SO, YOU'RE HAVING AN EVENT. IF IT'S NEW (OR YOU'RE REBRANDING) YOU'LL NEED IT TO HAVE A NAME. A GOOD NAME. WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE A BAD OR INEXPLICABLE NAME (WE'RE LOOKING AT YOU JERMAJESTY JACKSON AND DIVA THIN MUFFIN ZAPPA). SURE, THOSE ARE PEOPLE, BUT EVENTS, ESPECIALLY ANNUAL ONES, CAN TAKE ON A LIFE OF THEIR OWN. WHEN PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT "IS THIS EVENT FOR ME?" SOMEHOW THE NAME NEEDS TO GIVE THEM, OR AT LEAST HINT AT, THE ANSWER. NAMING ANYTHING BADLY--IT'S JUST WRONG. SO HOW DO YOU GET IT RIGHT? WE'RE HERE WITH YOUR COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE.
Read MoreWE ARE GIVING SOME SOLID ADVICE ON HOW TO MANAGE YOURSELF EMOTIONALLY WHEN THE INEVITABLE MISTAKES OCCUR. WE ALL MAKE MISSTEPS. SO WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU REALLY, REALLY MESS UP? WE'VE BROKEN THE MISTAKE-MAKING DOWN INTO THREE PHASES: BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER AND HELPING YOU FIGURE OUT HOW TO RECOVER EVEN IF YOUR MISTAKE IS A BIGGIE.
Read MoreSOCIAL MEDIA CAN BE ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO MAXIMIZE THE PROMOTIONAL POWER, ATTENDANCE, EXPOSURE, AND ENGAGEMENT FOR YOUR EVENT. IF YOU KNOW EVEN BASIC INFORMATION ON HOW TO RUN A GOOD SOCIAL MEDIA GAME FOR YOUR BUSINESS AND EVENT(S), YOU WILL BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THE BEST CONTEMPORARY MARKETING TOOLS OUT THERE. BONUS: THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY FREE! SO, CHECK OUT OUR QUICK PRIMER ON WHERE TO BEGIN TO BECOME A SOCIAL MEDIA MAVEN.
Read MoreWE'VE WRITTEN BEFORE ABOUT SMALL, INTIMATE EVENTS AND WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUN TO INVESTIGATE WHAT IT TAKES TO PULL OF AN EVENT OF OPPOSITE PROPORTION. LARGE-SCALE EVENTS CAN BE OVERWHELMING, SO LET US TAKE THE GUESSWORK OUT OF IT FOR YOU AND HELP LAY A FOUNDATION FOR WHAT REALLY WORKS WHEN YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR AN ENORMOUS EVENT. BIG EVENTS CAN GATHER AUDIENCES OF A THOUSAND PEOPLE OR MORE, SOMETIMES TENS OR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS. WE'VE PREVIOUSLY COVERED A COUPLE VERY SUCCESSFUL LARGE EVENTS (COMIC-CON, CES) BUT HERE'S WHAT WE THINK WILL MAKE YOUR NEXT BIG EVENT A SMASHING SUCCESS.
Read MoreAAAANNNNDDDD, WE'RE BACK. WE HOPE EVERYONE HAD AN AMAZING CHRISTMAS (OR ARE STILL HAVING AN AMAZING HANUKKAH). CONGRATULATIONS! YOU MADE IT THROUGH THE MAYHEM OF COOKIE BAKING, DINNERS WITH POLITICALLY-OPPOSED RELATIVES, AND CHILDREN FUELED BY COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF SUGAR AND PRESENT-OPENING ADRENALINE. YOUR CHRISTMAS-ERA EVENTS MAY BE OVER, BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, THE COUNTDOWN TO THE NEW YEAR (AND MANY, MANY NEW YEARS EVENTS) IS JUST ABOUT TO BEGIN. SO, TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND LET US GET YOU READY TO HAVE YOUR GAME FACE ON WHEN THE 31ST ARRIVES. YOU NEED TO BE RESTED AND READY TO RING IN 2017. WHETHER YOU'RE THROWING THE EVENT IN QUESTION OR ATTENDING AS A GUEST, HERE ARE OUR BEST TIPS FOR STAYING COMFORTABLE AND SANE.
Read MoreWE'VE GOTTEN SOME GREAT QUESTIONS FROM OUR READERS AND HAVE DECIDED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THEM HERE, AS OFTEN AS WE FEEL INSPIRED TO, IN A QUESTION AND ANSWER POST.
ONE OF OUR LOYAL FANS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS NOT-SO-NEWFANGLED THING CALLED A MICROSITE THAT SHE HAD SEEN FOR A WEDDING SHE ATTENDED. IT'S TRUE THAT LOTS OF COMPANIES ARE USING MICROSITES FOR VARIOUS REASONS. SO DO YOU NEED ONE FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT?
WELL, THE ANSWER IS PROBABLY YES. WE KNOW, WE KNOW, YOU'RE JUST GETTING YOUR HEAD AROUND KEEPING YOUR CENTRAL COMPANY WEBSITE UP TO SPEED--WHAT'S THIS NOW? WE HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS YOU NEED AND WE'LL TRY TO KEEP IT AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE SO YOU CAN GET ON WITH MAKING YOUR EVENT THE BEST IT CAN BE.