A Doctor in the House - Do You Need An On-Site Medical Team?

Throughout my career, I've often had to wear many hats during an event - production director, customer service agent, even site custodian when the situation required it. Thankfully, one role I've rarely found myself in is having to act as my event's medical response technician. I'm not the least bit upset about this - aside from the fact that I like to avoid stranger's bodily fluids whenever possible, medical response is one of those rare specialties that not everyone can (nor should) step in to. Given the type of projects I commonly work on, I rarely consider conducting an event without a trained medical response team on-site. Yet I've been to many similar events where the medical response plan amounts to a cell phone, an intern, and a box of Band-Aids. Macgyver may approve, but the producer (and father) in me simply shudders at the ramifications.

Unless you're working in the outer fringes of event production (rock concerts, large festivals, extreme-sporting events), having an on-site medical response team may be one of those items you simply haven't considered necessary. After all, it's commonly thought that if something goes wrong, it's both easier and cheaper to simply call 911. And for 90% of your events, that's probably true. However, it only takes one major injury and botched, untimely response to ruin your event, damage your reputation, and open yourself up to lawsuits. This goes for all types of events - outdoor weddings, religious festivals, even company meetings. If your event carries the potential for injury (beyond simple first aid), you should seriously consider having a medical team on-site for the duration of your event.

In most cases, the potential benefits far outweigh the costs. Not only will an on-site team be able to respond to medical calls quickly, they'll likely be able to treat many minor injuries without having to call for "outside" medical assistance (believe me, nothing raises a red flag with city officials quite like a report from emergency services detailing dozens of response calls to your event). Additionally, you may be able to reduce your insurance obligations and lessen your potential liability by having an in-house medical team. Perhaps most importantly, having an on-site medical team shows that you care about the well-being of your guests, and will solidify good will from your clients and operating jurisdiction.

So how does one determine if they should have a medical team on-site for their event? Consider the following factors:

The size of your event - The largest factor in determining your medical response needs is the anticipated attendance of your event. Generally speaking, if you are expecting more than 1000 attendees, you should arrange to have an medical team on-site, regardless of the event type. The larger your event is, the more medical staff you should have available. Although the recommended MINIMUM number of response staff is 2 per 10,000 guests, I would advise doubling this number to 4 (two response teams). Likewise, that 1000-person figure should be used as a reference point only - based upon other considerations, you may have well below that number of guests in attendance and still require an on-site response team.

The type of event - After event attendance, the type of event you're producing should be considered. More specifically, the activities that will be taking place during the event. If you're producing a typical sit-down corporate meeting, then you won't need an on-site medical team in most cases. However, if you're putting together an outdoor music festival, you almost always will. This is a matter of sheer mechanics - the more people are moving around, the more likely they are to be injured.

Length of event - The hours during which the event will take place and the overall duration of the event are very important. Given the environmental conditions and chance of fatigue, an all day event is more likely to necessitate an on-site team than on lasing a few hours.

Demographics - the demographics of your audience will also play a roll in determining your event's medical needs. A younger, more active crowd will usually necessitate several on-site response teams, while an older, more reserved audience of the same size may not require none at all. This is not always the case, however. Think back to the corporate meeting we discussed earlier - if you were expecting hundreds of older guests at a shareholders meeting, having a medical team on-site would be a sensible decision.

Environmental Characteristics - How large is your event site? Is are activities taking place inside or outside? On pavement, or on grass? Out in the open, or under tents? Are there buildings nearby? Trees? Access to water and facilities? All aspects of your event's environment should be identified and analyzed to determine their impact on your guest's health. If the event conditions present a potential hazard (i.e uneven turf), or does not mitigate a potential hazard (for example, access to shade in the event of extreme heat), then you should have an on-site medical team throughout your event. If the layout of your event makes getting to certain areas difficult, you may want to consider several teams scattered throughout the event site.

Event location - Where is your event site in relation to the nearest major roadway? Hospital or other care facility? How long would it take an ambulance to respond if one is needed? If the answer to any of these questions is "Too far", "Too long" or "I don't know", then consider having a medical team on-site. The decision could be a lifesaving one.

Jurisdictional requirements - Sometimes, the decision to have an on-site medical team is made for you by the jurisdiction your event takes place in. Does your special events licence specify your medical requirements? If not, don't simply assume you're in the clear - place a friendly call to your local police chief and inquire. It'll save you numerous headaches later on.

You'll notice that there's one consideration I have not included in this list - cost. The reason for this is simple. If after addressing all other considerations you still haven't decided AGAINST having an on-site medical staff, then you need one. Cost should not be used as a deciding factor - doing so is gambling with the welfare of your guests.

Stay tuned for part two of this post, detailing what you should look for in a medical services provider, and more information on how to effectively establish your medical staffing levels.

Our Week on the Web - 2011-05-29

• The hard truth about social media - Why I Will Never, Ever Hire A "Social Media Expert" http://j.mp/mUpdNk #eventprofs #


• Headliners play curator to their own communal festivals - Click Track - The Washington Post http://j.mp/m9AeBa #

The Freelance Event Professional's Guide to Sanity

This past week, I began work on a new professional venture that, at least in the near term, will undoubtedly push my already heavy workload near the breaking point. Despite the threats to my sanity taking on more work could pose, the potential upsides of the project are well worth the additional outlay of time and effort. However, after several nights of post-midnight wraps and extra early mornings, I began to contemplate how I ended up here, working longer and harder than I ever did working 9 to 5 (Yeah, right...9 to 5).

Like most freelancers, several factors played into my decision to go solo. For me, the most important was the ability to determine my own workload, and thereby create some semblance of the personal life that was missing before. In the beginning, this meant being very judicious about what projects to take on. However, as the inevitable financial concerns began to creep in (this IS work, after all), I was forced to loosen my self-imposed restrictions and take on an ever-increasing number of projects.

I've heard it been said that the average person can reasonably balance up to 5 independent projects at any given time. Any more, and the quality of their work will begin to fall precipitously. Personally, I think that number is closer to three major projects. If this is the case, how does the average freelance event producer (such as myself) manage to thrive both personally and professionally, when their livelihood often relies on completing as many projects as possible? For me, it's helped to keep the following tips in mind:

Determine your needs - If you absolutely need income, then the decision to take on a project is a no-brainer. However, if the additional revenue isn't absolutely necessary at this juncture, ask yourself if you really need to take the job. Is the additional revenue the project will bring really worth the added stress, time in the office, and missed personal obligations? Remember, being well-off starts with being WELL, something that's difficult to be if you're overworked.

Know your limits - For most new freelancers, knowing when to say "no" is the hardest part of their new venture. The assumption is that you must take on all projects that come your way, both from a financial and reputation standpoint. However, although you may secure the initial work, few clients are interested in re-hiring a manic, unorganized, and often unavailable event producer. Make a realistic assessment of how many projects you can handle, and write that number down. If you're full up on work, don't even consider taking on additional work until you complete one of your current jobs. It's better to turn down a few gigs when your workload is heavy than to do a half-ass job and lose a client forever.

Focus on catching bigger fish, not more fish - If your bottom line is in need of some support, it's often better to focus your efforts on securing a few larger projects than it is to take on a slew of smaller ones. One month spent securing and executing a $100,000 project is far easier than taking on ten $10,000 gigs. Not to mention you'll have far fewer people to answer to (forget any time outlay, paperwork, or other technical aspect of your job. People are the REAL cause of most work-related stress).

Consider outsourcing your administrative tasks - It's no secret that a major source of time-related work stress comes from duties that have little direct impact on the financial aspects of your project (setting up meetings, getting materials quotes from multiple vendors, ordering office supplies, etc). For a freelancer, such tasks can completely consume your day to day operations, causing added stress and impacting your ability to effectively serve your client.  Although hiring an assistant may seem like a reasonable solution, the inconsistent nature of project work and the increased tax requirements make doing so impossible for most freelancers. Not to mention they may not enjoy working at your kitchen table.

Thankfully, with the advent of the internet has come the concept of the "virtual assistant", an entrepreneur who provides professional administrative, technical, or creative assistance to clients from the confines of their own home. Because virtual assistants are independent contractors rather than employees, clients are not responsible for any employee-related taxes, insurance or benefits, and also avoid the logistical problem of providing extra office space, equipment or supplies. A quick Google search turns up hundreds of companies providing such services, so finding one to fit your needs should be a breeze. I'll have more on finding a virtual assistant at a later time.

One final thought...remember that an event producer who turns down a project is considered in demand. One who takes on a project and fails is never considered again.

Live Nation and Groupon - Discounting the Serious Fan

If you've been following the industry wires this past week, you've undoubtedly heard of the new ticketing venture between Live Nation and Groupon, the online discount and coupon site. The deal, the value of which has yet to be disclosed, will create a subsidiary of Groupon called "GrouponLive!", that will offer fans access to discounted tickets for Live Nation concerts, sports, and other live events. According to Live Nation, the intent of the Groupon partnership is to "sell the last 10 rows" by reaching out to those customers who are unaware of an event or don't decide to buy a ticket until the last minute. All spin aside, however, the real intent is obvious to anyone within the industry - deeply discount and dump as many unsold tickets as possible prior to the event, in the hopes of filling the house and making a bit back on food and beverage.

On the surface, there's nothing inherently wrong with this concept. In fact, "papering" the house as it's commonly called has been done since the beginning of the modern concert industry. Traditionally, a promoter faced with a lightly or unevenly sold house would release limited amount of free tickets to radio stations, record stores, or community groups for distribution shortly before the event. When done right, it's a mutually beneficial situation - a few more guests get to see a show for free, the venue makes some money on concessions, and the artist performs for a larger audience.

However, the problem with the Live Nation/Groupon deal is not the intent. After all, an unfilled seat is lost revenue, which hurts everyone involved. It's that in their attempt to reach an admittedly small portion of the ticket buying public (the casual buyer), they risk alienating their core (regular) ticket buyers while simultaneously triggering a downward spiral in advance ticket sales that will ultimately hurt the promoter. It comes down to what Groupon does best - deep, widely distributed discounting.

Unlike most other consumer goods, event tickets do not lend themselves to discounting. As much as Live Nation would like to believe otherwise, concert tickets are not like clothing or foodstuffs, where the perceived value of the item drops as the time goes on. The value of a concert is "fixed" from the moment the deal is inked and the ticket prices are released to the public. Although the "street value" of a ticket may appreciate when they become scarce (witness the burgeoning secondary ticket market), there is no large-scale depreciation in the face value of a concert based upon time. However, this deal with Groupon does just that - designates the shelf-life of a concert ticket, where it's cheapest just before it turns sour. This sends two unmistakable messages. The first is that being a loyal customer who purchases their tickets early and often isn't worth the the extra effort and expense, especially when the guy next to you paid half as much the day before the concert. Likewise, It tells the public that it's better to wait until the last minute before purchasing their tickets, lest you miss out on a discount.

I speak of both consequences from experience. Several summers back, my former venue enacted a fairly heavy voucher program to move some unsold lawn tickets on several shows. For the cost of parking, voucher holders would get a "free" concert ticket, and the venue would boost our F&B numbers. In the beginning, the program was a huge success. Within a few weeks, however, lawn sales for most of our shows began to drop markedly. Concurrently, we began receiving daily inquiries from the public asking if we had vouchers for a particular show. Word had gotten out about the program, and the public responded as we had inadvertently "trained" them to do - hold off on purchasing and wait for the handout. Likewise, we began receiving complaints (both via phone and during the shows) from customers fuming that they had paid full price for their ticket while the guest beside them paid "nothing". For all our gains in our food and beverage numbers, we lost tremendously in potential ticket revenue and the goodwill of our paying customers.

One could argue that since these are "discounted" tickets (as opposed to free tickets distributed through papering), the backlash will be negligible. However, two things work against that notion - the number of tickets being released, and the highly visible marketing of these discounted tickets. It would be one thing if Live Nation and Groupon simply developed a discount program, and quietly activated it on select shows through Groupon's primary distribution channel. Although this might lack the public relations benefit the companies are hoping for, it would achieve roughly the same ends while sheltering them from some of the inevitable fallout. However, by executing the discounting program through "GrouponLive!" and promoting it so heavily, they're creating an expectation in the public that will either disappoint Live Nation (by causing the public to delay purchasing tickets), those who sign up for the service (when the deals prove to be scare, difficult to get, or otherwise disappointing), or those who have already purchased tickets (if we're to take Live Nation at its word, everyone EXCEPT those in "the last 10 rows"). Likely all three to varying degrees. In truth, the only party I see fully benefiting with this deal is Groupon.

Given the current state of the live music industry, I can't fault Live Nation for hitching their cart to this new distribution model in an attempt to move more tickets. After all, there are few companies out there as fast-growing and buzzworthy as Groupon, and concert promoters can use all the help they can get. However, I can't help but feel that the blow-back from the deal is going to cause more problems than any additional revenue is worth.

(Full disclosure - Although I am a former employee of Live Nation, I have no particular axe to grind with the company. Quite the contrary, I count my experience with the company to be some of the best of my professional career. This is a conceptual argument, not personal.)

Are You a Boxer or a Street-fighter?

A boxer trains for years to learn all the moves, so he knows precisely when to employ them.

A street-fighter relies on his intuition, and improvises in the moment.

A boxer prepares diligently for the big event. He studies his opponent, learns his weaknesses. He leaves nothing to chance.

For a street-fighter, the event comes to him. His opponent is of no consequence. He takes it as it comes.

A boxer knows his boundries. He'll take chances, push the line, but will never cross it. To cross it results in disqualification and a sullied reputation.

A street-fighter will do anything to achieve victory, regardless of reputation. He believes he has nothing to lose.

Regardless of personal feelings (and despite the requisite trash-talk), a boxer will always shakes hands with his opponent following a bout. He shows respect.

A street-fighter is powered by emotion alone. For him, the fight is almost always personal. He will spit in the face of his opponent if given the chance.

When the houselights come up for the final time, the boxer adapts. He's becomes a trainer, a commentator, a spokesman, a mentor. His brand lives on.

No one remembers the street-fighter.

As a professional, are you a boxer, or a street-fighter?

Elimination of the Insignificant

Although an overarching philosophy in Japanese art and design for centuries, the phrase "elimination of the insignificant" is most often attributed to architect Frank Lloyd Wright. As a design philosophy, it is taken to mean the need for the artist to isolate the formal essence of their subject from the "unnecessary and accidental" inclusions that distort and obscure its true nature.

How does this philosophy apply to event design? I take it to mean that if a production element does not add to the event experience in some MEANINGFUL way, eliminate it. Stop wasting your time and your client's money on experiential clutter that adds little to the purpose of the event but can obscure and distract from it.

This doesn't mean your next project needs to be austere and uninspiring. It simply means that five grand spent on an inspiring information packet or better lighting at your workshop tables is a much better use of your client's money than an ignored branding video or real-time Twitter feed.

The Woeful Tale of Evan T. Proff

Evan T. Proff was a handsome young man, ambitious to his core, and with an insatiable passion for his work. All of his waking hours were spent focused on a singular task - to become the finest event manager the world has ever known. He trolled the internet religiously, devouring every article and blog post about the industry he could find. He toiled daily to discover all the "right" contacts, followed every one of their tweets, and retweeted those whom he felt were of particular note (usually, those written by the heavy-hitters of the industry). He poured through Linked-In contacts, looking for every possible synergy. He was one man, 24-hour event-industry encyclopedia.

Not surpringly, he was also single.

Contrary to what you may think, Evan was not overjoyed with this particular aspect of his life. So, like millions of young men before him, Evan sought comfort and companionship in the one place where he was sure to find remedy - the local pub. After grabbing his first pint, he surveyed the room. Unfamiliar faces abounded, and a sinking anxiety overcame him. Where should he start? How should he approach a woman? How will he know if she's interested? His anxiety quickly turned to panic as he considered a hasty exit to the safe confines behind his computer screen. It was just then that he noticed a group of friends (as fate would have it, also event professionals) seated at a table in the center of the room.

"Aha!" he thought". "Friendly confines. I'm sure to find comfort and direction with them".

He tentatively approached the group, nearly knocking over a friendly-looking brunette in the process. After a half-mumbled apology, he proceeded on, still unsure as to how he should initiate himself. Thankfully, his associates welcomed him with raised glasses and open arms. After some (not surprisingly, work-related) small talk, Evan felt comfortable enough to open up to his companions and divulge his reason for being there. They were all too happy to offer advice.

Bill - "Ya know, they used to call me Dr. Love around here. Here's how you need to approach a woman..."
Bob - "Not sure about that one. But here's what you NEVER want to say to 'em..."
Tom - "Listen to Bill. Here's how you approach a woman."
Peter - "But are you wearing the right clothes? Here's what I think about that..."
Bob - "Listen to Peter. Are you wearing the right clothes? Here's what he thinks..."
Dave - "Listen to Bob. Here's what you never want to say..."

And so the conversation continued. And continued, And continued. Five event professionals, each imparting their "wisdom" upon Evan, and proclaiming support to one another's ideas without critique, or really, listening to one another at all. Hours passed...female friends of his guests came and went. He was introduced to many of them, yet he was so absorbed with the sage advice and direction of his peers, that he paid little mind to their names. Nor did he notice the dozens of lone women that came to the bar throughout the evening. Alas, the house lights came up, and Evan and his friends shuffled to the street. A few quick handshakes and back-slaps later, Evan walked home.

Alone.

With all of the wisdom his friends provided, his failure to meet anyone new must have been the fault of some outside circumstance, right? Maybe it was the wrong bar. Or an off night of the week. Maybe there just weren't any "eligible" women around. But no bother. It's been time well spent. In fact, he's meeting up with his fellow event peeps again tomorrow night. After all, he's learned so much about meeting women this evening, hasn't he?

*****************************************************************************************************

If you can't tell by now, I am most certainly NOT a novelist (Character development, what's that?). However, the above "story" was written with a larger point in mind. That is, with all of the exciting new methods of networking and communication (Twitter, Facebook, etc), it's all too easy to get caught up in the industry echo-chamber and, well...accomplish nothing.

As event professionals, we certainly want to remain current within the industry, and share our insights with our peers. We should also always make an effort to seek out new ideas and learn from others within the event profession. However, there is a fine line between sharing information and empty self-promotion, with more thought placed on contacts than content. Likewise, there's a risk of allowing our internal "social networking" to obscure our real occupation. Which in most cases is securing NEW business and assisting current clients. Networking with other event profs is great. Networking with people who will eventually pay you is even better. Make sure your scales are firmly tipped in the right direction.

After all, if Evan should spend a bit less time absorbed in the advice of his peers, he might not have missed every opportunity in front of him.