Event 101: 3 Essentials for Event Venue Selection

The standard convention layout is changing—and event planning agencies are looking for venues that provide experiences beyond the event itself. Aside from budget, number of attendees, and the type of event, there’s a lot to think about.

To help you break through the crowd and ensure your guests have nothing to complain about, here are three essentials to consider when selecting a venue:

1. Flexible space - The demands of your guests are going to vary, and you can only anticipate so much. However, at the basic level, all event spaces should have areas that provide privacy, places to comfortably network prior to the event, and depending on the industry, spaces to work. This means if your guests need to check their emails or social media during the event, you will need to consider having Wifi readily available too.

2. Connectivity with the destination - Remember: it’s also about the experience beyond the event and beyond the venue. If your host destination has something special or unique to offer, incorporate it into the event somehow. Food is the easiest, but be creative! Music, art, activities - the world is your oyster. Providing a list of pre and post-convention activities is always appreciated too.

3. Location - On the topic of cool destinations, location is everything. Choosing a convenient location—something that differs between events - can really help leave a good impression on your guests. If many attendees are from out of town (or the state), choose a venue close to places that will accommodate them for the night. Consider parking too.

On top of the content of the event, making everything seamless and convenient for your attendees is key to ensuring your success. If this means putting up a few extra 8x11 signs to point them in the direction of the check-in area, do it. It can also give you a get-out-of-jail-free card if other aspects of your event don’t work out according to plan.

For more venue tips, check this article out.

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Need help planning your future events or conferences?

Get in touch on Twitter @credpr

Or email us: events@credpr.com.

Speaking 101: 5 Tips for Writing A Great Bio

“[A bio] is a vehicle for quickly communicating who you are and what you do.”

- Jörgen Sundberg, Founder & CEO at Link Humans

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Whether it’s for the About Me on a company website, public speaking opportunities, or a personal social media account, an interesting bio makes all the difference. Why? Because many of us suffer from information overload and are already quick to ignore repetitive, uninteresting, or too-lengthy content.

To get you started, we’ve compiled a list of five tips for writing a great bio:

1. Avoid writing in first-person (exception: social media accounts, which are conventionally less formal). For professional bios, refer to yourself in third-person.

2. Use plain English. It can be easy to forget that the rest of the world doesn’t speak your industry’s language. Numbers are great to use, as it’s important to quantify your accomplishments, but don’t try to get too fancy with your word choice. Keep it simple.

3. Watch the length. Again, we live in a content-saturated world. Save the entire list of accomplishments for your resume (well, even there, be careful) and only include necessary, relevant information that makes people want to know more, write an article about you - or ask you to speak at their event! (See: "How long should my bio be?")

4. Know your audience. Important to consider when planning a presentation or speech at an event, knowing your audience is also key to writing a successful bio. For instance, when submitting a proposal to speak at conferences, you should cater your bio to who’s going to be in attendance. Feature the facts that are most relevant.

5. Keep it professional. Talking about college and graduate school degrees, charitable activities, and passions is okay. Some people even recommend sharing personal aspects of your life in your bio. We say that’s fine—as long as you keep it minimal. And if it’s really personal, make sure to relate it to how your character has been shaped or demonstrate why it is so impressive. For instance, one of our clients grew up below the poverty line and moved more than 22 times before turning 18. In spite of this, she still went on to found not one, but two successful companies. Now THAT’S something worth mentioning.

What do you think is the most important thing to consider when writing a bio? 

Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Find the full article here!

Introducing the Knowledge LUMAscape

*Shared from LUMA Partners Blog

Digital media and marketing is a complex, dynamic and often convoluted space and the continuous disruption has created significant opportunities in the market. LUMA is committed to help foster better comprehension of this complex sector with the infamous LUMAscapes that are created to help map the key players in each channel. 

Understanding the ecosystem is essential for all constituents from markets to agencies, publishers, tech intermediaries and investors. The knowledge landscape is LUMA Partners newest attempt to map these various 'knowledge' sources. It can be used an an invaluable tool to all constituents by presenting the key players in each discipline broken out below.

Check out some of the newest disruptors and see how the familiar tech giants are evolving. An exciting space to watch! 

Event 101: What's New in Event Apps

If you’re wondering what's new in event apps and what attendees and event professionals want, we've got the scoop for you. We ranked app features to establish the most important, and ones up and coming. Here’s the top ten:

1. Real Time Video - A big percentage of survey participants see real-time video as the future of event apps. They want to be able to video stream, upload and share.

2. FOMO Pills - Apps that have true integration with social media help immerse you in the experience and create powerful FOMO as well as ease it at the same time.

3. Less is More - Event management companies love simplicity. An app that does fewer things but better is the best kind of events app. It needs to be easy to access, clean, and intuitive. Simplicity removes the barriers and makes adoption easier.

4. Seamless UX - Many event managers have tried multiple apps and are disappointed with the user experience. Event apps that will be successful in 2016/2017 will feature an easy to use interface for both admins and users.

5. Privacy - When corporate clients or agencies approach apps they are often concerned with the privacy and data protection. No attendee wants sensitive information to be shared on Twitter.

6. Event Management - More and more event professionals demand their apps offer event planning and management features on the backend. The best event apps offer convenient tools to manage the event before, during and after.

7. Easy Pricing - Complexity of price packages is a frustration of many event planners. Apps that will win in the long term will have a fixed pricing structure that's easy to understand.

8. True Integration - Integration with registration platforms is what event professionals yearn for. The more apps talk to each other, the more they will win event organizers hearts.

9. Support Excellence - The most wanted apps are those that guarantee one-to-one support for busy event professionals. They'll take any extra help they can get!

10. Connectivity - If I attend events, I want an easy way to be able to connect and communicate with other attendees I meet, whether it's through the app, email, mobile or other.

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Speaking 101: Lessons Learned in Public Speaking

"Your mission in any presentation is to inform, educate, and inspire. You can only inspire when you give people a new way of looking at the world in which they live.”

- Robert Ballard, discoverer of Titanic (1985)

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Hosted by some of the brightest innovators and professionals around the world, today’s TED talks have become the gold standard in public speaking. It’s no surprise then that TED (which stands for technology, entertainment, and design) and TED-style events are exploding everywhere.

Rather than being envious of these individuals’ awesome presentation skills (it’s hard not to be—we know), what can we learn from them to make ourselves better, more engaging public speakers?

We’ve pulled the top three lessons by former news anchor and keynote speaker Carmine Gallo in his article 9 Public Speaking Lessons From The World's Greatest TED Talks. Keep these in mind as you plan your next presentation!

• First, tell a story. The human brain loves the storytelling style. We’ve been telling stories for generations, long before the invention of writing. Many anthropologists say that stories are central to human existence, serving as recognizable patterns in which we find meaning. So instead of bombarding your audience with statistics and figures, make your presentation more personal.

• Second, teach your audience something they didn’t already know. According to research, there is a region of our midbrain, called the substantia nigra/ventral segmental area (SN/VTA), that can only be activated with absolutely novel stimuli. In layman’s terms, we are hardwired to love novelty.

• Third, know your purpose, and tap into the right emotions. One way to grab your audience’s attention is by delivering jaw-dropping moments that trigger certain emotions. As Gallo mentions, speakers should try to elicit joy, fear, shock, or surprise in order to have a stronger effect on the listener - it’ll help them remember your presentation long after it’s over.

When asked what they thought was the most important lesson regarding public speaking, a few team members at cred PR shared their insights:

1. “You never know who is going to be in the audience!” - Caitlin

2. “Even if you’re not confident, pretend that you are. Fake it till you make it!” - Stephanie B.

3. “Push each other. Execs and moderators get nervous when discussing controversial issues and lean on “safe topics.” It’s important to push each other out of their comfort zone.” - Laura

4. “Everyone has a good story to tell. The key is to find the right audience!” - Leah

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What do you think is the most important thing to know about public speaking? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

Need help finding your audience? That’s our specialty! 

Get in touch with us at hello@credpr.com.

Speaking 101: Presentation DOs and DON'Ts

“REHEARSE, REHEARSE, REHEARSE. DO NOT JUST THINK YOU CAN WING A PRESENTATION."

- BILL BURNETT, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF POINTDRIVE

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When it comes to public speaking, there a few factors that can make a presentation go from good to great.

First, DO be organized. Maybe you don’t want to practice your entire speech all the way through (though we recommend doing this at least once). However, assuming you know your material backwards, forwards, and upside down, it is still important to have a mental outline of where you plan on taking your presentation. That way, you don't fumble for words, or zone out and forget to emphasize a certain point.

On the topic of zoning out, DO have a personality for the sake of your audience. As Kevin Daum of Inc. notes, “Not every presenter has to be an actor or comedian, but no one wants to listen to someone drone on in dull monotone.” Another way to showcase your personality is by sharing personal stories or examples. This helps your audience relate to you and better grasp your message.

Still, DON’T try to be funny if you’re not. That sounds harsh. What we mean is humor doesn’t always translate well on-stage and if executed poorly, can even leave someone with a negative impression of you and your brand. If you do happen to tell a poorly timed or convoluted joke that no one understands, don’t fret. Simply move forward with the rest of your awesome presentation.

To ensure your success, DO take advantage of vocal inflections, and DON’T just read from your slides. If you're reading from a screen, no one will want to listen to you. Prevent that by limiting how many words you place on your slides. Changing the pitch or tone of your speech will also spice things up and help you emerge as a more energetic, passionate speaker.

Hungry for more tips? Read more on The Do's and Don'ts of Giving a Killer Presentation here.

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If you are interested in speaking at events, but don’t know where to start, get in touch with us at hello@credpr.com.

Finding speaking opportunities is our specialty, and we love to share!

Speaking 101: Using Social Media to Leverage Your Brand

“Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”

- Jeff Bezos, Founder of Amazon

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Building awareness—for your company as well as for your personal brand—is key to any successful marketing strategy.

According to recent research published by the Harvard Business Review (HBR), 64% of people cite shared values as the main reason they choose to have a relationship with a brand. In other words, when it comes to establishing brand loyalty, it isn’t solely about increasing consumer interactions. Part of it stems from a belief in the purpose of a company's product or service.

So how can you make sure your brand’s values are known? 

Sabrina Horn of Entrepreneur.com recommends developing a social media strategy plan, while considering the following:

• Audience - Who do you need to reach? Each social media platform garners a different segment of the population, and a little research beforehand ensures you are sharing your message with the right people at the right time.

• Visual Elements - 95% of marketers say visual content is more effective than text-only content. What can you incorporate to make your content “come to life” and engage your audience?

• Preparation - Are you ready to begin your foray into the world of social media? Do you fully understand how each social channel works? Don’t sweat it if you’re not there yet. “Sometimes a simple profile on LinkedIn will suffice until the timing is right to launch a broader communications program.”

Interested in learning more about The Importance of Entrepreneurs Building Their Personal Brand? Check out Horn’s article here.

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Do you believe in OUR brand? We’d love to hear how cred PR can help position you and your brand as thought leaders within your space.

Get in touch at hello@credpr.com,

or send us a tweet: @credpr!

Welcome to cred.

cred | n.  1. The quality of being trusted or believed in.

2. Commanding a level of respect due to experience or knowledge.

Welcome to cred's first ever blog post. We've been behind the scenes working hard on building both our brand but more importantly the brands of those we're working with, and we've now decided to share some of our thoughts and learnings with you. Be on the lookout for articles on how to become a better speaker, recapping recent events and conferences, and tips that we've learned along the way.

Here's a bit more about us:

What We Do. We connect individuals to speaking opportunities. We like to think of ourselves as a nonconventional PR firm; we supplement and enhance – rather than replace – any existing efforts. It’s pretty simple.

I was always taught to focus on one thing and do it really well. Here at cred, we chose to focus on something we don’t think others prioritize enough: speaking & events. Our hyper-focus allows us to be masters at matchmaking events with speakers; and because we do it all day long, we've gotten to be pretty darn good at it.

We also help people run and manage better events, from sourcing engaging speakers to creating content to onsite execution. Since we see firsthand the insides of event organization, communication (and what can be done better), we thought naturally, we could do it ourselves.

Why We Do It. This brings us to the core of what we do - the why. Successful companies are built on solid foundations, and here’s ours: We believe that bringing knowledgeable, passionate speakers to engaged audiences builds awareness and excitement for you and your brand. It raises your profile and positions you and your brand as thought leaders in whatever industry you operate in. We thrive on working with quality, passionate speakers that tell a story. Long-term, we’re on a mission to become the most valued, recognized and respected source for events and speaking opportunities.

In less than 10 months, we’ve created an amazing team of 9 individuals and over 60 clients who see that value too. Most of the clients we work with understand how the power of speaking can strengthen and generate business opportunities. Our clients acknowledge that speaking is:

• An efficient way to increase brand awareness - whether it’s for potential business partners, customers, financiers, employees, recruiters, investors or all of the above.

• Visibility into the company, the individual, and their credibility.

• Most importantly, a means to drive business growth. The majority of successful conversations happen face-to-face (this is why VCs tend to meet in-person). Taking advantage of speaking opportunities can accelerate conversations and get things moving.

What We Don’t Do. We’re not a speakers bureau. We don’t seek placements for the sake of it, and we don’t get paid per placement. We believe in earning speaking opportunities based on your knowledge, insight and experience. We serve as an extension of your Marketing and Comms Teams.

One-offs. We won’t help you ‘slip’ into just a single event. We create a comprehensive and all encompassing speaking program so we can help you move the marketing needle - not just once, but time and time again.
 

We want to work with people who believe in the power of their personal brand. If this sounds like you, come and chat with us, and let’s build your cred together.

-Caitlin

p.s. I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback: caitlin@credpr.com.