Tools that I Use to Keep My Events (and Business) Straight

Tools that I Use to Keep My Events (and Business) Straight

Business, Events, Trade Show

When you are juggling events, trade shows, and life in general it can be hard to keep everything straight. Over the years, I have used multiple tools and systems. I now have a system that I love and the tools that I use. 

1. A Project Management Tool

I use ClickUp. I have used Monday.com and Basecamp as well but ClickUp is the one system that works really well for me because I can have just one license at a super affordable price. They even have a free version but I like the automation that the paid version comes with. 

I am able to type a blog title into my “board” and it automatically fills in my 6 substeps and due dates. I am able to change one due date and it changes all of the sub dates. This also feeds into a main calendar and syncs with my Apple calendar. This allows me to know at a glance what I should be working on at any one time. 

Almost any project management system will allow you to do all of the above but the biggest thing is to keep everything in one place. Anything that I am doing with Events Made Sane lives in ClickUp. This is not something you go in halfway. 

Why should you have a project management software? Because it saves time. The automation, the visibility, and the tracking allows you to be efficient with your time (and track your time). When you are not searching through excel worksheets or post it notes to find deadlines you can focus on taking your business where you want it to go. 

2. TUL Notebook/ Happy Planner

I still love to take notes by hand and I like to keep all my event notes in one place. I may have 5 – 6 events going at once. Rather than leaving space in a traditional notebook and hope that I have enough space and wont waste too much space, I use the TUL notebooks. This system allows me to move pages around, remove them completely when I am done with an event, and add move events as needed. 

This gives me the flexibility to keep just one notebook that is small enough to fit into my bigger purses or travel with me easily. 

3. Color Coding

This last tool is more of a trick that I use across everything else. My calendar is color coded, the different sections that I have in my project management system are color coded, and my notes are color coded. 

For my notes, I use three colors. Black is just taking notes and writing items down. Red is for symbols that tell me what needs to be done with that information. Blue over red indicated that I have completed the items.

Finding the right system for you can take some trial and error and constant improvement. Each quarter, take an hour and look at your processes and systems. Where can you improve? Where can you be more efficient? What isn’t working anymore? These incremental increases in efficiency across your business can add up to major gains at the end of a year. 

Bonus 1: Social Media and Blog Scheduling Tools

Find a system that allows you to schedule your social media ahead of time. You can always add posts but noting having to worry about what you are going to post each day or if you have posted in the past few days gives you so much time back. The same for blogs. There are a ton of systems out there find the best one to work for you. 

Bonus 2: Zapier

I use two different systems for my emails currently because each system does its own thing. I am working on consolidating but it may take a bit. Zapier allows me to move new email clients from one system to another automatically. Zapier can connect so many systems and it super simple to use. Automation is the key to gaining more efficiency. Automate the 80% so you can humanize the 20%. 

What are the systems and tools that you use?

Navigating Everyone’s Wishes while Event Planning

Navigating Everyone’s Wishes while Event Planning

Business, Events, Non-Profit, Trade Show

Event planning in general is not easy, our goal is to make everyone enjoy the event if not feel genuinely happy – and you can never make everyone happy. It is a constant dichotomy that is at play. So how do you manage everyone’s competing wishes? 

I set people and their wishes into different tiers and use that as my hierarchy of event needs. 

Tier One: The Client

The person who is hiring me is the person that I listen to the most. If I have been hired by an organization or committee, I have them appoint a point of contact and decision maker. I did an event recently where the CEO wanted to make some changes at the event (think 15 minutes before we started to serve food), and I still turned to my point of contact to approve those changes. I am happy to shift things on the fly and a good event planner can make miracles happen but I do not take direction from just anyone. 

Tier Two: People with Major Allergies, Medical Accommodations, or Religious Restrictions

I always bring up food allergies and ask if anyone will need any special accommodations. I want to make every one who is attending feel welcome and to enjoy the event. Vegetarian options are easy but knowing about major food allergies and conveying that to the caterer is crucial. Also, do you need a sign language interpreter? Do we need to make sure that we have wheel chair accessible spaces? Do we have people who cannot eat certain food due to their religion? I want the host to tell me about their guests and how we can make sure they all enjoy the event. Learn to avoid Event Food Pitfalls here. 

Tier Three: The VIP’s

Events often come with a VIP Tier and these people pay extra to be treated well. I am not changing the menu for them or having the caterer make special food, but I will bring out extra bread and ensure that they receive a higher level or service. 

Tier Four: Everyone Else

The guests at the event are there to enjoy, but we cannot please everyone. If you are serving soda, people will complain about the type. The key is apologizing for the inconvenience and then offering alternatives. You also get very good at seeing who just wants to complain, who is trying to flirt with the servers, and who has a genuine concern. 

Their tier system allows you to know when to make major changes and when to just move on. Knowing who your main client and stakeholders are is the key. 

Remember that not even an ice cream shop can make everyone happy – some people don’t like ice cream, others will want a flavor that isn’t offered, and others will be angry about where the milk came from. 

Your job when planning an event is to make the client happy and as many of the guests as possible. 

After Trade Show Hours – Your Job Isn’t Done When the Floor Closes

After Trade Show Hours – Your Job Isn’t Done When the Floor Closes

Business, Events, Trade Show

A trade show is not done until everything is packed up and you are on your way home. If it is a multi day show, your job and marketing lasts long after the trade show floor hours. The hours after the trade show floor closes are precious and you need to use them. Here are the ways you can. 

Breakfast Meetings

Grabbing a cup or coffee with a prospect or customers is an underused opportunity. 30 minutes can help to close a deal, understand pain points, or clear up a misunderstanding. 

People often drop their guard more during a breakfast also. Breakfast is often a personal or family time so people are more relaxed. You need to use this time to your advantage. 

Group Outings/ Activities

If you have a smaller budget, skip the expensive dinners and unlimited bar tabs. Consider taking a mixed group of prospects and customers to go carts, on an exclusive tour, or any other activities. 

You will stand out from the crowd, mingle more than a sit down dinner, and save money. To learn more about help planning out of town events read here. 

After Hours Party

If you have the budget and the team to work it. After hours parties for clients and prospects can have a great ROI. You keep people away from your competitors and your sales people can get to know your guests in a less formal environment. 

Limiting the type and level of liquor can help keep you on budget. Offer signature cocktails to give the event a more branded feel.

Hang Out at the Bar

Those chance meetings while relaxing after the show in the bar can turn into great conversations and opportunities. 

For the money you are spending at trade shows, you need to take advantage of every opportunity to talk to your customers and prospects. 

Event Planning Ethics – When Do You Get involved and When to Walk Away

Event Planning Ethics – When Do You Get involved and When to Walk Away

Business, Events

Events often seem to exist in a parallel universe and we as event planners want that. We want to transport our guests into the event, we want them to forget the outside world, even their friends and family, and just enjoy. 

But there is a dark side to this. 

People can leave their morality and ethics at the door of your event and you have to decide when to get involved and when to just walk away. 

When you see someone slip into the rooms of a person that is not their spouse, what do you do?

When you see drugs being sold, what do you do?

If someone asks for a bribe to get something done at your event, what do you do?

Where do you draw the line for both ethics and morality?

The first line you draw is your personal and professional safety. Always put into your event contracts that you have the right to walk away or even leave an event if you are afraid for your personal safety. If a customer balks at this, walk away from the customer. You need to make sure that you are safe. You cannot run your event planning business without you. 

Professional safety is the next line. I will not be involved in anything illegal. I do not let customers break the laws or break a contract.

If a customer books a vendor outside of me, I always ask for the contract. (Learn more about Vendor Interviews) This allows me to stay on top of what other vendors needs are and what we can and cannot do. One clause I am careful to pay attention to is around tipping and staff requirements. I need to know if I can tip the staff, if they need food etc. 

I always try to feed maintenance and on-site staff whenever possible. Hungry people are not happy people, setting aside plates for them is a simple way to keep people happy. I also keep cash on me to tip people out at the end of the evening. People now know me at my local venues, remember me, and I get amazing service. Treat people well and they will do their best for you. (Tipping is different than a bribe. That is my ethics line.)

The next line is event and client security. If I see issues at my events, I will find my point of contact at the event and let them know and ask what they would like to do. We can ask those in question to leave, have them escorted out, call the authorities, or drop it. I let them know that the decision is up to them but that they will also be responsible for their decision. 

The final line is morals. I do not get involved in people’s personal lives. If they want to sleep around, how do I know that they don’t have an open marriage and their partner is fine with it? As long as they are not interfering with my event and not being indecent in the hallways – that is on them. 

This may seem like an long list to walk through but it has been developed over years and many events. I have learned what my hard and fast lines are and when to walk away. My good name and that of my business are what is at stake. I keep the highest ehtics and my clients know that. 

After Trade Show Checklist

After Trade Show Checklist

Business, Events, Trade Show

Once your booth is packed up and you are safely back home from a trade show, it feels like a huge relief. But you are not done yet. Take a deep breath, get a good nights rest, and then finish off the trade show. Here is the after show checklist that I go through. 

1. Unpack Trade Show Boxes and Restock

It is important to unpack between shows when possible. You can check your supplies, remove any trash, and restock as needed. I learned this the hard way. I didn’t unpack between shows and sent lead cards to another show – lead cards we needed to do give aways. 

Also like to count the zip ties, pens, etc. to make sure that I have enough for the next show. See what you should keep in your trade show box here. 

2. Follow Up with Leads

Following up with the people you spoke with is one of the most important steps you can take for a trade show. Send an email to the basic leads, call those that were hot. You can read about following up here. 

3. Check Your Invoices

Trade shows are large operations and mistakes can happen. Double check your final invoices for any errors. Most show management and operators are more than happy to correct any issues that you bring to their attention if you do so respectfully. 

Always check any hours that you have to pay for services and installs. This is where the biggest issues can happen – especially around over time and gold time. 

4. Do a Wrap Up Meeting

Bring together the people from your company that were at the show. Talk about what went well, what could have gone better, and any ideas that can be used for the next show. Use the trade show survey. 

Trade Shows are not done when you walk off the floor with your packed boxes. You need to complete the four steps above to make sure you get the greatest return on your investment.

Bringing Traffic to Your Booth

Bringing Traffic to Your Booth

Business, Events, Trade Show

Trade shows are about how many peoples you can see if a very short amount of time. You have 4 – 8 seconds for your booth design to grab people attention and make them stop to speak with you. So how do you bring people to your booth?

Traffic Starts Before the Show

Bringing traffic to your booth starts with your pre-show marketing. Emails, social media, and direct mailers are all great ways to drive up interest. 

A great way that a company did this was that they sent everyone a dollar and if you brought that dollar by their booth to match it with the serial number, you then got $100. Another time, I was sent a chemical test strip, if it turned a certain color you won a prize and were entered into the grand prize. 

For the larger shows, work on finding your target market. You can set up appointments ahead of time, or offer a giveaway that will draw in that target market.

Traffic In Your Booth

First thing to do in your booth is smile and look at the passing crowd. Do not spend money on your booth and then sit behind a table and look at your phone or laptop. I ban phones and any computers not being used for demos in my booths. I also remove chairs. You can read about that here. 

One of my favorite designs is a business that could do small batch runs for bottling and they put up a big banner in their booth that stated the exact run size they could do. This was a huge show, after they left, they had contracts to run for the next two months with leads that would book them out of the year. They had their larger competitors sending people to them and they sent larger orders to their competitors – ensuring the customer received the service that they needed. 

Tying your booth design, major offerings, and marketing together, will bring people to your booth.

People are here to engage, so you need to show your willingness to be engaged. 

The second part of engaging is knowing when someone is not a good fit for your company and how to move them on so you can talk to those who are a good fit. This needs to be done with tact and each person will require different approaches. Practice makes perfect with this. 

You cannot speak with everyone at a trade show – and you don’t want to. Bring the right people to your booth and drive the ROI of your trade shows through the roof.