Welcome to the HopSkip Planner Spotlight Series, where we highlight event professionals making waves across the events industry to share lessons learned and raise awareness of their invaluable contributions.
Name: Marinda Freeman
Company Name: MF Productions Event Design
Job Title: Owner and Principal
Can you briefly tell us about your background in event planning and how you got started in the industry?
My official career in event planning was as the Executive Director for Martha Stewart Catering in Westport, CT in the early 1980’s. I worked with each client, created menus, determined rentals and flow of each event, managing, and producing many events including events staged for several of Martha’s books. After two years, I started my own event management business working with corporate, nonprofit, and private clients in the New York area.
As an event designer for over 35 years, I have developed long-term relationships with clients, working with many from 5 to 10 years. These include corporate, nonprofit, and private clients.
I love growing events and continuing to improve them. If it’s a new event, I want to make sure that the first event for the client is well thought out, with enough time to ensure an ease of planning and a spectacular result. I am passionate about creating connection and community – which is what every event is truly about.
How do you go about selecting the perfect hotel or venue? What factors weigh most heavily in your decision?
I always start with clarifying with the client, the purpose for their event, why they want to have the event, what the experience is that they want the guests to have. I then begin to look at what venues would be most appropriate for the type of event the client wants. The number of guests is also an important factor in determining the best location. Of course, cost is almost always a factor, as well.
What does the initial planning phase of securing a venue look like for you? Could you walk us through your initial steps?
After clarifying the purpose, intention, and overall goals of the event, I confirm a date or date options with the client. It’s then time to do research to find several venues that might work for the client and get cost proposals from these venues. I review the options and costs with the client to make a final decision for the best event location. Some flexibility in dates is required when searching for a location. I have been consulting with a nonprofit client for many years regarding their annual gala event. This year’s event is a month earlier than usual because they were excited about the new location.
What common financial challenges often arise when organizing an event, what strategies do you use to mitigate them, and how do you avoid them?
Cost is almost always a factor for every event. I don’t often find financial challenges as it’s always about planning ahead. I want to make sure there are no surprises in my relationship with the client. For clients that have an established annual event, there is already a budget that I can refer to. I want to make the event as cost-effective as possible and with an eye towards improving the event from the previous year. For a new event, it requires building a budget, getting estimates for all aspects of the event, and then reviewing all with the client to make decisions about what to include and what options to consider that may be more cost-effective than what they originally thought they wanted. There is always a way to solve the questions and concerns that arise.
How do you leverage technology to boost efficiency during the planning, execution, and post-event stages? What does your “event tech stack” look like? (For example, using Survey Monkey for surveying attendees post-event)
I’m a low-tech gal. I mostly use Word and Excel for my planning– lots of Excel documents! Email, of course, is a constant. I have been using BaseCamp for the past few years to improve communication with clients and vendors for a large annual event because it is easier to track communications by topic and category than via email. I have used Jotform for surveys instead of Survey Monkey. I have also used Jotform to collect information from speakers for an annual conference event. A couple of years ago, I started using Pheedloop for On Demand Sessions after the conference, which is included with the attendees’ registration. I have used Cvent for many years for an annual 2-day conference. When I started using Cvent back in 2015 for the 2016 conference, it was the best for registration and meeting our needs. Now, Cvent is very expensive and inflexible. Technology improved dramatically during the pandemic, and there are now many more options that cost way less and provide more flexibility. I am exploring these new options for future conferences.
Do you use frameworks, templates, or other tools/documents to help you stay organized and manage the event planning process?
For annual events, I advise clients there’s a reason that gestation is nine months and that we want to start the planning process 9 to 10 months in advance. This allows for ease of planning as last-minute planning is a recipe for disaster and so not necessary. For annual events, I use Excel to first create a Project Timeline that outlines all that needs to be accomplished by date, by month, and for all the different aspects of the event. When I am 2 to 3 months out from the event, I begin creating the Event Timeline (also in Excel). This includes every detail for setup, during the event, breakdown, and load out. I list each vendor’s contact info when they first arrive on-site and all the times they are taking action, as I want everything on this one document that I refer to during the event. I use this Event Timeline to Time Travel and “do the event before the event” over and over, each time adding or adjusting the timing of deliveries or setup or whatever. I review the timeline, the floorplans (I use a CAD program for floorplans), and the staffing schedule. I am constantly communicating with all vendors and staff to make sure I have all the correct info on the timeline. By reviewing the Event Timeline and imagining myself at the event, I can assess the flow through the spaces, the flow of the timing from one aspect of the event to the next, and how it will all feel for the guests or attendees. Oh, and I print out all the important documents and put them in a binder – as well as folders on my computer. It’s a physical event, and you need physical documents. No relying on the internet on site!
Do you have any specific strategies or insights for enhancing the attendee experience at your events?
The intention from the beginning of the planning process with the client is to first identify the experience they want for their guests. This is defined by the qualities they want their guests to experience. These can include feeling welcomed, appreciated, inspired, community, connected, engaged, and more. I make sure to tell my staff that above and beyond doing their specific jobs, their job is to take care of the attendees, sponsors, vendors, and anyone else. Don’t we want everyone to feel at ease and happy to be there no matter what kind of event it is?
Effective communication is crucial in any planning process. How do you ensure you and your event stakeholders are always on the same page?
First and foremost, regular meetings are key. They can be done via Zoom or in person. I think it is important to meet in person as there is an energy exchange, and ideas can arise that don’t seem to show up the same way via Zoom. Granted, Zoom meetings are convenient – no traveling is required. By following my Project Timeline, I know what needs to be addressed at these regular meetings. Plus, I continue to follow up with each aspect of the event, making sure all is moving forward at the right time to its successful conclusion.
How do you facilitate networking opportunities among attendees? Are there any specific tactics or strategies that you recommend?
I think nametags are very important. It helps the guests out! This makes it easier to remember someone new they meet. I need that, too, don’t you? If the event is a dinner party, say a donor appreciation dinner, taking time to arrange the seating so you create new connections among the guests is another way to build relationships. Isn’t that what networking really is?
For our second virtual conference during the pandemic, we scheduled the conference for three days instead of two. We shortened the days to decrease screen fatigue, added a yoga instructor who provided 5 minutes of exercises to get everyone moving (the attendees loved this), and added some fun end-of-day experiences. We had a virtual chocolate tasting one day and a virtual cheese tasting a second day. The attendees ordered the chocolate and/or cheeses in advance, which were shipped to their homes. These tastings were educational and lots of fun. Remember, fun is the energy of attraction. When you have Fun and Create Community and Connection, the Memories and Buzz will follow! An event principle.
What's your go-to plan for handling emergencies or unexpected situations during an event?
By planning ahead, being super organized, and Time Traveling with my event timeline over and over, I am able to anticipate breakdowns and take care of them in advance. This allows me to be calm and present during the event and handle any circumstances or situations with creative problem-solving. The principle is Order Creates Greater Calm and Peace of Mind. You never know what will arise, but having done your homework, as I call it, you can be ready to jump in and solve whatever shows up. You can act rather than react.
Can you share an example of a significant challenge you faced while planning an event conference and how you overcame it?
The most significant challenge was moving an annual conference to virtual after 7 months of planning and only 6 weeks prior to our conference dates. This happened at the very beginning of the pandemic. We had to pivot to get a new tech team on board for the virtual event, and we communicated daily – many times a day – as each item that needed to be addressed was revealed. The purpose of the conference did not change, just the “venue” changed for the two days. With the whole team pulling together and creating a production schedule with every minute noted (not an event timeline) that we reviewed many times, the two-day conference was a success. There were many who were skeptical and were very amazed at the result. What was really interesting is that there were many things we did as a virtual event that started showing up in other conferences. That was amazing, as we just wanted to make it happen!
What are the typical steps you take in the post-event phase?
It’s never over when it’s over, I always say! There’s a follow-up to make sure breakdown and load out all occurred according to plan. Final billing from vendors, the venue, staff, etc. must be collected and reviewed before forwarding to the client. Scheduling an event review meeting with the client is a must to discuss what worked, what didn’t work, and what to improve. If it is an annual event, we look ahead a couple of months to put the first meeting on the calendar to start the planning for the next event.
What key performance indicators (KPIs) do you use to evaluate the success of an event?
The final financial report is always an important indicator, especially if the event is for a nonprofit organization. However, finances are not the only indicator since building relationships can provide a nonprofit with more than money – other resources and connections, for example. I planned and produced an annual nonprofit event to support the local elementary and middle schools that grew over 5 years from 250 to 600 attending. More people wanted to come each year because they heard about how much fun the event was - even if they didn’t have children in the schools. Fun is the energy of attraction that grows the connections and the community! And the by-product was more FUNds.
For corporate events, it depends upon what the purpose and intention was for the event. If it’s a product launch, bringing in the right people to see their new products is a win. If it’s an employee appreciation event – many times these are called holiday parties which is really a misnomer – the point is really to thank and appreciate the employee and let them know they are important to the company.
What advice would you offer someone just starting their career in the meetings and events industry?
Find an established and successful meeting and/or event planning business where you can learn from the pros and get experience with many different types of events. There is nothing like on-the-job training and experiencing what happens with different kinds of events.
This post is part of the HopSkip Planner Spotlight Series, where HopSkip spotlights planners across the industry to bring awareness of how important the meetings/events community is to our world.