For the past several months many event organizers, skilled in producing trade shows and conferences in physical environments, have been navigating the uncharted terrain of digital events. In doing so, they’ve realized the importance of agility, speed, and learning from mistakes (their own and others) in making the in-person to online pivot. According to mdgRead More

Like everyone else, producers of live conferences and trade shows have had a challenging spring. As such, many are working tirelessly (and well outside their comfort zones) to take their physical events online. Selecting the right technology platform is arguably the first essential step to ensuring a successful live-to-virtual pivot. Let Your Objectives Determine theRead More

Many event organizers are wondering how their communication strategies should evolve at a time when the appetite for travel and live events seems to be decreasing due to coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns. We’ve provided a few recommendations that could help guide your approach to public relations and marketing here and we stand ready to help. PleaseRead More

Given the havoc COVID-19 has wreaked on our industry in recent weeks, you might be feeling like your luck has run out. At mdg, we’re hoping the pent-up demand for events and the commerce they generate will be the rainbow after the storm. Here are some attendee acquisition strategies that can help jump start yourRead More

To commemorate Valentine’s Day, I asked some of mdg’s top event marketers to share the tools, techniques, and new ideas they’re head-over-heels about. Sure, flowers and chocolates are nice, but these attendee acquisition ideas just might spark the passion you need to exponentially grow your next event.   “I like email. I LOVE email narratives.”Read More

At CEIR Predict in October, a slate of expert speakers from outside of the events business took the stage to present insights about the latest social, consumer, economic and political trends shaping the world around us. Event organizers took note—copious notes, actually—about how to market their events in the face of rapid disruption as well as howRead More

Organizers of The Car Wash Show set out to achieve three major objectives in 2019: To deliver more qualified attendees to the show floor To enhance an already great show experience To encourage earlier registrations while simultaneously increasing its verified rate Here’s the story of how International Carwash Association (ICA) and mdg accomplished all three.Read More

We spend months selling our exhibitor floor to ensure we have the appropriate breadth and depth of industry suppliers represented. We do the same when it comes to our conferences, seeking out top speakers and thought leaders to spark ideas, guide conversations and deliver relevancy to our events. We identify prospects, build a database andRead More

As event marketers, we are always in pursuit of that “silver bullet”—the one thing that is going to attract high-profile exhibitors, pack our aisles with quality attendees and ensure our show is an unqualified success. And while no ONE silver bullet exists, there is a mindset that can drastically transform results within an organization: fearlessness.Read More

I recently heard Daniel Lemin, co-author of Talk Triggers, discuss how and why businesses should create conversation-worthy differentiators as pathways to growth. Cheesecake Factory with its enormous menu, DoubleTree Hotels with its warm chocolate chip cookies upon check-in, and Five Guys with its generous helping of fries are all great examples. But much of the adviceRead More

Last month, we asked a few of our in-house experts for New Year’s Resolutions that should inspire event marketing campaigns in 2019 and beyond. We’re sharing them with you here and will be tracking our progress throughout the year… “I will leverage more behavioral data.” Marc Blumer, customer journey architect Adapting attendee advertising messages basedRead More

Several years ago, the executive director of a well-known association was interviewed at an industry event and was asked, “How will you promote and celebrate the 75th anniversary of the organization at your upcoming trade show?” His answer has guided my philosophy for event planning and marketing ever since. Essentially, he said, “We’re not doingRead More

Determining when to launch an international marketing effort requires careful consideration of multiple variables, including event frequency and location, industry budgeting practices, visa and other travel requirements, as well as the competitive landscape. mdg’s International Marketing Specialist Anjia Nicolaidis shares three pieces of advice for evaluating these data points and timing international campaigns around aRead More

There’s an ongoing debate among psychologists regarding how much of a person’s success in life is a factor of cognitive intelligence (IQ) versus emotional intelligence (EQ). I’ve been reading a lot about the topic lately, and although I haven’t formed a definitive opinion, I have discovered interesting insights about EQ that can help marketing professionalsRead More

Last month, thousands of association professionals united in Toronto to learn, network and gain inspiration from each other. Personally, I achieved all those objectives and came back to work feeling motivated to translate my knowledge into action and to share my key takeaways… Tell Relatable Stories As we tell stories about our events and/or associationRead More

According to Exhibit Surveys 46% of trade show attendees go to only one event per year. In a day and age when events compete for the same (and often shrinking) pool of attendee prospects, how can your event stand above others as THE ONE? We found answers to this question in an unlikely place: iCONICRead More

On May 30, more than 200 event industry executives gathered at Sam Lippman’s ECEF in Washington, D.C., to glean inspiration and share ideas. As a proud event sponsor, mdg was there, eager to take it all in. In case YOU weren’t there, don’t worry, we took notes…

In my opinion, SXSW is the gold standard when it comes to events. It’s the perfect combination of pop culture, innovation, and inspiration that attracts thousands of movers and shakers from across the country and around the world in marketing, tech, music and film. Here are four of the many applicable event-marketing lessons that I learned from my experience this year…

Sunny California was host to IAEE’s Expo! Expo! last month and, as expected, the event was full of innovation and bright ideas for event marketers. The “show for shows” sparked provocative conversations, facilitated new connections, and presented industry professionals with inspiration for 2017. mdg‘s employees, clients and friends have shared a few of their favorite takeaways…

On June 1 at the J.W. Marriott in Washington, D.C., Galen Poss will lead Charlie McCurdy, David Loechner and Deborah Sexton in a moderated discussion about how new technologies, new competitors and the increased pressure for continuous innovation have shaped the evolution of the events business. As an ECEF sponsor, mdg convinced these three visionaries to give InnerCircle readers a sneak peek at their upcoming session.