In a former life I was a scriptwriter for the sales director of aUKfinancial services business.  Every new year we held a conference; and every year the main event was always his closing address.

One year I was sitting with some sales people at the post-conference dinner.  As usual the boss had been charismatic, entertaining (and of course he had a killer script!)  I asked them how they found the speech.  Brilliant, they said, ‘classic Charles’.  “So,” I ventured, getting a bit cocky: “What did you take away from the speech?’.  Silence.

A University of Texas study in 1997 found that people remember 20 percent of what they hear; 30 percent of what they see; 90 percent of what they do and say.  Think about conferences you’ve been to – you may have enjoyed the event, but which ones stick in your mind for actual content?  Frankly we’re all pretty self-absorbed when it comes down to it, so the more you involve your audience, the more they will walk away with and the better your key messages should stick.

There are plenty of ways to inject some interaction into your conferences.  They don’t have to be hi-tech – here are a few of my ‘low-maintenance’ favourites:

• Table exercises – these can be anything from table discussions between presentations, to competitive activities (at one conference we had the tables compete to build the highest tower out of newspaper and cellotape, and were treated to the sight of the CFO hanging off a table trying to stop his tower collapsing!)  They’re cost-effective and easy to organise, but you generally need a table leader – who will need not just briefing but engaging. Take my word for it – don’t try and do that on the day!

• Expo spaces can be really effective if you are introducing new ideas, technology or processes.  Stalls or kiosks give delegates the chance to explore new things at their own pace, and work particularly well if they get to ‘do stuff’ (even if it’s just a question of running competitions).  But you need time built in – generally around lunchtime when you have a captive audience – otherwise most of your audience won’t take full advantage.

• Break-out sessions – these are a good way to break up the rhythm and physically take people out of their ‘comfort zone’, encouraging them to use what they’ve seen and heard.  They are time-consuming though, and the more break-outs you run the less concrete results you are going to get out of each.  At the extreme end of the break-out approach is the ‘boot camp’, where your delegates spend the day in small groups doubling from session to session – quite a good way of building team spirit in new teams, but don’t expect anybody to remember session content!

All the above can be delivered as a ‘DIY’ option, but there are other tools on the market to give your conference an extra spark.  Here are just a couple of them:

• Online technology (such as Clear’s Reply Plus Audience Response System, a real-time feedback package) allows delegates to participate by voting when asked, or even by sending through questions or comments during sessions.  What’s more the content is stored and can be used at a later date, so you don’t lose the value of the feedback . It’s very visual and as a delegate you feel far more a part of the party than if you’re sitting there listening and making notes.  However it does takes careful management (and a very relaxed podium team!) to make real use of the technology, and it can be a victim of its own success – the more people contribute, the less chance each has of being featured.  (This is where the ability to revisit content later is not just handy but essential!)

• Games can be a great way of getting people involved and ensuring they leave the event with some fun ideas or memories.  There are a number of people on the market who will provide or even come and set up fun games for your delegates.  Once again it can be costly and difficult to manage, particularly for a large group –and as with most activity-based stuff, you need to spend time making sure people actually make the link with ‘real life’!

• Out-of-the-ordinary activities – my favourite by a long way is drumming.  This is a really powerful way to get people working together, breaking down barriers, as everybody gets to make a noise together and the effect is always remarkably uplifting.  The downside is that you need specialist facilitators – it’s not just a question of making the session fun but of making sure delegates get the link between bashing a plastic tube for two hours and being more effective in the workplace!

So which approach is best?  It all depends on what you are trying to achieve.  Your first question has to be, ‘What do I want people to do as a result of this conference?’  Are you trying to educate them, bring them together as a team, prepare them to handle change or even challenge their mindset?  The clearer you are on what you want people doing at the end of the event, the more chance you have of selecting the right interactive element.

But whichever route you go down, the more you get your audience involved, the more fun they’ll have – and the more chance that they’ll still be talking about your event six months down the line!

If you want more ideas for interactive events or how to make your conferences more engaging, drop me an email at gmw@clearpresentations.com

Getting it right for 100% of the audience can almost be an impossible task as everyone has different tastes, likes and dislikes so the best tip I can give for this is to look for a theme that you think the majority of your guests will enjoy as this will make the process a lot easier.

It would be hard for me to cover all theme ideas in this one blog so here are just a few that work well for gala dinners, staff parties and award ceremonies that are tried, tested and most of all work. They never fail to impress guests and create memorable and exciting events.

Bonsoir Paris

By using music, entertainment, props and room decor you can transport your guests to the enchanting and magical city of Paris.

On arrival your guests could be greeted by Moulin Rouge style dancers, an accordionist and the room would be dressed like a French style cafe with red gingham cloths, wine bottles and French style music.

Guests would be wowed by Moulin Rouge cabaret style entertainment including – of course – an energetic can-can show. Table entertainers like magicians, fortune tellers, caricaturists and palm readers would mingle and impress your guests throughout the night.

Hollywood

This is a classic theme that I think really works to make guests feel they are going to something really special.

You need to think glitz and glamour – red carpet, paparazzi photographers, Hollywood look-a-likes, props, film star cardboard cut-outs, feathers and giant clapper boards.

You need exciting and dynamic lighting and glamorous hosts and hostesses in elaborate costumes. Music needs to be loud and theatrical. Think Big Band music and movie themes to create all the ‘wow’ you would expect if you attended an event in Hollywood.

Mardi Gras

This theme is all about carnival music and bright colours. Ideal decor includes colourful feathers, flowers and lanterns. Your drinks reception should have hundreds of twinkly lights for guests to stand under enjoying brightly coloured fruit cocktails.

Entertainment should be something along the lines of a lively samba band with people dressed in bright costumes, head dresses and lots of feathers. Fire eaters and jugglers are perfect to create the feeling of being in Rio.

Masquerade Ball

A Masquerade Ball is sophisticated, sumptuous and works beautifully with a black tie dinner. This is the ultimate glamorous event with striking lighting, stunning decorative masks and decadent props. Tables are dressed with candelabra, star cloth twinkles and guests sip sparkling champagne.

Viva Las Vegas

With something for everyone Viva Las Vegas works fantastically at any corporate or private event. Have the room set up like a casino with roulette wheels, black jack tables and glamorous showgirls. Rat pack singers, swing bands and tribute acts all work with this theme…this is Vegas baby – anything goes!

Around the world

Take your guests on the ultimate event experience – a trip around the world. On arrival guests would be greeted by staff dressed in uniform welcoming them onboard the cruise of a lifetime. Let your imagination go crazy – from Bangkok to New York you can transport any room – and your guests – to the most exciting destinations on earth.

The Greatest Show On Earth

With quirky clowns, magicians, giant props, acrobats, opera singers and dancers you can create a spectacular Cirque du Soleil theme. This theme is theatrical, colourful and unique.  If you have the space (and budget!) you can use some incredible circus acts such as silk artists to create a real wow factor.

There are so many other themes you could opt for depending on what kind of night you want to give your guests such as:

Sophisticated: A Black and White Ball; Putting on the Glitz; Diamonds and Champagne

Fun: Razzle Dazzle; The Roaring Twenties; New York, New York

Unique: One night in Bangkok; Arabian nights; The Olympics

You just need to carefully consider your objectives, audience, budget and venue and then you can have a fantastic time planning a spectacular event!

For more theme ideas have a look at our web site www.clearpresentations.com or if you still need a bit of help, or want to talk over some other theme ideas – give me a call on 0161 448 2424 or drop me an email to ce@clearpresentations.com

Early planning is always critical and the first planning stages for an event must include deciding the who, what, where, when and how’s…

1)   WHAT are the event objectives

This includes being clear on why you are holding the event in the first place. Is it to raise awareness or to communicate with your workforce? Whatever the reason you need to be clear on this and remember it through all planning stages.

Then you need to decide on what you want to achieve from staging the event, and determine how you will measure this. This is important to ensure the when you sit down the day after your event with a nice cup of tea you know you have done a great job!

2)   WHAT will my event be about?

This might sound simple and a bit basic but sometimes choosing the event topic and setting a strong theme is key to attracting and engaging audiences. Think of a unique title for your event that grabs the attention of delegates and makes them want to attend.

3)   WHO will come?

This one might be easy, particularly if it is an event for an internal audience but if not you do need to sit down and make a list of the people who would potentially be interested in coming to your event and who you want to be there. Sometimes this is two completely different lists but both will help you focus on what you need to be doing to get them there.

4)   WHEN should I hold the event?

Think about who is coming and avoid any obvious dates that will put people off from coming. Things like bank holidays, school holidays and clashes with other major events can all have an effect on numbers.

5)   WHAT will the event include?

Plenary? Breakouts? Quizzes? Debates? The possibilities are endless so you need to plan out what the content of the day will be and then look at how you can best get the content delivered to keep the day stimulating, interactive and engaging.  Delegates like to get involved in events rather than sit and be talked at, so think of ways you can make the event interactive – things like keypads are a great tool for this. Also, nobody likes death by PowerPoint anymore so look at areas you could replace presentations with video content.

6)   WHERE shall I hold it?

Sometimes the venue will actually dictate how the event is run if it has be held at an internal location for example but more often than not people will formulate the event programme and then look for a venue that can accommodate all requirements. A lot needs to be considered when looking for the right venue: location, parking, catering, layout, access, sustainability, so don’t rush into anything and look at all the options available within your budget.

7)   HOW do I tell people about it? venue will actually dictate how the event is run if it has be held at an internal location for example but more often than not people will formulate the event programme and then look for a venue that can accommodate all the requirements. A lot needs to be considered when looking for the right venue: location, parking, catering, layout, access, sustainability, so don’t rush into anything and look at all the options available within your budget.

Once you know all of this you can start getting people there! You will need to refer back to the list of potential delegates and look for the best way to invite them to come along. You then need to look at the awareness around the event and how to get a bit of excitement going to pull people in. Social media, blogs, web listings, PR…all will help create a buzz and hopefully get the bums on seats.

Work backwards from the event day to decide when invites need to go out. We would always recommend allowing 6 – 8 weeks.

8)   HOW do I get people to come?

Make it easy for people to RSVP. People like things to be quick and simple so make booking tickets as easy as possible. Having an event website with an online registration form means people can easily register and you have instant access to the data. Put a deadline on for responses so people have a sense of urgency to book and also consider an early bird discount to get the ball rolling so you can start feeling more comfortable about numbers!

And once all of this is done you can start the hard work of shaping the event and actually hosting it! More hints and tips on this to follow in a future blog…

In the meantime if you are absolutely desperate to hear the next chapter then give me a call on 0161 448 2424 or drop me an email to ce@clearpresentations.com and we can get together for a chat about event planning and how you can put on a really successful event in 2012.

The events management industry has continued to grow despite pressures on budgets. So much so that we are recruiting to fill a job vacancy right now.

Our Audience Response System (ARS) has proved to be increasingly popular with many new clients using our Reply Plus voting and interactive texting (sms) enabled keypads to improve the interactivity and two way communication with delegates at their events and conferences.

Spare us 15 minutes of your time and we’ll come and show you our presentation and discuss how we can transform your current presentation into something special that makes you stand out from the crowd. Drop me an email on gmw@clearpresentations.com and let me know when would suit you best.

Over the last few months we have done this very successfully for several events and our efforts have helped sell tickets, attract speakers, talk to potential sponsors and have even helped us collate the necessary logo’s and images we have needed to put together presentations which can be a very difficult task believe me!

There are so many different ways to do it, and not every idea works for every event. But here are a few ideas that might help you, or at least help you think about what more you can do to use social media to promote your events to wider audiences.

1)    Have a specific web page or web site for the event with all relevant information that all social media channels can link to. If possible this should have social media links and a Twitter feed so the home page always looks different with new content

2)    If appropriate, set up a Facebook page so delegates can ‘like’ it and can contribute to the page

3)    Create a 100% event specific Twitter name and hashtag. Link all the Twitter activity to the Facebook page as then not only are both social media channels kept fresh but you are also cutting down on your own work load

4)    Run some social media promotions…early bird offers, bring a colleague, hashtag discount codes… whatever appeals to your audience but run them solely through social media to see if they are effective

5)    Ask all delegates to give their Twitter account names when they register their attendance so you can build a community and begin communicating with them straight away

6)    Send out teaser Tweets such as speaker announcements to get people intrigued in advance of the event. These can also be sent directly to the media in the hope they RT you and gain you some free publicity

7)    Set up an event specific blog that you can ask key sponsors, speakers and delegates to contribute to. The blog can be promoted through all social media channels.

8)    Have someone on site throughout the event updating all social media channels with real time information from the event. Delegates can then contribute to this throughout the day too bringing an extra level of interactivity to the day. It may also help encourage delegates to future events who see the information and want to make sure they are there next time!

9)    Post-event put anything you can on You Tube, Facebook and the event website such as presentations, videos and photographs. You can then send links to people to share this information which will keep them engaged and interested

10) Continue to use social media to update people on PR, outcomes from the event and other information you feel valuable.

As I said earlier not every idea will work for every event, these ideas are just a bit of ‘food for thought’ on how you can look at using social media in the planning and promotion of your events.

And do remember it is not an easy job. It does take time, and commitment to get it right and you do need to plan and think in advance of how best to use the channels and who is best to take on the role.

If you would like to talk to us about your next event and chat through some of these ideas and thoughts then please get in touch on ce@clearpresentations.com or on 0161 448 2424

Traditionally, we would produce very slick animated presentations in packages like Macromedia Director and Flash (both now Adobe products). These would be very animated and interactive allowing the viewer or presenter to jump around the presentation as required. Sadly, any amends needed had to come back to us to be carried out and although we offer a quick and cost effective service for this, clients still wanted the ability to change facts and figures in the presentations last minute.

To try and solve this problem a few years ago, we created a whole suite of presentation slides in Director for a blue chip company’s sales team to be able to tailor the presentations each time they used them. They could even attach their own documents and video files.  Although the initial investment was comparatively high compared to say a standard Director presentation, the ongoing costs were zero.  And each presentation delivered was slick, animated and fully menu driven.

Macromedia Director has now been surpassed by Flash and although we can still produce this kind of resource it doesn’t quite offer the flexibility of Microsoft PowerPoint. Traditionally we would avoid PowerPoint for these kinds of presentations because of the freedom it gives the presenter to, well, mess them up. Anyone can pick up Microsoft Office and find their way around PowerPoint. But, with no graphics or design training, layouts, fonts and images would all start to look amateurish.

Of course PowerPoint has come a long way and the solution these days is to produce a fully animated and menu driven presentation in PowerPoint. This gives the client the best of both worlds. They can still amend facts and figures and add or hide slides as they require, but this is minimised by the fact that the presentation is menu driven.  The presenter can pick or choose what they show during the presentation.

We have recently updated our house presenter in exactly this way and if it’s good enough for us it’s good enough for you! It includes fast paced animation, video clips built into the background and high quality moving images.

If you want to see what I mean give me a call on 0161 448 2424 or drop me an email at gmw@clearpresentations.com and I will happily come and present it to you first hand.

695 MILLION – Number of Facebook users.
148+ MILLION – Number of Linkedin users.
140 MILLION – Number of tweets created each day.
2.5 BILLION – Number of visits Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn together received in one month alone.
164 MILLION – Number of active blogs.

(Incidentally, I picked this up on a Linkedin feed.)

The darker side of social media reared its head last week with the riots across UK cities. I was genuinely surprised when Manchester also joined the list of affected cities, mainly because rain is said to be a very good deterrent against riots. Social media was widely blamed for the riots and although I believe the cause has nothing to do with social media I can see the arguments for its complicity in fuelling the problems with rumours etc. However, my heart warmed to see the wide spread condemnation of the riots across Twitter and Facebook followed by cleanups organised via social media. The I Love Manchester campaign has certainly done well out of the whole episode. So, did social media end up as the hero or villain? I’m not enough of a social media expert (if such people exist) to know the answer but the stats above prove that it is now a huge part of our lives and, more importantly, business.

One thing I do know about is events and there are definitely ways in which social media can greatly improve the marketing and PR surrounding your event by spreading the word and engaging delegates. I believe all external events should have a planned social media campaign covering the subject matter in an informative and interesting way. As always the aim is to ensure communication with the delegate continues long after the conference is over.

Hopefully this week we can look forward to a more positive event taking over Manchester city centre with Manchester Pride. We have been producing animated presentations for the event based upon the hard hitting ‘Loud & Proud’ campaign created by our sister company, Clear Marketing Communications. If you’re travelling into, or out and about in, Manchester you’ll see the bright pink 6 and 48 sheets, banners and posters all over the city featuring Aussie trolly dolly Pam Ann one of the festival stars.

Here’s to a successful (riot free) Manchester. If you would like to know more about how social media can help your next conference or event email me at gmw@clearpresentations.com

As a creative events agency we really do love a themed event. Whether it be for an annual awards dinner, team building day, sales conference or a bit of corporate hospitality, the way a strong theme can hold an event together and make it totally unforgettable is, in our humble (and ever so slightly biased) opinion, incredible.

Anyone who has ever been involved in organising an event will know the need to make it different, exciting, unique, memorable, inspiring…(the list could go on) and having a theme can really help you to achieve this.

We recently produced an annual conference for a large national retailer with the theme of ‘The Journey.’ This theme actually referred to the journey of the business but this concept was used in all aspects of the event with great effect. The event was business focussed and had to get over some very important messages and we planned the day to ensure that the theme did not detract from this. Instead the theme actually helped to get the messages over to the delegates using a fresh and unique approach.

And, of course, we had a bit of fun with it…when guests arrived at the venue instead of standard registration desks we had installed airport check-in desks, with our registration staff dressed as air stewards and pilots. This created immediate impact and is something that delegates will undoubtedly remember.

All delegates needed to attend 5 break-out sessions so we printed a passport style booklet for them to take with them to be stamped at each session – a great way of getting them to attend but also creating a bit of fun and giving them something interesting to take away with them.

These little bits of detail worked to create a fun, lively and interesting day.

A theme also works really well for a gala dinner, annual celebration or an awards ceremony. The theme brings together all aspects of the event from the branding to the entertainment, from the menu to the room decor and even the guest speaker.

The North West Regional Construction Awards 2011, for example, had the theme ‘Cirque Cirque.’ This was chosen because it was fun and exciting, and, as the awards ceremony would be staged in the marquee (or the ‘Big Top’) at Chester Racecourse, it fitted perfectly.

The theme was launched at day one with Cirque style branding being created for use on the website, promotional materials, tickets and all event materials on the night including the brochure. Guests were greeted by Cirque characters and then entertained with a Cirque du Soleil style performance including acrobatics, dancing, fabulous lighting and a brilliant opera singer. Even the menu had a Cirque twist with unusual canapés and candy floss served with coffee!

The room decor, colour scheme and lighting complimented the theme and even the Chief Executive joined in by wearing a ring master outfit (with a whip!) for his welcome speech.

The audience for this event attend a lot of dinners throughout the course of the year and we wanted to make ours the best they had been to. The theme really helped us to achieve this goal.

The key to it all is to let the theme enhance the event but not take over it. Events are staged for a reason and it is important not to over shadow this.

That being said, a fantastic guest experience and great feedback is the ‘Holy Grail’, so, if having a theme can make this happen then we are all for it.

So, if you are looking for something elegant for your annual Christmas party have you thought about a Winter Wonderland theme?

Or, if you want your Summer Ball to be more exotic why not theme it Arabian Nights or Mardi Gras?

Are you more interested in something weird, wild and wonderful like an Underwater or even a Cirque theme? How about a theme that guarantees fun such as Viva Las Vegas or Hollywood?

A theme has to be done well and it has to be done with careful planning and good attention to detail and this is where we can really help you. We have the ideas, creativity and expertise to help you come up with the perfect theme for you and your guests.

If you are interested in talking about themes for your next event then give me a call on 0161 448 2424 or drop me an email at ce@clearpresentations.com

So the time has come to say thank you and goodbye to everyone at Clear Presentations. My work placement has finished, and I will be returning to university to undergo my final year in September. I have enjoyed my time here enormously, working with great people and learning a tremendous amount.

I think I have really benefited from my time at Clear as I have learned a whole new skill set. My time has been split between working in the office, attending networking events, presenting to new clients, working at events, and assisting with video projects.

In the office I worked on business development helping to implement new marketing ideas, campaigns and strategies. I helped write tenders along with making sales calls, as well as setting up and attending meetings with potential clients. I also acted as project assistant on many events, attending site visits, speaking with clients and general assistance. I did also pick out the costumes for our dancers at the Tourism Awards, which went down a treat with the male audience!

My social highlight at Clear has to be the staff Christmas party but we won’t go into that, other than some employees said it was the best ever!

My working highlights have been on the events. Even though it has often been hard work and long hours, working on something that you have helped plan for months in advance and watching everything come together and run so smoothly, was a great feeling. It’s also a great way to bond with the team, and get well fed for a change!

Along with the Football Hall of Fame Awards (mentioned in my last post), the Pets at Home 25^th Birthday event was one that stood out. We had a long and heavy rig and de-rig to do, and I was away for a few nights, however the event ran so well and the client was really happy. We had a whole day of conferences and workshops, and it was topped off by an excellent awards evening. I also had to dress up as a pilot and accompany 5 air hostesses; it’s a hard life.

I hope the experience I have gained and the new skills I have learned will put me in a good position to further my career when I finish my course. The fact that I have worked in sales and marketing, client handling, on-site event production, networked with directors and business owners, and presented to new B2B clients can only be beneficial to me in the future. There’s not much else to say other than thank you to everyone at Clear Presentations and hopefully see you soon.