Merriam-Webster defines logistics as “the handling of the details of an operation.” As event organizers know, logistics are the underlying foundation of every festival. It all comes down to this:

T-shirts are a great way to help people identify your staff and volunteers, and it gives each person a little take-away from the experience. It's a simple addition to your event, but it can't be an afterthought. Staff and volunteer t-shirts, too, require a little planning, but it's no big deal as long as you get a jump on it. 

Start the process early. You might do everything right, but you want a little wiggle room in case the t-shirt printers drop the ball. 

It might be tempting to accept any and all help you can get when it comes to staffing your event with volunteers, but you should not skip the screening process. Simply put: it's a matter of safety.

When it comes to events, change and the unexpected are two constants. It's more often than not that things come up, events don't go as planned and quick action and improvisation must be taken in order to keep things moving and the event successful. 

While careful planning is crucial for event professionals, it's equally important to not just anticipate change, but to embrace it. After all, it's going to happen.

So...how can you embrace change instead of dreading it?

Let's face it - it can happen all too easily when planning an event, that white knuckle, going to the top of a 5 story roller coaster type of vice grip over every detail. Thankfully, there are ways to keep that sense of control without throttling those situations. As the manager, you should be the proverbial duck, calm and serene, while simultaneously engaging in a cycle class below the water. The best way to put forth that unperturbed, yet authoritative, appearance is to actually have control, not force it at the time. Here are 3 strategies that will help you earn that confident air.  

Planning and executing an event is one of the most gratifying, yet stressful things one can do. But an event is only as successful as the team behind it, and with the right team, great events are unstoppable. Engaging and holding your event team accountable might be one of the tasks that you push to the side when running an event, but it really should be at the forefront.

It's the day of, you've got your checklists, name badges, tasks to be handed out...and half your staff doesn't arrive. It's the ultimate event planning nightmare, and it happens more than we'd like to think. By necessity, we often rely on volunteers and handshake agreements which can lead to day of no-shows = huge headache for you. 

Here are 3 ways to make sure your event staff show up when you need them. 

Running an event can be like frantically chasing a toddler or a loose pet down a street: You just don't know where that wild child is headed. But it doesn't have to be that way. Adaptability comes from thorough planning. By mastering the ability to adapt on event day, you'll reduce or eliminate emergencies, and address surprises as quickly as they happen. Here are some tips so you can master your ability to adapt during your event.

Let's face it. Planning an event takes time and money. Whether it's the money you invest in hiring event staff, or the forethought it takes to manage volunteers, you want to be sure that you're getting the most out of your investments. Here's what you need to do to establish a measuring stick for your event staff efficiency.

Relying on print documents for your event is like driving a clunker down the highway while other, faster cars are speeding past you. Sure, you'll get to your destination, but it's a much slower, more tedious task that could be done more efficiently. Why take that often frustrating road when you can enter a new age, and digitize? Journey with us as we review the struggles with printing to see why event professionals are making the switch to digital.

Let's face it - many of your fellow event planning colleagues may still use walkie-talkies on event day. In fact, you may even be relying upon them yourself. By doing so, however, you and your event staff may be missing out on several benefits. You can do way better. Here's a list of just a few of them: