Category Archives: Event Sales

L.A. Weekender: Hockey, crawfish, art and wine

Posted on by
Reply

It’s almost the weekend! We are wrapping up the Los Angeles International Wine Competition here at Fairplex and are getting ready for Food Truck Thursday, Preakness and our other weekend happenings. As for you, there is plenty to see, do and taste throughout all of Los Angeles…

Photo taken  from Examiner

Go Kings Go!: If you’re a hockey fan, you might want to start your weekend a little early and hightail it over to the Staples Center to see the L.A. Kings face off against the San Jose Sharks in the second round of playoffs. Whether you have nosebleed seats or the best seats in the arena, it’s sure to be loud, wild and tons of fun.

Dominick’s Annual Crawfish Boil: If you’ve had enough of L.A. fare (quinoa, kale, organic everything) and want to escape to the South for a couple hours, stop by Dominick’s Restaurant on Saturday for Chef Brandon Boudet’s annual Crawfish Boil. The New Orleans native will be cooking 300 lbs. of live crawfish (flown over from Louisiana) for your dining pleasure.

International Museum Night at LACMA: If you’re looking for something slightly less rowdy than a crawfish boil, check out International Museum Night at LACMA. The agenda includes a series of lectures (“LACMA Exhibitions Around the World,” “Classic Maya” and “The Art of Looking.” KCRW will also be on hand to spin some low-key tunes along with two tasting stations. 

CRUSH: End your weekend with some light wine and food tasting down in Santa Monica at the 18th St Arts Center. Down a cocktail or two and enjoy food from some of the best (or so they claim) that Los Angeles has to offer and spend an hour or two letting your inner foodie out.

And if all else fails… It looks like it will be a beautiful weekend, perfect for a walk in the park, a picnic on the beach or just relaxing with the family at home :)

LA Weekender: Festivals (not Coachella), movies and Lucha Libre

Posted on by
Reply

In case you are one of the many who are missing out on Coachella this weekend, our LA Weekender has a few suggestions for you…

Photo taken from www.bigskyline.com

1. An evening with Hitchcock: Start your weekend a little early tonight at the New Beverly Cinema and a back-to-back Alfred Hitchcock special. Shell out $8, buy some popcorn and enjoy the genius of “Rear Window” and Rope.”

2. Burbank Art Festival: Downtown Burbank will be packed with artists, street painters and plenty of art lovers this weekend (Sat-Sun.) Animation and digital artists, painters, sculptures and photographers will be on-hand, displaying their artistry. For more information, check out the art festival’s website.

3. Los Angeles Dance Festival: Continuing the art activities is the Los Angeles Dance Festival. The whole weekend is packed with performances, open classes and discussions focusing on everything from ballet to aerial dance. Purchase tickets and read up on available classes and performances here.

4. Bar & Garden: Prepare your palette for the L.A. County Fair’s wine classes at Bar & Garden, the newest of many fun establishments in Culver City. Visit after brunch on Sunday (2 – 5 p.m.) for a little wine tasting. One of my personal favorite weekend neighborhoods, a stroll through the Arts District reveals many fun restaurants and bars to check out.

5. Lucha Libre USA: If wine tasting on a Sunday afternoon is a little too quiet for your taste, look towards Ontario for the Lucha Libre USA masked fighting tournament. It’s all noise and rowdy fun for all ages (to watch, not fight…).

And you’re off! Have a fantastic weekend, whatever you decide to do :)

5 Steps to Effective Event Social Media

Posted on by
Reply

social media event planning Image taken from memeburn.com

Social media–following in the footsteps of other commonplace event components–is the norm, not the novelty. It is simply a part of our lives and a huge benefit at nearly every event. Social media allows you to collect information and feed back from guests, build hype for the event, and serves as a way for guests to engage with you and each other.

So where to begin?

5 Steps to Effective Event Social Media:

1. Purpose

Define your social media goals. Be specific. Are you planning to generate hype on social media prior to the event? Is this a way to gather feedback (comments, concerns)? Give real time updates?  Perhaps you just want to get an idea of what your guests liked and didn’t like.

Large conferences, for example, might benefit from a live Twitter feed on screen during sessions for additional commentary and questions for the speakers. Music festivals, fairs and other outdoor activities might fare better with an Instagram hashtag and user engagement via a photo contest.

You have to ask what results you want to get out of your campaign, whether its increasing Twitter followers, sales of a product and so on.

2. Platforms

Once you have defined your social media goals, decide which platform(s) are best for carrying out your purpose. Too few/too many platforms can be detrimental to your efforts.

Know the strengths of each platform. Facebook fan pages can serve as a landing page for initial event information announcements while Twitter serves as the live feed. Instagram and Vine are great visual content aggregates and LinkedIn can be the means to establish your event among your target professional audience.

Hashtags

Choose a hashtag that is simple but unique and descriptive. (Ex: For the L.A. County Fair: #lacf or #lafair would do).

BizBash: Tips on picking the best hashtag.

Whichever platforms you use, make sure all guests (and others) can find the appropriate twitter handles, hashtags, usernames, groups etc. in one place — on the event webpage.

Which leads us to…

3. Promotion

smwf hashtag

http://blog.glean.in/2012/07/25/choosing-an-event-hashtag/

Signage is key. Attendees need to be reminded that an event hashtag exists in the first place. Plaster your hashtag and other social media usernames on print materials like maps and itineraries, TV screens, banners, merchandise and in gift bags if you are using them. No need to make it obnoxious. Just prevalent enough to garner attention if sought. Write a Facebook post and tweet announcing the official hashtag and let guests go wild.

Inform your speakers, sponsors and vendors of your usage of social media and let them moderate and curate content as well. Speakers can answer questions via a live TweetDeck during a session. Sponsors can offer promotions and other campaigns using the hashtag. Vendors can display the signs prominently and work in a similar fashion.

4. Call to action

Provide attendees with incentives to join in the conversation. Share the best content via your official Twitter handle/Instagram/Facebook page to create a story that captures the spirit of your event. Offer a small prize or a shout-out to the guest with the best tweet, first to post a photo etc.

5. Follow-up

Take notes on feedback, both negative and positive and respond. Let guests know you are listening to them after their experience. Feedback allows you to improve on future events.

These are just a few basic pointers for getting started on the social media element. There is no set formula for how guests are going to respond, as each event is different from the next. You need to first and foremost understand your audience, how they respond and what social media platforms they will use to share their experience.

What do you think is the best way to use social media?

Happy tweeting!

(and Instagram-ing, Facebook posting, LinkedIn sharing…)

Event Industry News: Facebook gets a facelift, SXSW, pop-up virtual stores

Posted on by
Reply

Photo taken from Mashable

SXSW: The annual South by Southwest (SXSW) conference and festival kicked off on Friday and continues to go strong this week (March 8-17). SXSW focuses on creative and professional growth, offering the unique convergence of original music, films and emerging technologies. A new addition to the conference? Pop-up hotels made from shipping containers. Mashable created an infographic re-capping yesterday’s most buzzed about SXSW happenings.

Event Tech Trends: Cvent wrote a blog post listing emerging trends in the event marketing industry. Hot strategies include pop-up virtual stores and marketing towards a specific audience via the pre-roll (those short videos you have to watch prior to a popular YouTube video).

Social Media: Facebook is getting a facelift. On Friday the company revealed its plans to redesign its News Feed ( the homepage we scroll through on a daily basis) to be more image and video-based. Creator Mark Zuckerberg has dubbed the updated feed as the basis for the “best personalized newspaper.” Additional information is available here.

Webinar planners beware: WebEx and  GoToMeetings’ online hosted web meeting services simultaneously crashed and didn’t restart for over two hours on Friday morning. Neither company has released a statement addressing the problem.

Event Industry News: Beer gardens, Google Glass, Titanic Round Two,

Posted on by
Reply

Trend alert: According to BizBash, beer gardens are becoming the new “it” spot for business meetings and other events. These venues are large, loud and casual, yet also equipped with the technology needed to conduct meetings and presentations. The concept is  to work first, then play later, all in the comfortable atmosphere of a beer garden, ideal for summer relaxation.

Technology: Google Glass is one of the most buzzed about pieces of technology, set to open to the public by the end of 2013. A hands-free computer, an extension of your smart phone… whether it will be the next “need-to-have” or just another novelty has yet to be decided. Below is Google’s promo video, released two weeks ago:

Titanic Round 2: The original Titanic may rest in the dark waters of the Atlantic, but its doppelganger, Titanic II, is preparing to set sail in 2016. A near-exact replica of the Titanic will be making its maiden voyage along the same route the ill-fated original took. Duplicates of the restaurants and dining rooms from the first ship will be on board and the class categories will be enforced.

Event Industry News: Oscars preparations, Staples Center goes vegetarian and Twitter ups the ante

Posted on by
Reply

businessinsider.com

Social media: Beginning on Wednesday, your tweets will have a price sticker on them. Twitter will decide the value of each tweet with a rating system similar to the “Top Tweet” category already on the site. Criteria will likely include number of followers, favorites, and retweets of any given tweet.

The Oscars: Next Sunday brings the brightest and biggest of Hollywood award ceremonies: The Oscars. In preparation for the big event, street closures spanning the length of Hollywood and Highland (and beyond) started this weekend as construction for the red carpet begins.

The Top 100: Nightclub & Bar released their 2013 list of top 100 clubs in the nation. Top destinations include Las Vegas (as expected), Washington D.C., Los Angeles/Hollywood, Orange County and New York.

Staples Center, minus meat: Already praised as “most vegetarian-friendly NBA venue in the country,” the sports arena is shutting down McDonalds when Morrissey, former member of The Smiths, performs on March 1. Per the artist’s request, the venue will shut down all meat eating for the night. Vendors are instructed to take meat items off their menus while McDonalds will close its entirety. This is the first time the venue has agreed to these restrictions. Sir Paul McCartney made a similar request earlier and was denied.


Event Industry News: The Grammys — rain, LED dresses and talent, event tech and bar trends

Posted on by
Reply

Mumford & Sons, Album of the Year "Babel" (heyreverb.com)

The Grammys: Last night the ever-diverse Staples Center transformed from the Lakers’ home arena into the 55th Grammy Awards ceremony. The focus was equal parts awards, talent and technology. From Taylor Swift’s circus-themed opener (“We Are Never Ever, Ever Getting Back Together”) to Best New Artist fun.’s phenomenal performance of  “Carry On” (it rained on stage, people) to Carrie Underwood’s dress all the way to the Bob Marley tribute, this year’s show was an inspiring mixture of talented performances, flawless technology and well-deserved winners. A full list of winners and a re-cap of the night is available here. And let’s not forget the after parties…

Social Media/Technology: Facebook will potentially allow users to purchase tickets to events on their site.  Flickr is back, apparently. Only time will tell if it’s the next Instagram or the next Myspace. BizBash introduced five new event technology tools ranging from speaker-to-listener interaction, on-the-go convenience and virtual seminar assistance.

New York Fashion Week: On the other side of the nation, New York Fashion Week (NYFW) has so far been a success, despite the weather.

The 90s called and they’re thirsty: Mixology is the norm but who says “le art” of flair bartending should take a back seat to culinary cocktails? Flair bartending–flipping glasses and liquors in the air to create your drink–peaked in the 90s and is frowned upon in mixologist circles but who’s to say it needs to stay a thing of the past? There are whispers in the industry that the “F word” might be making a comeback.

A different kind of love story (Weddings Part 1)

Posted on by
Reply

 

http://milliehollomanblog.com/

On the surface the wedding industry seems to be all lace and frills and romance and thrills. At its core, this industry is like any other: it’s a business. It’s about acquiring clients, making them happy and building a strong reputation based on previous work.

And yet, the interaction between a wedding planner and the bride is similar to the relationship process.

1. Planner meets client.

Pamela Neman is Sheraton Fairplex‘s catering sales manager. She is the client’s initial contact when exploring Fairplex as a potential venue. The first “date” is spent showing the potential client the various wedding locations on Fairplex campus. This is everything from the traditional hotel and conference center ballrooms to McKinley’s Grille and Farm to the Meritage wine pavilion.

Highlight the best aspects of your venue. One of Fairplex’s advantages is flexible space. “Everyone has a different taste,” Pamela says. “I show them as many areas of our campus as possible.”

2. Planner signs with client.

cookgore.com

If things go well after the initial “date” the client will let you know.  This is where timeliness kicks in. As soon as the client calls or emails, Pamela replies within the hour (no three-day rule for this relationship.) After verbally confirming a partnership, she immediately drafts a contract and sends it to the client to be signed, sealed, delivered, she’s yours.

3. Planner works with client.

After all the paperwork has been pushed it’s time for the fun part: planning. “We review menus and get a feel for what experience they want,” Pamela says. “We write a proposal and see how they like our arrangements. We want to create an experience unique to them, something they will really like” Three months prior to the wedding are food tastings, DJ/band arrangements, the cake and other key elements.

BrilliantEventPlanning.com

“You need to be organized,” Pamela says with emphasis on the need. “You need to know who the bride’s ‘go-to’ person is, whether its the maid of honor or their personal wedding planner. Start with details and end with details. The little things matter.”

4. Planner keeps client’s best interests at heart.

Know your client on a personal level. “They aren’t just another number,” Pamela says. “They are people. Realize that each client is going to be different… each individual is looking for something different.”

When asked what the most challenging aspect of planning a wedding is, Pamela promptly answered: budget. Unlimited funds are a rarity in this economy. Flexibility is everything.

“The way Sheraton works with tight budgets are with customized menus and spaces; we allow the client to have as much flexibility as possible.”

5. Client marries planner love of their life. Planner looks on with a sense of accomplishment.

flickr.com

When it comes to working with a client it’s all about transparency, timeliness and building a strong working relationship. Pamela’s favorite part of the job is the personal relationship she makes with her clients. “The social side of event planning helps you see people differently. It is more personal.”

& they all lived happily ever after.

Stay tuned for part 2!

 

5 Helpful Apps for Event Planners

Posted on by
1

We’ve said it once, we’ll say it again: Mobile apps are an essential part of event planning.

We did a feature on one such app, Bizzabo and the benefits of incorporating tech into events. 2013 is looking to be the most smartphone-driven year yet.

Between guest registration, networking tools, laying out event agendas and good old-fashioned brainstorming sessions, smartphones will be there with you to the end. We’ve compiled a list of apps that will (hopefully) make event planning/execution a little easier.

from LifeHacker

1. Evernote: The beginning stages of brainstorming for an event can be organized both visually and through writing with Evernote. This handy app (also used on a desktop) gathers the best of your design concepts, agendas, guest lists, contact info and anything else you need and keeps them in one place. Think of it as a virtual notebook (with room to save photos/video/links) and an endless supply of virtual sticky notes.

AllSeated.com

2. AllSeated: Originally introduced at a BizBash Ideafest in Fall 2012 (and met with positive feedback), this handy little app is the answer to many event planning problems. Two words: cohesive communication. With AllSeated, event planners, vendors, venues and event hosts can look at seating charts, floor arrangements, guest lists and other event elements in one place. Everyone is constantly on the same page.

bloodhound.com

3. Bloodhound: All planning aside, the real challenge is the execution of an event. Anything can happen, for better or for worse. Bloodhound takes some of the stress away as the self-proclaimed “complete mobile solution for events.” This puppy does everything, from being a virtual business card/badge holder, event guide and networking tool. Event planners can upload and change event times/locations and make announcements as needed. On top of that, Twitter feeds and event analytics are also available to event planners. Did we mention no Wi-Fi is needed?

4. Eventbrite: With Eventbrite, guests can RSVP, purchase tickets and check-in to events. As an event planner, you have the ability to manage the guest list and keep track of who has arrived, all from the comfort of your phone.

cvent.com

5. Customized apps: Event planning apps are just the tip of the techberg. One way to really stand out AND serve your guests is to develop an app of your own. This gives event guests leeway to network and arrange their own meet-ups with other guests, providing a one-of-a-kind experience. Not to toot our own horn here, but the L.A. County Fair app is a prime example of how a customized app suits some events perfectly :)

 

 

Event Industry News: The Golden Globes, the parties that followed, Facebook reveals new element, CES recap

Posted on by
Reply

www.bizbash.com

Event Season: Sunday marked the official start of the event season in Los Angeles with the Golden Globes. Tina Fey and Amy Pohler made for brilliant hosts, Jodie Foster’s speech is fast becoming infamous and Argo took a lot of awards. So did Les Miserables.  Next up are the Grammys and the Oscars.

P.S.: In case you were interested, BizBash covered the best of the best in after parties.

CES: Despite news reports predicting (and reporting) the conference to be unexciting and irrelevant to technology and the general public, crowds of over 150,000 showed up to take in over 20,000 new gadgets and wander for hours in the 1.92 million square feet of the Consumer Electronics Show, held in Vegas. Top trends included smart cars, on-the-go mobile charging devices, an overdose of television screens, a variety of transportation devices including motorized skateboards and unicycles and home alarm systems (activated via smartphone) that monitor everything from doors opening to the medicine you take.

Bringing it back to Fairplex: The Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Conference Center celebrated its first anniversary this past week. As the company continues to grow as a regional leader in the hospitality industry it was a great feeling to look back and see what an asset the conference center and hotel have been to us.

Social Media: Today Facebook revealed their next big installation to the site: Graph Search. More info here.

Heads up: Make-a-thons have arrived:  Innovative minds come together at an event to build and design items for a purpose. In other words, they use their talents to benefit the social good. Julius Solaris wrote a fantastic blog post on some of the newest in event concept design.