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About AWCAA:

AWCAA works to reduce the burden of cancer on African immigrant women and their families by providing equal access to screening and care for all African women in the US and abroad. While we provide programs and services for African women cancer patients and survivors, in the Washington, Metropolitan area; we are equally committed to spreading our mission to African countries through our medical missions.

Challenge:

AWCAA hosts an annual fundraiser called Ladies First Breakfast to raise money for their organization. Each year, they invite donors for a moving celebration to highlight their work in the community. In 2021, Ladies First was scheduled to be a hybrid event but due to growing concerns around COVID and cancer patients, the board of directors decided to stay safe and make their signature event completely virtual 3 weeks before the scheduled date. This required flipping the agenda and finding vendors that bring their services online.

Solution: 

Virtual vendors turned this local fundraiser into a global event. 

AWCAA used Vendorspace to book two motivational speakers, a DJ, magician and fitness instructors for their virtual event experience. They leveraged these features from the Vendorspace platform to make their event a success:

• Lead Generation: AWCAA took advantage of getting vendor leads through our platform. Instead of having their staff doing a blind search for potential vendors; they shared the event opportunity on Vendorspace and attracted bids from pre-vetted, qualified vendors. This helped them make quicker decisions from a pool of vendors interested in their event.

• Diversity Filters: It was important for AWCAA to have speakers and event partners that reflected the community they serve. With a click of a button, they were able to identify vendors with specific diversity tags that matched their event. This led to finding unique vendors who participated from Mexico, Nigeria, London, and Georgia!

• Budget Options: Finding a vendor you like is one thing; sealing the deal is another. AWCAA found it extremely helpful to have budget options built into the platform that allows you to communicate your desired spend  for the event. By communicating their budget upfront, they were able to find vendors willing to work with them at the price point they can afford.

Results: 

AWCAA raised a record-breaking amount of $64,363.58 – the most they’ve raised on any fundraiser! The event was designed as a virtual telethon with only 4 hours to raise $50,000! They leveraged the virtual vendors they selected for entertainment, special performances, motivational talks and exceeded their goals!

From the beginning to end, the vendors brought creative performances and presentations that complimented the mission of the event. The experience they created with the vendors was so moving, donations kept pouring in by the minute.  Congratulations to AWCAA for a successful fundraiser! 

Who says virtual events have to be boring?! There’s a variety of vendors you can use to enhance your next online event.  Here are some of our favorite ways to add experience and engagement with vendors from Vendorspace: 

1. Group Games: Try interactive gaming that allows your audience to work together. 

Vendor Recommendation:  @WeBooth. This crowd favorite delivers engaging, multi-user experiences, where people interact together in real time and create shareable content. Experiences are tailored to your event and company, including collaborative photo booths, competitive games, watch and launch parties, team building activities, and more!

2. DIY Kits: Send your guests a DIY kit to create a beverage or dish during the event. 

Vendor Recommendation: @MansaTea offers DIY kits for events where attendees can make and brew their own teas. They celebrate and connect your remote team with a virtual tea tasting event and tea packages delivered to their door! Led by founder and tea sommelier, their 1-hour LIVE tea workshops are fun, engaging, and inclusive. Where guests walk away with practical tips on tea brewing and tasting!

3. Wellness Activities: Add yoga, therapy or mediation to your event to allow people a space to de-stress

Vendor Recommendation: @sisterfitness is an amazing sister duo from London that has brought a lot of energy to our virtual events this year. You can always trust them for some good sweat & soca vibes. These two sisters are qualified fitness coaches who have come together to bring fun fitness sessions and instruct online to power music that gets people moving.

4. Entertainment: Add a live performance from a comedian, poet of band to make things more exciting.

Vendor Recommendation: @acuteinflections creates a beautiful soundtrack for any event. Their virtual performance will make you feel like you’re live at a concert…the perfect source of entertainment for your guests.

5. New Environments: Create your own virtual mall or aquarium that breaks the traditional setting. 

Vendor Recommendation: @wikipoint is a hidden gem! If you were at #TVS21 then you saw them in action with our digital playground. They can build almost any virtual environment you desire to bring some fun elements to your next online event.

Check out more experience vendors on Vendorspace or reach out if you want more recommendations!

What’s your favorite experience from a virtual event?

We’re kicking off season 2 of The Checklist with our favorite Canadian event boss, Karlena Waugh of Mini K Creations and The Biz Mixer! With events shifting back in-person, we asked the most important question: how does this affect event planning and production moving forward and what should we expect? Check out this episode to hear a different event perspective and get her three tips for preparing for the next phase of events.

In this episode, we discussed:

• How event planning has changed
• The importance of planning your event experience in stages
• Predictions on Q3 & Q4 for events

Listen to the full episode here:

About Karlena Waugh

Recipient of the Top 100 Black Women to Watch in Canada 2020 and Nominated for the Young Women in Business “Favorite Local Women Entrepreneur’s List” and the 28th Annual RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards, Karlena is a millennial entrepreneur who is passionate about community building and collaboration.⁣⁣⁠
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With a diverse background in community building, Karlena utilizes these skills to effortlessly build rapport with clients, create a sense of community, and nurture strong business relationships. Through her event planning company (Mini K Creations), Karlena aims to create memorable experiences for her clients and spaces for entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses and build relationships across industries. ⁣⁣She is also a community leader of a monthly event and group of creatives and entrepreneurs @thebizmixer focused on resource-sharing, collaboration and peer-learning. ⁠
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Multi-faceted by nature, Karlena is also a speaker and host, as seen on CBC Our Toronto, FuckUp Nights Toronto, University of Waterloo’s Career Perspectives, Xero Accounting’s Small Business Series, and The Black Business Report (to name a few!)⁣⁣⁠
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When Karlena isn’t producing events, she is a facilitator with an organization, Girls of Destiny, whose aim is to provide mentorship for teenage girls within the community.⁠

You can learn more about Karlena by following her on Instagram: @catchkarhere & @thebizmixer

Producing events in the virtual world certainly has its advantages, but navigating the waters in the vast sea of possibilities can be overwhelming.  At Vendorspace, we are here to support your pursuit and have listed some of our learnings for your consideration.  Happy planning!

Clearly understand your objectives

Just like in a physical event, understanding the objectives will be critical.  It is important to filter all of your concepts through your objectives so that you stay on point and put your energies toward hitting your target.  Here are a few starting objectives and some things to consider.

1. To Make Money:  If the goal of your event is to make a profit, it is important that you create a “pie of possibility” and monitor the data along the way.  Prepare to make adjustments and be heavily involved in the marketing of the event to potential ticket purchasers.
   1. Don’t assume that ticket sales alone will be your money maker
   2. Don’t wait too long to find sponsors
   3. Create a campaign that differentiates itself, driving excitement and purpose to your audience
   4. Be aggressive against your objectives. Don’t assume that if you post your event on EventBrite that people will come. Direct outreach, targeted communications and constant monitoring will all be useful in boosting your event attendees.
2. To Strengthen Your Network & Grow Awareness: If you are looking to make a good impression, it is important not to take on a virtual event on your own.  Remember, you grow your awareness not just at your event but as you are planning your event.  Every touch point is an opportunity to engage and create an impression.
   1. Delegate Responsibilities to a Supportive Team
      1. From speaker coordination to technical management, from graphic design and partnerships, a virtual event takes a village.  Ensure you are leveraging your network to support your event.
   2. Incorporate your story in a well presented and professional manner
      1. Create commercial spots that can bookend panels or speakers
      2. Create visually appealing, cohesive event slides that introduce speakers, contests, promotions and future events
      3. Feature your team proudly and boldly, with bios, links to social channels and company websites and webpages
      4. Create a communication strategy (and pre-write your content) to allow your team to highlight and emphasize opportunities that interest your audience
      5. Follow up with attendees, prize winners and those that didn’t make it post-event
      6. Use the stage as a platform of conversation.  Yes, the stage should have a solid run of show, but keeping things open to impromptu moments, when something worth sharing comes up, can create an approachable authentic element to your event.

Whatever your objective might be, list it out on a post-it and stick it to your computer or write it on the top of your team whiteboard to stand prominently throughout the process.  Rest assured there will be distractions that make their way into your planning basket. If the items you are considering do not directly support your objectives then put them aside. 

Rehearse your speakers and your content

With the way that the virtual event space has been created, the line between backstage and on-stage is significant. Once the stage is live and begins broadcasting, it is rare to be able to stop the broadcast and go dark for rehearsal.  It is inevitable that participants and speakers will have questions and anxiety around how they will be integrated into your event. Here are a few things we have learned:

1. Speakers cannot practice sharing their screen backstage
   1. The only way to test your content is to practice at a pre-event time.  When sharing content both visual and audible components should be tested.  There could be compatibility issues with the operating system (ie all speakers should be tied in on Chrome, not IE or Firefox)
   2. Before broadcasting your content, check your formatting and spelling. Some presenters create their content in PowerPoint and then convert it to Google Presentation at the last second.  Font styles and sizes as well as color pallets can shift significantly so it is important to double check before the presentation.  Our recommendation is to double check your spelling, your links and your format and then export your presentation to PDF to lock in the look and feel.
2. Bandwidth issues
   1. At almost every virtual event, someone will experience bandwidth problems.  There are a few things that can be done to create a game plan but it’s always best to find out who might be the most in need before the event
      1. For those experiencing broadcast issues, the first troubleshoot would be to have them “kill their video” and speak only through audio.  If this happens, it is always great to have a “speaker slide” for each segment or panel on standby to throw up on the screen while they are speaking
      2. If the problem still persists, you may need to shift gears quickly.  If it is a panel discussion with one person having issues, move on within 5 minutes of start time and troubleshoot offline with the individual having troubles.  If a solo speaker is unable to join due to technical issues, here are a few other suggestions:
         1. Entertain your audience with a raffle, some trivia or other hosted mini-event
         2. Send your guests to the event expo (if you have one) and let them know you will make announcements through chat on the status of the stage
         3. Throw up a “let’s take a quick break” slide and throw up some energetic music to keep the audience engaged

For events with many speakers or exhibitors, you may want to have two or more rehearsals, this way everyone is able to test getting onstage, presenting content or running the event activity.  It is best to run your rehearsal a few days prior to your event so that you can work out any major kinks that come up.  Panels should be rehearsed together if possible and it also allows speakers to get to know each other.  Remember, every touch point matters so keeping spirits high and engaging through your rehearsal can be a real win!

These practices have helped us get ahead, we hope they help you too.

Pre-Record Complex Components 

As virtual events continue to develop and push the envelope of creativity, there is a magic tool that assures things continue to run smoothly.  It is the power of pre-recording content.  Depending on how you are broadcasting, there are several ways in which pre-recorded content can be shared.  

1. What to consider pre-recording:  Anything that could be considered an event within an event could be pre-recorded.  Understanding that there is finess required to integrate pre-recorded content into a session, it is not something that we recommend doing for all of the portions but it is a great way to keep the quality of the show up and the stress levels down.  The rule of thumb is: for activities with loud sound, high energy, multiple instruments, multiple camera angles, multiple performers, it is strongly suggested that pre-recording is done.  The chance of mishap both technically and physically is much higher and when things don’t go right, it can create an unpleasant experience for the audience.
   1. Consider Precording:
      1. Fashions Shows
      2. High Impact Fitness Courses
      3. Live Musical Performances
         1. Solo Singing
         2. Full Band
      4. Demos with loud sound
2. Sharing Options:
   1. Embed in a slide or frame: From Google Presentations you can embed a video that will play within the slide or frame you are playing it from.  This gives you a clean and easy way to add basic information to the video for guests to takeaway (ie, IG handles, artist names, website info)
   2. Play Full Screen:  When you go to share your content, there are options that allow you to bring in content from other sources.  Play with these tabs and approaches to find what works best for you.  
   3. When integrating pre-recorded content, put 10 seconds on the front end so that you can hit play and let the system “catch” your video before getting into the content.  
   4. If audio is an important part of your content, make sure the video is not muted.

If pre-recording is something that you are really not interested in doing there are ways to deliver high-quality content to your audience.  This typically requires bringing in a technical production team, which can increase your event budget, so make sure that if you are going down that road you put some funds into a line item for on-site production.  We also highly recommend a separate rehearsal for any high energy activity looking to make it to the stage.

Consider the Experience from Start to Finish, Leverage What Exists

When you are planning an event, there are several elements that you can leverage to make your event more pleasant for both those attending your events and those participating in your events.  Each time you engage with either of your audience groups, it is important to deliver focused and energetic pieces of information.  Even more so, as the event gets underway, it is important to consider what your audience might need or want and to put the right solutions in place to maximize the time and energy spent on putting together your event.

1. For your attendees: Not only do you want people to attend your event but once they arrive, you want them to stay, network and contribute to the overall event energy.  Here are some simple ways to do so:
   1. Integrate an On-Screen Host: It is inevitable that event organizers can get overwhelmed once their event gets underway.  Having an event host that is clear on the objectives, rehearsed in their delivery and clear on their agenda takes off the pressure of those that could be networking and engaging with their audience in a 1:1 way.  Event hosts are known for keeping things fun, well-paced and informed throughout the course of your event.
      1. (Check out Cameron Matthews?)
   2. Integrate a Host in the Chat: What better way to greet your audience and engage in conversation than having someone assigned to engaging with the event guests through the chats?  Better yet, have your Chat Host monitoring the backend to see where traffic is moving, pop into break out sessions and vendor expos to see what’s happening and promote and share key learnings directly out to the audience!  Chat hosts are also great for pasting speaker social handles, event giveaway and contest information and updates in real time as you move through your event.
   3. Enhance the Environment: Your event can take on a more vibrant and professional appeal by adding in just a few fun components that engage your guests. What’s even more exciting is that these elements can also be used through pre-event communications to get guests excited about the event and what they might gain from their attendance.
      1. Enhancement considerations:
         1. Music: Some virtual platforms (like meetyoo) allow you to incorporate music in through their already existing site.  There are also plenty of sites that allow you to find royalty free music (Free Royalty-Free Music: Hooksounds,  Ben Sound, Purple Planet, CC Mixter) that allow you to embed sounds that can live on in post-event content without worry of licensing. For private events, introducing playlists through Spotify and Soundcloud can be a great option.  *Keep in mind that when sharing audio it is typically shared from the source and picked up through your computer speakers, meaning whoever is playing it can also be heard if they are speaking or typing in the room.
         2. Using the stage as an introduction to other opportunities: It has been shown that the main stage is where the most traffic is consistently pulled.  To support your audience journey, it can be helpful to bring up those doing breakouts or running expo booths to introduce themselves, their product or their area of focus on stage throughout the event.
         3. Gaming: Sometimes the audience needs incentive to participate.  Working with your sponsors, vendors or partners to create gaming opportunities can push your guests to areas they wouldn’t typically visit, speak up and participate in conversations or become a stronger part of your community.  This could be as simple as hiding secret letters throughout your event and having guests track them down, to hosting a virtual photo booth and rewarding participants for sharing their images out on their social feeds to promote the event.
2. For your Speakers and Exhibitors: There is nothing more important than delivering a positive experience for those creating the collective of your event.  This includes informing and supporting your community to enhance their opportunities to be showcased. Here are a few considerations:
   1. Pre-Event Social:  Chances are that prior to your event, many of the speakers, panelists and exhibitors have never met each other.  Breaking the ice with a simple but effective pre-event social event can help to build community within the group that will be bringing your event to life.  This can include interactive elements of “building a beverage” and toasting together, a quick round of speed networking or allowing panelists to get to know each other before their on screen conversation.  Keep in mind panelists, speakers and entrepreneurs are full of high energy and are rarely camera shy.  Why not bring them together and strengthen your community before the event even gets underway?
   2. During Event Promotion: Leverage the Main Stage as a place to put up advertisements around books, workshops and tools that your participants have created.  Perhaps in exchange for the promotion, they will give away an item to raffle to the audience.  You can also include names, social handles and images of your participants and their brands on your event website, event collateral and post-event content.  
   3. Guidance In Activation: One thing we have learned is that the more present you are at a virtual event, the more likely you are to find success.  This applies to everyone who might participate.  Here are a few highlights to consider:
      1. Speakers and Panelists:
         1. Encourage speakers and panelists to stick around for as much of the event as possible. Your participation typically gets you an event ticket and the information that is being shared out might be more valuable than you think.  
         2. Offer speakers and panelists opportunities to lead a breakout session that can be focused more on topics that they are controlling or items they would like to promote.
         3. Offer speakers and panelists an opportunity to get interviewed for a blog post or broadcast prior to the event to build momentum around their area of focus
      2. Exhibitors:
         1. A major recommendation from the Vendorspace team is to have exhibitors live at their booth.  We have seen staggering differences in participation rates when the booth is unattended vs attended.  No one can tell your story better than you.  
         2. Beyond being present at your booth, Vendorspace also recommends activating your booth with how-to workshops, gaming opportunities and special guests.  The more energy brought to this space the better.
         3. Last but certainly not least, exhibitors are oftentimes small business owners, inventors, and creative leaders in their industry.  Consider bringing them onstage to discuss how their product is relevant to the event theme.  Too often we keep our vendors in their “expo space” and forget that they can bring great insights on to the main stage.

As we continue down the path of virtual and hybrid events, there will be a continuous stream of elements that we can leverage to build better and more impactful moments.  To stay posted on ways to enhance your experiences, join the Vendorspace community today!  

Why event planners and vendors love Vendorspace:

1. List multiple services or events under one account in a clean and organized manner
2. Receive notifications of posted events and services that match your needs
3. Submit bids to events and organizers can request for information straight from the source
4. Manage your communications and receive notifications directly to your email!
5. It’s completely free to join!

If you’re ready today, we welcome you to sign up directly here! (vendorspace.co)

Want to learn more about Vendorspace?!  Join us for our monthly demo on June 24th at 11am PST/2pm EST: RSVP HERE

Is 1:1 more your style? We are happy to hop on a quick call to show you a demo of how it works.Just select a time here: Vendorspace Demo

So often we underestimate how powerful perception can be as we slave away to create an amazing event.  With so many outlets developing that allow us to bring new solutions to life, it is important to remember that at the core, we are all humans, consuming our environment with the resources that have been built into our bodies to help us enjoy our experiences with the mind.

In our full guide, we breakdown lots of great additional details to consider when building an event that allows all of our senses to experience what we create.  For the full guide, download here or get it free by signing up for Vendorspace today!

Tip: Keep in mind that some attendees at your event may not have all of these senses in the way we normally think about them.  Considering all of the ways our bodies engage with our environment ensures that the event is pleasing to everyone.

Tip: Vendorspace is a vendor and event organizer community that is growing quickly!  Our goal is to get the solutions that vendors provide in front of those planning their next event.  Head to www.vendorspace.co and add in your skills and experience to get discovered today!

Sight

When planning an event, this sense is likely the one that is most top of mind whether in the colors we choose, the textures we incorporate or the dimensions you introduce to your environment.  All of it lends itself to the story you are telling.

As you are in the planning phase, you want to start by asking yourself one simple question, “what feeling am I trying to create within my attendees?”

Is it warm and inviting?  It is full of energy and intrigue? Do you want them to laugh?  Do you want them to cry?  

There is no wrong answer, but you should most certainly know where you are trying to take your attendees and incorporate these objectives into the decisions you make within your space.

Here are a few areas to focus on when you are considering what guests and attendees see at your event.

Lighting

Ambers and hues of red are known to be more complimentary to us.  Blues and greens tend to leave us feeling a bit cold, and fluorescent white can feel flat and stark.  

Best times and areas to integrate upgraded lighting:

1. Photo Booths or Step & Repeats
   • Boosting the ambers in this area will help your guests feel attractive, increasing the chances of photo sharing
   • Black and white can also be a fun way to keep things classy
2. Walls: Indoor or Outdoor
   • A fast way to make a big impact is to throw light on large walls.  For even more impact, think about moving lights that can throw motion into the lights for added dynamic.
3. Trees: Give your space dimension and create whimsy by integrating twinkle lights or LEDs into the trees surrounding your event space.  Make sure to consider how they will get power.  *if you borrow extension cords, make sure to label them as they come in to get them back to where they came from quickly and without confusion *battery operated lights are also a popular option

4. Entrance: Oftentimes guests don’t know where to go to get to their event.
   • Consider adding a gobo (projected logo  or message). Metal gobos and considerably less expensive than glass gobos.  Depending on the design, they can range anywhere from $45-$200.  Make sure you add in the Leko (type of light, usually around $50/light) that you would need to insert the gobo into.
   • Add a warm trail of lights to guide them to your event.  Consider using thick glass bowls (Dollar Tree usually has great options) and short reusable LED candles.  If you do use decorative bags along your path, make sure to weigh them down with some stones to ensure they don’t fly away at sunset.

? Our dollar download guide takes it further and introduces you to solutions around:

• What type of lights to use
  • Blending traditional and new solutions in lighting is the way to go, our guide discussed both!
• The Toolkit
  • Beyond the lights themselves, what else will you need for a successful install 
• Best practices in deployment
  • How and when to set up your lighting

Signage

1. Cohesion
   1. The eye loves a good story.  Remember to keep things as connected as possible. The best train of thought is to keep it simple.  Choose 2-3 colors one 1-2 logo styles to incorporate and integrate them tastefully throughout the event space.
2. Digital Displays:  Use a tv or project onto a wall and create a slideshow of images telling your story or display a static image
3. Traditional Displays:
   • Step and Repeat
   • Banners 
   • Branded Napkins
   • Digital Logos (Pre & Post)
   • Decal the Bar, The Reception Kiosk, the DJ Desk …
4. Non-Traditional
   • Floor decals
   • Hanging logos
   • Tattoos
   • Photo Booth Props
   • Green Screen

Decor

1. Use what you already have or borrow something from your neighbor, your church or other local resource
2. Integrate reusable fabrics to create dynamic looks that cover walls or dress your overhead space
3. Flowers always bring life and happiness to an event.  What type of greenery would work best?
4. Low-Cost solutions can often be integrated, especially if your event ties into a national holiday.  Check out 99c stores or the Dollar Tree for great solutions at a low price. 

Hearing

The audio track of your event should hum and buzz with energy.  Creating an environment that encourages conversation and commentary can perk the guest experience.

1. Adding a soundtrack: Adding music to your event helps support your theme and break the ice for your guests, driving conversation and energy into the space.
   1. Speakers:  If you are an event planner, consider bringing some speakers into your inventory.  
   2. The Sounds: How long will your event be?  2 hours, 4 hours, 6?  Making a playlist can cover the length of your event can take stress off of your shoulders.
   3. Sound Effects:  If your party is heavily themed, say Halloween or Mardi Gras, you will want to think about sound effects that take it up a notch.  

Tasting

Nothing satisfies the soul more than the right bite at the right time.  With so many unique ways to savor the flavor, consider bringing in a taste based experience for your guests to enjoy.

1. Theming food to your event could be just the thing. 
2. Get Creative
   • A Beer Tasting Experience
   • A Make Your Own Whiskey Experience 
   • What’s Behind the Spice?

Do you have a service that caters to providing these solutions?  Well get over to Vendorspace today and set up your account!  We will spread the word and work to get you recruited to amazing events that can use your services!

Smell

They say nothing sparks nostalgia like a memory enhanced through the nose.  From the moment your guests arrive you have the opportunity to welcome them through the smells in the air.

Another great list for you, with additional details on each point available for just a dollar!  Head to our dollar download page and make it yours today!

1. Candles
2. AromaTherapy
3. Perfumes/Colognes

Touch

1. Create a fun and fabulous space by creating interactive components that change when you engage with them or create an unexpected reaction
2. Make it cozy and comfortable with soft, fuzzy elements in places where guests sit and engage (especially great for outdoor environments)
3. Create a destress zones where guests can find a different mood that lets them take a breath and come out smiling.

The sky truly is the limit, and we here at Vendorspace have a million more ideas. There are way more tips and ideas in the full guide!  Grab that dollar download or join the Vendorspace community for full access to guides and other great resources!  No strings attached!

For a quick conversation with our team on how to amplify your event, reach out to events@vendorspace.co and book an event planning consultation with us.  As always, we are here to help.  Happy planning.

Its finally time to start sharing your event. All your speakers, vendors and talent are confirmed and you’re ready to go. A general rule of thumb for event marketing is to share your event on multiple platforms for more exposure. The more eyes that see it, they higher the likelihood of attending your event. 

Just one small issue, your flyer looks great on Eventbrite but its cut off on Facebook events, Linkedin Events, and just about every other platform you can think of. You’re stuck having to sacrifice which part of the flyer is more appealing to crop.  

With all that work you put in, you shouldn’t be stuck trying to fix your flyers at the last minute. Thats why we created this Event Marketing Cheat Sheet. An easy guide to help you share your flyers and event marketing assets across multiple platforms. 

Size matters with events and its easier to provide your designer with all the dimensions they need to create “ready-to-use” assets instead of “ready-to-fix” assets. This sheet list dimensions for all the important images you’ll need to share your event anywhere. 

Sidenote: There are resizing platforms you can use as well that will help you get your graphics ready (but you’ll still need this cheat sheet!). Try Snappa or Canva Pro to quickly resize your graphics. 

Vendorspace members can log in to download a free copy (Or join Vendorspace for free here!)

Hope this helps get the event traction you need. 

Happy planning!

There’s no doubt technology plays a huge role in running a business. With millions of apps creating business hacks, choosing the right ones can be overwhelming. Here are a few that stand out:

1. Hootsuite: https://hootsuite.com/

When you’re a business owner, juggling social media can be a lot. Remembering to post on all your accounts may be a bit tedious but luckily Hootsuite provides a solution to schedule and automatically post your content. Instead of hoping from Twitter to Instagram, simply add all your accounts in their dashboard and schedule for the day, week or even month! Their free plan is perfect for small business owners.

2. Canva: https://www.canva.com/

Canva is the perfect tool for easily creating designs for all your business needs. Their stunning templates save you a ton of time; all you have to do is replace the text and designs are yours! Create a Facebook ad, company brochure or even a powerpoint presentation in minutes. Its a free must have for any business owner.

3. DocuSign: https://www.docusign.com/

Long gone are the days where you have to print a contract, sign, then scan and send back to your client. That used to be such a cumbersome process especially if you didn’t have a printer or scanner handy. Now, there’s Docusign – an app that allows you to electronically manage your contracts and agreements. Simply upload the document and add the recipients email to sign or complete the document fields. This is a huge timesaver for any business and it also saves trees 🙂

4. Scanbot: https://scanbot.io/

Now that you have an easier way to sign documents, how about an easier way to scan them? Scanbot is a neat tool that you can download on your phone to professionally scan any document. Easy to use and super quick! Scan all your most important docs from receipts to reports from anywhere so long as you have this app.

5. Square: https://squareup.com/us/en

We don’t know how the world will operate after the pandemic but we do know it’s important for every business to adapt a contactless payment system. Square allows you to do just that even if you don’t have brick and mortar. Their readers can be used on any device to take credit card information so you can sell your product or service on the go.

6. Mailchimp: https://mailchimp.com/

Email automation and management has never been easier. If you are developing a community or simply want to keep in contact with your customers, then Mailchimp is a must-have. Upload and organize all your email contacts into one place and mass send newsletters, greetings, and more. The best part is they offer a free plan for up to 2000 email contacts; the perfect tool to help communicate with your audience. The drag-and-drop feature makes it easy to create beautiful templates even if you don’t have a degree in graphic design.

7. Zoom: https://zoom.us/

Who would have ever predicted that video conferencing would be the main form of communication in 2020. Whether you like it or not, it is. The best thing you can do for your business is adjust to the times and get a Zoom account so you can keep in touch with your clients as needed. Zoom is a great solution for conducting online webinars to discuss your product or service, client meetings to demonstrate your strategies or even virtual so you can stay connected with your community.

8. Trello: https://trello.com/

As a small business owner, you’re micro-managing a lot of projects. Having a solution that helps you list and organize each stage of your project will be the best thing that ever happened to your business. Trello does just that. Create your boards, manage tasks, add deadlines, and even assign co-workers or employees to certain projects. Easily plan your social media campaign with others or list all the people and resources needed for your next launch. Trello is very flexible and even offers a free plan to get you started in no time.

9. Intuit Quickbooks: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/

Staying on top of your taxes as a small business is very important but you don’t have to be an accounting expert to keep your books together. With Quickbooks, you can sync the software with your business account to keep a log of all your expenses and income. It saves you so much time than running through account statements like before. You can even use the tool for payroll. An all in one financial system to empower any business.

10. RescueTime: https://www.rescuetime.com/

With everyone working from home, it might be a little difficult to stay focused. RescueTime allows you to automatically track how much time you spend on websites, apps, and documents to improve productivity. Imagine having this tool for your employees. It’s a great way to understand how many hours are being spent where so you can analyze whether it’s the best use of time. Rescue your time to run a more efficient business.

On the next episode of The Checklist, we had the opportunity to talk to Olivia F. Scott of Omerge Alliances about how to sustain brand experience in the virtual space.

As a marketing strategist with 26 years of experience in marketing and public relations, Olivia has an extensive background with Essencefest and companies like Live Nation, VIBE Magazine, and Carol’s Daughter.

In this episode, we discussed:

• How event marketing has been affected
• How to maintain brand consistency online and offline
• What brand partnerships will look like in the future

Listen to the full episode here:

About Olivia F. Scott

Olivia F. Scott is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Omerge Alliances, an integrated marketing management consultancy. Delivering brand strategy, marketing planning, media buying & wellness experience brand solutions, Omerge’s current and previous clients include ESSENCE Festival, ESSENCE, Media Storm, IMAN Cosmetics, Andre Walker Hair, BRWL Studios, Urban Skin Rx, among others.

Olivia has served as an Adjunct Professor since 2009, teaching a range of classes including Competitive Strategy, Media Management, Events Marketing and Partnership Marketing courses at New York University and Institute of Audio Research. Olivia has also been served as an expert marketing witness for Morgan & Morgan Law Firm identifying unethical marketing practices in the beauty industry.

Olivia’s professional experiences include serving as Chief Marketing Officer, Carol’s Daughter; Associate Publisher/Head of Marketing, VIBE Magazine; Vice President, Alliances, Live Nation; Director of Partnership Marketing, iN DEMAND TV, in addition to account management roles at DDB, Leo Burnett, Ogilvy, Draft and Frankel agencies.

Olivia has led strategy for wellness & entertainment experiences for ESSENCE Festival since 2014, and also creates community & workplace wellness experiences via her Freedom At The Mat platform. Olivia earned a Bachelor’s of Journalism from University of Missouri-Columbia, and a Master’s of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University. She resides in Harlem, NYC and New Orleans.

About Omerge Alliances

With grace, leadership & respect, Omerge Alliances leads their beauty, health and wellness brand clients through the marketing management process, providing services such as: live & virtual experiential strategy & event creation; direct-to-consumer advertising, including Google AdWords & Facebook/Instagram ads; marketing strategy & media planning; and influencer marketing.

Learn more here: https://omergealliances.com/

Here at Vendorspace, we’re committed to supporting vendors and organizers during these uncertain times. While the event industry is still trying to find new ways to host events, we strongly encourage our members to adhere to safety regulations by WHO, CDC, and federal and local governments. 

Although there are a lot of cancellations and adjustments to our everyday gatherings, we want you to stay inspired with creative ways you can still do events virtually. Our goal is to serve as a resource to connect you with unique virtual event opportunities and gigs, as well as find virtual event services to make your next online event the talk of the internet! 

Things to remember: 

• When you find a virtual event or gig, ask as many questions as you need to before committing. This is new for all of us and we want you to feel comfortable participating in your online event. 
  
• Research the platform that will be used. There’s nothing worse than finding out the technology the event is using is not compatible with your set up. Research and make sure you can still provide quality service with no glitches. 
  
• For organizers, try something new by adding a vendor to your virtual event. We don’t know when this pandemic might end so let’s spice up our virtual events and support our local businesses. Supporting vendors now goes a long way to making sure they are available post-COVID to support your in-person event. Consider a host, singer, entertainer, decorator, audio/visual production or DJ for your next event.

We will continue to update this post with resources for planning virtual and socially-distant events and ways vendors can get involved. Check back regularly for new posts.

Event Assistance

Our team is on standby to help with your event needs. Please send us a message if you need additional assistance or have any questions or feedback for improving your experience with Vendorspace.

Live events will come back stronger than ever, we just have to work smarter until then.