No matter how much you try to plan ahead and delegate, organizing an event is a huge undertaking. But with a lot of preparation and a little luck, your event will be the best yet! Follow the three tips below to help make your event a huge success. Socialize Social media is a cost-effective way to promote your event to the masses. It’s also a great way to reach your target audience where they already are and interact with them [...]

How to Please Customers in the Digital Age In the Digital Age, when many people prefer to do business online, does customer service really matter anymore? We’re here to tell you that not only is customer service still important, but it may be the most important aspect of your business. We understand that some people want a seamless, human-free experience, which is why we offer instant online quotes and even allow customers to purchase their rain insurance coverage online. BUT [...]

You may think that an indoor event is exempt from any negative effects of the weather…and you would be wrong. Remember when snow and ice in Dallas canceled hundreds of flights, turned roads into ice rinks and prevented some ticket holders from making it to Super Bowl XLV in 2011? Due to the inherent danger of winter storms, indoor events are not immune to their effects. Just like rain, a significant snowfall can hamper an indoor event by hindering people’s [...]

Climate change is contributing to more extreme weather events, including extreme heat. While it may look like a pleasant day, extreme heat is extremely dangerous. According to the National Center for Environmental Health, extreme heat causes more than 600 deaths per year, more than hurricanes, flooding, lightning and tornadoes combined. To help protect organizers from reduced attendance due to stifling heat and humidity—or in worst-case scenarios, to allow them to cancel outdoor events rather than putting attendees and vendors at [...]

One of the most important features of an event cancellation policy is that it begins as soon as the policy is bound. While you may purchase coverage as late as 10 days before your event, we recommend getting coverage at least 90 days prior to an outdoor event. If you’re really on top of it, you can purchase coverage up to one year in advance. Telling a client their event cancellation isn’t covered because they sought coverage too late is [...]

Is your business impacted by the weather? Can you estimate your revenue for the day based on the weather forecast? Then income stabilization insurance is for you. Summer is just around the corner and, for some businesses, that means the busy season. Whether you run a beachfront shop, a water park or a restaurant most known for its patio seating on warm summer nights, a bad day of weather could mean a bad day for business. That’s why many of [...]

Whether it’s your first time on the trade show floor or you’re a seasoned attendee, you can always pick up new tips to make the most of your time at an event. Below are four of our favorite bits of advice that will have you returning home from a trade show feeling refreshed, full of knowledge and ready to hit the ground running when you get back to the office. 1. Preview the exhibitor list and come up with questions [...]

Planning a golf outing is no small undertaking. But with a lot of preparation and a little luck, your golf outing will be a hole in one! Follow the advice below for help making your golf outing a huge success. Offer a Big Prize Offering a big prize, such as that for a hole-in-one competition or a putting contest, is a great way to add some fun and attract more players to your golf outing. The best part of offering [...]

When it comes to weather insurance, no two policies and claims are the same. There are six basic building blocks to weather insurance policies. In this article, we break down these building blocks to help snow contractors understand how these variables affect their coverage and claim options.

Joining the board of a fair or festival—most of which are governed by boards—can be a fun and rewarding experience. However, it is no small undertaking, and if the organization finds itself in hot water, you could be held personally responsible. That’s because nonprofit organizations, like many of those that put on local fairs and festivals, are still susceptible to some of the same threats as for-profit businesses, including the potential for lawsuits. If the organization is sued and doesn’t [...]

If there’s one thing we have learned is key to the success of our clients, and ultimately our success, is listening. It’s not just about hearing what our clients have to say, but actively listening to them. Sales reps are often too busy talking to listen. Even if they are tuned in to what a customer or potential customer, they’re often just listening for a specific cue or challenge that gives them a jumping off point to pitch their product [...]

If you’re in the business of snow and ice removal, you’ve more than likely heard about the salt shortage plaguing the Midwest and Northeast. An unexpected late season ice storm last spring, a labor strike at the world’s largest salt mine, and issues surrounding a large mining operation in Ohio have resulted in a deficit in a salt deficit as plow companies begin stocking their supplies for winter. Since municipalities typically get first dibs on road salt, private plow companies [...]

5 Steps to Cancel or Postpone Your Event Without Damaging Your Reputation When weather doesn’t cooperate for your outdoor event, you need to act fast to communicate the situation to attendees and preserve your reputation. Here’s how: 1. Act Fast You should begin monitoring the weather a week before your event, so you can prepare for any expected weather. However, keep in mind that there are no guarantees when it comes to the forecast, so be ready for anything. As [...]

If you’ve been to a conference or convention in the event or snow removal industries, you’ve probably seen Spectrum President, Robert Holmes. Rob strongly believes that there is no true replacement for face-to-face interaction and, therefore, racks up quite a few frequent flyer miles attending as many industry events as possible. While networking and meeting new business prospects are obvious reasons to attend these types of events, we also see it as an opportunity to better serve our clients. These [...]

We should start out by saying you should always expect the unexpected. We cannot control the weather, nor predict it with 100 percent certainty, so always be prepared for the worst. That’s why we advise our clients, especially those planning events in coastal areas during hurricane season, to hope for the best, but plan for the worst. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released their 2018 Atlantic hurricane season outlook—which extends from June 1 to November 30, typically peaking [...]