Experts & Opinions
Mar 04, 2020
In an increasingly digital world, the in-person experience of an event can be a significant ROI-boosting differentiator. In fact, 80 percent of marketers believe live events are critical to their company’s success. For that reason alone, events should be a meaningful part of your overall B2B marketing strategy. But how do you make sure your events are a success? Read on to discover some essential tips for marketing your events to maximize attendance.
1. Find and Attract Your Audience with Inbound and Marketing Automation
You can harness the power of inbound marketing to attract the right… more
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Feb 27, 2020
At trade shows and conventions, it can be hard to set yourself apart when you’re competing against hundreds of other brands for attendee engagement. Here’s where a uniquely designed booth can be the difference between blending in, and standing out from the crowd. Take a chance and step out from the comfort zone of black and white furnishings to help your booth shine bright and leave a lasting impression on guests.
Dare with Dramatic Seating
While a majority of exhibitors will incorporate neutral seating options, take the opportunity to differentiate your brand with colorful soft seating… more
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Feb 25, 2020
In my earlier blogs, I’ve talked about pampering your exhibit staff and making sure they’re as comfortable as possible when they’re on the road and working at a trade show. But what about you, the exhibit manager – who’s the ultimate road warrior? What do you do for yourself?
Here are five things that I do for myself to make my life on the road as a Booth Mom easier:
1. Buy comfortable shoes
I buy the most expensive, comfortable shoes I can afford. If I really like the look, I buy both my usual size and a pair ½-size larger. I wear the usual size in the morning and switch after lunch to… more
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Feb 20, 2020
In Part 1 of this article, we broke down the features, benefits and strategies to mitigate risk for selecting tablets, kiosks and TV screens. In Part 2, we will cover computer monitors, projectors and video walls built from LED tiles.
Computer Monitors
Computer monitors are quite often much smaller than TV screens and come in a smaller range of sizes. Many TVs come in sizes in excess of 50 inches, while computer monitors often top out at only 30 inches. Typically, computer monitors have more pixels per inch than TV screens because they are designed for up close, long-term viewing. Choose… more
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Feb 17, 2020
Did you know that the biggest climate change impact from your event happens before your event even begins? That’s because travel is the top contributor of greenhouse gas emissions from events.
According to calculations by MeetGreen in 2014, for an association conference of 5,000 attendees, 80% of the event’s emissions came solely from travel.
Thankfully, there’s a helpful tool event organizers can use to negate the impact of attendee travel: carbon offsets. The concept behind carbon offsets is that an individual or company can offset the impact of their greenhouse gas emissions by… more
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Feb 13, 2020
If you’re organizing an event, online exposure is critical to sell admission and get people through the door. Social media has quickly emerged as the single most crucial factor in online digital marketing campaigns, with Facebook and Instagram leading the way. While organic social media has been an important force over the years, the potential reach of organic campaigns is often much lower than people think. In order to make a real impact, it’s more important than ever to focus on the paid side of social media.
Organic growth seems to be diminishing before our eyes, with Facebook recording… more
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Feb 11, 2020
When hosting a trade show or conference, an event badge can play a significant role in how attendees remember their experience. If you’re planning an event this year, put some extra effort into creating a winning badge that will help brand your event. Color-coding badges to easily identify speakers, exhibitors, volunteers and attendees not only makes it easier for event participants but also for security personnel to see, at a glance, that people are in the right areas at all times.
When creating a badge for your trade show, think about how to make it stand out, easy to read and, most of all… more
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Feb 06, 2020
Digital images displayed on digital screen displays open up a new world of changeable and moving images. When it comes to selecting digital displays, exhibitors are faced with a staggering choice of options, from small tablets to mid-sized TV screens and multi-panel digital walls. If there is video input, virtually any display screen can be adapted for use at an exhibit. But to help you pick the optimum hardware for your budget, venue and expected audience, we’ve broken down the features, benefits and strategies to mitigate risks of each type of display.
Tablets
Tablets such as the Apple… more
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Feb 04, 2020
Connecting with people – whether that’s your team, attendees or partners – is essential in order to thrive at exhibitions. It can help you manage your staff more effectively, make the event run as smoothly as possible and generate leads to help increase your return on investment. But how you engage with people can vary according to your communication style.
As the managing director of Expo Stars, I’m a big fan of the iMA communication tool, which was designed by James Knight and is a powerful universal language, created to maximize relationship building and used by business leaders across… more
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Jan 30, 2020
As an event organizer, you know that event networking is critical to the attendee experience. Therefore, it’s also critical to your event’s success. Event engagement is a key driver of ROI, as well.
But that’s not surprising. What is surprising is how often event organizers don’t create networking opportunities for their attendees — especially because prioritizing event networking is one of the easiest ways planners can help their exhibitors nurture leads into prospects.
By prioritizing event networking, event organizers do far more than improve attendee experience — they also improve ROI… more
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Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.