Social Media: Not Just a Fad

How many times do you hear "Social Media is not that important, I'm sure it will eventually phase out" on a weekly basis? Personally, I hear it often. When I mention to anyone that an aspect of my job is to handle all of the Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, etc. for Events North, there is a 75% chance that a comment about how social media will probably not be as huge of an impact in the future.

Then our Events Coordinator, Rachel, sent me this youtube video, produced by TheTotalProfit . I loved it. It embodied so many of my thoughts in regards to social media and how important it is to businesses. Take five minutes out of your day to take a peak at this video -- you won't regret it (and Hey! Maybe you'll learn something new in the process.)

Here is a direct link to the video.

I hope that you got as much out of that video as I did. Now whenever you overhear someone say that social media is "just a fad," you can throw a bit of knowledge their way.

Online Tools and Widgets that Make Your Company's Life Easier

Like it or not, technology is taking over. We at the Events North office have decided to hop on the ever-changing technology train...and we couldn't be happier about it. We've found so many resources and new gadgets that help make us more efficient and effective business and social media-wise, so we thought we would share some of our current favorites.

Whether you're a privately owned small business, a large non-profit, or even a thriving large corporation, these tools can not only help to improve your virtual image, but also make sure that you are up to date on all that online tools have to offer.

1. Prezi: Let's face it; powerpoint, as useful as it can be, is starting to become outdated. That is what makes Prezi so great. It's an updated powerpoint that presents your ideas, information, or product in an engaging and exciting way. According to the website, Prezi is a virtual whiteboard that transforms presentations from monologues into conversations: enabling people to see, understand, and remember ideas. Prezi is not only user friendly, but engages your audience the entire presentation. 

2. Twoppy: Question 1: Do you have a smartphone? Question 2: Would you like to have access to all of the details of the event you're attending on your smartphone instead of throughout multiple documents? Answers to both are most likely yes, which is why Twoppy is something you need to check out. Twoppy allows you to create a mobile app for your event page, making navigation and detailed information simple for you and your attendees to access. As found on the Twoppy webpage, You can use Twoppy for festivals, exhibitions, conferences, amusement parks, zoos and sporting events. Even as a city guide, travel guide or theater guide it will be great for your visitors. The cherry on top? Twoppy's event packages start at a price of free and allow you to upgrade as needed.

3. Hootsuite: Hootsuite is social media management at its finest. You can sign up for a free account and upgrade when you decide that you need a more detailed look into the analytics of the sites you're managing. Hootsuite is an excellent tool for managing all of your pages at once (because let's just be honest, having Facebook, your blog and Twitter in one place is a huge timesaver), as well as providing you with the ability to schedule posts and check on the latest social media trends. Unlike the latest version of whatever iPhone game is popular, Hootsuite is an app you will not regret purchasing.

4. Fast Company Magazine: If you are searching for a source where you can find the latest and greatest technology, search no further. Fast Company Magazine is an excellent source for all things "up and coming." The website features everything from stories of creative people (sometimes being able to see what other people are thinking is the jump start you need to brainstorm your own ideas) to the technological gems that have recently been released. We swear by the information this magazine provides and think you should give it a look as well.

5. MyNorth Tickets: We try to "keep it local" as much as we possibly can, which is why MyNorth Tickets is so exciting! Formally known as TREAT Tickets, MyNorth Tickets has made the online ticketing process even more user friendly than before. MyNorth Tickets is the perfect tool to use for your event, whether it be a VIP dinner or a full-scale festival. They even offer paper tickets for you to provide to those guests who don't feel comfortable or who may not have the resources to print their tickets at home. We definitely plan on using MyNorth Ticketing for some of our future events.

6. BizBash: We've said it before and we will say it again: we.love.BizBash. BizBash is one of our absolute favorite sites for Event Planning news, ideas and resources. BizBash is always on their A-game when it comes to reporting on the newest Event Planning Trends. Plus, they give updates on venues from all over the nation, allowing a look into what different regions of the country are doing. We may get a little too excited when we receive a BizBash magazine in the mail, but when you're looking for a top source in up to date Event Planning information, it's one of the best sources out there.


So, click on the links above and do a little exploring of the websites for yourself. Hopefully you find some of the information useful and interesting. While there will probably be new widgets and gadgets in a few month's time, the sources and tools listed above are a great start to improving your and your company's technological skills.

A Few of our Favorite Places to Find Inspiration

When planning an event, it is safe to say that you find inspiration everywhere. Whether it be the color of a leaf on a tree you see on your morning walk to work, a pattern on a scarf you notice while shopping on the weekend or simply while browsing one of our favorite places to search for wedding details and favors, Etsy.

We obviously find inspiration in places that were created specifically for that purpose like Pinterest, but we have to give a shout out to some of our favorite industry related magazines for being wonderful and keeping us on our toes with new trends and relevant articles.

- Michigan Meetings + Events. Not only is this magazine regionally based, allowing us to really target the trends and upcoming events happening in Michigan, it also has an extremely active Facebook page. It's like getting two for the price of one- we get to explore the pages of the magazine and also enjoy extra tidbits shared on the Facebook page, which range from articles they find from outside sources to additional information that they found post-publication for that month. We're huge fans and you should be too!

- BizBash BizBash is wonderful for a variety of reasons. One of those is that they showcase events from Miami, Florida to Toronto- it is so interesting to be able to see what so many different places are up to! Another is that they always keep their information fresh and entertaining. Every time I pick up the latest BizBash, I find myself reading about an idea I had never seen before- and I always love them. Finally, they are extremely active on their Twitter page, which makes them so fun to follow.

- Special Events Magazine. From informing their reader on simple ways to go Green at their events (which we love- seriously, you should see the recycling center in the Events North office. We don't mess around when it comes to saving the environment), to forecasting the top 50 upcoming trends in the event industry, Special Events Magazine always has something interesting and informative to share. They also offer a plethora of their articles on their website, making it easy for you to check them out when you misplace your paper copy of the magazine.

We also find inspiration from some of our daily blog reads and vendor guides (aka guilty pleasures that are actually considered "gathering information for work"...win/win!). I should note that you should probably open these links when you have an hour...or three to spare. They are fabulously addicting. Some of our favorites include:

Simply Blue (Northern Michigan wedding guide and a fantastic blog- we cannot stress how much we adore this site!)
Hostess with the Mostess (Her themed posts will inspire you to throw the best parties ever.)
The Knot (Inspiring ideas and an impressive list of vendors from all over the country. A must for Brides-to-be.)
Style Me Pretty (Warning: You will stay on this site for hours- yes. plural.)
The Awesometastic Blog (Not only is reading her blog like listening to your best friend chat with you, she keeps it simple by posting one or two ideas a day- a quick and effective read that still makes you smile.)
Green Wedding Shoes (They feature a ton of articles on how to keep costs down while letting your creativity shine through...how can you go wrong with that? Seriously.)
Emmaline Bride (Their DIY section is one of my favorite things. Ever.)


The list really just goes on and on. Learning from other's successes and ideas is wonderful and having the tools to do so via websites, magazines and blogs is simply wonderful.

Where do you find inspiration? Share some of your favorite sources- we love adding new pages to our bookmarks tab!

Using Social Media to Promote Your Event

We are definitely in the age of technology. As much as I hate to admit it, I have a mini panic attack every time I don't have my iPhone within an arm's reach. I feel like I've been a let down when I don't tweet someone back or answer a Facebook message as promptly as I do voicemail or emails.

Some people and companies may be reluctant to embrace the era of social media that is upon us and to that I say: use social media to your advantage. It is your friend, not your enemy- I promise.

So this week we dedicate our blog post to social media and some of the ways that you and your company can use it to your advantage while promoting your next event. These next few tips are simple, effective, and best of all: FREE (who doesn't love that? If it's free it's for me!)

1. Create a Pre-event Buzz
Utilize your Facebook page or send out an email blast to encourage your fans and potential attendees to sign up and share the event with their friends. You can even offer prizes for the individual who refers the most people or a discount when a certain number of their friends buy a ticket. 

If you're feeling really fancy, you can utilize sites such as Meteor Solutions helps you to incentivize your event by offering rewards for sharing your content.

2. Encourage your guests to use a pre-agreed upon Hashtag when discussing your event on their own personal social media sites. Make sure you inform them of the exact hashtag to use (For example: #EventsNorth or #TinasWedding2012) so that there are not two or three different types floating around. Hashtags allow you to promote your event and include it in conversation threads. If you have enough people discussing your event, it may even start trending within your area- the ultimate social media accomplishment!

3. Keep up the buzz by keeping some things a surprise. If you keep mentioning snippits of what is to come at the event via social media outlets, but don't let your guests know the whole picture until the day-of...they're more likely to stay hooked. Even snapping mystery pictures and showing them bit by bit to your social media audience works. Your attendees will remain engaged by guessing what is to come and keep checking back...once the get a hint of what's to come they'll keep coming back for more!

4. Use QR codes on your ads or Facebook page to allow people to easily access your website. A large majority of people are smartphone owners, so they can snap a picture of the QR code and be led to your site immediately. This will allow you to give them an abundance of extra information that you couldn't fit onto your ad.

5. Encourage your attendees to check in at the event using Facebook Check-ins or Foursquare. This will allow them to promote your event on their Facebook or Twitter. Their friends can then simply click on the link and be directed to your page and find out easily exactly where your event is...and see what they're missing out on!

6. Have a lot of things going on at once? Utilize live videostreaming of your event via Facebook or Youtube to allow attendees (and virtual guests following along at home) to catch a glimpse of the speeches or concerts they're missing.

7. Create a Twitter Wall at your event. Mashable Business explains this concept best: "The most successful social media campaigns merge what’s happening online with what’s happening offline. Setting up Twitter walls throughout the event space is an effective way to entice attendees to get involved in the online discussions stemming from the event.

If you’re running a smaller gathering, consider creating a virtual welcome wall near the registration area so that you can say hello to attendees on Twitter as they check-in. When attendees see their username displayed on the screen, next to your hashtag, they’ll be encouraged to get involved.

There are a number of vendors that provide Twitter wall functionality, including Socialping, Visible Tweets and TweetWally. Each offer varied levels of customizability and analytics. Just be sure to think through filtering options and map out a plan for the worst-case scenario, like a hashtag hijack."

8. Make sure to follow up post-event. Thank your guests for coming via Facebook or Twitter. Send out a follow-up email to let everyone know the event specs and how much you appreciated them coming out. Already know the dates for the following year's event? Post them on your Facebook or Twitter and let your guests know so they can plan ahead.

Social Media is such a useful tool and in today's day and age...if you're not using it, you're behind the times. Make sure your event promotions are up to date and watch your event attendance (and number of twitter followers) soar!


Sources for a few of these tips include:
Social Media Examiner
and
Mashable Business