Blog
The Future of Meetings and Events
he meetings and events industry is constantly evolving. Here at Gray Dawes Events, we keep a close eye on the trends that are shaping the industry and the world at large.
Event budgeting – a beginners guide
Keeping track of your event budget can be a challenge. If not carefully (and we mean carefully) controlled, it’s very easy for event budgets to spiral out of control as factors you may not have thought of pop up. Thankfully, we’re here to help!
Experience is Everything – Episode 3 – Elle-Mae Martin
In this episode, we chat with Event Exec Elle-Mae Martin about her childhood dreams of life becoming a dance movie, helping put together the G7 summit and how her own career is already pretty movie-worthy. Plus she shares what it was like putting together our largest ever event.
4 Reasons to Run Incentive Trips
Incentive trips are a great way to reward employees for their hard work and dedication. Plus, offering your team the chance to go on a fantastic trip is a great way to motivate employees to achieve their goals and objectives. Check out some of our top reasons to run incentive trips.
The Office Management Show
We’re delighted to be exhibiting at the Office Management Show on April 27. The event is taking place at the The Thistle, Marble Arch and we’d love to see you there.
Venue Spotlight: Pavilions of Harrogate
The Gray Dawes Event team recently ran our largest ever event at the Pavilions of Harrogate, and this stunning venue did not disappoint.
Experience is Everything – Episode 2 – Saffron Mattu
In the second episode of the Experience is Everything Podcast, we chat with Saffron Mattu to get a glimpse into a week in the life of an Events Executive. We find out all about Saffron’s dreams of fame that led her to advertising Dell laptops, her pathway into a career in events, casually rubbing shoulders with Gallagher brothers and Spice Girls, and much, much more.
Let them eat cake (or maybe not)
Feeding your attendees for success. Don’t be as misguided and out of touch as Marie Antoinette. Carefully consider what food you serve up for your meeting or event attendees, with both dietary requirements and nutritional benefit in mind, and you’ll be on the right track to event success… and avoid a metaphorical beheading from your attendees!
Experience is Everything – Episode 1 – Katie Whitby
In this first episode of the Experience is Everything Podcast, we caught up with Katie Whitby about her childhood dreams of riding into the danger zone like Maverick, tearing up the streets on scrambler motorbikes, sharing cars with Wimbledon legends (though never getting an invite!) and extreme multitasking at ultra-fancy weddings.
Questions for your next event
Our team has a wealth of experience in managing events, so we know the things you need to ask (yourself and others) to make them a success. Thankfully for you, dear reader, we’ve distilled our years of experience down into a handy cheat sheet that you can use as a starting point when planning your next event.
On Demand Webinar: How to Create a Seamless Event in 2023
No matter what size your organisation is, planning a corporate meeting or event is no easy feat. Having the voice of experience in your corner can make all the difference. Join our upcoming webinar for some top tips and tricks for making the most of your event experience.
The Rise of Gen Z
Gen Z have a different set of values and communication preferences to older audiences. Given they’re expected to account for 27% of the workforce by 2025, it’s important to consider how you can create a corporate event experience that resonates with these delegates. Here are some suggestions to get you thinking.
Planning Ahead
Event planning is a complicated process. Even when putting together something as simple as team building events, it can get complicated quickly – figuring out the logistics alone is a difficult task. How much time should you give yourself to plan an event? What should you think about first? Read our top 5 things to consider.
Event Planning Tips
As life begins to get back to a new kind of normal, we have to accept that Covid-19 has changed things… and that includes how you manage meetings, incentive trips and conferences for your business. Here are our Top 5 Tips for planning a corporate event post-pandemic.
Top 5 MICE Destinations
With international travel now firmly back on the agenda, here are our top 5 destinations you should consider for your next corporate event… and one or two suggestions may surprise you!
Client Spotlight: Super Incentive In Dubai
Client Spotlight: Super Incentive Dubai Here at Gray Dawes Events we love what we do. So when one of our clients, a large multinational, approached us looking to run a super incentive for their staff, we couldn't wait to get started. After many organisational...
Spotlight: Danielle Grubb
Next up in our series of articles focussing on the incredible breadth of experience our team has to offer, we put the spotlight on Danielle Grubb, Events Team Leader at the Gray Dawes Group. With nearly 15 years experience at Gray Dawes Group, Danielle has worked in a number of different departments and has even worked overseas in the hotel industry.
A Quick Guide to Group Travel
When booking flights for large groups, juggling passengers, seats, luggage and check-in, things can quickly become a headache! Utilising a group travel expert like Gray Dawes can relieve the stress and make life a whole lot easier. Let us show you how with this quick guide.
How To Get The Best Out Of Your Event Planner
You’ve been asked by a colleague to run an event, but maybe it’s something you haven’t done before? Our advice is to get in touch with someone who has experience – an Event Planner! In this article we outline all the qualities a good Events Planner should have and what you need to do to get the best out of them.
Overseas Events Are Hotting Up
Things are start to heat up in the face-to-face events world, with overseas booking demand returning now that border controls and Covid related restrictions are relaxing.
New Venue Management Power
We are super excited to announce that we’ve signed an agreement with venuedirectory.com for its end-to-end venue finding software, GRATIS. This new deal will not only enhance the efficiency of our venue finding services, but it bring fantastic new features, advantages and benefits to our customers.
Strategic Meetings Management
Strategic Meetings Management (or SMM) is the event planner’s smart way to co-ordinate meetings at key/preferred venues on a regular basis, often guaranteeing discounted rates, added extras, and having priority to meeting spaces over other companies who may not be quite as organised as you!
Delegate Management
An event management solution which is so much more than a device to help you keep track of your delegate numbers, it’s also a strategic tool, to increase visibility and compliance and as a result provide costs savings.
Reward & Recognition Programmes
Reward and recognition programmes are a fantastic way to acknowledge and celebrate the efforts and achievements of your team. They can help raise morale, increase employee engagement and improve team culture.
Transitioning Back to Normal Events
While things may not go back to normal overnight, we’re ready to start the transition. We’re looking at how this will work and what we can offer to help make our clients feel safe and build up the confidence to meeting in person again. Here’s our top 3 tips to think about with returning to in-person events…
Zoom Fatigue
Zoom fatigue is the latest phrase we’ve added to our vocabulary since the pandemic forced offices up and down the country to shut. Find out how Zoom fatigue has become something people are increasingly aware and victims of.
Experience is Everything
In this article, Lesley Tyler, Head of Events Operations at Gray Dawes Group, reflects on the past 12 months, what corporate events will look like in a post-Covid world and how Gray Dawes Events can help your organisation create a memorable experience for your next event.
Etiquette Faux Pas to Avoid in Virtual Meetings
From showing up late to appearing too casual, we offer some tips on how to avoid these faux pas and improve your meeting etiquette, in preparation for returning to the office.
What England’s Roadmap Out of Lockdown Means for Live Events
After months of virtual meetings, classes, conferences, and happy hours, it has been announced that large business events can resume with the recently released proposed roadmap out of lockdown for England. We discuss what that means for Gray Dawes Events with very own Meetings Management Team Leader, Danielle Grubb.
The Future of Live Events
According to C&IT’s Global Agency Outlook survey the majority of event planners expect large-scale events to return in the third or fourth quarter of 2021.
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