Social media has become so important to events that some would flop without it. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram capture important event moments and let people know details at the drop of a hat. But what about Snapchat?Most people think of snapchat as an app that features a disappearing picture, solely used by young adults and teenagers. However, some fail to see the significance snapchat can bring to an event! According to an article written by Nick Borelli on EventMB “Having a platform that pushes people to watch the content they initially signed up for or forever losing the chance to see it has made Snapchat second only to Facebook in average time spent on the platform by users”. Snapchat updates can be posted in seconds, in many different forms, including pictures and videos with unique features. This allows events to showcase many different points of view: from other attendees, the band, the event planner and everyone else at the event!Snapchats can be sent to individuals or the masses! Blast out your event every step of the way and show guests things they normally wouldn’t see! This can be used pre-event, during and post-event. Use exclusivity to your advantage, only send certain content to VIP guests and let them know it! Unlike a Facebook event, others will never know, and those receiving it will feel extra special.If you plan far enough ahead, make your own snapchat filter and encourage others to use it. This will be uniquely yours and anyone in the area will be able to use it! Talk about capitalizing on FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) – only those who attended the event are able to use the filter to share with their followers. A filter is an extension of the photo or video. For instance once the picture is taken different features can be added. From a black a white photo to the time you took it! Locations or event names can also be added and show where/what that person is doing. The branding opportunities using these filters are not to be missed and can spread very fast!The best part about Snapchat is that once your event gets enough attention, the attendees will be doing all the work! They will be sharing your event with everyone and you can sit back and admire a job well done!Snapchat is still underrated in some circles, but you can use this as an opportunity to show the amazing experiences you create for attendees at your events!Share your thoughts and experiences with snapchat with us as well!
Tracy Fuller-White has owned and operated an event production company for 30+ years and has done events nationally and internationally for fortune 100 and fortune 500 companies.
So, you have an event and you plan on playing some music in the background…No biggie right? Not quite. Before you plug in your iPhone to play your favorite tunes, you need to know a little bit about music licensing and how it affects your events.Licensing for music is as big of a deal as using someone else’s artwork on your PowerPoints and not paying for it. If you don’t get the proper licenses, the penalty can be huge. As event planners, this is all very confusing and time consuming; trying to figure out who, what, and when of the music licenses – plus how they work!Although getting licensing isn’t the most convenient task on your event planning checklist, it beats the alternative. The alternative to purchasing a license is to contact each artist who’s music you intend to play and get their written permission. You may also have to ask your band to play original material only. We all know that when we hire a band to play covers, that having them only play their original tunes might not be the best request.Can you image trying to track down the correct people and having them respond to this request? It would take one person dedicated to this specific task many hours and many weeks to complete. This would require you knowing your playlist well in advance. Doesn’t sound like a task I want to take on. I am sure the hours I would spend research, making phone calls and sending emails would be more than the cost of the license itself.When researching licenses you might find that the responsibility falls to the venue to purchase and hold the licenses for music. However, many venues are now passing on that responsibility to the entity holding the event. Check in with both the facility and licensing bureaus to make sure you are covered in order to avoid the high penalties if you aren’t.We searched the internet to locate the best descriptors of ‘what’ license you need and ‘when’ you need a license. Here’s what we’ve found:1. There are three different licensing entities (ASCAP, BMI, & SESAC). Each one is a little different.2. For just ASCAP alone there are over 100 different license types and each one has pretty strict usage rules.3. For each event type, there are different rules which can get fairly specific4. Pricing for the license depends on the type of the event and how many attendees you will have at the event.5. Charity events are NOT excluded from needing a license for events (usually they are covered under a one-time event license)6. Copyright law says events for only friends and family do not need a license – Hey wedding planners, you’re in the clear! Based on a chat conversation with Frank at ASCAP online. Connect Here → 
Tracy Fuller, President of Event Heroes, believes in empowering other event and meeting planners to help make the industry a better place. Working together to learn from one another and killing others with kindness are two principles she lives by. When she’s not busy pulling off events that wow or training the next Event Hero, Tracy enjoys sipping wine with friends, painting in her art studio, and attending other great events in her city.
It’s summer, which means you probably have a calendar full of weddings to attend this season! The wedding industry is always changing, so we put a list together of the hottest wedding trends in 2016. Be on the lookout for these trends:Two for one dress: More and more dresses these days are being made convertible. Go from formal to party with one motion!Midnight snack: Weddings go late and what’s more appetizing than a midnight snack?! Mini burgers and dessert bars are becoming increasingly popular as an after hour snack!Metallics: This material is all the rage for weddings! Dress it up or down and use it in almost any piece throughout the wedding, from invitations to dresses to the dining room!Mix up the centerpieces: Gone are the days of the exact same tables. Use this as an advantage and be creative in what you choose for each table.Signature cocktails: The bride and groom show off their personalities by each offering their own personal cocktail concoction. Although a little pricy, this detail shows guests a more intimate connection.Weddings are evolving every year and getting more personalized and detailed. We can’t wait to see what next year brings!Let us know what you see at your weddings this year and comment if you are seeing any new trends!
We all have those moments during work when we should be doing our tasks but are just blocked. You know there is a deadline, but nothing is coming to mind. You are… stuck.Being in the event industry clients are always expecting more. What happened last year just isn’t good enough! During these times one of the best things is to just take a break!Now you might be thinking that taking a break is wasting time, but studies have