Snap! Event Productions (also known as Snap! Productions)

Graphic Recording at Interstate Convention

2012-01-30T14:25:00.003-06:00

This year at the Interstate Convention (produced by Snap! Event Productions), we employed a really fun performance element called "Graphic Recording". Graphic recording (also referred to as reflective graphics) involves capturing people's ideas and expressions ---in words, images, and color as they are being spoken in the moment.

When a recorder works in large format, a record of the proceedings is visible for all to see. Enabling people to see their contribution to the whole increases participation and fosters trust and connection and the large displays of themes and insights naturally weave together diverse perspectives into a composite "picture" that reflects the collective intelligence in the room.

Big shout out to Allison Crow of Crow Hill Conversations for recording our event and helping to bring our presenters messages to life!

10 Recommendations for Improving Event Production in 2012

2012-01-25T10:17:00.000-06:00

Here are 10 ways to do just that in the year ahead.

1. Leverage technology.
Event professionals can employ all kinds of technology to be more efficient and provide a better product. Use Google Earth to scout sites and lay out site plans to scale. Provide GPS for staff and volunteers to navigate routes more effectively. Incorporate barcode scanners for credentialing (e.g. you can scan in participants who have printed their credentials and brought them to the event).

2. Plan surprises.
Introduce unexpected elements to create a "wow" factor at your events. This can involve something simple (offering popsicles on a hot day or hot chocolates at the end of a rainy day) or poignant (capping a multi-day event with a compelling ceremony highlighting survivors). It's all about exceeding your participants' expectations and making them feel like they experienced something special.

3. Plan for the unexpected.
Don't let unplanned surprises ruin the participant experience. As part of your standard operating procedures, have a contingency plan in place for everything from bad weather (heat, cold, rain, snow) to a participant losing her backpack. That way, staff and volunteers know how to respond before — or right after — something goes wrong.

4. Strengthen community ties.
Reach out to the communities where your event takes place. Let residents know your walk will be coming right through their towns. It's not only considerate but also a subtle way to encourage support (e.g. we've seen some communities line an entire block with balloons and cookies to welcome participants). Who knows? You might even convert a few locals to your cause.

5. Walk in your participants' shoes.
Anyone who is involved in planning and executing an event should experience it firsthand. Eat your own dog food. Sign up for your own event or find one that is similar in your area. Find out what it's like to ride that 50-mile cycling route, work as a volunteer on the check-in team or navigate a new event with 5,000 other people. The lessons you learn will only help you make next year's event even better.

6. Make a good first impression.
Traffic flow and parking: If you don't manage these well, participants will be irritated before the event has even begun.

7. Make a good second impression too.
Once participants have arrived, they should immediately know what to do next. Use clear, prominent signage that guides them through registration, credentialing and any other preliminary steps. Having sufficient staffing and good line management also helps. When you handle logistical items like these flawlessly, participants become fully immersed in the event experience.

8. Survey participants.
Does your organization regularly collect comments from participants after the event? If not, make it a priority — this should be standard practice for every event professional. Find out what participants did or didn't like about the event, and then put that information to good use. Some of the best ideas we've implemented were inspired by participant feedback.

9. Master relationship-building 101.
Fire and police departments. Vendors. Sponsors. You should be nurturing your relationships with all these parties year round. Check in with them periodically — not just when you need something from them.

10. Kill a sacred cow (or two).
It's easy to get into a rut with an annual event. Maybe you've always held it at the same site or did things in a certain order. Well, don't be afraid to shake things up. We've flipped our start and ending sites, started at a new time of the day or year, and eliminated packet pick-up, all with great success.

Taking AIM in Nashville

2012-01-17T08:12:00.002-06:00

The Snap! team is on-site in Nashville, TN this week for the Sherwin Williams National Sales meeting where the theme is "Take AIM". General Sessions and Breakout Training are taking place at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel....which we very quickly found out is the largest non-casino hotel in the Continental United States. Attendees are enjoying themselves and looking forward to awards night aboard the General Jackson showboat!

Heading for Music City!

2012-01-05T16:18:00.003-06:00

The Snap! team is gearing up for a great event with one of our very favorite clients, Sherwin-Williams. This year's event takes place in Nashville, TN at the beautiful Gaylord Opryland! On the banks of the Cumberland River, this landmark Nashville hotel is the perfect destination to celebrate the successes of 2011 and set goals for 2012!

Photos from the event to come!

Here we GROW again!!

2012-01-05T16:17:00.002-06:00

Erin Kidwell is the newest member of the SNAP! Team. She is in charge of our bookkeeping.

Erin is a Native Texan whose love for the outdoors sent her to Helena, MT where she received her Bachelors in Sociology and Psychology from Carroll College. She spent the following years pursuing her passion of helping underprivileged kids and children with behavior problems at Camp Allen in Navasota, TX and The Salesmanship Club Youth Camp in Mineola, TX. She then went on to work in the public school system assisting the same types of children through Special Education until she had her own children.

Erin is a devoted mother of three beautiful children. Being a stay at home mom has allowed her the ability to work as a bookkeeper for a landscape design and installation company and now Snap! Her organizational skills allow her to balance work and home life and still volunteer as a member of the Junior League of Dallas. She looks forward to bringing this proficiency to SNAP!.

New Snap! Family Member!

2011-12-07T13:41:00.003-06:00

Snap! welcomes Hayley Martin to our growing team:

Hayley Martin comes to Snap! by way of the Texas Film Commission and The University of Texas at Austin. She earned her degree in Radio, Television and Film and served as a distinguished Governor’s Fellow with the Film Commission.

Her motto “Ready...Set...Action” serves the Snap! team well. Hayley is enthusiastic, smart and all about diving in to support our team and clients. She brings a fresh, youthful perspective to our creative process and is responsible for researching and managing the millions of miniscule details that make Snap! hum.

We're excited to have you on our team!!!

Dallas Women's Foundation 26th Annual Luncheon

2011-10-28T16:55:00.003-05:00

On Monday, 10/24, Snap! had the pleasure of working with Mavis Leno and Maria Ebrahimji at the Dallas Women's Foundation's 26th Annual Luncheon. The conversation, titled "Global Women's Voices: A Dialogue", explored the plight of Afghan women and the way its portrayed in the world's reporting. Held in the Chantilly Ballroom at the Hilton Anatole, this annual event is the Foundation's largest annual fundraiser.

The Dallas Women's Foundation will grant more that 2.5 million this year for women's and girls' programming in the DFW community.

Check out a few photos from the event below:

AT&T ERG Conference

2011-09-10T15:44:00.003-05:00

Snap! had the honor of providing production services for the 3rd Annual AT&T ERG Conference in Dallas, Texas. The energy surrounding this event was absolutely contagious! A big THANK YOU to the entire Snap! team and our great team of vendors who helped to make this event a reality. More photos to come!

Hiring a Production Company - Meetings And Conventions

2011-07-10T22:17:00.000-05:00

One of the most important partners of any large-scale meeting is the production company, a firm that handles elements including videos, scripts, lighting, sound and staging. Choosing the right partner to produce your event can be a daunting task. Following are tips to ease the process:

Hiring a Production Company - Meetings And Conventions

Snap! Hard Hat Tour of The Omni Dallas Hotel

2011-06-26T16:54:00.002-05:00

The Omni Dallas Hotel, in the center of the revitalized downtown Dallas, is connected via sky bridge to the Dallas Convention Center and close to restaurants, shops and entertainment. Scheduled to open November 11, 2011 the hotel is as bold as Dallas with richly appointed guest rooms, a contemporary reflective glass exterior and innovated guest amenities. Owned by the City of Dallas, the hotel features 1,001 guest rooms, including 67 luxury suites including three presidential suites. Omni Dallas Hotel is built to the U.S. Green Building Council LEED Silver Certification placing it on the forefront of environmental awareness and conservation in the city.

The 110,000 square feet of meeting space is infused with the history and style of Dallas. Each of the 39 meeting rooms, including two ballrooms, are named after area points of interest and feature the work of local artists. Dining at the hotel consists of Bob's Steak & Chop House, the innovative farm-to-market 3-meal-a-day restaurant Texas Spice, the Owner's Box a state-of the art interactive sports bar and Morsel's, Omni's gourmet coffee shop. Collections, the lobby gift shop, offers one-of-a-kind gathering of local retailers for the convenience of guests. The hotel will include a full-service Mokara Spa, rooftop terrace pool deck and a spacious fitness center with stunning views of downtown.

Conference News - Presentation Solutions - National Restaurant Association Brings Social Coupons to Trade Shows - Successful Meetings

2011-06-08T21:35:00.000-05:00

Conference News - Presentation Solutions - National Restaurant Association Brings Social Coupons to Trade Shows - Successful Meetings

12 Steps to Creating a QR Code Campaign

2011-06-06T09:06:00.002-05:00

Increasingly, mobile smart phones and tablets are shifting our attention away from our desktop and laptop computers to our mobile devices. As consumers access the Internet from these devices, marketers need to be focused on finding shortcuts for quicker and easier entry points. Mobile tags and QR codes give mobile devices instant access to mobile communication.

Following are 12 tips to best use these tips to understand the capabilities of smart phones for your next campaign.

Learn and experiment. Understand how they work, what they are capable of doing, and how they can benefit both the client and the end user. Remember that QR codes are capable of using more than smart phone’s camera. They also can make use of the GPS, phone, SMS, Internet connection, and more. Exploit those capabilities to the benefit of the client and the person scanning.
Plan for Mobile. Include videos, interactivity, mobile coupons, fun, and more. Don’t use Flash because it is not compatible with iPhones. Resist the urge to create a QR code and slap it on an existing campaign with a simple link to the company’s website. You will certainly lose the impact and disappoint the end users.
Give something extra. Now is the time for creative thinking. QR codes are about offering a greater experience to the end user. Think about creating a fun and memorable campaign. Doing things like providing video instructions or care and maintenance information can be a huge help.
Set goals, call to action. By having specific goals for your QR codes you can measure their effectiveness and the consumer response. Make sure to include forms to collect opt-in information.
Specify dates. Running a special event, contest or sale is a great way to use QR codes. Don’t forget to add deadlines.
Create the codes. There are many QR code generators out there. We recommend paying close attention to the options for tracking and analytics. Some even offer the ability to change the destination of the code, which may be a valuable option. If your QR code links to a website, don’t forget to use a URL shortener . It makes it easier to scan. Here is a great list of QR code Generators and a list of Generators that offer tracking and analytics.
Include scanning instructions. Remember not everyone knows what QR codes are. Help them out by listing a few QR Code scanners that work on multiple platforms.
Offer alternate response options. Offering alternate response paths, such as website URLs offers non-smart phone users the opportunity to participate. It also gives an opportunity to measure the response from different entry points.
Test, test, and test again. Make sure to test your QR code to make sure that it resolves to the correct URL or content. Be sure to test using different types of smart phone platforms and QR code scanners/readers.
Launch. Once the campaign is live you can begin to monitor the activity!
Measure. You can gain great insight into the effectiveness of your campaigns like never before. There are many ways to track QR codes allowing you to gain a greater understanding of the effect of your marketing collateral and even your news releases.
Plan for the after-life of your QR code. QR codes may remain in circulation long after the initial campaign has ended. Two things can happen when the code is scanned after the campaign ends:

The end user can be greeted with a message simply saying that the promotion has ended.
Re-purpose the message to a new campaign, a coupon, or video that still offers value to the scanner and the opportunity to continue to interact with new end users. See how Google has handled the after-life of a past Developer Conference QR code. The pictured QR code banner on the College of Human Environmental Sciences at the University of Alabama is a great example of the opportunity offered by QR Codes that live on. It began as a link for homecoming events. A scan today will find that the landing page gives tornado recovery information for the hard hit university and community of Tuscaloosa, Ala.

With some planning and forethought you can make your QR code campaign worth remembering and sharing!

Stephanie True Moss is the founder and chief creative officer of True Moss Communications, Inc. and editor of QRmedia.us.

College Signing Day Photos

2011-05-30T02:48:00.002-05:00

A few more college signing day photos from an incredible event!

College Signing Day...A Success!!

2011-05-30T02:37:00.005-05:00

On May 24th, Snap! productions was proud to be a part of Uplift Education's College Signing Day. Read Below to see what Lillian Mongeau from the Dallas Morning News had so say about this great event!!

Dance music pounded into the basketball arena at Southern Methodist University. The Dallas Mavericks’ mascots bopped around the floor, pumping up the young audience. Those in the stands were already giddy when the music finally softened and the announcer introduced the heroes of the moment: the graduating seniors of the five high schools in the Uplift Education charter district.

The crowd went wild.

High school graduation is a big deal for anyone, but for these kids, 90 percent of whom are minorities and 60 percent of whom qualify as low-income, Tuesday was even bigger.

It was college signing day, and every Uplift senior is headed to college in the fall.

Various dignitaries spoke from the stage set up at one end of the arena. Then, with their younger classmates cheering, the seniors took turns at the microphone:

“My name is Rohit Bachal, and in 2015, I will graduate from the University of Texas!” announced a gangly boy.

“My name is Sherin John, and in 2015, I will graduate from Southern Methodist University!” called out a girl with long, dark curls.

“My name is Xochil Guerrero, and in 2015, I will graduate from Boston College!” said a short girl with a sense of quiet conviction.

Uplift Education is an open-enrollment charter district with seven campuses in the Dallas area. The campuses have been growing since they opened. This is the first year the district’s five high schools — Hampton Prep, Williams Prep, North Hills Prep, Summit International Prep and Peak Prep — are all launching a senior class.

Guerrero, 18, said being a student at Peak Prep in Old East Dallas was hard work, but that she didn’t face the challenge alone. “I had a lot of support from my teachers. They came in on Saturdays and everything. I think I’m going to Boston College because they helped me.”

She will be the first in her family to attend college. Her mother finished high school in El Salvador, but Lilian Flores said she wanted her daughter to “have a better lifestyle than we do now.”

As supportive as Flores is, though, she won’t be able to visit Boston often, and she won’t have much advice on how to navigate the vagaries of dorm life or the red tape of financial aid departments.

It’s a common problem for first-generation college students. Without the experience of parents who attended college, only 41 percent of low-income students manage to graduate in four years, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

At Peak Prep, there’s a plan for this. Her name is Aleta Estrada. Her full-time job is to help seniors get into college and, once they’re there, to help them stay.

“From the first day on campus, they’re on their own,” Estrada said. “Just knowing they have someone they can call makes the transition easier.”

Estrada said she calls students regularly, fields questions about all sorts of minor problems and even visits campuses. Basically, she acts like a parent.

For students like Guerrero, Estrada could make the difference. Guerrero is confident and poised, but she said it helps to know that the support she’s had from Peak Prep won’t go away next year.

“It’s all up to the person. They decide where or not to continue on to college,” Guerrero said. “If they have the support, they can make it.”

Uplift Education Senior Signing Day

2011-05-12T13:40:00.000-05:00

You've never attended an event like this!

This is your chance to participate in the celebration of 100% college acceptance of more than 200 students and inspire thousands of 6-11th graders to continue their path to college.

Modeled after the traditional College Football Signing Day, the Inaugural Uplift Education College Signing Day will commemorate the first year for all five of Uplift’s campuses to graduate 200+ seniors with 100% of students accepted into college.

Uplift will bring nearly 3,000 students, their parents and community members to witness this celebration of college acceptance. Our seniors will publicly declare for the first time their choice for college. You will not want to miss this unique event and will leave feeling inspired!

Uplift’s College Signing Day is an annual event that CELEBRATES our students’ college acceptances, INSPIRES younger students to work hard and MOTIVATES all students to achieve their college dreams.

College signing day is FREE to attend and open to the public.

May 24th, 2011. SMU's Moody Coliseum, Doors at 9:00 AM

Parkland: YOU Make the Difference!

2011-05-02T22:36:00.002-05:00

On Saturday, the Snap! team produced the Parkland 42nd Annual Awards Gala at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel. A celebration of Parkland's best and brightest stars, the evening kicked off with a performance by the Synergy Trio during cocktail hour. Once in the ballroom, guests were greeted by Dallas' own Emmy Award winner sports reporter, Scott Murray. Gala guests enjoyed an evening of friendship and fun...and danced the night away while enjoying some decadent deserts.

6 New Takes on Teambuilding

2011-04-17T22:29:00.001-05:00

It’s hard to motivate a group with the same old games. Here are six new alternatives to tried-and-true exercises for summer associates and corporate picnics.

1. The New Outdoor Activity: Downers Grove, Illinois-based event and communication agency One Smooth Stone recently helped 250 employees from Chicago financial services company Infinium Capital Management stage their own flash mob. The firm collaborated with the group to create a performance concept, then provided a training video with choreography so they could practice in advance. On the day of the event, 20 professional dance instructors and two choreographers rehearsed the group before capturing the performance in Millenium Park on video. The company works worldwide; pricing varies.

2. The New Philanthropic Experience: Instead of assembling teddy bears or bicycles, Northern California-based Corporate Games offers a landscaping project where groups plant the backyards of Habitat for Humanity houses. Teams of 10 interview the residents, create a plan, and then shop for plants and other supplies. In the end, each team gives a presentation about its design. 3. The New Cooking Class: Try a cake designing competition like “You Take the Cake” from southern New Jersey-based Teambuilders Plus. Teams decide on a theme, and then sculpt and decorate sheet cakes. Before digging into their creations, they must create commercials to present the cake to the rest of the group. Pricing starts at $3,000 for groups of as many as 25, plus a $40 material fee per person. 4. The New Art Project: Groups of as many as 200 can try their hand at ice sculpting, available fromTeambonding. Instructors lead groups in designing, building, and lighting an original sculpture. The project takes around two hours; pricing starts at $2,000. 5. The New Scavenger Hunt: Try an iPod Touch hunt, available from Orlando’s Wildly Different. Teams use the devices to collect clues and solve timed challenges through the use of video, the Internet, music, photos, and podcasts. The game can be tailored around a company’s information, and lasts about three hours. Pricing starts at $75 per person. 6. The New Relay Race: Get your group moving and tap into the TV dance competition craze with a dance-off such as “So You Think Your Team Can Dance?” by Teambuilding Unlimited. In a hotel ballroom, conference room, or any open space, groups will learn steps from professional choreographers, and then perform routines for prizes. Pricing starts at $2,000. —Lisa Cericola

Parkland Annual Awards Gala

2011-04-09T11:12:00.003-05:00

On April 30th, Snap! will produce the 42nd Annual Parkland Hospital & Health System's Awards Gala. This year, the event takes place at the Sheraton-Downtown Dallas in the Lone Star Ballroom. The event will feature two unique pre and post reception setups, live entertainment, and will also honor the employees of Parkland who continue to go above and beyond in their commitment to the health and wellness of the citizens of Dallas County.

In addition to handing out 24 awards for excellence in care, character charisma, Parkland will honor two very special employees who are celebrating their 48th anniversary! Congratulations!

2011-04-06T13:43:00.000-05:00

On May 24th, Snap! will produce its very first "Senior Signing Day" on behalf of Uplift Education. At this event, graduating seniors of the Uplift Program declare their college choice to a packed audience of classmates, family members, mentors and friends. This year, 100% of senior students enrolled in an Uplift member school will graduate high school and go on to college. What an accomplishment!

This year's event takes place at Moody Coliseum at Southern Methodist Universit. We have three very special guests in store for the students....and and atmosphere that is sure to keep everyone cheering and on their feet!

Congratulations Uplift Seniors!!

For more information: www.uplifteducation.org

We've got on our thinking caps.....

2011-04-04T00:45:00.000-05:00

This summer, the Snap team is honored to be working on a couple of big proposals! We're excited, energized and ready to share our creative ideas, inspiration and experience with a few new clients! We've got on our thinking caps!!!

ACS 2011 was a Success!

2011-04-01T10:19:00.000-05:00

The 2011 ACS National Awards were presented the 241st ACS National Meeting in Anaheim, CA.

The National Awards Ceremony and Banquet will took place in Anaheim, CA on the evening of Tuesday, March 29th at the Anaheim Marriott Hotel. This event recognized individuals and team accomplishments in diverse fields of the chemical sciences. Dr. Ahmed Zewail, California Institute of Technology, delivered the Priestley Medal Address. Although the banquet was a ticketed event, all registered meeting attendees were welcome to attend the Priestley Medal Address. Over the years, more than 15 Priestley Award winners have gone on to win the coveted Nobel Peace Prize.

The Snap! team was on hand to produce this incredible awards event featuring some of the most brilliant minds around the globe!

Snap! prepares for Anaheim....

2011-03-26T23:18:00.002-05:00

The Snap! team is headed to Anaheim this weekend for a week full of events for the American Chemical Society. Stay tuned for photos and updates throughout the week! Snap is proud to be a part of the 2011 ACS Awards Banquet & General Meeting---this year held at the Anaheim Marriott Hotel.

Natural Disasters and the Event Industry

2011-03-21T13:18:00.002-05:00

Dwarfing recent headlines of political turbulence in the Middle East was the shocking story of Japan's 9.0 earthquake, which hit the northeast coast, and ensuing tsunami.

Fukuo ("Lucky") Morimoto, a veteran event producer based in Tokyo, tells Special Events that he continues to watch the news at home "in awe," but is "fortunate" to have seen only some property damage in his area. Tokyo is some 230 miles from the quake's epicenter. Morimoto is president ofEvent Services Inc.

Of greater concern, Morimoto says, is the danger posed by Japan's crippled nuclear reactors. "All of us are scared," he says. Yet he also shows determination: "We will overcome all difficulties," he promises.

CONTEMPLATING DISASTER

The Japanese quake is a stunning reminder that natural disasters—both large- and small-scale—are a lurking threat.

Areas of New Jersey, for example, have recently suffered through flooding brought on by late-winter rains; today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is slated to tour the area for the second consecutive year.

Party rental giant Party Rental Ltd., headquartered in Teterboro, N.J., dodged the worst of the flooding for two reasons: seasonality and preparation, executive director of sales Jim McManus tells Special Events.

First, the rainy season is off-peak for him, McManus notes. "Flooding in off-peak times is better than flooding due to hurricanes in peak season," he explains, "which causes us more logistical issues."

Party Rental Ltd. did face delayed deliveries due to flooded roads and saw some damage to its facilities, McManus says. However, the challenge wasn't as dire as it might have been because "we were prepared with crisis-management contingency plans," he points out.

For Special Events articles on disaster preparedness for the event industry, see below:

DISASTER PLANNING IN SPECIAL EVENTS

Are You and Your Business Prepared for an Emergency?

Disaster Planning: Tips from a Special Event Pro

Wildfires Show Need for Disaster Preparedness

Masters of Disasters: Party Rental Pros Discuss how They Coped with Disaster

Photo by iStockphoto.com / © Karen Merryweather

The Heinz Meetings Department Says, Go Team!

2011-03-14T00:17:00.001-05:00

Famed food company H.J. Heinz is a great big business that inspires great big devotion on the part of its employees. And nowhere is this clearer than with the event management team.

Take Danielle Kowalkowski, associate director of sales operations for Pittsburgh-based Heinz North America. Although she came to Heinz en route to a career in corporate law, she was promoted to what she calls a “cool job in sales” and decided to stay. And stay she has: “It will be 20 years this month,” she notes.

The same goes for Amy Kushik, Heinz North America's manager of meetings and events. After working in marketing for some well-known restaurant brands, she took an administrative job at Heinz “to get my foot in the door,” she explains. Her work has included a brief stint in procurement, but she has invested the most time — 10 years — in meetings. “That's where my love is,” she explains.

Besides deep dedication to their work, both women are also always pushing forward. “You have to be taking it to the next level,” Kushik says, “asking, what could we do better? What are the new ideas right around the corner?”

The Heinz meetings and event team is directly responsible for some 40 meetings each year and supports another 20 or so. The work ranges from powwows for salespeople to meetings between high-level executives from Heinz and its client companies.

The highlight of the event roster, according to Kushik, is the annual Heinz North America Forum — a three-day event that brings some 1,500 employees together. “It's such a fun time,” Kushik says. “To communicate with everybody, to get them the tools, insights and strategies that make the company better, really makes a difference.”

Indeed, making a difference was the soul of the most recent forum. Keying on the incredible difference that a small change — between 211 degrees Fahrenheit and the boiling point of 212 degrees — can make, the event team used thorough planning, including coordinating four separate production teams, to ensure that attendees felt the content, delivery and experience were customized just for them. The event has been nominated for two Special Events Gala Awards (see page 19).

As the team developed the concept for the forum, “We felt that people were already working very hard here, so we didn't want to tell them, ‘You have to work harder,’” Kushik says. Instead, the program challenged attendees to find one thing they could do not only to make their work at Heinz better and more effective, but also their home life better and more fulfilling.

The result: “People loved it,” Kushik says. “It really resonated with them.” And the proof: Post-event surveys revealed that attendees had begun changing aspects of their lives within just one week.

By Lisa Hurley, Special Event Magazine

Virtual Edge Launches Digital Events Certification

2011-03-05T19:16:00.002-06:00

The Virtual Edge Institute, which promotes education related to virtual and hybrid events, has announced the launch of a certification program for digital-events strategy. The program, to debut in June at the PCMA Education Conference in Baltimore, has been developed for event marketers, meeting professionals, learning professionals, and trade show and conference managers. The Digital Events Strategist certification will entail how to plan, design and execute a virtual-events program that meets business objectives. Click here for more information about the conference.

Building on the Excitement of Live Events

2011-03-02T00:22:00.003-06:00

Co-authored by Jordan Schwartz, CEO, Pathable, and Jeff Hurt, Velvet Chainsaw Consulting.

Live events carry a special thrill—but what happens after everyone goes home? How can an eventholder capture and build on that excitement?

A strong online community will allow you to extend the life of an event on both sides—to generate buzz beforehand, and to keep the magic alive long after the physical gathering is finished. Here are some tactics to keep in mind:

1. Setting Goals: When it comes to building an online community, setting goals at the outset is critical. Why do you want to start using social media? What are your unique aims as an eventholder? Knowing what you want will help you determine which social media platforms best suit your needs. Building on this:

• Choose the social media platforms that make sense for you. Each has unique advantages and disadvantages. For example, Facebook and LinkedIn limit conversational variety. A blog is less connective, but the organizer can guide a conversation. Look to strike a balance across several platforms—budgeting the most time and resources to those that benefit you the most. And don’t rule out more basic strategies.

• Define and use metrics. Too often, eventholders jump into social media without a clear sense of what success will look like. There are now many tools for measuring social media progress. Use them. You need to be able to trace community growth and event success to specific approaches you’ve tried. You also need to know quickly when something isn’t working.

2. Choosing Your Champion: To new users, online communities might look self-sustaining. They’re not. Facebook, Twitter and the rest all take work, ideally in the form of a dedicated individual who can keep dialogue flowing and seed productive conversations. Some key notes about community management:

• Your community manager (CM) must be able to speak for the whole. It can be tempting to pass off the Twitter duty to a “young, hip intern.” Avoid this. You need someone with real organizational knowledge who you trust to speak for the whole, in a consistent and coherent voice.

• Know the tone of modern social media. While your CM doesn’t need to be a “social media addict” (in fact, this qualification isn’t critical) he or she does need to understand how Twitter and Facebook dialogue sound and function. Again: The tone of the community manager is the tone of the organization.

• Expect the position to change. Before and after an event, the CM should plan to be extra-engaged. The job responsibility isn’t static.

3. Nurturing Community: You have goals; you have the right person running your social media. Now what specific things can you do to nurture that community?

• Identify “attendee-champions” in your community. Your community manager doesn’t need to be the only leader of the community, and shouldn’t be. Reach out to your most engaged users. Community members have unique credibility and can be your greatest assets.

• Be your own model participant. Eventholders will take their cues from your lead, both in terms of tone and in the way they treat each other. Establishing a model is the best way to encourage respectful, high-quality engagement.

• When it comes to content, simply ask. Everyone knows that content is king. But as one of our attendees asked, “What kind of content?” Why not pose the question to your users? It’s a great way to jumpstart the conversation. And ask them in a way that produces answers. One recommendation is multiple-choice questions about what kind of content people would like to see, as people like to feel guided. And they’ll feel less intimidated if an opinion has already been offered.

• Don’t wait until your community is perfectly tech-savvy to get started. That will never happen anyway. Remember that people want to connect socially—your role is to encourage this and smooth the path. Reach out to even the least “tech-oriented” members of the community you want. “It’s worth being a little ahead of the curve,” Jordan Schwartz, CEO of Pathable, notes.

4. Troubleshooting: There are plenty of risks that come with an online community, but most of these can be headed off with a few basic tactics:

• Advise sponsors that better online behavior produces better results. Spamming is a real concern for event organizers who let sponsors into their online communities. But spam isn’t even the best approach for those sponsors. Show stakeholders how to build relationships in social networking communities and use these instead of just selling their wares.

• Be clear up front about expected behavior. Inappropriate online interactions are much more likely occur when users haven’t had any guidance from organizers. This is where setting a model works well, but defining boundaries early can also be helpful.

• Realize that events have a unique way of regulating behavior. One of the great things about live gatherings, from the online community standpoint, is that people simply tend to behave better when they know they’ll later meet in person. It’s just another reason to be a fan of live events!

Video: Think Big to Save Money

2011-03-02T00:10:00.004-06:00

For many people and businesses, a video is often viewed as a one-off project. Sure, you can show it multiple times. You can re-edit portions to meet various needs. You can even change a video's format, to accommodate both ballroom and digital uses. But really, when you shoot one video, you get one video, right?

Not necessarily! With a little creative thinking, you can set out to produce one project ... and emerge with many more.

Here's the secret: next time you head into a video project, think big. Ask yourself: Once we have the equipment set up, what else can we shoot - in that location, with those customers, with that subject matter expert-that might be useful in the future? Even if you don't have an immediate use for the footage, this kind of thinking can yield great economies-next week, next month, even years from now.

For example, we recently produced a video for Cargill from footage we had-as one of our producers likes to say-"just lying around the house." The entire video consisted of footage we had collected over years of travel to their worldwide locations. The fact that this footage was available wasn't accidental; it was the result of our producer's practice of shooting more than is necessary for the immediate project-local landscapes, music, culture, extra interview questions. Nothing that increased the cost of the original video; he was simply using the available time to capture everything he could.

That unique way of working paid off when Cargill wanted a video that would bring their vision to life for current employees, prospective employees and customers. Normally a video of this type would have required sending a team on a massive worldwide shooting tour. But thanks to our bank of footage, we were able to produce a video that hit the mark ... without getting on a plane or setting up a camera.

What else can you do during a traditional video shoot? How about asking questions on a variety of topics, so you can edit together a whole new video from the same testimonial shoot? Because we thought this way for the Minnesota Orchestra's fundraising campaign video and scheduled a few extra minutes into interviews, we can now produce additional videos on topics like their Composer Institute, an orchestra member who's about to retire, or how music inspires and motivates kids. With a little creative direction and editing time, the client gets a brand-new, cost-effective video ... and you get a very happy client.

So the next time you head into a video project, think big. Consider shooting a customer version of that dealer-focused script at the same time, or gathering a few customer testimonials while you're in the studio. Then weeks, months, or even years later, you'll be able to create a whole new video seemingly out of nothing, for a fraction of the cost. Sounds like a hero-making proposition to us!

Article Credit: Amy Oriani, VP, Marketing & Creative Services, Martin Bastian

Snap! produces Award Presentation for Zainib Salbi

2011-02-28T22:49:00.011-06:00

Snap! was proud to produce an event for on behalf of Austin College at the beautiful new Wyly Theater in the Dallas AT&T Performing Arts Center. Austin College awarded Women for Women International Founder and President Zainib Salbi with the 2011 Posey Leadership Award. At the event, Salbi presented a lecture on her work with Women for Women International. Proceeds from the event supported scholarships for students studying abroad.

Salbi founded Women for Women International in 1993, a global grassroots women’s organization that provides women survivors of war and other conflicts with the tools and resources they need to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency.

Since inception, Women for Women International has served more than 271,000 women worldwide, providing them with access to social and economic opportunities through a year-long training program in rights awareness, vocational and technical skills development, and income generation assistance. In its 17-year history, the organization has impacted more than 1.4 million people and distributed more than $89 million in direct aid, program services, and micro-credit loans.

Snap! produced the GO! Student Experience as well which took place in the early afternoon at the Wyly Theatre. Area youth groups, organizations, and high schools were invited to this exclusive event. The attending students heard Ms. Salbi speak and learned more about opportunities to volunteer at different local organizations, as well as writing letters for Women for Women International.

More event photos to come soon!

Snap! heads to Anaheim!

2011-02-04T18:10:00.004-06:00

Stay tuned for photos from the 241st Annual American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition when Snap! will be producing its Awards Gala.

Sherwin-Williams Product Finishes Division

2011-02-04T17:57:00.003-06:00

The Snap! team headed down to Orlando in January to help mark a new day for one of our clients, Sherwin-Williams Chemical Coatings (SWCC). During their 2011 Global Sales Meeting (produced by Snap!), SWCC announced that they were officially changing their name to "Sherwin-Williams Product Finishes".

The Disney Contemporary Resort provided the backdrop for a great meeting that provided company leadership the opportunity to reflect on 2010 and look forward to Breaking on Through in 2011!

Dallas Women's Foundation 25th Anniversary Celebration

2010-10-31T13:37:00.000-05:00

For the third consecutive year, Snap! had the honor of producing the Dallas Women's Foundation Luncheon. This year, the 25th anniversary of the foundation, Queen Latifah was the keynote speaker. Hosted in the iconic Chantilly Ballroom at the Hilton Anatole Hotel, Queen Latifah challenged a group of more than 2000 guests to open their hearts and minds and explore what they can do to help women and girls in the local community and around the world.

Sweet Sixteen

2010-09-01T17:07:00.002-05:00

Over the summer, Snap! had the opportunity to host a Super Sweet Sixteen Party for a very special young lady. Armed with the knowledge of the birthday girls love of all things purple and Parisian, Snap! collaborated with Branching Out Floral Design to create an unforgettable night.

50th Birthday Celebration

2010-05-05T10:45:00.011-05:00

Last weekend, Snap! produced a private event in Dallas to celebrate the 50th Birthday of a dear friend. The party featured beautiful decor, florals and tablescapes Debby Jeseson Branching Out Events. The evening included a tribute video produced by Snap! for the birthday boy and a private concert by Texas' own country superstar, Pat Green. Catering provided by Food Company.

Americas Connection

2010-05-05T10:26:00.007-05:00

This March marked an annual event produced by Snap! productions for one of our global real estate clients. The Snap! team found ourselves back in sunny Orlando at the newly remodeled Peabody Hotel. Sessions ran in the Peabody meeting space as well as the Orange County Convention Center located across the street.

Our keynote speaker, Keith Ferrazzi helped the audience understand and value the connections that you make at with your peers and colleagues. The three day event was full of breakout sessions, a dynamic Leadership Sessions, Sales Session and concluded with an Awards Gala back at the Peabody Ballroom.

Sherwin Williams

2010-05-05T09:51:00.011-05:00

In January, the Snap! team produced an event for Sherwin Williams in Orlando, Florida at the all new updated Disney Contemporary resort.

Disney's Contemporary Resort is an ultra-modern Disney Deluxe Resort, made up of a towering A-frame high-rise building—the iconic Contemporary Tower—and complemented by one garden wing annex. This lakeside Resort is the only hotel in Walt Disney World Resort to have the Walt Disney World Monorail System pass through the main lobby.
This year's theme, Unstoppable, was brought to life for the audience through the acrobatic basketball skills of "Acrodunk" and the message driven home by Austin's own, Roy Spence.
Photos below!

New Meetings Industry Emerges After a Boom and Bust

2010-02-08T10:23:00.001-06:00

February 2, 2010
ON THE ROAD
New Meetings Industry Emerges After a Boom and Bust
By JOE SHARKEY

BACK in the boom years, I used to attend many of the major travel industry trade shows, which were always held in places with monstrous convention centers like Las Vegas, New Orleans and Orlando, Fla.

And the parties they threw at night! I remember one where a big travel company rented Sea World for a lavish reception for hundreds of people, with Champagne, ice sculptures and a special performance by whales leaping into the air. When I remarked to one of the trainers that the whales all had unworldly, gleaming white smiles, she confided that a marine dental veterinarian came in to bleach the creatures’ teeth.

But much of the fun — along with a significant amount of business travel spending on events — ended in the fall of 2008. The weak economy was a big factor. But so was the public outrage after lawmakers in Washington disclosed that the insurance giant the American International Group had held a lavish retreat at a California resort just a week after the government had extended an $85 billion loan to the company.

Companies were already cutting back on travel spending at the time. But the A.I.G. Effect, as it is still widely known in the meetings and conventions business, was deep and abiding.
In the 2007, the meetings industry represented about 44 percent of the roughly $200 billion in business travel spending, according to the U.S. Travel Association. But the meetings business is now in a deep slump. In the first half of 2009, domestic hotels lost $1 billion in revenue from canceled meetings alone, the travel trade group said. For the first 11 months of 2009, convention attendance in Las Vegas was off 25 percent from the same period in 2008, the convention bureau there said.

Now, as business travel slowly comes back, the meetings part of it is struggling to regain its footing. In the process, it is being redefined. One, events are being planned with a far greater emphasis on cost control. And two, at least for some events, companies are increasingly relying on sophisticated technology to eliminate physical events and instead hold virtual meetings that do not require travel.

“We try to help companies understand that they have to be more strategic about their travel and meetings spending, and that there has to be a lot more transparency on that spending communicated to senior executives,” said Kevin Iwamoto, the vice president for enterprise strategy at StarCite, a company that provides technology for overall management of corporate meetings and events.

Mr. Iwamoto said the number of meetings planned this year was actually on the rise, though sails had been trimmed. StarCite and some competitors offer technology that allows companies to pull together the complicated logistical and financial arrangements involved in organizing a convention, he said. Companies can negotiate prices in the traditional big convention and meetings cities where hotels and convention centers are eager to replace lost business. And they can weigh the integration of videoconferencing into the meetings process, he said.

Meanwhile, he said, StarCite’s technology enabled cities that were formerly overlooked by many meetings organizers to compete more aggressively for business, offering lower hotel and convention space rates so planners could decide to “avoid or downsize certain venues, the types of hotels being used and other traditional costs.” He added: “There is much more flexibility in venues. It’s more of a buyer’s market.”

Some companies are eliminating physical meetings entirely. In 2005, Steve Strickland, a longtime producer of corporate events, said he got an estimate for a big meeting that was 20 percent higher than the previous year’s, at a time when companies were already complaining about the soaring cost of events.

“I threw it down,” he said, “and said, ‘This is it.’ We didn’t know then what would happen to the economy in 2008, but I could see where this was going. So I said, what I really need is a virtual convention center.” He founded a company called Expos2 that now does 100 to 150 trade shows and other events, all online. He said he figured that Expos2 along with several competitors could easily grab 10 to 20 percent of the existing meetings business.

His company will do about 1,000 virtual events this year, he said. “We’re digitalizing the expo event,” he added.

The Web site, Expos2.com, opens with a physical layout of a convention center, with links to programs and exhibits. Navigation is as simple as those virtual home tours that real estate sellers use to display a house. Lectures and presentations are live and interactive, but can also be archived. Costs to mount or attend an exhibition are a fraction of a physical event.

Ah, but what about those after-hours parties? “I actually had someone say to me, ‘If you keep all those sales people from going to conventions in Las Vegas, how are they going to go to strip clubs?’ ” he said. “I simply didn’t have an answer for that.”

E-mail: jsharkey@nytimes.com

New Snap! Website

2009-09-01T13:09:00.002-05:00

Our new website has finally gone live! Visit www.snapprod.com to check it out!

Negotiating with Speakers

2009-07-27T18:59:00.001-05:00

by: Ruth Levine

AS WE CONTINUE to experience a lagging economy in which meetings are postponed, canceled, or scaled back, planners and speakers bureaus are working together to reduce the costs of providing great speakers.

While certain ideas — or myths — for negotiating speaker fees and reducing expenses sound good in theory, what planners consider to be an incentive and what actually persuades a professional speaker to accept a date are not always one and the same. What follows are several money-saving ideas planners have asked me about over the last year, accompanied by the realities involved and a few effective solutions.

MYTH #1
Our incentive meeting is on a cruise and we will provide an all-expenses-paid trip for the speaker to join us for the entire week. In return, we would like him to reduce his honorarium.
Reality: In this economy, speakers cannot afford to take themselves out of the circuit for a week. Each day on your ship is a day they must forgo another fee for speaking.
Better idea: Arrange to have the speaker open your conference before the ship leaves port. Some ships may even allow you to have a speaker get on and off a ship mid-trip, but with security measures imposed post-9/11, this is typically not the case.

MYTH #2
We are having back-to-back incentive programs at a world-class resort and we would like the speaker to be the opening keynoter for both meetings. Since the second group comes in five days after the first group arrives, we will pay all expenses for the speaker to spend the week with us and he can enjoy a wonderful vacation for free.

Reality: A true vacation for a speaker is the luxury of staying home for a few days, so this offer is more of a deterrent than an incentive. As in myth #1, the speaker's time is money and the speaker may even charge a hefty surcharge in addition to the normal fee and expenses if he is required to spend the week.

Better idea: Why not have the same speaker be the closing keynote at one meeting and the opening speaker for the second? Not only will this reduce the amount you pay for expenses, it may also reduce the speaker's honorarium since speakers will often offer a discount for booking back-to-back keynotes over two days.

MYTH #3
We expect our speaker to reduce her fee significantly since we are pre-purchasing 300 of her books as gifts for our attendees.
Reality: Even though you will get a discount on books purchased in quantity, very often book sales are a money-maker for the publisher only and not the speaker directly.
Better idea: Tell the speaker you have pre-purchased books and see if she will agree to stay for 45 to 60 minutes after the presentation to do a book signing and/or a photo opportunity at no additional cost.

MYTH #4
We will provide the speaker with zone airfare tickets or free tickets, but he must book through our travel agency.

Reality: Speakers' schedules change because of last-minute bookings and unforeseen events. Most speakers book their tickets with little advance notice and they often fly directly from one booking to another — but zone fares and free tickets require advance booking, nonrefundable tickets, and round-trip travel.

Better idea: Ask your speakers bureau to negotiate a flat travel fee or ask if the speaker will pro-rate the airfare between all groups whose meetings are before and after yours.

__________________________________________________________________
Ruth Levine is founder of Speak Inc., an interactive speakers bureau based in San Diego with offices in Chicago and Kansas City. She can be reached at (858) 457-9880 or by e-mail at rlevine@speakinc.com. To view speaker demo videos online, visit www.speakinc.com.

New Snap! Website Coming Soon....

2009-06-20T23:42:00.003-05:00

We've got a new website in the works! Counting down the days until the launch......

In the meantime, check out www.snapprod.com to view video from some of our events.

July 15th, the NEW www.snapprod.com hits the Internet!

Meet a few of the Snap! team.....

2009-06-20T23:31:00.003-05:00

Terri Sue Wensinger
PRESIDENT

Terri Sue draws on her broad experience with all forms of motivational, strategic and marketing communications throughout the world to best serve her clients and their businesses. Her client references include IBM, Campbell’s, Coors, The Staubach Company, Sherwin Williams, The American Chemical Society, Lotus Software, Young Presidents Organization, GTE, Prudential, New Holland, M&M Mars, Quaker State, Revco, SBC, Suzuki, Unum, Case International Harvester and JCPenney. Terri Sue’s involvement with these accounts has resulted in hundreds of successful events.

What special skills make Terri Sue unique? She is a licensed attorney with negotiation and analytical skills. This benefits her clients in contracting venue space, talent and labor as well as preventing surprises on site. Terri Sue brings each project the patience, care, nurturing and understanding of a mother of three. Her 16 years experience and contacts provide the unique ability to assemble just the right production, logistics and creative team for each event. Experience, education, understanding and commitment are just a few of the qualities that make Terri Sue a one of a kind asset to her clients.

Jerry Pagliari
PARTNER, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

When experience really matters, Jerry Pagliari is the right person for the job.

Jerry began as a production assistant and worked his way up the ranks from Coordinator to Producer to Executive Producer. He has is a proven performer comfortable dealing with demanding clients, difficult schedules and tough venues. Jerry is calm, organized, fiscally responsible and wonderful with executives, crews and talent. He has an innate understanding of what it takes to make an event successful.

Jerry saw a need for a more cost effective, creative, service oriented production model so in the spring of 2004 he partnered with Terri Sue Wensinger to form Snap! productions.

Dain Dunston
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE & CONTENT DIRECTOR

For the past 20 years, Dain has provided communication strategy for some of America’s most respected companies. Working in a variety of media, from meetings of every size, executive speech writing and coaching to writing and directing videos, Dain’s knowledge of business and organizational dynamics and engagement make him a valued partner in getting your message out.

Dain works with clients to identify specific challenges and needs and then to develop effective communication solutions for meeting those needs, including message and content management, skills training for speakers on a one-on-one or group basis, and writing/directing services for a broad range of media. Dain has worked with some of the world's biggest and brightest, from former US presidents to Hollywood celebrities.

Amber Jenkins
PRODUCER

Your project needs someone who can coordinate the hundreds of details, which must come together for your event. That person is Amber Jenkins. Amber is organized, efficient and detail oriented. She has an excellent creative and aesthetic eye and is a pleasure to work with. She has worked as both Producer and Project Coordinator for a number of Snap! clients and is anxious to tackle the myriad of challenges your team faces today. Her expertise lies in on-site coordination, negotiating vendor agreements and overseeing operational issues to maintain or lower project costs, complete logistic management (travel, function space, rentals, etc) and talent & guest speaker research and contract negotiation.

Two Important Upcoming Industry Events...(June/July 2009)

2009-06-20T23:03:00.003-05:00

I thought I'd share with you these two industy events that are coming up quickly. Both are sure to be full of great information, wonderful opportunities for networking and a place full of ideas that you may be able to integrate into your own productions......

Destinations Showcase Chicago 6/24/09
Contact: Destinations Management Association International (202) 296-7888
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Ill.

Destinations Showcase Chicago is the midwest's largest one-day event exclusively bringing conference, convention, and trade show professionals together with exhibiting meeting destinations from the United States and beyond. Highlights include morning breakout sessions, a keynote luncheon, and an afternoon exhibition. In addition, participants can earn up to 5.5 Continuing Education Contact Hours towards obtaining your Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation or re-certification.

Admission is complimentary to qualified meeting planners who pre-register.

Meeting Professionals International World Education Conference 7/11-7/14, 2009
Contact: MPI, (972) 702-3000
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City

2009 Theme: "When We Meet, We Change the World"

From the MPI Website:

Criticism of our industry challenges us to work even harder to demonstrate and communicate results. Thus, you need to speak the language of business. At WEC 2009, you’ll examine ways to enhance the value meetings and events offer attendees and other stakeholders. You’ll use this challenge as a platform for improvement, empowerment and growth. At the MeetingPlace trade show, you will experience business in action through the access of information, tools and people that can help you prove the value of your meetings.

The quest to demonstrate value and find solutions requires us to expand our knowledge and hone our strategic meeting management skills. WEC education sessions will help you gain the insights and instruction you need to elevate your careers while helping your clients and business prosper.

Here's An Article You May Enjoy....

2009-06-20T22:44:00.002-05:00

Survival Skills:
The importance of event marketing in a down market
Erin Biba

March 2009 - 6:01 am EDT

It's no secret that the recent downturn in the American economy is affecting the events industry. Budgets are being slashed; event attendees are less willing or able to travel; and those attendees who do show up are also feeling the effects of the poor financial state of the country. As a result, exhibitors are being forced to scrutinize every detail to prove the value of their events.The upside, however, is that with good strategic planning, a little creativity and a few tweaks to traditional marketing methods already in place, b-to-b marketers will be able to continue holding successful events. Here are some strategies and trends to keep CMOs allocating dollars toward events:

PROVE ROI NOW If you only make one change to your marketing strategies, implementing ROI tracking programs should be the change; managers and CEOs will be asking marketers to justify the expense of events. “If you're not on the measurement train, you better get on right away,” said David Rich, senior VP-strategic marketing at George P. Johnson (GPJ), an experience marketing agency. “Those who have data are going to be in a much better position to have an informed conversation around that cost-cutting conversation than those who don't.” GPJ's recent “EventView” study, in conjunction with the Event Marketing Institute and Meeting Professionals International, found marketers that measure ROI are 2½ times more likely to receive increases in their marketing budgets than those that don't. “We can surmise the reality underneath all of this is that it's not just about increasing budgets, it's about maintaining campaigns, programs and staff positions as well,” Rich said. The study was conducted from last December through this February. More than 1,000 individuals in marketing management positions in Asia/Pacific, Europe and North America were interviewed via telephone with the goal of clarifying the value of and role that events play in the marketing mix. The results of the 2009 survey have a margin of error of 3%. In order to institute metrics quickly, most marketers advise hiring a company familiar with how it is done. Some methods include polling attendees before and after a show via e-mail or surveying attendees during a show. Marketers that would rather take on the task themselves can use Exhibit Survey's free ROI toolkit, available at http://roitoolkit.exhibitsurveys.net/.

BOOST PRE-EVENT MARKETING When convincing attendees of an event's worth, marketers should also be providing potential attendees with the tools to enable them to persuade them on that score. “The quandary that marketers are in right now is that companies are being asked to reduce costs. It's very important to continue to show the value in getting people together,” said Alison Jenks, VP-marketing at event marketing agency TBA Global. “Showing the long-term, intangible benefits of an event is very important. Most likely attendees will need to make an argument about attending. Helping them talk about it with the people who approve their attendance and making that individual very aware of what the benefits will be is a good idea,” she said. One method is to have the thought leaders and speakers who will be giving presentations at the event help spread the word in advance. Have them connect to attendees through social networking or via the Web to give a preview of the types of useful information they will be providing those who attend. Perks are also good: Cisco Systems recently introduced its NetVet program, which gives special VIP privileges to attendees who have been to three Cisco events in a row. In addition, many companies have been offering discounts for early registration.

GO DIGITAL OR GO HOME Aside from the fact that digital events provide a significantly greater opportunity for measurement and attendee tracking, they also tackle the travel problem, since Web-based events make it easier for attendees to choose your event over other, non-Web-based ones. And if they are keeping close track of audience and early registration numbers, marketers can determine the need and scope of Web-based activities. “If you're starting to have worries about attendance level, develop an online channel early,” said Phil Collyer, senior VP-creative services for Cramer, a digital marketing and events company. “You need to have time to market the online experience to attendees. Interestingly enough, these virtual event products are at a point now where you can populate content into a virtual event very quickly.” Keep in mind, however, that attendees expect different outcomes from an online event. “They are expecting interactivity, choices and brevity. They have a lot of other things they can do online,” said Rob Everton, creative director at Cramer.

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY Spending money on large, lavish events can have a negative impact on brand image during a period when attendees themselves are being negatively affected by the recession. Instead, many b-to-b event marketers are using the events themselves to invest in their local communities. LexisNexis, a company that provides Web and information services, has developed an event program called LexisNexis Cares. For its employee and partner meetings, the company participates in local charity events. Some of these—which have involved employees and business partners—include helping to rebuild a New Orleans playground, constructing 100 bicycles for a boys and girls club in Orlando, Fla., and volunteering at an orphanage in Malaysia. “When you're going to hold a meeting, spend money in your local community,” said Robert Rigby Hall, senior VP-global human resources at LexisNexis. “Spend money in a responsible way where you're combining business with something that's good for society. You can play golf or go "Jet Skiing' at a corporate event; but corporations should be doing things that help the communities they're in and cost less money.” Additionally, says TBA Global's Jenks, it's important to remember that employees need attention during these troubled times as well. Organizing team-building community activities can bring people together and have them interact in new ways, she said. Ultimately, business partners and customers will be happier and more willing to do business with a company that spends their money in a responsible way.

SOCIAL NETWORKING Find people where they gather on a daily basis. In many cases this means using social networking sites. John McIndoe, VP-corporate marketing at Information Resources, a provider of solutions for tracking packaged goods in the retail and health care industries, said his company added blogging, Facebook and LinkedIn to the list of marketing strategies for its upcoming summit, assisted by Jack Morton Worldwide, in Las Vegas. “We took a very hard look at understanding what was going on in the worlds of our attendees,” McIndoe said. “We understand that our prospects and clients are networking in different ways today than a year ago. This is a far more targeted event that says: "We understand your challenges, and here's how we're going to address that.' ”

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX The overall message from b-to-b marketers in regards to changing strategies to adjust to the economy is simply to have an open mind and be willing to make changes. Marketers that create true value in their event, target exhibits directly to attendees based on their emotional and personal as well as professional needs. And they use metrics to prove ROI should weather the financial storm and come out the other side with a new set of tools for successful marketing. M