“Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards” according to Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard - and never have these words felt truer as we stand on the bridge between a wild and wonderful 2021 and a hopeful 2022.
 
It’s been both a challenging and rewarding year of ongoing uncertainty and change, especially for the events industry, so we wanted to take a moment to look back and reflect on all we have learned, achieved and enjoyed as we look forward to a short break over the holidays to recharge and prepare for a cracking new year!


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Our year in review - here’s our top five achievements and memories of 2021:

1. We delivered 143 events - a massive 120% increase on the total number of events delivered when compared to 2020
2. Our team has increased by 142% - growing from just seven to 17 staff
3. We won ‘Best Live Experience Agency’ in the Australian Enterprise Awards
4. Quotes of the year - “you’re on mute” & “please check in via the QR code”
5. Hybrid events were very much the hero of 2021 (giving us the ability to bring people from around the country and world together) but we were pretty excited to finally be able to deliver two in-person events in November - the Western Chances Good Business Forum and the Josh’s Rainbow Eggs & Macedon Ranges Business Awards - and can’t wait for lots more…

Top 5 event production tips/ lessons - although, you could apply these to any industries really:

1. Always share your learnings, success stories and headaches with your colleagues; you might just have the answer that’s keeping them up at night and vice versa - Melinda
2. It’s important to always have plan A and B, especially in this forever changing world - Chloe
3. Always check the mute button - Olivia
4. Always get an extra set of eyes to look over your work - it can be very easy to miss a few details - Angeline
5. I've learnt so much about online platforms and technology and my biggest tip would be to ask questions and for help when you need it. Your team will be there to support you – Opal

 
Top 5 JTPM team highlights of 2021:

1. Managing and delivering an online event with 72 recorded presentations, 5 keynote speakers and 8 hosts, an AGM and a Breakout session - it was incredible how all 86 presenters involved were all able to connect virtually over the three jam packed days. I didn't know I was capable of pulling off such a complex event - Melinda
2. Delivering a 3-day virtual conference which included over 7 different time zones with each day having a minimum 10-hours of content – Olivia
3. Delivering two large awards nights in 4-days to bring me back to the long awaited in-person event buzz! One of these was special in the way that it was for my home council, celebrating the business in my community that have thrived in challenging times, and the other was at the beautiful Forum Melbourne which was the largest operation I have led – Chloe
4. My highlight of the year is actually working everyday with the best team. I've learnt so much in the last 11-months, more than previous jobs and university. It is so great to be part of a team that's so nurturing and understanding of your skills and goals. #DREAMTEAM - Victoria
5. Working on the Premier Sustainability Awards, it was a special experience and so inspiring. Another highlight would be joining this amazing team. Everyone works so hard, is motivated and encourages each other to do their best. I'm so blessed to be part of JTPM family - Opal

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​It doesn’t matter how ‘cool’ or well-planned your event is if people don’t know about it! As end-to-end event producers, we help our clients at every stage - from the planning and promotion to execution and evaluation, and from our experience Email Marketing is one of the most effective tools when it comes to promoting an upcoming event.
 
Email Marketing or EDM’s should never be an afterthought and the earlier you start, the better. It’s through these regular and engaging email communications, that you will be able to directly target and communicate with past and current customers or clients, and anyone else who has explicitly expressed interest in your business or event. These are your ‘warm leads’ and the most likely to support and attend your event!

Your subscribers list or database is the most valuable marketing asset you own and should be nurtured and protected at all times. If you want to be really clever and targeted with your Marketing efforts, you can personalise your EDM’s to specific groups of people or individuals by segmenting and managing your database. For example, you can address people by their first name, remember their birthday and send special offers, or even have one EDM go out to those who have already purchased a ticket, and a different EDM to those who may still be considering.
 
One of the best things about EDM’s is our ability to track and monitor their effectiveness. These results give us valuable information to help make future communications even more successful.
 
Make sure you’re able to measure:

• Open rates - how many people are actually opening and reading your EDM? (event industry average is 21% - but this may also depend on your specific business industry too)
• Click rates - how many people are clicking on your EDM? (2.3% events industry average)
• Links - which links are people clicking on, what content are they most interested in?
• Sales/ bookings - are people purchased a ticket or enquiring, and if so, how many?

 
The event experience starts from the moment someone first hears about it and continues well after the lights go out at the venue. Think of EDM’s like the icing on a cake, holding all of the ingredients together and making it look and taste just that little bit sweeter.
 
Want more tips on how to plan a successful online or in-person event, or ways to go green at your next event? Check out some of our other blogs HERE.
 
Need help with planning, producing and marketing your next event? Get in touch today.

​We enjoy the flexibility and creativity of working online, but with restrictions slowly lifting we can’t wait for real life events to return. But it’s not ‘business as usual’ just yet.
 
It’s still important to plan covid-safe events (read our recent blog on this) to protect the health and wellbeing of your attendees and staff, and it appears density limits, vaccination and hygiene requirements are likely to remain in place for some time; affecting the way future events need to be run.  
 
So, as we enter another phase of change and innovation, here are three of the main things to consider when planning an event for the remainder of 2021 and beyond:

​Make every decision intentional - begin by outlining your goals and being clear on what you’d like to achieve. Your objectives will help to guide your planning and decision making, regardless of what happens or changes along the way.
 
Remember to make your objectives SMART - specific, measurable, achievable, realistic (or relevant) and timely. While we’d love to have as many people attend our events as possible, restrictions on travel and venue capacity will be an important factor in the coming months.
 
Some key questions to ask at this stage include:
a)What’s the purpose of your event – what do you ultimately want to achieve?
b)Who do you want to engage – where are they located, what do they want?
c)How can you be inclusive, especially if you are planning a hybrid event?
d)How can you be sustainable – climate change is issue we all need to address? Read our blog on going green at your next event here.
e)What is your budget – will your event be ticketed and bring in revenue?

​Virtual, hybrid or in-person? Take the time to thoroughly explore and decide on the best format for your event and audience. For a state-wide, national or international organisation or gathering a hybrid event may be the most inclusive and viable option, while an in-person event would be ideal for smaller or local events. There are many other variables to consider, however, including the type of event and your budget – make sure you look at the full picture before making your choice.

​A thorough risk assessment should always be part of a good event management plan, but with ongoing restrictions, border closures and uncertainty, it’s even more important to be open to the possibility of sudden changes or disruptions.
 
Plan for all possible scenarios and consider whether you would postpone, cancel or convert your event to online. Understanding what’s involved and the costs of cancelling or converting your event from the start means you’ll be ready to tackle any unexpected last-minute surprises – pandemic or otherwise.

​Trust us - Zoom fatigue is real! But don’t worry if you decide to or have to take your event fully or partially online - we have plenty of ways to make it just as fun, engaging and memorable as in-person events.
 
Here’s some more quick ideas and tips that will help to shake up and refresh the standard online event experience:

• Keep it simple - make the online platform easy to use for attendees and presenters to use; we don’t need any more barriers or excuses for people to log off.
• Explore new tools – event technology is constantly developing, especially during COVID, so you don’t have to stick with the same platforms (like zoom) you were using in 2019. There’s probably something better out there now!
• Provide choices - give attendees plenty of options with a variety of breakout, group or chat rooms tailored to their interests and needs.
• Find balance - incorporate breaks and opportunities for networking and interactions into the program, how about a mini yoga or meditation session?
• Fun and entertainment – include music or comedy performances, branded virtual photobooth or even a trivia game.
• Gamification and prizes - run a competition or giveaway to help incentivise and encourage participation; make it fun and of value to your audience.
• Home delivery kits - offer a home delivered pack; it could include food and beverages, event program and materials and/ or a special thank you gift.

 
Read more our top tips for successful online events here and our thoughts about the future of online events here – yes, they’re here to stay!
 
Need help with planning and producing your next event? JTPM offers end to end solutions that will be sure to make an impact - get in touch today.

​Measuring the success of your event is just as important as the planning but it’s not only ticket sales, attendance numbers or social media engagement you should look at. Let’s say your event was booked out, everything went according to plan and so from your perspective it was a success - can you be certain the attendees feel the same way?
 
Your event participants will bring different expectations and perspectives and each individual’s experience will be totally unique from the next. What you as the organiser may see as a minor feature or inconvenience, could be thing that makes or breaks an event for a guest. That’s why seeking feedback after your event is so important - especially if you’re planning to hold it again or want to maintain a relationship with attendees!
 
Asking for feedback about your event can be done in a number of ways and at different times, depending on the type and size of the event and audience. One of the key things to consider is when to survey your event attendees. There are three main options:   

​Capturing opinions and feelings while people are still at your event is a great way to get the most accurate and immediate feedback, but it can be difficult to get people to stop and complete a survey in person. Developing an event app allows you to easily integrate questions and polls or you could send SMS messages for a quick and easy way to gain feedback throughout the event. Remember, the simpler you make to answer your survey, the more responses you will receive.
 
For larger in-person events, you can set up dedicated feedback stations, usually near the exit points, and run a promotion to help incentivise people to respond – ‘share your feedback to win a holiday!’ for example. This works best for events like expos and festivals where guests have already spent an extended period of time and don’t mind taking another five minutes, especially if there’s something in it for them.

​This is the most common time to ask event guests for feedback, as the experience is still fresh in their mind, but they have also had a little time to reflect. We recommend contacting guests within two days of the event in order to get the best quality feedback and highest level of completion – you could even add guests to a prize draw as an incentive for completing the survey.
 
We often include surveys in our ‘thank you for attending emails’, which also include resources to download post-event (program books and materials, event videos and presentations, certificates and event photos). This creates a more positive experience for attendees, rather than just asking for more of their time. A personal message also goes a long way!

​If we haven’t been able to ask for feedback during or following an event, or if it’s been a long time between events (as is the case with COVID at the moment!) asking participants for their feedback and suggestions before the event can still be helpful.
 
For example, one of our clients ran a ‘focus group’ earlier this year, seeking input for their upcoming online Careers Fair. Focus group participants were able to provide suggestions about the event format they would prefer, such as shorter timings and more relevant and targeted content.

​If you have the time and resources (and the support of an amazing event production company!) you could certainly conduct event surveys at all three stages - during, after and in planning – to give you the most complete picture and best chance of success.
 
Thoroughly understanding your attendee satisfaction levels and pain points will give you a clear and objective picture of whether your event was truly successful - what worked, what didn’t and what you need to improve or change in the future.
 
Don’t forget to include a good balance of quantitative (measurable and specific - like ratings scores) and qualitative (anecdotal or open ended) questions to get a wide range of feedback to draw on and be prepared to collate and analyse the results (we’ll have to share another blog on this topic later!)
 
At JTPM, we have created numerous event apps, and put together hundreds of event surveys and feedback forms. Read some of our other blogs including Tips for Successful Online Events or How to go Green at your next Event or give us a call for support and advice.  
 

Technology has allowed organisations and individuals to stay connected, share knowledge and news and celebrate important life and career achievements. But after more than 18 months, doing just about everything online has really started to take a toll on our health, with many of us feeling varying levels of ‘zoom fatigue’. Plus, there’s the disappointment of having an eagerly awaited in-person event converted to online at the last minute!
 
We’ve delivered 110 online events (and counting!) since the pandemic began, so we see and understand first-hand the effects of excessive screen-time and the importance of making your online event engaging and stress-free!
 
With lockdowns and border closures continuing, it looks like we won’t be leaving this online world anytime soon. So, how do we create online events that are as fun as in-person ones, while looking after our health and wellbeing too? Here’s our top tips and ideas for hosting a happy and successful online event:

​For longer events, you might like to incorporate designated breaks and activities throughout the day/s to help separate sessions, topics and speakers. You could provide half-time entertainment (like at the Superbowl!) or a special video presentation to keep guests engaged, while also reminding them to get some much-needed nutrition or fresh air, have a stretch or go to the bathroom.

​There are loads of green venues around Melbourne to choose from!
Think about things like natural light, air flow and insulation to help reduce the use of electricity and air conditioning. Some venues can even operate fully or partly on solar energy!
 
Where you can’t avoid using electric lights or heating, go for energy efficient options if possible.
 
Knowing your target audience and where they will be travelling from is also essential when choosing the right venue. You want your event to be easily accessible to help increase attendance rates and reduce the amount of travel required by your guests – which leads us to the next tip…

​Unless you’re offering on-site accommodation, the reality is, your guests will need to travel to and from your event. Ensuring the venue is easily accessible by public transport is important to reduce the number of people driving but (depending on the type and size of the event) you may also want to consider offering private transportation, like free shuttle buses between key locations.
 
Communicating all the transport options, alongside your environmental goals is essential to both educate and discourage attendees from driving and allow them time to plan their trip in advance, so include reminders early on, and wherever relevant and possible.

​Just about everyone has access to email and uses smart phones or tablet and using QR codes have become the norm these days, so there’s really no need to send out printed invitations or event tickets via snail mail anymore.
 
We suggest producing digital invitations, e-tickets, event programs and maps, editable workbooks, and other promotional materials instead of printing and posting out hundreds of hard copies. It’s not only good for the environment but it’s cost effective too.
 
If you do have to print hard copies, make sure you use recycled paper or materials. We even created event maps out of recycled coffee cups once – helping to reduce the huge number of coffee cups that end up in landfill each year!

​Sometimes, despite all our best efforts, we simply cannot avoid or reduce certain emissions and waste. You might like to consider offsetting your events carbon footprint if this is the case for your event. First, you’ll need to calculate your total emissions and then find an Australian offsetting company or revegetation projects to support.
 
Like how we pay to offset your air travel, it may also be suitable to offer the option for guests to their attendance or travel when they purchase their ticket.
 
This doesn’t mean you have to do less; it just means you’ll be able to make a bigger environmental impact – all while still hosting a fabulous event.

​There are many other ways to make your event a more eco-friendly and socially minded experience like using social enterprises or local businesses (like us!) Give us a call to chat about your next event and remember – every little bit you do does add up to make a big difference!

​Thanks for the images Green My Plate - suppliers of reusable plates, bowls & cutlery, wash stations and compost bins to events. Check them out: https://www.greenmyplate.com.au/

​As we emerge from lockdown and begin to open up across Australia, events are making a comeback – providing us with much needed and missed opportunities for face-to-face interactions, celebrations and collaborations. For more than a year, these things have only been possible online, yet even now, the pandemic has not gone away and it’s not exactly business as usual!
 
In these uncertain days, it’s essential to keep everyone safe while holding a successful and memorable event. So, here are our top three tips for running a COVID-Safe event:

​Some events present a higher transmission risk than others. For example, outdoor vs indoor, local vs national guests, a one-off event vs multiple days or sessions, and allocated vs unallocated seating, to name a few. Conducting an initial COVID-19 risk assessment should be the first step in planning your event. 
 
The outcomes of such an assessment will help us to determine event essentials such as the venue, number of attendees, catering, entertainment, event format and even the run sheet. We can also make an informed decision about whether a face-to-face, hybrid or virtual event will be the most suitable option for your business. 
 
Trust us, based on eight years of experience - pandemic or not, taking the time to look at your goals and ascertain the best way to achieve them will save you headaches and issues further down the road!

​In Victoria, we’re required to seek permission to hold any public event, such as an exhibition, festival or trade show, that involves more than 1,000 guests. In addition, some of our clients have other COVID rules that we must follow, such as whether their staff are allowed back on site or not. Regardless of the size or scale of the event, everyone must comply with all of the COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time, including venue density quotient, 1.5m social distancing, hand washing, and/or sanitising and mask-wearing. 
 
As event producers, we’re also required to prepare and communicate a clear COVID-safe plan to everyone and keep records to support contact tracing of any guests, volunteers, contractors, and staff who attend or work at the event. There’s plenty of information and some great templates available on the Victorian Government website, which we use and customise, along with comprehensive checklists, for each event. 
 
Remember, each state and territory has its restrictions and requirements that may change in any given week, so if you’re planning a national event, you may need to consider what this means for any interstate attendees or guests – especially if a lockdown is declared while they are travelling. For example, a recent Perth expo was shut down early due to the snap lockdown in Victoria, with many interstate exhibitors having to make a mad dash home before borders closed. 

​Live events will always be a little risky and unpredictable; from speakers not showing up to technical malfunctions, you never really know what’s going to happen on the day. A traditional event planning risk assessment will help you identify, think about and plan for potential issues, but as we’ve seen here in Victoria and around the country, snap lockdowns can be called at very short notice, and just when you think things are going well too! If you are planning a face-to-face or hybrid event, be sure to have a well thought out backup plan ready to implement. 
 
There are a few options available, in case of a sudden lockdown, including:
 

1. Rescheduling the event – it’s essential to work closely with the venue and any suppliers to keep this option open. In these uncertain times, your event producer and manager should work to ensure this option is included in your booking contract to incur minimal, if any, change-of-date fees.

 

1. Moving the event online – this option is most suitable for hybrid events, where some attendees are already planning to participate virtually, and you’ve most likely already got an event platform in place ready to use. 
   
   While it’s not impossible to convert an entirely in-person event to an online one, it’s far more complex to implement and depending on how much notice is provided, may not be able to run on the same date. 

 

1. Cancelling the event – we always plan to avoid this costly and inconvenient option (by choosing option a) or b) above) however, it’s always good to consider the ‘worst case’ scenario, in these uncertain times and what that would mean for your event and business. Again, it’s important to ensure that venue and supplier contracts provide some leeway to cancel due to COVID-19 so that the biggest thing you have to worry about is the disappointment of cancelling your event rather than the thousands of dollars you’ll lose!

 
Like you, we’re eager to produce and attend more in-person events, but the reality is COVID-19 will continue to be a part of our lives for some time yet.  As long as this is the case, online and hybrid events will remain the best option for ensuring we can keep everyone safe and healthy. We talk more about the trend towards online events in our recent blog – read it here.  
 
So, if you go ahead with an in-person event, we recommend you follow our three tips above and that your event producer has the technical capabilities and experience to run a successful online event, just in case! 
 
Having successfully delivered several hybrid and physical events since easing restrictions, we’re available to provide bespoke advice and recommendations. Get in touch to chat about any of your upcoming COVID-Safe event needs.