By far one of the most important parts of your event is signage. It’s significant for a number of reasons: making the event memorable, promoting your cause, brand awareness and simple logistics. At Event 360 we know the importance of a clean looking event through our signs which is why we choose to partner with Bethany Williams at HP Productions, Inc. Bethany gave some insight as to what’s important to her in the world of events.
Do you have a personal connection with any of the events you partner with us on?
I have the privilege to work on a variety of Event 360 projects along with having a connection to the causes they are supporting. My grandmother, aunts and friends (young and old) have been affected by multiple sclerosis, breast cancer and multiple myeloma. Care and passion is such a big part of fundraising events through the participants, staff, vendors, volunteers and beyond. It brings hope that suffering can be lessened and lives can be longer as treatments and cures are found.
Tell us your favorite aspect of an event.
My entire career has been based in live events and it never gets old to see the joy on participants faces. Even when there is more work to be done while the event is going on, I always make sure to put myself among the crowd for some portion of the event. There is a lot to learn in that time, and it is a great reminder of why I chose to take this career path and be a part of something important in the lives of others.
Have you or someone close to you, ever participated in one of the events?
My best friend came to Washington, D.C., where I live, to do the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® in honor of a friend who had lost her battle with breast cancer at an early age. I enjoyed being a supporting part of her experience and helping to introduce her young daughter, who stayed with me while her mother walked, to people doing good in the world. It was moving to meet the group of walkers several times and cheer them on.
How do you think your service contributes to the overall success and a meaningful experience for our participants?
Creating an environment that is comfortable, fun, informative and easy for participants to maneuver through is not simple, but necessary. It is important that signage fulfills all these needs so participants and supporters are able to enjoy their experience instead of feeling overwhelmed. Choosing the correct scale of signs, materials, design and finishing all contribute to making the space memorable.
In your experience, what are the five key components to a successful partnership as they relate to fundraising events?
1. Maximizing Budgets – In the case of HP Productions, we not only provide a finished product, but work with our clients along the way to make sure the budget is being used in an effective manner. Looking at alternative materials, sizing to minimize waste and streamlining as much as possible all helps to free up budget money to go to the heart of the cause.
2. Communication – Making it easy for Event 360 and all my clients is a huge part of my job. Communication is key through the entire process and with temporary locations for events and strict timelines for build outs, executing and load out, timing is everything. Keeping to a schedule and understanding where there is and is not wiggle room is vital to this process. Creating the end result that everyone needs can only happen with quality communication.
3. Project Management – With numerous moving parts and overlapping events, project management is the base from which success comes. Having a management process that is reliable and flexible is a must.
4. Continued Education – Tweaking the process along the way and then recapping the event series afterwards, makes for a better experience for everyone. With an event series it is great to be able to adjust as needed. And with annual events, it is important to take notes and recap when the event is still fresh in everyone’s mind.
5. Flexibility – Things change in a moment or change over time. No matter what, being ready to think creatively and critically when the change comes will help everyone create the best possible event.
