Impressing your delegates at your next event!

Time is short and for delegates to attend your event they need to come away saying it was worthwhile and they gained a lot from the programme therefore this week we have looked at ways to wow your delegates for your next event!

Attention to details – if delegates have specific dietary or other requirements make sure you acknowledge these and accommodate them – from simply labelling their specialist food to organising specific equipment for their needs, these will all make a great impression on your delegates and show a personal approach to your services

Target your audience correctly – ensure your event programme meets the objectives of your target audience and is not too simple or too advanced for the delegates who are attending

Keep ahead of the technology – technology is being used more frequently for events and you need to make sure you are as advanced as possible, why not create an app for your event delegates can download and interact with, stream presenters live or have the latest technology in your presentations at the event to wow your audience

Get tweeting! - use social media to connect and interact with your audience in advance, create a Facebook page for your event and unique #hashtag for your event so anyone interested can follow all conversations about the event

Value for money – events have to show value for money as well as time out of the office the cost is a factor when delegates decide to come to an event, make sure delegates gain information from the event and go away feeling updating and on top of the current trends and new practices they can take back to their workplace for the future

Please let us know of anything you have used to impress delegates at your events or considering for the future and if you would like to write a blog for Mosaic Events please email: enquiries@mosaicevents.co.uk  

Trends and dates for your diary for 2013

Happy New Year from Mosaic Events!

We hope you all had a productive 2012 and planning for 2013 is well underway!

This week we have at some industry event dates for your diary and started to look at possible trends for the industry for 2013!

Industry event dates for your diary

International Confex – 19^th – 21^st March 2013 - http://www.international-confex.com/

Conference and Hospitality Show – 30^th April 2013 - http://www.conferenceandhospitalityshow.co.uk/

Imex Frankfurt  - 21^st -23^rd May 2013 - http://www.imex-frankfurt.com/

Academic Venue Show – 22^nd May 2013 - http://www.academicvenueshow.co.uk/

The Meetings Show – 9^th – 11^th July 2013 - http://www.themeetingsshow.com/

Square Meal Venues and Events Show – 18^th and 19^th September 2013 - http://www.venuesandevents.co.uk/

Industry trends for 2013

Increased use of social media for events – more and more events will use social media to interact and communicate with their audiences

Apps for events – more use of specialised apps for events to make the event experience simple and more interactive for delegates and so they can keep up to date with the latest news and updates

More technology for events – smarter ways of working and presenting work, better links with online systems and face to face events

Apps and Social Media although have been around for a number of years, 2012 saw a significant rise in their use for events and it looks like they are set to go even further for 2013!

Please let us know your thoughts and any trends you think for this year and if you would like to write a blog for Mosaic Events please email enquiries@mosaicevents.co.uk

Selecting the right venue for your event!

 

There are so many different venues now available for events it can be hard to choose the right one for your event, this week we look at the venue types out there and other aspects to consider when selecting your next venue! 

·         Unusual venues - this can be anything from a museum, football stadium to a castle! Ideal for creating a wow factor for your event but do not always have the same facilities you would find in conference centres or hotels

·         Hotels – most suited for residential and full service events, if you require accommodation on site, hot seated lunches, and a rated standard of service, hotels would work well for your events

·         Conference centres – purpose built and designed for conferences and events, usually only corporate events taking place and they tend to have the most up to date features and equipment in accessible city centre or motorway link locations

·         Academic venues – purpose built and educational institutions often with large lecture theatres and multiple smaller break out rooms available with built in AV equipment and on site catering in good central locations, they can be limited in terms of availability for meeting space and accommodation particularly in term time due to teaching and student accommodation in use

Other factors to consider:

• Service – you want a switched on team to run your event at your chosen venue, who are committed to making your event as much of a success as you are, organise a site visit to the venue to experience the staff service you can expect from the venue in advance

•   If you need a venue that is industry regulated  look out for industry standard accreditation AIM from the Meetings Industry Association at the venues you are considering www.aimaccredited.co.uk

• Catering – is your venue limited to the food and lunch type they can offer or can you select from a number of menus and offer cold and/or hot food to ensure you know all the available options for your delegates, check when you are enquiring

• Location – do your delegates need car parking and easily accessible by motorway or are you trying to encourage delegates to travel by public transport so require a more centrally located venue or a combination of both?! Deciding on your preferred location will help narrow down your search

Mosaic Events offer a free venue finding service to help save you time, reduce costs and add value to your events, as we book multiple venues nationwide we can negotiate the best rates and options for you.

Please contact us on enquiries@mosaicevents.co.uk if we can help with your next event venue or if you would like to share your venue finding experience with us

Keeping calm at your events!

This week we have put together some hints and tips to help you enjoy your next event and keep any stresses at bay!

Produce an event format – make a detailed running order for your event in advance, circulate it to all staff and suppliers at the event so everyone knows where they need to be and their roles during the event. Run through this with the manager at your venue on the day and caterers so there is no confusion over any times or setup for your event.

Have back up presentations – sometimes unforeseen circumstances can prevent a speaker from turning up at your event, ensure you have a back up presentation just in case that you can use if a speaker doesn’t show.

Be prepared – prepare for all eventualities, think of everything in advance, trouble shoot anything you think could happen and have a plan of action for these just in case. There are some things you cannot plan for but if you can be as prepared as possible it will be make everything easier if anything did go wrong on the day.

Get some sleep! – make sure you get plenty of sleep the night before so you are at your best ability and focussed to work at your event and deal with anything that comes up along the way.

Try and take a break – this can be easier said than done when you have delegates, speakers, exhibitors and an event to run, but try to schedule a few minutes to sit down or go out and get some fresh air, you will feel much better for it!

Learn from your mistakes – we are sure your events run smoothly with delegates, but there is always something to learn for your next event. Take a few minutes at the end of your event to think of anything you would do differently, anything that didn’t work well or any issues with your venue or catering so you can then take these into consideration when planning your next event 

Please share your experiences of working at events, or if you would like to write a blog for Mosaic Events please email sarah@mosaicevents.co.uk

Using Technology at Events

As you organise your events, you need to ensure you and your delegates get the most at of your event as possible.

Many events are becoming more interactive to balance this, allowing delegates to be more engaged in the event.

Being more interactive allows delegates to have their say and provides more discussion at the event; this can mean you need to brief your presenters to be open to extra questions and possible changes in the topic and format of their presentation but allows delegates to interact more with the presenter and other colleagues.

Other ideas include adding voting systems into your event, through online apps or voting pads, for example to vote on a new idea at the business or for an award or presentation, things like this will keep your delegates focussed and interested. 

Working with technology and social media allows you to promote aspects of your event in advance or start discussions which can continue on the day and beyond. 

Using technology can create more work for your event as you need to plan any extra equipment and charges you need to enable this and always have a backup plan in case any technology does not work on the day! Often a good internet connection is required and multiple connections in the room so all delegates and presenters can be involved.

More and more modern venues and venues being updated and refurbished now have inbuilt latest technology in their properties and meeting rooms, including faster internet access, plasma screens, MAC computers, built in PA system, hidden screens, touch screen controls  and interactive white boards something to consider when looking for a venue for a more interactive event.

Please contact Mosaic Events to share your experiences of using more technology at your events or if you would like to write a blog for Mosaic Events please email enquiries@mosaicevents.co.uk

 

This week’s blog has been inspired by  the Attention Seekers feature in Hospitality and Events North magazine.

Making your event memorable!

You want to make a lasting impression with your event, this week we have looked at a number of ways to help you achieve this for your next event!

•  Event topic and speakers – the subject has to be relevant and up to date with key experts to deliver the topic and update your audience and share their knowledge and experience in an interesting way
• Venue – try using an unique venue with an added wow factor for your delegates, perhaps a museum with an optional tour or a venue with an attraction delegates can take advantage of at the event
• Create a theme – if you are organising a celebration event, drinks reception or dinner have at theme for the event, perhaps a dress code or colour scheme to make your event something different! 
• Interactive Events – make your event interactive, encourage delegates to use social media at your event and create about a buzz about your event in advance through Twitter, Facebook and blogs
• Giveaways – provide delegates with a giveaway that will be useful or something fun that will make them remember your event in weeks to come from branded memory sticks with all the presentations from your event or tasty food items they can take away! 

Please share any experiences you have had in making your events more memorable or if you would like to write a blog for Mosaic Events please email enquiries@mosaicevents.co.uk

Catering at your events.. consider all options!

Venues are now a lot more flexible in terms of the food offerings for lunches for events, from sandwiches and crisps, to hot and cold finger buffets/ bowl food and hot restaurant buffet lunches!

You’ll find often delegates take time to feedback about the food at an event, therefore it is important to spend some time making sure it is right and fits your event.

For instance think about the time you have allocated for lunch, do you have plenty of time to offer a more leisurely two course restaurant buffet lunch to delegates or are you pushed for time and need to provide time for delegates to network with sponsors and exhibitors?

Take into account the price for the event, have delegates paid to attend and will they as a result expect something more substantial  to reflect the event price, or have you organised a free event with limited budget and lunch only needs to be a simple offering.

We have provided a brief overview of the usual options available at venues to help make your catering decision easier to manage: 

•  Sandwich lunch – more informal and a quick lunch option – this usually includes  a selection of sandwiches, with crisps/chips and salad and water and sometimes tea/coffee - hot items can be added but are charged extra   
•  Hot and cold finger buffet –this is a more in between option,  more substantial than sandwiches but not as formal as a restaurant lunch, and generally includes a range of hot and cold food items,  for example chicken skewers, salads, mozzarella and tomato and often includes a selection of sandwiches
• Bowl food – this is still a relatively new concept at some venues, and provides  bowls of food that delegates can pick up and eat whilst standing or networking, a  more substantial alternative than canapés but not as formal as a restaurant lunch, items usually include a noodle or rice dishes, curry, salads as some examples 
•  Two course restaurant lunch – this is more of a formal and most substantial option and can take a bit more time, delegates are seated in the restaurant, and typically includes a couple, of main course options, a vegetarian option and then a selection of dessert options

Cost is another factor to bear in mind, the lower priced packages at venues tend to include a sandwich lunch offering but for a supplement you can as a rule upgrade to a more substantial lunch choice. Standard delegate packages tend to include a hot and cold finger buffet/working lunch or two course restaurant lunch, all packages depend on the venue you choose for your event. 

Reflect on what your event objectives are, naturally your event topic, programme and speakers are the most important but is the food you provide fuel for the delegates for the rest of the day or a selection so they can network with other colleagues and any sponsors and exhibitors at the event.

It may seem the last thing to think about for your event but is worth spending some time thinking about the food, as poor food can leave a lasting impression on delegates!

Please share your experiences with food at events or if you would like to write a blog for Mosaic Events please email enquiries@mosaicevents.co.uk