Pushing unwanted messages down people’s throats is out, and conversing meaningfully with prospects is in. Social media marketing is no longer a marketing activity merely alerts visitors about your upcoming events. It’s now part of the event itself. The tools that  have traditionally created interactivity between marketers and potential visitors are now being used during and after the event itself.

Before – get visitor insight and use social media to create exhibition buzz

Well before the event’s marketing campaign begins, you can use social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to gather valuable information just by listening to what your people are interested in. When you have a sufficient feeling of online environment of your target audience, you can seed ideas related to your event, see how people react and talk to them more about it.

The marketing campaign should use social media instead of relying on old methods. You can leverage the popularity of social media sites by creating event specific apps or games that are fun, and most importantly, can be shared. One great example is ad:tech London’s launch of the The Marketing Cow – a quiz game that went viral as people posted their scores to social media accounts then challenged their friends to complete it. The tricky questions also showed off the company’s expertise, attracting interest in ad:tech’s show.

During – social media involves visitors and gives you real-time feedback

Some event management companies have been using Twitter during shows for three years, so if yours isn’t then you need to consider whether there is a valuable role it could be playing for you.

One idea is to make a special Twitter account (call it your events “Wall”) and make it visible to people at the event. For example, projecting the Twitter wall in large onto a real wall means those visitors can see comments and updates without being glued to their smartphones. Abuse of this wall is unlikely, as your visitors do appreciate that its a public place. For you as an events manager, it’s a handy way of analysing visitors’ sentiments about the exhibition in real-time.

You can also use social media to engage people who can’t make it to your exhibition. For example, Upper Street Events say “This year at Language Show Live we are using Twitter to facilitate a virtual Q&A seminar session visitors and non-attendees.”

After – use social media to keep the memory alive and evaluate success

You want your successful event to stick in the visitors’ minds, even after its over, to secure their loyal return the next time. You can not only use social media at events, but use it afterwards too to maintain contact with your visitors. A lasting conversation is a valuable relationship builder. For example, post-event, you could say “Saw something you liked but don’t remember who did it? Ask us and we’ll try our best to put you in touch with the right person.”

As an events manager, you’ll know that evaluation of the exhibition after it has taken place is crucial for improving on the next one. Fortunately there are many tools out there that will measure your social media metrics. Use historical data to catch up on everything that your visitors posted during the show, and save the statistics (whether they be profile clicks, tags or retweets) to use as performance comparison with your next event.

Follow Live Recruitment on Twitter for the latest news, views and live events job opportunities – @LiveRecruitment.

Use of this smartphone tool is on the rise in marketing efforts, and your event needn’t be different. QR stands for Quick Response. You will probably have seen the little black and white square graphic on bus stop posters, in magazines or on the occasional product.

This is basically a “3D bar code” that can scanned into your smartphone via its camera when used in conjunction with a dedicated QR mobile app. Once the smartphone reads the code, it will load a specific webpage (or other type of data) as designed by the person who created the QR code. The idea is that people can interact with your brand, remember an offer or sign-up for premium content without having to remember and type in a URL!

Now you understand what a QR code is, lets look at our top 4 reasons to use QR codes for events:

1.  The UK loves smartphones

Communication Market Report found that in our nation, 37 per cent of adults (and a whopping 60 per cent of teenagers) say they are “highly addicted” to their devices, with 81 per cent never turning them off. 27% of the UK’s adults own a smartphone now, and this is on the increase.

With the popularity of smartphones, it is only logical that you should want to harness this channel for the benefit of your event. A way to do this is by using QR codes to promote your event, or make it easier for visitors to access information during or after the event. Bill Finn of Finn Digital says “All the reports indicate that barcode scanning use [at events] is widening exponentially.” One way to do that is to use the ever-more present QR code to promote your event, or it easier for visitors to access information during or after the event.

2. QR codes are quick

As it says in its name, QR codes are the quickest way for your audience to access the information they request. Compare this to the alternative, which is flicking through a brochure, browsing a website or typing in a URL, and you have a clear winner for the tech-savvy guest. There are so many ways you can use QR codes in your event, for example, as a means of providing that “Find out more” information on a product, or sending them to your digital business card so they can add you as a contact.

3. It drives online visits

UBM Live marketing manager Alex Jones used QR codes at his event to drive up viewings of client’s videos. By including QR codes at the events, he saw a increases between 38% and 59%. If you can offer these sort of benefits your package will be quickly noticed by potential exhibitors.

4. It’s sustainable

If your event attendees care particularly about the environment, then you can really push this point. QR codes are a way of giving guests information quickly, which saves having to print too much material for stands. Learning and Skills event director Jonquil Coy said. “It’s all part of the ongoing push to digitise hardcopy collateral and products.”

Another advantage is that digital info obtained from a QR doesn’t get damaged and thrown in the bin, like so many unwanted brochures do. The user can return to the information after the event, spared of the inconvenience of lugging around hard copies.

The other side of the coin

Showing you are aware of the alternatives to QR can make you shine in an events management interview. As it happens, QR codes are just one type of next generation bar code on the scene. BoothTag is another, that is designed to drive trade show visitors to exhibitor booths, and even has the added functionality of ID detection and location-awareness. Unique codes for visitors and exhibitors means both parties can retrieve a customised list of who they met at the event. As an events manager, you can use the location-awareness feature to see where the most activity is, if you have an expansive venue.

Before you try to implement QR codes into your event, there is an important consideration to be made. You must weigh the benefits detailed above with the costs, as QR codes are not suitable for every event. The success of their use is down to how familiar your clients and their guests are with them. As no solid explanation of QR codes has really been given to the general public, some trade shows have used QR codes and not had a single taker. In getting started, step one is to make sure the visitor first downloads the relevant scanner app, and preferably for free. For this to occur, you may have to invest in compiling a pre-event guide that will outline how QR codes work with your event.

We hope this article has got you thinking about using QR codes in your events. Be imaginative! Do your clients often have trouble making eye contact with visitors? One solution could be to put QR codes on the staff’s uniform – the process of scanning can be a potential icebreaker. The possibilities are vast, with many business problems associated with events being solved by the use of bar code and smartphones.

Follow Live Recruitment on Twitter for more insightful blog posts, latest news, and live events job opportunities – @LiveRecruitment.

New opportunities to network online

As online social networking has boomed, so have opportunities to build your network. Having a LinkedIn profile is essential to make sure your experience is available online. However, platforms like Twitter actually provide an opportunity to connect with relevant contacts, discuss what’s happening, share your experience and expertise and connect with potential opportunities.

What’s so great about Twitter?

Twitter gives you open access to other professionals in your field. Unlike Facebook or LinkedIn you don’t have know them to connect with them. By following other people in the industry you get to understand what they’re discussing, what conferences they’re attending, what articles, books or blogs they’re reading. And a lot more besides, not all of it necessarily useful. However, this is a great insight into people in the events industry.

The flipside is also true. You can communicate with others in the industry and let them know how engaged you are with the latest case studies, techniques and news. You have the opportunity to make a connection and demonstrate your expertise. If you have a blog, you can promote your longer articles.

Twitter is fairly relaxed and people are generally open to ‘meeting’ new people. Everyone from CEOs, recruiting managers and recruitment consultants, to event managers, AV techs and undergraduate events students is on Twitter. The ‘stars’ in your field are likely to be responsive and follow you if you connect with them and have something interesting to say.

Getting the Twitter basics in place

The first thing is to set-up a Twitter account and profile. We’d recommend a professional Twitter handle that is short, easy to remember and maybe includes your area of interest – eg. @eventsjames. You may need to try a few options before you find a handle that is available.

You’ll need to write an intro for your profile. It needs to be to-the-point (you only have 140 characters) but it’s good discipline to come up with your ‘Twit-Pitch’ and get across your key info and what you offer in a quick-to-read format. You can also include a link – either your blog or LinkedIn profile is best.

Now you can start posting some tweets. We’d recommend putting some tweets out before you try and follow anyone, so there is something in your Twitter account that they can read to before they decide to follow you back. Tweeting can be fun and light-hearted but we’d keep your tweets to reasonably professional concerns. You could tweet about an article you’ve read with a link to it and a short comment about it. Say why you think it’s interesting or a good idea.

Start building your Twitter reach

Once you’ve got your profile and some interesting tweets, start following people in your industry. Find the stars in your industry and look through their followings to find other relevant people. Use Twitter Search and the Find People tool to find more. By manually looking at their profiles and tweets, you’ll start to see what is being discussed and can join in the discussion if you have a point of view. You’ll also start to see what #hashtags are relevant. #eventprofs is a popular one for the events industry.

Grow your network steadily and try and keep your following-to-follower ratio steady, no more that  3:1 or 4:1. Following many times more people than are following you makes you look ‘spammy’, not professional.

Growing and maintaining your following

As well as finding potential connections, find ways to contribute. Don’t just self-promote, help to promote others by “retweeting” their posts. If you reference their handle and use appropriate hashtags you will grow your following this way. Join conversations and try starting your own. It’s a good discipline to learn how to be engaging and interesting.

The beauty of Twitter is that it needn’t be too time-consuming. ‘Little and often’ is the key. A few tweets per day will gain you tens of followers per week. If you’re consistent that’s hundreds of followers per year. Build your reach and contribute when you aren’t looking for a new opportunity and you’ll find that you have more connections to help you when you are looking for a new challenge.

Follow Live Recruitment on Twitter for the latest news, views and live events job opportunities – @LiveRecruitment.

Whether you already work in live events or are looking to develop your career, understanding how the industry is developing is important. With that in mind, we’ve highlighted a couple of key trends that will impact significantly on 2012.

More events will have their own mobile apps

Traditionally, the use of mobile technology in events has been limited to sending guests updates through text messages. However, according Berg Insight research, mobile application downloads will number 98 billion by 2015. The exact number is irrelevant, of course, but it’s clear that consumers and business people are getting used to using apps and the capabilities of their smartphones.

The technology is in place for event organisers to make their event truly digital. We predict that custom applications for smartphones will grow in popularity this year. Attendees will purchase the app in place of traditional paper programmes and be able to access information, receive updates about on-the-fly offers and publish their activities straight to their social media accounts.

We’ve already seen one successful attempt with the Sundance Film Festival apps last year. It allowed its users to subscribe to email updates about the various parts to the festival, share content with friends as well as check-in at locations on their social media. Mobile apps aren’t just being used for entertainment events. Auto manufacturer Nissan also used it successfully in 2011.

In addition to bringing events onto the cutting edge of popular technology, event mobile apps also can mean significant cost savings for event managers. Money and time can be saved on printing so many leaflets and posters, as well as de-cluttering the venue. Mobile apps are also considered environmentally friendly.

Video at – and after – events will be taken to a new level

Video as a means of communicating information as well as entertainment is really taking off. In a typical month, over 80% of the total UK Internet audience watch video online. Events managers and marketers have embraced this trend and are trying to harness the potential power of video at their events. As a result, a greater portion of events will be filmed and subsequently made available online.

The key benefit of this is that events will have a longer shelf-life, reaching a broader and larger audience after-the-event. Live-streaming is also increasingly popular, allowing non-attendees the opportunity to join in real-time. What does this mean for events jobs? We predict an increase in the opportunities for AV careers at such events.

We hope this has brought you up to speed about what to look out for at events in 2012, and hopefully has inspired you to research how developments such as QR codes and RFID are changing the landscape. The events industry is a dynamic one, with equally satisfying and challenging careers. Click to see what events jobs Live Recruitment has for you.

Sound for live events, contents and more

The sound engineer role involves responsibility for controlling the audio-visual (AV) technology during concerts and theatrical performances, as well as other live events such as  conferences, fashion shows and exhibitions.  In this role you would be operating key sound equipment such as microphones and amplifiers to make sure the audience can hear what is going on. You will also be setting-up and mixing levels on-the-fly as well to potentially providing sound effects, background music and audio from disc or presentations.

Preparation and planning for the performance

As well as being a key part of the team during the actual event, the sound engineer will need to make sure the event’s sound is set-up correctly and ensure that appropriate requirements are taken into account. You might need to liaise with the production director or sound designer to determine their requirements and/or preferences or with the director to review the script and understand where specific sound effects or changes in sound level are needed.

As well as being able to take detailed, accurate notes of the requirements, you might need to be involved in pre-recording sound effects or other music. All your planning will need to be brought together into a sound plan (the “plot”) with cues agreed with the stage manager. In preparation for the big event, you will need to choose the right equipment, position and rig-up microphones, sound check, then unload, dismantle and load-out equipment after the event.

If you’re looking for a new opportunity as a live sound engineer, register your CV and check out the latest vacancies.

Live Sound Engineer: Key Skills

If  you feel that your event budget is a little too tight or you’d just like to offset some of the cost of running your event, there are a few ways of generating income from your event. Be proactive and think outside the box – there are lots of ways to generate some extra money toward your event budget.

Here are our top 5 event income-raising tips:

1. Sell any space you don’t actually need – you may find a company willing to pay for your spare rooms at your event venue on the day, so you can recover costs in this area.
2. Find partners – the first point should have already had you thinking about finding other (non-competitor) companies that want to address your target audience. This tip could potentially halve your event costs.
3. Review your pricing strategy for ticket sales. Reward early-birds and/or offer discounts to those who bulk-buy your tickets – it will get more people to your event, quicker and give you a more sound idea of your final budget.
4. Consider membership deals that create/reward loyalty and incentivise committing to future attendance.
5. Get sponsored. A sponsor need not actually hand you over any money to add to your budget but they could well supply you with goods or services that cut your costs.

We hope this article has given you some ideas on how to increase your event budget. Why not share your own top income-raising for events tips in the comment section below? The team at Live Recruitment would love to hear from you.

[Image courtesy of vibeghana.com]

Event budgeting: a balancing act

Event budget planning and spending can be a tricky balancing act. Spend too much and you can blow a significant portion of your annual budget. Even if the event was a total success, you might find yourself under a little scrutiny.

However, if you spend too little, you risk under-investing in the event. It could fail to deliver the reach and impact your business needs.

At Live Recruitment, we understand how to keep an eye on event costs, so we’ve created a quick budgeting checklist. It should help you budget plan effectively and make sure you don’t forget crucial ingredients for a great live event.

Of course, events will vary in requirements and budgets allocated, so use our checklist as a guide only. You can adapt it to suit individual events, and may even be able to use those versions to help you budget plan similar events in the future.

Event Budget Checklist

• What are the food and beverage requirements? How many delegates? How many break-outs? Lunch?
• Do you need music or entertainment? Do you need an artist or DJ? A keynote speaker?
• Will you need to hire AV equipment? Screens, lights, photographer and/or projection equipment. See our AV Checklist for more help.
• What labour will you need before, during and after the event. Check what is included in the venue rate.
• Will you need to employ Event staff – promotions, administration, AV – and transport or accomodate them?
• Have you included accomodation for staff and guests if an overnight stay is required before, during or after the event? Don’t forget speakers’ hotel rooms.
• What marketing will you need to do for the event? Don’t forget to include time to create strategy, design, distribution.
• What is the range of potential costs for a Venue?
• Consumables (smaller details such as passes, name badges, goody bags, event brochures) will need to be budget for.
• Make sure you have adequate insurance cover

Live Recruitment are events industry specialists and can help you find the  right people for your live event. Once you’ve got your planning underway, feel free to contact us to discuss your event, production, technical or sales staff.

Why you need to be a ‘team player’

Business surveys have shown that employers recognise that having ‘team player’ is a crucial component of success. Research regular finds that effective team working creates positive synergy, removes barriers to getting things done, fosters an atmosphere of responsiveness and creates more satisfied customers.

Team working in the live events industry

In Live Events, being a ‘team player’ is crucial too. Live events often see groups of multi-disciplinary teams from different companies come together to create a in forming and working in new teams. Working in live events can be great career but it’s a challenging one.

Below we have outlined some of the main types of team working. Which ones you need to focus on for a particular interview will depend on the role you are applying for. You can show an interview how well you can form relationships by highlighting the relevant areas of your CV and experience based on these types of team working.

Can you work effectively up and down the hierarchy

Otherwise known as vertical team-working, being able to collaborate with people from different levels is usually going to be crucial in the events industry. Think of experience that illustrates how you have worked with people from different levels of seniority – from the public to technicians to dealing with the junior and senior clients.

Horizontal team-working – working across different roles

Live events typically bring together experts from different sectors – sound engineer, events manager, marketing manager, promotions personnel, logistics, catering, entertainment and more. Review your CV and prepare for examples of how you have worked well with people from different disciplines.

Working with diversity

If you’re looking at a role on the ‘frontline’ of the events industry, you may want to highlight how you have been able to work effectively with different cultures, languages, nationalities or disabilities. This type of work can require a degree of sensitivity and flexibility that an employee will be looking for in candidates.

International team player experience

We’ve seen a rise in the number of events that attract delegates and attendees from outside of the UK as well as people of different nationalities who are working in the UK. If the recruiter has a number of international clients, they are going to be looking for language skills and awareness of other cultures.

If you can show examples of how you worked as a part of a diverse team and delivered excellent results and service, employers are going to be keen to have you as part of their team. Team working is really about showing that you are results-focused and can go ‘above and beyond’ what’s expected.

Think about the types of team work you’ve experience and make sure your CV reflects these. To start your job search, register your CV with Live Recruitment using our online form.

[image credit: http://flickr.com/photos/24327829@N04/6019015378]

#1: Focus your job search

Whilst you may feel like you ‘just fancy a change’, remember that you will have to go through a selection process, interview with potential employers and it’s likely that you’ll face competition for available roles. That means that you should be really clear what you’re looking for and self-aware about why you’re looking for a change.

#2: Do your research

Now you’re clear about why you’re looking and what you’re looking for, use the job search engines and our own current vacancies listings to understand what types of jobs are in the market at the moment. If you’re interested in different areas of Events and AV, use our posts about AV Jobs and Events Jobs to help you understand what the roles entail.

Also think about the types of events that are coming up and make sure you have a good understanding of the key issues in the events industry – trends, legislation, upcoming events, technology and so forth. It will definitely help you at the interview stage.

#3: Update your CV and target it to the role

Make sure your CV is up-to-date and includes all your recent achievements. Tailor it to the roles you’re targeting and ensure that appropriate skills and experience are highlighted.

#4: Build your online CV and your online brand

Make sure you have a profile on LinkedIn and make sure it’s detailed, up-to-date and that it clearly presents your skills, experience and achievements. Think about having your own blog or website so you can build your personal brand online. It’s very likely that recruiters who are thinking about shortlisting you will do a quick check online about you. If your online presence looks like that of a professional, knowledgeable and enthusiastic candidate, it will give your chances a real boost.

#5: Use online networking and maximise your contacts

Make sure you’ve connected with as many people as you can on LinkedIn, especially those in the areas of Events and AV that you’d like to work in. Find the people you’re connected to who have experience working in the roles you’d like to work in. Ask them what it’s like, what skills you need to show and what the ‘hot topics’ are.

#6: Create a shortlist of companies

Now you’ve done some research into the opportunities and possible roles, think about the companies who are operating in the market and find out as much as you can about them. Who are their clients? What work have they done recently? Who are the key people? What services do they focus on?

Now it’s time to start applying for positions, getting your interview preparation underway and thinking about the types of questions you’re likely to be asked if you want to get a new job. There are lots of interview preparation tips on our blog to help you get started.

If you want the benefits of a specialist live events recruiter with connections across the industry, contact Live Recruitment now or register your CV online.

[image credit: http://absolutecards.co.uk]