Behind The Clipboard Expert Event Tips

In this episode, event experts Melissa Howie and Tamara Cook tackle a topic that hits close to home for many in our events industry: BURNOUT. Joined by special guest, Sarah Reuter, CEO of Elevate Travel Co. we explore the signs of burnout from tight deadlines to high-pressure events in the exhilarating but exhausting events world. Sharing raw stories from the front lines, we give practical strategies on how to rejuvenate, function, and maintain your passion while delivering unforgettable event experiences. Subscribe for more behind-the-scenes wisdom from experienced events professionals!

Choosing the right photographer and videographer for your event is crucial; it can make or break your event’s visuals with a knock-on effect in many places. So how do you find the perfect shooter? In this episode, we’ll walk you through the key steps to confidently select, vet, and brief photographers and videographers to ensure your event is captured flawlessly. We’ll dive into what to look for, key questions to ask, and the key elements they need from your brief to streamline the process and deliver stunning results. Event imagery can go on to have many lives: socials, marketing campaigns, websites, emails, media coverage, even live slide shows shown at the event itself. So getting the right people to shoot your footage and images needs to be taken seriously. It's a chunky ep, for all of the above reasons... Tam and Mel x

Bridging the gap between study, ambition, and employment is one of the biggest hurdles for budding eventies trying to break into the industry. Tam and Mel are huge advocates for assisting people to get started in event management, but how do you actually get that dream job? Today we discuss ways people can fast track their way to work in events, and how experienced managers can encourage, mentor and support them to get there.

Today we’re bringing you Our Hot list of Event Management Don’ts! We’re recording on a Friday, we’re exhausted and full of tips from the recent events we’ve run and attended. We've compiled a list of our pet peeves - all the things people shouldn’t do when running professional events - that can send a good event manager in the wrong direction momentarily, or catastrophically. Links to Audio Visual Tips, as mentioned during the show: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/audio-visual-part-1/id1457486162?i=1000458470137  https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/audio-visual-part-2/id1457486162?i=1000459124466 

Post Event Processes. We know you're tired and hangry and your feet hurt, but there's still work do to! We’ve done an poddy on post event reporting (see link) but that just makes up one component of what we’re talking about in today's show. The actions you take following an event are just as important as your duties pre-event. They are the final steps in extraordinary event management and they inform both the event team, and the client, on how the event went, what can be improved, what can be repeated because it was so incredibly good, and what can be deleted and never spoken of again. Here are your top ten steps to following up after the event.   Listen to expert Event Report tips: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/post-event-reporting-the-best-party-trick/id1457486162?i=1000601674341   Behind the Clipboard podcast is recorded in Boorloo on the land of the Whadjuk people of the Nyoongar nation, and we pay respect at all our First Nations people around the country and the globe.

Just keep swimming – No one’s going to die – 123 breathe – Be a duck (if you know, you know) Event planning is in the top ten listed stressful jobs in the world. Top ten, people! Right behind surgery, hostage negotiation and firefighting. We only have one chance to get it right and often hundreds of thousands, to millions of dollars have been poured into our ability to make the right decisions at the right time. The best event planners are the ones who remain calm under enormous pressure, plastering on a face of authority and diligence, often assuring everyone around us that everything is fine – even when it isn’t! But good event planners know how to fix it – whatever it is, there’s a solution. Today we’ve compiled our top tips to remain calm when the pressure’s on!

'Cost of living' is on everyone's lips, but there are many thrifty ways to stretch planning budgets and still curate events that wow. So how do we impress attendees when budgets are tight and demand is high? Here are our top tips for keeping the wow-factor on a lot less coin. Link to Tam's original article as published in spice Magazine: https://www.spicenews.com.au/spice-loves/event-hacks-budget-beating-tips-for-planners/    

It's all over the news right now – DEI: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.  Mel and Tam believe that a deliberate and considered focus on DEI and safety is critical to creating fantastic event experiences. So, as this is an educational podcast sharing the best tools of the trade, we’re giving you a comprehensive checklist of how you can practically insert DEI approaches into your events. Use it as a base to expand and create your own best practice when managing events. Behind the Clipboard podcast is recorded in Boorloo on the land of the Whadjuk people of the Nyoongar nation, and we pay respect at all our First Nations people around the country and the globe.   Your Hosts:  Tamara Cook, Director, Known Associates Events  Melissa Howie, Event Solutions Manager, Known Associates Events   Behind the Clipboard Podcast is powered by Known Associates Events - delvering premium corporate event management in Australia

AIME is the event for corporate Event Managers and the adjacent community to attend in the Asia-Pacific region. People flock from all over the globe to attend and connect with the industry at this fabulously run conference and expo held annually in Melbourne Australia. Tam, Mel and Terence from Known Associates Events share their experience attending in 2024, and the highlights they’re expecting in 2025, including Tamara presenting on stage at the Ideas Academy! If you’re an Event Manager or in the business event community in any capacity, you need to be at this event! Tune in and we’ll tell you why… *This podcast is not sponsored by AIME and is a genuine reflection on our personal experience of the event – which was GREAT! www.aime.com.au Charity Tam mentions for stationary donations: www.givewrite.org.au 

Tam and Mel attend and manage several IWD events each year. 2024 events got the whole Known Associates office talking about who's doing it well, how some events could improve, and which styles are making genuine, meaningful change. Terence Smith joins the ladies for a robust look at International Women's Day events in 2024. We'd love to hear your thoughts! Connect with us on instgram or LinkedIn.   Hosts Melissa Howie, Tamara Cook and special guest, Terence Smith. @knownassociatesevents @behindtheclipboard

Today we’re talking about our favourite topic – getting drinks! Bar service is often pivotal to live events whether we’re serving alcoholic drinks or mocktails. But today we’re going to focus on the service of alcohol and the balance between our responsibilities as event professionals, and our guests having fun! This episode was recorded on Whadjuk Nyoongar boodja and we pay our respects to our First Nations owners of our beautiful country.

Today we’re breaking down things we wish our clients knew. It’s a bit of a doozy as we lift the lid on what goes on behind the scenes. From obscure things we have to google to come up with unique ideas, to the amount of time it takes to put together a proposal. Let’s go!   BTC Podcast is recorded on First Nations land, Whadjuk Noongar boodjar in Boorloo, Western Australia. We pay our respects to our First Nations people across Australia.

We promise not to put you to sleep as we spice up a dry topic, contracts! Contracts are those multipage nightmares we event managers have to trawl through to ensure we’re a) getting the best value for money, b) getting what we actually asked for and c) not getting a bunch of stuff we didn’t need or want at all! Behind the Clipboard is recorded on First Nations land, Whadjuk Noongar boodjar in Boorloo, (Perth) Western Australia. We pay our respects to our First Nations people across Australia. 

Today’s masterclass is on a handy little skill called Show Calling! It’s a role used in large scale events where there’s a plethora of multimedia and talent happening in the room. I’m talking live cameras, several screens with varied content, music, speeches, MCs and performers such as dancers, stilt walkers and singers. Show Calling is essentially being in the control room. You’re the conductor. You’re mic’d up to a headset and calling the shots of what’s going to happen and when. Let's find out if this role is for you This podcast is recorded on First Nations land, Whadjuk Noongar boodjar in Boorloo, Western Australia and we pay our respects to our First Nations people.  

When you run a large scale event which focuses its formalities and entertainment on stage, you need a tightly run ship to ensure it all goes to plan. From timing, audio visual, and coordinating talent, to wrangling MCs, sound checks and stage plots; your approach to Stage Management plays a pivotal role in getting it right.  So today we’re going to give you the ins and outs on how to stage manage like a BOSS!   This podcast is recorded on Whadjuk Noongar boodjar with respect to our First Nations people.

Once the event's over and your feet have recovered from 38,000 steps in one day, you have one final job to do...the post event report! This is a gem of a task which will help your future-self infinitely; especially if you're repeating the event. Post-event reporting has a few facets to it. Tune in we'll have you recording your successes and improvements like a pro! This podcast is recorded on Whadjuk Noongar boodjar with respect to our First Nations people.

Known Associates Events, where Mel and Tam spend every day dreaming up cool stuff for their clients, is the event company powering Behind the Clipboard Podcast. This year Known Associates turned 15 – that’s right, they’re moody, erratic teens who like to party and break all the rules. Mel’s putting Founder and Director, Tamara Cook, in the hot seat, touching on all the behind the scenes goss that got the company to where it is today. It's been a journey! Visit us at www.knownassociates.com.au We'd love to hear from you! Tam and Mel xx This podcast is recorded on Whadjuk Noongar boodjar with respect to our First Nations people.

Did you know that key team briefings can make or break your event? Often in the chaos before doors open it seems like you don't have time for a briefing - INCORRECT. Making sure everyone on the event site is across the purpose, movements and core details of the event is essential. Yes, you may have sent out run sheets and emails etc. but the briefing is when you know the messages sent, are the messages received. Word. Let's check out the who, the what and the where of those lil' pow wows that will make all the difference to the success of your event.       

We all know the best events build a brand we can all get around. A brand that sticks in our minds and doesn't leave until we jump on that ticketing website and get it get it! (Did someone say Fyre Festival?) Tam and Mel take you through the do's and don'ts of creating an event brand, from choosing the name and colour scheme, to the applications and places to market your collateral. Giddyup!

Seasoned Event Directors Mel and Tam talk about everything from sleep routines to post event meltdowns, errr I mean reporting, in this deep dive into our event day rituals. We're joined by special guest host, Justine Peovitis from Known Associates, to ask us all the curly questions. www.knownassociates.com.au