By: Amy Gaskin

With in-person events and post-pandemic travel in full swing, the LOMA team has decided to curate a list of destination highlights, featuring our favourite event spaces from the cities we’ve been working in. The new series, LOMA on Location, aims to offer insights and recommendations you can trust when you find yourself looking for a venue for your next event. 

Welcome to Austin, Texas! 

Photo by MJ Tangonan on Unsplash

Between being an accessible hub for international flights, foody-friendly with popular cuisines, and generally known for its warm, sunny weather, Austin boasts a number of highlights for visitors – whether traveling for business or pleasure. This city happens to be the perfect blend of both with historical music venues, top-rated restaurants, and indoor/outdoor meeting spaces that offer visitors an authentic Austin experience.

Our team have found ourselves in Austin a number of times in this past year for site visits and program execution. While there, we came to find some tried and true favorites – keep reading to find out why!

Hotels

Austin Marriott Downtown

304 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78701, United States

One of Austin’s newest hotels, the Austin Marriott Downtown opened in 2020 and features modern guest rooms and views overlooking downtown’s Lady Bird Lake. At this property, your attendees will have access to amenities such as a rooftop pool to enjoy their downtime, while the meeting space spans multiple floors to accommodate various program sizes and multiple groups while maintaining a sense of privacy and security.

Why we love it: the Austin Marriott Downtown staff were wonderful event partners, going above and beyond to ensure our needs were met as planners, while the in-house FedEx office simplified local venue deliveries and was a great asset for on-site branding and printing needs. 

Photo by Hayden Walker via Austin Food Magazine, March 26, 2021

The rooftop oasis, Zanzibar, really set this property apart for us; the space features backyard-style lounge furniture to offer unique conversation or breakout space while letting attendees enjoy some Texas sun. If you’re eating at the hotel restaurant, Corrine, don’t forget to order the biscuits—you can thank us later!

The LINE Austin

111 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78701, United States

The LINE Austin is a unique boutique property completely remodeled from an old parking garage. An instagrammer (and planner!)’s dream, the property is styled with natural colors and textiles, and the meeting space features wall-to-wall windows—no basement ballroom vibes here! Another perk? The property backs directly onto the iconic Congress Avenue “Bat” Bridge, so you can watch the bats take flight from the comfort of your room!

Why we love it: with 428 guest rooms,the LINE is the perfect choice for smaller programs who want to feel like they’re taking over an exclusive space for their event. They have a variety of additional dining outlets including the P6 rooftop lounge space, Arlo Grey by Top Chef winner Kristen Kish, and finally Veracruz, for deliciously authentic Mexican. Each of these spaces offers a distinctly different, yet convenient on-site dining experience.

JW Marriott Austin

110 E 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701, United States

Located a short block away from the Austin Marriott downtown, the JW Marriott is an elevated and luxurious option for larger events; it’s even noted as being the largest JW Marriott in the Americas, with almost double the meeting space of the Austin Marriott Downtown. The rooftop offers views of the Texas Capitol Building for a panorama of the quintessential Austin cityscape. 

Why we love it: the volume and variety of space really set this hotel apart for large scale programs. The onsite restaurant, Dean’s Italian Steakhouse, is another gem, offering a variety of private dining spaces to accommodate different sized groups with upscale cuisines.

Venues

Antone’s Nightclub 

305 E 5th St., Austin, TX 78701, United States

Photo via Antone’s Nightclub

Looking to give your attendees an authentic night out in Austin? Definitely check out Antone’s Nightclub! Having previously hosted jazz and blues legends B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and more, Antone’s offers a fully equipped stage downstairs, and additional bar and conversation space upstairs with room for activations and other fun experiences.

Why we love it: Antone’s is a turn-key concert experience with strong vendor partnerships for delicious catering and a talent catalog to help source entertainment both in your budget and to your guests liking. We definitely recommend activating the built-in vintage photobooth for attendees to enjoy! At a recent event we had The Nightowls perform and they were a HIT!

Photo by Professional Images Photography for Achievers

The Belmont

305 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78701, United States

Walking through the arched entry of the Belmont offers the perfect photo opp as the space opens up to an impressive two level back patio with a permanent stage ready to host your choice of entertainment. Inside, a smaller stage and more intimate rooms can host additional entertainment,activities or networking for your guests— karaoke anyone? 

Why we love it: depending on your budget, the Belmont offers a variety of spaces for custom branding to be installed to help bring your event brand to life and create impactful moments for your guests. For further flexibility and to accommodate events of different sizes, partial or full buyouts of the venue are available and allow you to leverage the space that will best support your vision.  

Upstairs at Caroline

621 Congress Ave. STE 201, Austin, TX 78701, United States

The DJ-friendly, outdoor social deck at Upstairs at Caroline comes equipped with games such as giant Jenga, corn hole, and checkers to entertain your guests. Inside, the wrap-around bar offers a focal point to the relaxed lounge space where guests can sit back, chat, and get to know one another.

Why we love it: featuring classic TexMex menus to align with the casual, backyard vibe of the space, Upstairs at Caroline lends itself well to conversation and networking events and is a low-lift yet effective venue to facilitate a memorable event from dinners to receptions. 

Restaurants

Geraldine’s

605 Davis St, Austin, TX 78701, United States

Located in Austin’s chic  Hotel Van Zandt, Geraldine’s Restaurant features an incredible seasonal menu of shareable plates and unique cocktail offerings. They have nightly entertainment if you’re stopping by for dinner, or offer talent booking services and use of their built-in stage for private events. The semi-private, raised dining space offers views directly into the kitchen to see the chefs at work, while the decor is unique and features chandeliers made of repurposed brass instruments.

Why we love it: the food at Geraldine’s is consistently fabulous—if you happen to see the Texas Redfish on the menu, it’s become a team favorite! For an upscale team or executive dinner, to a cocktail reception buyout, Geraldine’s offers flexibility and quality in event planning and delivering an excellent experience each time.

Fareground

111 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701, United States

Fareground is a unique, food hall-style restaurant , featuring a number of local eateries with a variety of cuisines. They have a selection of event spaces to leverage for private events, including the upper Ellis deck for smaller groups. Part of the space is situated under a large tree draped in string lights, the interior feels like a  marketplace with storefronts, and the primary outdoor space has a large patio and stage built into the hillside lawn.

Why we love it: centrally located to our favorite hotels, Fareground provides easy off-site access for event attendees. The variety of casual spaces easily accommodate different demographics and group sizes.

The Peacock

600 W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701, United States

With floor-to-ceiling windows and colorful decor accents, you’ll find The Peacock Mediterranean Grill on the ground floor of the boutique Proper Hotel serving up a variety of delectable sharing style dishes that will make your mouth water. The entire space (including the bathrooms!) is artfully designed with rich jewel tones and natural wood, pairing well with the thoughtfully crafted food and cocktail menus.

Why we love it: aside from celebrity spotting (when we were there we spotted Ted Danson & Mary Steenburgen!), the welcoming atmosphere and  delicious food set The Peacock apart.The shareable plates mean you get to try a little bit of everything, and there wasn’t a single dish on the table that we wouldn’t recommend.. 

BONUS: After a long event day or lots of walking and taking in the city, have an amazing time while getting home safely by calling Austin’s Your Karaoke Fun Cab at 512-629-8556—our trip home turned into an impromptu team building session as we sung along to Sweet Dreams Are Made By This by Eurythmics. Or, if you’re not quite ready to rest your feet, we highly recommend a dance party at Barbarella. With an iconic music variety, they’re known as the “dance club for people who don’t like dance clubs.”  

Each of the spaces mentioned above have something special to offer; whether good food, Austin charm, unique event space or social experiences, we at LOMA look forward to revisiting any of these venues in the future and are already looking forward to our next time in town to keep exploring what other gems we can uncover while on location.

Where to next? Need help finding your next event destination? Get in touch with us! 

By: Angelica Dimapindan

A key part of the event planning process is contingency planning. As planners, we need to look at the big picture to try and predict all the different scenarios we could encounter on-site. And while this is definitely one of the ways to create a successful event, it’s critical to simultaneously never forget the smaller details.

At LOMA Agency, one of our values is the devil is in the details! That’s why a part of our pre-planning event strategy is to pack up all the important supplies we might need on-site in our event supply kit and bring that with us wherever we go. 

We have found that having a thorough event supply kit has not only made our lives easier, but it has reduced expenses on-site and brought added value to the trust-relationship with our clients — they are always so pleasantly surprised to have access to a variety of supplies as needed. 

While it may not contain a floor lamp like Ms. Poppins’ does (though you can try to bring one), it sure is magical!

Here are some categories to think about when assembling your very own event supply kit:

Things that you don’t use daily

Yes, that’s right! Our experience being on-site has shown us that office supplies we do not use on the daily are sometimes the ones we need the most. For example, think about including chimes to get attendees attention and back in session, or an audience counter to track room capacity/attendance.

Things that you do use daily

We like to bring a mini version of our office supply drawer wherever our events take us. While a hotel will definitely have pens for you, having a couple of extra boxes in various colours never hurts. Aside from pens, include items like post-it notes, highlighters, blank thank you cards, tent card stock, tape, scissors and the most prized possession: an exacto knife (or two!) to open all those boxes! 

First aid and safety

While you likely won’t need a full first aid kit (most venues should have supplies onsite as well as a defibrillator), the severity of an unexpected case may not be high enough to get venue staff involved, and sometimes you need to access things quickly. 

To be prepared, bring the essentials, such as small packs of tissues, Band-Aids, Polysporin, an ice pack, Tylenol or Advil. These always come in handy!

Tools

Did a hammer come to mind when you read the title of this section? Maybe not, but that is exactly the kind of thing you would find in our kit (and yes, if you’re wondering, this bag gets checked)! Another useful tool to include is a set of mini screwdrivers, which are especially helpful for set-up and tear-down of those pesky pop-up banners and backdrops.

Tech supplies 

Since we rely heavily on our devices (laptops and phones, etc.), it’s a nice touch to bring extra charging cables that everyone can leverage. No need to run up to your room to charge your phone or worry about losing your personal items — create a mini charging hub in your event office. 

We also like to include electronic supplies such as adaptors, USB drives, and dongles! Anything that can be useful when you have last-minute changes and tech requests. Everyone, from your fellow planning team to your client and suppliers, will appreciate it.

In Conclusion

Your event supply kit is your way to expect the unexpected. It’s an extension of your office in the form of a box you ship to your venue location in advance or a suitcase you check on to your flight. Whatever form it takes, remember to think through the day-to-day activities on-site and what you might need, but also anticipate in advance the possible surprises that may pop up.

Additional questions you could ask yourself to help build your kit are:

1. What supplies do you usually have to buy once on-site, or have you found the venue/hotel cannot provide?
2. What have you been asked for at previous events by your clients or vendors?
3. What was something small that you wished you had in the past to make life a little easier? 

At the end of the day having access to all these supplies at your fingertips will help prevent any additional stress onsite and free up time and resources to pull off an amazing event.

Share with us what your event kit looks like by tagging @loma_agency on Instagram or LOMA Agency on LinkedIn.

By: Amy Gaskin & Yana Verbitskaia, CMP

As events professionals, we hear all the time from people not in the industry how glamourous and exciting our jobs must be—the jet setting, the décor budgets, the menu tastings. It all looks, from the outside, like “planning parties” is a dream job.

What those same people don’t see are the countless hours spent updating presentation content, the thousands of names on an Excel spreadsheet representing a city-wide, multi-hotel room block, unexpected technology glitches on a platform you’ve tested for months, the preparation of a warehouse full of gifting, and the seemingly non-stop stream of challenges to solve.

Sleepless nights and 12+ hour days all add up to the satisfaction of executing a seamless and memorable event, followed by the inevitable “event hangover”, full of reconciliations, budgets, and invoices.

But the role we play is about so much more than the challenges we deal with. As meeting and events planners, we get to build incredible connections, nurture a wide range of meaningful and strategic relationships, make out-of-the-box brainstorms come to life in creative ways, and ultimately, bring people together.

It takes a specific kind of person to not only manage, but enjoy, this uniquely challenging career.

In honour of Global Meetings Industry Day, we have created an infographic overview outlining some of the key traits it takes to survive (and THRIVE) as a meeting and events planner.

Missing one (or all) of these traits? We can help! Contact us at LOMA Agency (info@lomaagency.com) to find out how we can put all of our planner skills to work for you to help you build an amazing event experience.

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Modern Leader: Your Voice in Health and Well-Being Advocacy

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a day to celebrate the successes of women’s progress, as well as serve as a call to action to address ongoing gender disparities globally. This year, the 2023 IWD theme focused on how we can collectively #EmbraceEquity.

On Wednesday March 8, LOMA Agency and Workzen celebrated IWD 2023 with an open dialogue between LOMA Agency’s Tamsynn Moodley and Workzen Founder Sikin Samji on women’s heath and gender equity. We’ve recapped our fireside conversation for you below.

Kicking Things Off

The conversation began with Sikin reminding us that women’s health issues have always been undervalued. Throughout history women’s health has been neglected or viewed to be inferior even as far back by influential philosophers such as Aristotle. Much of their bias or view on women’s health has carried through years of medical practices and how society views women.

Today, we see that progress is being made toward the equality of women’s physical health, however, a large part of health and wellbeing includes mental health. It is here that we begin to understand the interlaced connection between women’s burnout, gender equity and why we need to address it.

Burnout – The Cause

Burnout has become a prevalent subject in today’s world, especially coming out of a global pandemic. However, what has not been discussed in depth is how burnout is affecting predominantly women.

Studies show that women experience burnout at a higher rate than men. And while the World Health Organization defines burnout as it relates specifically to the workplace, burnout can take on other forms – emotional, mental, or physical. Despite the type of burnout, it is important to know that burnout is disproportionately affecting women’s progress globally. While diving further into the conversation, we explored one potential reason why this is the case.

Today, women are balancing a variety of roles while relentlessly striving for professional progress, all while they continuing to face challenges both in and out of the workplace. Women battle wage gaps, daily macro, and micro aggressions, have limited access to leadership opportunities, and continue to be caregivers to those around them. These daily challenges combine over time and cause a women’s mental health to suffer – forcing many women to step out or away from the workplace or leave leadership roles completely. When this happens, we risk taking steps backward on the progress efforts towards gender equality.

Burnout – The Signs

After discussing what causes burnout, we began to focus on what burnout looks like. Being able to recognize the signs is an important part in developing strategies to mitigate or help prevent it.

Sikin shared some classic signs that women should look out for. These include:

• Physical exhaustion
• Cynicism
• Lack of motivation
• Simply feeling overwhelmed

Although these are classic signs, it was throughout our continued exchange that we were reminded that how one experiences burnout is subjective, and that burnout can look different for each person.

Burnout: Ambition & Limits

Our conversation then led us into discussing self-capacity as it relates to ambition. Does high ambition automatically sign you up for burnout? What we concluded is that having drive or ambition is not the problem. The real issue is not understanding your personal capacity.

When women continuously push through their limits/boundaries – whether that be because they are ambitious, or because they are strong , or because they have a desire to advance in their career, they begin unhealthy habits of not listening to themselves. By constantly pushing themselves beyond what is sustainable, women risk burnout or continue to live with it.

Learning to identify when to stop pushing through (learning your capacity), means that you need to listen to yourself – your gut, because when you listen to your gut it never lies and can provide you with a great sense of where you need to draw the line so you can firmly advocate for yourself.

Six Core Elements of Self Discovery

I was able to ask Sikin, how we develop knowledge or awareness to advocate for ourselves. She shared with us what she calls the “six core elements of self discovery“. These elements are:

1. Relation
2. Spirit
3. Mind
4. Body
5. Emotion
6. Environment

The purpose of these six elements is to understand you at your core and help you recognize when something does not align with who you are.

You start by going through each element to develop your values and non-negotiables. With these six elements you can identify the things within yourself that you can control and develop a personal balance scale to help you maintain a healthy view of what you are seeing or living each day. This way, if something is off in one of the six areas, you can identify it (self knowledge) and you can use the elements as a way to help address your limits.

Collective Activism

As the conversation came to a close, we journeyed from self-advocacy to collective activism and how those around us can help support women.

We explored how an inclusive environment built by those around us can help mitigate burnout. Being in an inclusive environment means that your feelings or your voice on your capacity are not minimized or shut down and that you can freely express your boundaries without any repercussions.

This is important because for many years women have kept pushing past their limits ignoring the signs of burnout because their feelings around mental health have been discouraged, silenced, or seen as a weakness.

Along with creating an inclusive environment, leaders in the workplace can also help foster an environment that models healthy boundaries and balance. We discussed how leaders reflect and set the standard for work culture – the way your team works is highly influenced by you.

We closed this part of our conversation with an important reminder for leaders which is, that it is not just about how you are showing up to do the work, but how you are showing up for the people you work with based on your actions. Our conversation allowed us to see the importance of changing the systemic hustle culture and creating a culture that supports women’s work life balance and their mental health.

Even though IWD 2023 has come and gone, having an ongoing dialogue like this reminds us that we as a society still have work to do as we navigate the journey towards embracing women’s equity and that a women’s mental health and well being is a global issue.

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By: Angelica Dimapindan & Amy Gaskin

When the 2022 LOMA List was released in January of this year, we wanted to highlight the key shifts we anticipated seeing in the Meeting and Events Industry this year, and subsequently what these changes meant for the event planners navigating them. 

As we wrap up 2022, it’s time for us to look back on 2022, from our projections to the programs we executed – and all the lessons learned! 

Let’s revisit the 2022 LOMA List roadmap and compare it to the route we ended up navigating as our new normal emerged.

COVID-19 in 2022

In January, we continued to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and how it was affecting our industry, reviewing various MPI (Meeting Professionals International) resources (Summer 2021, Fall 2021) which predicted favourable business conditions throughout 2022. As such, our first post focussed on best practices and considerations for health and safety to keep in mind throughout the year for in-person events as conditions changed. Now that the year is drawing to a close, how did we do?

1. Masking & Testing Mandates

Gone are the days of strict masking and testing guidelines, but it is still important to focus on safety and make everyone feel at ease. With different rules in every jurisdiction, many clients chose to offer masks and rapid antigen tests at their events. By either adding wellness materials such as these and other items like hand sanitizer to swag bags or placing them at the registration and high touch areas, attendees knew where to access these items and any support they needed to focus on their wellness and increase confidence while on-site.

2. On-Site Screening & Wellness Support

For multi-day programs, we often hired an on-site Registered Nurse (RN) to be available to support with any health and wellness concerns. Whether it was just easing an attendee mind, or facilitating testing or even providing  B12 vitamin boosters for our planning team, having an on-site wellness team was an invaluable resource that we will continue to recommend for all events going forward.

3. Communication is Key

Developing a healthy and safety contingency plan with your client is a simple and effective way to ensure all parties are aware of the steps to take should an emergency situation arise. We recommend establishing a priority response communication system/tree to align on procedures and expectations for various scenarios. For example, the process of disclosing a positive on-site COVID test to attendees, through pre-event communications and onsite signage, including reminders not to attend if they are feeling unwell and providing flexible cancellation policies that support.

BOOKING TALENT YOU LOVE

Our next LOMA List post discussed top tips for booking the best talent for in-person or virtual events. With the emphasis this year on returning to in-person, we saw another shift in preferences and priorities for selecting talent and making the most of their presence on-site. 

Here are a few of our key takeaways from the year:

1. Weighing the Benefits of Local  

One of the benefits of having talent appear virtually is saving on the additional fees associated with travel, accommodation, etc., of bringing a performer onsite; however, hiring in-person talent doesn’t have to break the bank to deliver a memorable experience. 

Sourcing talent locally offers many benefits, for example we found an incredible partner in DJ Jennie who, being based in Florida, knew our venue and was already familiar with the space and venue staff. She performed on three separate occasions for the same event, each in a different space and for a different audience, but always with a fun and engaging energy. 

In other cases, clients found the extra cost completely worth it to bring in someone familiar; for example, flying in DJ StokeS from Toronto to Ottawa for the Canadian Nurses Foundation’s annual fundraising event had everyone dancing the night away and was a big part of the evening’s success. 

Decide where your priorities are – Budget? Name recognition? Experience? – and explore your options because you never know who you might discover!

2. Make it Personal

Event marketers know how to create spectacular experiences but, when it comes to VIPs and programming, “S” also stands for making them feel Special. 

When booking talent, have the conversation around what could be incorporated into any auxiliary programming as an extra wow factor. We have seen keynote speakers and entertainment such as Michael Phelps and Brittany Howard participate in happy hours, lunches, or meet and greets that add tremendous value to your VIPs’ experience.

But wait – don’t stop at auxiliary VIP programming: consider if there are ways to incorporate this kind of surprise and delight for the wider audience as well. The Great Place to Work For All Summit, for example, hosted book signings with authors like James D. White, allowing attendees to engage one on one with the speaker and get a valuable content keepsake to take home.

3. Draw on Your Surroundings

With attendees excited at the opportunity to travel again, we saw so much success in highlighting activities and characters unique to your event destination. At an event in Orlando, we had a surprise appearance from Mickey and Minnie Mouse and created a station where attendees could make their own mouse ears to match. This small part of the program brought a little bit of magic to differentiate the typical conference experience. 

BRIDGING THE GAP

Over the last few months, our focus turned to the emerging demand for hybrid experiences; both in terms of producing hybrid events and continuing to focus on working effectively with hybrid teams. 

Here are just a few of our favourite strategies that we put to the test this year, to make everyone feel included. 

1. Remote but Connected

Some people have an LDR (Long Distance Relationship), but most people have an LDC (Long Distance Colleague) – and the LOMA team is no exception! 

Since our team is spread across North America, the in-person events we support also contribute to our team-building opportunities; whether a dinner out with lots of laughs, a picnic on a hotel room floor, or a Wellness Day at the spa to celebrate a successful program, we work hard AND play hard – surprise virtual Escape Room, anyone?  

2. Curating Equitable Experiences

Not everyone is ready to return to in-person events, others cannot travel or do not have the time to attend in-person, and we’ve seen a continued demand for virtual experiences to make sure no one feels like they’re missing out. 

One of the most common ways to offer hybrid experiences is livestreaming sessions – but production value plays an important role in offering seamless experiences for those joining remotely. For Coconut Software’s employee retreat, we worked closely with the venue AV team to offer multiple camera angles, microphones, and a designated Zoom tech to watch the stream, incorporate Q&A from virtual attendees and make sure audio and video elements were clear and in a high-quality format. 

3. Leveraging Mailers

In May, we discussed digital and physical mailer options, which continued to be a popular way to offer reach remote audiences. 

We saw mailers used in a few different ways, whether as campaigns for all attendees, or targeted programs for virtual audiences only. The latter often had curated activity packages delivered alongside specialized experiences from sushi making to wine tasting. One event used a chocolate tasting from experience provider Wavy, as an opportunity for their remote team members to connect, while a sales session hosted a tea tasting with tea sommelier Katie Cyr of Monarch Tea Co., to network with prospective clients. 

No matter the purpose, mailers consistently make audiences feel special and go above and beyond in bridging the gap between the virtual and physical.

FOOD & BEVERAGE SERVICE

Finally, we took a look at the food and beverage part of events, exploring how new health and safety recommendations combined with ever-evolving dietary requirements and the ongoing importance of sustainability and mindfulness in menu planning. 

Here are just a few things our team noticed this year when it came to F&B:

1. Ongoing Staff Shortages

With staffing issues continuing to affect the hospitality industry, it is more important than ever to over-communicate with your venue/hotel staff and, where possible, allow yourself additional buffer time to respond to any unforeseen circumstances –  hello, Hurricane Ian! 

From delays in response time in the pre-planning stage, to additional communication challenges on-site such as ensuring dietary restrictions and allergens are accurately labelled, extra vigilance is imperative in the current climate to ensure the attendee event experience doesn’t suffer.

2. Provide Outdoor Seating Options

Where possible, allow attendees to have the option to eat their meal outdoors. Many clients took advantage of the opportunity highlighting local food trucks at a reception or welcome events to get everyone mingling in outdoor parks, plazas, etc. When the weather allows, not only is this an opportunity to mix up the standard hotel fare but allows attendees a welcome breath of fresh air and change of scenery amidst a packed agenda. 

3. Sustainability is Here to Stay

This year, creating a sustainable menu also meant offering an inclusive one, as we saw more and more attendees demanding plant-based options, even those without dietary/allergy restrictions. 

This is no longer a trend but the future. Incorporating meat alternatives and vegetarian options into your standard menu limits food waste, can lower costs, and ensure that there’s something for everyone…plus its better for the planet! 

Wrap Up

What a year it has been! Our team at LOMA Agency would like to express how grateful we are for a wonderful year full of events, virtual, in-person and everything in between! 

Getting to be together with clients, seeing the excitement of attendees as we brought programs to life, we have so much to appreciate about our industry and what we’ve overcome these last few years.

This year was one of learning and re-learning – the road was a bumpy one, but thanks to our amazing clients and partners we were able to navigate it successfully. 

2023 is just around the corner and we look forward to a new year, new journey all the exciting events ahead. 

By: Mari Lucco

Calendars are full, countdowns to the next holiday are in full swing, and the rush to hit 2022 goals are here. As we reflect and embark on a month of gratitude, there is a lot to be grateful for. 

Here are a few things we are grateful for at LOMA Agency:

First and foremost, our clients:

Our clients allow us to do what we love each and every day. Each day when we log-in we know we are partnering with organizations that are doing incredible work. We feel so fortunate to play a role in so many exciting initiatives that involve us creating strategic creative experiences. 

This past year, we have continued to focus on creating moments to remember. Oftentimes, we use the location of the event to inspire the unique moments we create for attendees. For example, in May, Lever hosted their annual employee retreat Converge in San Diego, so we leveraged the opportunity and attendees were able to participate in whale watching during a choose your own adventure afternoon. While 7Shifts was attending the National Restaurant Association tradeshow in Chicago, we supported an offsite VIP event which was hosted at the iconic Wrigley Field offering a behind the scenes tour and an in-game experience. Lastly, just last month we supported the Great Place to Work_® team on their For All^TM Summit in Orlando, where we added a little Disney magic by having Mickey and Minnie stop by the social event for a photo op that had attendees with big grins traveling back to their childhood.  

Flexibility: 

It is obvious that over the last 22 months everyone has had to learn new skills while adapting to our ‘new normal’. At LOMA Agency, we had to learn the best way to implement and support virtual event technology and create virtual experiences that were personal, engaging, and fun.  It has also been important to create a sense of community at virtual events. This past September, the Park People Conference found a simple way to encourage attendees to network and have two-way conversations by leveraging virtual lounges after presentations, creating a comforting place for organic conversation. Another virtual event earlier this year that we ensured had personal and engaging moments, was part of a three-part event series hosted by Nudge – Spilling the tea with Deskless trailblazers. This virtual event started with an activity, a chocolate and tea tasting hosted by Monarch Tea Co., then moved into a panel conversation led by C-Suite leaders who discussed the current challenges facing frontline workers. 

Virtual events are here to stay now complimenting in-person events with a hybrid strategy, and they have challenged us to become more flexible and thoughtful in our planning and execution.  Looking back on the multiple virtual events we have produced in 2022, we are grateful for our ability to be agile and will continue to bring that energy into hybrid events moving forward in 2023 and beyond.

Colleagues that bring out the best in each other:

At LOMA Agency, we are fortunate to have a team full of wise, fun, creative and supportive teammates. Each Monday with coffee or tea in hand, we meet for our weekly kick-off that is the perfect balance of productivity and laughter. This is the perfect start to the week as we get to see each other first thing in the morning, catch up on our weekends, and share updates on various projects.

It is scheduled as a meeting, but it is so much more. It is time where we share happy moments, brainstorm solutions to roadblocks, and get to see all our projects progress forward, together. It may sound cliché, but at LOMA Agency there really is no I in team. Each event we plan we work together. When one person’s workload is heavy others step in and support, and because of that we are better for it. 

Being surrounded by colleagues that bring you joy is special and being surrounded by a team that brings out the best in one another is certainly something to be grateful for. 

In-person events are back:

In-person events are back, and we are so excited to be in full execution mode. 

The magic of event days- the set-up, tear down, seeing people smiling and mingling, your Apple Watch clocking 20,000 steps from all the hustle and bustle. After months of building a roadmap to the event and collaborating with caterers, venues, florists, entertainers, A/V and many other supplies, the event arrives. This is the moment where we get to witness how big and small decisions along the planning process leads to creating incredible moments and experiences for attendees. 

After nearly two years without in-person events, being together again IRL (In Real Life) is AMAZING!  

Simple ways to practice gratitude year-round:

For some reason it seems like the year passes us by, but November is a time for reflection and reminds us of how fortunate we are. 

However, why only focus on gratitude during the month of November? Here are a few simple ways to practice gratitude year-round. 

• Each morning when you wake up say one thing you are grateful for out loud
• Each evening, write down 3 things you are grateful for
• At the end of the week, write a short sentence on what brought you joy that week 
• Meditate and reflect on your life regularly 
• Vocalize your gratitude and appreciation to someone in your life. 

We are grateful for our community and appreciate you taking the time to read our blog. Please share what you are grateful for and tag us @loma_agency.

By: Yana Verbitskaia

The people are coming, the people are coming—or are they? We’re back to live events, and those require…attendees!

Whether it’s 25 or 25,000, you’re going to need an idea of how many to expect and who they are. Welcome to the launching ground for most events: registration.

While there are many factors to consider when designing your event registration process, don’t fret. This doesn’t have to be a nightmare of spreadsheets and email overload. 

Here are a few key things to consider when building your plan.

Event Scale & Format

The two main factors that typically inform your event registration plan are event size and budget (more on budget later). 

When it comes to registration software, the options are endless, ranging from cheap and cheerful (read: free) RSVP tools, to robust, customizable full-service solutions that allow you build out unique experiences for different groups, create add-ons and options, and customize a registration flow that works for your group. 

For a small event of 25 guests, you may not need a robust solution. Something quick, affordable, and turn-key, like Eventbrite, may suit your needs.

If your event will host more people, span a few days, require attendees to pre-register for sessions, or allow guests to book hotel rooms, then you may benefit from a more expansive technology such as Cvent or Bizzabo. Both of these options (and others like them) offer additional services such as onsite badge printing solutions and mobile app integrations which allow you to create a seamless holistic event experience for attendees.

Going hybrid? You may want to explore solutions that not only cover your registration process, but also allow for virtual session streaming, engagement tools, and other features that will help you connect your in-person and virtual attendees, all in one platform.

Don’t feel restricted by your guest count or event format to dictate your next steps. A small but very VIP group may benefit from more premium solutions than a large but less engaged audience. And your hybrid event might require less robust registration than you think.

You know your demographic better than anyone, so tailor your plan to suit their needs.

Budget

An important first step is to consider your overall event budget, especially around branding and technology. If you are making significant investments into the look and feel of your event, it would be a shame for an attendee’s very first impression (your registration page) to be inefficient, lackluster, or inconsistent with the brand. The more robust technology solutions offer elevated design versatility that allow you to present a sleek and cohesive first peek.

Do you have an existing budget line item for registration? If not, don’t fret! There are plenty of options for all budget sizes.. As mentioned above, there are very useful free or inexpensive solutions out there. Alternatively, you can build a business case for why it’s worth investing additional budget in ensuring you have robust, useful attendee data at the end of your event—especially if the event will repeat year after year. 

If you do decide to pay for registration software, think through potential costs like software licenses, per-registration fees, financial transaction fees, and your onsite requirements to make sure you’re accounting for the full potential expense and there are no surprises.

And don’t forget about ancillary registration costs like branded lanyards, staffing, and other giveaways like branded swag or fun identification ribbons!

Integrations & Workflow

In our technology-centric world, there is a digital solution to so many (formerly tedious) workflow processes, from managing customer information to invoicing and finance. Many of these software providers have identified opportunities to partner with complementary services through integrations that allow the movement of data back and forth in real time. This reduces the manual and tedious work that comes with updating spreadsheets, data entry and the overload of back-and-forth emails. We’ll take it! 

When it comes to registration software integrations, the big one is payment. Are there registration fees associated with your event? If so, what technology do you have or need in order to process payments? This will feed into your onsite experience as well. If you allow payments on arrival, you need a mechanism for that (and maybe even some hardware rentals). When speaking to potential vendors, be sure to discuss their integration with various payment processors, and whether they can help you set one up if you don’t already have an existing solution in place. Talk through service fees and how those will be charged. Will you cover those costs as the organizer, or pass the transaction fee along to the attendee?

Outside of the finance department, consider the other tools your organization uses (ex. customer relationship management solutions such as Salesforce). Many companies rely on these tools to track how their events contribute or influence the sales pipelines and bottom line. These data touchpoints can help you build a case for the cost of registration software and for the value of your events as a whole. A word of warning: these kinds of integrations can be a huge undertaking so, before jumping in, involve your key stakeholders like systems administrators and sales teams to first ensure it would be a useful endeavour. 

And finally, are you helping guests manage their hotel and/or travel arrangements by offering access to a group room block? There are now various solutions, such as Passkey integrations, that allow you to include travel and hotel bookings right into the registration process. We have all spent time buried in travel manifests and hotel rooming lists, and no matter how organized you are, it can at times feel chaotic. It may be a welcome addition to your workflow to add some automation to this lengthy process. 

Data

When designing your registration process, you’ll want to think through the various pieces of information you need from attendees and include those in your registration form. Here are just a few standard fields to get you started:

• First Name
• Last Name
• Company Name
• Title
• Email Address
• Address
• Phone Number
• Dietary Restrictions
• Accessibility Requirements
• Shirt Size

These details will come in handy onsite but consider also what demographic information you may need to use for future planning and include those fields as needed. 

A key consideration in today’s digital age is data privacy compliance and security. There are robust regulations in North America and Europe on data privacy, so it’s an important conversation to have with your IT team and registration software provider to ensure you’re not violating any rules.  

Onsite Solutions

Most events provide attendees with a name badge upon check-in. This primarily allows them to access various components of the event but also helps to facilitate networking between your guests.

If you have a small group of attendees, all of whom will be confirmed in advance, you can easily spare yourself the expense of an onsite solution and opt for pre-printed name badges that can be designed and customized to your liking by a provider such as pc/nametag. 

Larger crowds may require an on-demand badge printing solution onsite which will allow you to minimize line-ups and avoid manual searching and sorting. These also allow you to easily capture additional guest information onsite, if needed.

Depending on your pre-event solution, you may be working with a provider that can walk you through your onsite registration options. There are so many options for name badges, lanyards, printing capabilities, technology needs, physical space requirements, and check-in kiosks that you can scale up or down as needed. 

Discuss with your event stakeholders what’s important for them onsite:

• Does your sales team need to easily identify customers? 
• Do you want to make sure VIPs receive any special messaging or treatment? 
• Do guests require a ticket or identifier to access certain sessions or events?

These factors will determine what other items you might need to incorporate, such as different lanyard colours, pins, check-in notifications, or dedicated check-in stations for various groups. Make sure you’re staying in touch with your venue to keep them in the loop on your plans and set-up needs, as you’ll likely need access to power, dedicated internet bandwidth, and more.

Staff

At this point, you’ve done all the pre-work and you have a database full of people that are arriving momentarily to enjoy the fruits of your labour. The last and possibly most important piece of the registration puzzle is your registration staff.

Each member of your registration team represents a guest’s first impression of your event. Are they energetic, friendly, and knowledgeable? Because that’s what will set them apart and make your guests feel well taken care of. Make sure your team is well versed on things like the event agenda, locations of key areas like restrooms and coat check, and event details like the wi-fi password and mobile app download instructions. Think through your team’s outfitting to ensure they are easily identifiable in a crowd—fun accessories like “Ask Me!” pins or similar can make your team easy to spot and more approachable.

Don’t forget that the venue staff can also be seen as an extension of your team. Keep them informed regarding your agenda and event locations so that they can help direct traffic and guide your guests accurately. 

Registration can feel like an overwhelming task and, without proper planning, can take up valuable time and resources leading up to the event and onsite. Thankfully, the registration process is something that can be managed by a third-party, like LOMA, if you don’t have the time to manage it yourself. This frees up your time spent answering attendee inquiries in the months, weeks and days leading up to the event so that you can focus on critical strategic areas like content and sponsorship.

We’d love to hear from you! To learn more about how we can help support your program, contact us at info@lomaagency.com or toll free 1-877-322-4130 ext. 201.

By Kurt Mungal

It may sound a little dramatic, but a poorly executed menu can make or break your next event. You can have the most engaging speakers, the most fabulous swag bags, and be in the most exclusive venue, but if the food is bad, you’ll be hearing about it. 

Part of what makes planning for food and beverage so tricky is that it’s always changing. Diets, fads, budgets, the environment—oh I don’t know—a global pandemic? All these things can influence not only what you serve, but how you serve it. 

That’s why we’ve put together a list of some of the most common F&B faux pas you need to avoid, so your next meal service is a scrumptious success. 

Forgetting to put health and safety at the forefront…

While we’re thrilled to be able to gather in-person again to create live experiences, food safety and handling measures should still be considered, as your guests may be arriving from locales with different restrictions and varying comfort levels. Depending on the size, location, and format of your event, this could look different each time. There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to safety. That said, some ideas include serving meals in well-ventilated rooms, ensuring tables and seating areas are adequately spread out, providing easy (and visible) access to hand sanitizer stations, and requesting that kitchen staff and other food handlers wear masks and gloves. 

Most venues will already have COVID-safety regulations in place that you can implement, but this is your event. If there are additional measures you’d like to see included, talk to your venue or caterer and work together to find a solution that best fits your destination and your group. After all, the health and safety of your guests is (and should be) your number one priority. 

Keeping attendees trapped inside for too long…

Now that summer is officially behind us (cue the tears), those of us who do not live in tropical climates are mentally preparing to spend more time inside…but maybe we don’t have to? Food trucks and street vendors are not only a fun way to surprise and delight guests during an event, but they also give your audience a chance to get some fresh air, get on their feet, and move around. 

Think about it—how many times have you been to a multi-day event at hotel or convention centre and thought to yourself, “Have I even been outside today?” We’ve all been there, and it doesn’t feel good when we the realization strikes. In a time when air flow and ventilation are critical to ensuring the safety of large crowds, why not find new and exciting ways to lure your crowd outdoors? Even if it’s cold! After all, that’s what a hot chocolate or mulled wine truck is for. 

Plus, most major cities have signature cuisines and caterers that are favoured by the locals, so it’s a great way to supplement the menu being served at your venue. 

Catering only for the majority…

The list of dietary restrictions seems to be growing every year. Fortunately, most chefs and caterers are familiar with even the most niche diets out there. Whether your guests are vegan, keto, kosher, vegetarian, pescatarian, gluten-intolerant, lactose-intolerant, or heck maybe they’re only eating foods harvested when mercury is in retrograde—= they deserve a delicious and satisfying meal. This might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised by how often even vegetarians are left to cobble a meal together with only “sides.” 

To ensure you’ve planned accordingly for all your guests, always ask for dietary restrictions at registration, and allow guests space to share their specific needs. For example, someone may not be a vegetarian, but they also do not eat pork specifically. Once you know all the diets you need to plan for, keep the following in mind when selecting a menu:

• Have a protein option available for all diets. Vegetarians and vegans do not only want to eat a plate of pasta or portobello mushroom shaped like a steak. 
• Clearly label allergens or alerts for all foods that are self-serve (such as on a buffet table) so that no one mistakenly eats something that could make them sick. 
• Identify guests who have a unique or rare dietary request at registration so that they feel reassured their needs will be met and have clear instructions on where to go to find their meals, if they are to be served separately (e.g., kosher diets, nut allergies, etc.). 

Ignoring what has been working for the last two years…

Single-serving and pre-packaged meals/snacks are certainly not new, but they saw a resurgence in the last two years, and with good reason. Food and beverages served in this method can be sealed for safety and be labelled to communicate freshness. Also, with so many events taking place online the last two years, many caterers became creative and found ways to package their meals for shipping so guests could enjoy them at home. At this point, single-serving and pre-packaged meals can be as elevated or as simple as you want them to be.

In addition to being a COVID-friendly method of meal service, there are a wide variety of benefits to serving pre-packaged meals:

• It can help to cut down on food waste as your guests can save what they don’t finish to enjoy later. 
• Wait times and line-ups are shorter as attendees can simply grab and go. 
• Caterers can clearly label ingredients so that everyone is aware of what they’re eating. 
• Leftovers are easier to disperse to staff and guests after the event. 

Of course, not every event is suitable for pre-packaged meals, and that’s okay. If you’re seeking to provide a more traditional experience for your audience and opt to serve a plated meal, consider serving dessert pre-packaged as a “takeaway.” It’s a great opportunity to leave each person with a note of thanks, incorporate some memorable branding, and speed up meal service if needed.

Eating “junk” and creating waste…

Finally, and arguably most importantly, is the importance of promoting healthy bodies and a healthy planet. Given all the health challenges so many of us have faced over the last two years, healthy eating is more important than ever, and it has nothing to do body size. 

More and more people want food that will fuel and energize them, especially at events and functions where they’re expected to network, engage, or perform over the course of a day, or maybe a few days. This might explain why plant-based diets are growing in popularity. Not only are they notably good for our bodies, but they’re also good for the planet by reducing our carbon footprint. But don’t just stop at the food—think about all the ways you can be sustainable in your food service at an event. For example, can you serve food in materials that are recyclable or compostable? And how will you and your caterer handle waste? Is there a local shelter or organization you can partner with to ensure food does not simply get thrown out? 

Plan with your venue or caterer well in advance of your event so that you can feel good about the mark you leave after everyone’s gone home. 

Do you have a food and beverage no-no that you want to share? Tag us @loma_agency or say hello and let us know how we can help take the guess work out of F&B at your next event.

By: Kurt Mungal

Picture this…it’s the early morning and you’re back onsite producing a large-scale conference after almost three, long years. Deep breaths—it’s good to be back!

As the lead planner, you’re ensuring all the sessions, speakers, and guests are supported, and running point between the venue, catering, and your tech crew to make certain that everything is running on schedule. Meanwhile, your Slack is blowing up with questions from the client, vendors for various other logistics are pinging you on WhatsApp, and the speakers’ bureau is calling to let you know that the keynote you finally booked at the eleventh-hour after weeks of wrangling? Yeah well, they got the time mixed up and now they have a conflict. And if you have any room left in your already-overcrowded brain to think about yourself (gasp!), you’re probably trying to stuff your face with some food since you haven’t eaten in over 10 hours and would rather not pass out on the job. 

This is the life of an event planner, and for better for worse, it requires mastering the art of multi-tasking daily. It’s no wonder the job is listed as one of the most stressful jobs in the world.

But as with most things in life, if you love what you’re doing, and are fortunate enough to do it with a great team on your side like we are, even the toughest days can end with a smile. It also helps to have a developed  fool-proof arsenal of tips and tricks that help you juggle the multitude of tasks at hand, all while keeping a calm and cool demeanor (imagine a duck, floating gently on the water, all the while paddling madly down below).

So, with our collective experience, our team has compiled a list of best practices when it comes to learning how to master the art of multi-tasking when planning your next event.

If you fail to plan, plan to fail…

Being organized is key!,. If you’re preparing for an event and you haven’t leveraged key planning tools such as your project scope, workback schedule, and budget, you may be headed toward hiccup town.. However, by starting with a solid planning foundation that you, your team and partners can all build from, you are setting yourself up for success.

That said, equally (if not more) important isn’t just developing these tools, it’s updating them regularly. Create sub-checklists and to-do lists under certain items in your workback, check-in with your teams and partners on progress, prioritize tasks that are falling behind, and even de-prioritize tasks that can wait until the more pressing items are completed. 

Having the right tools and foundation leads to building a masterpiece.

Teamwork really does make the dream work…

The proverb is true “if you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together.”

Having a team you can trust and depend on is critical to the success of any event. The key word here is delegate. Each task you develop in your workback should not only have a team member assigned as the lead, but also a secondary team member assigned as their back-up. Not only does this ensure you have your bases covered, but it also relieves some of the pressure on your team to be able to take a sick day, go on vacation, or take a needed mental health break. 

Most importantly, have a backup plan for unexpected or unplanned personnel changes (e.g. medical or family emergencies). We’ve all heard the saying, “what if I got hit by a bus tomorrow?” Of course, we’d all like to think the world would stop on our behalf—I mean, we did just get hit by a bus! But the truth is, the event waits for no one. Communicate early on the chain-of-command, how will tasks shift and rotate in case of emergency, and where everyone can find the most up-to-date, approved event plan that they can refer to and keep things moving. 

Take care of you…

Planning an event is no joke. Sure, laughs are involved and putting on a smile when you greet your attendees at registration, but behind each smile is hours and hours of hard work, sleepless nights, and empty calories from stress-eating. But if the last three years have taught us anything, it’s that our health is our most valuable resource—both mentally and physically. 

No matter how tense things may be leading up to (and during) live event days, the goal should be to always try to get a full night’s sleep. Turn off all screens one hour before bedtime and give your body the time it needs to rest and recover from the day. During the day: hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. It’s so easy to forget to drink water when you’re running around all day putting out fires and getting those steps in, but your body and brain function at a more optimal level when hydrated. And sorry to be the one to tell you this, but coffee is not hydrating.  

Finally, remember that you have a team. Don’t try to be everywhere at once, and don’t expect them to be either. Rotate breaks and mealtimes so that everyone has a chance to sit down and have something to eat so they can recharge for the next round. 

Embrace the pivot…

Sometimes as planners it feels like someone threw a rubber ball inside the walls of our brain, and with each bounce, the ball activates a new topic or project we want (or need) to tackle. Bounce! Budget update. Bounce! Review swag. Bounce!Call the venue. 

We’re constantly pivoting between tasks, and even clients, to keep everything running smoothly. Embrace it! Part of the thrill of planning events is that no two days look the same, and if it did, we probably wouldn’t be having very much fun. If you’re staying on top of the deadlines outlined in your workback (remembering to delegate, prioritize, and de-prioritize as needed) you should allow yourself the freedom to pivot between tasks to keep things fun, interesting, and challenging for yourself. 

Know when to call it quits…

Events can be all-consuming. It’s easy to get carried away when it feels like you’re on a roll making progress with your tasks, or to get sucked into a task that suddenly takes way longer than it should. If it feels like you’re doing the latter and going down a rabbit hole on something that should be simple, take a step back or go for a walk to get perspective. Often experience will tell you what requires your full attention, but if you don’t know, ask. Sometimes  someone who isn’t as in the weeds as you, or someone who’s a bit more senior than you, can help you see the big picture and determine where you should be zeroing in and where you should be letting go. 

Once you’ve deciphered where you’re most needed, schedule focus time for yourself to get it done. Ideally this is a time where distractions are minimal. For example, do you work best at the top of the day before the day’s meetings and calls take over? Or are you better late afternoon once you’ve fueled up on caffeine and a snack? Also, what distractions can you turn off temporarily to allow yourself to stay on task? This is a good way to practise prioritizing the things that matter vs. the things that don’t. 

Most importantly, after a hard day’s (or night’s) work, call it quits. You’ve earned it! And you’re not going to be very helpful to your teams or your clients if you’re burned out. Put in the time when it’s required, and set boundaries for yourself to rest, recharge, and do something fun just for you—even if that something…is nothing. 

Celebrate your superpowers…

It’s no easy feat to take on one of the most stressful jobs in the world. Whether you’ve been in the industry for a month, a year, a decade, or this isn’t even your full time job and you’re taking on the responsibility at your organization, the fact that you can do what you do is worth celebrating. 

It’s easy to get bogged down about all the things that maybe didn’t go exactly according to plan, but the world of live events isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress. Recognize yourself and your teams for their hard work and the successes and learn from the challenges with empathy and compassion. 

Do you have any tips for mastering the art of multi-tasking? Tag us @loma_agency and to share them. If we can lend a hand, drop us a line at info@lomaagency.com. 

By: Yana Verbitskaia

Wearing a mask and social distancing are generally easy rules to follow, until you find yourself run-down and exhausted in an airport terminal, surrounded by eager travellers all breathing down your neck in a miles-long security checkpoint line.

When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, travel restrictions kept most of the world from getting on planes. Those who were able to travel, however, were faced with a wide range of requirements depending on the airline they were flying, the country (or state) they were visiting, and their personal health status. 

Slowly, as borders started to re-open, there was a big focus on sanitization and keeping travellers a safe distance apart. But as flights filled up to pre-pandemic levels, those restrictions started to relax, too. This puts more of the onus on the individual to ensure they are travelling as safely as possible. And it only gets more complicated as an event planner trying to bring a group of global attendees together for an event.

If you find yourself faced with this responsibility—fear not. We have compiled a brief checklist of things for your attendees (and you) to consider when it comes to travel after a global pandemic. Make sure to over communicate with your guests to ensure that they are well-prepared to attend your event and avoid any unexpected hiccups as they make their way to the destination. 

Before we begin, note that there are important considerations for both travelling to your destination and returning to your home country. It may be helpful to consider country-specific restrictions while you are in the destination selection process to see if there are any additional requirements you need to add to the checklist below.

Masking Restrictions

• Is a mask required on your flight? 
• Does it have to be a certain kind of mask (for example, an N95)?
• Will the airline provide extra masks in case yours is damaged or soiled?

Travel Insurance

• Does your travel insurance policy cover you for medical expenses in case you become ill and/or infected with COVID-19?
• Will it cover any flight rebooking fees and additional accommodations you may require until you are well enough to fly home?

Vaccination Requirements

• Is proof of vaccination required for your airline?
• Is proof of vaccination required for your destination country?
• Which specific vaccines (and how many doses) are acceptable?

Testing Requirements

• Is proof of a negative test required for your airline?
• Is proof of a negative test required for your destination country?
• Is a past positive test result an acceptable substitution?
• What kind of test(s) are acceptable (the most common are PCR and Rapid Antigen tests, but there are many available options)?

Submitting Documents

• What kind of proof do you need? Are both digital and paper copies acceptable?
• When and how do you submit your documentation for approval?
• What are the airline’s rules around rebooking in case of a positive test result?

The bottom line? Make sure that your attendees check (and double check) with their airline and the destination’s government regulations to make sure they are up to date on exactly what’s required of them before they hop on that flight or potentially get held up at their departure airport. 

On event day, you can (hopefully) let out a big sigh of relief as your guests arrive safely. But the safety measures don’t stop there. There is an intrinsic level of risk when bringing together any group of people, let alone one made up of folks travelling in from around the country or around the world. As event planners, it is one of our chief responsibilities to manage and mitigate risk. So what can we do onsite to ensure that people continue to stay safe and healthy after they’ve arrived?

Here are a couple of things we at LOMA Agency have implemented that have been successful at not only addressing risk, but also providing peace of mind for our clients, their stakeholders, and event attendees.

Event Attendance Requirements

• Will your attendees be required to show proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID-19 test before they’re granted entry into your event spaces or permitted to register? 
• How will you manage that requirement? 
• There are several digital tools available now to streamline this process and make it private, consistent, and fast.

Onsite Wellness Resources

• Will you provide any access to COVID-19 testing for guests who start to feel unwell during your event? 
• Will the tests be self-administered or facilitated by a clinic? 
• At a recent event, we hired a Registered Nurse to staff a Wellness Lounge for the duration of the event, giving attendees somewhere to pop in should they have any questions about a symptom or need support with self-testing. 

Access to Support

• What do you want your attendees to do if they start to experience symptoms or just have a question about their health and wellbeing onsite at your event? 
• Have you set up and shared some kind of support communication line (i.e., an email address or phone number to text) for guests to alert you if they need support? 
• This early notification can allow you to act quickly and can be the difference between a handful of cases onsite and a super spreader event.

Escalation Plan

• What happens if someone tests positive or feels unwell? Who do you notify and what are the sequence of events? For example, your host hotel will want to be informed so that they can properly sanitize that guest’s room after check-out. Who from your own organization needs to know? 
• Will you be contact tracing and advising other attendees to monitor for symptoms?
• Put together a protocol for your team onsite that lays out all the details, including what you’ll share with staff, speakers, exhibitors, vendors, and attendees, as well as who will be responsible for sharing that information (and how).

Coming out of the pandemic means there is a whole new layer of considerations to keep top of mind when you’re planning to bring people together IRL. The landscape of travel has changed dramatically, and it continues to change every day. Keep an eye on the official guidance coming out of your destination country to ensure you can advise your guests accordingly, and execute a seamless experience, no matter where they’re coming from.

Have you travelled for an event recently or had a group travel into a destination? Follow us on Instagram @loma_agency and let us know about your experience.

By: Kurt Mungal

If you’ve designed, executed, or simply attended a virtual or hybrid event in the last two and a half years, you’ve likely been the recipient of a mailer. A mailer can be a physical or a digital gift or package, usually sent before an event, but sometimes after, as a means of bringing the event experience into your home.

At LOMA Agency, we believe that for an event to be truly hybrid in 2022 and beyond, both the virtual and in-person experiences need to be treated equally in terms of the care, creativity, and attention we dedicate to them as planners. More importantly, for a hybrid event to be successful, these separate experiences should be cohesive in the eyes of your audience—no matter where they are. A well-executed, curated mailer is a great way to deliver on that commitment to cohesion.

Whether your next event is virtual, in-person, or hybrid, here are just some of the benefits of incorporating mailers as a line item in your budget:

Inclusiveness

For all its challenges, the transition from in-person events to virtual experiences did have the benefit of making certain events more accessible. Without the limitations of travel, accommodations, and many other associated fees, audiences can attend more events for the first time, from the comfort of their homes.

Looking ahead, you can expect that a portion of your audience will continue to access your events remotely if travel and certain costs remain a barrier to them. Providing them with the same mailer/gift that your in-person audience receives is a great way to make them feel included and part of the experience.

Consistency

When it comes to creating consistency between the in-person and virtual components of your event, the idea isn’t to make these experiences the same, because they will never be the same. But they can be similar in intention and results; and the addition of a physical mailer can act as a bridge between these two worlds. For example, if your hybrid event includes a cocktail reception, why not send your remote guests their own mini-cocktail kit and livestream the DJ’s playlist so they can enjoy it as well? This way your remote audience is also provided with an opportunity to unwind and relax after a long day. Or send your attendees a coffee kit and stream your morning keynote so they can enjoy a hot cup of joe along with the in-person audience. Again, the key is creating a consistent tone and experience, even if it’s not identical.

Personalization

We are all familiar with what it’s like to receive a generic email or promotional package from a company or brand. Those are the items that tend to get lost in spam or placed in junk; and if they do make their way to your primary inbox, they’re unlikely to be opened. The same thing goes for gifts and mailers. If you send your recipients generic swag or promotional items without personalization, you risk wasting your money, and you’ve potentially lost out on a valuable touchpoint opportunity.

Mailers are primed for personalization because you’re already sending to a specific recipient. Why not also include a personalized note or card? Or if we consider the cocktail example above, why not ask at registration if any of your guests prefer a non-alcoholic beverage to enjoy instead? Showing your audience that you’ve taken the time to consider their needs and preferences increase the odds they’ll remember the experience and return in the future.

Sales Enablement

It can be very difficult to measure the ROI of a live event but we know that events play a key role for many comprehensive sales and marketing plans.

A post-event mailer allows you to not only keep the conversation going, but to track any follow-up meetings between customers or prospects and your sales team. Perhaps your mailer includes a personalized note from a direct contact at your organization or a member of your leadership team, with an exclusive offer as a thank you for their participation at your event.

Whatever your method, a well thought-out mailer, sent in a timely manner post-event, is a simple yet effective way to remind your audience that the event may be over, but your relationship building continues.

Now that we’ve covered some of the benefits of incorporating a curated mailer into your next event, there are a few key items you will want to keep in mind to make the most of the experience.

Budget

This is an obvious one. Of course, you’ll want to keep your budget front and centre when it comes to planning any gifting/mailer experience. When it comes to mailers, it’s important to think beyond the individual item itself. Gift boxes, labels, stickers, even tissue paper, all come at an added cost. In addition, your vendor may charge a fee for kit assembly. All of this is likely exclusive of shipping, taxes, and any “extras” such as branding (more on that next). The point is to plan for all the added costs.

Customization

It is possible that you may be used to only accounting for branding on the individual item you are gifting. However, in a mailer, there are many opportunities for a brand to be represented, and we don’t just mean your logo. Is sustainability a core value at your company? If so, you’ll want to ensure all of your packaging is biodegradable or recyclable to align with your company values. Or perhaps the contents are sourced from local businesses in the communities of your customers to show your commitment to them. Then, of course, you have to consider where a logo might go. Having branding on the box itself is a great way to stand out, but can also be more expensive, so you might opt for just a branded card tucked into the package instead. Whatever you choose, always ensure that your brand is the focus, just as you would at an onsite event.

Themes

Connecting your mailer to an event theme is always fun. Sometimes a theme can be very explicit, like being inspired by a place or decade. You could have a Mardi Gras themed event and include beads and king cakes in your mailer, or a 1920s Great Gatsby themed event and include a mini bottle of sparkling wine. Other times, a theme is more about a message; it could be about leading with empathy or rewarding excellence within an organization. If you’re stuck on what to include in your mailer, focus on your event’s key messages. You’ll be amazed at the inspiration you can find when you intentionally connect your message to your mailer.

Audience

It’s important to remember that not all mailers have to be created equally. An obvious example would be your VIP audience. These recipients may not only receive a more premium gift, but perhaps the packaging in which they receive that gift is elevated as well. Outside of VIPs, your event may separate audiences into tracks such as by discipline or training path. If that’s the case, consider having different mailers for each group that enhances their experience in some way. This is a great way to amplify personalization based on attendee persona.

International Shipping

If you think you’d like to ship internationally, particularly for the first time, leave yourself plenty of time. Shipping to international markets doesn’t just require extra time due to distance, but packages are often held at customs for a variety of reasons—sometimes for days, or even weeks. To avoid delays, let your swag and/or gifting vendor know which markets you intend to ship to from the very beginning so they can ensure they do not present items that will be prohibited in those markets. Additionally, confirm that your vendor has a broker that will be able to manage any custom delays that may still arise and avoid any duties charges being passed on to your recipient. And finally, give yourself extra time to ship to these markets—even if it means your mailer shows up a few days in advance of your event.

Waste-Free

Finally, don’t be afraid to think outside the box—literally. A physical mailer may not be appropriate for your attendees or brand. As mentioned above, many companies have moved to a more sustainable practice and are opting to create waste-free events. That’s fantastic! If this is you, consider sending a digital “mailer” instead that includes an offer that is experiential and/or part of a give back experience. These gifts are not only just as impactful, but they’re also a great way to reinforce company values and partnerships, and cut-down on shipping charges and logistics.

Have you sent or received any mailers of your own? We’d love to see them! Connect with us @loma_agency and let us know what some of your favourites are and why.

By: Yana Verbitskaia

It is either an event planner’s favourite part of the job, or a nail-biting, nightmare-inducing ultimate fear: producing a show. Some of us thrive off the adrenaline rush that comes with counting a tech team down to the next cue. Some of us would rather delegate that responsibility. There’s always that flutter—the sudden rush in the half-second before GO LIVE, waiting to see if your exhaustively rehearsed show will kick off and run without a hitch. That rush is something that, despite two years of restrictions, lockdowns, and a hiatus from in-person events, really hasn’t changed. Producing a virtual show has much of the same adrenaline, just in more comfortable pants.

But before you get to showtime, you must select a technology partner that you can trust, which can be pretty difficult without an existing relationship. And after two years of virtual events, it can be even more challenging for some vendors to show you what they can really do in the virtual (or hybrid) space, as digital events have not been able to produce the same portfolio of flashy photographs of past in-person sets. You may also be limited to a vendor based on the venue and/or property you’ve selected, your destination, or a unique scope of services. No matter who you work with, there are some key considerations that will help you and your production partner build a strong foundation as you work together towards a successful event production. 

We decided to leverage some expert insights and sat down with one of our own most trusted partners to talk about how those considerations have (or haven’t) shifted over the last two years. Mark Hartshorn is the National Sales Account Manager at CCR Solutions, Inc. and has almost 30 years of wisdom to share on the critical things to keep in mind when planning for your future event productions.  

Give Yourself Time (and Budget)

With the lifting of restrictions, in-person events are back and companies are booking up dates at venues quicker than you can say ‘social distancing’. The same goes for vendors and production teams, whose calendars are filling up fast! Reach out to your preferred partners as early as you can to avoid disappointment. No one wants to turn away business, but (especially as they recover from two lean years) teams and resources are limited in how many concurrent projects they can take on. As Mark attested, “Now that everybody’s starting to consider getting back to live, the gates have opened, and it’s getting crazy. We are seeing a real, real deluge of RFPs coming in.”

That aside, you’re going to need more time than before to consider all the things that are new to your project plan and your budget. Distancing requirements in your venue might mean smaller audiences in larger rooms, so, as Mark warned, “Now you need the massive ballroom, bigger screens, more speakers, more lights. And the tech table used to be two six-foot tables with a couple of guys. Well, now it might be four tables, meaning we need Clear-Com to talk to each other. There’s also so much unknown with travel of participants and speakers, and then the whole virtual element. I think a lot of customers realise that they have to really think this through a little bit more than in the past where they knew they just needed two screens and a mic.” 

Things like freight costs have also more than doubled as a result of rising gas prices, so increases in shipping and travel costs will have to be accounted for. Mark told us “That’s going to take some educating for a lot of customers, I think, because it’s just a fact of life and we can’t do anything about it. It’s really having an impact.”

A Hybrid Show is TWO Shows

In 2019, depending on the scope of your program, adding a ‘virtual element’ to your production in most cases meant just putting a riser in the back of the room with a solitary camera operator and livestreaming your sessions online. Maybe you’d get really impressive and have more than one camera angle. But hybrid event production (after two years of seeing virtual events become increasingly sleek and well-produced) is no longer as simple as just tacking on a broadcast to a standard in-person event. 

“Just about every project that comes in has a virtual component to it. Clients want an in-person meeting, but they also want that virtual element. And one thing that we’ve noticed that a lot of planners don’t fully grasp is that in a case like that, we are really producing two shows. What you see on the screen in the ballroom is completely different than what somebody on their computer is going to see. It doesn’t double everything, but it does mean a whole new set of equipment, a whole extra set of technical support, and you can’t really combine jobs because it’s two shows. I’ve found that educating clients on that is an ongoing thing. It’s not just an add-on. You don’t just order a couple more pieces of gear and now you’ve got a virtual meeting. That’s been a big thing.” 

Mark emphasized that between broadcasting sessions virtually and incorporating remote presenters, it can take a whole separate team to mimic what people are used to seeing now from virtual events. “Unfortunately, or fortunately, most people are getting used to a Zoom production. They don’t want to feel left out and just see a live stream with audio. We can, of course, still do that. However, from a technology perspective, if you have a lot of offsite participants, like in panel discussions or the speaker on stage is interviewing someone remotely, behind the scenes, you might have 10 or 20 computers set up, each pinned with different people. And all of the audio routing. We want to be able to talk to all the technicians, then we want to talk to the people in the green room, then we want to talk to the remote presenters. A lot of programming and networking goes into that. And obviously, you need somebody who is focused on that during the show. It really requires dedicated personnel.”

A Bulletproof Plan is More Important than Ever

Every planner knows a run of show (ROS) is key for a smooth production and always has been. But in the age of hybrid event production, where not only do new considerations have to be made in-person, but digital layouts also need to be programmed in advance, a strategic and detailed run of show has never been more critical to ensure your program execution matches your vision. 

“COVID has changed things all over the place. In relation to live events, some things that planners have to consider is things like microphones. In the past, we’d have six lavalieres for eight speakers, and we’d just switch from speaker to speaker. Well, now you can’t do that without a break because you have to wash them and sanitize them. And so, when you look at your show flow, you can’t have a panel of four, then a panel of five, and expect to do it with five microphones. You have to stick a single person in the middle there. That’s something we’re now always thinking about.”

And virtual events are similarly reliant on a strong plan, Mark says. “It’s critical to really know what you’re planning to see and what you expect to see on screen. We program the broadcast looks based on your show flow, so if we have four people and a moderator or whatever it is, that’s all going to be done in advance. In a live scenario, if there’s another person that wants to get on stage, you just say ‘Okay, here’s a chair. Done.’ Virtually, not so much. The show flows are critical and really impact the equipment. If all of a sudden you say you’re going to have a panel of nine people, that means I now need six more computers, a different switcher and more audio. So something as small as that, that would have been easy in the past, can really impact the equipment needs and it might even require extra personnel. One Zoom tech can only manage so many computers before he runs out of real estate.”

Plans and documents have to work for both sides. Don’t be shy—share things in advance and ask for validation from your production partner to ensure that the way you’re sharing information and working together is optimized. We smiled from ear to ear when Mark said “And you guys, honestly, have been the model for me anyway, because your show flows are amazing. You’re the best.” Thanks, Mark!

As an added tip, Mark recommended pre-recording content where appropriate and possible. It gives you a back-up in case of internet troubles or technical difficulties on the speaker side and makes your show much more predictable to time. It may require some extra investment and effort in the pre-planning, but come showtime, Mark says, “It’s very reliable. We don’t have to worry about 200 presenters from around the world and their internet or equipment, whatever that might be.”

Check, Check, Check

There is such a variety of virtual event platforms in the market now, and while many seasoned presenters have used a whole range of them, there are still many for whom the process of presenting remotely feels new and somewhat daunting. On the flip side, there are some speakers who have become so confident that they maybe miss a detail or two that they’ve started taking for granted. 

Rehearsing for an in-person event was always a given—your speaker arrives for their soundcheck and gets a feel for their environment before retreating to their Green Room for some final preparation. When it comes to virtual events, though, we have to be so much more intentional about scheduling a separate and dedicated run-through with every individual speaker. 

As Mark says, it’s “not so much a cue-to-cue rehearsal but getting your speakers to log in prior to do a couple of things: make sure their lighting and audio is good and that their internet is good. What we’re really finding is that a lot of presenters, although they’re comfortable with Zoom, don’t necessarily know how the technology is going to flow for a show. So, it gives us the opportunity to say ‘OK, so you’re going to be in this Green Room, I can talk to you back and forth, and then we’re going to give you a 30-second warning before we move you over to the live session.’ That at least takes the worry out of their minds so that they can just focus on their presentation.” 

The most critical piece of a successful run-through is making sure the presenter is in the same location as they will be on show day so that you and your production team can properly check their sound, lighting, and internet connectivity. “It happens a lot.” Mark joked, as he told us about presenters doing their tech checks from a boat in the middle of the lake or on the ski slopes.

Communication is Key

The last piece of advice, and arguably the most important, is something that hasn’t changed at all over the course of the pandemic. Over-communicating was, and still is, always a good idea. You need to have a good handle on what it is you want to accomplish so that your production partner can recommend, quote, and implement the right solutions.

“What exactly are you trying to achieve? What do you want your audience to see, in the room or on the digital broadcast?” Mark shares as the key questions that can start your back-and-forth. “A lot of planners, or customers that maybe aren’t full-time planners, don’t fully understand what is and isn’t possible. So, the communication from me to a new client has become more important. I spend a lot of time walking through exactly what has to happen, or what can’t happen for a given budget. Getting communication from the client is of course key so I can quote properly, but my communication and dialogue to make sure that we’re all on the same page is just as important.”

A trusted and reliable partner will take the time to ensure you are aligned on your goals and vision for the event—don’t be afraid to hold them accountable to making sure you understand how that vision will be executed. 

So, what’s next? 

As Mark sees it, “I don’t know that we’re just going to get back to everything’s fully live and once in a while we can stream out. I think that moving forward, or at least 90% of the time, there will be a virtual stream going out. But the upside to all of that for us is that as these platforms develop and as we develop our skills and you develop your creative visions, well, we can actually make very, very cool engaging productions. With enough pre-planning and thought, we can make a really cool program that engages those people sitting in Vancouver and keep them from walking off to play with the dogs. But mainly? Our teams just want to get back out there and unload a truck.”

We at LOMA Agency couldn’t agree more and can’t wait for all the innovative hybrid productions in our future. If you’re starting to think through a program for your own organization and want to chat, drop us a line at info@lomaagency.com! Happy producing!

************

About CCR Solutions

At CCR Solutions, it’s all about people. We are a diverse and talented collection of problem solvers, imaginative thinkers and caring individuals brought together by our passion for technology and hospitality. We remain devoted to assisting companies and individuals in telling their stories, educating others, inspiring change, celebrating life, and shaping the future.

By: Kurt Mungal

The 2022 International Women’s Day (IWD) theme is a rallying call to #BreakTheBias—and not just imagine—but actively create a “gender equal world.” The campaign recognizes that bias is both deliberate and unconscious, and challenges us all to call out biases when we see them—be it in the workplace, in our communities, in learning institutions, at home or elsewhere. 

At LOMA Agency, we stand in solidarity with the values communicated in the IWD #BreakTheBias campaign and continue to create spaces for our staff, partners, clients, and attendees that are diverse, equitable, and inclusive. That’s why, this year, we decided to keep the conversation going by launching our own online series tackling four key topics related to the #BreakTheBias theme, including: 

• Belonging
• Inclusion
• Achievement
• Support 

Hosted by our agency’s President and Founder, Loren Maisels, CMP, the four-part series featured lively conversations from some of our favourite clients and partners, including:

• Lizelle Festejo Hsu, Director Programs & Events, Great Place to Work US®
• Ashley Ford, EVP, Certification and Growth Operations, Great Place to Work US®
• Curt Johnson, Director of Sales, Four Moon Productions
• Vanessa Brangwyn, Chief Customer & Revenue Officer, Achievers 
• Bianca West, Senior Manager, Professional Services EMEA, Achievers 

If you didn’t have a chance to catch the broadcasts live, or if you want to take a second look and share, we’ve included the videos below which you can also access on our Instagram page @loma_agency. 

In the meantime, we’ve compiled a list of 5 Key Takeaways from the series that we think everyone—but particularly those in a capacity to make decisions and create change—can learn from to help build a gender equal world for all. 

Create Space for Trust & Vulnerability

In our discussion around Belonging with our friends from Great Place to Work, Lizelle Festejo Hsu and Ashley Ford, we heard about how, as an organization, Great Place to Work believes that work has the power to transform society. More specifically, we learned that it’s the relationships that leaders create with employees, and the relationships that people have to their work, that create a foundation of trust. On an individual level for our guests, we learned how spaces that promote trust and vulnerability can:

• Enable women, of all intersections, to bring their full selves to work.
• Make asking for support, without judgement, common practice.
• Allow room for tough conversations to take place so that those who feel undervalued and underappreciated can speak up without repercussion.
• Liberate individuals to challenge pre-existing notions around identity and allow them to show up in the world as their best (and most authentic) selves.

Finally, we had the opportunity to learn about their Diversity Equity Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) framework which is a great tool any organization can apply to create more spaces for trust and vulnerability. The framework is broken into three main categories:

• Head: Deepening the understanding of individual experiences through education, including creating a common language for teams and organizations to understand and acknowledge what needs to change to make a more equitable world. 
• Heart: Creating conditions for empathy, through storytelling and sharing experiences. 
• Hands: Addressing the “isms” in your community, whether it be sexism, racism, or ableism, among others, and looking at where there are opportunities to address these gaps.

To learn more about the GPTW DEIB framework, CLICK HERE.

Be Curious

In our next segment, we looked at the topic of Inclusion with our long-time partner and self-identified feminist, Curt Johnson of Four Moon Productions. We explored this topic within the context of the audio-visual industry—a space where women remain considerably underrepresented. 

As a Black man, Curt shared that he has often looked around rooms and noticed how few people look like him in production, particularly at more senior levels. So, he has great empathy for women hesitant to join such a male-dominated industry. But he urges women everywhere who are interested in pursuing a career in AV to be bold, be curious, and chase those curiosities, because as he puts it, “The dumbest question is the one that you don’t ask.” 

Not sure where to start? Follow the tips below as recommended by our resident expert:

• Visit the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees website (IATSE.net) and begin your training as part of their union.
• Reach out to professionals in the industry (including Curt) and schedule an information session to get your burning questions answered.
• Start local. Research community events and conferences happening nearby and ask if you can get involved. 
• Just do it! Begin your research and outreach right away and meet as many people as possible to begin building your network of peers, advocates, and mentors. 

And of course, it goes without saying that this advice applies to any other industry or environment that struggles to be gender equal. Be bold and be curious until you find advocates in those spaces that are just as keen as you are to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

The Importance of Community & Mentorship  

We would not have been able to adequately delve into the topic of Achievement, without one of our favourite Achievers, Vanessa Brangwyn. In this segment Vanessa shared the worst advice she’s ever received after disclosing to colleagues that she was going on maternity leave, which was: lower your expectations for your future career growth. Fortunately for Vanessa and her organization, she did not take this advice and went on to apply for (and accept) a leadership role within the organization. However, as Vanessa shared with us, it involved getting over her imposter syndrome and leveraging the trust that others had in her to give her the confidence boost she needed to push forward. 

Here’s what you need to know from our conversation with this awesome A-Player:

• When you’re thinking about whether you’re good enough to do something, and your self-talk is filled with all the reasons why you’re not, ask yourself: Why not me?
• Have people who can throw your own advice back to you by telling you to try saying those things to yourself and see where that might get you.
• Finding people who accept you for who you truly are is paramount to your ability to be successful and to feel successful.
• Resilience, grit, and hustle; all those things matter, but nothing matters more than taking care of each other.

Vanessa is also the executive sponsor for the Achievers Women’s Network, an employee resource group focused on making the workplace better for everyone, which also led to the development of the Achievers Mentorship Program (AMP). As Vanessa explained, there are so many benefits to both being a mentor and a mentee; and while men may outpace women in  leadership positions two to one, mentorship programs are almost equal in gender or outpaced by women. So if you’re in a position to be a mentor but haven’t taken the leap, this may just be your sign it’s time to start. 

Encourage Diversity of Thought

The final segment in our four-part series centred around the topic of Support. We had the great pleasure of chatting with the lovely Bianca West of Achievers, who has been instrumental in developing and supporting employee resource groups (ERGs) as part of the organization’s DEI Committee and ERG Alliance. As Bianca shared with us, ERGs are a great way to foster community within organizations and see support thrive. She also spoke passionately about the importance of bringing in different identities and diverse experiences to the table when building a new ERG (or modifying an existing one).

Here’s what Bianca wants you to know about starting your own ERG and promoting diversity of thought:

• You don’t have to boil the ocean. You can start with one thing,  do that well, make it your brand and evolve over time.
• Know what’s in it for you, personally. When your work recharges you, it doesn’t feel like work.
• Make sure that the people to the left and to the right of you have different perspectives than yours.
• Be comfortable not knowing everything. There’s no ego in the work.
• Have conversations with subject matter experts and the people who identify as part of the groups you’d like represent.

Ready to start your own ERG? Talk to your HR business partner and develop a plan that makes sense for you and the needs of your organization.

Pay it Forward

In almost every interview, our guests shared the importance of paying it forward. 

• Vanessa Brangwyn stated that women in leadership should not just be demanding a seat at the table, but when they get there, they should pull out the chair next to them and invite someone else—no matter what their gender identity—to sit down and bring their thoughts and perspective to the discussion.
• Curt Johnson let us know that every time he gets the opportunity to go through a new door, he makes sure to hold that door open for somebody behind him; be it somebody of diverse culture, race, religion, or gender. 
• Ashley Ford shared that she’s been given such grace and leadership from people that supported her, and it’s led her to ask: How can I do the same?

What are some ways you can pay it forward in your workplace, community, school, or home? Or how have the efforts of someone else before you contributed to your success? Tag us @loma_agency and share your own story. 

At LOMA, we believe that it takes time to #BreakTheBias, but it only takes a moment to decide to commit to change. Our hope is that you’ll continue the conversation in your own communities and join us and so many others in building a gender equal world for all. 

By: Tamsynn Moodley

So, your team’s hybrid and you’re not quite sure how to keep everyone connected? After two years of navigating the challenges of COVID-19 in the workplace, there is one thing that teams are trying to maintain: engagement in a hybrid world. 

As the future of work becomes a blend of some employees working completely remotely, some in the office, and some choosing a combination of both, it is critical that we continue to find ways to build and maintain genuine connection.

Here are five ways to help take the complexity out of hybrid team building and bridge the gap between your audiences. 

1. Water Cooler Conversations

One of the easiest ways we build relationships with those we work with, and one thing many people miss about being in a physical office space, is the informal coffee station/water cooler conversations that take place. Whether it’s laughing over a popular meme or chatting about your weekend, in a physical office you are bound to run into someone and have a quick chat.

Now, what used to be organic conversation needs to be intentionally fostered. Adapting your everyday collaboration experiences using platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, or Zoom are great options. These are easy ways to incorporate quick, fun, and interactive conversation starters. 

Why not initiate an ice-breaker game which is a great way to get to know each other in a less formal way? You could try incorporating a fun polling question like “Would You Rather This or That” (e.g., fries with ketchup or fries with mayo, New York pizza or Chicago pizza)—the more obscure the question the better. Another option would be to have the group find 10 things that everyone has in common at that moment, or chat about what TV shows everyone is binge watching. 

Sometimes water cooler conversations can take just a couple of minutes. For a more intimate and in-depth option, try setting up a round robin of 15-minute chats where two people are paired with each other so they have some time for a more meaningful connection. Tools like Donut integrate well with Slack and can automatically facilitate this for you.

⭐ Quick Tip: Use your fun polling questions to divide the team into groups for future teambuilding activities or breakout group work. 

2. Teambuilding Activities

Fun group activities allow members of your team to get to know colleagues that they may not have a chance to work with at all or very often. Traditional teambuilding can consist of in-person problem solving activities or general team bonding like the infamous human knot. Today, we must think outside the box (or the knot). 

Look for activities that can work well in both a virtual and physical environment. Start by dividing everyone into colours or named teams and offer opportunities for them to compete for points and/or amazing prizes. Examples of activities under this umbrella could be a virtual escape room, trivia games like Jeopardy, a virtual murder mystery game, or a good old-fashioned scavenger hunt. 

Alternatively, you can encourage your team to work towards a philanthropic goal that aligns to your organization’s mission. For example, if you are in healthcare software, you may decide to give back by supporting a hospital foundation. Or you can tie your philanthropic activities to specific times of the year such as the holidays or back to school. Encourage your team to donate to their local holiday food drive programs, pack a backpack of school supplies or wear pink for “Pink Shirt Day” to bring awareness to anti-bullying. 

These philanthropic activities can be done whether you are in the office or working remotely and can be a fun way to work towards a social responsibility goal outside of work that unites and promotes stronger bonds.

⭐ Quick Tip: Use teambuilding activities that engage everyone so that no one is hanging out on the sidelines and feeling left out. This is a great opportunity to encourage everyone to take a leadership role at some point during each activity.

3. Wellness Activities 

Ever heard of Wellness Wednesday? This is a great way to let your team be a part of the social movement to promote wellbeing. Incorporating mental and physical wellness is an important way to build connection and promote holistic health in a time of resilience and virtual meeting fatigue. 

Build in wellness activities such as yoga classes, meditation sessions, or fitness challenges. Apps such as such as inKin, Wellness 360 or Stridekick are great options for team challenges and personal goal tracking. Be mindful to create opportunities that give people time away from their screens. Encourage your team to try to take meetings away from their desk—for example, take a call while walking around the block, especially if they do not need to be on the computer. 

If you are looking to combine wellness and giveback activities try an app such as Charity Miles. This app will let you track your movements and use those miles to support a charity!

A more passive option for a wellness activity is to make time for laughter. You can do this by watching a comedy event as a team. Try The Second City or a local theatre program for a fun and hilarious way to take a break together.

Remember, “wellness” looks different to everyone. Customize this experience by creating special interest groups or clubs through your communication platforms like Microsoft Teams or Slack, or through a recurring weekly Zoom meeting. Shared interest clubs are a great way to bring your team together naturally with the things they love—pets, anime, coffee, or Dungeons and Dragons…the sky’s the limit! 

⭐ Quick Tip: Just like any social group, encourage member meet-ups for special interest groups throughout the year. This will help your team strengthen their connection naturally.

4. Long Live Happy Hour  

Another important way we build relationships with our work peers is through shared experiences. Remember that amazing team dinner at Nobu? We know food has always been a cornerstone of teambuilding, so find activities where your team can be engaged, have fun, AND enjoy a delicious meal. 

Options such as virtual or hybrid cooking classes are great examples. Kick it up a notch by inviting a celebrity chef, cooking a meal that is inspired by a theme, or having the team participate in a vintage wine tasting or cocktail-making class. Be sure to take into consideration any individual restrictions or allergies to avoid team members feeling isolated or left out.

⭐ Quick Tip: To enhance the experience, have curated mailers sent to everyone in advance with all the ingredients they need to participate. Also, it is imperative thatyou remind instructors (whether virtual or in-person) to connect with everyone participating to not compromise the attendee experience.

5. Organizational Alignment

Lastly, bridging the gap between hybrid audiences can also be fostered through alignment around team or organizational priorities. Use educational opportunities to strengthen team connection by ensuring that members of your team are engaged and feel that they are a part of the important conversations within the business.

Having open dialogue on key priorities for the quarter or strategic goals for the fiscal year builds trust that whether you are working remotely or in the office, you are valuable to the organization and are included in company wide news. 

Prior to hybrid teams, we participated in lunch & learns or town halls in-person. Now that teams are hybrid, these benchmark events should not stop. In fact, it’s important that they continue even if they look a little different. Food delivery platforms like UberEats, SkipTheDishes, or Grubhub make it easy to ensure everyone can order a meal. Purchase e-cards and send them off to all remote staff so they can enjoy a nice lunch like everyone in the office while being a part of a town hall, a team learning session, or a mid-year check-in. 

You could also try a virtual retreat. For many teams, these are a big part of teambuilding. Try structuring a hybrid retreat for your team over two or three days with all the fun of content sessions, social activities, gifts/swag, and team bonding activities that teams know and love (all with the help of some great audio-visual technology). Bring together in-person and virtual attendees for activities or breakout sessions by allowing remote attendees to be part of dialogues and question periods through video interaction. Use hybrid teambuilding games as mentioned above to engage all attendees and send swag directly to the remote attendees to keep them involved in the fun. 

Hosting educational activities like these will help the team feel connected not only on a social level, but also strategically. This avoids frustration and seclusion when it comes to everyday work.

⭐ Quick Tip: With hybrid teams it is even more imperative that there is a lot of communication around the company’s strategy and goals. Communicate as frequently as possible with all staff to keep them engaged and aligned with the company mission.

In Conclusion

You can see there are many ways to bridge the gap with your hybrid team. It’s not always easy to find the right combination of activities specific to your team, but it is worth the effort to try various approaches.

Don’t forget, teambuilding is an ongoing year-round activity that is ideally incorporated into all elements of the business. Happy connecting.

By: Kurt Mungal

It’s no secret that the live events industry took a major hit following the outbreak of a global pandemic in 2020 that continues to impact us today. But if we had to find just a few glimmers of a silver lining, one of them would be that some of the biggest names in entertainment—be it movies, TV, sports, music, and even politics—were that much closer within reach (and within budget). 

With an industry-wide pivot to online experiences, virtual performances (sometimes pre-recorded) and appearances from A-list talent became the norm for some, and it’s not surprising. Without having to cover airfare, accommodations, riders, and other miscellaneous expenses, organizers could stretch budgets to get a big name that would excite audiences and drive attendance. And we were no exception. 

Booking exceptional and highly sought-after talent isn’t new for us. Prior to COVID-19 our team has worked with some of the biggest names around, including Melissa Ethridge and Bethenny Frankel. But for some, it may be the first time you’ve been given the green light to hire a well known personality, and when it comes to bringing in the A-listers, the institutions, the household names, and the icons—we have learned that the chase is just as important as the catch. 

No matter what letter of the alphabet your talent hails from, booking talent is a process, and often involves connecting with multiple representatives before a contract is signed. At LOMA Agency, whether for virtual or in-person events, we’ve taken just about every path there is when it comes to sourcing talent, and in this post, we’ll share what’s worked well as well as tips for what you might want to avoid before you book your next big act.

Ready to go A-list? Then be mindful of the “Be” list. 

Be Specific

We all know events are about ideating. Creativity drives us and logistics ground us. When you’re approaching a talent management firm about an upcoming event, it’s all about balancing the two. It’s perfectly fine not to have all the details, but to be given any meaningful assistance (and to be taken seriously), you’re going to need to provide some specifics. 

Here are a few questions you should ask yourself (or your client) before reaching out to a talent agent:

What is your budget?

A range is fine if you can’t provide an exact figure, but don’t expect to get very far if your response to the budget question is, “We’d like to see a few options first and then we’ll decide on budget.” For one thing, it doesn’t give an agent confidence that you’re seriously looking. For another, you may be missing out on great options that they would have initially put in front of you if the budget was clear from the start.

All 5 Ws (Who? What? Where? When? Why?)

Much like providing a budget, when it comes to answering the 5 Ws, a range is fine. It’s not about knowing the exact name of who you want and having your entire event agenda ready to share, it’s about setting parameters so that management teams have something to work from and can narrow down their roster of talent to a few options that will best suit your needs. Here are some examples of what you might respond with for each W:

• Who? An athlete or comedian who will appeal to a corporate audience of mainly millennials
• What? A 30 minute keynote presentation covering themes such as resilience, leadership and teamwork
• Where? A virtual event to be hosted on (insert platform here) OR a hotel or conference centre in downtown (insert city name)
• When? The morning of June 2. (Note: give an exact date to ensure you are only provided with options who are available, but depending on how far out your event is, a simple morning/afternoon/evening will suffice– and don’t forget to specify time zone). 
• Why? Our client is a sports apparel manufacturer that will be celebrating employees with a one-day event, and we would like to secure a keynote that will generate excitement and motivate our guests. 

What is your timeline?

Other than your planned event date, we recommend communicating a few key milestones that will help to manage the expectations of those involved. For example, if you’re requesting a short list of options that are based on your budget and the parameters set by your 5 Ws, let everyone know when you will be presenting your options, by what date you will be requesting feedback, and by what date you will be back in touch with either a decision or additional information for a revised short list. 

Be Realistic 

As in-person events and hybrid experiences make their return, some may be tempted to allocate less budget and fewer resources to the talent designated for their event’s virtual components. 

A common misconception about virtual events is that because everything is online, an event can be done more quickly and easily. However, anyone who’s adapted an in-person event to virtual or launched a virtual event from scratch in the last two years will tell you otherwise. There seems to be a similar misconception that because an appearance or performance is facilitated online, talent is less expensive or is more readily available. 

While it’s true that your budget may go further virtually due to the elimination of things like travel, accommodations, riders, technical equipment, and other related expenses, it’s important to remember that recognizable names still come with a price tag that reflects their notoriety. There are also still team members and third-parties involved to factor into their fee, and none of these things disappear just because your event is taking place virtually.

This remains true, even if you or your client are not-for-profit. Sometimes, the assumption is that it’s just a “simple” ask (e.g., recording a brief performance or remarks) and that it’s for a good cause, so why wouldn’t there be a reduced or discounted fee? The simple answer is that a support team, resources, time, and specific expertise are usually still required in order for the final product to be executed well. The value of a well-executed and produced appearance cannot be underestimated. 

Another factor to consider is availability. More in-person and hybrid experiences also mean more travel, and talent availability may be scarce at times. Always aim to have at least two back-up options in addition to your top pick in case scheduling becomes an issue. You may also want to consider having those back-ups be at a slightly lower price point to offset any costs you may incur for making last minute changes to your program’s marketing and promotional materials. 

Be Persistent 

When it comes to chasing after big names, the unfortunate reality is that you’re likely not the only one. In fact, there are probably dozens (maybe hundreds) of requests just like yours being vetted by only a handful of people, or in some cases, just one person. With this in mind, it’s easy to understand why your request may get lost, why some of the details you provide may get lost in translation, or at worst, why you may not hear back at all. 

Keep chasing. 

Rest assured that no agent is willfully ignoring you (unless of course you’ve ignored all our recommendations so far and are no longer being considered as a genuine opportunity), but they are selective with requests and invitations. It’s up to you to be persistent until you get the information that you are looking for. 

Be Flexible 

As you make progress and narrow in on your preferred talent, and especially after you’ve decided on someone, next you will enter the contracting phase. Depending on the overall fee, you may decide to negotiate a few “extras” in addition to the main performance. For example, you might request that your talent help market your event via their social channels, provide gifts or signed merchandise to be used as a prize or giveaway for attendees, sit for pre- or post-event interviews, or be available for a VIP meet and greet.

If the person or persons you have selected meet your criteria and you feel strongly that they are the right addition to the event overall, then the key here is to keep an open mind and be flexible with your additional asks. There may be other contractual agreements that they are bound to that limit how above and beyond they can go for you, but there may also be alternative solutions that you could agree upon instead. For example, perhaps your chosen talent can’t promote your event on their social channels. Ask instead if they’d be willing to add-on a brief recording announcing their appearance at the event that you can include in your digital communications. It’s a great way to generate excitement among your attendees and encourage word-of-mouth promotion in lieu of a more formalized social post. 

Be Prepared

The good news is that the most important element of booking A-list talent is something you’re probably already great at—after all, what type of planner would you be if you weren’t always prepared with plans A through Z? 

When it comes to booking talent, be prepared for anything to happen–because it usually does. Here are three ways you can ensure you’re covering all bases while protecting yourself, your client, the event, and your headlining act:

Get it in Writing:

As we discussed earlier, your partnership with your performer may extend beyond the main event if you’ve successfully negotiated a few add-ons. 

Once the deliverables are determined by both parties, ensure everything is included in your contract very specifically, and nothing is left open to interpretation. Examples include:

• Social Posts: Include how many, which channels, and by what date. Bonus if you can align on the content, message, or overall tone. 
• Media: How many, which outlets, key messaging, etc.
• Supplemental Materials: Material types (e.g. headshots), file formats, distribution rules, approval requirements and due dates, expiration dates, etc. 

Have a Key Point of Contact:

Depending on which channel you navigated to secure your talent, you’ll likely be connected to someone who is closer to your talent, such as their manager, an assistant, publicist, or even a relative, to act as the main point of contact for all logistics such as scheduling calls and ensuring they meet their deliverables. 

It’s important to establish who this person is up front and receive confirmation from them directly that they will be the point of contact for your talent. This person will be a key liaison as your planning progresses and as you book rehearsals, follow-up on any content or materials you’re waiting on, and seek approval from the talent’s camp on any marketing and promotional materials you may be developing as part of the event. 

Rehearse, Record, Repeat (if necessary):

One of the benefits of working with A-list talent is that they’ve likely seen and done it all. They’re pros, and just like you, they know how to adapt and problem-solve on the fly. But just because everyone in the room is an expert, doesn’t mean they don’t need practice. Whether your event is in-person or virtual, do not skimp on a rehearsal meeting. Take your talent through your run of show, have them practice their tech (if applicable) and leave space for asking questions or making changes on the fly. 

For your virtual events, it would be wise to request a backup recording of your performer in action, which you can switch to on the fly on the day of in the event of a technical or personal emergency. This could prevent you from being left scrambling to fill a significant gap in your program. 

For both live and virtual events, practice as many times as you or the talent needs or as many times as your contract allows. You’ve likely spent significant budget on this portion of your program and built up this moment in your marketing and promotional materials, so best to cross all your t’s and dot all your i’s to yield an exceptional experience. 

And there you have it—a few simple steps that will help to ensure your next headlining act is a showstopper. Have any of these worked for you in the past? Or is there something else you’d add to this list? 

Get in touch with us on Instagram and Twitter @loma_agency and let us know your thoughts! And if you’re looking to book talent of your own, need suggestions, or want us to put our best practices into motion for you, reach out to us at info@lomaagency.com so we can help. 

By: Amy Gaskin

As we enter 2022, it’s safe to assume we’ve all had to adapt and put in place virtual event strategies in the past two years. At LOMA Agency we recognize the changes that have been made to the virtual event landscape during this time; transitioning from Zoom to elaborate platforms that try to re-create the in-person experience virtually, and everything in between.

For our client Nudge, a virtual event series was an opportunity to bridge the gap between in-person and virtual events, engaging an audience of current customers, prospects, and net new leads with experiences that combined educational and industry-based thought leadership with fun and interactive attendee engagement. 

Nudge is a mobile platform changing the way deskless and frontline organizations communicate. The Nudge app enables head office to share relevant, critical information with their deskless workers across every location in real-time. Employees can provide feedback, take part in discussions, and test their knowledge while earning recognition and points. Since 2012, over 22 million Nudges have been delivered, increasing sales, employee engagement and retention, and providing managers and head office with insights that lead to smarter decisions. 

The DESKLESS community was launched by Nudge to connect leaders of deskless and frontline teams, providing a space for them to come together and share ideas, challenges, and industry best practices. As an innovative platform themselves, the Nudge team wanted to move away from presenting a virtual series that felt like “just another webinar” in developing their DESKLESS Spark Sessions series. 

We partnered with Nudge to select a virtual event platform that was both intuitive for attendees to navigate and offered features above and beyond that of a typical webinar. We were able to elevate the virtual experience and maintain the focus on attendee connection while delivering a series of professional presentations.

In early ideation calls between our team and Nudge, our theme structure was quickly established as to how we would frame this three-part event series: SIP. SAVOR. CELEBRATE. 

With the concepts and platform in place, our team at LOMA reached out to various partners to deliver on unique experiences for each part of the series, as well as source corresponding industry experts that would put the spark in these Spark Sessions.

First up….

SIP: Spilling the tea with deskless trailblazers

The DESKLESS Spark Session series kicked off with a tea and chocolate pairing experience led by tea sommelier Katie Cyr of Monarch Tea Co. The tasting featured three premium loose-leaf teas, each expertly paired with a unique chocolate from Beanermunky Chocolates. 

Once the tea was prepared, Nudge’s CEO, Lindsey Goodchild, sat down with CVS Health CMO Norman De Greve and Tony Weisman, the Advisor and former CMO of Dunkin’ to discuss the current challenges facing frontline workforces.

There were several key takeaways that stood out to our team about the SIP experience:

1. There is an advantage to supporting local small businesses
   Especially throughout the past few years, it’s no secret that the pivot required by business to stay open and operate safely throughout government closures and capacity reductions has taken a toll.
   
   Finding ways to support local companies through events, whether virtually or as we shift back to in-person experiences, not only helps businesses stay in business, but provides attendees with a truly one-of-a-kind experience they can’t get anywhere else.
   
2. Mailers enhance a virtual experience
   Each attendee received their tea and chocolate tasting kit prior to the event, allowing them to follow along during the session. In the event chat, attendees remarked on how excited they were to taste the pairings – some were so excited to receive their mailer that they’d already eaten their chocolates, but everyone agreed they were delicious.
   
   To make the package extra special, we added a branded mug and customized note for the event, creating a souvenir for attendees to enjoy long after the event ended.
   
   

   

3. Leveraging existing relationships helps when selecting panelists 
   Even virtually, the comradery between familiar presenters was palpable throughout the panel presentation. Often times, having a wide range of representation on a panel is seen as a benefit, and while this can absolutely be true, the genuine connection and conversation flowof panelists who have previously worked together adds a comfortable understanding of both presentation style and content that made the audience feel like part of the discussion from the other side of the screen. 

Next Up…..

SAVOR: The ingredients of a high-performing deskless workforce

The second Spark Session kicked offwith a cooking demo from the Food Network’s own Tanya Holland. Our event host, Nudge’s Senior Customer Success Manager Chris Morgan, accompanied the chef to facilitate a cooking Q&A as she prepared a classic favorite recipe from her cookbook Brown Sugar Kitchen, which was gifted to all attendees following the event.

After the demo, Nudge’s Lindsey Goodchild was joined by the dynamic duo Sarah Jordan, CEO of Mastermind Toys, and Rachel Huckle, Chief Retail Officer of Staples Canada, who shared their key considerations in curating a high-performing workforce.

While curating this session, we found that it was important to:

1. Find yourself a host with the most
   Chris was brought in from the first event to act as host and moderator for each session. Throughout the entire series, his expert management of panel discussions and Q&A periods and ability to think on his feet, not only kept conversations moving, but allowed him to take them deeper, aligning with Nudge thought leadership, which significantly contributed to the overall experience and success of the event.
   
   While it may not seem as though a host or emcee could have the same impact virtually as they do in-person, in both cases a great host can really elevate the experience.

2. Recognize that live events are live events, whether virtual or in-person
   In spite of all the preparation we do as planners, there are always elements of a live event that are out of our control, and the same is true for virtual experiences. Whether you experience the odd technical glitch, or a smoke detector going off during a cooking demo, it’s important to remember that everyone is human, and stuff happens.
   
3. Make networking opportunities accessible and approachable
   Many are encountering virtual social fatigue, therefore networking engagement has proven to be a challenge when it comes to ongoing virtual events. To combat this, we moved away from general networking opportunities, to hosted sessions based on specific conversation topics and found that added structure was beneficial in making virtual networking more approachable.

And rounding out the series….

CELEBRATE: Unscripted, not unprepared: what 2022 looks like for the frontline. 

The Deskless Report, released by Nudge in late 2021, provided the perfect framework for Co-Founder and CEO Lindsey Goodchild and futurist Andrew Au to assess and analyze the current state of the deskless workforce and look towards the future in the final Spark Session. 

The challenges discussed during the SIP experience and the strategies to develop a high-performing workforce revealed in SAVOR, all culminated in a custom improv show by The Second City to CELEBRATE the DESKLESS community.

Image by Nudge via The Deskless Report 2021

Our key findings from this experience were:

1. Encourage attendee engagement at all levels of the experience
   Prior to the event, the Nudge team released a call for nominations for the inaugural Cheers Awards, encouraging their customers to highlight their frontline workers who go above and beyond. Nominees and winners were invited to the event to celebrate their hard work, and the professional recognition personalized the event experience.
   
   During the event, speaker Andrew Au complemented his analytical content with trivia questions and the improv team from Second City relied on audience participation to drive their scenes. In both cases, attendees were able to stay engaged by interacting with presenters. 

2. Engage speakers as early as possible for optimal preparation and rehearsal timelines
   Though many are presenting from the comfort of their own home, scheduling rehearsal time with speakers and talent ensures they feel confident and prepared and is necessary to provide a seamless presentation.
   
   Ensuring all presenters are able to log in successfully to avoid delays during the live presentation is crucial, as well as additional rehearsals which can act as an opportunity to check in on presentation content and ensure everyone is aligned on the final deliverables.

The past few years have taught us a lot in terms of how to execute quality virtual events and pushing the boundaries of what can be actually accomplished in the digital world. Nudge’s DESKLESS Spark Sessions were no exception, working with new technology, speakers, and partners to expertly curate a series of virtual experiences that aligned with Nudge’s goals.

By: Kurt Mungal

Earlier this month we shared our executive summary for the LOMA List 2022: Navigating the Next Normal, which featured findings from the MPI Summer 2021 Meetings Outlook Report where 93% of respondents were anticipating favourable business conditions in the coming year. However, at the time, we also noted that the report was released before the emergence of the COVID-19 Delta and Omicron variants. 

By the end of 2021, many parts of North America reverted to varying degrees of lockdown measures. But now, as we embark into 2022, with vaccination rates on the rise and signs of the virus becoming endemic, it’s reasonable to presume that by early Spring/Summer we may see restrictions ease once again, and attendees, planners, and businesses move forward with plans to gather once again. This is further reinforced by the more recent MPI Fall 2021 Meetings Outlook Report, with 79% of respondents expecting favorable business conditions in the year ahead.

Therefore, it is our opinion that planners should use this moment of pause to build and/or update a toolkit of policies and best practices that will allow them to plan and meet in-person safely when the time is right. That’s why for the January stop on the LOMA List, we’d like to share a checklist of the top 10 health & safety considerations event planners should keep top of mind. 

Before we dive in, it’s important that any toolkit planners devise remain in compliance with the CDC Guidance for Organizing Large Events and Gatherings and/or the Government of Canada’s COVID-19: Advice for gatherings, events and celebrations. As we know all too well by this point, recommendations and best practices can change daily, so be sure to stay up to date on the measures provided by your region’s health experts.  

In September 2021, with restrictions on gathering indoors easing and vaccination rates on the rise, the LOMA Agency team had the opportunity to partner with our client, Achievers, to successfully plan and launch an office grand opening event. This in-person experience, our first in almost 18 months, galvanized us to develop our own toolkit, which informed the checklist below. 

1. Establish a Duty of Care and/or Code of Conduct

• A duty of care refers to the commitment that you and/or your organization must reasonably watch out (or care) for others within certain standards. Any acts outside of these standards is considered negligent, so it’s important when developing a duty of care for your event that you are thorough and specific. It should also include all the items included in this checklist. For an example of how other organizations have communicated their own duty of care, check out the 2020 MPI World Education Congress and the CES 2022 Health Protocols summary.  

2. Proof of Vaccination 

• When including a proof of vaccination requirement, it’s important to reference clear guidelines for what is admissible and what is not. For example: what is acceptable for domestic vs. international attendees? Will your organization accept a negative test result in lieu of vaccination? Other considerations for requiring proof of vaccination for live events can be found here. For a list of vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) click here. 
• As one might expect, when it comes to disclosing personal and health-related information, some individuals may be wary. It’s important that organizers familiarize themselves with key privacy considerations when requesting a proof of vaccination. To help get you started, you can review this helpful document from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety, as well as this FAQ on COVID-19 and HIPAA.

3. Screening and Testing 

• If you plan to require attendees/staff/vendors to test and submit a negative test result to gain access to your event, be sure you specify which tests are permitted. Typically tests would fall into one of two categories: viral tests and antibody tests. Antibody tests aren’t ideal for determining if someone is currently infected with COVID-19, but rather if they already have the antibodies–likely from a previous infection. A viral test, which includes at-home rapid tests, can be conducted anywhere and provide quicker results. As you may have seen in the duty of care example from CES, the organizers have developed a process for conducting on-site testing courtesy of rapid test manufacturer Abbott. In the last two years, more and more manufacturers have surfaced with on-site testing options for live events including Switch Health, Azova, Inspire Diagnostics, and Event Scan. Find the vendor that suits your event needs and develop a process that is simple and accessible. Additionally, be sure that you specify if any costs associated with testing are the responsibility of the individual or the event organizer.
• To learn more about testing types and accessibility options, click here for US attendees and here for Canadian attendees.

4. Mask Mandates

• The CDC maintains that masks are an effective tool to stop the spread of the virus among large groups. Be sure to include when masks are required, and in some cases, what type of mask. If you’re unsure what to suggest, start with your destination city and venue. Mask mandates may vary by state or province and can help inform your decision. Similarly, your chosen venue may have their own protocols to be followed and will help determine what your guests can and cannot do. Whatever the result, remember that masks can also be a fun brandable moment for your event, as well as a safety precaution. 

5. Venue Relations 

• Even before the spread of COVID-19, your event venue plays an important role in the success of your event and the well-being of your audience. In this ‘new normal’, planners should be re-examining contracts to ensure they are better protected against a broader scope of circumstances, and that the venue is accountable for supporting your duty of care by enforcing things like social distancing, sanitation, and providing better air filtration. Other clauses worth reviewing include force majeure, attrition, rebooking and cancellation. Hospitality attorney Jonathan Howe addresses these more in-depth here. 

6. Vendor Screening 

• As with your attendees, it’s important to put forth a mandate for your vendors of what is expected of them in terms of proof of vaccination or providing negative test results. In the MPI Fall 2021 Meetings Outlook Report, the number of respondents who said that their organization requires all staff to be vaccinated from COVID-19 increased from 19% in the Spring to 47% this past Fall. Because we know policies may vary between businesses, be sure to communicate your expectations clearly to your vendors early in the planning process to determine if your organizational policies align so that you’re not left scrambling for a replacement at the eleventh hour. 

7. Social Distancing 

• As mentioned under Venue Relations, planners should work with their venue to ensure social distancing measures are not only established but enforced. In fact, your venue’s commitment to these measures should be considered in your selection process. This may include, but is not limited to, things like one-directional paths, wider aisles and walkways, reduced room capacities, touchless check-ins, and increased airflow and filtration.
• Of course, over the course of the year, we may see restrictions ease further and some of the policies required for events in Q1 may not be required for events in Q3. By staying up to date with both your regional health experts, as well as the guidelines and protocols of your venue, you can ensure that you’re always doing what’s best for your attendees. To take it one step further, you can give your audience autonomy over their own safety by establishing a colour-coded lanyard system where different colours reflect their comfort with engagement. For example: green means “I’m comfortable standing close,” yellow means “High-fives and fist bumps only,” and red means “I prefer to keep a safe distance.” 

8. Food and Beverage Service

• Establishing healthy practices for food and beverage service is vital. This may include things such as staggering service and including boxed meals to go like we did with our Achievers event. Challenge your venue or caterer to design a process that meets the specific needs of your audience and event, and follow up on-site to ensure it’s put into practice. For more great ideas on how others have adapted food service in 2020 and beyond, click here. 

9. Sanitation 

• By this point in the pandemic, providing ample and adequate sanitation in public spaces goes without saying. Remember that, as with masks, hand sanitizers can be brandable moments for your event, and an easy (and useful!) addition to any swag kit. Talk to your venue about what their plan for sanitation is, how it will be made accessible, how it will be enforced, and who will be your primary contact for any issues or concerns you may have during your event(s).

10. Communication 

• Finally, and arguably most importantly: communicate, communicate, communicate. A thorough and comprehensive set of protocols and practices is great, but it’s useless if it’s not communicated effectively. Be sure that you’re making this document available to your attendees, your vendors, your staff, and all other stakeholders before, during and after your event; and if necessary, request written acknowledgement as well. 

In September 2021, Live Nation president, Joe Berchtold, predicted that live event attendance will be bigger in 2022 than in 2019, based on growing ticket sales for concerts and events. And though it’s been a less-than-stellar start to the year, we have a much greater chance for recovery than we did two years ago. 

Someone once called January the Mondays of months. But the thing about Mondays, like any day, month or season—is that they pass. Time moves forward, and for those who are fortunate enough to adapt, and are open to growth and change, they move forward too. The events industry is no different; while things have been stagnant and uncertain, rest assured that the next few months will bring hope and optimism once again.

NAVIGATING THE NEXT NORMAL

A Roadmap to Returning to In-Person Events.

By: Angelica Dimapindan

Ciao a tutti!  I’m Angelica, an intern at LOMA Agency and an international student from Italy studying Business Marketing at Seneca College in Toronto. 

Before choosing my college course, I knew I was interested in two things: Marketing and Events. I was aware that one of the requirements to get into events was studying marketing, but all along I’ve been wondering how the two things were related and thought I would have to choose one over the other. 

However, I have since found out that Marketing and Events can go hand-in-hand; and so, as my internship comes to an end, I decided to write this blog post for anyone who is interested in an internship in the Event Marketing field, to learn what to expect and also as a keepsake for me to remember this experience. 

I’ve always dreamed of working for a small business that shared the same values and passions as me. So, imagine how thrilled I was when Loren offered me a 4 month internship position! Below are just a few things I have learned over the past 4 months.

A Typical Day at LOMA Agency

During the interview process, I remember asking what a typical day was like and the team answering that there was no such thing as a typical day. They were right, everyday has indeed been different. 

I come in the morning and receive some happy dog energy as soon as I step foot inside the office. The team then catches up on what everyone was up to the night before and then I check my list of tasks to tackle, which never looks the same! 

What I’ve Learned So Far

Since I started in August, my main duties have been related to event registrations, supporting our help desk, graphic design and reaching out to vendors. As a college student, I have taken classes on how to write business emails, but with Loren and everyone else’s help, I was able to practice and connect in the most appropriate way with clients and vendors. 

Excel… Excel… Excel… who doesn’t love a spreadsheet? Well, Yana definitely does! You can ask her anything about Excel and she will teach you what you need to know in the simplest way – she’s the Excel Master! Thanks to her I managed to overcome my fear of spreadsheets, and honestly, I think I’m starting to like them and have found a few ways to use them to simplify my daily life.  

Before entering the event industry, I always wondered how events ran. How did everyone know what to do and when to do it? Even with webinars: how did the speakers know when it was their turn? While I had experience in organizing school events, they are of course much different to corporate events.

 Everything that happens during a live event is by the minute – literally by the minute – often in a spreadsheet called a Run of Show. The discovery of this precious tool left me amazed; from start to finish you know who is involved (both behind the scenes and on “stage”) and what is going to happen, and for how long.

Bringing an event to life also involves tapping into your imagination. I have enjoyed working on the creative for various events and seeing elements come to life such as follow along recipe cards or physical mailer cards and knowing that someone was going to enjoy them as well. 

I’m not sure if telling you this will be a surprise but planning an event can take up to nine months; although sometimes you may only have just a few short weeks.

Many people I know would tell you I’m a control-freak and avid list maker, but I have discovered that even I still have room to grow. I have been challenged by getting used to using a virtual note taking method and making sure that I was always updating that to keep everyone on the team updated with my tasks. It certainly hasn’t been easy to switch from pen and paper to a keyboard and screen, but I learned the importance of it in a team environment. 

In the event industry, when clients are in other provinces or countries, – or when a pandemic happens – most of the meetings take place virtually. Since a lot is being discussed, taking notes is extremely helpful to remember everything that was discussed and all the next steps. Taking notes also comes in handy when making an agenda for the following meeting. For me it has been extra challenging as English is my second language, Italian my first. 

My First Events

I will never forget my first event which happened to be LOMA’s first in-person event since March 2020. Experiencing the execution of the Achievers’ new office opening event made me more aware of how important time management and communication are. 

I also spent most of my time over the past few months working on the Canadian Nurses Foundation 2021 Virtual MaskerAide Gala. Although it was a virtual event, this was by far my favorite project to be part of since I was able to learn how to interact with clients and approach vendors. I’ve also learned how to respond to registration inquiries, technical support requests, and general questions from attendees, as well as how an auction platform works.

At the beginning of December our agency hosted their second annual event, LOMAPALOOZA, to which I was put in charge of the social content and session decks. Not everyone is involved in the process of organizing the same event, so it was fun to see the event come alive with our team working all together. 

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

We all know the saying and yes, it is true. Events wouldn’t be possible without a strong team.

 I knew I wanted to be part of the behind the scenes team since high school, but I never knew there was an event marketing industry I could explore. 

Thanks to my internship I have learned that there are many – whether big or small, it doesn’t really matter – roles that are required to bring an event to life. 

All details, from spell check to creative design to balloons installations, they are all important elements to make an exceptional experience.

Loren and the LOMA team have been the best co-workers, always leaving space for my voice and making me feel as a valued part of the team, always making sure I understand my tasks and making everyday fun.

I have a bit of a commute to come to the office but it’s been worth it! From Biggie’s welcoming barks to Yana’s What a Bagel Mondays, to Kurt’s sassy comebacks, to Amy’s morning pringles and Loren’s usual “a domani” at the end of the day, the past four months have been an amazing life experience.

Spending the last four months at LOMA Agency has been the greatest learning experience I have had so far. I’ve been able to get a real view of the marketing space and how event marketing plays its part. I’ve been able to challenge myself with presenting to clients, keeping in communication with them and vendors, and learning how to be successful in a professional environment. 

I’m grateful to say that, while my internship is coming to an end, I will continue to be part of the LOMA Agency team part-time while I go back to college in January. I look forward to finishing my education while getting more knowledge of the Event Marketing space, especially since we will be starting to go back to in-person events. I’m thrilled to explore what happens next!