Experts & Opinions
Jul 22, 2021
I think I speak for most of us when I say that in-person events are one of those things we didn’t realize we loved until they were gone. And when events and other face-to-face gatherings started shutting down over the last year, an incredibly important channel for personalized conversations and relationship-deepening evaporated.
Since then, businesses have given their best college try to replace this lost value, with mixed results. While virtual events in and of themselves have largely done well, there’s a major missed opportunity that’s consistently overlooked: post-event content. Here’s… more
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Jul 20, 2021
What if you could recreate all the energy and excitement of a trade show without the pushing, shoving, booth bunnies or the trolls whose sole mission is to load their vendor logo bags with every piece of swag they can grab? Virtual events came of age in 2020 and are now dominating all discussions about the future of events. They are expected to grow at almost 23% annually until 2027, and this prediction came before the pandemic pulled the plug on every imaginable in-person event.
As more and more vaccines find willing arms, trade shows are making a huge pivot. So, what does that future look… more
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Jul 15, 2021
Big changes have happened to the event planning community in a world shaped by COVID. Event planners have worked hard to transition the attendees of their on-premises events into the virtual space. Even with COVID winding toward an end, more organizations than ever before have moved to virtual event planning for their conferences, meetings and sales events.
Meeting planners have adjusted to this new normal for the most part, but many are still worried about making certain their virtual event goes off without a glitch. This blog will share our top seven tips to help guide your event planning… more
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Jul 13, 2021
In the physical trade show world, exhibitors get to move in early, the big ones even earlier. The booth space is a home away from home, with care put into how tchotchkes are displayed and cases of water hauled in to keep the staffers hydrated.
Exhibitors need time to move into their virtual booth space, too. Too many times we’ve heard about exhibitors scrambling to get passwords sorted, videos uploaded and staff trained on how attendees at virtual events will be able to interact with them. Turns out, exhibitor training and time to get settled are some of the major pain points expressed in a… more
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Jul 08, 2021
One of my few joys of lockdown began when my state allowed limited re-opening of our local health club, and with it, the pool where I can swim laps in the morning. I had not been a regular visitor to the lap pool back in the “before times,” but I knew that the virus couldn’t thrive in chlorinated water, so it seemed safe to return.
There were a number of changes to my routine visit. I now scheduled my swim times in advance, and upon arrival, I had to hold my forehead in front of a digital thermometer, and then scan my membership key tag to record my visit. I have gone through this process… more
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Jul 06, 2021
The new season of “The Food that Built America” is a fantastic show – there’s drama, conflict, emotion and lots of fascinating stories about the brands we see almost every day. It’s both inspiring and entertaining. And there are some mind-blowing lessons on business strategy, too – real stuff you can use right now.
We just finished the episode on the “cola wars.” We all know the story of the “Pepsi Challenge,” where Pepsi sent people into shopping malls and street corners, asking people if they could tell which cup had Pepsi and which had Coca-Cola by taste alone.
At the time, Pepsi had… more
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Jul 01, 2021
Branding doesn’t just happen. It’s like every other business asset you’ve created. It takes time, effort and thoughtful action. Branding gives you and your employees a guidebook of how you want customers, clients, stakeholders and the general public to see and experience your business. And like any good guidebook, it is something that is carefully researched, planned and discussed. When you allocate the time and resources to engage in meaningful branding, you create a vision of how you want the world to see what you have to offer!
If your business has been slow to embrace branding or if you… more
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Jun 29, 2021
Universities and colleges have played a unique role throughout the pandemic. Many have acted as a voice of authority and trust, conducting world-leading research, analyzing findings, tracking the outbreak across the globe, and sharing this information with us across our news networks.
At the same time, these institutions recognized that the lives of their students were changing in rapid and tremendous ways, and simultaneously transitioned to virtual classes both quickly and seamlessly.
How, then, have their event programs been faring amid all of this? From donor and alumni networking… more
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Jun 24, 2021
Nobody can predict the future, but I keep getting asked what the world of events is going to look like after COVID. After speaking with hundreds of individuals responsible for booking, planning and coordinating company events, here are the common themes I hear people reflect on. These insights come from doing hundreds of events during the pandemic and speaking to leaders in human resources, client engagement teams and event planners about how they are planning on returning to a world where we can do business in person once again.
The new normal doesn’t mean we won’t have in-person events,… more
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Jun 22, 2021
Exhibitors in a broad Ascend Media study shared some major pain points, recently published on LinkedIn. The feedback is worth digging into, and worth digging into EARLY in experience design, not late. It’s worth elevating these ideas to a strategic planning level and finding solutions for the stakeholders that financially support your events.
We are addressing the Top 10 Concerns in a series of posts that outline solutions for supporting exhibitors in a virtual environment. We’ve distilled the Top 10 pain points into four big ideas to present solutions.
The Four Big Ideas for Exhibitor… more
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Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact