3 Equations that Equal Memorable Event Experiences
We can’t say it enough – When you take the time to customize your event in a way that speaks to your audience, you’ve tapped into something special that will make your event memorable for years to come.
Our Miller Tanner Associates (MTA) team recently planned a stunning product launch in Charleston, South Carolina. With input from our client, our event planners used their creativity, expertise, and problem-solving skills to create a customized product launch for the company’s sales team.
Here are three equations for a memorable event experience and how our team perfectly executed these strategies:
1. Branding + Theme
Do you want to customize your event in such a way that makes it more memorable? Tie the branding together with an event theme for starters.
“At every meeting, we are telling a story, ” shares Marnie Battistini, CEO of Miller Tanner, explaining that one goal of any meeting is to get important messaging across to your attendees. Having a theme is one way to help accomplish that.
How we did it: Our Miller Tanner team took inspiration from the product’s branding and ran with it! The branding set the stage for the event’s theme and our planning team used it as a foundation to weave throughout the entire event. From gifts to table decor to sweet treats, the rainbow-colored branding was used to pull together the details and create an outstanding event.
2. Customized Gifting + Choice
We’ve learned from experience that customizing the event gifts is a popular trend. Give attendees the opportunity to select what items are most meaningful to them personally tends to be more appreciated by the attendees.
How we did it: Our team designed the concept for “The Shop” and created the display structure that housed the gift selection. Attendees had the opportunity to browse and choose their preferences. Each day “The Shop” featured new items and sweet treats to enjoy. Again, we used the theme to connect the gifts. All of “The Shop” gift ideas as well as the edible treats, that the talented pastry chef provided, carried the rainbow-themed branding.
3. Activities & Outings + Variety
Variety is the spice of life and events. Offering attendees a variety of activity options is an excellent way to engage your attendees and create a more special event.
How we did it: Our attendees were offered a choice of different activities including a historical carriage ride, golf, and spa time. We also planned dinners throughout the city, where the group was divided into smaller more intimate dinner parties. This is a great way to customize your event according to each attendee’s interest to make it a more memorable experience.
If you need ideas for making your corporate event a memorable one, reach out to our event planning experts at Miller Tanner Associates.
Miller Tanner Associates Celebrates 22 Years in the Meeting and Event Industry
Today we are celebrating our 22nd work anniversary at Miller Tanner Associates (MTA)!
A lot has changed in the event industry over the past two decades since MTA has been in business and we’ve strived to adapt as the times shifted and innovate as the opportunities arose. Our goal continues to be one that makes your events, regardless of the format (F2F, Virtual, Hybrid or repurposed event content) more engaging, more efficient, and more impactful.
On behalf of MTA, thank you for the continued opportunity over the past 22 years to be of service for your meetings and events across the globe.
Warmly,
Marnie Miller Battistini, CEO
Meet MTA: Christina Serra, Global Event Director
The Miller Tanner difference is our people. That’s why we want to introduce you to our team of superstars that brings our corporate meetings and events to life for our clients. Today we introduce you to Christina Serra, Global Event Director. Christina has the ability to juggle and problem solve any event challenge that comes her way. She’s dedicated to providing only the best service to our clients and event attendees.
Meet Christina Serra
Tell us about your current role with MTA? What are your primary responsibilities?
As a global event director, I work closely with our clients to ensure full understanding of their event expectations and goals. Then, along with an amazing team of MTA colleagues and our vendor partners, I work to ensure each aspect of the event is managed and implemented efficiently and flawlessly both during pre-planning and on-site.
How long have you been with MTA? I have been with Miller Tanner for 4.5 years.
What did you do before joining MTA? Prior to joining Miller Tanner, I completed a master’s degree program while working as an event manager at The Georgia Museum of Art – Georgia’s official state museum of art.
What’s the best part of your job?
I love that my job looks different every day based on the event on which I am working or team with whom I’m working. Of course, it is always nice when things go smoothly; however, I really love working through the logistical hurdles that come with being in the event industry. I love problem-solving and find it very rewarding any time I am challenged to look at a task with a new perspective in order to find a new solution or approach.
What’s been your favorite event destination as an event planning professional?
For most of my career with MTA, my event destinations have been domestic US cities. My favorites would be a tie between San Diego and San Francisco. Both are such walkable cities and for me, being able to sneak in a quick walk during a long day on site is the greatest treat. For smaller events, San Francisco offers several unique, historic hotels that are a fun change of scenery from a typical conference hotel.
What’s been your most memorable event to date and why?
During my first year with MTA, our team was working on a major global event series. Each event averaged 300 – 600 attendees and the series touched nearly every region of the world. Each event was logistically more complicated than a typical event, which forced the team at large to think outside the box and to really hone in on our individual strengths in order to develop greater efficiencies for our clients, our attendees, and the team members working on each event. I loved the challenge and hustle of these events and it was truly a team effort to get from start to finish each time. For the events in this series, it was pretty amazing to watch each event come to life seamlessly time and time again knowing all that went into the pre-planning.
Do you have a few great travel tips that you could share?
- Less is more! You truly don’t need much and so I usually will lay out everything I plan to pack and then put a good bit away before packing my suitcase.
- Having a good piece of luggage also makes a huge difference! I travel with an Away carry-on suitcase and am amazed each time I travel how much I can fit inside.
- I read recently that if you do not eat during international travel, you are less likely to experience difficult jet lag. I tried it on my last international trip and felt significantly better and found it much easier to adjust to the new time zone.
What do you do for fun?
I have a three-year-old who keeps me on my toes. Aside from spending time with my family, I love practicing yoga, spending time with friends, and am a self-proclaimed podcast addict.
Where are you currently located? And what is it about the area that you enjoy most?
I grew up north of Atlanta. I currently live in Athens, GA – about an hour outside of Atlanta. I never thought I would love living in a small town, but living in Athens is magic. Athens is a university town, which offers so many free cultural and educational events, workshops, lectures, etc. Additionally, Athens has historically been home to a strong music scene, which in turn has attracted a large artistic community who have chosen live and work here. I love that I can experience the charms of small-town living, while also having easy access to great food, music, and art. And when you start to get a little stir crazy, Atlanta is just a quick drive away.
Any favorite spots that you would recommend to tourists?
For anyone visiting Atlanta, I would highly recommend a walk or bike ride on the Atlanta Beltline. Along the way, there are numerous delicious restaurants to stop and grab a bite. Other favorite Atlanta spots include the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, the High Museum of Art, the Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center, and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.
What makes Miller Tanner stand out as meeting planning company? What’s your favorite aspect of MTA?
I love that MTA is a forward thinking company. The team at large is always looking at how we can make processes more seamless and efficient for our clients and the attendees and how we can utilize technology along the way. I worked in events in other capacities prior to my time at MTA and I can truly say that the people who make up MTA are unique. It is a team packed full of brilliant minds and kind hearts, which yields spectacular support for one another, our clients, and our attendees.
How Event Technology Can Improve Investigator Meetings
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Why Internal Meetings Matter
8 Reasons Why Internal Meetings Matter
We asked the team of event pros at Miller Tanner Associates why internal meetings matter. Our team members share their perspectives on how internal meetings can be beneficial to the overall health of an organization.
#1 Builds Team Morale
I believe there is no better money spent than meeting face-to-face when it comes to being part of a team, whether leading or supporting a company, department or team.
In most companies, the cost is an issue when bringing people together so you have to make the most of the limited time. However, I have seen first hand that it pays dividends for building team morale, allowing everyone to enjoy celebrating successes together, nurturing a virtual work environment, and driving comradery. The team walks away feeling appreciated, heard, valued and supported to name a few positive outcomes. – Dawn Barnes, Director, Key Accounts
#2 Creates a Sense of Purpose
Face-to-face meetings provide a perspective for the team at large as to what the company’s mission and goals are and it serves as an opportunity to share new company information and allow interaction. It’s a great time for employees to have facetime with the executives and to feel valued and celebrated. These type of meetings also provide opportunities for employees to intermingle among departments or regions and it can help the morale and culture when a company puts their money back into their employees. It creates a great sense of purpose. – Molly Suggs, Global Event Executive
#3 Nurtures a Strong Company Culture
It might be out of style to invest in a company culture or its team, outside of salaries and benefits, but at Miller Tanner Associates (MTA) I believe that creating a strong company culture yields a strong, successful company. Company cultures are built on creating positive, memorable company experiences. After creating 20 annual events for the MTA team, I’ve seen the investment in the MTA team really pay off. – Marnie Miller Battistini, CEO
#4 Offers Tangible and Intangible Experiences
The face-to-face experience offers tangible and intangible experiences. Tangibles are generally captured by industry standards such as training ROI metrics, attendance ratios or other measurements. Intangibles are captured by client cultures or the audience value system. Values are subjective and harder to measure but are just as valid an outcome as it goes toward addressing the human quotient of any business. – Marnie Miller Battistini, CEO
#5 Fosters Shared Commonality and Communication
First, the more you know about someone the better you can react to their thoughts, ideas, and moods. It is easy to interact with someone when you have familiarity. Internal meetings help provide that bridge.
Additionally, sage advice says, the more you have in common with someone the easier it is to interact based on that common ground. Shared experiences provide that opportunity to transcend the present moment and bond for the future or laugh over the past. – Laura Noel, Director, Strategic Development
#6 Determines Goals and Strategy for Success
Internal meetings are critical to establish roles and responsibilities, outline company goals and objectives, identify and build a strategy for a path forward to success, streamline processes, and ensure right stakeholders are involved in decision-making. Senior leaders and department heads should value input from their stakeholders and trusted employees, and want to learn from the team too – this, to me, is a step in the right direction. – Dawn Barnes, Director, Key Accounts
#7 Provides Face-to-Face Time with Leadership
I view it as an investment in a company and also a reboot to get everyone back on the same page and same goal. Time with executives is important for employees to feel seen and understand their value to the company.
If there are big changes, restructures, new missions, new goals – it is a great time to roll that out, in person, to allow questions and interaction. – Molly Suggs, Global Event Executive
#8 Actualizes the Company’s Message
Internal meetings are an opportunity to actualize the messaging and value system of a company. For example, at the annual MTA Workshop, one of my agenda items is to show the team my thanks for their hard work and commitment to the MTA brand. It’s where I try to energize everyone for the year to come while recognizing past achievements. Face-to-face meetings address the “humanity” of our workforce and move toward maintaining a strong team. – Marnie Miller Battistini, CEO
Do you need assistance with planning your next internal meeting? The Miller Tanner Team can help you create a more engaging, productive meeting for your internal teams. Contact us today
Meet MTA: Carla Mahlberg, Technical Projects Lead
The Miller Tanner difference is our people. That’s why we want to introduce you to our team of superstars that brings our corporate meetings and events to life for our clients. Today we introduce you to Carla Mahlberg, Technical Projects Lead. Carla brings her versatile technology skill set to our Technology Services Team ensuring that all in-house software projects are delivered on target.
Meet Carla Mahlberg
Tell us about your current role with Miller Tanner Associates (MTA)?
I am the technical projects lead which means that my job is never boring. I am always trying to figure out ways to get the job done. My primary function is to assist with keeping tasks for in-house software projects on schedule so that requests are not only functional but delivered in a timely manner to our stakeholders. I also conduct training as needed on software.
How long have you been with MTA? I have been with MTA for 5 years in July, and I am very grateful to be part of this amazing team.
What did you do before joining MTA?
I have been part of the technology industry for several years. I guess it’s in my DNA. I love figuring things out as I am more of a hands-on learner. Before MTA, I worked for another company in their Technical Department. I started with the Help Desk Team, and transition into their Development Team as a junior developer, and now I am here at MTA with the opportunity to bring my mix of skills to the team.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love how nothing is the same each day; when I log on, I never know what is coming down the pike. It’s ever-changing and challenging, and I really like that. I also love interacting with my team and seeing how the things that I am working on contribute to their work.
Where do you live and what do you love most about your state/city? Any must-see tourists spots?
I live in Tennessee, not far from Nashville. I love the rolling hills and how green it is. I think everyone should visit Chattanooga, TN; it’s one of my favorite spots because it offers a lot for everyone no matter the age. I also love the Tennessee state parks which are beautiful.
What do you do for fun? I enjoy being with my family, reading, and researching things pertaining to our world. I love learning.
What are some of your favorite tech trends?
Even though I love working in technology, I don’t have a huge list of tech trends. I do believe that automation is the future, and I love how Miller Tanner has used automation to its benefit. We have consolidated time-consuming tasks by automating them with workflows, allowing us to be more efficient in how our systems operate.
What makes Miller Tanner stand out as meeting planning company?
The people are what make Miller Tanner stand out as a meeting planning company, of course! If anyone is looking for a meeting management company that will get the job done but treat you with respect, going above and beyond to give you a meeting experience that you will never forget – then Miller Tanner will meet that expectation. Miller Tanner offers a plethora of knowledge, tools, and experience to produce and manage a meeting seamlessly.
Case Study: Investigator Training Engagement To Improve Event Management
The Partnership
Miller Tanner Associates is a meeting planning company that provides cost-effective, technology-based solutions for your meeting and event needs. We use our advanced event technology and meeting planning expertise to help pharmaceutical companies discover how to more effectively train and engage their study sites.
We partnered with a pharmaceutical company whose initiative was aimed at improving investigator meetings’ content for more engagement, creating best practices for all future investigator meetings and measuring ROI.
The Challenge
Miller Tanner Associates were responsible for developing solutions for challenges related to improving the investigators’ training process for a more successful clinical trial. The objectives included:
- Garner metrics to measure overall training effectiveness and investigators’ understanding of the clinical trial protocol
- Manage the investigator meeting series more systematically
- Optimize the meeting agenda for better knowledge retention
- Increase attendance globally for the investigator meeting
- Expand content engagement among investigators
- Create a seamless, automated registration process
- Track and address deviations in real time
The Solution
Our team of highly-skilled event technology experts and meeting planners designed a series of investigator meetings that surmounted these challenges. The Miller Tanner Associates team implemented a strategy that resulted in a more efficient process for our client’s management team and achieved higher engagement among the investigator site participants.
- Consultation: Our team provided comprehensive event consultation from start to finish. We led our client through the best practices of creating an agenda that would increase content engagement and maximize the face-to-face meeting.
- Client Event Web App: By using our advanced proprietary, customizable client event website, clinical trial managers had the ability to manage the event seamlessly in real time, address deviations that occurred, chat with our team through built-in instant messaging, and track all changes throughout the meeting as they occurred.
- Attend Web App: Our paperless meeting web app made it easy for attendees to register within the system, follow agenda, and interact with the presenters.
- Audience Engagement Platform: Our audience engagement platform provided a high level of interaction, allowing participants to ask questions and receive feedback live throughout the event.
The Results
By utilizing the solutions provided by Miller Tanner Associates, our client was able to greatly enhance
- Exceeded its goal of 90 percent or higher positive response rate from investigators who attended the investigator meeting for the global study.
- Increased site representation and attendance globally.
- Manage the investigator meeting series more systematically with real-time deviation notifications and automated registration.
- Improved overall engagement and efficiency with the ability to measure
ROI of the investigator meeting by using our advanced event technology and ourteam of event experts.
