Brace yourself for the unpredictable.
"You don't have to like it, but you do have to do it!"
So You're Going to Host the Pope (or some other important person)
Last week I wrote about how Philadelphia has stumbled in their plans to host the Pope in September. You can read about the story here. While the comedy isn't over, it's a great opportunity to talk about some of the nuances of hosting a large scale city-wide event for a VIP.
5 Tips for a Peaceful Passing of the Programs (Part 1)
A week or so ago Cindy and I covered a class for our colleague, Monica. It was a one-day program. At first glance it was pretty straightforward... until it wasn't. Do you ever think about writing down all the things you do on a daily basis or all the intricacies of running your events? Or updating your checklists daily? I would say most people don't. Here's what you can do when faced with having to cover for someone.
Force Majeure and Selection
Contracting a hotel block and meeting space is a very typical job of a meeting professional. That's why I wanted to make sure that it was part of last week's NC SGMP Conference. We had two planners, two hoteliers, and a CVB representative speak on a panel about contracts. The information that was shared proved to be one of the most valuable parts of the conference.
Crisis Averted!
Surprises are generally a part of the event industry. Things like your conference materials have not been delivered, or your volunteers didn't show up, or the speaker's presentation is crashing, are all examples of bad surprises. These "mini-crises" can cause some stress for an event manager. Sometimes no matter how hard you plan the unexpected happens. In these moments of crisis: DO NOT PANIC! Whether you realize it or not, you set the tone for how people around you react. Instead, make a plan and spring into action. I have a motto that I like to use: