Q&A during and after.

If your speakers are up for it, we recommend them starting off the chat conversation during the session too! There’s nothing that will get comments rolling in faster than knowing the presenter is ready and waiting to interact.

“My preference for virtual meetings is livestream general session delivery.  Something about the live session just feels better and more natural to me.”
— Director of Cloud Services, Technology

 7. A Gift, Not Swag

We’ve all fallen victim to corporate partners who still think a branded USB drive is the ultimate expression of appreciation but in 2020, swag has officially been cancelled. Virtual event attendees don’t need a tote, they’re not hauling anything around. In fact, they also have pens, pencils and charging devices. What they want is less branded junk and more thoughtful gifts.

Think about one, high-end, unbranded, USEFUL item like a Yeti Rambler or something vintage and quirky like a Nintendo Mini! There are so many opportunities to tie these types of gifts into your message and they can always be delivered in a creatively branded box with a card and your recipients will rejoice.

The runners up in the “most-coveted” gifts were consumable! Snacks, sweets and alcohol made almost everyone’s lists. Whether you send something that’s unique to a Headquarters hometown, support a small business, or opt-out of mail completely by sending a virtual Postmates gift card, there are thousands of ways to surprise and satisfy your attendees.

The gifts I enjoy most are food, high end containers/mugs, annual subscriptions, and charitable giving-oriented gift cards for corporate donation.
— Senior Consultant, Communications

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 8.     An Entertaining Break

Entertainment had mostly positive feedback from our panel and musical performances stood out from the crowd. One way to create a moment a moment that feels as much like a break as it should is allowing viewers to cast the content to their televisions. By providing guests instructions ahead of time, viewers may choose to enjoy the musical performance from the comfort of their couch. Yes, they’re trading one screen for another, but the change of scenery and added freedom to grab a snack or beverage while they watch might just be the thing they remember.

“They had a concert with John Legend that was really neat!”
— Inside Sales Specialist, Technology

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 9.     A Custom Experience

Cooking and drinking experiences took top spot amongst the virtual experiences which was no surprise with the overwhelming cry for interactivity. Our advice for finding the perfect service? Carefully consider and empathize with your audience. Schedule the experience during normal work hours as a break in the meeting monotony. Provide options! Not everyone will be into a mixology lesson but perhaps a cake decorating session is more their speed. Variety is the spice of life after all.   

“Cooking and drinking-oriented activities are the most fun, especially if you can connect the conference theme/topic or some locational element to the cuisine.”
— Senior Consultant, Communications

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10.     A Human Connection

Whether those surveyed were enthusiastic about virtual or already over it, one thing remained constant: Attendees want a more “human” experience. They want more ways to network with others, the ability to have side conversations and make connections. They also want to be recognized when they DO contribute.

Proper virtual event etiquette means using attendees names when highlighting their question from the Q&A but, even more importantly, taking a moment to acknowledge their emotion (frustration, concern, confusion, joy) and dig a little deeper to be sure the speaker or panelist is providing not just an answer but a solution. We also love when folks offer to connect offline, really augmenting the experience.

The human element is important…Make certain content more interactive/accessible “live” with the speaker or musical guest or whatever it may be to make you feel like you are there.
— Senior Consultant, Communications
I would like to find ways to make things more interactive;  For major events, I would really like to see better ways to interact with other participants.
— Director of Cloud Services, Technology
For most of our company events, all employees were required to participate with their camera on. I very much liked this as I was able to put live faces to the names of people I have not met before, or only ever seen a few times.
— Director of Cloud Services, Technology

The MOST insightful information from our survey, and the most encouraging, is that everyone is ready for live events to return. (Cue the fireworks!) Most people even stated, unprompted, they recognize the value in the hybrid model as it allows attendees to weigh their personal risk and also to attend meeting they couldn’t otherwise due to scheduling or finances.

This feedback has been invaluable to sift through and we are looking forward to putting what we’ve learned to work in both fully digital and hybrid formats. A special thanks goes out to those who participated! Do you have any key insights from virtual events you’ve attended? Any you’ve produced? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Good luck out there!

- Tacy

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The Opportunity Cost of DIY Digital

It’s July 2020 and most of us have acclimated to video calls and other virtual meeting platforms.  It’s not quite as awkward to make an appearance from our home offices, kitchens or living room couches anymore. We’ve grown used to the occasional interruptions of dogs barking, the pings of new email and the video debut of our coworkers’ children (or our own.) The ongoing joke is that we are all “business on top and casual on bottom.”  While this has become the new norm, what happens when we have vital sales calls, quarterly meetings we need to lead, major presentations and pitches? What happens when we NEED to put our best foot forward? When it is vital to stand out from the Zoom call crowd, professional services (or at LEAST professional setups) are a must.

In a time when so much of the “call culture” is low-res and DIY, we firmly believe organizations can gain a unique competitive advantage by commiting to the professionalism of their content and interactions. How does a company make that happen?

  1. Examine types of EXTERNAL interactions and ask the following questions…

    1. Which employees have the most client-facing roles?

    2. Which interactions are the most fiscally beneficial?

    3. Which interactions maintain vital relationships?

  2. Examine types of INTERNAL interactions and ask the following questions…

    1. Which employees are the most visible in internal communication?

    2. Which meetings are most vital; requiring attendees full attention, engagement and driving company operation?

    3. Which meetings maintain vital relationships.

This will provide you with a list of people and incidences where professional services are needed and how and to whom additional resources should be allocated. But who needs what and when?

Example I:

Jake is a Senior Account Manager and has made all of your EXTERNAL Interaction lists:

He has an almost exclusively client-facing role.
His interactions are some of the most fiscally beneficial.
His interactions maintain vital relationships.

For an employee like Jake, we would recommend sending him a professional recording kit for his home office with instructions and access to professionals for set-up, testing and troubleshooting.
Example II:

Margaret, Joy and Mason are all C-Suite Level Executives. They all provide leadership during the biannual sales meetings as well as interacting directly with investors and board members quarterly.

They are most visible in internal communication.
They lead vital meetings that require attendees full attention and engagement to drive company operation.
They are integral to meetings that maintain vital relationships.

For a group like Margaret, Joy and Mason, we would recommend recording in or livestreaming from a professional studio with the high-fidelity sound, high-definition video, lightning fast connectivity and the technical capabilities to add engagement options.

By determining the "who’s who” and the heirarchy of interactions both internally and externally, we can begin to get a picture of the scale of services for a given group.

The most common objections we hear are:

  • We already have a “premium subscription” to a video call service.

  • We don’t have the money for other professional services.

We would argue, you don’t have the money NOT to invest in professional services. Imagine a scenario where “Jake” is on his first call with a potential client and is dimly lit, his sound cuts in and out due to poor WiFi, his video freezes intermittently and his pitch is lost in translation. Or another, all-to-familiar incident, our C-Suite Team is live-streaming their annual sales meeting, employees are logged in but no one is REALLY focused on the message. After all, there are dogs barking, new emails and kids being kids - and your attendees are just muted, black boxes with a name on a screen. This is the opportunity cost of doing nothing. Lost revenue, damanged reputation and operational issues due to missed messages.

What can professional services do to change your outcome?

  • High-Definition Film + Production

  • High-Fidelity Audio

  • Speedy Broadband Connectivity

  • Power Backup + Recording Redundancies

  • Rehearsals + Professional Editing

  • Graphic Design + Motion Graphics

  • Stage, Set + Visual Design

  • Digital Platform Sourcing + Management

  • Social Distancing + Safety Solutions

  • Branding + Decor

  • Green Room Management

  • Speaker Coaching

  • Guest Speaker Sourcing

  • Virtual Entertainment + Teambuilding

  • Professional Makeup Application

  • Remote Gifting

Not every interaction can be professionally polished and video calls are not going away, but if you consider your company image important, professional video and meeting services need to become an integral part of your brand’s marketing efforts and budget. Allow your quality of communication to speak volumes.

#GatherGreater

- Mendie

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Leading The Discussion On Safety At Events

Over the past few months, with more time on our hands than we’d truthfully like, our team has been focusing on education and our committed effort to #GatherGreater. Our newest campaign is about not only implementing new safety and sanitation protocols but also how we can create more inclusive environments for all event attendees.

With the wide world of events changing rapidly around all of us, the pandemic has left many event professionals feeling unmoored. Governmental agencies release varying policies on everything from venue capacities to mask-wearing daily, making anything more complex than planning dinner in one’s own home seem almost impossible to “get right” without use of a crystal ball.

In 2011, the events industry faced a similar turning point. After a number of dangerous and sadly fatal accidents took place (see: the Indiana State Fair incident) local lawmakers got involved to begin legislating change in safety standards for theirarea of jurisdiction. Luckily, a number of leaders in the events industry stepped forward first. Their plea was to allow the industry itself to correct its OWN mistakes, re-examine standards and truly standardize processes based on principles that would be recognized globally - instead of JUST in one state, country or venue. A sort of “common denominator” of safety standards that everyone would be held to.

The same should be true for Covid-19 and other bio-risks. While not all infectious diseases spread the same way, we can implement practices and procedures that allow for the greatest mitigation of spread through particulates, whether on surfaces or airborne, and apply to all events. We desperately need the Events Industry Council and/or the Event Safety Alliance to once again, demand a seat at the table to establish applicable safety standards and best practices.

While we’re still assembling our biohazard standards dream-team, here are the top 5 ways agencies can prepare for live and hybrid events and contribute to the conversation now...

Hotels and Venues:

Get to know hotel’s and venue’s…

  • Revised or upgraded internal processes for sanitation

  • Social distancing diagrams, layouts and adapted flow plans.

  • New or adjusted attrition & cancellation clauses

  • New food and beverage service options and safety measures

  • Safety accreditations they have earned such as the Global Biohazard Advisory Council’s STAR Accreditation. (Also note, Destination Management Organizations and city Convention and Visitor’s Bureaus can earn this accreditation, too.)

Want to learn more about the some of the big hotel players cleanliness initiatives? Check out a comprehensive list of hotel safety & hygiene protocols by clicking the button below…

Vendors & Suppliers

  • Work with local vendors and suppliers to ideate on your needs for new safety measures.

  • Regularly check-in with your partners as they, too, have been using this pause creatively and can provide some very inventive ideas on everything from social distancing to remote experiences!


Event Planning Professionals

  • Normalize new event inclusions such as sanitation and safety measures. Pitch these concepts to clients as the standard. As a bonus, thermal readers and sanitation stations may be presented as branding opportunities for sponsors, partners or the client themselves.

  • Encourage the use of digital media; making hybrid events commonplace and the bridge to larger live in-person events.

  • For those who are executing live events, share best practices as you discover them!

This is the time for competitors, friendlies and all those to connected to the hospitality and events industry to share what works and most importantly what doesn’t. The faster we all knowhow to “do it right” will give corporate groups the confidence to get back to business.

Our friends over at Event MB said it best in an article about Hybrid Events and the Future of the Event Industry…

The number of people able and willing to attend the initial live events that are allowed to take place will be limited for a variety of reasons. The physical space may be limited due to health and safety measures, company budgets may be cut, and many people may still be wary of travel and gathering in groups long after governments give the all-clear. Leveraging hybrid event strategies will allow event organizers to maintain their numbers even if their live audience is small.
— Event Manager Blog

We’ve all been collectively holding our breath, but we, as an industry, have yet to realize our true potential for changing the outcome of this setback. With many large metropolitan cities and entire states beholden to the events, hospitality and travel industries, we are the gatekeepers to a return to “business (sort of) as usual.” If we can leverage this opportunity, we can “own” the ways we need to operate rather than have piecemeal guidelines handed to us, we can take charge of the safety of our staff, protect our providers and ensure the wellness of attendees best because we know the intricacies of meeting.

We can’t wait til we can all #GatherGreater.

We would love to hear your thoughts on what you’re doing or planning to navigate this new normal. Please leave us comments below or on our LinkedIn post directly!

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How To Look Great On Screen

How To Look Great On Screen

This week I decided to compile all the fun tidbits I’ve learned on looking great on screen. From lighting angles that work wonders to light-reflection in SPF, I’ll take you through the good, the bad and the ugly of being recorded in high definition and how to avoid all those extra chins.

Quick Summary

Step 3: Use the right equipment

Step 4: Adjust your settings

Step 1: Perfect your lighting

Step 2: Find the best camera angle

Ready, Set, Go!

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UncompliKated SPF is the perfect face sunscreen solution to set your makeup and protect your skin!

  • Super fine mist for more even coverage

  • Sets makeup instantly

  • Provides a matte finish and soft focus effect and blurs the appearance of lines and wrinkles

  • SPF 50 Broad Spectrum Sunscreen protects skin from harmful, skin-aging UV rays

  • Light Diffusing Silicone Powder softens the appearance of lines and wrinkles, reduces shine and provides a matte finish

  • Hyaluronic Acid increases hydration and helps to smooth the appearance of skin

  • Fragrance Note: Lavender Essential Oil

 
Coola Setting Spray

This organic SPF 30 sunscreen spray provides sheer sun protection and keeps your morning makeup fresh until you hit the hay. Talk about a multi-tasker! Infused with soothing aloe vera and cooling cucumber, this matte-finish sunscreen mist also hydrates. Spritz on the SPF mist for weightless, no-shine protection anytime, anywhere.

 

A Firm Foundation

MAC Foundation

This modern foundation combines a matte finish and medium-to-full buildable coverage with broad spectrum SPF 15 protection. Applies, builds and blends easily and evenly while controlling oil and shine with a non-caking, breathable formula. Comfortable and extremely long-wearing, it helps minimize the appearance of pores and imperfections, giving skin a smoother and more even look and finish. Available in our most inclusive range of colours.

  • Broad spectrum SPF 15

  • 24-hour wear

  • Controls oil and shine, 6 hours

  • Provides immediate and long-term moisture, 8 hours

  • Non-acnegenic, Oil-free

  • For all skin types, especially oily skin

  • Sweat- and humidity-resistant

 
NYX+Foundation

Shockingly lightweight, waterproof and pigmented AF, Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Full Coverage Foundation is a full coverage classic foundation that hustles as hard as you do. This comfy, long-wearing waterproof liquid comes in a wide range of flattering tones that don’t transfer. Every creamy liquid shade glides on smooth, delivering matte coverage that stays true up to 24 hours. This over achiever also works to control shine and mattify your complexion all-day long. But it doesn’t stop there: this classic foundation is noncomedogenic and suitable for normal, oily, combination, and sensitive skin types.

 
Flesh Foundation

Pure Flesh is a lush liquid foundation that comes in 40 shades covering 7 different undertones. With medium, natural-looking coverage, it’s never cakey, lasts all day, and cares for your skin as much as you do with its skin-loving ingredients.

  • Medium to Full coverage with a natural, skin-like finish

  • Infused with Aloe vera to help soothe and hydrate skin

  • Contains glycerin, squalane, sodium hyaluronate (a form of hyaluronic acid), to help skin feel smooth and moisturized all day long

  • Contains pomegranate extract for an exceptionally soft, lightweight texture and a velvety finish

  • Cleanly formulated without parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, mineral oils, silicones,. Whew!

  • Fragrance free, Cruelty Free, Vegan

 

Contour & Control

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Keep oil at bay all day with this simple, fuss free compact by Revolution Beauty. The portable pressed powder is formulated to leave skin with a matte finish, diffusing the appearance of shine and pores. True to skin tone, it won’t settle in lines or pores. A pressed powder is for those who want more control over coverage and on the go touch ups. Suitable for all skin types and available in 10 skin-true shades.

 

This Contour Powder Kit by Anastasia Beverly Hills is an all-in-one contour powder kit containing 3 highlighter shades and 3 contour shades in matte and shimmer finishes. Featuring Anastasia Beverly Hills’ innovative pressed, contour powder formula, this professional-quality face makeup collection lets you brighten, sculpt and color correct with seamless blendability. The finely milled powder formula provides buildable coverage and effortlessly blends and adheres to skin.

 

A favorite for prolonging the wear of makeup, banishing shine, brightening and balancing skin tone. For a natural look, this finely milled powder can be dusted on using a fluffy brush or using a sponge makeup applicator for baking precision to lock in contour and highlight. If you want areas to look brighter, make sure to damp the sponge and pat on a thick coat of powder. Loose powders are a good option for those who desire a luminous, silky and even finish. Now in 10 shades for all skin tones!

 
BeautyBakerie.Powder.jpg

This finely-milled, gluten-free, vegan, Oat (Translucent) Flour® Setting Powder allows you to set your concealer and foundation in place for a long day's wear. This amazing, colorless formula puts the oily face battle to rest. With an HD feature, it will noticeably blur your pores and soften your complexion leaving you with a beautiful, matte finish. Plus, the jar's lock mechanism prevents product from spilling out - so you can bake with everylastbit!

 

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Why Event Producers Are Now More Essential Than Ever

I don’t know if it’s the summer weather rolling in or new CDC guidelines being rolled out but the middle of May has brought with it an awakening to corporate groups and brands en masse that a virtual event may be the only opportunity to connect with consumers and clients in 2020. Within the last two weeks, many groups have started to consider, “what would our event look like virtually?” I’ve personally seen an uptick in this type of chatter from almost all of our clients. Whether we were connecting with clients via video chat or (deep breath) ‘old school’ phone calls, one thing has become very apparent: NO ONE IS STEERING THE SHIP.

Over the past three months I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly of virtual events as many brands attempt to take their messaging online. Poor lighting and production quality, an attempt at a live stream Q & A where they didn’t prepare for significant lag, uncomfortable presenters reading off of Power Point Presentations, etc. This is the same unpracticed, unproven, lack of strategy that can dismantle a professional image and diminish confidence in a company.

I feel that Josh King said it best during a chat with iMPACT:

It’s time to cut through the white noise of boring webinars and clunky virtual events! As businesses everywhere are pivoting to digital experiences, it’s important to highlight that poorly run webinars and virtual experiences can do more damage to a brand than good.
— Josh King, Head of Business Development & Marketing at EMC3

Full disclosure, I am the Vice President and Owner at an events firm, but that’s not what compelled me to write this post. If you’ve ever dipped your toe into the jacuzzi that is planning a virtual event, you already know there are literally hundreds of options to execute, crippling technical difficulties and enough variables to make your head spin. It is not “easy.” There are event platforms, video steaming services, bandwidth issues, studio space, speaker management, video and tech solutions, social and networking engagement to think about. Oh. And then there’s your actual content.

Now, more than ever, seasoned professionals are vital consultants and partners for businesses, brands and associations. Event producers are innovative, creative, organized, well-connected team players. We are problem-solving professionals, logistical ninjas and most of all project masters. We have an innate ability to see both the high-level, holistic goals of a program and all of the integral details simultaneously. We have years of experience in execution and hyper-focus on the desired result.

Our team encourages our clients to begin the planning process with a deep dive into the information itself. What is the desired outcome of this program? Which content is most important? How complex is the information? Does it require a visual component to maximize efficacy? Insights like these, prompted by a 3rd party agent, allow for internal teams to reflect on and reassess targets. In fact, with added introspection, companies occasionally discover what was “status quo” for their events is no longer aligned with their objectives. Once we have clarified direction, we are able to hone in on the experience you want to create; allowing us to perscribe the perfect content delivery cocktail.

Although I’m still working on predicting the future, I truly believe Event Producers are the keyholders to successful transitions from traditional live events to digital ones today. If you’re considering converting a live event or creating something new, please, do your marketing teams (and stockholders) a favor, engage an event agency.

- Tacy

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