There are plenty of eye-catching trends that attendees find unforgettable. But what about the things attendees never notice... if you're lucky?!
The ultimate key to event success is a rich relationship with your venue, where they can be your secret agent behind the scenes.
Where better to learn about successful undercover missions than the International Spy Museum's Senior Manager of Private Events, Amanda Lincoln, who is as informed on event management and logistics as she is on the iconic James Bond and those gorgeous 007 vehicles in the museum's special exhibit "Bond In Motion"—just extended to Labor Day Weekend.
Q: Amanda, you manage 200 events a year and have led the logistics of Spy Museum private events—weddings, galas, exclusive after-hour corporate events in the exhibits—for the last 10 years. What tricks have you taken from Bond to be the perfect shadow support for clients and event professionals?
Amanda: "James Bond is like a fantastic event: He looks good, he's the face of the party, and he gets things done—but he's only truly successful because he has a great team behind him. It's the hard work from Q (the nerd behind-the-scenes) who gives Bond the gadgets that set him up for success and get him through the mission's pain points so he has the opportunity to shine.
We see ourselves as the Q, letting our clients have their 007 moment."
Q: What are the best questions event professionals can ask their venue to make sure they're set up for success?
Amanda: "Easy: rules and regulations. Venues need to acknowledge early on what will work, what event space or city restrictions exist (e.g., D.C.'s strict drone regulations), and how to best work within those parameters.
For true mission success, your venue also needs to be actively knowledgeable about what is happening locally. At the Spy Museum, we live in a lively, exciting city, so it's important to know what's going on in D.C.—e.g., a march, parade, NATO Summit, World Pride, etc.—and have a plan of action for road closures or other considerations for the event. The venue should be focused on making it as easy as possible for attendees and event partners."
Q: What's the biggest green flag for venues?
Amanda: "Transparency. Venues should be upfront regarding what they can do on-site and what they need from outside vendors. This should be an early conversation. And if it's a surprise late in the game, your venue is not setting you up for success.
If anything, venues should be your fount of knowledge for trusted vendors and preferred partners in lighting, AV, decor, valet, etc."
Q: What makes the Spy Museum a success?
Amanda: "We do 60-70% of our business through word of mouth and referrals. Good practices follow you in this business. Our transparency and the partnerships we nurture lead the way.
Plus, there's a cool factor. Where else can you have a cocktail next to Daniel Craig's Aston Martin DBS from 2008's Quantum of Solace?!"
