The BizBash IdeaFest South Florida will take place tomorrow at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center, and you can still register for the show online. New this year is the Event Innovation Forum, which will include two 90-minute sessions with presentations from cutting-edge marketers as well as insights from influential people in other fields. Registration for the forum will include access to a networking luncheon and other opportunities to speak one-on-one with presenters and attendees, as well as a trade show floor pass.
Attendees can register at bizbash.com/ideafestfl.
Below is the lineup of topics and presenters for tomorrow's forum:
New Opportunities in the Hispanic Event Market
Rachel Gross, senior vice president of event marketing, Univision
The Latino market is the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population, with a projected buying power of $1.5 trillion by 2015. Companies are increasingly focused on the Hispanic market, but when it comes to events, what do they need to know? During her session, Gross will discuss important facts about the market, how it's changing, and what strategies planners can employ to engage the Latino customer effectively.
Inside the Design Process: Inspiration, Execution, and Problem Solving
David Beahm, founder, David Beahm Design
Beahm, one of the top event designers in the country, will talk through the design process of one of his biggest recent projects, as well as share tips for tackling design challenges faced by events of all sizes, including working in less-than-beautiful rooms and finding new ways to decorate the same venue again and again.
Producing a Halftime Show: Behind the Scenes at the Orange Bowl
Bruce Orosz, C.E.O., ACT Productions
Every event professional has horror stories about working around incredibly short set-up times. Executing the load-in, set up, performance, break down, and load-out in less than half an hour is what Orosz faces when producing the Orange Bowl halftime show and during his session the producer will explain how he accomplishes that feat.
New Insights on Targeting the Luxury Bridal Market
Rebecca Grinnals, owner, Engaging Concepts
Today's wedding clients are savvier than ever, with brides collecting ideas from designers' blogs, Pinterest boards, TV shows, and numerous other sources. In her session, Grinnals, creator of Disney Fairy Tale Weddings and the Engage Luxury Wedding Conference and consultant to top luxury brands, will share insights on how to better understand the luxury bridal market and how to land today's luxury bride as a customer.
Breaking the Catering Rules: How I Let 800 Guests Order From a Menu & Other Innovative Ideas
Warren Dietel, president and owner, Puff 'n Stuff
In his session Dietel will share how he flipped the script for a gala dinner of event industry V.I.P.s, letting guests sit at tables of varying sizes and allowing them to order Ă la carte and choose from multiple options in each part of a three-course seated meal. And it all took place in a two-story tent with wraparound balcony seating on a second floor.
Fund-raising Case Study: Turning Gala Attendees Into Passionate Evangelists
Jeremy Katzman, manager of media relations & e-philanthropy, Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation
At any given fund-raising gala, only small portions of attendees are passionate supporters. The rest are attending as guests of an honoree, filling a corporate table, or they’re just there to mingle. The nonprofit planner's challenge is to reach these attendees and turn them into enthusiastic advocates. In this session, Katzman will share how the Miami Children's Hospital Foundation created its signature Bald, Brave, Beautiful campaign to achieve this goal and how the campaign spread virally beyond the gala.
Building & Managing a Volunteer Army
Laila Brock, director of events & team operations, Orange Bowl Committee
With only three full-time event staff members, the Orange Bowl Committee manages to produce more than 100 events each year, including galas, meetings, hospitality programs, pregame functions, and sports clinics, many of which occur simultaneously. How does the committee pull it off with such a skeleton crew? Its secret is volunteers, lots of them. In her session, Laila Brock will explain how her team manages more than 600 volunteers through a complex, yet organized, system of chairpersons, ambassadors, and captains to leverage deep community support for her programs.
Media Secrets Revealed: How the Pros Get Coverage for Their Events
Nick D’Annunzio, principal, Tara Ink
Riki Altman, editor in chief, Modern Luxury Brides South Florida & the Caribbean; senior contributing editor, Miami Magazine
Fred Gonzalez, editor, miami.com
Getting media coverage of events is a key factor that event organizers must consider, especially when sponsorships are involved. During the panel moderated by BizBash's executive editor Anna Sekula, attendees will learn secrets from both publicists and editors regarding media and events. Nick D'Annunzio will discuss strategies that Tara Ink. incorporates when planning events to capture the media's interest and editors Riki Altman and Fred Gonzalez will discuss what editors look for when covering events.
Using Data and Analytics to Crush Your Sales Goals
Megan Buell, lead generation manager, Eventbrite
With the increasing number of analytical resources available to event marketers, now is the best time to utilize these tools and increase event attendance. In her session, Buell will share practical tips and recommendations to help planners to exceed event goals through tracking and analytics. She'll cover a variety of topics, including the importance of creating a marketing and editorial calendar, tracking marketing efforts, collecting attendee information during registration, and gathering event reports.
