Experts & Opinions
Aug 22, 2019
As event planners ponder budget numbers for their next event, one of the bigger line items will be establishing AV and event staging costs. In many cases, they won’t consume the majority of an event budget, or the meeting planner’s many ongoing concerns leading up to the day of the event.
But, as we routinely counsel our clients, AV should be a primary planning item at the very outset. This is not just to nail down budgets, which of course is important, but how corporate objectives will be met.
Like many purchases, AV and event staging costs can vary – widely. For example, if you’re in… more
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Aug 19, 2019
Within a few days of returning from a trade show, it’s important to get together with your team to review the event’s successes and failures. Your booth staff will have fresh memories of what went well or wrong, and those staff who didn’t attend the event will likely have early impressions of any resultant sales or leads.
To ensure you capture this feedback in a way that can guide next year’s exhibit, we’d like to offer up the following list of staff questions.
Pre-Show Marketing
Did attendees mention any of your pre-show communications?
Which advertising and marketing channels seemed to… more
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Aug 14, 2019
Managing an event can feel like a cat rodeo, with huge groups of people headed every which way and different things on their minds. It’s easy to become frustrated when attendees do not do what we want them to do. Event planners predict behaviors based on activity history, then use those projections for forecasting and budgeting. When the target audience does not “behave” as projected, it can impact the success of the event.
Don’t sit by and watch. Here are nine actions you can take to achieve desired attendee behaviors.
9. Master Segmentation to Help Your Audience Hear You
Audience… more
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Aug 12, 2019
Taking part in exhibitions and other events is key for businesses to create new leads, nurture relationships and promote their products or services.
Nowadays, there are trade shows for most industries, providing great opportunities to reach new audiences. But with some of the biggest exhibitions attracting thousands of exhibitors, how do you ensure you not only stand out from your competitors, but also achieve a good return on investment?
Plan ahead
Planning is one of the top priorities when it comes to maximizing your results at exhibitions, so make sure you have a clear strategy in… more
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Aug 07, 2019
Trade shows are costly – there’s no way around it. They often yield great results, but the initial investment can be daunting. Renting the booth space, booking travel arrangements and lodging, and advertising attendance can all add up.
Here are nine actionable steps that you can take to increase your success without eating into your return on investment.
Register Early for a Good Location
The phrase “the early bird gets the worm” comes to mind. There is a lot of benefit that comes from completing your event research early and determining which shows you want to attend long before… more
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Aug 05, 2019
After years of hosting seminars at Skyline Entourage, one thing has been made very clear to me: as marketers, we very often face similar struggles when it comes to organizing and implementing successful trade shows. One of those pain points is booth staffing!
If you can answer yes to any of the following or if you know someone who is struggling with similar issues, keep reading or kindly share.
Ask yourself: what type of booth staffers do I have on my roster for my trade shows?
The “I hate traveling” reluctant staffer
The “Oohhh we’re going to Vegas?” vacation mode staffer
The “I’ll see… more
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Jul 31, 2019
Imagine you’re managing a team of sales reps attending one of the largest conferences in the world. Now imagine that you can stay back at the office and see the meetings that each sales rep has scheduled, where the meetings are located, and you won’t have to chase down your team members to update everything post-event.
Sounds like a fantasy, doesn’t it? We all know that the reality of managing meetings while attending or sponsoring conferences and trade shows means spreadsheets on spreadsheets on spreadsheets. You need your spreadsheets so you have some semblance of organization heading into… more
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Jul 29, 2019
Like any great band, a client and their experiential agency need to work in unison to create impactful immersive experiences for their event guests. The players need to know the setlist, the right grooves, what to be careful of and how to crowd surf in the mosh pit. Okay, maybe there’s no mosh pit, but certainly, the team needs to know how to work the room.
“I’ve said this over and over again, but I love being in a band.” – Ringo Starr
Step one: work as a team. There should be no delineation between the client and the agency team. Have you ever seen a guitar string break while a band is… more
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Jul 23, 2019
The frequency and intensity of disasters are increasing, from mighty hurricanes hurling through warm ocean waters, to shifting tectonic plates that build earthquakes, to atmospheric weather patterns that create wide-scale floods. Through it all, critical operations need to be up and running for our communities, companies, survivors and families.
Field Innovation Team’s Disaster Simulation Labs use a process called “design thinking” to help emergency preparedness teams better understand the problems they need to solve, identify whom they are solving them for and why, and prototype how they… more
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Jul 22, 2019
You can essentially tell Facebook, “Hey, here are all the people who have registered for my event already — go out and find more of them, please!”
Event planners invest blood, sweat and a lot of tears into producing successful events, yet most are missing one key element to achieving amazing results. This element is being used to sell millions of products and services across the world in other industries, but is often ignored within the event planning community.
The one thing missing? A correctly set up Facebook Pixel on event landing pages and websites.
Facebook Pixel is a small piece… more
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Partner Voices
One of the most iconic names on the Las Vegas Strip just got an upgrade. Mandalay Bay has everything that your business needs from a refreshed convention space designed to inspire productivity and creativity, to an impressive selection of world-class restaurants and amenities. If you're looking for a venue that's both inviting and innovative, you have to be here.
New Wave Experiences
Mandalay Bay continues to invest in a new wave of enhancements both in the convention space and within the resort as a whole. New restaurant openings including Orla by Michael Mina, drawing inspiration from the award-winning chef’s childhood in Egypt and with flavors and décor inspired by the spices found in markets common to coastal Mediterranean towns, as well as Caramá by Wolfgang Puck, bringing the essence of Italy and spirit of Wolfgang into one concept, are recent additions. The Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas also experienced a recent remodel of all 424 rooms. Swingers, a high-end, adults-only golf and entertainment concept will debut in Fall 2024.
Enhanced Technology
Creating a truly effective conference venue requires careful thought into what a business needs: the right technology, capacity, and inspiration to bring ideas to the next level. As part of the resort’s refresh, Mandalay Bay implemented state-of-the-art technology upgrades, installing cutting-edge Cat6A Ethernet cabling throughout the convention center. This advancement doubles the frequency of data transmission, enabling lightning-fast speeds up to 9400% faster. The convention center now boasts 11 dynamic digital walls, spanning up to 24' x 13', strategically positioned for brand placements, sponsorships and targeted event messaging. Additionally, attendees can benefit from 20 double-sided 55" mobile flexible display units, facilitating effortless navigation to meeting rooms and events. RFID locks were installed on all meeting room doors, and over 200 motion detection cameras have been placed throughout the space.
Refreshing New Design & Fine Art
The newly remodeled convention space provides a bright and vibrant atmosphere that complements Mandalay Bay's tropical-inspired brand. Featuring white-washed walls and ceilings adorned with bold floral patterns in cerulean and coral tones, the space is complemented by warm walnut accent walls. In addition to the redesign of all pre-function spaces, meeting rooms and ballrooms, Mandalay Bay's 1 million square feet of exhibit space has undergone a rejuvenation, including new paint, covered pillars and relocated strobe lights.
Sustainable Spectacles
Mandalay Bay is committed to Focused on What Matters and creating more responsible meetings. Refillable water stations all available around the resort, cutting unnecessary plastic usage from single-use bottles.
The Mandalay Bay campus’ recent upgrades represent a bold step forward in redefining the Las Vegas experience. With a focus on innovation, sustainability, and unparalleled service, Mandalay Bay sets a new standard for excellence in business hospitality. Whether you're seeking cutting-edge conference facilities, world-class dining options, or simply a luxurious retreat, an unparalleled meeting experience awaits.