Freelancers, Find Talent, Virtual Events Nikki Gonzales Freelancers, Find Talent, Virtual Events Nikki Gonzales

Maximize Your Strengths for Professional Success: “Elevate Your Career” Virtual Event Series

Join us for a three-part Elevate Your Career virtual event series “Maximize Your Strengths for Professional Success” hosted by Soundings. Each one-hour event features a presentation on leveraging your strengths for desired personal and career growth, followed by dynamic peer-to-peer career conversations.

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Common Freelancer Mistakes, and How to Avoid Them

The economy is changing constantly, and with these changes business is being conducted in new ways. Freelancers will need to keep up to date on new technology and soft skills in order to thrive in this competitive job market. Coursera and LinkedIn Learning offer many free opportunities to level up! Learn the newest project management systems, earn a certificate in instructional design or marketing and SEO (Search Engine Optimization). The Pandemic Protocol Certification is especially useful. Learn more about the Pandemic Onsite Protocol training by MPI here. Cvent is one of the leading technology providers offering solutions for virtual and hybrid events. Cvent now offers free courses for Meeting Professionals through Cvent Academy.

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Live Meetings Are Back! Surprising Things to Consider When Hosting a Conference

Live Meetings are coming back but what has changed? Hotels and service may look a little different than we are used to. Here is what we noticed. Hotels Rates Are Not Competitive Surprisingly, hotel space is more limited. Many cancelled events from 2020 have been re-booked for 4th quarter 2021 and 2022. As a result, hotel space is selling at a premium. Many travelers assume that hotels are reducing rates to attract guests but, they don’t need to.

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Conference Planning & COVID Compliance 101

Many are anxious to meet again but are we ready for live meetings? Whether it is a live or hybrid event, meeting professionals can create a safe environment for attendees and staff with proper planning and preparation. When sourcing meeting locations, ask for the current safety policies and emergency plan. How are they preventing infection?

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Thinking About Becoming A Freelancer?  

COVID-19 has forced many event and hospitality professionals to think about new ways to generate income, and long-time corporate employees are opting to take advantage of freelance/contract opportunities. Whether it is project management or virtual event planning, freelancing has become popular for both the company needing help and the professional seeking project-based work.

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BYOB : How to Build Your Own Benefits Package

Do you love the idea of freelancing, but also love the perks of corporate world benefits?

In addition to salary, employer sponsored health insurance, a retirement account, and paid vacation are standard benefits of full-time employment. These benefits are the main reason professionals choose the employee model vs freelancer.

You don’t have to give up all benefits to become a freelancer! As a best practice, add 15-30% to your rate to offset costs like payroll taxes, 401k match, insurance and workman’s compensation. As a freelancer, your rate should include the cost of providing those items yourself.

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Freelancers, Find Talent, Virtual Events Nikki Gonzales Freelancers, Find Talent, Virtual Events Nikki Gonzales

Leading with Inclusion: Furthering the Conversation About Diversity + Inclusion in the Hospitality + Events Industry

REVIVE + INNOVATE // Over the past month, the national conversation has centered around the harmful effects of racial injustice and systemic racism in the United States. As the meetings and events industry continues to move forward and recalibrate in response to the pandemic, this moment implores everyone in our industry to carefully examine and improve their diversity and inclusion practices.

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The Safety Dance: Navigating Health and Safety for Events in a COVID World

REVIVE + INNOVATE BLOG || Like their hotels and venue partners, meeting and event industry organizations have also been rolling out initiatives to tackle health and safety concerns. As new information regarding COVID-19 becomes available, meeting and event industry professionals can access these resources as they navigate evolving government guidelines and establish new health and safety best practices. What’s more, these resources can be used to inform, educate and increase communication between stakeholders.

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The New Hybrid

Virtual will never replace face-to-face events, but hybrid events are definitely here to stay. While we’re unable to travel, we’re turning to virtual events as a short-term solution for suspended live events. When it’s safe to travel again, we predict hybrid events will be the norm.

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Planning a webinar or virtual event? Here’s why we love Intrado.

Due to over anticipation of demand and under-delivery in terms of customer engagement, we’re still learning how to leverage virtual events to best serve everyone. At Soundings Connect, we’re highly impressed by Intrado’s increasingly sophisticated and interactive suite of cloud-based webcasting and virtual event solutions.

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Find Talent, Organizations Tracy Judge Find Talent, Organizations Tracy Judge

The Rise of Boutique Experiences in Chelsea and Nomad

Chelsea and the newly coined NoMad neighborhood are some of today’s most highly sought-after Manhattan destinations for meetings and events. With close proximity to iconic New York landmarks and a convenient central location, event planners often recommend Chelsea and NoMad as ideal destinations for business trips, incentive meetings and corporate retreats. Read more on our recommended sites!

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Find Talent, Freelancers, Virtual Events Tracy Judge Find Talent, Freelancers, Virtual Events Tracy Judge

Meetings Gone Virtual

Like most of the events world, Soundings Connect has been leaning on digital platforms that are designed to bring people together virtually. While we’re unable to meet in person, online tools give us the opportunity to create web-based experiences that help us build and maintain professional relationships and communities, especially as we pivot in response to rapid changes in business.

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Organizations, Find Talent Tracy Judge Organizations, Find Talent Tracy Judge

Experience the renaissance happening in lower Manhattan

We highly recommend that you put Lower Manhattan on the top of your list of NYC neighborhoods to consider for your next meeting or incentive trip. The changes happening downtown between the Hudson River and the East River make Lower Manhattan the perfect destination to create thought-provoking and innovative meetings and events. Read more on our recommended sites!

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Pricing Strategies For Meeting & Event Services

One of the easiest ways to ensure that you’re getting the best price is to understand the different pricing models used for meeting and event services. As you know, pricing is not one size fits all. In fact, savvy companies often use multiple pricing models to meet their clients’ needs. Our Founder & Chief Connector, Tracy Judge, analyzes the pros and cons of the various pricing models used for event services to help customers and their service providers build trust and, of course, profitability. Read all about it here.

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