With two thirds of the world (that’s 2.6 billion of us) staying at home for the foreseeable future, it’s fair to say that we all need a few distractions to help us pass the time. Let us help. Below we have stockpiled some event-related suggestions for what to listen to, what to read, and what to watch.
With all of this content you’ll quickly transform yourself from event amateur into event guru, so without further ado here’s your quarantine list for all things event marketing.
What to listen to
After a slow start, more and more event influencers are tuning into podcasts to share their tips, tricks, and best practices. Plenty of event podcasts have started to pop up. So if you’re looking for something that passes the time but takes a little less effort, here are 5 of our favorite podcasts…
This is a great opportunity to announce our newly launched podcast providing you with latest news and trends across all areas of event marketing. In Episode #1, event designer and co-creator of the Meetovation concept, Bo Krüger joined us to discuss meeting design, the role of gamification at events, the psychology behind motivating attendees.
Each week, the founder of Endless Events, Will Curran, sits down with the biggest names in the event industry, discussing everything from event technology to event management and A/V. This is a great chance for listeners to learn about the latest trends and best practices. Listeners can ask any questions they might have, making it a great opportunity to pick the brains of industry experts.
In this podcast, host James Dickson from Event Industry news interviews a variety of event industry professionals. Weekly episodes look at existing and emerging topics related to event management including tactics, apps for conferences, and getting the most from your speakers. Coming from the UK, this podcast is particularly suited to anybody in Europe looking to get more insight into the latest event news.
Another podcast coming from the UK, this one comes from Hire Space, a venue booking website. The purpose of the podcast is to provide you with a window into the events conversations with the latest events news, trends, and interviews from industry experts. Each episode includes interviews, debates, and short segments that highlight all the cool happenings in and around the world of events.
The Meetings Today Podcast includes the latest digest on current events, the future of meetings, career advice, expert interviews and the latest news. This gives a great insight into the people and places that makes the meetings industry tick. The podcast covers all aspects of the event industry and is perfect for staying up to date with the latest news.
What to read
It’s good to know that we’re not alone in the events industry. In fact, many of us have gone the extra mile and decided to write books sharing their experiences (and mistakes) so that you can plan and manage better events. These go further than your usual blog posts and dive deep into the issues you’re facing. Here are some of our favorites:
Meeting Design: For Managers, Makers, and Everyone
Never create boring meetings again. Meeting Design teaches you the design principles and innovative approaches you’ll need to transform meetings from boring to creative, and from wasteful to productive. This book sets your meetings up for success with research, guidelines, and interviews showing you how to design meetings that are engaging and encourage participation.
Thrive: The Facilitator’s Guide to Radically Inclusive Meetings
Another good meeting book, this one focuses less on the design and more on how we can engage all types of people. Thrive is packed with proven methods to engage all voices and make meetings a joy. You’ll learn how to develop deep listening skills, how to lead conflicted meetings, and how to transform an organization at all levels with strategic conversations.
How to Design TED Worthy Presentation Slides: Presentation Design Principles from the Best TED Talks
This is a short, practical, step-by-step guide to creating powerful slides for any presentation. The book is based on extensive analysis of some of the best TED speakers, such as Brene Brown, Amy Cuddy, and Bill Gates. Sample slides from TED talks and across the web are included to help you master the art of presentation design so that you can keep your audiences mesmerized.
EVENTS² – How to organize a successful event?
EVENTS² is a reference guide for any organizer of events, meetings, corporate events, fundraising galas, conferences, conventions, and just about anything else. The book contains an array of new topics including: green events, social media, and hybrid events. Along with the usual topics such as ROI, event logistics, and marketing.
The Accidental Creative: How to Be Brilliant at a Moment’s Notice
This book explains how to establish effective practices that unleash your creative potential and enable you to generate brilliant ideas on demand. Whilst not focusing directly on events, this book from business creativity expert Todd Henry provides a practical method for discovering your personal creative rhythm and providing a guide for staying inspired and experiencing greater creative productivity than you ever imagined possible.
What to Watch
Along with all the podcasts and books you can be reading there are also plenty of videos out there. If you’re looking for some inspiration and ways to learn more, here are our favorite videos with top quality content on the most important subjects in event planning and marketing.
How to engage an audience | Padraig Hyland | TEDxTallaght
Padraig Hyland is an audience engagement specialist and works with people to help them engage and excite audiences around their ideas. In his TED talk he discusses exactly that, showing you how you can find your authentic voice and how best to engage with your audience.
How to present to keep your audience’s attention | Mark Robinson | TEDxEindhoven
Presenter Mark has gone from believing that it was impossible for him to speak in public to someone who gets great reviews whenever he speaks at conferences. In this talk Mark explains his journey, shares his best tips, shows how not to present and tells us why it is so important to captivate your audience.
How to plan an event/conference successfully without going bankrupt
If you’ve never run an event or conference before, then this video is for you. This is going to provide all of the actionable information you need for turning ideas into actions. Some of the areas discussed include, how much a venue costs, how much you should pay for A/V, and what kind of profits you should expect to see.
Power Placement For Events: Why It Matters More Than You Think
Another bit of content from Endless Events and host Will Curran as he walks you through the ins and outs of power placement for events. He answers questions such as: What is a power drop? What uses a lot of power, what doesn’t? Along with what factors you need to consider to avoid any power outages at your next event.
PS. We can’t promise any medals for completing the list, but we can offer more content so feel free to reach out to us or take a look at our blog.
