Velvet Chainsaw

JULY 20, 2016

Just like potholes, conference planning thinkholes can be an expensive problem for your event. They can create some major cavities and damage to your participants’ conference experience. Defining Conference Planning Thinkholes. Four More Hazardous Conference Planning Thinkholes.

Conference Planning 150

Conference Planning Conference Tech Technology 150

InitLive

MARCH 4, 2021

Conferences are an important part of professional development and business networking for all industries. A successful conference can come in all shapes and sizes, from 200 people over a weekend to 15,000 for a week. InitLive has had the privilege of working with many conferences, some of which are the largest in their industry.

Conference Planning 107

Conference Planning Conference Speakers Sponsorships 107

Master the Event

DECEMBER 12, 2023

A conference planning guide is designed to help walk you through the various steps required when planning an event. Finding the right conference planning guide can be a task in itself. However be careful as many of these planning guides are actually a marketing tool designed to pitch a sale to you.

Conference Planning 40

Conference Planning Conference Hotels Events 40

Velvet Chainsaw

JULY 14, 2016

Why do so many people rate the conference experience as stale, predictable and average at best? Why do conference leaders miss the mark at preparing their own unique DNA conference experience? Why do so many conference organizers miss the opportunity to create a matchless thumbprint on their event’s identity?

Conference Planning 150

Conference Planning Conference Marketing Meetings 150

Coterie Spark

JULY 12, 2021

Setting expectations for your event, your planner and your attendees. Planning a hybrid conference, a combination of an in-person conference with a “virtual” online component, can be a lot of fun, but also demands clarity and expertise. But have no fear! Coterie Spark is here to help. . So, let’s round ‘em up!

Conference Planning 98

Conference Planning Conference Speakers Event Planning 98

Master the Event

JANUARY 12, 2024

A clear and concise conference planning checklist will not only contribute to the success of your event, but will also help keep you organized and sane…both definite musts in successful conference planning! The best way to an organized event is an uber organized event planning checklist.

Conference Planning 40

Conference Planning Conference Transportation Contracts 40

Velvet Chainsaw

NOVEMBER 11, 2021

There’s never been a better time than right now to reimagine your education programming for your first in-person conference in some time, for many—in over two years. Conference education sessions have long been considered the main course of the event, yet typically they reek of status quo. That simply won’t work anymore.

Education 436

Education Conference Speakers Conference Planning 436

Velvet Chainsaw

JANUARY 21, 2019

In physics, the second law of thermodynamics says all things—bodies, businesses, conferences, energy, organizations, relationships—move toward chaos and disorder. As your conference matures, it experiences entropy. As a conference professional, you know this to be true. It is also the natural law of evolution for any conference.

Conference 361

Conference Conference Planning Sustainability Speakers 361

InitLive

NOVEMBER 10, 2022

Conferences are an important part of professional development and business networking for all industries. A successful conference can come in all shapes and sizes, from 200 people over a weekend to 15,000 for a week. InitLive has had the privilege of working with many conferences, some of which are the largest in their industry.

Conference Planning 62

Conference Planning Conference 2022 Speakers 62

Velvet Chainsaw

MAY 20, 2021

As it becomes more apparent that face-to-face events will return in some form this year, conference organizers have an opportunity to make changes that would have been more difficult to sell up the ladder in the past. Long-term traditions can deter next-generation conference participants. Attendees have been drowning in content.

Conference 398

Conference Conference Design 2021 Entertainment 398

Master the Event

APRIL 5, 2022

Conference Planning Seattle – So Much to See and Do…. When planning a conference in Seattle there really is so much to choose from. A conference planners dream. Conference Planning Seattle – ENTCO International. So when considering Conference Planning Seattle, don’t overlook ENTCO International.

Conference Planning 40

Conference Planning Conference Hospitality Site Selections 40

Velvet Chainsaw

SEPTEMBER 18, 2018

To paraphrase Hoffer, you can never get enough of conference fads, gimmicks and trends. Unless your a conference participant and we often have had enough!). They also want access to your conference budget. Evergreen conference practices that have promising results are often obscured by our obsession with fads and trends.

Conference 370

Conference Conference Planning Marketing Meetings 370

Master the Event

APRIL 5, 2022

Are you part of the meeting and conference planning world? So many of us in the conference and event planning world have found that using conference and event planning software solutions can enhance and improve the planning approach and progression. All at the same time? But do not fear!

Conference Planning 40

Conference Planning Conference Attendee Management Management 40

Velvet Chainsaw

OCTOBER 20, 2020

While things have changed, these tenets will hold true and the principles can be applied to other D&I conferences and events. After studying and consulting on several successful association women’s conferences, I can confidently say – they need to be very different than other conferences in your portfolio.

Conference 366

Conference 2020 Sponsorships Government 366

Master the Event

APRIL 5, 2022

The conference and meeting planning world has become one of the more important commerce producing sectors. One of the keys to the success in this industry are the conference and meeting planners that organize, plan and deliver the ultimate in meetings, tradeshows, conferences, seminars and product launches.

Conference Planning 40

Conference Planning Conference Site Selections Negotiating 40

Velvet Chainsaw

JULY 9, 2018

And just as important, how and what do we think about our conferences and events? How do we understand our conference planning processes, its underlying assumptions, and our customers, partners, exhibitors, and stakeholders? What is the result of our conference assumptions and perceptions? How do we think?

Conference 218

Conference Conference Planning Events Venues 218

Velvet Chainsaw

JUNE 4, 2018

As conference organizers, why can’t we also have a fun, fulfilling, and collaborative experience planning and designing the conference? And our planning team members should too. Here are six ways to focus on designing your team’s experience during your next conference planning process. (I confess: I have!).

Conference 272

Conference Conference Planning Conference Design Meetings 272

Master the Event

APRIL 5, 2022

So drum roll please, conference planners are some of the hardest working multi-taskers I know. And there’s a whole heck of a lot (and I do mean a lot) that goes into planning conferences. In general, the success of every meeting and conference starts with the experience, skills and organization of the conference planner.

Conference Planning 40

Conference Planning Conference Negotiating Education 40

InitLive

NOVEMBER 29, 2019

Whether you are new to conference management or just starting out, as you prepare for your next conference it's always a good idea to step outside your box and explore what's changed. Not surprisingly conferences have played a big part in my responsibilities over the years. Been there Done that!

Conference Planning 63

Conference Planning Conference Social Media Management 63

Velvet Chainsaw

DECEMBER 23, 2020

In spite of all the bad, there is also much that is positive for the next phase of association conferences. Inspired by one of our clients, last week we convened a roundtable of forward-looking association Event Directors. Planning virtual events takes more time, resources and energy. Right now, it’s just harder!

Conference 370

Conference 2020 2021 Conference Planning 370

Velvet Chainsaw

JUNE 17, 2019

I have been struck by the disparity in how an association’s organizational culture translates (or doesn’t translate) to the on-site implementation or planning of its live events. But when it gets to “go time,” does that culture manifest at your conferences and meetings? How to Create an Effective Event Culture.

Conference 367

Conference Meeting Planning Hotels Meetings 367

Velvet Chainsaw

JUNE 29, 2018

Conference organizers and their planning teams should understand, identify and quash organizational debt. Refactoring As A Metaphor For Conference Improvement. What we need is a conference refactor to fix our organizational debt — to make it possible for our planning and event to evolve. Refactor it?”

Conference 231

Conference Conference Planning Management Technology 231

Master the Event

APRIL 5, 2022

Conference Planning Software – Is It Right for You? There are several different options for planners to look at when considering conference planning software. There are some softwares available that can help you plan your entire conference, every little detail, from a to z.

Conference Planning 40

Conference Planning Technology Conference 2001 40

Velvet Chainsaw

MAY 29, 2018

We are used to thinking of our conference and its planning process as a one-way transaction from the company to its customers. Sometimes we view the planning process as a backbreaking, arduous, life-draining experience. We may even dread working with a new conference advisory committee due to our negative past experiences.

Conference 199

Conference Conference Planning Education Speakers 199

Velvet Chainsaw

APRIL 9, 2020

This is the second in a series of blogs posts, written collaboratively by our team, which uncover lessons learned in advising dozens of our clients on their events in the time of COVID-19. Although each situation has its own unique issues, we hope you find nuggets to help you with your disruption response and planning.

Conference 420

Conference Contracts Airlines Trade Shows 420

Velvet Chainsaw

JUNE 28, 2018

There is one debt every conference organizer must face and vanquish. It can cripple a conference. Organizational debt—the interest your conference pays when its structures, policies, procedures, practices, committees and leadership roles stay fixed and accumulate even as the world around it changes.* What is this debt?

Conference 186

Conference Conference Planning Conference Design Speakers 186

InitLive

OCTOBER 24, 2019

Conferences, both corporate and otherwise, are an important component in promoting the cause of an organization. In fact, according to a survey , about 98% of US Federal employees agree that conferences are an effective way to communicate their respective agency's missions. Confirm the final schedule of the conference.

Conference Planning 49

Conference Planning Conference Speakers Social Media 49

Velvet Chainsaw

JANUARY 25, 2018

Too often conference and meeting professionals assume that their role is best suited to planning and executing the conference. I get that from the education section or the conference technical teams.”. They own designing the conference customers experience journey. From Touchpoints To Customer Journeys.

Conference 240

Conference Education Fashion 2016 240

Velvet Chainsaw

JULY 18, 2018

Yet deciding to abandon a conference programming element can clear the way for new successful traditions to take hold. It is creating a habit of regularly questioning every conference planning practice and programming component that we currently use. What’s the purpose of our event? Purposeful Abandonment.

Conference 225

Conference Conference Planning Marketing Education 225

Velvet Chainsaw

JUNE 21, 2018

The North Star is the perfect metaphor for your annual conference purpose. When your conference purpose serves as a North Star, it guides all decisions, tasks, behaviors and strategy. Uncovering Your North Star Conviction To Find Conference True Target Market. What’s your conference conviction?

Conference 262

Conference Conference Planning Sponsorships Marketing 262

GEVME

JANUARY 18, 2021

The Event Industry especially was hit the hardest but has sprung up to action with ideas as innovative as Virtual Conferences. . Being the norm of 2020, virtual conferences are now the staple form of delivering immediate content to one’s audience, while reaping immense benefits. WHY NOT PHYSICAL CONFERENCES?

Conference 156

Conference Speakers Advertising Conference Planning 156

GEVME

JANUARY 18, 2021

The Event Industry especially was hit the hardest but has sprung up to action with ideas as innovative as Virtual Conferences. . Being the norm of 2020, virtual conferences are now the staple form of delivering immediate content to one’s audience, while reaping immense benefits. WHY NOT PHYSICAL CONFERENCES?

Conference 156

Conference Speakers Advertising Conference Planning 156

GEVME

JANUARY 18, 2021

The Event Industry especially was hit the hardest but has sprung up to action with ideas as innovative as Virtual Conferences. . Being the norm of 2020, virtual conferences are now the staple form of delivering immediate content to one’s audience, while reaping immense benefits. WHY NOT PHYSICAL CONFERENCES?

Conference 156

Conference Speakers Advertising Conference Planning 156

Velvet Chainsaw

MARCH 6, 2017

Your real conference competition is not that event held six months after yours. Today’s technology driven, hyper-connected, instant gratification, real-time world puts you as a conference organizer in a difficult position. Too often our current conference planning processes focus on the greatest common denominator.

Conference 296

Conference Trade Shows Conference Planning Contracts 296

Velvet Chainsaw

JULY 25, 2017

Our conference learning spaces affect our audience. Then we can focus on changing our conference participants’ learning spaces with the right goal in mind—nurturing their learning. Are You Putting Lipstick On Outdated Conference Education Models And Calling It A Success? Think About These As You Plan And Design.

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Conference Education Conference Planning Conference Design 316

ePly

MARCH 22, 2024

A great conference agenda defines the event’s purpose, who will speak and when, and the conference location and activity. The conference agenda is the plan upon which attendees build their personal conference plans and itinerary. It is one component of your conference that needs to shine.

Conference 62

Conference Speakers Food and Beverage Venues 62

Velvet Chainsaw

JULY 27, 2018

Who wants to attend a common, ordinary, ho-hum, everyday , I’m-just-like-all-the-others traditional conference? And who wants to plan or sell one? Your conference growth and revenue depends upon repeat paying attendees year after year. Customer loyalty is the cornerstone for your event’s success. Nothing new for me.”.

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Conference Speakers Technology Venues 331