Month: July 2014
5 Ways to Use Color to Communicate an Event’s Message
Different hues & color combinations can support your event’s message by helping to cement ideas or feelings in attendees.
Colors & color schemes create an ambiance at event venues both consciously and unconsciously. At ABCey Events, we have rounded up our top five tips on ways to utilize the psychology of color effectively at your next event!
1. Consider contrast levels
The number of colors and the contrast between them creates different effects. Less variation and low contrast is more calming, while multicolor and high contrast creates a more energetic & vibrant vibe. Consider the theme of your event as well as the season you are planning to have it in. Fall is perfect for burnt orange & brown shades and Spring calls for pastels!
2. Adjust chromas to make the combinations of color work
There are no bad or wrong colors, there are only some unfortunate combinations. The chroma of the color you use will make it right. If you want colors that are more harmonious, or close on the color wheel, you still want contrast to vary their values & accents.
3. Be aware of iconic color combinations
Avoid color schemes that will remind people of different corporations. For example, red and gold could remind attendees of a fast-food place because people have such a connection to the hues you’ve chosen. But if you opt for a rich red and brushed gold, people aren’t going to think McDonald’s. Get creative and mix it up!
4. Always incorporate the corporate color of the host or sponsor
Even if it’s color message is contrary to the event’s message, this is an important tip! The logo color could be used minimally and softly at a corporate meditation session to just punctuate the event, for example.
5. Study successful color messages
The beauty of color is that the more you know, the more you know how to use it. Look at luxury ad campaigns for clues of color palettes that evoke a psychological response, or note the fun, bright colors in kids’ products for examples of what works! Play it up!
What are your favorite color combinations to communicate a message to attendees? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!
Tech Tuesday: 3 New Event Management Tools
Tech Tuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. ABCey would like to recognize these up and coming technologies for their innovative ideas and impact on the event world!
At ABCey Events, we are always looking for the newest technologies to create a more effective way to manage events. As the event industry continues to evolve, there are more and more companies popping up that will further innovate the planning process. We’d like to share our Top 3 Event Management tools that can help bring your event to the next level!
1. Eventomize | The online program Eventomize relieves the stress of organizing every aspect of your event company by automating the scheduling process. When your business is commissioned to work an event, simply enter the number and type of staff needed. The program schedules upcoming events within the company and specifically lists what type of servers, bartenders, or master’s of ceremonies are needed. The boss can specifically request individuals to see the job offer, or it can be available to everyone on the company profile. Individuals can then respond electronically to the event and find out all the details needed in order to work and best represent your company!
2. Grenadine Event Planner | When planning a conference or convention, it can get tricky keeping track of all the complex scheduling that goes into an event! Grenadine Events is a cloud-based platform that allows planners to keep track of everything in one simple place — from participant scheduling, logistical updates, and communication with attendees via email updates. Once the event gets going, the platform provides the planning team dynamic reports of the event venue to prevent issues from happening. We also love that Grenadine Events has branded mobile apps for both iOS and Android devices!
3. Goombal | Here is the latest event management system that keeps everything you need to run your event in the best possible shape! When using Goombal it quickly generates a list of detailed reports to manage your event — from budget and expense reports, staffing reports, and tech reports — the program has it all. It is available both online and on mobile devices for the busy planners on the move!
Which event management tool will you be trying at your next event?! Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
StartUp Monday: Hyperfair
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey events!
Do you ever wish you could be in two places at once? We sure do! This week, ABCey would like to showcase San Francisco based Hyperfair, a startup with a platform for running online trade shows. This immersive 3D virtual expo & tradeshow experience dynamically revolutionizes the way we collaborate globally and allows everyone to attend or host an event from anywhere in the world!
How It Works: Select if your hosting or attending a virtual expo, trade show, conference, or a career fair. Once the event is set up, Hyperfair allows you to move your avatar around a three-dimensional space. There’s also features that include chatting with other attendees (either via text, Skype, or voice), browsing products, and exchanging business cards. What a unique and cool way to expand your networking skills!
Why We Love Hyperfair: This 3D experience recreates real world dynamics that would be found at a physical event by giving users fully customizable virtual avatars that facilitate lifelike interaction. Hyperfair also enables global audience participation with an event that anyone can attend just by logging into their computer! Imagine being able to attend an overseas trade show right at home on your couch! This is definitely a company we can’t wait to see grow and evolve!
Will you be checking out Hyperfair!? The idea of a virtual trade show isn’t new, but the practice hasn’t exactly taken off . Watch Hyperfair Video Here! Let us know what you think of Hyperfair via Twitter or Facebook, or leave us a comment below!
ABCey’s Weekend LineUp: 7.10.14-7.13.14
After returning from the long holiday weekend, the girls at ABCey are excited to bring you some great events happening in the Bay Area! There’s something for everyone, from a local fashion show to delicious foodie-friendly adventures. We can’t wait to check these out and hope to see you there!
Featured Event | Beyond the Fence Trunk Show | Saturday, July 12th | 12-6pm | 119 Utah St. San Francisco | Heading to the Playa this year?! If you are interested in local fashion designers, this is the event for you! The trunk show will showcase 30 local designers for clothing trends on and off the beach. While you shop, there will also be 3 bands performing throughout the day to make the event more festive and provide shoppers with a different experience.
1. Inner Sunset Microhood Party | Thursday, July 10th | 6pm | Inner Sunset Microhood | Check out this annual summer event thrown by the Bold Italic for a night of great food, music, and shopping! There will be plenty available for everyone including summer cocktails, apparel for sale by CrossRoads Trading, and DIY succulent arrangements. No matter what you are into, there will be something for you here!
2. Legends of Candlestick | Saturday, July 12th | 3:30pm Gates Open | Candlestick Park | Tickets $30-$50 | This weekend marks the end of an era as the last game will be played at Candlestick Park before the new 49er Levi Stadium is completed for the upcoming season! Join 49er legends Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and fellow veteran teammates as they play a game of flag football against NFL all-stars. This sounds like a great way to fill your void of your favorite Bay Area team until the fall!
3. Phono del Sol Music Festival | Saturday, July 12th | 12- 7pm | Potrero del Sol Park | Tickets $30 | This is the 4th annual Phono del Sol festival with plenty of great live bands to fill your Saturday! Come out and enjoy the nice San Francisco “summer” weather at the park while listening to great live bands perform. There will also be food trucks and plenty of vendors to shop to your heart’s content!
4. Summer Lovin’ Mixer | Thursday, July 10th | 6-9:30pm | Matrix Fillmore – 3138 Fillmore St. San Francisco | Tickets $75 per person | Looking to expand your network and benefit charity this weekend?! This event supports The Family & Children’s Law Center which provides crucial legal representation to many Bay Area families each year. The ticket includes delicious appetizers, drinks, and a great silent auction. What better way to meet other SF locals and support a worthwhile cause!
5. Startup Social: World Cup Finals Viewing Party | Sunday, July 13th | 11am- 6pm | 46 Minna St. San Francisco | This weekend marks the end of World Cup Fever between Argentina and Germany! Watch the game with fellow entrepreneurs and share tech ideas with soccer theories. We can’t think of a better way to watch the game in true Bay Area spirit while rooting for your favorite team!
Will you be attending any of these fun events this weekend?! Are there any we missed? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
Utilizing Loyalty to Make Your Event a Success
Loyalty has been used in marketing for hundreds of years but it is perhaps in the past 40 years that we have really seen the growth of loyalty programs. Programs such as airline frequent flyer points, credit card points, coffee shop loyalty cards or hotel club memberships are all examples of this growth.
This type of marketing is all about repeat business and if you run regular, or even annual events then you will know that repeat attendees are an incredibly important group of people; both in terms of direct bookings, but also because they help you advertise your event to their peers. At ABCey Events, we cherish these relationships and wanted to share a few ideas that can be borrowed from loyalty programs to make your next event a huge success!
1. Make Previous Attendees Feel Privileged: When announcing a new event think about the ways that you could make previous attendees feel exclusive. For example, you could leverage principles from airline loyalty schemes such as priority boarding by telling these people that you have reserved them a seat in the front row as long as they confirm before a certain date. Or perhaps you could offer them a free gift such as a shopping voucher or a free night in a nice local hotel if you know they are traveling from a distance.
2. More is Better: It’s true, we are all greedy and we all like more – aim to give a few additional surprises at your event that the attendees were not expecting. This will make your event memorable for all! This could be utilized in the form of a bonus speaker that the attendees were not expecting, a free gift for all, or even a surprise drink reception!
3. Incentivize Feedback: Positive feedback is a mechanism to confirm a good experience in someone’s mind. By asking all attendees at your event for feedback you will firstly give yourself the opportunity to improve your next event, but you will also improve loyalty amongst this group of people as it shows that you care about their opinions! For the people that give you positive feedback, it has the effect of helping them to relive and solidify in their mind the memory of something that they enjoyed. This positive recognition is very helpful when you contact them about future events as they are more likely to attend and also to share your event information with their peers.
4. Build Strong Relationships with Your Speakers: Having positive relationships with speakers will make more speakers come your way and want to work with you in the future.If your speakers enjoy being at your event and they have a strong rapport with you, this will be visible to all.
Events are a great opportunity to build a personal bond with your most loyal customers so make sure that you reward & incentivize them appropriately! Will you be using these tips to create that bond? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!
Tech Tuesday: Lightwave
Tech Tuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. ABCey would like to recognize these up and coming technologies for their innovative ideas and impact on the event world!
Gathering data before, during, and after an event can be tricky but always necessary. Here at ABCey, we are constantly on the lookout for new technologies to help us gather event data in order to analyze attendee engagement. We recently came across Lightwave, a wearable technology that does just that!
How it Works: Lightwave is a smart wristband that measures movement, audio levels, temperature, and excitement of wearers. The data gathered allows performers & event organizers to gauge their audience’s interest in a scientific way and enables them to tailor their event accordingly. It aims to provide analytics for live events and artists with real-time data of how the audience is feeling and responding to the entertainment.
Why We Love Lightwave: This new type of experience data can shape the event environment so attendees can connect emotionally with the entertainment and each other. This technology can be applied to all types of live events: concerts, sporting events, conferences- pretty much anywhere where audiences want to feel connected to the live experience! It’s also great for event organizers and performers to have access to data & feedback from the audience to adjust and modify the live experience to make it more enjoyable for attendees! Plus it’s super cool and futuristic design draws attendees in and will be something they will be talking about long after the event ends!
Do you think this wearable device will work for your next event? Would you give it a try?! Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!
StartUp Monday: Getaround
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey events!
Before there was Uber and ZipCar, there was Getaround, which pretty much meshes the two ideas into one brilliant peer-to-peer car share program! The program aims to take 1 billion cars off the road by utilizing the 22 hours a day that you are not using your car.
The car-sharing marketplace enables car owners to rent their cars to their community via a smartphone app. Car owners invest huge amounts of time and money into an asset they barely use. The average car is idle 92% of the time, while potential drivers walk past block after block of underutilized cars. Getaround gets you where you need to go, and makes money for car-owners!
Imagine a world with fewer cars, without traffic jams, and with less pollution. This program is perfect in a city like San Francisco where parking is few and far between and there is a stoplight every block. Get involved in this mastermind community and start renting today!
Are you ready to have your traveling experience upgraded? Let us know what you think of Getaround via Twitter or Facebook, or leave us a comment below!
ABCey’s Weekend LineUp: 07.04.14 – 07.07.14
Happy 238th birthday to the US of A! The Fourth of July 2014 falls on a Friday, meaning we have more time than ever to celebrate our glorious country with a long weekend. ABCey did a little digging for the best events in the bay area this weekend, and we hope you like what we found. We can’t wait for the skies over San Franciscoto light up with amazingly brilliant fireworks!
Featured Event: 2014 Fourth of July at PIER 39 | Friday July 4th |12pm-12am| Pier 39| PIER 39 celebrates the fourth with fun for the whole family, featuring live entertainment by Mobility from the USAF Band of the Golden West and Tainted Love. The night finishes off with Fireworks at 9:30pm! Many companies offer cruises out onto the bay, but they are subject to availability so get your tickets early! There’s also so much Fourth of July energy in the Embarcadero neighborhood, so this event is the place to be! We can’t wait to see the Bay light up with spectacular color while celebrating with friends and family!
1. SF Giants versus St. Louis Cardinals | Thursday, July 3 | 12:45 pm | AT&T Park| What’s a better way to celebrate America than by jumpstarting the long weekend with America’s favourite pastime. This game marks the end of the three game series between the Giants and the Cardinals and is sure to impress….cause “its, one, two , three strikes you’re out at the old ball game!” Sit back and relax in your black and orange and watch the SF Giants take victory! Tickets start at $15.
2. 4th of July Party at the Parlor | Friday, July 4 |2pm – 2am| The Parlor | The Parlor hosts an all day party, followed by a night of great views of the SF fireworks show and live music from DJs Jason Everett and Tom Thump Spinning Top 40, Hip-Hop, Party Rock and Electronic Dance Music from 8pm-2am. The Parlor is the newest lounge and nightclub in San Francisco’s North Beach waterfront, they give this advice, “The Parlor says “If you’re interested in seeing the fireworks, this would be a great place to come to early, have a drink, use the bathroom, and have a place to roost before and after the fireworks while the other 200,000 in the area are hours from home and forced to pee in the bushes!” We’re sold!
3. IndepenDANCE Day by Heart Phoenix | Friday, July 4 |9:30pm – 4am| Mighty Nightclub | Rock you Independence Day with an all-star lineup through 3 sound areas in at this hidden gem of a nightclub in the SoMA district. Justin Jay from Los Angeles headlines this group of house music aficionados, also with David Hohme, Daniel Dubb. Disco Knights and more, so get your tickets early and dance the night away to celebrate America! Tickets start at $10.
4. Strategik Breakbeat BBQ | Saturday, July 5 |11am – 7pm| 3549 Novato Blvd | The Strategik crew brings you a BBQ of beats and eats at Stafford Lake this Saturday. The event is basically a giant day party of amazing soundtracks, beers and burgers brought to you with many different artists bringing different flavors of music to the picnic! Performers include Mo Corelone, Eric Riggsbee, and Strategik regulars: Influence, Rockit, Dragn’fly, and ECQ. $10 per car.
5. Filmore Jazz Festival | Saturday and Sunday, July 5 and 6| 10am-6pm| Filmore Street between Jackson and Eddy | Spend this weekend celebrating the “women of jazz and beyond”, the rising stars and established female artists of Jazz, on three stages of music, with 12 blocs of arts, and food. There are many featured artists from the bay area to blow you away with their talent. Don’t miss this cultural event in SF this weekend!
Will you be attending any of these events this weekend? Which ones?! Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
Social Media Do’s & Don’ts for Conferences!
Here at ABCey, we understand the importance of using Social Media for events! It can create better brand awareness and provides great marketing without too much hassle. However, if used in the wrong manner social media can actually hurt your event messaging! That is why we are bringing you our tips in order to make social media the not-so-silent star of your next event!
Do: Create Compelling Messaging | One of the most crucial parts of social media for conferences is to understand the mindset of the “perfect” attendee. You should brainstorm very specific details such as: age, gender, their goal of the conference, and which trade sites they follow. After completing this exercise every Facebook post, tweet, or photo shared should be done with this ideal attendee in mind!
Don’t: Tweet & Run | When planning a conference it is especially important to constantly keep attendees updated with all information and changes. If a conference goes silent it could loose guest engagement or worse, attendees! So keep your social media platform constant with Tweetdeck or Social OOmph to automate your postings! However, make sure to mix automated posts with those written in real time to keep it from looking too spammy!
Do: Vivid Graphics | Whether planning a conference or company party there should always be a single vivid image that is used. It is also especially important to have this graphic ready to go well in advance for it to be used on guest and press invitations, website, and all related social media postings. This SXSW flier is a great example of creating a unique image that will remind guests and translates the message well between differing social media sites.
Don’t: Abandon Accounts | A simple mistake that we see over and over with conferences is the abandonment of websites and social media between events. Your “perfect” attendee demands engagement all year long from their conferences and a platform with old information will not benefit anyone! A simple fix is to create a year-long content strategy for your social media sites so that everyone knows what’s happening ahead of time.
Do: Social Media Displays | During any given conference there are many different attendee touch points that can both benefit the conference and attendees. Creating a “Social Media Hub” display where all social media platforms convene in one place where everyone can see is important. It allows guests to engage with other attendees while sharing the happenings across the venue space! We especially love Tint and Eventstagram for live display feeds!
Do you have any social media tips that you use in conference planning?! Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook and Twitter!