Author: Cat_Admin

Law, order and cold-water swimming…meet Sophie

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After considering a career in law, Sophie met BeaconHouse Events co-founders Sarah and Catherine during her university year in industry, where she really got a taste for events and realised that this was the sector where her skills and passion lay. She joined the team 2017 and is a now a Senior Events Manager using her experience and people engagement skills to lead large, high-impact events for clients across a wide range of sectors.

We grabbed a coffee and sat down with Sophie to talk about what she does why she loves working in corporate events, what a typical week looks like for her and the virtues of cold water swimming…

What made you first consider a career in event management?

When I first started looking for university placements, I was looking at the different aspects of marketing and engagement and while a lot of those looked really interesting, I started to think about what I enjoy doing outside of work – and naturally I’m a planner! In my friendship group I’ve always been the one that enjoys organising the trips or the birthday parties – I’m pretty detail oriented and love an agenda or organised fun, so it was a fairly natural fit once I understood what would be involved if I did this full-time as a career.

 

Did you know a lot about the industry before you started in the industry?

Not at all. My first role was at another events agency, ‘Benchmark Communications’ whilst I was studying and the kinds of events that we were working on there were big scale, with thousands of attendees from sectors like academia and healthcare. It was a total crash course – new vocabulary including ‘delegates’ and ‘plenary’, it was all totally new and I enjoyed soaking up every minute.

 

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

I always wanted to be a barrister, even throughout secondary school that was always the path I was going to take. I was even part of a mock-law team where we would debate cases and observe real trials in court – I loved it. Then, when I was looking at options for university there was a lot of talk in the media about there being too many people applying for law school and speculation about what the job prospects looked like for people coming out of a law degree with so much competition. My favourite topics at A Level were Business Studies and Economics, so after that I started to look at other avenues where I could continue learning about those subjects and potentially do law conversion later which is how I ended up gaining my degree in Marketing and Business Studies and never looked back.

 

What skills do you think attracted you to law, that you now bring to event management?

Definitely that eye for detail is important but I think more than that, it is about being a critical listener with clients, and the rest of your team; to really understand what problem they are trying to solve and what they are trying to achieve. Having a cool head under pressure is definitely a bonus too, you have to be pretty unflappable to work in the events industry!

 

What does a typical week look like for you?

A lot of my clients are tech focused which is a really interesting and fast moving sector to be part of. Currently I’m working on the DIBI Conference up in Edinburgh which is a gathering of UX professionals and tech creatives, as well as working with Opencast on their internal events programme which is a large, ongoing project. My week is usually split between client work, strategy meetings and 1-2-1s with the team on their development; it usually comes as a surprise to people that 90% of our time is spent at a desk. It’s  the 10% that you spend onsite delivering an event that is usually the most seen, but most of our role is about strategy, research and planning, all before we ever set foot in an event space.

I tend to work with clients who are all pretty different from each other, and the types of events we are planning with them are diverse, but what keeps it really interesting is that they are all at a different part of their lifecycle. That means in a single week I can be working with clients on initial scoping for a project, while other clients are in that middle development stage or in full delivery and evaluation mode.

 

How do you like to work with clients?

I like to think of us an extension of our client’s team, we really get to know their business and work with everyone from people and experience teams through to internal communications leads to do everything logistics wise, but also being a sounding board for ideas and sparking creativity about what is possible. We take on a really collaborative approach, it’s a great feeling to be welcomed into so many fantastic teams in the region and across the wider UK to understand the amazing work they are doing.

 

What do you enjoy about mentoring the next generation of talent in the industry?

It is incredibly rewarding to see the next cohort of talent come into BeaconHouse Events and into the industry. As a team we have a real spread of experience – we have always found that there are people with such great talent out there with perfectly transferable skills for events, seeing that talent and drive come out is incredibly rewarding. Events is a great career to learn on the job and it is so fulfilling to see people as they grow in confidence and thrive.

 

What do you think surprises people about your role? 

I spent seven years with ASM Global – the company behind the new Sage complex, Utilita Arena and Playhouse Whitley Bay – whilst there I very much worked on those conventional experiences that people tend think of when you talk about event planning, things like Disney on Ice or a major ballet production. The corporate side of things does tend to get forgotten a little bit.

What is surprising to people is how much cross-over there is between those big consumer events and what we deliver for our current clients. By looking at how we design events to learn from those consumer experiences, we can help people to connect in a more authentic way, to adopt new innovative ways of learning and to make memories that they want to talk about and share. We want people to be engaged with the content we are producing and are always looking to learn and adapt the format of events to make them really enjoyable for the people attending. With the emergence of digital and hybrid events making the competition much higher for people’s attention, there needs to be a real pull to get delegates to attend your event over another.

 

What has been your career highlight so far?

I can’t choose one event to be my favourite, because I like them all for different reasons, but when I look at the range of events that I’ve been lucky enough to work on that makes me feel very proud. We’ve had everyone from a Prime Minister at an event to Deborah Meadon from Dragon’s Den and I’ve delivered experiences for tens of thousands of people. When you look back at the accumulation of all of those together it is pretty amazing.

 

Outside of work what can we find you doing?

Other than enjoying the Newcastle’s foodie venues, I love being outdoors and making the most of the North East coastline. Last summer myself and Katie, another event manager here, took up sea swimming so we try and go once a week now, even in the winter! Sometimes we do ten minutes…sometimes longer, depending on how cold it is but it is completely addictive and I really miss it when we have to skip it for whatever reason. We go on a Monday lunch-time and it totally sets you up for the week – you end up with endorphins for the whole day afterwards.

 

And finally, what would your dream event be to work on?

I’m obsessed with skincare (my one piece of advice would be to wear SPF every day and no-one is listening to me in the office!) so it would have to be a huge expo type event with expert speakers, what is new in active ingredients, little villages of people exhibiting the latest products, French pharmacy style pop-ups, the works.

If you are interested in joining Sophie in a career in events, we would love to hear from you. Visit https://www.beaconhouse-events.co.uk/join-us/ to view our current vacancies.

How events can boost team morale in 2023

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According to new research, 42% of businesses are feeling the impact of low employee morale* and according to analytics company Gallup, 57% of UK employees are ‘not engaged’ at work, with over a quarter saying that they are ‘actively disengaged’ with the organisation that they work for.

Team morale can have a huge impact on your productivity, efficiency, retention and workplace wellbeing and with remote working and hybrid teams, it can be hard to know how your team is feeling and what they need. ‘Morale’ isn’t just a buzzword in 2023, when times get tough, a highly engaged team will pull your business through, and in times of skills shortages and high staff turnover, your people are your most important champions.

According to Dynamic Signal, 63% of employees cite poor communication as a reason why they would leave a role and 53% don’t think their company communicates with them in a way that would lead them to become an advocate. Hosting events such as internal staff conferences, celebrations or annual meetings are a proven way to open up channels of communication, spark meaningful conversations and reconnect with team members who may be feeling out in the cold. Events like this are a way to demonstrate your values in action, and most importantly come together as a team in a fun, positive way outside of the day to day.

Remember that it’s important to go into your event with a clear purpose and vision of what you want to achieve, so every aspect of your event can be designed to help you engage and motivate your team in a meaningful way.

So, how can an event give that much needed boost to your team, and create a happy, healthy and high-performing team?

 

1 Communication

When teams are busy or spread across multiple locations, it can be tricky to keep everyone updated on success stories, growth and future plans. Emails or even video updates can get lost in to-do lists and busy diaries, but hosting a quarterly or annual update event means that you can really make your people feel part of something bigger and be on hand to answer any questions about what the information means in practice. In larger organisations this might be one of the few opportunities for all teams to have face-to-face time with senior leadership, opening up channels of communication across the organisation.

 

2 Real connection

The pandemic, the rise of digital meetings, social media and busy home lives all contribute to many craving some human interaction. No one here is arguing that there aren’t benefits to video calls, but for many it’s more difficult to be creative in a silo and far easier to be distracted by your inbox when you’re attending an online meeting. Meeting in person and enjoying shared experiences make it much more likely to build lasting relationships with colleagues which in turn will increase staff morale and reduce staff turnover (according to research by Gallup, when 60% of employees in a company have a work friend, safety incidents decreased by 36%, customer engagement increased by 7%, and profits increased by 12%)! Not only that, IRL conversations are proven to be more productive, with team members able to collaboratively brainstorm much more effectively in person than online, giving you a platform to tackle those big conversations together.

 

3 Recognition

Events and celebrations are a great way of saying thank you to your team and showing that you recognise all of their achievements. A simple ‘thank you’ is one of the best ways to increase staff engagement and boost morale and getting everyone away from their ‘day-to-day’ to enjoy an experience together is a meaningful way to show that you care. You could include awards (serious or silly categories!) as part of the day to give an extra thank you to the people who have really gone above and beyond. By recognising success you have a tangible way of celebrating your values in action, making it much easier for people to put them into practice when they are back in the work place, which in turn makes for a much happier atmosphere.

 

4 Create ambassadors

If people are proud of where they work, they want to share it with their friends and family. A morale boosting event – whether that is an awards dinner or a full team away day gives your people something to talk about with their community outside of the organisation. Creating moments that people want to share on their social media channels will not only boost morale but it increases the opportunity to attract new talent to your organisation when they see the additional benefits and learning opportunities that you offer your team.

 

5 Re-energise and inspire

Give your team space to step away from the day-to-day, learn new things, get inspired and have some fun. You will be increasing essential endorphins, boosting morale and giving team members something more than a transactional experience – you’re making them part of an experience. Find a cool venue, book an inspirational speaker or create an environment where teams that wouldn’t normally interact, learn from each other and most importantly, have fun together. A professional events team can work with you to hand pick the best speakers to re-energise your people, and they don’t just have to be talking about your sector, the best speakers allow you to look at things from a different perspective and give your team something to think about, and talk about, long after the event is over.

For more information on morale boosting events or to speak to the team about how to engage your team in 2023 email info@beaconhouse-events.co.uk or call +44 (0)191 691 3456

 

* https://www.cbi.org.uk/articles/attracting-and-retaining-staff-to-support-your-workforce-in-2023/  

Creating an event to empower businesses to grow through doing good

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The event, which will be held on Tuesday 23 May at INNSiDE by Meliá Newcastle, will bring together North of Tyne and wider North East businesses community to discuss how growth can be fueled by doing good and share best practice, linked to the Good Work Pledge project which already has almost 100 businesses signed up to be part of the scheme (including ourselves).

Good to Grow is a free, face-to-face, offline seminar which will see over 150 delegates from the North East business community coming together to discuss the importance of sustainable, ‘good’ growth and the challenges and opportunities that it gives businesses in the region. Guests will be joined by keynote speaker, writer, film-maker and doer Big Ian Donaghy, alongside an address from North of Tyne Combined Authority and speakers from regional businesses discussing the impact they have achieved and how they have approached good work practices.

Driving the growth and resilience of North East business is a topic that is close to our hearts here at BeaconHouse Events and we are working towards our application to be a Good Work Place Employer, so were honoured to be selected to support the team at the NECA to bring this event to life.

We spoke to Caroline Preston, who leads the Good Work Pledge project for the North of Tyne Combined Authority, on why this event is so important to the North East in 2023 and how working with BeaconHouse Events has taken it to the next level.

Caroline said: “The work place has changed and sustainable growth now needs to be a top agenda item. This event is a way for businesses to discuss how we can pull together as a community and encourage good practice as a means to grow, retain staff and attract the next generation of talent to our North East businesses.

“The North East currently has the highest rate of child poverty in the UK at 38% and 75% of families that fall within that figure have at least one person working. We need to act now as a business community to make work better for everyone. We have an amazing spirit here in the North East and many businesses are working hard to make sure their employees are happy, healthy, and well rewarded but we need to do more. Poor employment can have a really detrimental effect on our communities, these jobs are low paid, often unreliable  and offer zero or minimal additional benefits. Worse still these low paid jobs are often done by the very people who keep us supplied with food, who look after our loved ones and keep us moving.

“While there are many factors that affect this, businesses do have a part to play when to comes to offering opportunities to progress, flexible working so families can juggle childcare or other responsibilities, promoting health and wellbeing and proving security for their people wherever possible.

“A lot of our sectors are still suffering from a skills shortage, and this is a proactive and actionable way of addressing this as a region. Research shows that when businesses invest in their people, employees are more loyal and perform better in their roles, giving you space and resource to grow your business in a sustainable way.

“It’s customers too that are looking for something more these days, as are the next generation that are entering the workforce. They actively want to support companies who are supporting the people who live and work in the region and businesses can no longer ignore this. There are already businesses doing amazing things here in the North East and this event will be a catalyst for new conversations and connections to help everyone learn from each other in a really practical and inspirational way. We’ve always come together as a region in the past, and it is time to do it again, let’s aim a little higher, harness the skills in our network and get this moving.”

“We wanted this event to inspire and motivate people to make change within their organisations, and we chose to work with BeaconHouse Events to really make sure that the event had the right balance and impact that it deserved. It was important to us that the speakers were inclusive, diverse and had a new and interesting perspective on the problem and the team at BeaconHouse have gone above and beyond to ensure that they are representative of the wide range of businesses that will be in attendance.”

Choosing a keynote speaker who encapsulated the vision and the values behind the event was really important to us as we strategised how the event would look and feel on the day. We finally found the perfect choice, Big Ian Donaghy. Ian works tirelessly to raise dementia awareness and combat loneliness, always focusing on the individual drawing on his experience of 20 years teaching young people with learning difficulties, and nearly 10 years in the world of care. Ian will be discussing his book ‘A Pocketful of Kindness’ which discusses the power of kindness and the idea that nobody ever changed anything by doing nothing.

Caroline continued, “Alongside the managing the speakers, Sarah, Katie and the team have been hugely helpful when it comes to logistics, planning, venue and have brought their years of expertise to the fore with advice and guidance in making this event really flow. While I have worked on large scale events in the past, they have used their industry knowledge to become critical friends through the whole process and to support me with additional resource and advice.

“There is a reason they are so successful as an organisaton, their attention to detail and knowledge of the corporate events space is second to none. The team have experience in event management in a wide range of sectors and I really valued that insight into what works, trends and themes in the industry and how to create an event that people will still talk about after they leave.

“I can’t wait to have BeaconHouse Events as a member of the Good Work Pledge and want to say thank you for making the event planning process so smooth and pain-free. See you on the 23rd!”

The Good Work Pledge scheme was launched in 2021 to make poor employment a thing of the past, and Good Work the norm. As part of the scheme businesses are awarded a level of the pledge, helping to build a ‘community of good work’, where members will have access to learning, networking opportunities and support in the pursuit of good work and sustainability. The pledge includes five pillars of best practice; promoting health and well-being, developing a balanced workforce, valuing and rewarding your workforce, effective communication and representation and demonstrating a social responsibility.

Tickets to the event are free, register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/good-to-grow-tickets-559593488187

How to give everyone space to engage and be heard

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Neurodivergence has nothing to do with intelligence levels and while it can bring specific challenges in certain environments it also brings unique and valuable strengths to business. Approximately 25% of CEOs are dyslexic in the UK, with creativity and big picture thinking being likely key factors in the extraordinary link between dyslexia and entrepreneurship. Yet still the working world is created for neurotypical employees by default.

So, what does neurodiversity mean? The most typically occurring conditions are:

  • Dyslexia (a general term for disorders that involve difficulty in learning to read or interpret words)
  • Dyspraxia (a disorder which affects movement and coordination)
  • Autism or Asperger’s syndrome (which generally involves social or communication difficulties and often presents in repetitive behaviours)
  • ADHD (can involve difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behaviour)

Taking steps to create a neuro-inclusive event means that every voice in the room has the opportunity to contribute, leading to more meaningful interactions, better conversations and increased engagement both inside and outside of your organisation. In-person events by nature aren’t always accessible for everyone, but by being mindful of different needs from the outset, your experience can be as open as possible.

 

1 Have conversations

Over 15% of the UK is neurodivergent so you don’t need to guess at how to make your events more inclusive, just ask! Speak to people who live with neurodiversity and understand where adjustments can be made to create more inclusive spaces and increase the number of people who feel happy and confident to attend your event. Take the approach of ‘not about us, without us’ and have honest conversations with people with lived experience to ensure that your efforts are really what they need and want, rather than just ticking a box.

 

2 Communicate clearly

Sending out comms on what to expect when onsite, routes of travel, food and catering information and schedules well in advance can help people plan and prepare, making it much more likely that they will sign up and attend. Likewise, if you’re taking specific measures to make neurodivergent people feel comfortable, talk about it ahead of time – your guests might not be comfortable being open about their needs or asking for adjustments but knowing in advance that you have considered different options can break down barriers to attendance, as well as raising awareness and understanding to other attendees.

 

3 Be detail orientated

Create a plainly-worded pack of information that can be picked up at reception or downloaded answering frequently asked questions to ease anxiety. Alongside the general information that all guests would find helpful, answer things like – if and how you can ask questions during the day, clear floorplans and information about the venue with maps / pictures and how to speak to staff if you have an issue.

Make sure your onsite team are trained to fully understand the needs of people onsite and are aware of any questions. Communicate with guests that you are there to support them in a non-judgemental and positive way.

 

4 Curate your environment

Think about the environment as a whole and what it will be like to spend time in that environment. Avoid smelly food (which can cause overstimulation), turn down or remove bright lights and create a pleasant temperature which doesn’t fluctuate between hot and cold. If guests have to move between locations, especially between inside and outside, remember to communicate any clothing or footwear requirements so everyone can plan accordingly.

 

5 Create quiet spaces

The hustle and bustle of busy events can be overwhelming but by creating a quiet space, and clearly communicating the purpose of that space, you can carve out a safe space to escape. This space should be for everyone to make the most of, but take steps to help guests understand that it is a sanctuary away from the event activities and not a place for meetings or phone calls. Curate your space to have low or dim lighting, no noise or distractions, lots of space to spread out and place it away from catering so there are no strong smells.

 

6 Inclusive giveaways

When you are planning your branded event goodie bags and giveaways, consider gifts that will be helpful to neurodivergent guests on the day. This could be noise-cancelling earplugs to combat background noise and loud areas, fidget toys to reduce anxiety or sunglasses to dull bright, overpowering lighting. Badges could also be given away when guests arrive to show whether they are open to social interactions, like handshakes, or not.

 

7 Use technology

Hybrid experiences are a fantastic way of engaging with a wide range of audiences who are not able to physically be there in person. However, if a fully hybrid option isn’t possible, consider a breakout space with pods and headphones where guests can listen to keynote speakers without having to sit in a busy conference hall where there often isn’t a lot of personal space.

 

8 Ask for feedback

Always follow up after the event to learn what worked and understand any other ways that you could adjust for future events. Give people the opportunity to feed back on the day and get in touch with an anonymous questionnaire afterwards to hear thoughts from attendees.

 

For more information on making space for neurodiversity at your events or to speak to the team about your 2023 goals email info@beaconhouse-events.co.uk or call +44 (0)191 691 3456.

 

 

Why hybrid events are on the rise and how to manage them in 2023

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That’s not just our opinion according to new research in the industry. Pre-pandemic, hybrid or virtual gatherings made up only 19% of events world-wide but now 60% of event planners and businesses say they will continue to host events in this way in 2023 and beyond. So, why are hybrid experiences sticking around?

Technology and internet connectivity means that it is easier than ever to have meaningful conversations with people from across the country, and even the globe, without the need for costly, carbon emitting travel. When it comes to inclusivity, hybrid events also mean you can have more voices in the room. Attendees with additional needs or people who are neurodivergent now have more options to get involved, increasing the opportunity for diverse and varied thinking and connection in your business.

While a hybrid event opens the doors for more people to take part, there are some important points to consider before you decide to jump head first into hybrid event planning…

1 In person vs online experiences are different – and that’s ok.

Taking part in an experience online or in-person both have their pros and cons, but it’s important to remember that they are very different at their core. Trying to create a ‘one size fits most’ solution will leave all attendees feeling a little underwhelmed, so play to the strengths of each option to make sure everyone gets the best value from taking part. Try to align how you would like people to think, feel and react; just like you’d choose different venues for different audiences and event types, the platform and tech you use must be a good fit for what you are trying to achieve.

 

2 Get people talking

Try not to keep your in-person and online attendees separate. Build in points where they can interact with each other and the speakers. Consider whether you would like this to be in real time and if your on and off-line audiences can mingle in the allocated networking slots. Make sure you brief your speakers so they keep virtual audiences in mind and make them feel included; online polls and Q&As give both in-person and virtual attendees the same opportunity to interact with speakers and contribute.

 

3 Deliver the goods

A special delivery to remote delegates shows that you’re still thinking about them on the day and adds a little ‘extra’ to the experience. This could be a parcel of the merchandise they would have been gifted at the offline event, tasty snacks to enjoy during the event or even a voucher for a coffee. Not only does it show that you’ve considered the needs of your online attendees, you’re also increasing the chances of social media interaction from your guests as people share snaps of their special delivery.

 

4 Balance the budget

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that holding a hybrid event is the cheaper option. Make sure you budget accordingly to avoid any nasty surprises. Having less attendees on site doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll save money, any budget which may have been spent on catering or venue hire will be replaced by the cost of high quality video capture and streaming platforms to ensure online guests get a quality experience.

 

5 www…(Welcome, Welcome, Welcome)

A warm welcome is one of the most memorable parts of an attendee’s event experience and this can often be overlooked if you’re joining online. Allocate a team of ‘online community managers’ to warmly welcome your online attendees and deal with any customer service queries during the event. This way, both sets of guests come away feeling looked after, happy and understood.

 

6 Test life is the best life

You might have the best speakers and content in the business, but if your tech fails then your remote audiences are going to be left twiddling their thumbs (and you’ll definitely hear about it). Make sure you test, test and test again when it comes to joining experiences, sound, break-out spaces and video sharing. Speak to the venue well-in advance about their connectivity speeds on-site and have a contingency plan in place for potential last minute signal, software or hardware issues.

 

7 Consider your sponsors

In-person and online experiences can offer different opportunities for event sponsors and it’s good to have these conversations early to manage expectations. Particular points of interest include, the number of attendees that will be there in person and what that means for your sponsors’ marketing materials and investment. Alongside opportunities at the venue, you could also consider sponsorship of digital backdrops behind the speakers, logos that can be seen on screen (for example, ‘lower thirds’ graphics, animations and coffee mugs) or include sponsor details in digital information packs.

For more information on hybrid events or to speak to the team about your 2023 hybrid goals email info@beaconhouse-events.co.uk or call +44 (0)191 691 3456.

2023 Growth Plans with a Focus on Sustainability

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We were delighted to see a 32% increase in turnover in 2022 through a mix of in person, digital and hybrid events across our client portfolio. Our sustainability strategy will form a key pillar of the 2023 work within the team as we continue to support ambitious North East businesses across the emerging tech, education, innovation, architecture, healthcare and creative arts sectors.

We even got a bit of a press release together about our plans and here’s what came from that…

Catherine Duhaut, co-founder and director at BeaconHouse Events said, “Since forming in 2014 our vision has always been to drive positive, lasting impact with every event we do, whether that be a conference, exhibition, awards ceremony or festival. In 2022 we have had the opportunity to work with some incredible clients, both in the region and nationally, and over the next 12 months we are focussed on supporting more ambitious businesses to raise their profiles, engage their teams and put our region on the map.

“During and post-pandemic we have seen a rise in the need for innovative, modern event solutions for our clients, ranging from new ways of using digital experiences, ensuring sustainability is a key component of any event planning and addressing topics such as neurodiversity to ensure that everyone can have a valuable experience, whether that be in person or online.

“We’re working with suppliers to reduce the impact of our events over 2023 and we are proud to be early adopters of TRACE, a digital carbon measurement platform to help the event industry reach Net Zero. TRACE helps us to gather data on our carbon impact at each event, which in turn gives us the ability to work with clients to benchmark and track success alongside their ESG strategy. We focus on the detail so our clients don’t have to, looking at everything from how we can make transport to events carbon neutral, sustainably sourcing materials for our badges and responsible recycling. We create sponsorship packages to offer digital branding to avoid single-use print and we work hard as a team to repurpose event materials that could have another life following an event. We know that ESG strategy is a key priority for many of our clients in 2023 and by making simple adjustments we can create big change together.

“We have some incredible projects in the pipeline this year and these ambitious plans will mean more opportunities for new talent to join BeaconHouse to support our growth. The talent in our regional freelance community is fantastic and we are always looking to speak to resourceful and trusted people to partner with us. We continually invest in our people and our success is truly a testament to the team and the culture that BeaconHouse Events has today.

“We are proud to be based right here in the North East and both myself, co-founder Sarah and the whole team are incredibly excited about creating meaningful events with the world-class organisations that call our region home.”

…and following all that excitement! We then got shortlisted for not one, but TWO national industry wide awards for the CN Agency Awards, winners to be announced on 03 March – so if you’ve got this far in the blog, we’re counting on you as a BeaconHouse supporter and hope you can keep your fingers crossed for us!

How to put sustainability at the heart of your 2023 corporate events

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The event industry still has a way to go when it comes to direct impact on the environment but by taking practical steps together UK businesses can create positive change for our clients, communities and the planet.

At BeaconHouse Events we take conscious steps to reduce the impact of our delivery at every step of the process, including putting sustainability clauses in all contracts, communicating with our clients and guests electronically, minimising travel during the planning stages and sharing best practice so we can continually learn how to do things more efficiently.

Small steps can create big change. Here are some practical tips to make sure your 2023 events make a real difference…

1 Leave real footprints, not carbon ones

Firstly, consider whether your event will have the same impact as an online experience, this will help you cut down on unnecessary travel right from the get-go. If you do decide that an in-person event is the way forward, make sure you communicate green travel choices to delegates well in advance so they can plan ahead. Include information on safe walking routes to the venue, e-transport options like e-bikes or scooters and the closest bus and rail connections so people don’t have to rely on cars or taxis to reach you. If you know you have delegates arriving from the same location offer a ride-share service or encourage car-pooling by putting delegates in touch with each other ahead of the event.

 

2 Track and TRACE

You don’t know how far you have come if you don’t know where you started! Work with an event team who use carbon tracking platforms like TRACE to gather data and report on the carbon footprint of your events, allowing you to benchmark your progress year on year. Clearly communicate what sustainability steps have been taken with your team and your guests and encourage 360 feedback on where there could be improvements next time. Not only will feedback give you valuable learnings, by raising awareness of your environmental commitments you are more likely to attract and retain skills to your business.

 

3 Don’t be trashy

Where possible give marketing materials and equipment a life outside of your event rather than throwing them away and use digital platforms to communicate key messages. Print materials like lanyards on recyclable stock, not just from sustainable materials, and incentivise guests to bring their own reusable bottles by offering free refills or prize draws. Everyone loves a challenge, gamifying recycling onsite can add a little healthy competition to proceedings, while putting your sustainability message front of mind.

 

4 Live life on the veg

Food is always a big draw at any event and providing vegetarian or plant-based catering is a tasty way to cut down your carbon footprint. According to the UN, meat and dairy accounts for 14.5% of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions, which is roughly the same as the exhaust from every car, train, ship and aircraft on the planet! Work with caterers to offer high-quality veggie alternatives and if you don’t want to go fully meat-free consider using produce that meets farm assurance standards such as LEAF, a standard that links farming and the environment. When it comes to serving up, a buffet or bulk-serve experience is a much greener option than individually packaged portions and double check your cutlery and plates aren’t single use too.

 

5 Go digital

There are plenty of tech solutions that can make your life easier and give you eco-friendly points in the process. Use digital signage to help your delegates navigate the venue and communicate electronically with guests and each other wherever possible. If there is information for guests to take home, send links to downloadable handouts and use digital screens to gather and share ideas rather than paper flip-charts.

If you do have to print make sure you arrange for it to be collected and recycled, reuse sheets for printing drafts and print on both sides of the page in black and white rather than colour. Consider vegetable oil based inks or work with suppliers that share your sustainability goals.

 

6 LED the way  

Use spaces that utilise LED lighting rather than fluorescent, the former uses much less power per unit of light emitted and there will be limited difference in the look and feel of the space. Equipment that uses LED lighting is usually a lot lighter and event spaces need less of it – that means that production companies need smaller vehicles and less trips to get the equipment on site too.

  

7 Give back

CSR and SDG are likely to be high on your agenda in 2023, offer delegates the opportunity to pay-it-forward and support an environmental or sustainably conscious charity through ticket donations. Alternately offer tips on how a business can offset their carbon emissions by getting involved in tree-planting or green energy initiatives.

If there are any event freebies left after the event give them back to the sponsor so they can be used at a future event, donate them to charity or advertise on an online marketplace like Facebook, freecycle or OLIO.

For more information on BeaconHouse Events or to speak to the team about your 2023 goals email info@beaconhouse-events.co.uk or give us a call on 0191 691 3456.

Nine details to nail at your corporate events in 2023

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Not the case.

The team at BeaconHouse Events have decades of experience in creating meaningful corporate events. From sustainability to accessibility, the power of tech and getting people talking. Here’s a compilation of the top things to focus on to make sure your event delivers real value in 2023 (and there isn’t a beige buffet in sight).

1 Understand what your audience (and you) actually want

One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to events and it’s important to take a step back before leaping into decision making. Consider what you are really trying to achieve by bringing people together – are you looking to inspire your team, create new ideas or connect like-minded people? This all affects the look and feel of the experience and how your event plays out. Likewise, if your audience are looking to network and re-connect, make sure you build in time for great conversation rather than having speakers back to back. Do your research in advance and everyone should come away feeling like they have had the space to get what they need from the experience.

 

2 Treat your guests like VIPs before they walk through the door

Your event starts long before the delegates arrive on-site. Spend time creating an enjoyable user experience from the moment they visit the website through to the booking system, welcome emails and how to find the venue meaning your guests will arrive in a much more relaxed and positive frame of mind. Remember, delegates don’t evaporate once the event is over either, make sure you have a solid plan to follow up and keep them engaged in the experience once the event has ended.

 

3 A warm welcome

Make sure everyone has a warm, friendly welcome on arrival and be prepared to listen and solve any problems or questions that might rear their head. Arm yourself and your team with answers to FAQs (Do I have to pay for parking? What time does the keynote start? Is there a gluten free option?) as well as local information such as local cafes with wifi, restaurants or amenities. The welcome station is a great time to mention future events and give key sponsors a shout-out too!

 

4 Creative talking points

Beat the awkward small talk by creating little surprises to get people talking as they navigate the venue. At BeaconHouse Events we’ve employed everything from Geordie signage to jukebox requests performed by a live pianist and photo opportunities to make people smile. By giving your guests little moments of wonder, it will give them things to chat about with other delegates, tell their colleagues back at the office and maybe even share on their social channels.

 

5 Work with suppliers you trust

Find caterers, AV suppliers, room dressers and corporate events experts who are the best in the business and who you trust will deliver on their promises. Working with the right partners will allow you to focus on the content of the event and frees you up to manage the other parts of your role that don’t just disappear when there is an event on the horizon. Don’t be sucked in by a low price, look at who will deliver quality services that your guests will remember.

 

6 Innovative or themed catering

At BeaconHouse Events we’re on a mission to ban beige buffets! It’s difficult to be creative and retain information with a rumbling stomach or over a soggy egg sandwich. Treating your guests to an interesting, tasty menu can create more energy, better engagement and higher retention of information. Plus, guests will talk about the food if it is good, but they’ll talk about it much more if it is poor.

 

7 Get tech to do the hard work

Investing in great tech can make your event as easy as possible, giving you more headspace to concentrate on real human connection. Look into digital registration so there are no queues on arrival, get your website or event app up to date with all of the relevant information guests will need beforehand, set up a what3words location for your event space and a # for any networking groups or for delegates to share thoughts and content from the main event on social media.

You’re here live, you’re not a cat! We all remember the tech fails of the pandemic so whether your event is IRL, digital or hybrid – make sure you test, test and test again so everyone is comfortable with how the platforms work. The best events can be knocked off course by shaky tech and everyone will feel much more comfortable on the day. Bring in a great tech team who really know their stuff; it all adds to smooth and professional delivery.

 

8 Obvious and actionable sustainability choices

Sustainability must be at the heart of your event strategy in 2023 and it becomes pretty obvious when it is an afterthought.

Make sure your guests are aware of the ways that you are contributing to low-carbon goals with clear signage and notifications on the lead up to the event, even little details can make all the difference to how people perceive the event. Try printing your lanyards on material that can be recycled (not JUST from sustainable stock), use digital rather than single use signage, encourage delegates to bring reusable bottles, gamify recycling onsite, advertise walking routes and e-transport options to and at the event and work with catering teams and venues to implement details like vegetarian food choices and sustainably sourced, recyclable tableware. Start engaging with audiences from the start of their journey with you so they are totally on board pre and post-event.

 

9 Prioritise accessibility

Accessibility isn’t just a buzzword and you will get much more value from an event if everyone is comfortable and able to make their voice heard. As well as ensuring that your chosen venue is accessible for anyone with mobility issues, you could create a quiet breakout space for anyone who needs it, digital brochures for anyone with sight or hearing impairments or pronoun badges to make everyone feel welcome and safe.

For more information on BeaconHouse Events or to speak to the team about your 2023 goals visit www.beaconhouse-events.co.uk or give us a call on 0191 691 3456.

Sustainability, why is it so hard?  

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We’re doing our bit; we’re working as a team to develop solutions that make our events more sustainable. We’re working with suppliers to reduce the impact of our events. We explore how we can make transport to events carbon neutral, how the materials used in our badges can be sustainably sourced and responsibly recycled, we create sponsorship packages to offer digital branding to avoid single-use print and we work hard to repurpose event materials that could have another life following an event.

These are just a few examples of what we adopt as standard, but it’s tough. You just have to google ‘eco anything’ to be inundated with options on greener choices for anything you could ever need for an event, but hours and hours of research then have to go into finding out why it’s a greener choice, if it is in fact a more ecologically sound option and how the product can be recycled following its use. It’s no secret that words like eco, green, recycled, reduce, reuse are all buzzwords used to attract you and make you feel like you’re making the ‘right choice’ but where’s the resounding reassurance that it’s not just marketing and that there’s substance behind the wording?

‘Greenwashing’ is a term you might be familiar with; when information is provided about how a company’s products are more environmentally sound, but the information is an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing that the products are environmentally friendly. It’s a minefield.

Sadly, if you’ve read this far hoping for some conclusion, I apologise – there isn’t one. This blog was fuelled by frustration and fatigue, why is it so hard to feel reassured that you’re actually making consciously sound decisions when it comes to purchasing and protecting the environment? We’re open to suggestions, we’re here to learn, we’re prepared to put in the time and effort to find the resolution and we pledge to make changes that don’t fall short – we just need the support from our network to help us on our quest.
It’s not all doom and gloom – there are many who are leading the way, there are free resources that exist to help you when you don’t want to contribute to landfill. Here’s a few that we use:
Freecycle.org is made up of more than 5,000 local town groups with over 9 million members across the globe. It’s a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Membership is free, and everything posted must be free, legal and appropriate for all ages.
Facebook marketplace – if you have a facebook account this is a great way to find, sell and repurpose items that have otherwise served their purpose.
OLIO connects neighbours with each other and with local businesses so surplus food can be shared, not thrown away.
Magic Hat rescue surplus food destined for landfill. Their mission is to show you that this food should never have been wasted, and with a little love it can instead be transformed into fresh, colourful and delicious meals and drinks through their kitchen and market in Newcastle upon Tyne, an online shop and catering for events.
 
Shout out to the events industry – what can we do across our networks to make real, sustainable choices that make us feel good?

Creative applications…

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In my career I’ve had the joy of going through more than a few recruitment drives as an employer, some experiences have been better than others but I ALWAYS learn something.

As a small, growing and young company BeaconHouse Events want to employ people that fit our ethos, our personalities and our way of thinking. We want quality recruits that understand what we’re looking for.

We never write ambiguous job adverts, we always ask for exactly what we’re looking for. We try to inject some of our own company personality into our job adverts, in doing this we expect the responses to reflect the tone.

My advice for putting together a CV and covering letter would be as follows…

 

No more than two sides

Don’t waste space listing all your BTEC, NCQ, baccalaureate, GCSE, AS and A-level grades. It’s great that you have them, but that’s all we need to know, just mention them, condense as much as you can and move on. If you have further education qualifications, list your degree and grade but again don’t elaborate – we can ask detail in the interview.

Call a spade a spade. Look at the difference:

A spade.

A large or small metal tool with a wooden or plastic handle that I have used on occasion to turn over the dirt in my garden.

I know what you’re talking about. Keep it high level, I know what a spade is.

 

Keep it relevant

Only list the employment/responsibilities/experience that is relevant to the position you’re applying for – everything else is noise and can be talked about in the interview. Take heed of the intricacies of the job description/advert – if it’s written as light hearted and creative don’t write a super formal covering letter.

 

We know what we do

Don’t just reiterate everything you read on the website – I already know what events we organise. As an applicant to the position I would already expect that you would have looked at the website, so copying and pasting the words that I probably wrote for the website doesn’t tell me anything about you other than that you can use the copy and paste function.

 

Your interests – are they interesting?

I like reading about applicants’ interests. I tells me more about the person they are but try to make your interests stand out. A lot of people enjoy reading, going to the gym and traveling. I appreciate a CV that stands out, a keen interest in bungee jumping or extreme cake making would give me something to talk to you about. I’m not suggesting you rack up loads of debt trying new hobbies just think of your more alternate interests or creatively describe why you enjoy reading!

 

I care more about the covering letter than the CV

The covering letter shows me much more about your writing style (very important for gauging your copy writing skills as an employee). It also gives a snapshot into your personality and shows me whether or not you understand the job you’re applying for and if you’re applying for the right reasons.

 

List your references on your CV

I don’t know why but when people say ‘references available on request’ it makes me think they have something to hide. It also means I have to contact you to you to request the information and THEN call the person. I’m not lazy, you just haven’t made it easy for me to contact someone that’s going to tell me wonderful things about you and if it were me I’d make this VERY easy. Why do you think we put testimonials on our website?

 

Nice font – Nice layout

Don’t worry about a border or cramming the pages with information. Less really is more, after reading the tenth CV I scan read…I know it’s not fair but it’s true – I’m ruthless with a highlighter and if I get bored you get a red line.

Let it be noted; this advice lists my personal preferences as an employer. I have no formal training as a recruiter, but have recruited many excellent staff over the past ten years. Should you choose to follow the advice in this blog I hope it gives you food for thought, it does NOT guarantee recruitment at BeaconHouse Events.

It all starts with an idea…

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That’s where all good events start – good ideas. After that obstacle, we help you apply the mathematics and logistics to make sure the idea works and that there is a ready market available.

So what do you do when you have an idea? Where do you start? Let’s use a conference as an example…

Is your idea unique?

Is there another conference out there that is successfully doing what you want to do? If so, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve stopped before you started. If anything it gives you a great research project – look at the website, the social media platforms, the programme, the marketing collateral – work out what makes that event successful. You may decide the market for your idea has already been exhausted – but hey, at least you found out before you spent time and money.

If you’re lucky and your idea is unique it’s time to move onto the next step…

 

Can the event afford to exist?

We nearly always follow up an original briefing discussion with a detailed budget. Your event budget will show you what you have to spend to manage the event successfully and what revenue you need to ensure you deliver the event ‘in budget’.

We cannot emphasise enough how important it is to be as detailed as possible when putting together the event budget. Use ‘worst case scenario’ figures in the expenditure and be under-generous in your revenues, allow for a 10% contingency of the total budget cost too. It’s very easy to think ‘I can get that for cheaper’ and lower the expected costs in your expenditure. It’s a much more difficult task to question how to achieve the revenue – be balanced, be realistic.

If you want to spend £100K to have an all singing all dancing conference that’s fine, but you need to balance the budget. Be realistic and answer the following questions:

  • Will delegates pay to attend? How much?
  • How many tickets will you sell? How will you sell them? Is there a service charge application on your sales platform?
  • How can you attract sponsorship? What will your sponsors want from their packages? Can you offer sponsor packages with good ROI for both parties?
  • What do I NEED to put this event on and what is a NICE TO HAVE? (You can always add ‘nice to have’ elements in later)
  • Have you spent enough on marketing? If no one knows about your event they won’t know to buy a ticket and you’re likely to have a quiet event with disappointed sponsors.

It’s not an exhaustive list but it will get you thinking along the right lines.

 

Can you deliver the event?

Having an idea is one thing. Having the time to realise the idea is another (of course this depends on your day job, your work/life balance and your life choices!). Create a production schedule; this will help you to plot out the busy times in the delivery of the event. Again, there’s no steadfast rule for this, different types of event have different types of preparatory periods.

Using a first time conference as an example, allow ample time to plan the event launch, create the brand and consistently adopt this throughout your marketing. The first few months should be focused on finding a venue, negotiating supplier costs, approaching speakers and attracting sponsorship. These factors will determine the viability of your event. If enough time and effort is put into this stage the other delivery factors should fall neatly into three further categories; production, customer service, and delivery. And always, always update your budget.

There is no precise recipe for ‘event delivery’ but to reiterate, planning is key. Seek advice, talk your idea through (get a confidentiality agreement signed if you’re worried), choose partners to work with that you feel understand your idea and that are as enthusiastic as you are about delivering it. Find your team; trying to deliver an event yourself can be time consuming and the amount of work involved often underestimated. Using the expertise of industry professionals such as designers, marketeers, AV teams, event dressing agencies etc can be the maker or breaker of your event. Getting support isn’t always as pricey as people might assume and the right support can result in your event making a much larger profit, making the impact you wanted to, and not result in news headlines for the wrong reasons.

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This is just a taster; the hope is that the information here might inspire you to take any event idea to the next stage and prepare you for what those exciting next steps look like.

Myths about event managers

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We’re not. But, we’re professionals so we appear to be! Truth have it it’s likely we’ll have been on our feet for 20 hours in uncomfortable shoes. The last time we slept properly was weeks ago. The last time we ate something ‘nutritious’ was the sultanas in a garibaldi biscuit we nabbed at the first tea break – before that a month ago…before the endless office take outs and the conference brown buffets began.

We love our jobs, we love the work involved, we love delivering and problem solving and everything that being onsite throws at us and hey if you can say all that then why wouldn’t you be smiling?

 

“Is your whole life just dresses and parties?”

Absolutely not. The ‘parties’ are a very small part of what we do and we manage them so that other people are having fun and ultimately that means we’re working. So yeah, we get to go to a lot of parties but that doesn’t mean we are partying. We’re always the last to leave the dance floor but usually it’s because we’re trying to prevent the conference director from pole dancing on the stage set.

We get to admire the finery our guests arrive in but often we wear black and comfortable to be ‘unseen’ event ready ninjas.

Even when we do get time off to go to parties you never really enjoy yourself, you’re constantly looking for things you’d have done differently and anticipating the next issue that might need your instant attention.

Lucky though that this attention to detail usually means you’re a popular guest – always ready to lend a hand and used to operating on very little sleep. We work hard and we play hard.

 

“So, do you basically just walk around with a clip board?”

Yes. Actually this one is true BUT contrary to popular belief the clip board is not there to make it look like we’re busy, we are in fact busy and very mobile, having a clip board just gives us a hard surface to write on. Experienced practicality.

 

“Can I borrow a formal dress? You must have loads.”

We don’t. We don’t have a clothes allowance and what we do have are ‘staples’ i.e. dresses that won’t be remembered that you can get away with wearing time and time again and that if needs be allow you to sprint lengthy distances at a moments notice.

Chances are there was previously a much bigger selection but after one got ripped lugging boxes to taxis, another fell fate to pen marks from the aforementioned clip board and one proved see-through at that crucial moment during the award presentation on stage…you now stick to black, plain and roomy.

 

“You look so calm, you’re never stressed.”

That’s because we’ve done our job well. But saying we’re never stressed is untrue, working hard to make sure everything is stress free onsite is what we do best and boy oh boy does it result in LOTS of hard work. We also get a lot of practice though and having that experience to make sure your event goes hitch free and we’re a calming presence onsite – we live for that.

 

“Event management – it’s a Mickey Mouse career.”

No. No it’s not. Still not entirely convinced as to what this means but usually it’s meant derogatively.

Mickey Mouse meaning it’s child’s play? Easy? True, it gets easier with experience but that’s just professional know how. In our company alone we’re multi-lingual masters students with advanced (acclaimed…thank you) degrees in project management and business, we work day to day with top achieving CEOs and company directors that in a ‘proper’ job we’ d have to pay to get in front of.

Mickey Mouse meaning the bright buttoned popular rodent who would become the mascot of The Walt Disney Company, experts in production, entrepreneurship and turning over billions year on year? Yeah, we’ll take that.

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As an event manager it’s true, every day is different but it’s because we work with such a range of different people and that’s what makes our job so special. Being able to adapt to all these different situations and events keeps us fresh and constantly attentive. So forgive us, usually we’ll talk too much, have far too many stories and always be busy. But, when we’re there we’ll make sure you and everyone around us is having a damn good time…of course in a well organised manner.