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I have 5 major events planned in September – and I am getting married the first week of October. The next 30 days are going to be busy but I have planned ahead and I have made sure to ask for help where needed.
- A run down of the events that I am planning for September
- 2 Live Q & A webinars
- 2 Tailgates with an estimated of 350 people at each
- 1 Trade Show
With this lineup comes a lot of moving parts. I have outsourced the technology on these projects because I know that is not my strength.
Here is how to determine when you need to bring in help.
When the cost of doing it yourself is more than hiring someone.
I looked into buying all of the equipment to do the Live Q & A webinars. To do it professionally, would have cost me at least $2,000 in equipment and then my time in figuring it out. Do not forget to factor in your time, it is precious and the one non-renewable source. I was able to outsource this to a local marketing firm that has a production background for less than my cost. It was a great decision. Our first Live Webinar went perfectly and I was able to focus on the marketing and not the tech.
When you are needed elsewhere.
The tailgates I plan are epic. We are known for the great food and drinks we provide for free to the customers and families. We have hired a professional bartender this year. In the past, we have had open ice chests and I wanted to limit my liability by putting the drinks behind a professional bartender. I am unable to watch the bar the way I was the first year of tailgates. Hiring outside help was the best option.
When you do not have the knowledge.
We are bringing in two TV’s to allow our guests to watch other games during our tailgate. I can plug a TV in and hook it up to a box. I cannot set up two TV’s where there is no power and no cable lines. The vendor that does my tent and chair rentals is providing the service for the TV’s. They have a floater crew that is on sight to help with any issues that arise.
There is no shame in admitting that you need help or hiring people to make your event be great. Build the hiring of outside contractors into your event budget.
Business, Non-Profit, Trade Show
When you have 200 – 300 other booths you are competing with for attendee attention, it can be disheartening. There is hope. Here are the three ways YOU as a small business owner can stand out at a trade show.
1. Be a Speaker
Being a speaker at a conference has very few downsides. You will be seen as an industry leader, trusted by the selection committee, and given a platform to sell yourself – without the sales pitch. Learn when speaker selection starts and submit your proposal early. Do NOT pitch your company or services until the last 3 minutes of your presentation. This should be limited to, here is what we do and here is the booth we are at if you want to chat more. Nothing turns attendees off more than an hour-long sales pitch on what your software can do for them.
2. Dress the Part
For a team of you, have branded attire such as shirts or name tags. If your booth has a theme, dress the part. I have seen people in full formal wear, others in hiking attire and more. One of the most memorable was a group that wore lime green suit coats. I still remember them and their product. If you do not have a theme you can dress too, then dress business casual is a good bet.
3. Be in the Moment
Engage with the attendees. A smile and asking how they are doing will stop most people. I will compliment jewelry, a fun scarf or other accessories to start a conversation. The group in the lime green suit coats, they were memorable because of the connection as well as the color.
Being in the moment means no phones or laptops unless they are used to collect leads. You have spent a lot of money on your show, use every minute you have and connect with as many people as possible. Remember that while not everyone is a lead now, everyone can be a lead or a referral later.
As a small business owner, you need to use your investment in the trade shows. Find a way to stand out and be memorable. This will help you to start a lasting relationship.
Business, Trade Show
Trade shows can get expensive. I have been working on a booth recently where I am spending most of my budget outside of the trade show floor. I have been looking for ways to save money on the booth design. I wanted to share how I am cutting into my budget.
Booth Design
The booth design that I have includes two tables, a TV, and the potential for a custom backdrop. I will be showcasing multiple items from different businesses in the booth so I will be creating tiered levels to give the booth some height and dimension.
1. Bring Your Own Items
- I am using two tables in this booth design. My booth comes with one 8 foot table. Rather than paying the $40 for the second table, I will be bringing in my own. I will also being using file archive boxes as my tiers. I could rent shelves for $100 but that would not work with the booth design.
- Savings: $40
2. Rent Outside of the Show
- I need at least three white table cloths and some colored overlay. I will rent the white table cloths at $8 rather than that $20 from the show.
- Savings: $36
3. Use the Early Bird Discount
- I start the basic planning for my booth at least 6 months ahead of the time. Most shows offer an “Early Bird” or “Advanced” pricing. This will often be 10 – 20% discount on the pricing. I am a big believer of carpet in you booth as a way to elevate it. I will save $25 by ordering early. I am also ordering electricity and will save $32 with the discount.
- Savings: $57
Total savings: $133
Now, I know this is not a huge dollar amount, but it is 10% of my $1,000 budget (after booth space purchase). These savings will grow as your booth size grows and your budget. I will use these savings towards my paid advertising budget and boost the marketing campaign that is happening outside of the booth.
Now, there is one huge caveat to this, please read the load in or set up rules. Some shows do not allow you to use a cart (or rolling suitcase) to bring items in so you will have to carry everything. Other shows state you cannot bring certain items in from the outside. Please make sure you have read the rules and if you have any questions, ask the General Services Contractor for clarification.
Business, Events, Non-Profit
Canceling an event can feel like you have failed. It is a hard decision to make and many valid reasons to do so. I have canceled or postponed events for a variety of reasons and it is always hard. But, it is better to cancel or postpone an event than have a Fyre debacle.
Reasons to Cancel the Event
- Poor Attendance
- You should have done a cost analysis when you started the event and know what your break-even point is. Even if you are doing a free event, estimate the value of the attendees. Create a drop-dead date and if you do not have the attendance you need, then decide if you want to postpone the event or cancel it altogether. I have gone against this advice and had bad events.
- Bad Planning
- If you want to see a case of bad planning, watch one of the Fyre Festival documentaries that have been released later. Woodstock 50 learned from that lesson and canceled their event because they could not find the proper venue to host it. You can read about it here. We can learn from these mistakes and know that good planning and know when to pull the plug.
- Security Threats
- This is becoming more of a concern and every threat made against your event should be taken seriously. Call the local authorities with all threats and have them investigated. If you feel that any threat made the day or is credible, cancel the event. It is better to be on the news for canceling an event than the other options. As an event organizer, you are responsible for the safety of your guests. Take that seriously. See how Cardi B handled this issue.
How to Cancel Your Event
- Spread the News as Fast and as Far as You Can
- Send emails, letters, post it on social media as soon as you have made the decision to cancel the event. Apologize for the inconvenience, state why you are canceling and the new date if you are postponing it.
- Refund the Ticket Costs
- I would suggest refunding the entire ticket cost. If you have to keep an administrative fee, make sure that is spelled out in the legal disclosures that people agree to when they purchase their tickets. If you plan to postpone the event – offer the refund the people who are unable to attend the new event date.
I hope you never had to cancel one of your events, but always have a plan in place and a drop dead date on when you will make that decision. I have found when you carry an umbrella, it rarely rains.
Business, Events, Trade Show
People love to travel to events and see new places. Most large conferences choose big metro areas because they have the hotel capacity and the draw for attendees. These huge cities also offer a great way to entertain customers and leads. The drawback is you are hosting an event outside of your home city – and that comes with a host of pitfalls. Here are the top 6 tips for hosting a destination event.
1. Do a site visit whenever possible.
No pictures, no second-hand account, will give you the kind of impression as being on-site yourself. You are able to walk the space, get an idea for flow, smell, parking, and all the little details that can get lost in images and videos. Learn more about site visits here.
2. When not possible to do a site visit – get an expert and knowledgeable second-hand account.
Yelp and Google are great for restaurant reviews for a night out with friends. I do not suggest using them exclusively for your out of town evnet. Every major city will have at least one Destination Management Company (DMC). These companies help you find the best venue for your event, entertainment and act as a sounding board for all of your ideas. They will help you to schedule, negotiate, plan transportation and more. They are the next best thing to being on-site.
3. Pack / Ship your Event Box
I have a box that travels with me to every event. It has the basics of duct tape, zip ties, pens, pads of paper, small first aid kit, scissors, screwdriver and a small hammer. I have fixed almost everything with this particular kit. Other items go in and out of my kit as the event call for it but that is my core and it travels with me. Make sure you have your basics. Learn about what I keep in my trade show box.
4. Arrive to the event at least 24 – 36 hours ahead of your event.
Arrive at your destination and do a walkthrough of the venue as soon as you are able to. It is amazing what an extra 4 – 10 hours can allow you to do in case of unforeseen events.
5. Always be nice to every on-site staff member at the venue before, during and after your event.
I have a policy of arriving at a venue with a small thank you gift and giving it during or before set up. I let the venue know that this is a thank you for the crazy request I know I will end up having. This can be a basket with snacks or a case of beer. If I have not been to the venue before I will stick with the snacks. I then say my please and thanks you’s every time I interact with the venue. The venue staff has the ability to make or break your event. They can have the thing you need or even solve a problem before you know it is one or they can sit back and watch you sink.
6. Roll with the punches
All events have hiccups. When you are away from home and your safety net – small things can feel huge. When things go wrong; take a step back, take a breath, and find a plan.
I had one event where I had specified that the tables should be in a square. In my mind, this meant the tables along the outside edge with an empty space in the middle. When I got onsite, I had 6 tables all pushed together to create a very large square – that I suddenly had to decorate. I redid some of my other decorating plans and had the time to work with the hiccup. If I had arrived later, I would not have had the time to make the table look amazing.
Out of town or destination events are a great way to build customer loyalty or extend the reach of your trade show booth. Have fun planning them!
