ie volume 32 issue 1

the business of international events

Can a “Return to Normal” Happen in 2021?

How to Save the Event Industry in 10 Days Get Ready. It’s Time to Re-Connect Re-Imagine Your Event for Success From Pivoting to Piloting

the business of international events

Can a “Return to Normal” Happen in 2021?

How to Save the Event Industry in 10 Days Get Ready. It’s Time to Re-Connect Re-Imagine Your Event for Success From Pivoting to Piloting

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© 2020 First Data Corporation, a subsidiary of Fiserv, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The First Data name and logo are trademarks owned by First Data Corporation and registered or used in the U.S. and many foreign countries. All trademarks, service marks and trade names referenced in this material are the property of their respective owners. The Clover marks are trademarks owned by Clover Network, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Data Corporation, and registered or used in the U.S. and many foreign countries. 647915 2020-4

IFEA VISION A globally united industry that touches

Publisher & Editor Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE, President & CEO

lives in a positive

Assistant Editor Nia Hovde, CFEE, Vice President

way through

Director of Marketing & Communications

celebration.

Advertising Kaye Campbell, CFEE, Director of Partnerships & Programs

Art Director Craig Sarton, Creative Director

Contributing Writers Gail Lowney Alofsin, Robert Baird, Jason V. Barger, Alison Baringer English, CFEE, Dr. Maria Church, CSP, CPC, Angela DeFinis, Laura Grunfeld, Jessica Haynes, Jessica Hodges, Hayden Kramer, Florence May, Steve McClatchy, Colleen Murphy, S. David Ramirez, Dan Stockdale, Liz Uram, Robert Wilson

For association or publication information: IFEA World Headquarters 2603 W. Eastover Terrace Boise, ID 83706, U.S.A. With respect to interactions with members/customers or those applying to be members/customers, the IFEA will not cause or allow conditions, procedures, or decisions which are unsafe, undignified, unnecessarily intrusive, or which fail to provide appropriate confidentiality or privacy. If you believe that you have not been accorded a reasonable interpretation of your rights under this policy, please contact the IFEA office at +1-208-433-0950 ext. 8180.

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+1.208.433.0950 Fax +1.208.433.9812

http://www.ifea.com

Good Times Need Quality Insurance.

Festivals are always a fun time, but they do come with their own set of inherent risks. Be proactive and protect your event with Haas & Wilkerson Insurance.

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With more than 80 years of experience and access to exceptional markets, we’re able to provide quality solutions that are cost-effective and event-specific.

For a comprehensive review of your coverage and exposure, call 913 . 432 . 4400 or visit hwins.com/GoodTimes Independent agent representing Westchester, a Chubb Company, Programs Division. Insurance provided by Ace American Insurance Company and its U.S. based Chubb underwriting company affiliates. Chubb is the marketing name used to refer to subsidiaries of Chubb Limited providing insurance and related services. All products may not be available in all states.

For a list of these subsidiaries, please visit www.chubb.com.

the business of international events

F E AT U R E S

Can a “Return to Normal” Happen in 2021?

How to Save the Event Industry in 10 Days Get Ready. It’s Time to Re-Connect Re-Imagine Your Event for Success From Pivoting to Piloting

On the Cover: Bring Back Events.

Wear a Mask. Support the IFEA and the Festivals & Events Industry IFEA Masks now available here.

DEPARTMENTS 10 IFEA President’s Letter 14 IFEA World Board 16 IFEA Foundation Board 34 Festivals Without Borders 38 The PR Shop 46 Prune & Bloom 50 Leadership at all Levels 56 Un-Comfort Zone 64 May I Help You? 68 Everyone’s Invited 74 Marketplace

Spring 2021, Volume 32, Issue 1 “ie” is published quarterly by the International Festivals & Events Association, 2603 W. Eastover Terrace, Boise, ID 83706, USA. Permission to quote from material herein is granted provided proper credit is given to IFEA.

18

Can a “Return to Normal” Happen in 2021?

By Jessica Haynes

22

How to Save the Events Industry in 10 Days

By Alison Baringer English, CFEE

26

Get Ready. It’s Time to Re-Connect

By Colleen Murphy

30

RE-IMAGINE Your Event for Success

By Hayden Kramer

36

Eight Things Event Organizers Need to Leave in 2020

By S. David Ramirez

42

From Pivoting to Piloting: New Product Development for Events in Uncertain Times

By Jessica Hodges

48

First Let Me Grab a Cookie

By Steve McClatchy

52

3 Steps to Stop People from Stealing Your Time

By Liz Uram

54

How to Use Humor to Conquer Zoom Fatigue

By Angela DeFinis

58

There Is No Vaccine for Your Company Culture

By Jason V. Barger

62

Five Ways to Find Meaning at Work

By Dr. Maria Church, CSP, CPC

66

Four Golden Rings to Re-Branding

By Dan Stockdale

IFEA PRESIDENT’S LETTER

‘ENOUGH,

I

ALREADY’

consider myself to be a fairly strong person; as I assume many of you do of yourselves. Stress and pressure and deadlines – that I control to a large degree – are the world I have always lived in. I have always enjoyed a strong foundation and network of family and friends and professional peers to provide that peace-of-mind, love, humor, support, and encouragement to get me through most of life’s challenges, as I hope that I help to provide, reciprocally, to all of them. I have my health, a comfortable home (which has doubled as my office for the last year), and the basics for safety, sustenance and sustainability. And I get to work, every day, in/on behalf of an industry that positively touches almost every life on the planet (when it is operational). So never mistake how thankful I am for all that I have and enjoy. But while I try to be among the realistic optimists, I have to admit that the world is starting to test me.

A year ago, I was writing this letter and paying tribute to my best friend, who lost a hard-fought battle with cancer. Today, as I write this letter, we must pay tribute to the 2.3 million-plus lives lost globally (469,358+ of those in the United States) to COVID-19. All of whom were someone’s best friend, or spouse, or parent, or sibling, or professional peer. A number that seemed unimaginable long before it reached the continually ticking levels that it has reached to date. And we must never forget to extend our most heartfelt sympathies to all those who have lost someone 10

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dear to them. Individuals, who were all likely hoping to leave their mark on the world.

The last year (with no clearly definable end yet in view and often what feels like teleopsia, with our goals seeming to get further away, rather than closer, on some days) has placed us all in a precarious position, on many fronts, that we had never experienced before. A position that has changed and challenged – well outside of our control (my least favorite position to be in) – our families, our professional lives, our communities, our countries, our world, and

BY STEVEN WOOD SCHMADER, CFEE

each of us, individually. And because it is happening to everyone, around the globe, even our dependable support networks have become a bit frayed. It is harder to be supportive and empathetic of others when you are knee deep in your own battles.

And to be sure, as we have seen across the globe, the common challenge of a global health pandemic has not necessarily united our world in getting through things together, like some global and national challenges throughout history have succeeded in doing, but instead, has often served as a divider. If anything, our pandemic stress has only raised our stress in other areas – politics; social and human rights; education; health and safety concerns; financial, housing and food security; and the list goes on.

As Type-A event personalities, we not only want and try to control everything, but we often feel like everyone else thinks that we should already have control of everything. We are used to being that leader who assures others that everything is under control; who has all the answers. ‘We’ should be able to define unlimited financial resource pools; to not only keep our current sponsors (who are all going through the same pandemic that we are) fully in-tact, but be recruiting new ones, as well, despite having no active assets to sell; to avoid having to cut positions and staff and friends; to add a plethora of new pandemic safety expense lines to our budgets, with no new revenue lines to offset them; to control the media coverage for our events and cities and global regions, ensuring everyone that ‘we’ have it all under control, even if others do not; and to be experts in areas that we have never had to know about before – government financial support programs; pandemic health requirements; virtual business and production technology programs; managing our staffs and organizations at a distance; and more.

Over the last year, and growing as the pandemic impact continues into 2021, I have watched and experienced, firsthand, as the pressures mount on everyone. We were all pretty confident that we could get successfully through 2020 (the year we all learned to hate), even when things did not go our direction. We turned to our ‘rainy day’ reserves (for those fortunate enough to have them); used our creativity to create virtual placeholders for our festivals and events; planned for what we may need to know ‘next year’ when things returned to normal; adjusted (as did our families) to working from home, tutored our kids (who are staying home now, too); ‘pivoted’ our products, services and other assets to keep our businesses afloat in the ‘short-term’; and hoped, every day, for a light at the end of the tunnel.

But when the calendar pages turned and the New Year celebrations weren’t even allowed to be as celebratory as we all wanted them to be, a new reality set in. Instead of preparing to present the ‘bigger and better’ version of our returning events that we had promised in our 2020 news releases, we started the year out with a seeming (and literal in some places) mudslide of cancellations being announced for the second year in a row.

Optimistic predictions by some very visible leaders in the live events field, were being backtracked. Expectations for vaccine rollouts and ‘herd immunity’ are being adjusted daily (with still no ‘hard-and-fast’ date for a return to normalcy) and even approved

government support programs around the world have been very slow in coming through or being clearly interpreted, as our elected officials try to figure out a world that they (remember) have not been through before, either.

Given all of the above, I think we all – and all those whom we deal with and care for everyday – would not be faulted if we raised up our voices in unison and screamed, “ENOUGH, ALREADY!” (Insert a deep breath and perhaps a day off here.)

So, now that I have used this letter to share some of my own pent-up stresses, and I hope for all of you to stop for a moment to take stock of the incredibly challenging world that we are all living in and maneuvering through right now, it is time for us all, collectively, to refocus on the realities that we must still find our way through, moving forward. We are still the leaders who can do that, even when we don’t have all of the answers.

It is time for us to join the messaging for getting us more quickly through this ‘novel’ pandemic. To use our bases and influence – locally, nationally, and globally – to encourage people to get vaccinated; to wear masks; and to safe-distance. To help us save events for everyone.

It is time, as our allied live event venue associations have taken the lead on, to provide facility and staffing support to help maximize a safe and timely vaccination process.

It is time for us to further extend our brain trusts and task forces in support of one another, our communities, and our industry (events, cities, suppliers, young professionals, educators, et al.), in addition to the potential sharing of our own assets and resources, as that may be possible and feasible, to help others.

All for one; One for all. We are in this together.

And while I/we don’t have all of the answers (even while we still feel on most days that we should) I can assure you that the IFEA will be here to provide the critical outlets and opportunities to share your ideas and knowledge and expertise; to vent your frustrations (our most valuable benefit on some days is just to listen); to celebrate your successes (no matter how small); to expand your professional, global networks; to enhance your education; and to help you stay up-to-date on the latest resources, tools, training, global news coverage, and peer event operational reactions and responses; as we make our way successfully – together - through the months and year ahead.

And, perhaps most importantly, to serve as a reminder of the essential role that each of you, and our collective industry, continues to play. When we find ourselves on the other side of this pandemic and given the green light to gather safely once more, I believe, more than ever, that the critical role and ability of our industry to bond our communities, cities, and world back together again will be more important than it has ever been in our lifetimes and professional careers. Not simply for the purpose of gathering without health concerns, but to remind the world of who we are when we are at our best; of who we are when we are one; and of what we can produce when we all work together.

That will really be something to celebrate!

Hang in there and stay safe and healthy.

Spring 2021

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BRING BACK

EVENTS T he fastest way through the current global pandemic, with a return to normalcy for all global events, is to take a leadership role in encouraging all of those whom we influence – locally, nationally and globally – to take the steps and do the right thing, starting with each individual, that will bring this COVID-19 virus under control.

In support of that leadership initiative, the IFEA has created a series of ‘Bring Back Events’ messages that we invite you to use and share on your own web sites and social media platforms. Download and use our predesigned and ready-to-use messages, HERE.

BRING BACK EVENTS - GET VACCINATED

One of the greatest tools that will allow us to save lives and ‘Bring Back Events’ is for everyone to get vaccinated as soon as they are allowed and able, aiming for a ‘herd immunity.’ If your attendees understand that the result will allow us all to gather again, sooner than later, to celebrate our events, our communities and who we are at our best, we will all benefit from the result.

BRING BACK EVENTS - WEAR A MASK

A simple, but proven and highly effective method of lowering the spread of the virus and saving lives, please encourage others to join us in this step that will help ‘Bring Back Events’ for everyone.

If you are interested, the IFEA has a series of event-oriented masks. Or, you may want to consider creating one or more custom masks for your own event(s). Learn more HERE.

BRING BACK EVENTS - SAFE DISTANCE

At events and gatherings of all sizes, safe distancing will help ensure that the transmission of the COVID-19 virus is kept at bay, while still allowing for some welcome, and often necessary, human encounters. Be considerate and encourage safe distancing of 6’ or more.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US

‘BRING BACK EVENTS’.

BRING BACK EVENTS.

WEAR A MASK. I

t’s a simple action with results that have the power to be profound.

Here at the IFEA, we’re continuing to do our best to help speed the return of festivals and events to their full operating capacity, while working to protect the health and safety of those all around.

We believe that wearing a face mask will be a part of the ongoing risk management requirements and expectations for some time to come, and wanted to offer some fun and festive masks of our own with elements of the industry.

As a result, we have partnered with long-time IFEA Member Steve Thomson with Dynamic Displays/ Fabulous Inflatables, and his new company Maskcott, to create IFEA branded face masks for purchase.

Your mask purchase helps the IFEA to raise funds for much-needed programs and services and serves as a vivid reminder and show of support to others that while our industry may be at a temporary standstill, it is not to be forgotten.

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IFEA WORLD BOARD

BY TED BAROODY, CFEE

DEFINING MOMENTS

D

IN TIME

efining moments in time - Weddings, funerals, graduations, big sports wins, a promotion at work!Maybe even that memory you keep forever from a vacation?

We have defining moments in time happening all around us through our lives. Not all of them are good, but hopefully good is created in those unfortunate bad times. Most of these times in life happen to us, for us or around us. We in the special events industry have a unique perspective of defining moments in time as we can create them, expand them, embrace them and yes, work them!

These defining moments in time are made even more special when shared with others. Our industry is a diverse group of individuals and organizations that are the experts of not just designing the moment, but making sure the moment is an experience shared with many.

And, how about 2020 and 2021? I think living through a pandemic is one of those defining moments in time that we will remember forever!

I am reading a book called The Power of Moments, written

by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. The authors have studied how these experiences change our lives and how we may actually be able create more of them and even more easily than we know. A great quote promoting the book states, “Many of the defining moments in our lives are the result of accident or luck—but why would we leave our most meaningful, memorable moments to chance when we can create them? The Power of Moments shows us how to be the author of richer experiences.”

Now there is a great position title for you next business card – Author of Richer Experiences!

We are in such a unique place in the special events industry that we can at some level control and manage defining moments in time. We may not be able to control the tragedy, but we can honor the loss, celebrate the heroes and host annual celebrations so that generations after us never forget that moment.

This letter is not meant to be a book review, but a reminder of both the power and the responsibility that is at our fingertips and soon to be actual, in-person events that are written in ink on our calendars.

The authors of the book discovered through their research that defining moments were created from one or more of four elements. Heath and Heath share in the book, “While human lives are endlessly variable, our most memorable positive moments are dominated by four elements: elevation, insight, pride, and connection. If we embrace these elements, we can conjure more moments that matter. What if a teacher could design a lesson that he knew his students would remember twenty years later?

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What if a manager knew how to create an experience that would delight customers? What if you had a better sense of how to create memories that matter for your children?”

Elevation - Defining moments rise above the everyday.They provoke not just transient happiness, like laughing at a friend’s joke, but memorable delight.

Insight - Defining moments rewire our understanding of ourselves or the world. In a few seconds or minutes, we realize something that might influence our lives for decades.

Pride - Defining moments capture us at our best - moments of achievement, moments of courage.

Connection – Moments of connection deepen our relationship with others.

How will you choose to lead yourself and lead others in this defining moment in time?

I am encouraging us to look at this at two levels; within ourselves and outwards.We can capture 2021 and understand that this is the time for courage and embrace this as a moment of achievement.

We can take our connection to the community more seriously than ever before. And, we can do what the book description sells - author a great and powerful story of defining moments for our students, guests to our events and diverse communities of our cities!

Our industry has the experience, passion and resources to shape new memorable moments in a time in our lives like no other!

Bringing the community back together. Supporting our cities economic growth. Live music, live sports, performing arts, firework shows, parades and so much more are ours to share with others so that they may remember forever their first public experience after the pandemic. We can create their defining moment in time that helped them move through that crazy era that was “so 2020.”

A great quote I have pulled from the book reads, “Defining moments create shared meaning – highlighting the mission that binds us together and supersedes our differences. We are made to feel united.”

Let’s be the authors of richer experiences!

Ted Baroody, CFEE IFEA World Board Chair President Norfolk Festevents Norfolk, VA

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IFEA FOUNDATION BOARD

BY KEVIN GROTHE, CFEE

IFEA - A WISE INVESTMENT

WITH AN INCREDIBLE ROI

H

appy New Year! Are we not glad that 2020 is in our rearview mirror? Yes, 2020 was brutal on the festival and event industry. Yet, like the creative professionals we are, we showed our resilience and fortitude to survive during these extremely difficult times. My pledge for 2021 is to not use the dreaded “C” word that put our entire world on pause for much of the year.

Having said that, it was my honor to serve as your Chair of the 2020 IFEA Foundation Board. It was also my pleasure to work with IFEA President & CEO, Steve Schmader, CFEE, the IFEA staff and more importantly, you - the dedicated event professionals who make up the IFEA membership during the past 12 months.

Steve Schmader and his team not only created new programs that helped guide our industry when we did not know what tomorrow would bring, but was there to support us with resources and education. Words can not express my gratitude for the generous support the IFEA membership showed in return during IFEA Day and the IFEA Foundation Celebration in October.

I often joke that I drew the short straw in 2020 by being the IFEA Foundation Board Chair. If that was the case, then I’m not sure what happened in 2021 as myself and the entire IFEA Foundation Board return to serve as your Foundation Board of Directors once again!

Seriously though, I totally understand that my main responsibility as IFEA Foundation Board Chair is assist the organization generate funds for IFEA and our worthy Scholarship Programs. I, along with my fellow board members accept this challenge and look forward to working with many of you in ensuring the financial viability of IFEA. Last January, 2020, I wrote, “Here’s my hope: just maybe this year you realize there’s more to IFEA than you were aware of or have taken advantage. And just maybe, when you hear that ‘sales pitch’ you are more inclined to support an organization that provided tremendous value for your investment.”

While these words in retrospect are a bit scary, they are also so very, very true. I am sure we all learned the true value of IFEA last year. So, I do not think you need to hear another sales pitch or plea. Instead let’s take a moment to reflect on the ways IFEA can assist our very own festivals and events.

Networking I have said it before, but it is worth repeating. I have never met a group of professionals more willing to share than those in the festival and event industry. We treat each other like family, even if it has been months or even years since we have connected. Set a goal to meet five new people in 2021. Do not be afraid to email an IFEA staff or association member. We have all experienced many successes and unfortunately, failures. While we can learn from other’s success stories we can also teach and help our peers avoid the mistakes we made. The great part is, IFEA has always had tremendous networking opportunities and added more in 2020.

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Affinity Groups Here is an easy way to network with your peers in the festival and event industry. IFEA created virtual Affinity Groups last year and were a huge success. They are one-hour, monthly Zoom calls, broken into the following categories: CEOs, Marketing & Promotion, Parades, Volunteers, Sponsorship, Arts and Cities, Operations. The Affinity Groups are a great way to discuss issues and ask questions that others in the industry are also facing. Best of all it is included with your IFEA Membership!

Webinars Last summer, IFEA expanded their Webinar series to deal with...wait I promised not to use that word. You get the point.

IFEA has always used Webinars as a way to bring the classroom to you. This is an efficient way to learn from industry leaders on a variety of topics. You save on travel costs and several staff members can gather around the computer. This year is no different as they continue a great series of Webinars. Again, best of all, the live presentations are included in your IFEA Membership!

Newsletters and Magazines Take time to read the IFEA newsletters and magazines. They have articles on the latest trends and happenings in the event industry. Understand you may not read every single article, but my guess is you will find at least one article of interest in every issue if you just make time to read.

Professional Products and Resources IFEA offers a myriad of other resources that can assist your organization. Below are just a few examples: • Job Bank • Economic Impact Study • Safety, Security and Risk Management Audit • Sponsorship Audit So, let’s start 2021 on a positive note and let’s all renew our IFEA Membership. As you can see, it is a wise investment with an incredible ROI! Here’s to a successful 2021!

Kevin Grothe, CFEE IFEA Foundation Board Chair Vice President of Sponsorships Memphis in May International Festival Memphis, TN

Can a “Return to Normal” Happen in 2021?

By Jessica Haynes

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Event organizers are tough people. I’ve known a great deal of them and can say with confidence they can handle a million things being thrown at them at once. At least, until COVID-19 happened.

The rollercoaster ride of planning festivals and events we are all familiar with suddenly collapsed underneath us in March 2020, forcing event organizers across the world to confront frantic questions from our colleagues and our own worries about the toll the pandemic would have on our lives.

Luckily, I had recently joined IFEA and found rapport with hundreds of other event organizers in the same position as the pandemic raged and festivals canceled in those first few months. We were all worried but we also shared another emotion: hope. Hope that live events would one day come back and be more important than ever in rebuilding our communities.

Looking Back As marketing and events director at Frankenmuth River Place Shops, I was inspired by IFEA’s webinars and resources to evolve many of our events into smaller activities that followed mandated public health guidelines for our region. Those efforts continued to bring guests to our outdoor shopping complex and also supported the many small businesses that call our corner of Michigan home.

I am especially proud of our team’s success in transforming our largest annual festival, Frankenmuth Dog Bowl, into multiple summer weekends of activities including dog agility performances, police canine demonstrations, tethered hot air balloon rides, and more.

Not only did we bring in well over a thousand people each weekend for those activities, our team was able to continue to support our nonprofit partners such as the

Saginaw Valley Police Canine Association and promote sponsors who continued their monetary support of Dog Bowl during the pandemic.

Downsizing a festival that brings in more than 100,000 guests like Dog Bowl is a daunting task. We did this by staying true to Dog Bowl’s mission – to advocate for responsible pet ownership through educational programs and world-class events.

That mission was more important than ever in 2020. According to a survey by the American Pet Products Association, around 11 million U.S. households added a pet to their family last year. A majority of those pet owners reported reduced stress and an increased sense of well-being because of their animal companion.

Providing opportunities for those pet owners to strengthen the bond with their new companion is the heart of Dog Bowl.

Our team double-downed on that effort with marketing strategies to educate pet owners on various topics such as familiarizing their pets with masks and creating a pet-friendly routine for working from home.

Spring 2021

We didn’t stop at Dog Bowl. Our monthly Funtown Chowdown Food Truck Festival was converted into food truck pop-ups with fewer food trucks, no live music or beer tent, and minimal seating.

We didn’t know what to expect in terms of attendance but our guests came out to support us. So did our locals.

When Frankenmuth’s traditional Holiday Candlewalk event was cancelled, we took it as an opportunity to once again revamp our own holiday-themed activities. From November to December, Santa and Mrs. Claus greeted children and families in a specially-designed Santa’s Workshop, complete with clear safety barriers and “Holly Jolly Spray” hand sanitizer. Our carolers wore masks and spread holiday cheer that was sorely needed. We put up extra decorations to light up Frankenmuth; even the Grinch stopped by River Place Shops and felt his heart grow two sizes larger!

Most importantly, our retail stores remained resilient and continued to promote their amazing products and services to thousands of shoppers each weekend.

Being creative and staying positive made the difference in what our team was able to accomplish in 2020. Even as our team struggled with personal issues related to the pandemic, we stayed true to our company’s mission of “creating enjoyable experiences.”

Moving Forward Now it is 2021, and event organizers face many of the same questions that came up a year ago: How can we re-imagine, re-present, re-connect and re-open our events in a safe and positive way?

The IFEA Committee Task Force tackled those same questions over many months, and created the following questions for

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19

are taking before, during and after the event to comply with mandated public health guidelines • Train employees on how to handle situations with guests or vendors, hazard and infection control measures, etc.

• Ensure consistent messaging on event standards related to COVID-19

event organizers to contemplate: • Consider the community impact. What is at risk by not having the festival or bringing it back in 2021?

• Use your imagination and envision how your event could change for the better – whether that means new programming, re-focusing on the event’s mission, or trying a different marketing program to attract new attendees.

• Evaluate how you can evolve your event to make it safer and more adaptable as the pandemic continues.

As members of the Re-Open Committee, our group of event organizers took an in-depth look at the administrative pre-planning that needs to happen before opening the gates. Those pre-planning efforts became three distinct categories: Safety protocols, event assurance and messaging.

Safety Protocols The Re-Open Committee took a multidimensional look at how safety can be enhanced throughout the event planning process, from preparing employees to disinfecting equipment once the event is over.

Before you open your venue to the public, your organization should be prepared with information on: • Your region or state’s restrictions on gatherings • Requirements for employee and attendee safety measures – Personal Protective Equipment, temperature scans, registering arrival and departure times for guests, etc.

• How to minimize congestion points –Employee check-in stations, vendor load-in areas, means of entry, evacuation plans from various parts of the venue, etc.

20

• Signage that is visible, clear, and in appropriate locations for employees and guests • Chain of command– consider opting to send one of the event’s lead organizers to complete COVID-19 Officer Compliance training • Additional security enforcement • Cleaning and disinfecting protocol, especially for food and beverage service areas • Communication plan – revamp how internal and external communications are created and distributed throughout the festival organization Event Assurance Like many event organizers nowadays, you may be wondering – how many people are going to show up to my event? How will I ensure safety for everyone involved?

The Re-Open Committee very quickly agreed event organizers have a responsibility to our festivals and to our teams. Our Committee Chair, Jeff English, CEE, referred to this as duty of care, a legal obligation to adhere to a standard of reasonable care – and made sure we knew why that term is so important.

Duty of care is what protects ourselves and our festivals from litigation related to negligence, and is more necessary than ever when operating during a pandemic.

Event organizers can boost their efforts in providing duty of care with these strategies: • Assess risks ahead of the festival and be aware of all potential liabilities - visit the Event Risk Management Solutions website and understand what steps you need to take to minimize your festival’s Risk Horizon • Have an Event Assurance and Compliance Plan outlining steps you

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Messaging In my role at River Place Shops, I quickly learned how to adapt our external communications to reach a public that was feeling disconnected. It was imperative to provide clear and accurate information in light of fake events pages and last-minute restriction changes.

Messaging was partly what I enjoyed most in 2020 because of the challenge involved. I had to respond calmly to users commonly referred to as “trolls,” and lead my team to develop new social media standards that were positive and engaging.

Is your team looking to enhance your communications this year? Consider the following tactics: • Designate one person to lead external communications with government officials and the general public • Develop protocol for combatting event rumors and counter-messaging • Consistent messaging across all public-facing festival platforms • Timeline for communication strategies based on event changes – this was extremely helpful for me in 2020 as events canceled or changed Messaging is a complex topic for any event organizer but add in a pandemic and you have a potential recipe for disaster. A poorly worded post, inconsistent review of social media engagement or simply “ghosting” your followers can have a detrimental and long-term effect on your festival.

The easiest way to avoid that kind of trouble is to know your strategy and make sure your team knows it, too. Break the communication down into segments and talk over these topics with your team: • Know your audience: Everyone on your festival team is responsible for messaging, from a volunteer at the gate to the committee chairperson. Create brochures or rack cards so all team members have the same information and know who to contact if they or your guests have questions.

• Set the tone for dialogue: Is your event family-focused or for senior citizens? Does it attract millennials or baby boomers? Tailor the tone of your messaging so it is understood and

engaging to your guest demographic.

• Maintain that tone through to the event: Adapt event signage so it is consistent with guest expectations before they even enter the venue.

One aspect our team has been focusing on for 2021 is how to make our methods of communication flexible. We are incorporating QR codes into our print products with messaging that encourages users to check our website for updates – it is much easier to update a website page than reprinting thousands of brochures!

We are also including all COVID-19 mandated health guidelines when promoting our activities. From press releases to social media, that information sends a strong message to our guests of what is expected of them while attending an activity at River Place Shops.

As event organizers prepare for what will hopefully be a somewhat normal return to business in 2021, it is also important to remember that things will most likely continue to change and change quickly.

Evaluating your marketing timeline is going to be key this year.

For example, our team is shortening digital and social media marketing programs to allow extra time for last-minute changes. We may have started to promote a festival months before previously but are now waiting until closer to the festival to allow us more flexibility.

Remember Your “Why” 2020 showed event organizers that a flexible mindset is key. How can your team change up the typical way you promote events? How can you re-imagine, re-present, re-connect and then re-present your events for your fans?

For event organizers, how are we pushing ourselves to persevere despite the odds?

I do my best to remember why I became an event organizer – to create enjoyable experiences and to take on new challenges so I would grow as a person and a professional.

I also remind myself of the extraordinary work being done every day by healthcare providers and essential workers. I have two sisters who are registered nurses and fight for their patients every time they clock in. They are juggling virtual learning for their children and themselves in a pandemic. Elizabeth and Sarah, you are the real heroes in this pandemic and I cannot be more proud of you.

It is their excitement to be part of our family-friendly activities at River Place Shops and take a break from their

stressful work lives that reminds me the work being done by event organizers is also valuable.

Event organizers are tasked with bringing culture to our communities, continuing traditions, and staying true to our festival’s missions while providing entertainment and an escape from the daily grind that is needed more than ever.

My goal for 2021 is to stay true to our company’s mission of “creating enjoyable experiences” for my family, friends, colleagues and myself. COVID-19 may have changed our concept of normal in 2020 but event organizers are tough. It’s time to roll up our sleeves and make the new normal better than before.

Jessica Haynes is the marketing and events director at Frankenmuth River Place Shops, where she oversees more than 20 annual community festivals and events at the outdoor shopping complex located in Frankenmuth, Michigan. Part of her role is organizing the Frankenmuth Dog Bowl, the world’s largest Olympic-style festival for dogs where she has participated in police canine demonstrations and hot air balloon competitions. Haynes is a member of Junior Chamber International and learned firsthand how to make exciting events come to life through her local chapter. She is an avid dog lover and especially appreciates her favorite canine guests at River Place Shops who know she always has a treat on hand. Haynes enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and her best friend, 7-year-old rescue dog Holly.

The IFEA Covid-19 Re-Open Task Force was are a collaborative effort by the Committee Chairs and the work of their committee team members including: • Committee Chair: Jeff English, CFEE, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, CLARK Material Handling Company • Committee Chair: Kat Paye, CFEE, The Festival Foundation, National Cherry Festival • Chuck Ashby, City of Henderson Parks & Recreation • Peter Ashwin, Event Risk Management Solutions • Serri Ayers, Richardson, TX Parks and Recreation • Dana Baird, Frisco Texas • Jennifer Burns, Illumination Fireworks • Daphne Dickens, Des Moines Art Festival • Jay Downie, CFEE, Downtown Fort Worth Initiative, Inc. • Tavi Fulkerson, The Fulkerson Group • Tammy Gazzola, Weatherford, TX Chamber of Commerce • Dan Goode, SunFest • Gayle Hall, CFEE, Grapevine TX Convention and Visitors Bureau • Cara Harting, City of Frisco • Eric Hjellming, Drum Corps International • Jim Holt, CFEE, Memphis in May • Greg Jackson, Tucson Parks and Recreation • Paul Jamieson, CFEE, SunFest • Carina Jimenez, CFEE, McAllen Parks and Recreation • Hayden Kramer, Town of Indian Trail Parks & Recreation • Nan Krushinski, City of Delray Beach • Dianna Lawrence, CFEE, Community Event Manager - Richardson, TX • Julie Machon, City of Montgomery, OH • JoAnn Nasser, National Cherry Blossom Festival • Whitney Nelson, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts • Suzanne Neve, Florida Festivals and Events Association • Lisa Potvin, CFEE City of Concord • Randy Prasse, Kentucky Bourbon Festival • Denise Rice, Honey Bucket Portable Restrooms • Kenney Sarah, NC Azalea Festival • Karol Shepherd, Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival • Jenny Wright, CFEE, Woodlands, TX Arts Council • Kelly Zanders, CFEE, EAA

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HOW TO SAVE THE EVENTS INDUSTRY IN

By Alison Baringer English, CFEE Well wouldn’t this be a feat?! I am sorry to say this article will not, in fact, teach you how to save the events industry in 10 days. You should definitely read that article if you find it. However, it IS the task I felt was assigned to us when beginning our journey on the IFEA Covid-19 Task Force, Re-Presenting Events. We were about four months into the pandemic and, in true event industry norm – event professionals all across the world were showcasing the rock stars that they are by orchestrating re-presented events all across the globe. How were we ever going to collect all the information needed to safely guide others to save their events?

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There were so many variables. Too many, honestly. Events of all sizes, with varying budgets, different staff support.

Relationships with sponsors, communities, and stakeholders on all different levels.

Covid-19 restrictions of varying intensities.

Events with different missions – does re-presenting your event even still support that mission? And the final important question…just because we can pivot to a re-presented event…should we?

It was overwhelming to start, in all honesty. But thankfully we had a solid team of volunteers; event professionals just like you and I who saw an opportunity to help lead the charge in these chaotic times. Major props for all these helpers who stepped in when, just like the rest of us, their worlds were falling apart around them. These are the people who run in when everyone else is running out.

So what, exactly, is a re-presented event?

We decided to start our research journey by pulling out examples of what we felt were re-presented events already happening around us. By the end of the first few weeks, we had 26 re-presented events we chose to shine some spotlights on. From there, we divided these into what “type” of re-represented event each was. Below you will find the five categories we divided these into, along with some key considerations and notable examples of each.

Reverse Formatting Essentially defined as taking an existing event directly to the consumer at home with some type of direct consumer engagement.

• Concepts require minimal expense but can be labor intensive with staff or volunteers.

• ◦Parking parade elements in various parts of a community is a safer and more effective strategy than attempting to take parade elements and drive them through parts of a community.

Notable Examples: • Portland Rose Festival, Portland, OR - Parading in Place/Porch Parade • National Cherry Festival, Traverse City MI - Porch Parade • Home Builders Association of Metro Portland, OR - Portland Housing Month featuring the Fall Home + Garden Show “In Your Neighborhood Edition” (window displays) Drive-In Entertainment Defined as consumers using their own vehicle and staying within the vehicle to engage in some form of event experience.

• Concepts require amount of physical space and come with a larger expense model.

• Safety protocols need to be part of event plan along with specific event management plans that come with creating an assembly.

Notable Examples: • Boijmans Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands – Drive Through Museum • Pop-Up Drive-In Theatres • Halloween themed haunted drive through experiences Food Experiences Producing elements of food and beverage that normally would be the featured attraction of a mass gathering and packaging into a COVID safe format. Specific mechanisms found to be successful included drive by food vending and customized packaged home delivery in a format customized for a particular event.

• Great way to keep local food and beverage establishments engaged with some economic value.

• Notable way to maintain food and beverage sponsorship support.

• Notably high on labor via staff time or volunteer support.

• Make sure you are familiar with state mailing protocols and laws if you produce an “Experience in a Box.” Notable Examples: • South Florida Fair – West Palm Beach, FL • Yakima Fair Food Fest - Yakima, WA • North Carolina Seafood Festival Morehead City, NC Virtual By far, the most replicated event concept created in the first few months after the pandemic hit. Each one is customized to a particular producer.

• Despite the overall desire to produce virtually, not every event is transferable to a virtual format. Some events should be parked instead of virtual.

• Are greatly beneficial for maintaining a public presence and delivering sponsors benefits over a digital space.

• Wide range of effective technology tools available depending on budget and staff/volunteer resources.

• Ongoing effort is needed to define how you monetize the virtual space.

• Virtual Runs and Walks dominate the virtual event landscape and show promise of significant monetary return.

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Notable Examples: • Major League Sports – Virtual fan video boards for the NBA, virtual fans seated in MLB stadiums • Virtual Performances • Virtual Fundraising Galas • Home Builders Association of Metro Portland, OR - Portland Housing Month • 500 Festival - Mini Marathon and expanded running events, Indianapolis, IN • Hood to Coast Relay - Oregon Hybrid Essentially defined as an alternative festival in a scaled back format to meet specific health guidelines for a particular local jurisdiction.

• The concept that emerged months after the pandemic hit and will likely be the most widely used event model.

• Think Simple- Avoid deviating from basics that make your existing event successful.

• Think Mission-Driven - Does the activity continue to meet the mission of the organization?

• Effective model for small VIP experiences that can be produced using social distancing guidelines.

Notable Examples: • Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade - NYC, NY • MusikFest, Bethleham, PA • City of Frisco, Texas – Multiple small format events Now that we had a solid understanding of some of the more popular styles of re-presenting, we needed to come up with some guidelines for the decisionmaking process.

Our committee outlined the following factors and considerations for decision-making when it comes to re-presenting an event.

Strategic Considerations • Risks vs. Rewards • Does it align with the mission of the organization/original event?

• What is the sentiment of the community the event/organization serves?

• Is the timing right?

• Landscape of competing events?

• Can these efforts be built upon into the future?

• Do these efforts advance the sustainability of the organization?

• Understand that preparation/planning will constantly be evolving.

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Notes on Risk vs. Reward RISK – What are the consequences of the decision?

REWARD – What is the return on the investment?

Financial Strain

Produces a revenue stream, provides sponsor opportunities

Lack of or strain on human resources

Skill building opportunity for staff to think differently, infuse creative and ask hard questions

Confuses the brand of the organization or specific event

Builds brand strength

Strain on city or other third-party services

Provides sponsor benefits to continue to sustain sponsors

Negative health and safety implications

Continues to engage current audience and supporters

May not appeal to current audience

Opportunity to reach out to new audiences (local, national and international)

Could this lead to negative media/ public relations?

Reinforces the mission of the organization; Supports the sustainability of the organization

If you do nothing, will you risk “losing your spot”? Will others fill the void? Will people find something else to do, thus build new patterns/behaviors?

Intangible relationship with sponsors, community and partners to show that you are there, creative and diligent in a time of need. Builds trust.

I would like to pause a minute to pull out this last bullet, “Understand that preparation/planning will constantly be evolving.” As I sit here writing this article, just shy of a full year of dealing with a pandemic as an events planner, THIS may be the hardest one for me personally. I know, we are used to last-minute changes and evolutions; this is a skill our industry excels at. However, I have realized just how hard it is for me to have so few projects I can put a “finished” next to, a full complete period…stop…the end.

Event professionals like to see and to feel their final product, we like to live in our event and soak in the final product of all our hard work. See the lights and sights all around us, hear the crowd noises and laughter…heck – we shoot off fireworks in celebration of our completed work!

So personally, this one has been difficult. I like to use the following analogy – I’m like a cat that someone is teasing with a laser pointer. My focus is continually being diverted and what ends up happen24

ing is my head just keeps spinning and spinning. But… we keep on planning!

Guiding Questions to Ask Financial Impact: • What are the costs?

• Can the reconfigured event remain financially viable with new format?

• Can you retain or bring on sponsors to help support? (especially important if ROI is a key factor) • Legal Issues?

• Is there a charge for the event or will it be free of charge?

• Will the existing sponsorship model work for the re-imagined event?

• Are there any legal and insurance requirements?

Marketing: • Does it align with the organization/ event brand?

• Are there competitor’s events? If so, how might this affect results?

• What is the purpose of the event?

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• Who is the audience?

• What types of advertising and media support will be necessary?

• What would be the interest of the media? Media coverage opportunities?

Operations/Procedures: • Assess Risk Management (Costs, Community Requirements, Legal) • Availability of/Buy-in from Volunteers, BOD, Town, Fire, Police, Health Department, etc.

• What is the right venue?

• What are the safety restrictions on events in your state as health and safety measures are considered right now?

• Access to technology for new virtual elements?

Programming: • When is the best timing?

• Is the new or re-presented event relevant to the Festival’s mission?

• What new or existing partnerships can you leverage to help with new format?

• Will the event be able to be iconic, engaging and relevant?

• Venue options.

• Pick a solid decision date – if you go beyond that, risk increases.

Staffing/Admin: • What is the predicted staff time?

• Do you have adequate human resources (staff and/or volunteers) to make the event happen?

• Available volunteer support?

• Identify available contractors to support if needed.

At this point we felt we had solid guidelines and considerations for the decision-making process for re-presenting an event. Our committee then had a desire to look at things from a more academic, high-level viewpoint. Below are a few additional considerations for your decision-making process.

Consumer Psychology A sub-committee on our task force delved into consumer psychology and its changing landscape as to how this would affect our future events. Four areas of consumer behavior emerged as patterns and behavioral changes that could have an impact on the events industry: • New consumer purchasing patterns have emerged due to necessity. The ways we shop and how we spend money have now changed, and these changes are likely to continue post pandemic because patterns

New consumer purchasing patterns have emerged due to necessity. The ways we shop and how we spend money have now changed, and these changes are likely to continue post pandemic because patterns have now been established and are almost “normal” now. have now been established and are almost “normal” now. How events and festivals interact with ticket holders and attendees can be impacted by these changing patterns.

• Social dynamics, especially those in group settings, have adjusted to meet the pandemic restraints. Changing social interactions, interpersonal behaviors and lifestyle adjustments have all emerged. These changes could be massively impactful to festivals and events which rely on group gatherings, dynamics, and interactions.

• Consumers are more fearful, more uncertain and may lack trust (in general) coming off this pandemic, which will undoubtedly breed new behaviors that will stick post pandemic. How events handle these sensitive issues including safety and well-being of their attendees (and sponsors/partners) will be critical.

• Social justice issues and mental health awareness are now more prominently and openly discussed in society during this pandemic. Events will need to have strategies to show support,

treatment, and exclusivity.

• Look for alternative funding sources within a sponsoring company.

• Sponsors appreciate future and forward-thinking planning.

• Sponsors appreciate contingency plans for addressing changing environment now.

• Sponsors care deeply about events’ social justice and political alignments and safety plans.

Key Sponsorship Takeaways As sponsorships are the banks behind most of our events, we also had a sub-committee dedicated to working out key sponsorship aspects and how they relate to re-presented events in the pandemic world.

• It always comes down to relationships.

• Enhanced internal and external communications are key.

• Develop new categories of sponsorship for those companies (entities) that are less (or more) financially impacted during the pandemic.

• Never underestimate the value of in-kind sponsorship or donations.

• Must consider new benefits for sponsors. Think more media assets, VIP

Guiding Principles Ultimately, the decision to re-present an event should achieve the following: • Aligns with the mission and brand of the organization/event • Rewards exceed risks • Advances or contributes to the sustainability and financial health of the organization/event • Provides positive impact on the community served • Engages current audience and potentially reaches new audiences • Provides opportunities of growth for the organization

So here we are, we made it to the end of this re-presenting journey. I doubt we can say we know how to save the events industry in 10 days, but we do have a solid foundation for our decision-making process for event life in the pandemic world. As stated at the top of this article, every event has an infinite number of variables that, when plugged into the considerations above, make your decision-making process unique. We wish there was a straight answer, but we can’t give that to you. We will leave you with a few guiding principles…and send some virtual fireworks your way to cheer you on.

Footnote: HUGE thanks to the Covid-19 Re-Presenting Task Force; much of this Spring 2021

information and these words came straight from our committee’s work. A second, smaller thanks to the movie How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days; an exciting fictional scientific study into relationships, and the inspiration for this article’s title.

Alison Baringer English, CFEE is the Executive Director of the North Carolina Azalea Festival. She is a Leadership Wilmington graduate of 2013 and was President of the Junior League of Wilmington in 2014-2015.

In 2019, Alison was selected into the inaugural class of the WilmingtonBiz 100, an initiative of the Greater Wilmington Business Journal to recognize the top power players, influencers, innovators, and connectors in the region. The Star News selected Alison as a Top 40 Under 40 business leader in 2020. Alison currently serves on the International Festival and Events Association (IFEA) Foundation Board as Chair-Elect and the UNC-Wilmington Alumni Board on the Executive Committee in the role of Secretary.

The IFEA Covid-19 Re-Present Task Force was are a collaborative effort by the Committee Chairs and the work of their committee team members including: • Committee Co-Chair: Jeff Curtis, CEO, Portland Rose Festival Foundation • Committee Co-Chair: Alison Baringer English, CFEE, Executive Director, North Carolina Azalea Festival • Serri Ayers, City of Richardson • Cara Blackmon Harting, City of Frisco • Karen Churchard, CFEE, City of Scottsdale • Mark Demko, ArtsQuest • Jay Downie, CFEE Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives • Kevin Grothe, Memphis in May • Sharon Hoffman, Sunfest • Andrea Hostetler, National Cherry Blossom Festival • Kasey Kelly, Midland County Fair • Hayden Kramer, City of Indian Trail • Diana Mayhew, CFEE, National Cherry Blossom Festival • Stephanie McIntryre, CFEE, The North Carolina Seafood Festival • Debbie Rinckey, Chugiak-Eagle River Chamber of Commerce • Lisa Tovar, City of Henderson • Rachel Trice, CFEE, Portland Metro Home Builders Association • Heather Tzairi-Blackham, Comcast, Denver Colorado Mkt. • Joe Vera, CFEE, City of McAllen

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Get Ready. It’s Time to Re-Connect

By Colleen Murphy

Winter in Iowa is cold. January temperatures average 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

Then we have something called the “feels like” temperature which averages in the wind speed, humidity, and ambient air temperature. If the temperature outside is 14 degrees, the “feels like” may be four, or negative four, depending on the day.

For some reason, the “feels like” is never warmer.

Each year the cold temperatures cause many of us to hibernate in our homes with warm food, jigsaw puzzles, movie nights and generally speaking, staying in. It is a season of disconnect. Why do I live in a place where the wind hurts my face and I spend two months primarily in solitude?

Because after winter, comes spring and 26

nothing feels better then reconnecting with friends after a long winter.

To me, the pandemic feels like the longest winter ever. It has brought feelings of solitude, discouragement, frustration, and fear. We’ve all asked, “when will it end!” about the pandemic. Well, I’ve also said that about winter. When I heard the news of the vaccine, it started to feel like mid-February in Iowa. This is when you know it’s not going to get better really soon, but its ok to start planning because better days are around the corner.

Analogies aside, as we move through the pandemic to re-opening, our events will be tasked with re-connecting our communities. This is a daunting assignment because we’ve each been through

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our own series of trials, both professionally and personally, and we all have opinions and assumptions about another person or organizations status or position.

The concept of re-connecting hit home to me when I served on the IFEA Re-Connecting Communities Task Force.

It was a privilege to meet other event professionals from across the country and learn from them in a way that I never experienced at a convention, meeting, or webinar. Although our specific events are different, at their core, we all bring our communities together, drive tourism and support our local economies.

Joining the Task Force, I assumed that everyone in the meeting would be similar to me, an event professional who’s had

a horrible year. That was true. But as we began sharing our experiences, I saw our group fall into two camps - private organizations (Non-Profit or For-Profit) or Government. Each had our own set of challenges, struggles and benefits.

As a Non-Profit organization, I felt that it was a gift to me to learn more about the challenges that the cities are facing. In previous jobs I have worked for both a city and State Government, so I understand the daily operations of Government work, but I haven’t worked for the Government in a global pandemic. I listened carefully to their challenges because I knew that the information they shared will valuable to me in the future, when I start to work with my own city government.

Our key take-away was that events will be the catalyst for the revitalization of our communities. It will be vital for event producers to engage with our elected officials, chambers, visitor bureaus, venues and other civic based organizations to create bonds within our communities. We need to create meaningful engagement between stakeholders, sponsors, contractors, volunteers, and guests.

The theory of events as catalysts for a city, can be proven in my hometown, Des Moines, Iowa. In the late 90’s, downtown Des Moines was struggling. It was not dangerous. It was dead. Community leaders came together and invested in a small, but popular art fair known as Art in the Park and created the Des Moines Arts Festival®. The Festival was a catalyst for vibrancy and excitement in our community.

Today, the award-winning Des Moines Arts Festival is the largest festival in the

state of Iowa, a top destination for summer entertainment and is a gold-standard in our industry. The key to the Des Moines Arts Festival’s story is that community leaders invested in its future.

When thinking about investing in our future, budgets are the first thing on an agenda. Our Task Force talked at length about tight budgets. We all have them. So, we brainstormed many ways that events can thrive under these constraints.

First, smaller events may not have the same resources and networks as larger festivals. Pooling resources, sharing staff and loaning infrastructure can be a great way to support each other. I’m personally an example of a shared resource. I work for two different event organizations, with one event paying for 25% of my time. Our organizations often support each other in numerous ways. Rather than laying off staff, could you job share a position with

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another organization? This could include sponsorship management, volunteer management, programming, or production assistance.

The same could be done with offices, storage space, venues and equipment.

For many years the two organizations I work for have shared many resources and basic infrastructure. One year one event organization was running short on zip ties so the other organization came to the rescue. Following the event, the organization that was short the zip ties replenished the other organizations supply.

The icing on the cake is being supported by people who understand your work and don’t question your challenges. They’ve been there.

To continue collaboration, events of all sizes should consider sitting down with city departments to identify areas of collaboration. Prior to the meetings, events

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should work together in approaching cities to streamline the conversation, process, needs and overall efforts. We can’t be afraid to open the communication lines between our organization and others in our community. For events to return, we all must be transparent with our needs and opportunities. This is the year we should dismiss any feelings of competition and focus on teamwork and partnership within our communities.

Here in Iowa, we don’t have a regional event organization or IFEA chapter. A group of colleagues and I have created our own small group to support each other and discuss our challenges. We began to meet a couple of years ago to discuss event security and the conversation has evolved, especially in the pandemic. This group is so valuable to me because we are following the same rules, using many of the same vendors and face many of the same challenges and opportunities. I never see them as competition, I see them as a resource. I hope they see me in that same light.

Many members of our task force shared ways that they work closely with the other events in their community to promote and support each other. Often this is done through social media and newsletters which provides each Festival added content for our audience. As we navigate tough budgets, consider other ways you could partner with other events. For example, for several years our World Food & Music Festival has partnered with the Latino Heritage Festival. The two festivals are back-to-back on the calendar. In our partnership, the Latino Heritage Festival brings a group of dancers that perform at the World Food & Music Festival and they actively promote the upcoming Latino Heritage Festival. They receive free access to our audience and in turn, our Festival enjoys talented performers on our Cultural Stage for no cost. Our audience loves it!

As we look into the future, we need to open up our minds to new ideas and concepts. And I don’t mean the COVID19 protocol plans that we’re all making.

Take a break from that, it’s depressing. I mean, take a look at your event with new eyes. Sometimes tough times can mean ending a program or event that probably should have been ended sooner. It could also mean a lot of small changes, ones most people won’t notice, that equal a big, positive result.

The first big event that I led on my own was loved by the community, operated well, not great, and made a little money.

To improve operations and give us a larger net profit, I made a series of small changes 28

that ended up amounting to a wonderful outcome. Five years after I started, operations were vastly improved, we had tripled our number of sponsors and the event was the largest fundraising activity for our Non-Profit organization. Better still, because we had more sponsors, the guest experience was enhanced. Although we didn’t make those changes because of the pandemic, we were forced to evaluate that event because our organization needed more financial support. We were looking for funding in every place we could. If it hadn’t been for those hard times, we never would have done that deep dive.

Our organization and our community were better for it.

Evolving our events and our resources is a must, not only to save expenses, but also because funding streams that we are reliant on may not be available in 2021.

If your organization has benefited from or depended on grants funded by hotel/ motel taxes, that funding may not be there this year. Many grant opportunities may not be available, and sponsors may have shifted their priorities as their funding tightened. I have friends who work for large companies and have furloughed often throughout the pandemic. I’m sure that financial strain will trickle over into their giving plan, at least for 2021. As we make those connections in our community, we should look for non-traditional revenue streams. Many of these could be beneficial to not only our organization, but others.

One of my favorite win-win programs in our community is the Des Moines Arts Festival’s Non-Profit beverage program.

The Festival features four beverage stations and each station is managed and staffed by another Non-Profit organization.

That organization earns a percentage of revenue from the stations sales. Through this partnership, The Festival has a partner who is inve station is profitable while also supporting another community organization.

Will our organizations be better after the pandemic is over? I’m sure most would say no, but in some ways, we might say yes. Personally, there are many things I hope that I’ll never again take for granted; foremost the privilege to produce live events. I miss the noise from a sound check, the weight of a radio on my hip and the laughter and giddiness that I feel when I’m overly tired, but don’t realize it.

If we really love live events and love what we do to create them, then we need to re-connect to bring them back.

Back to my winter analogy…spring is coming. It’s a season of growth and

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re-birth. In Iowa, it’s a season to get back to the baseball fields, patio parties, farmers’ markets and outdoor events. As the time comes, will your organization be ready to tackle the new challenges? To be open and transparent? To connect? Get ready. That time is almost here.

Colleen Murphy is the Downtown Events Director for the Greater Des Moines Partnership in Des Moines, Iowa. In addition to producing four events for The Partnership, Murphy is the Sponsorship Manager for the Des Moines Arts Festival and plays a support role on Des Moines’ Downtown Farmers’ Market. She has over 15 years’ experience in the event industry.

The IFEA Covid-19 Re-Connect Task Force was a collaborative effort by the Committee Chairs and the work of their committee team members including: • Committee Co-Chair: Keli O’Neill Wenzel, CFEE, O’Neill Marketing & Event Management • Committee Co-Chair: Stephen King, CFEE, Des Moines Arts Festival • Karen Churchard, CFEE, City of Scottsdale • Dianna Craven, CFEE, SunFest of Palm Beach County • Kalie Crose, City of Henderson, NV • Randy Dewitz, CFEE, CFM Fanfare Attractions, LLC • Jasmine Freeman, City of Las Vegas • Kevin Grothe, Memphis in May International • Andrea Hostetler, National Cherry Blossom Festival • Jessica Howard, National Cherry Blossom Festival • Lillian Iverson, National Cherry Blossom Festival • Paul Jamieson, CFEE, SunFest of Palm Beach County • Hayden Kramer, Town of Indian Trail Parks & Recreation • Janet Landey, CFEE, IFEA Africa • Dom Leyden, Rosterfly • Brittney Lindsay, City of Chamblee • Delores MacAdam, City of Ottawa Cvents Central Branch • Colleen Murphy, Greater Des Moines Partnership • Mary Pinak, CFEE, City of West Palm Beach • Steve Schmader, CFEE, International Festivals & Events Association • Katy Strascina, City and County of Denver • Joe Vera, CFEE, City of McAllen

Your Event for Success

By Hayden Kramer

What it looked like on the inside for participants during the 2020 Halloween event.

Imagine your trip to Disney World; typically, you envision the castle, the fireworks, characters, a magical experience and maybe a lighter wallet. These are the broad stroke takeaways from a once in a lifetime trip. What you may have missed were all of the small items that added up to make the grander picture: you missed the signs that have all been 30

intentionally placed and all keeping with brand standards; the cleanliness of the park; seeing garbage cans wherever you looked to ensure that the park is clean; smiling faces of every single employee on the grounds from the shuttle driver to the fry cook. Disney did not approach anything haphazardly, but everything was purpose driven, intentional and imagined

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for the guest experience. The large successful picture is made up of micro intentional decisions.

As event planners, we often get drawn to the largest items in the event: the main stage; the final firework show; the lineup of the parade or signing the largest dollar sponsor ever seen in the history of the festival. While those are important, with

Halloween Spooktacular Past – a snapshot of what a previous year looked like.

Covid, it is necessary to RE-IMAGINE all aspects of your event. Ideally, this is something that event producers have been doing in the “down time” of cancellations.

It may sound simplistic, but now is the time to revisit your mission, vision and your “why” of your events. When making difficult decisions, these should be the bedrock of those decisions. These small decisions on how to handle the necessary aspects of your event in the Covid times will either lead you to success or your demise.

RE-IMAGINE will take several forms including: timing; size & scope; safety; communication; revenue and thinking. This is not an exhaustive list, but rather a list to review and spark creativity.

When it comes to timing, our festival and event grounds used to be open to anyone and everyone from the start to the end of the event. Now, the traditional timeframes may need to be extended and run longer hours of operation. Timed ticketing will become a norm, even for free events.

In the past, the name of the game when it came to size, scope and scale was to gather as many people into one space as possible; the size and scope will now need to change. Creating a flow for the event may now consist of one entry point for the event and transitioning patrons to

create a one-way traffic pattern. The use of multiple entertainment stages, proper placing of food vendors and bathrooms will allow patrons to take advantage of the event while not feeling as though they missed something. Expanding the footprint of the event or the use of multiple event spaces within a geographic region allows for greater social distancing.

Events will still need to operate and have essential items like vendors, food trucks and experiences. These interactions will need to be revamped and looked to become low-touch interactions. Cashless payments for vendors and contactless interaction are a must. VIP booths could be turned into pods and may see boxed food items rather than a buffet style.

Finally, the interaction between sponsors and patrons will need to be explored; a great alternative would be to explore kits that can be prepackaged and used at home.

Safety should be at the forefront of the decision-making process. Ensuring that you are an expert on your local restrictions and follow newly put in place protocols will be paramount. Increased training and education for staff, volunteers, entertainers and vendors will ensure your event can happen and will be as safe as it can be.

Sanitation stations, cleaning crews, mask distribution and social distancing will be Spring 2021

as important as security personnel and medical staff. As a reminder, the factors that we have faced in the past that make the risk management hairs stand up on the back of our necks still exist! While much of our attention and bandwidth is being spent on the immediate challenge in front of us, it is important not to lose sight of what we already know.

Communication at events will need to be RE-IMAGINED and be transitioned into high touch/reach communication.

Social media is a great place to begin but should not be the only avenue. Pre-recorded audio announcements at entrances or on shuttles, push notifications via an app or text messages and pre-messaging via email and video. It is important to remember how you receive information - written lengthy emails are hardly read - the use of videos, easy to read signs and pictures will be a benefit. As event producers, we need to be prepared for all things. Part of your communication strategy needs to include prepared statements on last minute potential cancellation and a statement if your event triggered community spread.

Revenue cannot be overlooked, while we all enjoy bringing smiles to patrons faces, revenue allows us to continue this for years to come. Sponsorships, pre-purchased swag and tickets will add to the bottom line. Along with revenue

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What this year’s Halloween looked like. comes cost; this will remain a driving factor in decision making. There may be new line items like temporary fencing, bathroom attendants or symptom checkers that did not exist previously but are now a large part of the budget.

Use these newly RE-IMAGIND techniques to help you solve the problems they create! For example, revenue may be perceived to be down because not as many people may attend your event; but, use the extended hours to host food trucks for breakfast, quite hours for people with differing abilities or evening hours for date nights. Timed ticketing will force people to register online; this is a treasure trove of information that can be used in multiple ways! Patrons will now be forced to provide their zip code, where they found out about the event from and their contact information; this information can be used for future target marking campaigns and their contact information will directly benefit during the communication phases of before the event, during the event and 32

after the event follow up. The use of multiple event venues for one event provides the opportunity to either uniquely theme each venue or sell sponsorship packages in a different way. As part of sponsor engagement, kits that are handed out at the event can prompt for social media engagement; this will further their reach.

Hygiene kits that may include a branded mask and sanitizer is a great thing for a sponsor to be associated with.

As we move into a new year, these events will look different for everyone.

During the planning and before the event, walk through your website, social media and marketing. Take the same approach to your event grounds. With things being so new, do not take for granted that everything is clear; it may be clear to you and others helping to produce the event, but look at it through the lens of someone who is brand new to your event.

The Town of Indian Trail has implanted several of these aspects. One great example was back in October. The Town

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typically hosts a Halloween Spooktacular event; the event is a mix of economic development with over 75 businesses participating in a trunk-or-treat, a fundraiser for a local charity through food service, free pumpkins, crafts, costume contest, story time and dance party.

This event typically draws about 5,000 participants- in a town with about 35,000 residents, this is a great turnout! The line to enter the trunk-or-treat portion of the event can take two hours to enter in a single file line; clearly, this is a success but would have garnered nothing but negative press if it was held in its traditional fashion.

Instead, staff sat down to RE-IMAGINE what the event could look like. The event was transitioned to Hallowingo. The events main feature was drive-in bingo.

Cars came on site, picked up their bingo supplies, swag bag and a free pumpkin; they were parked by staff and instructed to tune to a specific radio station. With the use of an FM transmitter, Town staff were able to communicate with cars via

Executing and attending events is not a right, it is a privilege. The way in which the Town executed Hallowingo allowed for participants to understand what we could produce and the safety protocols that we put in place. their radio and call games of bingo; when a car won, they would honk their horn and staff would deliver a prize. The event still had a heavy business presence; coupons and special offers were collected and then assembled for every participant by Town staff. Timing for the event was changed from a Friday night three-hour event to a Saturday event that was run in sessions; each session was ninety minutes, and six sessions were hosted. Instead of the traditional event grounds, the parking lot was used. Low-touch interactions were in place; staff handed over one condensed bag to only the driver of the vehicle. The entire interaction lasted less than fifteen seconds and was made as safe as possible with gloves, masks, and face shields. With pre-registration, we were able to communicate with all participants prior to the event with an email and pre-recorded video. During the event, although we were unable to hear participants, the Town was able to have their undivided attention. After the event, we surveyed all participants to learn about their experience and how to improve; we garnered a lot of insight. Ultimately, all patrons appreciated the RE-IMAINGED approach that we took, the way that everything was communicated and the safety protocol that was put in place. One conscious decision that we made was to alter the name; we did this so that people attending the event understood they would be experiencing something different than in years past.

Executing and attending events is not a right, it is a privilege. The way in which the Town executed Hallowingo allowed for participants to understand what we could produce and the safety protocols that we put in place. For events and programs that we hosted after that, we

used similar strategies; word-of-mouth spread, and we gained loyal advocates for our department. When the Town was looking to execute the Hallowingo event or subsequent activities, we did evaluate our mission and vision. The Town Park and Recreation Department has a mission to “be a trendsetting agency that transforms lives” and a mission that our department is “dedicated to enriching Indian Trail’s community through memorable experiences”. The Hallowingo event truly was a trendsetting event and the positive response that we received provided a much-needed lift during Covid; the event fulfilled the mission and provided a memorable experience for all that attended! Although the event looked different, it was a success for the Town and the 1,500 participants!

As event producers, we often are not afforded the opportunity to stop, evaluate and make changes. As someone who works in a municipal Parks and Recreation, we often do not even pay attention to what month it is - we just know we go from Valentines hearts to Easter Eggs, to fireworks, to music, to pumpkins and end the year with Christmas trees. 2020 was a challenging year and 2021 is still unclear; take the time now and use it wisely so that after the pandemic you come out ahead and your patrons can take advantage of your hard work! Think outside the box and explore all avenues. Things that may have been dismissed before may become the saving grace of your event. The best thing about event production is, no matter how small or large your event is - you can learn something from events smaller and larger than yours! Be creative during this time, reach out to other event producers and remember to RE-IMAGINE the way you look at everything!

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Hayden Kramer is a graduate of North Carolina State University and is the current Director of Parks and Recreation for the Town of Indian Trail, North Carolina. Indian Trail is a fast growing town minutes away from Charlotte. His department produces 20 plus events during the year that cater to the community. He and his team focus on being a trendsetting agency that transforms lives and creates memorable experiences for all. Finally, Hayden, his wife, daughter and two dogs love to get out and check out other events in the area and when they travel.

The IFEA Covid-19 Re-Imagine Task Force was are a collaborative effort by the Committee Chairs and the work of their committee team members including: • Committee Co-Chair: Ted Baroody, CFEE, Norfolk Festevents • Committee Co-Chair: Annie Frisoli, CFEE, Creating Community, LLC • Floyd Benson, Memphis in May • Eric Corning, Seafair • Ashley Depew, National Cherry Blossom Festival • Randy Dewitz, Fanfare Attractions • Barry Feldner, Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau • Dan Goode, SunFest • Noel Gramlich, Downtown Norfolk Council • Audrey Haake, San Antonio Conservation Society • Baylor Hall, Birthplace of Country Music • Charlene Ham, City of Henderson • Cara Harting, City of Frisco • Jim Holt, Memphis in May International Festival • Paul Jamieson, SunFest • Kristin Knop, Lakeshore Art Festival • Hayden Kramer, Town of Indian Trail Parks & Recreation • Dianna Lawrence, City of Richardson • Sam Lemheney, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society • Gloria Martinez, Weatherford Chamber of Commerce • Mairin Petrone, Pittsburgh Irish Festival • Carol Popejoy Davis, CFEE, Outdoor Adventures by Boojum • Jamie Prins, Scottsdale Arts • Ira Rosen, Temple University School of Sport, Tourism & Hospitality • Mary Margaret Satterfield, Conway Area Chamber of Commerce • Nancy Stewart, Festival Management Group • Meghan Tadlock, North Carolina Azalea Festival

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FESTIVALS WITHOUT BORDERS

WITH ROBERT BAIRD

LIGHT AT THE

END OF THE TUNNEL

H

appy New Year! The joy with which we greet the new year was never more in evidence as we saw the end of 2020 and looked forward to 2021 as a new beginning, even though we are in the midst of a global pandemic which has fractured our lives and changed it in ways that are innumerable and yet to be completely understood.

Recent events have heightened our awareness of just how different our world has become and we look with even more hope to our society recovering and soon. Thankfully, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Vaccines have begun to roll out around the globe and it is anticipated that we may be able to resume a semblance of normal activities as early as the fall of 2021.

This is the latest assessment of the situation from Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaking at the annual Association of Performing Arts Professionals, held virtually in early January. Dr. Fauci anticipates that America will be able to reach herd immunity by that time and this will allow the performing arts to slowly begin its recovery.

The operative word here is “slowly.” While this forecast is good news for the festival and event sector of the arts, it will require caution and the implementation of safeguards to ensure that events can re-open safely.

The first consideration will be deciding how to confirm that everyone participating in an event, from backstage staff to front of house personnel to audience members has been vaccinated. Many industries even now are requiring proof of a negative COVID-19 test to ensure that an individual is COVID-free and presumably not spreading the virus. There may be an evidentiary document which could be utilized to ensure that an individual has been vaccinated and presentation of that evidence necessary before entry to the event is allowed. There is no such document currently extant but may have to be developed as we move forward.

An alternative, suggested by Dr. Fauci, would be to coordinate with local health authorities and set up a vaccination center in coordination with any event, so that individuals could be vaccinated at the event! In any case, coordination with local health authorities in either case is a good idea.

Requiring proof of vaccination or providing an opportunity for vaccination is only the first step in ensuring the safety of events.

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A second and important step would be to require that masks be worn by everyone attending, especially if events are taking place indoors. Even with a vaccination, an individual, while ostensibly free from COVID symptoms, may be shedding the virus and able to infect others. Thus, the necessity for masks to be worn. Even in an outdoor setting, masks should be worn where crowds of people gather.

A third consideration would be improving ventilation in enclosed spaces. The use of HEPA filtration systems is recommended but even fans and open windows can improve air circulation (if climate conditions allow), and where ventilation cannot be improved adequately, restricting occupancy is always recommended.

So, in order to reach herd immunity, we need to have as many people vaccinated as possible. The performing arts world can be a role model in this effort by ensuring that organizations recommend and facilitate the vaccination of all staff and lead by example. Advertising that your event is run by completely vaccinated people will help to allay fears for those who want to attend and may encourage audience members to be vaccinated before they come to the event. The pandemic has raised many concerns about transmission of the disease and the efficacy of vaccines and everyone must do their part to assist in returning us to a world where it is possible to attend a festival or event safely.

The light at the end of the tunnel is there, but the tunnel may be a bit longer than we first anticipated. Fortunately, we can reach that light with an attention to safety protocols and a dose of common sense. This will make 2021 indeed a Happy New Year.

Robert Baird is President of BAM! Baird Artists Management Consulting in Toronto, Canada and an acknowledged expert in international touring including visas, withholding and taxation.

He offers free advice to artists, agents, managers and venues and has an international clientele. He served for many years on the Executive Board of Festivals and Events Ontario (FEO) and is a former Vice-President of that organization. He can be reached at: P: 1-800-867-3281 E: robert@bairdartists.com or for more information go to: www.bairdartists.com

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Eight Things

EVENT ORGANIZERS Need to Leave in 2020

By S. David Ramirez

2020 was a test of mettle. As we look forward to what 2021 has in store, we should stop, reflect, and leave baggage in the previous year. Start 2021 on the right foot and make your New Year’s Resolution leave these eight things in 2020.

1. Crutch Language 2020 was rough. It was rough for everyone. We’ve commiserated, mourned, and drank copiously to honor our comrades.

Now let’s leave the negativity and crutch language in 2020. We must enter 2021 excited about the brave new world dawning on the events industry. Cast aside the melancholy and be cheerful.

I’m challenging all event organizers to stop using quarantine crutch language: • Now more than ever • Uncertain or Never before Seen Times • Can You Believe It Is Already [Month]?

• 2020, Am I Right?

• Joke about Lockdown 36

The jokes have been played out, and consumers are over it. It is also lazy. Don’t get caught in the trap. Turn your copywriting towards optimism, and your customers will appreciate you. Seek to bring enthusiasm to your communities and stakeholders. Isn’t that the purpose of events; to celebrate the cultures and practices that make us unique?

2. Being Shy about Pricing I learned at the IFEA Conference in Williamsburg that I was undercharging for my event. I was shocked. We had done across the board increases year over year, the event was making money, but we were still undercharging compared to similar shows. We’re blessed to be part of IFEA since there are so many resources within our organization to help with pricing and understanding the bottom line.

With the vaccine on the way, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Rumors are swirling around a new round of EIDL

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and PPP, this time with a friendlier attitude towards the events, hospitality, and culinary industries. But that is not enough to greenlight a full return to large-scale events.

We know that there will need to be significant modifications to layouts, exhibitor spaces, performance spaces, and really anything that has a human element. These new activations will also require additional technology and support to ensure their success. You can practically hear the cash register ring as all the costs add up.

Take COVID as an opportunity to play with new pricing structures. Explore new ticketing paradigms. Consider shifting to exclusively multi-day passes or changing to membership-driven access. 2021 will be the one year where you can blame everything on the ‘Rona. If your experiments fail, let them fail fast, fall forward, and leap into the next ticketing scheme.

3. Being Afraid of Technology You likely entered 2020 without knowing what Zoombomb, Twitch, IGTV, or Teams was. We’ve all experienced a 10-month crash course on remote work. I keep hearing in my event circles, “soon, we’ll be back to normal.” Normal isn’t coming back.

Even after we’ve immunized everyone, there will remain a significant shift in understanding technology possibilities.

2020 showed that, if forced, people will swiftly adopt technology. 2021 will be about using these technologies in interesting ways. IFEA members have produced remote parades, beer tastings, happy hours, boat shows, and more. These incredible activations happened out of necessity. How will these events grow and improve when they happen strictly out of intention? What new audiences will discover your event?

How far will your event brand travel now that geographic borders don’t mean anything?

Still scared of the technology? Join an IFEA Affinity Group! Take an online class at your local economic development organization. Ask me! Seriously, I (and many more members of this organization) are happy to talk you through our knowledge.

The only dumb question is the one that remains unasked.

4. Thinking Translation, Not Hybridization In line with technology, the future is about hybrid events. We will drift from physical-only and digital-only, where simultaneous activations are the norm.

2020 found many event organizers asking, “how do I translate this event into cyberspace?”

2021 will be about designing events with one foot in the digital reals and the physical. Planning will require all the wisdom of established festival planners to combine their efforts with the world’s digital strategists.

Why wouldn’t you think hybrid? IFEA members produce some of the most amazing events on the planet. This is your chance to take your event global to new audiences. It will help you connect to younger audiences that seek digital elements in all their activity.

And let’s be frank. New audiences, equal new revenue. We still need to make money, right?

But don’t overthink it. If you were already going to produce a free and open event, why not stream it? Even established media organizations, like Texas Public Radio, have figured it out. They were hosting a telethon and decided to stream it through their social and a virtual event

site. Their kickoff event raised over $5k, and the social stream let new people access their content.

not discount younger audiences. Use your social to build for the future.

5. Being Polite to Obstacles The events industry has a long history.

This has entrenched some operators in ways that other industries would find ridiculous. I learned early in my events career that you must humor these people to succeed. No more!

I’ll start. We want to have more digital, streaming, and virtual content at my flagship event. The exclusive internet provider for our venue, SmartCity, charges $35k to wire a single room with enough internet to meet our needs. Previously, we did our best to work around the situation.

We deployed hotspots and colluded to create mesh internet with another provider.

In 2021, technology is about enabling possibilities, not limiting opportunities.

That’s long been our philosophy at TINT, seeking to understand our event customers’ goals and do everything within our power to make sure their event is successful. If you can’t align values and expectations with your vendors, then kick them to the curb.

No more Mr. Nice Guy. Apply pressure to these vendors. Get your governments involved if necessary. Turn mountains into molehills. Nothing should stop you from succeeding.

6. Pawning off Social on the intern.

We all know social media is one of the top places to connect with people. 2020 proved that having a strong social media strategy is vital to any organization’s success and continuity.

Yet time and time again, we find that social media management has been pawned off on the intern or added to a junior marketer’s job description. I see event organizers asking for the cheapest social posting tool rather than the one that does the most.

It is time to make social a priority. This means having a full-funnel strategy to build awareness, sell tickets, recruit influencers, and turn your customers into brand ambassadors. This requires the same amount, if not more, of planning that any other marketing activity would need.

This should also be an opportunity to explore new platforms. You’ve mastered Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, start on Snap or TikTok. Drop any assumptions that only specific audiences are on certain platforms. COVID has driven audiences of all ages to new platforms.

Gen Z is getting older, and they’ve been drinking legally for several years now. Do Spring 2021

7. Leaving Marketing to the Marketers Marketing is everyone’s responsibility.

From the lowliest volunteer intern to the top leadership, everyone should be driving toward marketing goals. Beyond internals, even your customers should become part of your marketing programs. People inherently don’t trust marketers, but more than 92% of consumers trust a recommendation, even from people they don’t know.

Consider the ways that you let people contribute, staff or otherwise. Are you running focus groups? Do you have a ticket sales affiliate program? Are you capturing user-generated content from volunteers? Do you use testimonials and social proof? Are your hashtags and social handles easy for people to find? Developing a user-generated content strategy with the help of a platform like TINT can help you reach your event goals.

The only way forward is to democratize the marketing process. You don’t need to release all control, but you should empower your fiercest fans to advocate on your behalf.

8. Survival of the Fittest As event organizations struggle, I’ve heard plenty of language from analysts are the media that make it seem like this is a Darwinian struggle. Those events that survive this pandemic are the fittest ones to lead us into the future.

I completely disagree.

It isn’t the strongest, the wealthiest, or the biggest events that will survive and flourish.

It is the ones with the biggest hearts, the openest minds, and the most creative souls.

Painter Henri Matisse said, “There are always flowers for those who want to see them. Creativity takes courage.”

Be courageous, design great events, and have a great 2021.

S. David Ramirez is a digital marketer and events manager at TINT, the world’s most trusted platform for adding authenticity to your digital media. He is the Executive Director of San Japan, an annual convention that brings 20,000 people to downtown San Antonio. David presents and facilitates workshops worldwide on topics like digital marketing, social media, and user-generated content.

Mostly, he’s a nerd. Talk to him about movies or video games.

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THE PR SHOP

WITH DAVE BULLARD

WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY,

WHAT DO WE SAY AND HOW DO WE SAY IT?

Our festivals and events are coming back. Many of us will return this year and, as long as the fight against COVID-19 continues on an upward and aggressive path, we’ll all be back in 2022.

We’re all thinking hard about how our events will change. Will we need to require masks? Temperature checks? A valid vaccination card? How many more cleaners will we need to keep surfaces sanitary? How will we make sure vendors comply? It will be absolutely critical to communicate these changes to our customers. The way we talk about the future of our events will be a major factor in the success of our returns. Our role as the information link between our events and our fans has never been more important.

That’s because not only have our events changed, but so have our customers. The accounting and business services firm Ernst & Young’s annual Future Consumer Index shows some eye-opening statistics: • 50% of consumers believe the way they live their lives will change significantly; • 40% want their lives to get back to normal, and; • 53% say their values have changed.

On the one hand, change of this magnitude is usually much more gradual, giving us plenty of time to adapt. On the other hand, rapid change is plainly visible and forces us to adapt now.

One thing is clear: People want to get back to normal, whatever normal turns out to be post-pandemic.

There’s no firm playbook yet for communicating about our events in a post-crisis world. Here are my thoughts and suggestions: First, Do No Harm Use the physicians’ Hippocratic oath and make your first principle that whatever you communicate won’t make things 38

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worse for consumers. Studies show that our customers are eager to come back to our events but they are also anxious about being in crowds after more than a year of being told crowds aren’t safe.

Reassure them by making information available while not necessarily making it prominent. Your website is a perfect place for a detailed discussion of your safety and cleaning protocols and admissions. You can then direct anyone asking a question or making a comment on your social channels to that section, where they can get an answer without dragging the entire discussion into the comments swamp of a Facebook post.

Use A Scalpel, Not A Chainsaw Torturing the medical metaphor a bit further, I’d say that communicating your plans for and commitment to safety requires a surgeon’s touch. The less said, the better. The more you focus on it in public, the more your customers will wonder whether you’re really safe.

I’ve thought a lot about how we’ll advertise my event this year.

It’s the definition of a mass gathering: 1.3 million people over 13 days, with free national touring concerts that draw between 10,000 - 40,000 people.

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I’m coming down on the side of subtle. I believe that each of us will be subject to safety protocols handed down by state or local health authorities and if we’re allowed to open, that’s as good as saying that we meet or exceed those standards; we’re safe to attend.

As a result, I don’t think we will need to bring safety into our slogan or theme for the year. It’s good as a single word in the body copy. “We’re back, safe, and as much fun as you remember!” or something like that.

Have A Plan Whatever you do, don’t just start communicating about your safety and sanitation plans. Think of it as a campaign within a campaign. It requires a careful and structured rollout.

Your mileage may vary, but here’s what I plan to do: As soon as we know we are good to go (it’s not at all a certain thing), I think we should get all of the safety information out quickly. A speedy rollout assures people we’ve got a plan and gives them the most time to get comfortable with it. This includes messaging on the eventgoer’s own responsibilities -- are they required to wear masks, show vaccination records, etc.

Then we can get on with the business of whipping up excitement for the event itself without having to slow down to communicate about another piece of the safety plan.

Use Every Tool Lastly, this is the year to stretch out and use every means of communication available to you. Before someone buys a ticket online to your event, they should see information about what they will have to do in order to attend. It should be reinforced by signage at the entrances (“By entering, you agree to wear a mask at all times except when eating,” for example).

A standard line in your email newsletter should be something like, “See our safety plan here, including your responsibilities.”

Consider staffing a phone number for one year or one cycle of events that consumers can call with safety questions or to report a violation.

Surveys show that our patrons desperately want us back, but they’re also worried. Using a light but constant touch can help them feel reassured and excited to come back.

About This Column and Me Thanks for reading this far! This is the first column for The PR Shop. My intention is not necessarily to tell you how things should be done, but to spark a conversation around these issues, usually driven by data. There’s never just one way to accomplish a goal and I’d love it if someone can show us a better way.

I’m the Public Relations and Marketing Manager for The Great New York State Fair in Syracuse, the nation’s first and oldest state fair, dating to 1841 (the Fair, that is; not me). The Fair has become primarily a huge food-and-music festival not unlike most major festivals, and we market it that way.

I have spent my entire life in and around media, starting as a stringer for my hometown weekly newspaper at age 16 and spending many years in print, radio, TV and online media. I have run a solo PR, marketing and video production business and founded one of the nation’s first online-only local news publications in 1999.

I’m married, with two sons and a grandchild, and two cats. Penn State grad. Love sports, especially soccer, as well as sudoku and logic puzzles. Why, yes, I *am* a nerd! Thank you for asking!

I am a student of marketing and public relations, particularly of the way messaging can improve (or overcome) rational decision-making, a field called behavioral economics. I am finishing my IFEA CFEE certification and cannot recommend it highly enough.

I am the moderator for the IFEA PR and Marketing Virtual Affinity Group every 2nd Tuesday, and want to invite you to join us for our monthly chat. I can be reached anytime at dave.bullard@ agriculture.ny.gov and am here to support the great people and events of our industry, so drop me a note with suggestions, thoughts or counterarguments anytime.

Dave Bullard is the Public Relations and Marketing Manager for the Great New York State Fair in Syracuse and a public information officer for the state agriculture department. In his 7 years there, the Fair has grown to 1.3 million attendees to become the largest state fair in the East. He spent most of his life in print, radio, TV and online journalism and has owned a one-man public relations company and a small online news publishing firm. Dave is married to a retired teacher with two grown sons, bangs the drums in a band for excitement and plays poker and sudoku.

Stay Informed – Stay Connected – With the IFEA! The IFEA is here to support you, share resources with you, help educate you, provide important information updates to you, help establish and strengthen your industry connections, and so much more! Gain access to important and valuable member benefits and resources:

JOIN the IFEA Today RENEW Your IFEA Membership, Today!

FROM PIVOTING TO PILOTING: New Product Development for Events in Uncertain Times

By Jessica Hodges

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PIVOT

– We’ve all heard this word way too much over the last year. Events around the world have taken their foot races from in person to virtual, turned their food festivals into drive through events, conventions have moved online, meetings via zoom, socially distanced fairs, rodeos and more. With an uncertain future, we pivoted from one platform to another and held on as tight as we could through one heck of a year. We have moved and shuffled and reorganized so much that the word pivot feels like it has a permanent place in our vocabulary.

Midway through the pandemic pivot process, the team at the National Cherry Festival (NCF) made the conscious decision to stop pivoting and start PILOTING new events, business lines and more. The adverseness of the situation created a new opportunity to PILOT new ideas for 2020 and make some significant changes to programs in 2021. The pandemic has propelled us all into a new way of thinking, leading us to develop ways to celebrate our areas’ culture using new methods without mass gatherings.

It’s that old adage, every problem is an opportunity. The difficulty that the pandemic caused truly tested how much people subscribed to this method. From the peanut gallery, we watched businesses do one of three things: they did nothing and died, they adapted and survived or they innovated and thrived. Using what we saw in other industries and knowing that the live event industry would be the hardest hit, the team at the National Cherry Festival decided to use the adverseness to create new event products.

Using the unfavorable situation to create new products had additional benefits.

People were very excited to participate in new and different events. Whereas they might not have participated in a virtual event before, participants were more likely to try something new, because it was the only option. It not only opened up new events and experiences but, but also opened up new sponsorship opportunities, new ways for community involvement and a way to connect like never before.

Before we dive too deep into what festivals and events were PILOTED during the pandemic, let’s review an event friendly New Product Development (NPD) process. New Product Development for Events (NPDE), at least for this article, is truncated from the traditional eight step process (Idea Generation, Idea Screening, Concept Development & Testing, Market Strategy Development, Business Analysis, Product Development, Market Testing, Commercialization) to a manageable four step process. The four step

process is intuitive, however, quantifying these steps can assist with putting this practice into motion in more times than just during adverseness. NPDE’s four easy steps are Idea Generation, Idea Screening, Idea Testing and Idea Evaluation.

Idea Generation It sounds simple, coming up with amazing ideas, but sometimes we have idea block, not unlike what writers experience. And sometimes an idea can start a freight train that is difficult to stop.

Depending on your situation and what your event needs to accomplish, here are few ways to generate ideas. Plus a few ways to keep the idea train on its tracks.

The traditional method of “brainstorming” allows people to say whatever comes to mind with no judgement. A suggested structure for this method is to have a scribe take notes on a white board as people shout out ideas. The benefits of this method include: everyone has a voice, no one’s idea is discounted, no one is judged for their ideas so that concepts might flow more freely. One of the downfalls of this method include runaway ideas. Ideas may become so far-fetched that they will never come close to hitting the mark. People may also spiral when not presented with a structure. That is why I suggest generating ideas with a goal in mind.

Idea Generation Session – Best Practices The first step to a great idea generation session is scheduling time and ensuring that all the needed players are present.

Sometimes idea generation is a one person show, a small group or the entire staff/board.

Make sure that everyone that needs to be in the room (or on the zoom) is present.

Next, state the goal for the idea generation session. Maybe it’s to find a new way to have a parade or to announce your new queen or how to save a food competition. It may be more broad, like developing community engagement or making a certain dollar amount. Whatever your goal for the session may be, make the people in the room know what it is so that it can be a focused session.

Over the course of the last year, the National Cherry Festival staff had many memorable idea generation sessions that broached various topics. Our first one was the day our state put gathering restrictions on in person events. At 8:00 a.m. on that Thursday morning, our crew was doing media for our March 5k Race, the Leapin’ Leprechaun and by 10:00 a.m. we were sitting around the table in what we now affectionately call our “war room”, deciding what to do with this event. The goal of the session was deciding Spring 2021

the fate of the 2020 Leapin’ Leprechaun 5k.

It was a well-structured meeting, as we went around the table and discussed what we thought was the best. Under the guidance of our Executive Director, the staff came to the conclusion that we would cancel the in-person run and give people the option to defer, donate or run a virtual option. This wasn’t a planned session and it wasn’t on our calendars as “Idea Generation” but in the end it had all of the elements needed: time, key players, a goal and a structure.

When configuring your idea generation session as long as you have the time set, the people needed and a goal for the outcome of the session, your meeting structure can take on many different shapes. Maybe you want to have everyone shout out anything that comes to their mind or maybe it’s best to cycle around the room. However you decide to structure this segment, be sure to communicate the plan with the participants for a smooth and productive meeting.

Where Do Ideas Come From?

Ideas can come from anywhere, however, when you are stuck and need to get that idea train moving here are a few suggestions on where to look for ideas.

Ideas from Ideas Building off already developed ideas is one of the best methods to create more ideas. For example, say an idea is a gala to help raise funds for your organization.

The idea is great, but not feasible until 2022. But building off the gala idea, the team comes up with an outdoor dining experience, online silent auctions, a virtual party for stakeholders to attend, etc.

Ideas from Opportunity To make the best use of happenstance, one must not just recognize the opportunity but also decide to use that opportunity to its best ability. Idea generation from opportunity is a great way to figure out how to utilize a situation for the best outcome. As a food festival that contracts with local vendors, National Cherry Festival saw an opportunity to not just sell cherry products but also work with various business to create cobranded items in which the organizations will financially benefit from. In 2020, we cobranded a Bubbly (Ball Drop Bubbly) that raised money for The Festival Foundation. In 2021 we will be introducing two new co-branded products. One product is a coffee, Super Cherry Fuel that will sport our mascot and raise money for The Festival Foundation.

National Cherry Festival Preserves, a cherry jam, will be our second product release this year and proceeds will benefit our National Cherry Queen Scholarship program.

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Ideas from Others To put it simply, this is borrowing an idea from another organization and adapting it to your own organization. A great example of this seen around the country during the pandemic was the Porch Parade. Originally developed by Portland Rose Festival, many other festivals (large and small) took on this idea and adapted it to their own. For example, the National Cherry Festival created the Very Cherry Porch Parade from this event.

With permission, the NCF molded the idea to fit our community while also making a small profit by finding local businesses and people to sponsor porch parade signs. The easiest way to generate ideas from others is to pay attention, study, read, and research what others in your industry are doing.

Idea Screening Now the analytical part starts, Idea Screening. Each idea is screened and added to one of three categories: Drop It, Delay It and Do It. A two-part screening process is suggested and will help the organization focus on more feasible ideas. The first is a quick screen that asks two questions: Is it feasible enough to run a cost/benefit analysis on AND does it meet the goal mentioned in the idea screen process; this will weed out quite a few ideas.

After running the first screen test, come back to what’s left and run a feasibility that is based on your desired outcome. After holding an idea generation session where the goal was to develop ways to raise a certain amount of money by the end of the year, the staff of the NCF did a quick screen and dropped any ideas that were not feasible.

Then we divided up with remaining ones with each idea having its own champion.

The champions took the ideas back and ran some type of feasibility test on each idea.

Sometimes it was a breakeven point, other times it didn’t fit our mission, and sometimes it was judged on timeline.

Then we came back to the table and presented our ideas where the group decided if the idea would work or not, as a team.

Ideas were classified into the following.

Drop It: Exactly what the title says, these are ideas that will not be pursued. A few reasons for dropping an idea might include: idea does not merge well with current event structure or mission, not enough time to complete the idea, or cost of venture is too high.

Delay It: These were ideas that we loved but during a pandemic wasn’t the best time to launch them or we didn’t have enough time 44

to do them right this year but could easily do them in a future year. Other reasons to delay an idea might include needing more research or additional funds. Delayed ideas are ideas that are still feasible, but need to be placed on backburner for a bit.

Do It: Just like it says, these are the ideas to proceed with. These ideas match the needs, budget, and time frame of the organization and warrant more time and consideration to begin putting them into place. However, just because something is in the Do It category doesn’t mean it won’t be moved to the Delay It or Drop It category once the ideas are flushed out.

Items can easily shift one category to the other. An idea in the Do It category can be moved to the delayed category simply because of time frame, just as easily as a delayed item can jump up to the do it list.

Sometimes an idea that starts out as a Do It item ends up being dropped.

Our team had a great idea to launch a virtual challenge over the winter months to keep people active and engaged. It passed both screening tests with flying colors, but as we began to flush out the idea, the pieces weren’t fitting together. It was at this time, we decided to drop the idea all together and move on to the next project on the list.

The NCF had planned to do a New Years’ Eve in a Bag to correlate with the CherryT Ball Drop (another Festival Foundation event), and once we started the detail work, it didn’t fit. So instead of trying to force the idea, an idea was formed to contact a local vineyard and work at co-branding Ball Drop Bubbly.

This private labeled sparkling rose sold so well that it is on tap to return next year.

If the idea doesn’t pan out, or can’t make it to the next stage, it is time to move it to a different category. Keep the work put in to the development of the idea documented, because one never knows when happenstance will come around and that idea will flourish.

Idea Testing (Implementation): As you’ll notice, this is the smallest section. Why? Because no one can put an idea in motion like the event industry can.

Idea Evaluation Often when we think of evaluating a project, we think of it as the final step.

Evaluation is always important to truly assess if goals were met and it should never be skipped. Many different forms of evaluation exist from debrief to surveys to community feedback and more. However, not only is evaluation the conclusion of an implemented

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idea, it can also be the launching point to the next idea generation session.

From this idea evaluation stage, determine if the project was fruitful or if it flopped. If your flopped project is worth trying again, then go back to the idea generation process and start with the goal to improve this idea and repeat the process. If it isn’t worth trying again, then drop the idea and move on to the next one.

Fruitful ideas are ones that hit all the marks. Maybe it made money or provided needed community engagement or gave a great sponsor deliverable. Maybe it did all three. If at the end of the day, you sit back and say, “That was awesome let’s do it again,” then do it again. BUT take it back through the process with the goal of making this project better. It never hurts to refine an idea, event or project to improve upon it. Remember the most dangerous words ever spoken were, “we’ve always done it this way”.

If your idea/project didn’t hit the bulls-i, but wasn’t a total flop either, we can call it a fizzle. Either you toss it and don’t repeat it or you take the idea back to the drawing board and repeat the session. NDPE for events is a fluid process.

Conclusion Using NPDE supplies festivals and events a formula to use to open its doors to more avenues of business. Just as easily as it can be used for development of new ideas, it can also be used to revamp current events.

In 2021, we have used this process to determine what events we can hold with little to no pandemic modifications, which events can happen with modification and lastly, which events can’t happen at all during a pandemic. Having this formula in place and putting festivals and events through the cycle can help streamline events and assist in making informed decisions.

In the end, pivoting will help us survive, but piloting will assist the live event industry in thriving this year and many more to come.

Jessica Hodges holds Bachelors of Science in Public Relations from Northern Michigan University in 1999 and a Masters of Business Administration in 2006 from Davenport University with a focus in Strategic Planning. After working in several different industries including commercial banking, career development and post-secondary education, she rerouted back to her first love of festivals and events and is celebrating her 5th year at the National Cherry Festival.

THE VALUE OF PARTNERSHIPS – The IFEA would like to thank the below partners for their important support of the association. Through their generosity, we are able to strengthen our support of the festivals and events industry and continue to provide high quality, educational programs, products and services to our members. Help us show appreciation for their support, by first turning to those on this list for the opportunity to earn your business, whenever the need arises.

ASSOCIATION ENDORSED PARTNERS

ASSOCIATION SPONSORS

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVALS & EVENTS ASSOCIATION

ASSOCIATION SUPPORTERS | BENEFIT PROVIDERS

Interested in sponsoring? Contact Kaye Campbell, Director of Partnerships & Programs at (208) 433-0950 ext. 1 or kaye@ifea.com

PRUNE & BLOOM SOMETIMES ALL IT TAKES

IS ONE HANDWRITTEN NOTE

I cannot remember the exact moment I decided I was going to serve on the International Festivals and Events Association board. I also don’t remember the exact timeline of events that got me here, but I do know it started with some personal professional development planning. There were no higher positions in my Festival to obtain (I was already the Executive Director), so I looked outside our organization for growth opportunities.

What better place than the top festivals and events industry association?!

Except I had no idea how to get there. I did not know the people around the table.

I saw them once a year at the Annual Convention…how was I to make my mark?

We were about a month or two away from our next Convention. I decided to start at the top. I emailed the President and CEO, Steve Schmader. A few weeks later, and he still had not responded. So, I went old school and Southern and sent a hand-written card.

This time, he gave me a call back!

“No one ever writes hand-written notes anymore, that really stood out,” he said.

For those who listened to our 2020 IFEA Day Keynote Speaker, Steve McClatchey, he talked about doing those “extra” things that maybe you don’t NEED to do, but your act of doing them pushes you, your relationships, your work, or your accomplishments over the edge. It appeared I had done just that.

Here I was, an unknown, talking to the top of this organization I held in such high esteem. To quote from the hit Broadway musical Hamilton…I told him I “wanted to be in the room where it happened.” Ok, I was not cool enough to say those exact words, but you get the picture. I felt highly unqualified to be there, but I asked for what the pathway would look like to make it.

A few weeks later, I was sitting in a convention hall with around 500 other fabulous event professionals. Steve had just delivered a speech, and as the crowd dispersed, I gathered my courage 46

and walked over to him. “I just wanted to formally introduce myself; I’m the one you spoke with on the phone about board development.” Like any good event professional, I know how busy event leaders are during events; how many different directions we are pulled. I kept it short and brief, and we both went on with our convention life.

Less than a year later, I was invited to serve on the IFEA Foundation Board. Now, I was not in the room when that happened, but I imagined it went something like this: Current IFEA Foundation Board: “Wait, who?”

Steve Schmader: “It’s this young (my words 😊) girl, from this small Festival. She has really good penmanship.”

Fast forward some handful of years later, and I sit writing this article as the incoming Foundation Board Chair for 2022.

I do not write one word of this to brag. I am not the smartest event professional in the room. I am not the most experienced event professional in the room. I am not the nicest, or the loudest, or the one with the most fundraising capabilities, or sponsor opportunities.

But I show up to the room. And at the heart of this article, is my plea for you to do the same.

This summer I co-chaired my first international committee task force, “Re-Presenting: The When, Why, and How; Considerations behind Re-Presenting a Postponed or Cancelled Event.”

When the call for volunteers to sign up to lead was made, I may have been among the first. I was not thinking about the work, the hours, the emails that would have to be done (although, a few weeks into the process, I most DEFINITELY was thinking about those things).

I was thinking that a global pandemic was having a huge impact on my industry.

I was thinking I needed and wanted to get a grasp on the implications this was going to have on my community, in my festival.

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And I knew that the best way to grasp this knowledge, to really get in and live in it and marinate in it and understand it, was to be in the room where it happens.

So, I signed up and got paired up with Jeff Curtis, CEO of the Portland Rose Festival. Jeff and I were acquaintances; we had shared some words and drinks in the dFest Hospitality Suite at conventions… but this was the extent of our relationship.

Then weekly planning meetings began.

Then meetings with our committee members. Then meetings with all the Covid Task Force teams. Then the emails.

Oh the emails! Then report writing.

Webinar prep. IFEA Day prep. Y’all, I was about to lose my mind.

You see - when I first volunteered for this Task Force my life was stable. My festival is in April, so summer is normally a rebuilding, training, and organizing time.

Our chance to work on the business, rather than in the business. We postponed our event just three weeks prior to our festival start, so we had a good chunk of everything already prepared and planned.

This summer, we were spending our time editing our documents, redesigning our website, and dreaming up alternative, hybrid, virtual, and re-presented and re-imagined events - should we still be in lock down the following year. It is a fun time. A creative time. Not necessarily a stressful time.

So, I signed up to help lead an IFEA Task Force. And I signed up to judge Florida Festivals and Events (FFEA) industry awards. And I agreed to give my own FFEA virtual conference session (my first solo session, ever!).

And then my father died.

I remember my first Task Force call with Jeff was when I was still in Ohio, with family. I think the day before we were at the funeral home making arrangements.

The first Task Force full committee meeting I was still in Ohio, sitting at the kitchen table surrounded by sympathy flowers

WITH ALISON BARINGER ENGLISH, CFEE

from loving family and friends. That same week, my own festival was meeting to discuss canceling our rescheduled Fall dates once again.

All this is to say that life was incredibly, horribly hard. There were times I just could not concentrate. Times I just could not focus on an email. Just could not force myself to sit in front of a computer screen.

Times I just needed to lay on my couch, in complete silence, staring.

My friends, you may not have just lost someone you love, but we all are going through something really, really hard right now. This pandemic has turned our world, the existence of our very industry, upside down. According to the TV show CBS Sunday Morning, anti-depressant medication prescriptions have gone up 14% during the pandemic. We are all losing our minds a little bit more than normal. I had been fortunate to never know depression or anxiety, but here it was, knocking on my front door.

But you know what else was knocking?

Friendly, compassionate faces of event professionals from across the world. Like minds, gathering. Leaders who were having many of the same anxieties, the same frustrations, the same challenges.

Old IFEA friends, who I had met and gained relationships with through my time on the Foundation Board. And new IFEA friends, who I was just meeting through our weekly “Brady Bunch” Zoom Covid Task Force calls.

The decision to “jump in” is not always an easy one. A popular time management saying goes, “When you say yes to something, you are saying no to something else.” Volunteering will take time away from your family. It may take time away from your work. You may have to drink one (or three) less drinks in order to stay focused longer in your day. It also puts you out there, at risk of rejection. “What if they don’t want me, don’t need me?”

But for me, I see how much I need and want every new opportunity. You never know where your next big thing comes from, so to me, I try to say yes to it all.

Jumping into the IFEA Foundation Board led me to a deeper understanding of how international membership organizations work. It led to a clearer

understanding of how festivals and events with basically unlimited staff run (insert jealousy here). It led me to insider knowledge on what insurance providers worry about for festivals.

It led me to travel. Oh travel, that precious word! Traveling near and far to gather for our Foundation Board meetings.

Orlando, San Antonio, Las Vegas. IFEA Foundation Board travel led me to the 150th celebration of Canada in Ottawa, where I saw a spider the size of a building, fight a giant fire-breathing dragon. Like, towering over the city streets fighting.

It led me to SOUTH AFRICA. Yes, THE South Africa. Skills Village. Nelson Mandela’s house. A prison where he was confined. Bush Tour. Giraffes. Elephants.

Black rhinos. Leopards.

It led to deep friendships with people who get my life, and who, I feel, genuinely care about it. Deep talks around the campfire in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Rooftop pool bar hopping in Las Vegas. Too much tequila talking in San Antonio. Canadian pizza delivery debacle and Disney security guard questioning.

Memories made. Friendships made.

Jumping into the IFEA Covid Task Force led me to inspiration, at a time when I personally needed it the most. It led to new sponsorship opportunities. New programming. New potential revenue streams. New ways of thinking about things. New problems I had not even been considering when I probably should.

It led to an enhanced friendship with someone I now call my good friend.

It led to a potential cross-promotional partnership opportunity with another event in my state. It led to meeting new event professionals and witnessing their expertise. It led to a feeling of community, in a time when we all have been snatched from our own.

Jumping in to both the Foundation Board and the Covid Task Force took initiative. It is a commitment both in time and money. We all lead busy, full lives. It is in our nature as event organizers, as people who bring people together. No doubt this translates into your personal lives as it does mine. Always the party planner, always the initiator for the next group meet up.

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It is scary sometimes to jump in, to volunteer to be a part of something or to lead. You wonder if you will be accepted - if you are good enough. You see others, who seem so much brighter, so much more well-suited for the task at hand.

I am here to tell you that it IS worth the risk to ask to be invited to the table. To jump in. To say yes. Take charge of what you want to be, where you want to go.

Seize opportunities that come your way, opportunities that enter your in-box. Even if you don’t quite yet foresee where that opportunity will lead you. I say if it is with people you want in your life, or knowledge that you could potentially learn from, or just simply a new experience, say yes.

This applies to anything in your life, but especially with the IFEA. What a treasure of information, wisdom, and guidance awaits you…if you will just put yourself out there.

Sometimes all it takes is one handwritten note.

If you like what you read, please follow along in each issue of ie. Magazine for this IFEA member’s perspective on how to Prune & Bloom your way to a more beautiful life and career. Like most good things in life, getting to the blooming stage of your goals (both professionally and personally), take some pruning and work - Prune & Bloom will be blossoming with tips, tricks, and best practices to get you there. See you in the next edition!

Alison Baringer English. CFEE is the Executive Director of the North Carolina Azalea Festival. She is a Leadership Wilmington graduate of 2013 and was President of the Junior League of Wilmington in 2014-2015.

In 2019, Alison was selected into the inaugural class of the WilmingtonBiz 100, an initiative of the Greater Wilmington Business Journal to recognize the top power players, influencers, innovators, and connectors in the region. The Star News selected Alison as a Top 40 Under 40 business leader in 2020. Alison currently serves on the International Festival and Events Association (IFEA) Foundation Board as Chair-Elect and the UNC-Wilmington Alumni Board on the Executive Committee in the role of Secretary.

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FIRST LET ME GRAB A COOKIE 4 Steps to Controlling Your Avoidance Patterns

By Steve McClatchy

How is working from home during this pandemic going for you? Do you feel a sense of increased productivity with that extra commuting time back in your day?

Or do you feel as if you are working all the time now? Let’s be honest. Is work taking longer at home than it did in the office?

Could it be that work is expanding at home to fill the time you have for it?

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Because of COVID-19, we have come face to face – not with our co-workers – but with a transformation in organizational working practices and acceptance of full-time home-based work. For some employees productivity has increased; for many others there are pitfalls.

Working at home harbors many distractions. When an unstructured environment

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meets with stressful, unknown, demanding, or simply new work tasks, avoidance patterns may arise. Faced with difficult or tedious work, we feel uncomfortable and frequently turn to things that make us feel good but are counterproductive to getting our work done in a reasonable amount of time.

What does that look like? Suppose you have some research to do for one of your

projects. You find this task to be difficult and unpleasant. The process drains you… it immobilizes you. That’s where you will find your avoidance.

So what do you do? Just before you dive into doing some research you go to the kitchen and grab a cookie. A “cookie” can represent anything you go to that’s easy, comfortable, entertaining, fun, addictive, or makes you feel good. Your “cookie” could be checking email or your text messages, scrolling the news, watching a YouTube or TikTok video, reaching out to a colleague to chat, playing a game on your phone, or scrolling Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Sound familiar? These activities are fine when used as a reward for work completed, or a planned lunch break, but when used as an escape from responsibility they will cost you time, peace of mind, and if addiction level is reached, eventually they will cost you your job.

In an office setting, there are boundaries, structure, and people who hold you directly accountable for your time and results. At home, the unstructured environment can trap you in a web of avoidance patterns.

You are asked to accomplish the work in isolation from your coworkers and there is no one looking over your shoulder. Not only are you isolated from your previously familiar work environment and routine, but many of us also have family or roommates working or attending classes at home which creates more ways to avoid work.

When I hear people who are working from home say, “I’m working 24/7. I’m working all the time now,” I ask them to check with their small inner voice to discover the bigger external reason.

Are they really working all day? Or are avoidance patterns throughout the day elongating the amount of time the work takes making the tasks longer, leading to unproductive days or longer work hours?

This concept is captured in the adage known as Parkinson’s Law – work expands to fill the time available. Put simply, the amount of work required to complete a task adjusts, usually increasing, to the time available for its completion.

For example, your supervisor assigns a writing assignment due tomorrow morning.

You write a little then check Amazon for a gift you have to buy…write a little then see what the stock market is doing that day… write a little then scroll LinkedIn because you received a connection request…write a little more then wander to the kitchen for a cookie…write a little more then walk the dog. You then proceed to spend the afternoon yielding to avoidance behavior in a way that furtively mixes into your day. The result is that you did

not finish the assignment and you wind up “working late” to get it done.

While procrastination and avoidance patterns are siblings, avoidance patterns spring from the well of what makes you feel good. You are faced with a difficult assignment at home so you escape from the demanding work and seek a little lift with these avoidance behaviors.

The problem is that a one hour writing assignment became the reason you have to work tonight instead of having the night to enjoy at home.

What are your go-to avoidance patterns?

Here are four steps to resist these patterns and revitalize your productivity.

1. Be Aware.

When you notice an avoidance pattern coming on, stop yourself and create a structure that is more productive. I have a client that gained 25 pounds during the earlier days of the COVID-19 crisis. He knew exactly what his go-to avoidance pattern was – it was located in the kitchen. His “Aha!” moment led to setting up an office in his basement to prevent proximity to the kitchen and his poor avoidance decision of reaching for food to feel good. He decided to commit to one location, structure the amount of time he spent in his workplace, and establish a boundary that resulted in greater peace of mind and productivity.

2. Break Tasks Down into Baby Steps.

Break down what you are avoiding into baby steps and take the first step. Very often we put one item on a to-do list that actually has many steps involved, then we become overwhelmed, and never get started. Years of various studies in psychology and biology tell us that initiating a small step toward progress can release endorphins, the chemicals produced by the body to relieve stress and pain. We can tap into this endorphin release when we need motivation, energy, and focus. When we execute a baby step toward completing something, a small burst of positive emotion results, we feel a sense of accomplishment and confidence that we can tackle the next task in the process. We get a little lift and a push toward progress. Don’t wait for work to attack you. YOU must break it down into manageable pieces and attack the work if you want to benefit from endorphins.

3. Avoid Others’ Avoidance Patterns.

Don’t let other people drag you into their avoidance patterns. For instance, your coworker is not engaged in their work Spring 2021

at home so they text you “Hi, what are you doing?” which means I don’t want to do my work and I’d rather talk to you. Or you receive a notification that a colleague posted a photo on Facebook and tagged you. How hard is it to ignore the message and not open Facebook? Your coworkers have now pulled you into their avoidance of work. If you take a peek, use your phone to set an alarm that allows you no more than five or ten minutes to get out of the unproductive activity.

4. Switch.

When you notice an avoidance pattern taking over, switch to something easier that is also productive. Don’t escape.

Find another work-related activity that is easier and switch rather than passing time with an unproductive choice or mental distractions that derail the entire workday.

Save rewards until you have committed to doing a percentage of the work, then reward yourself.

To ensure productivity and efficiency in the home-based workplace where there is less structure, we need to address avoidance patterns and recognize them as decision-making moments. Repeatedly succumbing to these avoidance patterns is the same as making a decision to waste small amounts of time throughout each work day. These small chunks of time accumulate quickly. I have said before, your time is your life. You probably wouldn’t purposely make the decision to waste any of it. Actively making decisions about how you will spend your time, and having strategies to recalibrate when you stray off course will help you take control of your day. This includes being aware of your avoidance patterns and making decisions to control them so that you can efficiently finish your work on time and produce the results you want, even at home. If you can accomplish this, the extra time in your day that you don’t have to spend commuting becomes actual added personal time in your day…imagine that!

Steve McClatchy is the author of the award winning New York Times Bestseller Decide: Work Smarter, Reduce Your Stress & Lead by Example. If you would like to learn more about having Steve deliver a virtual or in-person keynote speech or workshop for your organization or association, email Steve@Alleer. com. Copyright © Alleer Training & Consulting. All rights reserved. www.

Alleer.com / 610-407-4092.

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LEADERSHIP AT ALL LEVELS

WITH GAIL LOWNEY ALOFSIN

2021

MAINTAINING YOUR MOMENTUM!

“The bad news is – time flies. The good news? You’re the pilot.” - Michael Altshuler Can you believe we are amid our first quarter already? I do hope the New Year has offered you the opportunity to celebrate new beginnings. No matter how disappointing the past year may have been, we have the chance to begin again. There is a magic in new beginnings – a fresh start influenced by knowledge and experience garnered throughout the past year.

As you continue to navigate 2021, let’s review 21 ideas to stay interested, motivated and productive as we maintain or accelerate our momentum: 1. 2020 Reflection. Continue to reflect on the past year. What did you accomplish? What obstacles did you overcome?

Where are you struggling? What are you grateful for?

2. Set Intentions. Most New Year’s resolutions fail within the first quarter. Why not replace them with realistic intentions of interest and benefit to you?

3. Got Goals? Be thoughtful as you outline your 2021 goals.

Include a timeline where appropriate. Choose personal and professional goals that ignite you!

4. Experiences! Plan them now. We all need something to look forward to. What do you enjoy doing? What is possible given current restrictions? What is the first thing you are going to do when the pandemic is over?

5. Who? Maximize your time with positive people. Who inspires you? Who keeps you motivated? Who do you enjoy spending time with?

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6. What? Do you like your life? If not, decide what you want and take steps to get there. Reach out to people who are doing what you want to do.

7. When? Start today. Take your first steps towards making changes that will improve your life.

8. Where? Are you living and working where you are happy? Is it possible to change locations? Investigate options.

9. Change. Change is hard and many people aren’t willing to take the chance and make the effort to improve their situations. Take the chance! The circumstances are rarely ideal.

10. An Apple a Day. Take control of your health. Keep an eye on your diet, exercise and stress levels.

11. Community Involvement. Volunteer with the mindset: What can I do to enhance another person’s life today?”

Give versus gain.

12. Patronize Your Favorite Restaurant. Purchase local when you can – take out, clothing, books, groceries. The small business owners are struggling.

13. Education. We are never done. Continue to pursue lifelong learning. It makes your life interesting and makes you an interesting person.

14. Driving? Use this time to think, call a friend, learn a language, listen to a podcast or reflect on your blessings.

15. Make New Friends. Continue to collect great people in your life. To keep a friend, be a friend.

16. Smile More. Smile at everyone you meet. If you are wearing a mask, smile with your eyes. Try it for one day. You will be amazed at how much better your day is.

17. Zoom. Lonely? Craving company? Schedule Zoom calls with friends and relatives. Participate in the chat during educational webinars.

18. Watch “The Quiet Man”. This classic will have you grinning for two hours and nine minutes.

19. Books. Set a goal – one book a week? Month? Create your booklist, visit Island Books in Middletown and get cozy!

20. Compliment. Compliment someone who you struggle with.

You may turn that relationship around.

21. Be Brave. Be brave in 2021 – this is YOUR life! Take chances. Live with purpose!

Cheers to 2021! New Year! Enhanced You! #LiveEveryHeartbeat Gail Lowney Alofsin is the Director of Corporate Partnership & Community Relations for the Newport International Boat Show, a division of Newport Restaurant Group. An adjunct professor at the University of RI and Salve Regina University, author, speaker and volunteer, Gail lives in Newport, Rhode Island. To date, 100% of the sales of her book, Your Someday is NOW! What Are YOU Waiting For? have raised over $42,000 for non-profit organizations. It is available at Island Books in Middletown. Visit gailalofsin.com for more info.

Remember the Helping Hands that Got You Where You are Today?

The IFEA Foundation “Fund for the Future” provides critical funding to ensure that the IFEA has reserves in place to protect against future economic shifts and realities in a constantly changing world! It allows the organization to keep pace with new and changing

technologies necessary to communicate with and serve our global industry and it supports a continued expansion of our services, resources, programming and outreach around the world. In a nutshell… it enables those who power celebration.

Now You Can Pay It Forward.

Help Sustain the “Premier Association Supporting and Enabling Festival & Events Worldwide”

Donate Today IFEA.com / Foundation / Ways to Give Questions? Contact Kaye Campbell, CFEE, Director of Partnerships & Programs

at kaye@ifea.com or +1-208-433-0950, ext. 8150

3 STEPS to Stop People from Stealing Your Time

By Liz Uram

12 9

3

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If you work remotely either part-time or full-time, temporarily or permanently, you have probably discovered that you are a lot more productive when you are not in the office. The main reason for the increase in productivity is that people aren’t inviting you to ‘got-a-minute’ meetings. ‘Got-a-minute’ meetings are those unannounced drop-ins that always take more than a minute and result in people stealing your time – unintentionally or not.

These ‘got-a-minute’ meetings can be frustrating and time consuming. You may wonder why so many people want to steal your time. This happens for a variety of reasons, including: • It Makes Their Job Easier. Some people are stealing your time because they know you will say yes to their requests. They know they can get out of doing their work because you’ll do it for them. This is sometimes called ‘reverse delegation’ and can happen when you delegate a task to a team member or co-worker. When they ask you a question about it, you take the task back from them instead of helping them find the answer.

• They’ve Been Conditioned. Have you unintentionally trained your team to check in with you before taking action?

If you catch yourself saying things like “Run that by me…” or “Let me know...”, you could be micro-managing (gasp!) your team without realizing it.

• You Feel Responsible. Leaders sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that they aren’t doing their job if they aren’t always available. Banish that thought. You could actually be depriving someone the opportunity to develop their skills if you are too available. Give people the chance to figure things out on their own.

So, how do you protect your time and establish boundaries without being bossy or getting a reputation of being unapproachable or missing-in-action? It starts with being pre-active. Pre-active means anticipating what will happen and

taking actions to prevent that thing from happening. For example, it’s not hard to anticipate that you will be interrupted when you sit down at your desk and try to work, especially if any of the scenarios above sound familiar.

Follow these 3 steps to stop people from stealing your time: 1. Designate time. When you have to focus on a specific task that takes all your brain power, don’t try to multi-task.

Studies reveal that multi-tasking does not make people more productive. According to a University of Utah study, only 2% of people can actually multitask and the other 98% of us are overestimating our abilities. This means that we might not be producing the highest quality work or as much work as we think.

The antidote to multi-tasking is to focus on one task at a time. Do this by designating time on your calendar to focus on those tasks that require a high level of concentration.

2. Communicate your plans. While many people agree with the idea of time blocking in theory, they fear that other people won’t respect their time. Whether it’s your team, your co-workers, or your boss, people will typically respect your wishes if you tell them in advance what you are trying to do. Some people react to this idea by saying “I can’t do that. Someone might need something from me.”

If you said to your boss, “Hey boss, I’m going to block off an hour on Friday to get these reports done. Do you need anything from me before then?” Do you think the boss will say “That’s a terrible Spring 2021

idea, stop trying to be so productive”?

Of course not! They will probably say “Great idea. I should try that too.” Your team and co-workers will respect your wishes as well if you communicate your plans ahead of time.

If you are in a leadership position, you are modeling good communication techniques for your team when you take this approach. When you tell your team in advance that you will be unavailable, you are demonstrating that you trust them to make good decisions.

3. Hold your ground. Despite your best efforts, you should be prepared for people who will try to steal your time. When this happens, not if, hold firm. If you have a previous pattern of accepting ‘got-a-minute’ meetings then you should expect that it will take time for people to get used to the new you.

When you get interrupted, simply say “I’m in the middle of something. I’ll be free at 11am. Come back then and I can help you out.” If they persist and say “But it will just take a second.” You say, “I can’t stop what I’m working on. I’ll be free at 11.”

This is called the broken record technique. Yes, you could have answered their question in the time it took you to repeatedly say no but that isn’t the point. The point is you are establishing new expectations. Don’t give up a long-term win for short-term relief.

To recap, the cornerstone of communicating like a boss is to be clear, direct, concise, and nice. When you develop these skills and learn to be assertive when it comes to protecting your time, you will quickly realize the tangible benefits of higher quality work and increased productivity. Don’t lose sight of the bigger, and maybe more important, benefits of increased trust and respect you will earn from others and the feeling of confidence you will experience when you set boundaries and learn to protect your time.

Liz Uram is a nationally-recognized speaker, trainer, consultant, and author.

She equips leaders with the tools they need to communicate like a boss so they can make a bigger impact, get better results, and motivate others to do their best. With 20 years of experience, she’s developed systems that work.

Uram’s written four books packed full of strategies leaders can implement to get real results, real fast. For more information, please visit www.lizuram.com.

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HOW TO USE

HUM OR

TO CONQUER

ZOOM FATIGUE

By Angela DeFinis

Working remotely is no longer something reserved for freelancers or those on special assignment. Many major companies have said they plan to accommodate remote work indefinitely. In fact, following the pandemic, more than half of Americans say they want to continue working remotely, while two-thirds of companies say they may make their current work-from-home policies permanent. What does this mean for millions of employees? Namely, that virtual meetings are here to stay, and that a new phenomenon, known as Zoom Fatigue, will become more prevalent.

Hop onto any virtual meeting these days and there is little doubt that Zoom fatigue has set in; even the most well-intentioned remote team is facing lower work standards, missed deadlines, rampant interruptions by those on the call, and numerous home office interruptions. There is an acceptance of lower standards, often with a shrug. “What can I or anyone else do about it? It’s all so exhausting!” That’s Zoom fatigue.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

There is a secret weapon you can easily employ: Humor!

From the old knock-knock jokes we told as kids to amusing stories that make light of the workplace, everyone loves a good joke. Using humor is one of the best ways to build rapport and get people engaged.

As Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.”

When you add a witty quip or funny story to your virtual presentations, you let listeners know your meeting won’t be entirely dry and serious. Humor connects us and influences others. It helps us get our point across and adds perspective to even the most critical challenges.

In your quest to battle Zoom fatigue, a little humor can go a long way. Here are 7 tips to help you create and deliver office-appropriate jokes that tickle the funny bone, bring people together, and work well on any virtual platform.

1. Know Your Audience: Analyzing your audience is important for any presentation, but you have to be especially tuned in when using humor. In other words, tell the right joke to the right crowd at the right time. For example, you may have a funny story about your kids, but if your younger audience doesn’t have

children, it will fall flat. Likewise, if you make a joke about a meme, the older crowd might not get it.

2. Explore a Variety of Humor Formats: Once you know your audience you can select the right format. Your “joke” doesn’t have to begin with “A lawyer, an accountant, and a banker walk into a bar...” In fact, forget the typical joke structure. You can be funny in numerous ways. Sharing an anecdote, using a quip, making an observation, and giving a witty response can bring a smile to even the most serious group and help chip away at Zoom fatigue.

3. Use the Classic Joke-Telling Formula: Once you decide what kind of humor to use, begin to craft your words. This is a two-part structure that includes the set up and the punchline.

Be specific in developing the set up—name the characters, describe the place, use colorful imagery, and develop an action sequence. These details help us envision the elements of the story you are telling: “My friend Anne went for a hike in the woods yesterday and ran into a mountain lion strolling along with her cubs.” Yeah? And then what happened?

4. Put Punch in the Punchline: The ending is why people listen, so make sure to craft the punchline with care. The funniest punchlines are completely unexpected—they disrupt expectations with the “I didn’t see that one coming” twist. And while they seem spontaneous, they are tightly scripted and rehearsed.

5. Build Your “Timing” Muscle: Timing is knowing when to stop speaking so you can allow your audience time to react. All appropriate audience responses are determined by timing. Practice your timing in various ways: How does a 2 second pause differ from a 3 second pause? What happens when the audience doesn’t respond right away?

Then, when you land the punchline and end the joke, take it all in. You might not be able to immediately hear the laughter across the screen (especially if people are muted), but you will see smiling faces, nodding heads, and mouths wide open with delight. That’s what a Zoom laugh looks like. It’s physical. And that’s when you know you nailed it.

Spring 2021

6. Practice Your Vocal Delivery: For most comedians, this is the fun part of being funny. Speak, revise, and repeat until your delivery is perfect.

Be deliberate with your word choice, enunciate clearly, use inflection and pitch, speak in short sentences, and pause often. Intentional practice is the best way to internalize the timing of your vocal delivery. And make sure to pause 1-2 seconds before delivering the punchline. Those few seconds of anticipation can result in the biggest laughs of all.

7. Polish Your Physical Delivery: When giving a virtual presentation, it’s vital that you make your physical skills match the story you are telling. Practice your eye contact, (look at the camera), facial expression (smile), posture (sit up straight), gesture (use small gestures sparingly), and appearance (look professional from the waist up).

Those are the skills that will help you project energy and confidence. Finally, if you think your joke is funny, laugh at it! That’s right. Your response gives listeners permission to respond. It tells them it’s okay to enjoy the moment even if they don’t think your joke is hilarious.

Humor is a powerful addition to almost any meeting, but it’s a lifesaver on Zoom and one of the best ways to combat Zoom fatigue. People expect to be bored during virtual meetings, so surprise them. Make them laugh ... and then watch as their energy picks up, they come together, and they get things done.

Angela DeFinis is President of DeFinis Communications. The company offers live and virtual executive speech coaching, presentation skills group training, and coaching for keynote and breakout speakers.

Through corporate sponsored and open-enrollment programs, the firm’s unique skill building approach helps business professionals become poised, polished, and powerful communicators capable of leading effective meetings and delivering compelling presentations. To learn more about the firm’s programs and services, please go to www.definiscommunications.com.

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THE UN-COMFORT ZONE

WITH ROBERT WILSON

UPSTREAM VS.

DOWNSTREAM

Can’t I just tread water?

Deb asked me, “Would you like to come over to my house tonight and learn about a business opportunity?” I’d met Deb on a church trip, and had been crushing on her for weeks. She could have ended her question with, “and scrub dirty toilets?” and I would’ve been there, because all I heard was “come over to my house tonight.”

When I arrived, I was greeted by her father who ushered me into the living room where a bunch of people were seated on rows of folding chairs. Deb was surrounded by several other young men, so I sat as close to her as I could. Then a man at the front of the room with a chalk board began a presentation.

He explained how I could own my own business for less than $100, and only put in a part time effort. It sounded fabulous.

I was a 19-year-old student paying my way through college by working several part-time jobs. He said if I followed their time-proven directions that I would become wealthy. He made it look simple and seem like something I could easily do. My father had preached the benefits of self-employment and being your own boss for years, so I was ready to take the bait. I wrote a check to get started and handed it to Deb. It was the last time I ever saw her; shortly after that she went off to college in another state.

The business turned out to be a multi-level marketing plan.

Initially, I didn’t know what that meant, but I was determined to follow their directions to the letter. Over the next 22 months or so, I bought lots of sample products, books, tapes; and went to meetings - lots of meetings. I got all my mother’s friends and neighbors to buy products, and I invited all of my friends to meetings - over and over again; in short order I alienated everyone I knew. Pretty soon, everything about this business felt wrong to me. It made me feel very uncomfortable. The people above me in the pyramid, however, were very persuasive, and said all I needed was to read one more book or listen to one more tape, and I’d be on my way. After spending a great deal of time and money on this business, I realized I was paddling against the current and getting nowhere. I quit.

A year or so later, I made a necklace for my girlfriend. It was unique and all her friends loved it and wanted one. So I made more necklaces and sold them to her friends. Then more people saw the necklaces and wanted one. I made more. I started carrying samples with me everywhere I went, and showed them to everyone. I sold more and more. Then I started making earrings as well. Before long, I got a few stores to carry my jewelry. I built 56

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a word-of-mouth business effortlessly. It felt great. I was paddling with the current and everything was going swimmingly.

A few years later, after I’d started collecting graffiti (see my previous article: Compelled by an Idea), I came across this written on a bathroom wall: Only dead fish swim with the current.

Beside that, written in a different hand, was: Go with the flow.

I understood the latter. Go with the flow was a mantra from the Hippie Era I grew up in along with Be Cool, and Chill Out. It means don’t get upset by adversity because there will always be bumps in the road, unexpected occurrences, and surprises.

On the other hand, the first graffito implied that the second one was wrong. That going with the flow means you’re not doing anything with your life and you’re as good as dead. Going with the flow means you accept your lot in life; you are content with what you have; that you follow the herd, move with the prevailing forces, and do or agree with what everyone else is doing or saying because the majority knows best.

Only dead fish swim with the current implies that those who swim against the current are those who wish to invoke change; who want to control, manipulate, and improve their environment.

People who swim upstream make things happen. They are the movers and shakers; the innovators and inventors; the disrupters of the world. There is nothing new downstream; only that which is old and boring, ancient history, the past, the been there and done that... the tried and true. One must swim upstream to find and explore new territory; learn new stuff, have new experiences. To create; fly; soar.

But it’s stressful to fight against the current. Doesn’t going with the flow also mean adapting to changes, and seeing them as opportunities and not as crises. It means giving up control; letting go of perfection; and living in the now. It means following your passion and your joy.

Is one way better than the other? You decide.

Robert Evans Wilson, Jr. is an author, humorist/speaker and innovation consultant. He works with companies that want to be more competitive and with people who want to think like innovators. Robert is the author of ...and Never Coming Back, a psychological thriller-novel about a motion picture director; The Annoying Ghost Kid, a humorous children’s book about dealing with a bully; and the inspirational book: Wisdom in the Weirdest Places. For more information on Robert, please visit www.jumpstartyourmeeting.com.

CONNECT Exclusive opportunities for vendors to

with top-tier festival & event professionals

VENDOR OPPORTUNITIES In an industry with an annual spend of 1 trillion in the United States, you need to reach industry buyers everyday wherever they go online. With these digital opportunities, you’ll be able to reach top-tier festival and event professionals through the IFEA Event Insider, Event Resource Marketplace, and IFEA website box ads, as they explore ways to improve their business.

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Reaching over 6,500 festival and event professionals, these premier placements will give your company the attention it deserves. The newsletter will focus on news and information that professionals need to run a successful business. That means your message will reach the decision-makers you’re looking to target.

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Highlight your core message and drive traffic to your website with exlusive positions on the IFEA website. These box ads will occupy prime real estate to help sell your products and services to industry decision-makers. Retargeting opportunities are available as well, allowing your ad to be seen AFTER the festival and event professionals leave the association website.

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For more information about IFEA, email kaye@ifea.com or call 208-433-0950 ext: 1 POWERED BY

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There Is NO VACCINE for Your COMPANY CULTURE

4 “MUSTS” for LEADING through TIMES OF CHANGE

by Jason V. Barger There is no magic pill, button or wand that you wave that will quickly fix or treat the ails of your culture. We live in an instant gratification world where people/ employees/leaders want things to change for the better immediately. They want the negativity, dysfunction and toxic elements of the organization to be eradicated overnight. But when it comes to your company culture there is no vaccine!

However, developing people and culture isn’t a drive-thru pharmacy. It takes time.

It’s a process. It requires intentional rehab and development of how we show up as leaders and the culture we create with those around us. It takes commitment, discipline and focus.

Culture is dynamic which means it is being shaped moment by moment every single day by the way we Think, Act and Interact. Every member of your cultural ecosystem impacts the culture each moment and adds or detracts from the culture with their thoughts, actions and interactions. The best leaders and organizations realize that in a world that is changing quickly and where it is often easier to disengage, disconnect and become disillusioned or even disgruntled, they must have a proactive strategy to align the minds and hearts of their people.

The best team cultures don’t just magically happen, they are intentionally designed and led along the culture-shaping process. It’s not reactionary, it’s proactive. The best team cultures proactively teach, practice, rehab and work on developing the mindsets and behaviors throughout their ecosystem.

4 “musts” for leading your culture

through times of change: 1. Name It — You must be able to name what is working and what isn’t working within your culture. Honestly. It’s not a time for blowing smoke or making excuses, the best teams have the ability to be honest with one another and name the very best of their culture and spot the areas that are troubling. Only after we are able to name the current state of our culture, are we able to move the culture forward.

2. Define It — If you can’t describe the culture you are trying to create in the future then you can’t be surprised when it doesn’t exist. Language Drives Behavior. This is why the most successful and compelling teams and cultures have Values language that is clearly defined and linked to action and behavior. They have a vision for the future culture they want to create and clearly define the values they believe will guide them in that direction. Values become a compass for their journey not a poster on the wall.

3. Plan It — The word culture gets thrown around very loosely by many leaders and within some organizations and then only becomes talk. It becomes vague and the words do not line up with action. The best leaders and organizations realize they need a cultural strategy and plan of attack. Culture is not an “add on” to the work you do, it is everything. So, what’s the plan?

4. Anchor It — Teams in organizations that lead significant culture change know they must anchor the values of their culture in everything they do. The vision they have for the future and the values Spring 2021

that will guide them there become a living and breathing element for the ways in which they hire, onboard, develop emerging leaders, do performance evaluations, lead meetings and raise the bar on leadership throughout every level.

So, is your culture waiting for a magic vaccine or are you proactively rehabbing the culture you want?

The best cultures don’t just magically happen. They are grown, developed, cultivated and led with intentionality. The process for developing high-performing and engaged cultures never stops and the best leaders, teams and organizations are committed to the continuous journey of development, vision, communication, engagement, authenticity, and action. The best leaders invest in their cultures and realize the health of the organization is an ongoing process that never stops.

At your next visit to your Doctor, you’re welcome to get the vaccine, but for your company culture, remember, there is no vaccine for that!

Jason V. Barger is the globally-celebrated author of Thermostat Cultures, ReMember and Step Back from the Baggage Claim as well as the host of The Thermostat podcast. As Founder of Step Back Leadership Consulting, he is a coveted keynote speaker, leadership coach and organizational consultant who is committed to engaging the minds and hearts of people and growing compelling cultures.

Learn more at JasonVBarger.com

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REPUTATION IS EVERYTHING…

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO

PROTECT YOURS? In the new world of event safety and security concerns that we find ourselves operating in every day, proactively covering all of the bases to protect your attendees and your stakeholders, their families, their communities, their own reputations and their peace-of-mind, is simply professional common sense.

Assuring them that you have done so is where we come in.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Warwick Hall, Dip OHSM, CFEE • Email: warwick@safetysc.com • Phone: (+64) 021 633 128 Note: The International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA World) offers safety training and the Event Safety Audit program as a service to the industry, in the interest of encouraging and increasing the safety of all events. Audit certification signifies curriculum and/or safety process/ component completion only. The IFEA does not represent or certify, in any way, the actual safety of any event, and assumes no responsibility as to the safety of any event or its attendees.

2021 IFEA

WEBINAR SE R I ES THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021 Prosperity During a Pandemic: How Christmas in the Park Thrived in 2020

IFEA TASK FORCE WEBINAR PRESENTATION

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021 RE-IMAGINE Everything – Finding Ways to Improve All Aspects of Your Event

Cassie Dispenza, Vice President Strategic Partnerships, Saffire, Austin, TX Jason Minsky, Executive Director, Christmas in the Park, San Jose, CA

Hayden Kramer, Director of Parks & Recreation Town of Indian Trail, Indian Trail, NC

THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021 Right Now is the Perfect Time to Update your Access Plan for People with Disabilities!

IFEA TASK FORCE WEBINAR PRESENTATION

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021 Festivals – The Drivers to RE-CONNECTING Our Communities

Laura Grunfeld, Founder Everyone’s Invited, Sheffield, MA

Keli O’Neill Wenzel, CFEE, President/CEO O’Neill Marketing & Event Management Stephen King, CFEE, Executive Director Des Moines Arts Festival, Des Moines, IA

THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021 PIVOT Tavi Fulkerson, Founder The Fulkerson Group Detroit, MI

THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 2021 Sponsorship: On the Road to Recovery Bruce Erley, CFEE, APR President & CEO Creative Strategies Group, Denver, CO

THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021 Insuring Events During a Pandemic.

What Coverages Should We Have?

THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 How ArtsQuest Successfully Pivoted Amid the Challenges of 2020

Curt Mosel, Chief Operating Officer ArtsQuest, Bethlehem, PA

THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021 Bridging Troubled Financial Waters During the COVID Crisis

THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2021 Booking International Artists: State of the Union

THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 2021 Virtual Volunteering: The Game-Changer That’s Here to Stay THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 Social Media 2021: A New Landscape for Events Organizations David Ramirez, User Generated Content Evangelist TINT, San Antonio, TX

THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021 Restoring Customer Confidence

Geoff Hinds, Executive Director Deschutes County Fair & Expo, Redmond, OR

Jeff Curtis, CEO Tanya Wilkins, Finance Manager Portland Rose Festival Foundation, Portland, OR

Isabel Reed, Sales Coordinator VolunteerLocal, Des Moines, IA

David Olivares, CFEE Vice President of Sales and Marketing Kaliff Insurance San Antonio, TX

Robert Baird, President BAM! Baird Artists Management Consulting Toronto, Canada

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021 Risk - Everything But… Warwick Hall, CFEE Operational Risk Consultant Safety Set Consulting / Section 646 Taupo, New Zealand

Live presentations of the 2021 IFEA Webinars are FREE to IFEA Members, or are available for purchase for $59 to IFEA Members | $99 to Non-IFEA Members.

REGISTER/LEARN MORE HERE

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Five Ways to Find

MEANING at Work

By Dr. Maria Church, CSP, CPC Sometimes work seems like, well, it’s work. It’s not the fun, fulfilling, or rewarding kind of work that we look forward to tackling but the life-sucking, drudgery kind of work. What to do when work drains the soul and seems like a waste of a life? Find the meaning in the work you do and you will find meaningful work.

Finding meaning is like building a bridge from one shore to another. It is a connection of two places – where you currently are and where you want to be. You’re spanning a river of various challenges that can impede your efforts. The following five steps will help you build the bridge to find meaning at work: 1. Find Your “Why” Everyone has a “why” they work and it just gets buried in the day-to-day grind.

Remember when you applied for the position in the first place? The excitement and anticipation you had filling out the application and sending it off with your resume? Remember the endless waiting for the invitation to interview and the nervousness you felt when you interviewed? Why were you so excited, anxious, and nervous? Why did you want that job? What was it about that organization or position that excited you so?

This was your why! Connecting with your why may be as simple as answering these questions and feeling your response.

Your why might be the prestige of the position, or the challenge of the projects.

Your why might be because it is a great company with a mission or vision of which you wanted to be a part. Or, your why could be the salary and benefits the position provided you. Your why could have been to take care of your family or travel more. Whatever that is, reconnect

with it. If your why has changed, then build the bridge to your new why.

2. Help Someone If you want to find meaning, try helping someone else. Humans are helpers, it is in the DNA. Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” Helping others takes the focus off yourself and puts it onto another.

Not only will it help you focus on someone and something else than hating your job, it will also feel darn good while you are at it. Perhaps you could mentor someone, or give a tour to a new employee. You could volunteer for a committee and meet some new people in the organization at the same time.

3. Leverage Your Skills When you leverage your skills with what you enjoy doing, you are bridge-building a task with meaning. For instance, you may enjoy photography, but that may not be required for your job. Chances are that someone in the organization my need some photographs taken for a project they are working on, employee badges, annual report, or many other possibilities. Let key contacts within the organization know that you have this skill and would love to help out.

You will not only get to do something you love at work, but you get the added bonus of helping as well – a win-win!

4. Take a Break Sometimes you just need to walk away for a little while. After all, “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Vacations are designed to give a break, refresh the mind, and replenish the soul. Take your vacations! If you need to take a day to do a mini-vacation to refresh and rejuvenate, Spring 2021

then do so. While you are at it, take your lunch break too, and a mid-morning or mid-afternoon break to walk around outside and take in some fresh air.

Burnout happens when we don’t take those mini-breaks and longer respites from work. Oftentimes when you just keep plugging away at work, you could lose concentration and focus. This practice is extremely unproductive in the long run.

You are not the Energizer Bunny! Feed your soul with a break from work.

5. Be Authentic It is exhausting trying to be someone else – the person your boss thinks you should be, the team member your colleagues think you ought to be, or the super-worker you think you should be. Be YOU. When you live and work in a place of authenticity, you tap into your own creativity, joy, and meaning.

Remember that meaningful work is just a bridge away. You can reconnect anytime you stop, pause, and remember what brought you here in the first place.

Dr. Maria Church, CSP, CPC, is a speaker, consultant, and executive coach. As CEO of Dr. Maria Church International, including Government and Corporate divisions, and Leadership Development University, she specializes in organizational culture, change agility, and leadership development with over 25 years working for Fortune 500, local government, non-profit, and academia. Her 10th Anniversary Edition of Love-Based Leadership will be released in December 2020. She may be reached at www.DrMariaChurch.com.

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MAY I HELP YOU?

WITH FLORENCE MAY

PANDEMIC SPARKS NEW WAVE

VOLUNTEER TECH SOLUTION

Over the past year, I’ve studied how event volunteer managers are reacting to the pandemic and evolving their programs. We’ve explored volunteer fears and frustrations. And you have all learned about the fighting spirit it takes to manage events with so much uncertainty.

My tech colleagues, like all good suppliers, are seeking the best options to help event managers struggling with the realities of this new and ever changing event management playing field.

They are taking into consideration all the lessons learned since the COVID outbreak hit the United States nearly a year ago.

Recently I sat down with Virginie McNamar, President/Founder of Betterflye - the new volunteer complimentary impact tracker, to discuss how software and the online volunteer experience is evolving to help event managers during the pandemic.

Florence May (myTRS): Thank you for meeting with me to discuss how the tech world is reacting and evolving to support volunteers in the event and hospitality industry in this unprecedented time. I’m intrigued with your new product concept. Over the past few years, I sensed slowly growing pressure to expand tech platforms beyond the traditional online recruit-register-onsite volunteer management model. What is missing from the traditional recruit-register-onsite volunteer management experience?

Virginie McNamar (Betterflye): Flory, the volunteer world was changing quickly before the pandemic. Traditionally we saw volunteer managers send potential volunteers to registration sites where key contact information is collected; waivers are signed; volunteer activities are selected and scheduling is completed.

This is what everyone has come to expect. The basics, right?

However, in the past few years, cracks were showing in this traditional approach.

What is the issue? Event managers are seeing their core volunteers aging out. Volunteer managers need to attract and recruit new, younger volunteers. These younger volunteers have no problem with technology. They expect to register online and to have easily accessible communication related to their roles and schedule. None of this is new.

What has changed is that younger volunteers are very selective about how they spend their volunteer time and the organizations they support. They want and expect to make a difference in their community.

They lean more towards participating within a group or team that strongly values a cause. They have high expectations for 64

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well-organized operations and want transparency on impact and ongoing communication from the organizations they support.

Event managers are learning that they must increase volunteer engagement in addition to the traditional recruit-register onsite management model in order to attract and retain the next generation of volunteers. In other words, event managers must build an online community of networked and highly interconnected volunteers.

Engagement is not a one-way street where the organization pushes info to the volunteers. It’s creating mechanisms allowing volunteers to communicate directly with the organization, connect with others who are supporting the organization and weigh in on the actual progress and impact. You want your volunteers to have a sense of ownership and to feel like they are truly part of your team.

The pandemic accelerated these generational demands.

Older volunteers have been at high risk for in person activities and sometimes struggle with the tech skills to participate in virtual volunteer opportunities. At the other end of the spectrum, younger adults are struggling with work from home challenges and are likely balancing e-learning with their kids.

People who are still able to volunteer are looking for ways to help with the most pressing challenges facing their neighbors. Volunteers have focused energies on food banks, blood donations, tutoring and more immediate needs within their communities.

Keeping volunteers engaged and connected to your organization is more critical than ever if you don’t want to have to rebuild your entire program once events are back.

We still need central and online volunteer registration, communication and administration. It is a big part of the process.

But this approach is no longer enough.

Florence May (myTRS): What are the biggest pain points facing event volunteer managers and by extension the technology companies that support them?

Virginie McNamar (Betterflye): Volunteer managers are typically planners by nature. They are adept at adapting to and managing changing requirements and expectations. Events have many moving and complex pieces but in this pandemic period planning is a particularly painful process.

There are three key pain points and they all come back to one key word: Uncertainty.

Uncertainty in all things related to events is causing the majority of pain.

Uncertainty: Will there be an event?

How do you plan for volunteers when event dates, event programming, event capacity and event management expectations are in constant flux?

Uncertainty: Will there be volunteer activities?

How do you keep your volunteers engaged if you don’t have event shift opportunities? For many volunteers, the act of volunteering is a big part of their social life and self-identity. There is a big void if they are no longer able to help their community in a meaningful way.

Uncertainty: Will event or activity volunteer participants be safe?

How do you limit risk to staff, event participants and volunteers? The challenges of making last minute changes with the constant vigilance to avoid becoming a SuperSpreader event are extensive.

Now the volunteer management challenge is to extend their engagement. Tech companies have the opportunity to create the lifeline to the volunteers in a way that is safe and develops volunteer relationships in new ways.

At Betterflye we wanted to reduce the noise and make it easy to access everything you need to know about an organization: the mission, the impact goals, reviews, all their initiatives including fundraisers and a social feed focused on collaboration. If your main event is canceled you still have ways to engage with your volunteers, promote other initiatives and show that you are still working toward fulfilling your mission. It’s also designed to allow volunteers to expand their search outside of your organization as they are working toward fulfilling their own impact goals.

Now, Flory, you know that Betterflye was designed pre-pandemic and was not scheduled to launch until spring of 2021. But conversations with organizations and volunteers encouraged us to accelerate our schedule so we could provide the needed tools this year. And we see many other technology companies focused on the same challenges.

Florence May (myTRS): How do software companies need to evolve platforms to help both volunteers and volunteer managers be more effective in dealing with the realities of this period?

Virginie McNamar (Betterflye): Normally technology trends take shape over time and software companies evolve products over time with input from the clients and volunteers. But the pandemic is forcing overnight change.

We are facing two challenges. First, supporting our clients now by stretching the tools we have available. And second, anticipating what the event industry will need once more “normal” events are back.

Event managers often view software and software support staff as an extension of their event team. As both a partner and a team member, our job right now is to support their efforts to create virtual connections, improve communications and support limited volunteer opportunities while preparing for the “come back” period.

In preparation for the “come back” period we are considering the potential changes to event operations: • Will volunteers (and everyone else) need to show proof of vaccination to participate?

• How long is immunity and who is tracking?

• How will contact tracing evolve?

• Will emphasis on less contact and less touch at events continue? Beyond low contact check in, what else is needed?

• Will volunteers have to confirm health status a few days before or when arriving on scene?

• What are the implications for waivers and event management disclaimers?

At myTRS (and other volunteer management solution companies) your job is to show the event managers that you are still here even if many events don’t need your full products right now.

It’s important to stay in touch, ask questions, gather feedback and start putting together the new best practices of the industry.

As mentioned before the Betterflye focus on engagement and impact tracking is very timely and this pandemic has pushed us to work harder to deliver the product sooner.

Betterflye is starting to integrate with traditional volunteer management products including myTRS to provide that all-in-one approach. Bridging the recruit-register-onsite management with a full volunteer engagement solution helping organizations and volunteers navigate these crazy times.

Conclusion Event volunteer managers will require tech models that fit the realities of the world changed by the pandemic in order to remain competitive in recruiting and retaining volunteers.

Tech companies like Betterflye will transform the volunteer management tech space to answer the concerns of a new volunteer generation: virtual volunteer engagement, volunteer social opportunities and community impact tracking.

These are the very items that are missing in most event volunteer management technology solutions right now. While the recruit-register onsite management technical model was evolving pre-pandemic, there is a need for major evolution for the highly networked and instant communication expectations of younger volunteers.

At this moment people are hungry for engagement. They miss interacting with others. And they want their time and actions to have meaning.

Event managers and the supporting tech world will need to work together to deliver the solutions that will fill this pent-up demand.

Will the Betterflye volunteer engagement model be the answer? Well, the price is right to test it. Betterflye is complimentary for beta testers right now! Go to https:// www.betterflye.com/orgs or contact Virginie directly at vmcnamar@betterflye.com MAY I HELP YOU? TRS supports festivals and events! I am pleased to assist with any questions on volunteer management. Engagement.

Recruiting. Registration. Retention. Tracking Impact. Technology.

Let’s talk.

Florence May is the President of myTRS Volunteer Management Solutions. Flory challenges events to grow their volunteer base. She brings workshops, seminars, hands-on examples and software solutions to events across the United States, Canada and Europe. myTRS festival and event clients include the 500 Festival, Fayetteville Dogwood Festival, Amelia Concours, Wings Over Water, Celebrate Fairfax, Cine Passion, ComicPalooza, Gilroy Garlic Festival, Night to Shine, Waco Cultural Arts Fest and so many more! You can reach Flory at fmay@my-trs.com.

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Four Golden Rings to Re-Branding

By Dan Stockdale

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Everyone one is re-branding their business… new logos… new slogans… new business cards… the list goes on. But why are you ‘re-branding’ in the first place?

The tens of thousands of dollars being spent are meaningless unless you have: 1. a firm grasp of what it really means to ‘brand’ and, 2. if the ‘rebranding’ isn’t founded on reimagining the customer experience.

So, what is re-branding? You will find a plethora of definitions across the internet but the truth is, it’s like trying to wrap your hands around a loose glob of gelatin. It’s a slippery, yet submissive form changing concept. Yes, it may include new logos and marketing collaterals but the brand is an individualized fusion of varying elements based upon the specific needs of your organization. And ‘the specific needs of your organization’ must be the catalyzed with how your customers conceive their experience.

Here are the four golden rings you can wrap your hands around as you consider re-branding: Gold Ring #1 – Branding Who are you?

Knowing who you are…and more importantly, who others think you are, plays a huge role in the success of any business. It’s the essence of branding …who… are… you?

Do you know how you’re truly known in your community? What are your stakeholders saying to each other privately in their text messages? In their DM’s?

How about in your sphere of influence?

What do people really know about you and how your business operates?

You can bet they’re saying something… but do you know what those ‘somethings’ are?

It’s vital to the health and success of your business that you understand not only who you are, but what you’re actually selling.

You’re not selling a product or service.

If that’s what you think, your success will be forever stunted.

The net result of every element of your operation is a metric and is easily identified by your percentage of market share in your PMA (Primary Market Area).

Read that again… more slowly if necessary. …but we are in a recession …but our market has changed …but there was a global pandemic …but our industry had a fundamental shift …but interest rates increased …it doesn’t matter.

Didn’t like that answer? Sorry, it’s the truth.

Gold Ring #2 – Automate Hey folks, it’s the 21st Century! We’ve been sending people to the moon for 50 years…. half a century. Yet most leaders aren’t utilizing the available technology that tells us how long a customer has been on hold? We have automated our phones to the point it is rare to have a human answer the phone when they are calling your business… to give you money!

Not to mention many organizations have team members scurrying about taking care of customers. Then….. someone at corporate raises concern because “the phones aren’t being answered in 3 rings” when a company consultant placed a mystery shopper call. Yet the same office pushes efficiency beyond realistic expectations.

As leaders, we must take appropriate full advantage of all the advancements in technology available. Technology that would benefit not only your customers and other stakeholders, but which also ultimately benefit staff burnout and turnover as well as your bottom line.

So where do you begin repairing and realigning your original mission? After looking at the tools you have for your team you must then consider your staff.

Gold Ring #3 – Hire the fire.

Fire the mire.

Hire the fire…what does that mean exactly? It means you should seek out and hire the individuals who show you the fire in their spirit. Those who aren’t afraid to step up and take action when it’s called for.

Fire the mire? Huh? That means don’t be afraid to get rid of the ones who are miring your organization down in ‘mire’.

The ones whose laziness or negativity is keeping your firm from achieving the utmost potential. Those who foist their misery on others, like your team members and even worse, your customers.

You’re a leader. Leaders take action. True leaders aren’t hesitant about using their critical thinking skills to make decisions that quickly lead to accomplishment. That means seeking out individuals who do not fit your newly envisioned culture, and rapidly walking them through your entire disciplinary process. Rapidly means, fast!

Once you’ve ‘fired the mire’, moving forward, you will only need to concern yourself with hiring the fire. Get that part right and you’ll have no ‘mire to fire’.

Gold Ring #4 – Overlap & Overtures An important concept for you and your staff to embrace is that everyone……

Spring 2021

is either part of the problem and/or part of the solution. From the top leadership position to the ‘janitor’ …so yes, this even includes you, the esteemed leader. Yes, sometimes you have to be detached enough to realize you are the problem. Ouch.

So how do you begin? In the same way you eat an elephant one bite at a time.

You overhaul your organization one department at a time, starting from the smallest department with the greatest impact.

Other tactics that advance improvements within your firm should include community involvement, as that creates ‘top of mind’ awareness. Reach out to schools, dance studios, community choirs and theaters, anyone who can help you enhance the environment for your team members and customers.

A critically important component of a totally successful, off the charts profitable firm is the leaders. Leaders have true compassion. They will take the blame in a heartbeat. They know how to say ‘I’m sorry’ and they do so. They truly value the input of their team, and beyond valuing the input, they implement in the input. Quit micro-managing your team. There’s no place for a pompous ass at the top of any successful firm, including yours.

Conclusion: So, engage your gears to really explore who you are as an employee and as a company. Then you can begin the journey of identifying how your customers perceive you and how their perception aligns with your goals and vision. Only then do you have the information you need to initiate a branding or rebranding experience.

Know what branding is, and also understand what it isn’t. Understand the customer experience as it relates to you and your company. Give serious thought to whether or not your vision is the same as the customers perception. Then and only then are you ready to take the plunge into redefining and reimagining your brand.

Dan Stockdale is a consultant whose passion for the customer experience and branding are unmatched.

His clients include startups to multi-billion-dollar organizations. He is a PhD candidate in business, earned an MA in corporate communication and a BA with an emphasis in organizational psychology. Dan has appeared on Fox News, CNN, Fox Business Channel, New York Times, and many others. He can be reached at dan@dan.ceo.

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EVERYONE’S INVITED

WITH LAURA GRUNFELD

INCLUDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

ACCESSIBILITY IS ESSENTIAL:

REMEMBERING ACCESSIBILITY IN THE TIME OF COVID A CONVERSATION WITH DANIEL & KAYLA S ome years ago, I met Daniel Nasca and his then fiancé Kayla Harvey at a festival I was working. They have since married and have a family with three lovely children. Daniel and Kayla are avid festival fans and, pre-covid, usually attended at least 6 events a year. Daniel has a mobility disability and, when he knows he will need to travel some distance to get around an event, he uses mobility devices such as his forearm crutches or he might need to rent a scooter to assist in getting around. He is an award-winning athlete and practices Mixed Martial Arts.

Daniel works for a non-profit organization as a Supported Employment Manager, supporting people with disabilities who

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need extra assistance finding employment. A few years ago, we were pleased that Daniel was able to serve as a member of the Everyone’s Invited Access Team at one of our festivals. Kayla owns a boutique public relations and digital marketing agency called Lunar Desk Management. I am grateful to Daniel and Kayla for graciously sharing their experiences and advice with the IFEA audience. It is important to get the perspective of people who are using the services, not just those who are providing them.

Laura: What is it that you enjoy about festivals and has it been hard on you to miss festivals since the pandemic started?

Daniel: For me festivals are a place where anybody can be there and enjoy it, people from all walks of life. It is the opportunity to be one in that experience and we are each contributing to that environment. For Kayla and me, we know that’s our time to have those experiences together. It’s a time we can get together with friends from around the country and sometimes from around the world. Not being able to go to festivals has been hard. At least once a week we say, “We really need a live show!”

Laura: When you are getting ready to go to an event, what kind of research do you do beforehand?

Daniel: I look at the map of the festival layout. I need to find out where the resources are that I will need. The viewing platforms, accessible bathrooms and things like that.

Kayla: I do a lot of the research. I look at the website, social media, and I talk to people that have been to that event before.

I find Facebook and Reddit to be great resources. I’ll say “I’m going to be traveling with someone who needs accessibility services. What has your experience been?” I’ll look at the venue’s website to see their accessibility policies and services. For Daniel the accessibility situation is different than it might be for other people with mobility disabilities. He has less to worry about than someone who uses a wheelchair all the time or someone who needs interpreter services and things like that.

Laura: Have you seen festival websites that say “We are 100% ADA compliant. Write us if you have a question.”

Kayla: That’s the worst thing. When festivals are putting their websites together and they say “Email us if you have a question,” they don’t realize that it is more than one or two people attending an event that are looking for accessibility information. It seems like an afterthought that they do this to be compliant and to look like they care. There are some event producers in the industry who will hopefully read this and take something from it. They should include more information.

I’m a marketer and have thought about this in terms of my personal experience. If I am looking for something and can’t find it and have to go through extra steps to get the information I need, I’m not going to make the purchase. I’m going to look for something else. If the information is not right there and you’re not considering the needs of your patrons, then you are already setting it up to be a struggle once you get there. I love the Bonnaroo Access Program because the information is on the website and is updated every year. As other producers go into a new festival season, I hope they will start providing that information without having to pull teeth to get it.

once I get there. I’m very fortunate in that way. I have friends who miss out on stuff because they don’t feel like they can have the accessibility that they need.

There was one festival that we attended with a friend who uses a wheelchair. The event did not have the accessibility that she needed and that is part of the reason that we decided not to go back. I didn’t have to make sure that my crutches would fit through the doorjambs but she did have to consider whether her wheelchair would fit.

Kayla: It was awful for her and that left a bad taste in our mouths.

We decided that there are plenty of other experiences that are perfectly accessible and they make the effort, so why spend our money here. None of us have gone back to that festival.

Instead we went to another festival that happens to be in an extremely inaccessible environment. It’s in the woods, there are roots everywhere, dirt, yet it feels more accessible because they thought about it ahead of time. They have a shuttle system set up and a viewing area, etcetera.

By contrast, the inaccessible festival was on perfectly flat ground but they didn’t have the accessibility program set up in a way that was helpful. They seemed to think “It’s flat, we’re good.”

For example, they had an Access Line for entry into the festival, but the people working it didn’t want to let anyone through who wasn’t in a wheelchair. They hadn’t been trained that not all disabilities are visible, not everyone with a disability is going to be using a wheelchair. When we went through with our friend who uses a chair, they let her through the Access Line and redirected Daniel, with his forearm crutches, through the general entrance. It was disappointing. Education is the most important thing.

Daniel: It was a rough experience. We went to another festival where they didn’t have any viewing platforms, they didn’t have accessible restrooms, we had to stand in the regular line to get in. It was a dirty, rainy, not accessible day.

Kayla: Simple things like having another lane for entry, it’s one of those simple fixes, yet it often becomes an afterthought. The industry needs to take a look at this. While you are thinking about how to create safe entry post-COVID so people aren’t getting sick, at the same time let’s also be thinking about how can we make this more accessible. I think we are going to start seeing the aftereffects of COVID. Daniel: There will be health concerns such as respiratory issues and problems with having to walk long distances because people tire easily.

Kayla: There will be an increased population of patrons with disabilities. I had COVID in April and I still feel exhausted. I don’t know what it will be like next time I go to a festival. I think that producers are going to need to think about that. What is the new population that is going to need accommodation?

Laura: Regarding accessibility at festivals, what are some of the common weak points you notice or experience?

Daniel: A lot of the workers are volunteers and they aren’t educated as to what disability looks like, or sounds like, or is. It’s essential to understand what it means to provide accessibility and to know how important it is. When I talk about my disability I want that person to understand what I’m saying.

Daniel: In most situations I can figure out how to get around Spring 2021

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Kayla: Another area of weakness is the viewing platform situation. You are spoiled at the mega festivals that have a viewing platform at every stage. At some other festivals they haven’t even thought of it. There’s not even an area let alone a viewing platform. It seems to be an afterthought for a lot of these events.

We have a lot of community festivals here in Jacksonville and even though they are run by non-profits and have tiny budgets they do it so well. They have the reserved areas and seats ready.

If a bigger festival says “We didn’t have the budget to do it right,” I feel like that is a copout. It’s just because you didn’t think of it in time to build it into the budget.

Laura: I completely agree. There always seems to be plenty of budget for things that I feel are not essential, like some complicated, expensive piece of decor.

Kayla: It’s not that ambiance or the art isn’t important, but what’s the importance of it if your patrons aren’t having a good time?

something that a lot of people don’t consider.

Kayla: I think it just goes back to perception and education. The more educated people are, the more accessibility we’ll see. “You know better and you do better.” The primary issue is education.

Laura: Accessibility is essential.

Daniel: Yes! Kayla: It is. Especially when people are thinking, “What are the essential functions of a business right now,” because everything has changed so much due to COVID. Fingers crossed, we are planning events for the latter half of this year. Accessibility is an essential function for a live event and it’s the law. Let’s talk about it so we don’t have this conversation over and over again about the same events that aren’t providing accessibility. When producers are planning how they will handle COVID considerations, they should also plan for accessibility. They are both essential.

Daniel: Accessibility is the law!

Laura: What are some of the most important and helpful accessibility features at festivals?

Daniel: For me it is a distance thing usually. I really like the shuttle programs, having access to viewing platforms where I can sit safely and be able to enjoy what I came to see. I also appreciate the accessible restrooms. A lot of times the smaller festivals don’t even get the accessible port-a-potties. Most of the time it’s the regular port-a-potties that I have to use. It’s nice when I have the accessible ones that have enough room so I don’t have to be smashing around on everything.

Kayla: I think it is a budget issue.

Laura: It’s true that accessible portos are more expensive but it should be built into the budget. The law requires that if you provide toilets for the public, at least 5% of each cluster of toilets must be accessible. In fact, the law is that if you only have one toilet, it must be accessible.

Is there anything else you would like our readers to know that would help make events more accessible to all?

Daniel: To me it’s more about making sure that everybody understands the need for accessibility. Maybe I’m being a little dramatic here but accessibility, to some people, means being able to live.

Accessibility means being able to do something other than be in your house all day. It means being able to be around people and have social circles. Our lives depend on accessibility. Being out and going to events is some people’s all-year social circle. There are some friends that we only see when we go to festivals. If the festivals are not accessible, we don’t get to see our friends.

Laura: Some events don’t realize that if a group of friends wants to attend an event together and if a member of the group has a disability, they will all make sure to attend an accessible event, not an inaccessible event. The inaccessible event just lost the income from all of those people.

Daniel: Sadly, Laura, a lot of people think that because we’re disabled, we don’t have friends and social circles. That is 70

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Laura: Talking with you two reminds me of how important accessibility is and how important it is to me. I want to make sure that people who can’t get out in the world so easily, have a way to enjoy the festival experience just as others do. A chance to be a part of the scene with everyone else.

Daniel: Inclusion! Inclusion is the new cool thing.

Kayla: Every event producer, while they are sitting at home waiting for COVID to go away, should be reflecting on accessibility programs and figuring out how to make them fit into the budget. If they have to cut something out, it can’t be accessibility. Not only is it the law, but diversity and inclusion is a huge conversation that we have had over the last year. We have talked about COVID and how it has effected live events but from late May on, we were having the conversation of diversity and inclusion because of the cultural and political climate, but that bleeds into every aspect of our lives. When we are talking about diversity and inclusion in the workplace and in content and things like that, we also need to talk about it in events and experiences. We are not going to forget that everybody has to be able to be included in whatever we are doing that is for the public. It is not enough to say “Well, black lives mattered in June but we’re not going to consider the lives of people with disabilities until next year when we are back to festivals.”

Laura: Daniel and Kayla, thank you for taking the time to have this conversation with me and with our readers. I am looking forward to a more inclusive festival season!

Everyone’s Invited, LLC, founded by Laura Grunfeld, is winner of the gold level “Best Accessibility Program,” for the 2018 and 2019 IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards. Laura writes a regular column helping producers make their events accessible to people with disabilities. She has worked many festivals across the nation and readers can learn more about her event accessibility consulting, training, and production company at www.EveryonesInvited.com and www.linkedin. com/in/lauragrunfeld. Suggest topics or ask questions by writing to Laura@EveryonesInvited.com. © Laura Grunfeld, Everyone’s Invited, LLC, January 2021.

Good

Great

CFEE

An Important Step in the Career Track of Industry Leaders As a professional in the Festivals & Events Industry, you know the difference between Good and Great. You’ve dedicated yourself to the “whatever it takes” approach that has become your hallmark. You understand the importance and value of continuing to hone your skills, growing your knowledge base, expanding your professional network, and surrounding yourself with others who have reached the top levels of their careers as well.

CFEE (Certified Festival & Event Executive), the IFEA’s professional certification program, provides the essential difference between good and great among professionals in our industry. It signifies the highest level of achievement. Attainment of your CFEE certification provides recognition of your commitment to excellence, experience, and to your career, placing you in an elite group of the top festival and event professionals in your field. It’s a statement of quality that you bring to the table.

For more information about the IFEA’s professional certification program and our CFEE FastTrack® Program, contact Cindy Lerick at cindy@ifea.com or call +1-314-614-7152.

The CFEE Professional Certification Program is Sponsored by

YOUR EVENT HAS IMPACT…

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Commission Your IFEA Economic Impact Analysis Today

ic Imp

H Street Festival Impact The average visitor spent $63 during the festival, generating $6.1 million in sales along the corridor.

Eating and drinking establishments experienced the largest increase in sales during the festival with an average increase of 132% more sales than on a Festival Impact typical Saturday in September.

Neighborhoods Goods & Services and Merchandise stores were also positively impacted by the festival, experiencing a sales increase of 57% and 22% respectively.

Restaurants Goods and Merchandise On-Street and Bars Services Retailers Vendors

Overall Impact On H Street Retail

Avg. Sales on a September Saturday

$15,381

$5,175

$2,074

n/a

$10,526

The average visitor spent $23 on food, $20 on alcohol, and $13 shopping during the festival.

The H Street Festival attracts visitors from all across the region.

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sed (JS&A) ba sociates surveys ver & As business d Jon Sto al and 48 sed on HSMS an MS) by eet (HS 17 festiv g the 20 dance figures ba velopment. t Main Str De H Stree nducted durin en ess for Att sin ed N. Bu let ys co ng IMPLA all and Local ure comp endee surve usi ch ed bro Sm d att velop t of and y-selecte multipliers de the Departmen Analysis ta randoml ards. Da is supported by on 102 ted afterw conduc estimates. HSMS ic Econom ment police elop

The H Street Festival is public, free, and openDev oingall. H Street sult Cont Main Street relies on contributions to fund and operate this important event.

JS&A

The festival draws a young and diverse crowd.

The H Street Festival resulted in nearly $2.3 million in salaries and the equivalent of 58 fulltime positions, and generated approximately $728,000 in tax revenue for the District.

Avg. Sales During the H Street Festival

$35,684

$8,112

$2,535

n/a

$22,812

Direct Impact

Indirect Impact

Induced Impact

Overall Impact

Avg. Increase in Sales Per Business (%)

132%

57%

22%

n/a

117%

Jobs Created

54

2

2

58

Avg. Increase in Sales Per Business ($)

$20,303

$2,936

$461

n/a

$12,286

Labor Income

$1.9 M

$241,650

$155,318

$2.3 M

Corporate Tax

$31,448

Number of Businesses on H Street

76

50

12

176

138 businesses (excluding vendors)

Sales Revenue

$6.1 M

$648,069

$337,611

$7.1 M

Personal Income Tax

$27,925

Increased Sales Due to the Festival

$1,543,051

$146,822

$5,531

$4,419,953

$6,115,356

City Permits & Fees

$134,699

Increased Tax Revenue Due to Festival

$728,706

Fiscal Impact for the District of Columbia Sales Tax

Overall Impact

There are many ways to get involved and support the H Street Festival. H Street businesses and local artists and performers can participate in the event as vendors or volunteers. A range of sponsorship opportunities exist, and are vital to making the festival possible. Contact H Street Main Street to learn more about how you can help!

$534,634

Leverage Cost & Credibility IFEA’s cost effective, industry credible program brings a critical tool within financial reach and provides reliable results from a trusted and recognized resource.

Quantify & Articulate Value Understand and communicate the impact your event brings to your local economy and local tax revenue.

Gain Support & Increase Funding Demonstrate how your event benefits area businesses and your city at large, convey the need for public and private assistance, and secure additional financial support.

Enhance Participation Increase business participation, recruit additional vendors, and strengthen stakeholder commitment.

Improve Operations Incorporate a data-driven approach to evaluate and make adjustments to your event or program each year.

READY TO GET STARTED? Find Out More on our IFEA Professional Products & Services Web Page or Contact Kaye Campbell, CFEE, Director of Partnerships & Programs • +1-208-433-0950 Ext. 8150 • kaye@ifea.com

WITH SEAN KING

ASSOCIATION ENDORSED PARTNER

ASSOCIATION ENDORSED PARTNER

The IFEA would like to thank the following partners for their dedicated support of the association.

Association Endorsed Partners have made a commitment to the continued success of our association, our members, and our industry through their umbrella sponsorship support of all IFEA programs and services.

Show your support for these dedicated providers to our industry by getting to know them, and the high quality products and services that they supply, better.

Interested in becoming an Association Endorsed Partner?

Contact Kaye Campbell, Director of Partnerships & Programs (208) 433-0950 ext. 8150 or kaye@ifea.com

MARKETPLACE SEARCH MORE VENDORS AT EVENTRESOURCEMARKETPLACE.COM BANNERS/FLAGS

dfest ® – The ONE source for creative design, custom decorations, street banners, mascots, video marketing & installation for events. All services tailored to fit your unique needs. Contact: Vanessa Van de Putte; Address: 1930 N. Pan Am Expressway, San Antonio, TX 78208 USA; Phone: (800) 356-4085; Email: sales@dixieflag.com; Website: www.dixieflag.com.

CASH MANAGEMENT FIRST DATA / CLOVER – Cloud-based point of sale and full business solutions for cash or cashless events. Clover is uniquely designed to be customized to fit your business needs.

Clover accepts all payment types - EMV/Chip, Card Swiped, Keyed and Apple Pay/Google Pay. Clover’s product line is available with WIFI, ethernet, or 4G/LTE data connectivity and can be leased, purchased or rented month-to-month. First Data has exclusive pricing for hardware and card processing for the festivals and events industry. Contact: Tina Hollis; Address: 8812 Crosswood Ct., Riverview, FL 33578 USA; Phone: 239-287-8221; Email: tina. hollis@firstdata.com; Website: www.firstdata.com

service packages for small towns and large international events.

50+ years of parade/event experience. Contact: Steve Thomson; Address: 6470 Wyoming St. Ste #2024, Dearborn MI 48126 USA; Phone: 800-411-6200 Email: steve@fabulousinflatables.com; Website: www.fabulousinflatables.com.

INSURANCE HAAS & WILKERSON INSURANCE – Over 50 years experience in the entertainment industry, providing insurance programs designed to meet the specific needs of your event. Clients throughout the US include festivals, parades, carnivals and more. Contact: Carol Porter, CPCU, Broker; Address: 4300 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Fairway, KS 66205 USA; Phone: 800-821-7703; Email: carol.porter@hwins.com; Website: www.hwins.com.

KALIFF INSURANCE – We insure the serious side of fun! Founded in 1917, Kaliff is celebrating 100 years of providing specialty insurance for festivals, fairs, parades, rodeos, carnivals and more. Contact: Bruce Smiley-Kaliff; Address: 2009 NW Military Hwy., San Antonio, TX 78213-2131 USA; Phone: 210-829-7634; Email: bas@kaliff.com; Website: www.kaliff.com.

COSTUMES HISTORICAL EMPORIUM – Historical Emporium specializes in authentic, durable, high quality historical clothing and accessories. Victorian, Edwardian, Old West and Steampunk for men and women. Since 2003.

Contact: Noel Matyas; Address: 188 Stauffer Blvd, San Jose, CA 95125-1047 USA; Phone: (800) 997-4311; Email: amusement@ historicalemporium.com; Website: www.historicalemporium.com INFLATABLES DYNAMIC DISPLAYS / FABULOUS INFLATABLES – Designs, manufacturers, for rent or purchase – costumes, props, floats, helium balloons, event entry ways and décor. Offers complete and flexible 74

IFEA’s ie: the business of international events

Spring 2021

K & K INSURANCE – For 60 years, K & K insurance has been recognized as the leading provider of SPORTS-LEISURE & ENTERTAINMENT insurance products. Contact: Mark Herberger; Address: 1712 Magnavox Way, Fort Wayne, IN 46804 USA; Phone: 1-866-554-4636; Email: mark.herberger@ kandkinsurance.com; Website: www.kandkinsurance.com.

SAFETY/SECURITY WEVOW – WeVow equips organizations and events of all sizes to build safety and trust into their cultures and give 100% clarity against sexual misconduct. WeVow has created a special program that will allow event organizations to protect their employees and volunteers year-round,

and to gear up for shorter, selected time frames to protect and make a statement to all of those attending or working your event(s).

Contact: Matt Pipkin; Address: P.O. Box 2308, Boise, ID 83702 USA; Phone: 208-830-3885; Email: matt@wevow.com; Website: www.wevow.com SITE MAPPING POINTSMAP® – PointsMap® has proven to be an effective and useful software for Festivals and Events. Create custom points at their exact location on your PointsMap with photos, descriptions, website links, multi-media, PDF’s and even “inside maps”. Your visitors can “PLAN” before the festival using their desktop computer, and then “NAVIGATE” the festival using their Smartphone. Visit www.PointsMap.com/SLAF and http://www.PointsMap.com/WichitaRiverFest/ to see how PointsMap is being used. It’s easy to use and extremely affordable.

Contact: Jerry Waddell; Address: 1100 Riverfront Pkwy, Chattanooga, TN 37402-2171 USA; Phone: 423-894-2677; Email: jerryw@videoideas.com; Website: www.pointsmap.com.

30022 USA; Phone: 770-825-0220; Email: mark@tripinfo.com; Website: www.tripinfo.com.

WEBSITE DESIGN SAFFIRE – Saffire empowers clients with beautiful, unique and engaging websites that are easy to manage, with integrated SaffireTix ticketing and unlimited help when you need it.

Address: 248 Addie Roy Rd, Ste B-106, Austin TX 78746-4133 USA; Phone: 512-430-1123; Email: info@saffireevents.com; Website: www.saffireevents.com.

TICKETING SAFFIRE – Saffire empowers clients with beautiful, unique and engaging websites that are easy to manage, with integrated SaffireTix ticketing and unlimited help when you need it.

Address: 248 Addie Roy Rd, Ste B-106, Austin TX 78746-4133 USA; Phone: 512-430-1123; Email: info@saffireevents.com; Website: www.saffireevents.com.

TRAVEL PLANNING (by Groups) TRIPInfo.com – Since 1996, first online reference for all segments of group travel planners – website and weekly newsletter and subject-specific digital magazines – including festivals. IFEA Member organizations included online.

Contact: Mark Browning; Address: 4850 Gaidrew, Johns Creek, GA Spring 2021

IFEA’s ie: the business of international events

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Partnership with the IFEA The IFEA Foundation provides an all-important source of support that allows the IFEA to confidently provide convention scholarships, host top-quality industry presenters, speakers and programming, and help raise the bar for everyone in our global industry. A very special thanks to all those who have contributed along the way, and we look forward to working with you towards the success of our industry for many years to come.

www.ifea.com/p/foundation