Online Payment Solution: Leading to a Cashless World!

Today's society is slowly progressing towards a cashless economy! People prefer to use their plastic instead of hard cash. Indeed, using credit cards is a lot easier than carrying cash around. One card is all that you need to fit in your wallet whereas in case of cash you need to carry a bulk amount since you don't know how much you may require at one go. While speaking to a corporate honcho who lives next door, I realized the significance of online payment and its growing importance for the business world. They have started using different online payment solutions and phasing out the acceptance of cash from the customers. You need to hire people in order to man the cash counters while in case of online money transfer the process is quick, simple and hassle-free.

Online payment transfer is much safer option too. Credit cards are issued by a bank after a lengthy verification process. While paying with your credit card, you should mandatorily double check all payment related information before final confirmation. Also, you MUST check credit card and bank statements carefully after every payment to ensure the correct amount has been debited, and also that no fraud has taken place during the particular transaction phase. Majority of the people also use standard payment gateways (PayPal, Authorize.net, etc.) to transfer funds to the seller. Event organizers too are relying heavily on such online payment processing and management solutions to efficiently handle event registration fees and/or ticket sales.

Online payment solutions come with some major advantages such as:

PCI Compliance

It means you can safely use such a solution for financial transactions of any kind. PCI which stands for Payment Card Industry has enlisted a few goals that all credit card issuing and dealing banks need to follow. Some of the goals include maintaining a secure network, protecting the card holder's data, and regularly monitoring each and every transaction that takes place using credit cards.

SSL 128-bit Data Encryption

Majority of online payment management software adhere to the SSL 128-bit data encryption policy to protect information that passes through the system. Thus, the online payment solution lets you process all types of credit/debit card payments and payments made via popular gateways securely, preventing any chances of fraud.

Tension-free Money Handling

Businesses of all kinds, event management companies plus class organizers find an online payment solution very user-friendly. It is because they don't have to bother about individually collecting money from the customers, attendees or students. The online system successfully transfers money from the buyer's to the seller's bank account in minutes with least human interference.

Corporate Strategic Planning

I would like to share the definition about the corporate strategic planning and competitive advantage. They are mandatory for all big, middle, at least settled company/ institutions to make a sustainable and going concern business.

1) Strategic Planning is the managerial process of developing and maintaining a strategic fit between the organization's objectives and resources and its changing market opportunities.

2) Strategic Marketing is "a series of integrated actions leading to a sustainable competitive advantage"

- John Scully-

3) Corporate Mission is broad purposes of the organization, driven by heritage and environment.

4) Corporate Objectives is a long range purpose.

5) Corporate Goal is a measurable objective of the business.

6) Strategic Business Unit (SBU) is a set of product lines for which a business or marketing strategy should be designed.

Now about competitive advantage is:

1) "Competitive advantage is a company's ability to perform in one or more ways that competitors cannot or will not match."

-Philip Kotler-

2) "If you don't have a competitive advantage, don't compete."

-Jack Welch-

Now is the discussion about the Corporate Strategic Planning:

Entrepreneurs and business managers are often so preoccupied with immediate issues that they lose sight of their ultimate objectives. That's why a business review or preparation of a strategic plan is a virtual necessity. This may not be a recipe for success, but without it a business is much more likely to fail. A sound plan should:

* Serve as a framework for decisions or for securing support/approval.

* Provide a basis for more detailed planning.

* Explain the business to others in order to inform, motivate & involve.

* Assist benchmarking & performance monitoring.

* Stimulate change and become building block for next plan.

For inspiration (and a few smiles), have a look at some of the quotations and examples of bad advice included in other pages!

A strategic plan should not be confused with a business plan. The former is likely to be a (very) short document whereas a business plan is usually a much more substantial and detailed document. A strategic plan can provide the foundation and frame work for a business plan. For more information about business plans, refer to How to Write a Business Plan, Insights into Business Planning and Free-Plan: Business Plan Guide & Template.

A strategic plan is not the same thing as an operational plan. The former should be visionary, conceptual and directional in contrast to an operational plan which is likely to be shorter term, tactical, focused, implementable and measurable. As an example, compare the process of planning a vacation (where, when, duration, budget, who goes, how travel are all strategic issues) with the final preparations (tasks, deadlines, funding, weather, packing, transport and so on are all operational matters).

A satisfactory strategic plan must be realistic and attainable so as to allow managers and entrepreneurs to think strategically and act operationally

Planning Your Next Successful Corporate Seminar

Successful businesses always look to the future. Planning for contingencies in the marketplace, readying new services and products while keeping current with advances in technology and business practices requires regular face time with associates and employees. Corporate events, seminars and regular business meetings help to motivate employees and bosses alike. A well planned seminar or conference helps a business remain competitive in the marketplace, and allows employers and their employees to exchange new ideas, devise new and better marketing strategies and troubleshoot problems in both the marketplace and the company. Off-site business events in particular go a long way towards boosting the morale of the workforce, and inspiring employees to a higher level of performance.

Anyone who has ever found themselves organizing one of these corporate events knows how daunting a task it can be. There's quite a bit of juggling that needs doing. Presentations need to be prepared, media services must be secured and itineraries must be set. Of course, one of the most important considerations is finding the perfect venue for the proposed seminar. That's quite a bit to be concerned with, and while choosing a location for your corporate event may seem like the lesser of your tasks, don't be fooled. Choosing the right location for your conference is vital to a successful and trouble free seminar. Weeks and months of planning can easily be undone by booking an unprofessional service, or an ill suited venue.

What To Consider When Choosing Your Events Venue

When planning any corporate event, there are a number of important things to consider. If it is an off-site event, can the location accommodate the number of people in your group? Do you have a choice of rooms or halls? Remember, an over-sized meeting hall for a small group will likely make your party uncomfortable, and will fail to engender the feeling of camaraderie that is so beneficial to a successful business conference, Likewise, a room that is too small to comfortably accommodate the people in your party will also leave them fidgety and ill-attentive. In this respect, size does matter. When planning your conference or seminar, be sure your events coordinator can offer you a choice of venues to suit you and your group's needs.

What Should Your Events Coordinator Provide

Whatever size venue you require, you will need to consider decoration. Proper furnishings are vital to a constructive seminar. Can your event planner provide adequate seating? Tables and chairs must be comfortable and serviceable for the afternoon's speeches, and easy to negotiate when breaking into discussion groups and work teams. The furnishings must also be clean and ready for service come refreshment time.

Speaking of refreshments, will you be breaking for lunch or dinner during your seminar? What can your event planner offer in the way of catering? A five course meal may be perfect for an awards dinner, but is definitely too cumbersome for a business seminar. Consider the culinary choices available to you when booking your event, and choose the events coordinator that offers the widest variety. The best services should be able to offer menus that fit any occasion, from large ceremonies to practical business meetings.

You may wish to consider an open bar for the evening. A hired bartender and a wet bar gives the attendees a chance to unwind and socialize after the days work is done. And it's not unusual for a great deal of the real work to get done when people start to unwind at the end of a seminar and begin to discuss the days events.

Yes, there is much to consider when planning any off-site business meeting or corporate seminar. But if the secret to success in business is delegation, than choosing the right events coordinating service is the secret to a successful business gathering. While you concentrate on preparing the presentations, and editing and printing spreadsheets and reference materials, your event coordinators will be handling all of the on the ground arrangements for your gathering. From location to refreshments, service staff to d矇cor, let a professional event coordinator help make your next corporate gathering or conference successful, productive and rewarding.

How to Expand Your Event Business - Catering, Event Planners and Event Services Marketing Tips

Social Failures

The typical social event professional (from wedding planners to caterers and photographers to DJ's) struggles to find new clients because they never leverage the power of relationships.

They assume that their customers are not likely to become repeat clients - and after the party's over they fail to keep in touch.

The unsuccessful event pro says, "Why should I waste my time following up with a bride after the wedding is over? It's not like she's going to hire me again any time soon."

It's this type of faulty thinking that causes many event people to fail.

The successful event business owner says, "Of course I keep in touch with my brides! They're not going to get married again soon - but they've got sisters, brothers, cousins, friends and co-workers. When I get referrals I don't have to sell hard and I don't have to deal with price shoppers."

And this applies to corporate event pros even more so!

Referrals are your easiest sales and your best customers. They trust you and they're willing to listen to your advice. They don't want to waste time shopping for price. So, are you getting enough referrals?

Here's a few ways to get more referrals - or should I say "earn more referrals" from your clients.

1. 
   Amaze Your Clients. If you want to be successful don't give them a good deal for the price, give them a remarkable deal. And then give them the very best personal service in your industry. Being good enough isn't good enough.


2. 
   Know Your Clients. Where did they grow up? When is there birthday? What college did they attend? What's their biggest passion in life? What's their favorite restaurant? Hobby? Teams? If they're a social event client - what do they do for a living and how can you help them? If they're a business client - what do they do for fun? If you don't ask it shows you don't really care.


3. 
   Connect. Use social media tools like LinkedIn with every B2B customer. Friend them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. Get their email addresses. Always.


4. 
   Find Ways to Serve Them. Don't use Facebook to sell and tell - use it to listen and help. When an old client posts "I have the flu" on Facebook - pick up the phone or send a get well card. They'll be amazed... just don't stalk. That's creepy.


5. 
   Let Them Know You'd Appreciate New Business. If you always seem overworked - nobody will want to burden you with new clients. Think about it! Let your clients know you want to help there friends.


6. 
   Don't offer commissions to everyone. Yes- sometimes it helps to offer a percentage - but many times it can insult your client. If they feel you are bribing them - or exploiting their friends they won't want to refer clients to you. Use commissions with other event vendors only.


7. 
   Tell Them What Kinds of Clients You Want. Don't assume your wedding photography client knows you also do family portraits. Educate your clients about your business.


8. 
   Expand You Definitions. Are you only an A/V company or are you an event production solution? Or are you a partner in your client's success... above and beyond the event?


9. 
   Love. That's right. Love and serve your clients to the best of your ability. It will come back to you in a big way.

Growing your event business isn't that hard when you do an amazing job and love your clients. Make sure you're marketing your business in the most effective way. There are many free internet tools that make attracting more event clients easier than ever before.

How to Prepare Effectively for a Networking Event - Eight Top Tips

Much of our business these days comes from recommendations, referrals, introductions and existing clients coming back for more - that is, through relationships. Done well networking helps you start those relationships and is an effective shortcut to business success.

The Most Important Thing to Remember

Build the relationship before you ask for help. Networking is not about what you can do for me. It's a two-way street. Be prepared to help others without expecting any help in return. It's about relationships. Help others, offer assistance, give them useful resources and they will usually return the favour.

Barriers to Getting the Most from Networking Events

There are barriers that get in our way when it comes to networking events. For example,

• Nerves and feeling overwhelmed by having to meet so many new people at once


• The people at the event seem to be the wrong people - they're not the people you were hoping to meet


• You meet up with a good friend you haven't seen for a while and spend time catching up.

All of these can get in the way of your success. But with careful PREPARATION they can be overcome.

1. Make a list of the people you want to meet

Is there a specific person, or type of person that you need to meet? Maybe you're looking for an expert in a particular topic? One of the simplest ways to work out who you need to know is to look at who you already know and how they can help you, and then look at where you want to be. The people you want to meet are the ones who can fill the 'gaps'.

2. Find out who's going to be there

It isn't always possible but if you can get a list from the event organisers. Sometimes they will be unwilling or unable to give you a list, but they can probably tell you if a specific person is scheduled to attend.

3. Make a list of people you want to meet

Making a list of who you want to meet improves your focus.

I recommend that you make two lists.

• Those you are determined to meet, and


• Those it would be good to meet.

If you have extra time, you can make more contacts.

4. Avoid limiting yourself to a specific industry or sector

Sometimes when we're in a hurry we limit ourselves. Your top connections might come from within your industry, but there are often influential people outside of the sector and it's worth investing a bit of time to identify a couple of them and meet up. They increase your chance of spreading your influence more widely. It's the networking equivalent of "going viral".

5. Know your story and who exactly you are telling it to

Work out what you want to say to each of your "must meet" people. A lot of people recommend that you have a prepared elevator pitch and this is useful for many meetings. But when you really want to build a relationship with someone, make the effort to tailor your pitch to what you know about them and their needs. Focus on skills and solutions rather than your job title. And remember, writing your pitch, actually physically putting it onto paper or a screen, helps you clarify your ideas.

Tailoring your pitch is a winning strategy that will boost your networking success. Practice your pitch before the event. And make sure you keep it short - about 10 seconds.

6. Choose the right clothes

Work out what you are going to wear. Choose clothes that

• You feel comfortable in


• Are clean and well-pressed


• Fit well.

Also think about what you might be carrying. How are you going to access your business cards, manage handshakes, and maybe a pen? What if you want to enjoy a drink, or something to eat, at the same time? What do you really need to carry with you? If you need a handbag, it's useful to have one with a shoulder strap.

7. Give yourself a pep talk

Do you hide at the edge of a room, burying your head in someone's sales literature or staring thoughtfully at your drink? Give yourself a pep talk before you the event. Remember your purpose. Make sure you are mentally prepared to deal with networking, even if you know that you these events make you uncomfortable. Practice looking straight ahead, rather than down. Remember that you are probably on someone else's list of people to meet and go forward with confidence, or at least the appearance of it. It may be tiring, but it's just for a couple of hours.

If you're really overwhelmed by these events, set yourself a target. Aim to meet the top three people on your list and once you've done that, if you don't feel up to continuing, call it quits. You've achieved a lot by meeting three new people.

8. Set a time limit

Sometimes we meet old friends, or make contact with someone we really like, at networking events. Remember your purpose. To avoid monopolising their time, or using all of your available time with them, set a time limit for each interaction. Tell yourself that when you meet Person A on your list, you will spend at most 10 to 15 minutes with them and then move on to Person B. This is what the event is for. When you want a long chat with someone, you can make a time to catch up with them at a later date.

Important Things to Consider While Catering Corporate Events

One of the most important aspects of running a successful business is the planning and execution of corporate events. The planning of a corporate event is vital to its success and as more executives and/or their personal assistants are far too busy to be worrying about the details involved, it is best to put the whole event in the hands of a professional corporate catering company. Do your homework here, ask around for a catering firm with extensive experience and a fantastic reputation and you won't go wrong. A really good corporate catering business will give you several options, according to what kind of corporate event is being planned and from there you can leave all the details in the hands of your chosen catering company.

Obviously, they will want to know the number of people who will be attending, the demographics of those people, i.e. professional, entertainment industry etc. which will then decide what type of food would be suitable. You may want something very formal for a banking business meeting and more casual food for people from the entertainment industry. You want an exceptional standard of food to make the right statement about your company. You may select from their standard menus or they may design an entirely new menu selected especially for the occasion.

You may not wish to hold your corporate event in your boardroom or offices and a really good corporate catering firm will have a selection of catering venues available. Their experienced team will help you find the perfect setting for your corporate event. Another important aspect of holding a successful corporate event is the choice of wines, beers and spirits. Again, a top class catering company will take all the hassle of this by organising all the drinks for you, not to mention the right sort of glasses, punch bowls etc. This also goes for all the other aspects of entertaining; tables and chairs, tablecloths, crockery and cutlery, whether coffee and tea will be served and of course, the very finest in food choices.

You really won't have to worry about anything if you choose the right catering company and this will leave you free to entertain your guests, secure in the knowledge that your corporate event is reflective of the high standards of your business. Ask around as a good reputation is hard to come by and the best catering companies will be well known.

How Is the Event Registration Software a Boon for Modern Day Event Organizers?

Most event organizers often find it difficult to manage event related administrative tasks single handedly. Taking an event to the next level demands more than thus recruiting external staff. Besides, there is also the constant pressure to attract potential customers and build a long term relationship with them. The introduction of the Cloud-based event registration software has made the entire process of event management and execution effortless and is being considered to be a boon for modern day event organizers. This web based service has reduced much of the organizers manual workload and work processes by streamlining events in a methodical and systematic manner.

Let me now discuss some of the benefits of this advanced event registration software that makes the event planning experience a little more hassle-free for organizers.

User-friendly Service:

The service on the Cloud-based platform does not require installation of any additional hardware or software programs. Neither does it need event organizers to be exceptional technology users. Besides, the system also does not call for any support cost or hidden charges. What the organizers are required to do is to only pay one time monthly or yearly subscription fees.

Automated Registration With Customization Facilities:

The smart web based service eliminates the complications of a manual registration work process by automating the entire form submission procedure. Here registration is carried out totally online. Right from the point of form creation to its submission, all activities can be performed with the click of few buttons. The interface also brings in the provision of customization of registration forms by adding graphics and logo in order to complement the page with their respective corporate website. This also adds to the convenience of the registrants as they are able to sign in at any time, from any location. All they need to have is a web enabled device like a personal computer or a Smartphone.

Uncomplicated and Secure Payments:

Most web based event registration systems comes embedded with an online payment management service that adds to the convenience of payment transfers and receipts for both the attendees and the organizers alike. However, the organizer needs to make sure that the payment is PCI compliant and SSL certified. These certifications ensure the highest level of security and prevent any divulgence of account information to any third party. The Cloud-based interface allows attendees to make payments via credit/ debit cards and payment gateways like PayPal. Payments can also be received directly into the organizer's merchant account.

Easy Reach Out To Large Scale Audience:

Spreading the message about your event has also become so much easier with this online registration software. It facilitates organizers with a social media connector tool that allows you to promote your even on popular networking websites. Also the emailing tool helps to convey messages via regular email blasts including notifications, updates and reminders. This allows easy reach out to the prospective audience at large.

Easy Preparation of Custom Reports:

Quantifying events have also become easier for organizers. Gone are the days of preparing spreadsheets and spending hours over manual data entry. The software comes with a custom built reporting tool that helps in easy creation of customized reports related to the events performance, attendee participation, ticket sales, etc.

Online event registration software thus brings in loads of benefits for event organizers that help to create a stress free event management environment.

Toilet Hire For Your Event Planning: Facilities Provided

Several events need careful planning and organizing every little detail. This makes a party or any other official and personal event a complete success. If you are planning an event on a big scale like a wedding followed by a reception, sports meet for an office or school or college, a camp for scouts and guides or a military training camp, there will be a need for open area spaces as well as the other necessities for a comfortable time.

One of these necessities will be the arrangement for a bathroom and a toilet. For every event, there is the possibility of a large number of people, guests consisting of both adults and children. There will be a regular and periodic need for the toilets and a bathroom. As a host or an event planner, there is a responsibility to make appropriate provisions for such regular requirements.

Portable Toilets

There are portable toilets that can solve your problems pertaining to arrangements and organizing facilities for your guests and visitors. These are modern toilets and bathroom shower arrangements in state of the art designs that are also completely mobile. They have wheels attached to them that make movements easier. They can be installed anywhere you plan to.

The toilets and bathrooms have full arrangements of toilet and shower facilities on the latest modern trends and designs. There are items like towels, soaps, liquid cleansers that are provided within. Bathroom disinfectants and deodorants are also provided and so are tissues and toilet paper rolls.

There is inbuilt water supply facility that provides the water when you flush the toilets or take a shower. There is also an inbuilt storage for the sewerage. It can store up to 7 days sewage for at least about 10 people. There are even the uses of chemical powders in some cases that are added to the sewage disposal bags. This helps to turn the sewage into gel form for convenient storage and disposal.

Apart from toilet facilities, there are also arrangements for shower bathing if it is needed. There are modern fixtures and arrangements that make it easy and comfortable as well.

The companies only undertake the maintenance and cleaning of portable toilets. Depending on the period of your usage, they will come in between and clean the toilets and bathrooms completely. There will be a sanitization and disinfecting the toilets with a fresh supply of all the accessories.

Portable Toilet Hire Service Companies

There are companies that are engaged in the business of hiring out portable toilets to event planners and individuals that require these for their events and outdoor parties. These companies are available all over the UK, the USA and different parts of Europe.

There are comprehensive package fees charged for the portable toilets that include delivery and pickup of the same from the venue itself. The package also includes supplies. Cleaning and maintenance will also be included within the package itself.

Emergency Preparedness for Large Events

Do you have an emergency preparedness plan in place to protect your business and employees from the disruptions that may occur due to a large event? The upcoming Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, like all large events, will attract large gatherings of attendees and increases the corresponding odds of a dangerous occurrence. Communication may be difficult and transportation may be next to impossible - therefore, having a well-constructed crisis management plan is imperative to responding to and managing incidents that occur under these conditions.

During the NATO Summit 2012, authorities and surrounding businesses struggled to contend with the disruptions deriving from protests, threats, transportation blockades and communication problems - are you prepared to respond to these occurrences during an upcoming large event?

Below are several key steps to take into consideration when creating your crisis management plan.

Make a Crisis Management Plan: Use Your Crisis Team

Form a special event planning committee and try to use your established crisis team as much as possible, as these individuals have worked together before, so it should be easier to create a crisis management plan for the large event. You may, however, need to bring in outside personnel for help (e.g. head of security or property managers). The team should have a leader, and you may want to use your emergency preparedness team leader for this position, as they are already trained in the event of crises.

Begin planning for the event immediately and stay on track. You may want to create a timeline to ensure that planning and implementation is unfolding as necessary to stay on time.

Local and State Involvement

Interact with local resources as soon as possible. Local resources will be able to provide you with assistance that will help your office run smoothly, as they know the lay of the land and are in a better position to offer assistance with event planning and emergency preparedness. These resources may include committees, local security, police officers, firefighters and more.

Meet with these individuals and invite them to contribute input on your crisis management plan. They may be able to offer advice that you would otherwise not have known to plan for, such as rules that must be enforced during the event, transportation blockades that might occur and potential security problems. Working with local resources will only serve to strengthen your event planning and emergency preparedness strategies, ensuring that you will be on the same page during a crisis.

Probability and Impact

When you're planning for a large event, two types of occurrences may happen: the event itself, with higher-probability but lower-potential for risk, and smaller events spurred from the larger one, which are lower-probability but have a higher-potential for risk (e.g. emergencies and protests). Successful event and emergency preparedness plans will prepare for both occurrences. Remember, your crisis management plan should address both the event and your hard-working employees who must still maintain business as usual during this time.

Large Event Planning

Your emergency preparedness plan should address the massive amount of people that will disrupt the infrastructure of the city. These items include:

• Commuting. The commute will be brutal during the event, as the city will likely experience a high traffic volume from attendees. Address high travel times in your crisis management plan, and outline alternate routes to and from your work, or shift work hours for your employees to make sure that they do not have to travel at peak hours. Calculate how many attendees are expected at the event and be flexible, as employees may have to work from home if the event is near the office. Additionally, stay in touch with local resources in order to maintain up-to-date emergency preparedness information, as you need to be among the first to know if you won't have access to certain streets due to blockades or unexpected accidents.


• Internet Usage. In addition to high traffic on the roads, your crisis management plans should address potentially high internet traffic. The internet may slow to a crawling pace around your area while visitors use smartphones and other wireless devices. Work with the appropriate personnel to determine peak and non-peak hours of internet usage during this time. Schedule important conferences at non-peak hours so your employees don't have to struggle with lower bandwidth or dropped calls. Your emergency preparedness plans may even include not planning any important meetings during the event at all, as communication may be difficult, and some individuals may be late or unable to attend.


• Disruptions. Your emergency preparedness plans may also address disruptions caused by an event, which can last longer than the event itself. For example, a week before NATO 2012, the city of Chicago was disrupted because important diplomats were arriving; additionally, the torch relay for the Olympics is held in the month of May, but the actual Olympic Games are held in July. Plan for these types of disruptions ahead of time in your crisis management plan, and be prepared to address how these may also disrupt the city's infrastructure.

Smaller Events - Protests, Emergencies, Terrorism

These events, spurred by the larger event, are mostly uncontrollable by you, but must still be addressed in your crisis management plan. A comprehensive emergency preparedness plan includes strategies to tackle these types of crises, including spontaneous protests (some of which may occur in front of your office building), terrorism, emergencies, and disasters, such as fires and flooding. Be sure to:

• Interface with security and local authorities. If you're worried about security, meet with property management and local and state authorities to learn about the types of resources they may have available. If you do choose to hire an outside security company, make sure that the company is experienced, has strong credentials, and is willing to work with outside authorities to ensure that your office is as safe as possible. You need a contact point for your crisis management plan - if you hear that there are protests occurring outside of your office building via a message from the company or a newscast, you should have a crisis leader in place who will call your contact point to figure out the next steps to take in your emergency preparedness plan.


• Work with property management to assess the safety of your building. Plan ahead and have extra security in place at your office, if the event is nearby. Plan who is and who isn't allowed into the building, search for alternate entrances and exits, and be prepared.


• Plan for the unexpected. During large events, take extra emergency preparedness precautions and treat everything much more seriously. This includes bomb threats, suspicious packages - anything out of the ordinary. If you see something that seems wrong, say something about it. Be on extra alert during this time, because the probability for risk is higher than normal.

Practice Your Plan

As the large event draws nearer, you will want to practice your crisis plan. Either practice it internally or have an outside company conduct an emergency preparedness tabletop drill to ensure that all individuals involved know what to expect. During this drill, conduct tests of your emergency messaging system. Make sure that the message begins and ends with the phrase "This is a test," so that employees are aware that it is not a real crisis. This is the time to test your emergency messaging system, as you will need to know that it works - and how it works - prior to the actual event.

During the tabletop drill of your crisis management plan, address all event crises that may occur. Additionally, comprehensive emergency plans should include recovery planning. Determine who makes the decision about when business should return to normal and speak with all members of the crisis team (e.g. executives, security, property managers, etc.) to ensure that everyone is on the same page in regard to plan execution and recovery.

Local authorities are generally very responsive and, if they have personnel available, are usually willing to participate in the drill for your crisis plan to provide you with valuable input. They can tell you if they already have resources in place and where, and they can also let you know if they are otherwise occupied during this time.

In-House Team Building Events Vs External Team Building Providers

When businesses consider organising a team building event, this task typically becomes the responsibility of the Human Resources Department. There are exceptions of course. For instance, it is possible that the scheduling of an event will be done by a member of an administrative team but this is usually decided by the size of the business. In most instances, we have found that the larger organisations make use of their HR Departments to schedule such an event and the smaller businesses rely on a designated member of the administrative team to organise the event. There are also instances where businesses draw up a team, consisting of different members from different departments, that will be responsible for the organisation of a team building event.

Every business is unique and as such has their own approach to the organisation of a team event for the company but whichever department, team or individual responsible for the booking, there is regularly a question that arises, which is: "Should we just organise an event ourselves and make it an in-house team event?" This question may vary in form but the emphasis is always the same, that businesses imagine they will save money by organising an event themselves rather than calling in the professionals. In our considerable experience, businesses will not save money by organising the event in-house, in fact we have found that in the long run, it costs more money to organise an event in-house. There are very good reasons why professional event management providers are in business and also very good reasons why business should always make use of an outside provider.

To illustrate this point, there are a variety of considerations to be made. When engaging an event management company, a client benefits from the considerable experience and professionalism of the company they have chosen to organise and oversee their team event. The team building company will be able to select a suitable venue and make the necessary arrangements based on their experience of the venue, its quality and suitability. The event supplier takes almost all of the stress out of organising a team building event, they are there to do the job effectively and efficiently. However, it is important to note that the credit for a successful event will also come to the person from the business who has contacted and engaged the event management company. This could be beneficial to a career. It should also be considered that if a department, team or individual is selected by a business to organise an in-house event, if the event does not go well there will be a degree of blame attached to the individuals responsible for organising the event. This would be an unfortunate situation. So by engaging a professional company, the benefits are not only that a business will profit from the experience and professionalism available to them but also they will profit from the professional objectivity of the team building supplier. The distance and perspective provided by a team building company can make all the difference between a successful event that reflects positively on the corporate organiser and an unsuccessful in-house event that reflects poorly on the corporate organiser.

Most team building events, in their broadest sense, are organised with similar objectives in mind. The objective is to develop the team members and assist them in becoming more effective in working together as a cohesive unit. This is what every good team building company is there to achieve for businesses. Team building companies are qualified and experienced professionals. There are very good reasons why they are in business, so that the organization of an event can be left to them while businesses are free to continue running their business as they do best.

Six Things Every Modern Bride Wants

Wedding ceremonies and fashions have changed greatly over the years, but there is one thing that will never change - there is no day in a bride's life that is more important.
Here are 6 things that every modern bride needs to have on her special day.

Photo Booth: This is an increasingly popular option and provides a lasting keepsake. It's also a great way for your guests to have some fun and create unique memories. Your guests are greeted by the photo booth staff, where they are directed inside the booth and given access to a myriad of props, including signs, funny hats, and big sunglasses. The photos are taken and printed on high quality printers, where each guest will be given a copy. The photos are then put into a scrapbook for the bride and groom to enjoy and peruse through after the wedding. Free delivery, set up and removal is included in the price of the photo booth rental.

Memory/Scrapbook: Make sure that the special day captures every moment. A good photographer can help make this happen, as can a photo booth rental.

Bride's Survival Kit: This should be made up ahead of time, and should include items such as your cell phone, tissues, makeup, bobby pins, small sewing kit, spot remover and a nail file. The Maid of Honor can be in charge of this throughout the day.

Wear-Again Wedding Dress: Many modern brides are opting for less traditional wedding dresses, in favor of ones they can wear again. This trend is becoming increasingly popular, especially for those with a limited budget (and isn't that just about everyone these days?)

Cupcakes: Many brides are choosing cupcakes instead of a traditional wedding cake, for a selection of cupcakes. They can be all one flavor, or a mixture of chocolate, vanilla and other flavors, so there is something for everyone. These can be arranged in various shapes and can be made in several different sizes.

Groom: Every bride needs a groom! That is something that brides need to find on their own, however.

Marriage is one of the greatest milestones of life and it should be arranged accordingly. Wedding photo booth is a great way to keep these memories alive.Photo booth is an essential part of a wedding planning now and it is one of the prime concerns for the event planners. Lastly, a bride will always be sure to use music that is in the top ten charts to entertain her guests as well as having food that is top notch.

Event Management Guide - Finding a Venue

If you have been tasked with organising an event where a substantial amount of people are likely to attend then one of the most important jobs you will have to take care of is finding a venue. If you are inexperienced as an event planner then this may seem like something of a daunting task however with a little bit of forward planning there is no reason why your event will be able to go ahead without a hitch.

It is important that you start to look for a venue several months before the date of your event. For larger events you may even need to start your search at least a year ahead as bigger venues tend to get booked up way in advance.

The first thing which you need to consider is the amount of attendees you are expecting. This will instantly help you to narrow down your list of potential venues as you will be able to disregard those which don't have enough capacity as well as those who's rooms are simply going to be too large. The aspect which you have to take into consideration is the budget which you have available. Once you know what you have in the way of fund this will help you to narrow your list of venues down further.

Once you have made yourself a shortlist of potential venues you will need to get more specific in the criteria you require. You will need to work out what sort of venue will complement the theme of your event and also determine whether or not they will have the facilities required for your particular type of event. As the event planner you should ring round and enquire directly with staff at the venue to see if meets your list of requirements.

Not only will you have to ensure that the facilities meet your requirements but arguably just as vital is the actual location of your venue. This will be especially important if you are expecting people who will be travelling long distances to attend your event. This aspect of your event management will require particular attention as the venue must have good access by roads or rail and it would be beneficial if your venue was located in the vicinity of a large town or city as it is likely that it will be close to a hotel. It is for this reason that you may wish to use a hotel as your venue as they will usually be equipped with conference facilities, but they will also be able to take care of the catering. This will give you one less task to organise.

All that will be left to take care of this the marketing and promotion of your event.

How to Choose the Perfect Corporate Sports Hospitality Package

If you want to treat your clients to something special, then you'll want to do it in style. Why not think about corporate sports hospitality?

Here's what you need to know in order to make sure that you pick the right corporate sports hospitality package.

1. Knowing your clients interests is important. If you know they're all football fans, then why not hire a box at a Premiership match, and watch some of the best players in the world work their magic whilst you work yours? What about a golf tournament, or horse racing hospitality?

2. Once you've chosen a sport, you'll need to choose where your corporate event will be held. If it's a Premiership football match, it will have to be a certain ground, whereas you might want to watch the next major golf tournament that takes place near you. Perhaps you'll choose a central location so that your guests don't have too far to travel.

3. Depending on the sporting event, you might have choice of dates. Horseracing events take place regularly, whereas the Cup Final only happens once a year. You might need to be flexible on dates if you want a specific venue, and you might need to be flexible on venues if you want a particular date.

4. Once you know the date and the sporting event, you'll need to get invitations sent out. Don't just email people, or expect them to just know about it, make an effort.

5. It's important that your guests are aware of the dress code for the day. The corporate sporting venue might have a dress code, or you might want everyone to dress causally to encourage people to enjoy themselves more

6. You'll need to make sure that meals are included in the corporate sporting hospitality package you choose, so that special dietary requirements can be met.

7. It might be that you want to provide additional entertainment after the main event. Perhaps you'll go somewhere else, or maybe you'll have another meal at the venue.

8. You don't want your guests to pay for anything on the day, so make sure that the little things like refreshments are all included and taken care of.

9. Your guest need to be comfortable at all times, so you'll need to make sure that they can mingle, and that you introduce them to people. They might be able to do business with each other, as well as you.

10. Above all, you'll want value for money. There's no point in organising a corporate sports hospitality package without giving it enough thought. The cheapest package might not be suitable, and so you might be thought of as a bit mean by your guests. If you go overboard and are tool lavish, then it looks like you're charging too much.

Now you know what to look for, you'll be able to choose the perfect corporate sports hospitality package.

Corporate Event Planning Is Challenging Yet Important

Corporate event planning is a challenging and important part of business operations. Such events may be for large guest lists and serve as a massive sales pitch to those in attendance or they may be exclusive events for the upper management of a business. No matter the size of the event, planning and decorating the event should be a priority. An example of a great way to enhance the appearance of the event room is by hiring a long island wedding florist to decorate the room with long island wedding flowers.

As a business, you will have the option of planning and coordinating the event internally or hiring an event manager. For a large event, the business will be better off by hiring the services of a certified professional event management company. There will be many details that need to be attended to, and counting on the employees to get everything done is a great risk.

If you use an outside firm to plan the event, be sure to communicate the objectives and the main reasons why the event is being held. This will help the planners to customize the planning to reflect exclusively with the message you are trying to send to attendees.

For the event to have a lasting impression on those in attendance, the overall beauty of the event room needs to be considered. Long island wedding flowers are a great way to add class and elegance to any occasion. You can hire a long island wedding florist to work in addition to an event planning team and they can work together to make an event room blossom with beauty.

An obvious asset to any corporate event is food and drink. Companies should be meticulous in deciding what catering to use. If the food is bad or in short supply, nothing else you do will matter. Make sure you have an idea of how many people are going to be attending the event and plan on having more food than what seems necessary. Obviously, you don't want to go overboard and end up having to waste uneaten food. But it's better to have a little too much food than not enough.

The timeliness of when food is served is another important aspect of corporate event planning. In most corporate events, there will be some form of presentation that communicates an important message of the company to its employees, suppliers, and customers. Remember that people often attend these events hungry with the intention of consuming quality food, so if you choose to do the presentation first make sure it doesn't last too long. Hungry people have a hard time paying attention when food is about to be served.

Don't underestimate the impact a well-decorated room can have on people. Guests may be fascinated with the long island wedding flowers arranged by a long island wedding florist on each table and they will appreciate the effort that went into decorating. It will show guests that you care about them and that you want them to enjoy everything about being in attendance at your corporate event. As you can see, corporate event planning is a huge thing, and finding the right person to do it can make all of the difference in making a successful event.

Asian Weddings - Planning the Sanji

Sanji, translated means an opportunity for the bride's and groom's families to be further acquainted over an evening of dance, music and fun. It is more prevalent in Indian weddings and originates mainly as a Gujrati tradition. Sanji runs through the whole evening and possibly into the night. Your planning mainly depends on the venue you choose according to the number of invitees and proceedings of the sanji.

For planning a Sanji you should have the following things in mind:

• Venue - You will need to confirm the number of guests from your fianc矇s side and choose a venue large enough to accommodate guests and the proceedings.

• Parking facilities in the venue - It is important that you ensure adequate parking space for your guests within the hired premises.

• Decorations - This primarily depends on the theme of the Sanji. You may also go for a traditional d矇cor. Some ideas for a Sanji d矇cor can include a Gujrati village theme with rural backdrops, floor cushions with embroidered mirror work. Fresh flowers and indoor fireworks are also prevalent.

• Seating - You need to make sure that the elderly, although in a song and dance place, get to feel comfortable. They may not be as energetic as the young guests and may need to rest frequently. Placing chairs around the perimeter of the event hall is a convenient way to arrange for it.

• Provision of sound systems - You should ensure the facilities being provided for the proceedings and check if they are a part of the in-house facility of the venue. In case you are hiring a DJ, you should make sure if he charges separately for his equipments and sound.

• Catering - You should make sure that the venue you are hiring allows outside catering if you are not satisfied with the in-house services. You will also need to tell the caterers to stick to a vegetarian spread as Sanji is an event of religious significance. Lots of drinks are advisable as guests may feel thirsty considering they will dance their hearts out.

• Meals - You should also check if the venue has arrangements for in house catering and ask for extra charges. Some of the venues may also provide for in-house kitchen services with re-heating facilities. Usually it is a number of meals instead of one that is arranged for as a Sanji is expected carries on into late nights.

• Music and Entertainment - In case you are going for the entertainment being conducted by a professional, hiring someone through personal recommendations make it easier. In cases of in-house entertainment provision, you will want to check the quality of their performance. The DJ must be familiar with the essence of the Sanji mainly for the track selection.

• Local laws and rules - Especially if you are planning an open air Sanji, you must ensure that the proceedings conform to local laws and rules as some residential areas may not allow events at late hours.

Finding The Best Catering Services For Corporate Events

Planning a huge party can be stressful enough, but planning corporate events can be off the charts. Impressing your close friends and family is an entirely different story than impressing your boss, his friends and his family. A few mistakes won't cost you anything at a family gathering but even just one mistake at a corporate gathering can cost you your job, which is why corporate event planning can be so stressful - everything has to be absolutely perfect.

When planning corporate events, you first of all need to take a deep breath and be able to take things in perspective. Make sure you give your guests enough time to reserve your event date on their calendars and to RSVP their attendance and more importantly, make sure you have your theme, venue and menu ready for the big day. While the guest list can be easier to handle, selecting the best venue and the food to be served at the event are not. This is when hiring the best catering services for your event can be a god-send... and can also help you create a great impression on the boss.

To start, you need to ask yourself important questions like how formal the event is going to be, what menu should ideally be served and what location can possibly accommodate your guests. Remember that your menu should include items that cater to varying tastes and preferences as some, if not most of your guests may be on some kind of diet regimen they would like to stick to. Your potential venue on the other hand, should accommodate the maximum number of people possible as you don't want your guests to literally rub elbows with each other.

The best thing about catering companies these days is that they also do complete event management. They take of everything from the venue, to the d矇cor, to the food to be served and even the host and sound system if you please. They will also post suggested menus for your corporate events, from gourmet sandwiches to menus fit for morning or afternoon tea like mezze platters or a selection of Greek and Middle-Eastern dishes served in "mezze" portions. If you are holding an informal corporate event outdoors, the best catering companies will also offer boxed lunches delivered straight to your designated venue complete with napkins and cutlery, available in vegan and non-vegan varieties.

To start your search for the best catering companies, you can ask for personal referrals or references from close friends and colleagues. Reputable catering companies will be willing to take you a personal tour of their kitchens, as well as set up tasting sessions to give you a sample of the kind of high quality food they serve. They may also invite you to an event that they will be catering so you can get an idea of how they work a particular event.

Once you've narrowed down your potential list of candidates, you can call each one and discuss preliminary budget and to confirm availability for your event date. You can ask each one to provide a sample menu for your budget and projected number of guests. You must also make sure to ask each one about their policies regarding minimums, specific hours during the event and extra costs besides food and drinks.

Lastly, it is also important to find out whether your chosen caterer carries any kind of food manager's certificate for sanitation purposes or is insured - you can ask to see any occupational licenses, certification and insurance documents. Also, don't forget to draw up contracts listing every aspect of your agreement down. Don't be afraid to ask questions and more importantly trust your instincts. The best catering companies after all, will always want to make you feel special.

Are Your Fundraisers Exciting?

Fundraisers for schools and other organizations are incredibly important. For schools, fundraisers raise money for important special events to benefit the children. A fundraiser is a great way to raise money for your organization or cause, but it can be difficult to decide what type of fundraiser to organize. It is important to come up with new ideas to keep people excited about raising money.

If you have children in school, you are probably familiar with fundraisers. You have probably been asked to help raise money for your school PTO by selling chocolate, magazine subscriptions, wrapping paper or other items. The problem with this type of fundraiser is that parents and children are required to ask friends, family and neighbors to buy items they most likely do not need. Parents may not wish to sell to friends and family and they may have limited time to solicit sales, collect the money and deliver the items. This type of fundraiser gets old and can be especially troubling for families with several children in school. Many families want to support the school or organization, but experience fundraiser fatigue and simply tune-out and no longer support these programs. If this is happening at you school or organization, it is time to make a change to a new style of fundraising. Outdoor movies events are a great alternative fundraising idea.

Outdoor movie events make for great fundraisers for several reasons. First, outdoor movies appeal to children and adults of all ages. You can tailor your event to specific audiences through your movie selection. At an elementary school, for example, choose a popular movie that is appropriate for children and families. Second, outdoor movie event fundraisers can be stress-free to organize with the assistance of outdoor movie equipment providers who offer full turn-key productions. Next, this type of event can easily be promoted within your organization. Hang posters and utilize social media if your organization maintains a presence. For a school, send information about the event home in student's backpacks. Finally, you will be able to raise valuable dollars for your organization or cause while enjoying a fun event.

Fundraisers shouldn't give parents or supporters of your organization a bad feeling. Fresh, fun fundraising ideas that do not require selling are a great way to beat fundraising fatigue and gather more support for your organization or cause. Plan an exciting outdoor movie event fundraiser and have fun raising the money your organization needs.

Corporate Event Planning - Band Booking

In this tough economy, it is not difficult to organize New Jersey corporate event planning to your budgeting advantage.

If you are considering live Band Booking, many good bands for hire will give you access to top quality party entertainers at a surprisingly affordable rate.

A band leader who has a first call band for hire knows that your corporate events need to be cost effective. In response, musicians for hire and even a normally expensive party dj will adjust their fees to secure your business with very little negotiating on your part.

The trick to securing an excellent deal is by having your event planner set up the corporate meeting during "off hours" and "off days". The most expensive time 'real estate' for caterers and music providers is, without a doubt, the weekend.

Expect then to pay top price on Friday and Saturday evenings. You can negotiate a better price on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and Sunday evenings. However, smart event planners will avoid the weekend altogether.

Why make her party planning another job? Party Entertainers could easily be booked elsewhere for the price they demand and will not be so willing to negotiate.

On the other hand, Caterers, musicians, DJs and all other special events party planner vendors are delighted to gain employment in such a time slot as Monday or Tuesday at 11AM!

Expect to pay significantly less for any evening, Monday through Thursday. If you have your event coordinator price quote for day hours, Monday through Thursday, You will secure a great entertainment package for even less.

Event planning is now a dream for music vendor availability and price at such times.

I assure you that if you set your corporate event at such times, your conference planning coordination efforts will be reduced to a few simple phone calls. Contracts will be submitted almost instantly. Your corporate team building event will be a party planning "dream come true".

Another tip would be to forestall the cost of a certified meeting planner. With such easy steps to align in vendor coordination, simply assign an in-house employee with good organizational skills.

Assign your temporary event planner with the job of "events planner for hiring and coordinating all vendors for our corporate team building extravaganza on (fill in the date)"

An office employee with decent "people skills" will bring together a corporate caterer, band for hire and/or party dj in no time.

If your assigned conference planner does run into a jam, ask her to recruit assistance from one of the vendors. Event planning tips acquired form a reputable professional could shave a lot more time off her party event planning efforts. It costs nothing.

Professional vendors are very happy to refer others who have bands for hire, corporate catering expertise and other event services specialists. These pros know who will provide the best service for your money. They also know who is easy to work with.

(Note: amiable and smooth interaction among the vendors is vital to an event coordinator. Never underestimate the importance of that fact in events planning. Vendors at an event are a team, even if just for the day.)

The vendor that you ask for advice will become a micro event coordinator by default. Be assured that other professionals are enthusiastic about recommending those that bring a high level of integrity and service to your corporate event management success.

For music in New Jersey, your event design will fall together flawlessly when contacting a band booking specialist for the entertainment.

You can have a band such as a jazz trio or jazz quartet, the DJ, Classical String ensemble or any combination with one, easy contract. Such an arrangement is very convenient and cost effective.

Any style or theme of music will be provided with one contractor. No separate lists or individual vendors to complicate your conference management responsibilities.

Why an Ideal Event Planning Should Include Online Event Registration Software

The whole concept of 'keeping in touch' has gone virtual today. When we need to reach out to a mass with intention either professional or personal, the easiest way is to go online. The event management industry is highly competitive with extremely increasing workload. So it is always wise to use the advantages of online event registration and payment management tools to induce efficiency and effectiveness.

Trend-setters in the field have already taken event management online with event registration software. There are event management companies who provide simple and powerful software to ensure a highly effect attendee experience as well as an increased ROI. At the same time you save a lot of money and time by choosing tailor-made event management package which exactly suits your entire event requirement.

Event management was never so much easier! Here are some advantages of using online tools for event registration:

• Using event registration, you can publish your event and send out notification to everybody within 20 minutes!


• Using email communications, discount rules and gift cards from the software, you can promote and sell your events online.


• The event management software lets you copy events easily to create new versions of the same event.


• You can create and publish an unlimited number of events and store them.


• No download, no print, no need to pay postage or even write a check! Today's event participants love to register online for events. Its hassle free and time-saving.


• You also have the facility of printing receipts and invoices for onsite attendees.


• With the help of built-in payment handling and data processing facilities you can accept payments online and easily control attendee information.


• Once satisfied with the payment and data, immediately after, the event registration software will send a unique electronic confirmation to the attendees by email.


• It stores information so efficiently, that you can get downloadable updating on any second on your money collection and latest registration.


• You also can use your own merchant account


• The software tool will generate a list of important data from the database with will call lists, meal preference lists, name tags and badges.

Collecting payments have always been a crucial part of an event planning. The online event registration software has in-built payment management service. That lets you go smoothly ahead with conveniences like transaction reconciliation, monitoring for fraudulent transactions, the processing of refunds and also resolves chargeback requests.

Today, when you are going paperless, you actually are going green. So you can brand the event as "green event". This is a positive marketing campaign for your company and for the event. To sum up, online tools for event registration is the smartest option for streamlining the workload and getting proper attention of the net savvy generation.

Wedding DJs As Event Planners - Can They Fill Both Roles?

With money being tight these days, a popular question that often comes up is whether or not an event planner is necessary when a wedding DJ can often provide the same services and advice. Before the technological revolution, brides were not able to obtain the information necessary to plan a wedding without requesting advice from someone with experience. Today, internet search engines can solve most of the problems that brides and grooms faced in the past. By reviewing prices and customer feedback from the comfort of your own home, it seems like more of a hassle to hire a wedding planner than a luxury. Ultimately, the remaining tasks that wedding planners perform can easily be performed by a wedding disc jockey, which opens the question, is hiring a wedding DJ enough?

Arguably the most important job at a wedding is the wedding DJ. The DJ runs the music for the reception, and if the music or announcements were to stop, the reception would come to an awkward halt. The DJ guides the mood of the event and works with the schedules of all other vendors and staff at the event. He or she has ample experience working with reception hall managers and hosts as well as caterers and party supply vendors. With this experience, the DJ can guide you in the right direction when booking your reception hall, choosing a caterer, and purchasing party supplies. By looking to your disc jockey for advice instead of hiring a party planner, you'll save yourself a lot of money and receive genuine recommendations for your wedding reception.

In addition, mobile DJs may have special connections with vendors. In today's market, many DJ companies have partnered with photographers and video professionals. In fact, many DJ companies have expanded and become "entertainment and wedding service" companies, which means they can provide all-inclusive wedding packages, ultimately saving you money. If your DJ does not own and operate a business that can provide all inclusive services, it can still be very helpful to speak with the DJ about who and what he knows about the other services. Again, DJs hold connections with many different vendors they have worked with in the past. Asking for recommendations could still score you a significant discount on services for your wedding.

In the end, it is quite apparent that wedding event planners are on the road to becoming obsolete. The internet, along with your wedding DJ, can provide the same services that a wedding event planning normally provides without having to cough up extra money to get information. In addition to saving money by not having to hire a wedding planner, you can also save a significant amount of money by using your wedding DJ's connections and saving a significant amount of money on other services you may desire for your wedding. Ultimately, the importance and necessity of wedding event planners is nearly obsolete. In this economy, it isn't worth spending a significant amount of extra money on event planners. Plan your resources wisely and get the quality services you expect without paying for someone to find them for you.

The Top Ten Criteria for a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Tool

The Top Five Security Information Management Considerations

1. Ensure your log management layer is scalable. The log management layer is responsible for collecting the hoards of audit logs within your environment; it is not likely to filter any collected data. A key requirement for a Security Information Management (SIM) tool is to collect all audit log data so that a forensic investigation can be instigated if required. This layer therefore needs to scale to ensure full log collection.

2. Comprehensive Reporting. The log management layer should be able to report on activity that have been collected and identified within the accounting and audit logs. This should include running reports across up to 90 days of data. When you are collecting 10-20 million logs a day, this means the report will need to search upwards of 2 billion entries to retrieve the requested data for the report. It is also possible that you will run several reports a day.

3. Log Collection. It is important that you can collect logs from across the enterprise. The SIM layer should be a true forensic store of accounting and audit logs that allows a complete investigation, should the need arise. This means you want logs from firewalls, operating systems, applications, VPN's, Wireless Access Points etc. You therefore need to ensure that logs from all of these sources can be collected. Plain text logs stored in flat files are typically widely collected, as are Windows Event Logs. Event logs stored database's are not easily collected, so if you have any custom built or internal built applications ensure that these logs can be collected, as often these are stored in some type of database.

4. Chain of Custody. Ensure that you can validate that the logs have not been changed or modified, since they were collected from the source device. This should include collection of the logs in real-time from the original device, to ensure they are not modified before collection. This will allow for a forensically assured investigation, if required.

5. Trend Dashboards. It is important to be able see the trend of the volume of logs being collected. When collecting millions of logs a day, dash-boarding all of that data becomes pointless, as it will be a sea of information. However the size of the haystacks can tell you if there are problems. For example if you see a huge spike in failed logins, this tells you that there is something going on within the environment that is not normal.

The Top Five Security Event Management Considerations

1. Correlation. The main purpose of a SEM tool is to filter out the noise from the forensic data and flag up or alert up any suspect behaviour. It is critical therefore that your SEM can filter the rubbish down to useful information via complex correlation rules.

It is almost useless to alert on every failed login within your environment, as in large enterprises there are hundreds or thousands of these per day. However 100 failed logins within a five minute span, from an external IP address, for an administrative account should be alerted on and investigated. Your correlation engine should support easy creation of these multiple event rules.

2. Dashboards. Once you have generated a correlated alert, you want to place this information on a dashboard for easy user consumption. While it is not feasible to dashboard the forensic data that the SIM has collected, because of the sheer volume, it is recommended to dashboard the SEM alerts, as they are likely to be significantly less in number. On average you should be alerting on less than 1% of 1% of the collected logs that equates to a maximum of 200 alerts from 2 million collected audit logs. With a really strong correlation engine we would expect to eventually tune these alerts down to 2 a day, instead of 200 a day. You only want to be alerted on TRUE security or operational risks to your enterprise, not every time someone fat fingers their password.

3. Reporting. While reporting capability is critical for SIM, it is also important for SEM. The reports are not going to be as difficult to produce, for starters you are not reporting against billions of logs, more likely you are reporting against tens of thousands of alerts. But management will want to see that critical alerts have been responded to and resolved.

4. Log Normalisation. To create detailed alerts you will need to "understand" the raw logs, for example you will need to understand what part of the log string is the group name, if for example you want to alert when a user is added to an administrator group. Most vendors will create normalisation rules for the standard off the shelf applications, but you should be able to normalise your organisations custom log formats, without having to employ the vendors, likely to be expensive, professional service consultants.

5. Alert Management. As well as creating complex alerts based on correlation rules it should be possible to track the status of generated alerts. Has the Alert been resolved? What steps were taken after the alert was raised. A built in ticketing system or tight integration in to an existing ticketing system is a critical feature of a Security Event Management tool.

Important Role of Corporate Catering Services!

No matter, whether you are running a small business with few staff members or a big one, you need to maintain a successful relationship with your employees for better productivity. The best way to do this is by organizing corporate parties from time to time. This is because a well-organized party not only creates a better impression of the company in front of its employees but clients as well. In other words, a perfectly planned corporate event presents a better image of the company and makes it more popular.

Organizing a corporate event is a tough task. Proper planning is required to make each thing perfect so that the guests in the party can have moments to treasure forever. If not planned properly, it can present a bad image of the company. In order to have your event organized in a comfortable manner, you can hire professional catering company. A professional catering company deals with each and every small or big task and ensures that the customers receive results beyond their expectation level.

Important tasks performed by the company include:

Complete event planning

This is an important service provided by professional caterers. They perform their best in order to plan the whole party in a way to make it special and unique. Event planning involves a number of steps such as budget setting, venue setting, food preparation and presentation, entertainment options, etc. All these tasks need to be carried out in a proper way so as to leave a better impression on clients and employees.

Perfect decoration

The next important task performed by a caterer is that of decoration. In order to give a better and stylish look to the event, they decorate the venue with ribbons, flowers and candles. In addition to this, they also take care of the lighting arrangement by providing high-quality electronic lighting equipment for the event.

Table service items

Besides an ideal planning and decoration of an event, there is something else corporate catering services can do. They also provide a wide range of table service items, required in an event.

Entertainment

For making a corporate event interesting and exciting, entertainment options should be there. Catering companies arrange entertainment activities like magic shows, orchestra, dance floor and many others to create a fresh and exciting environment.

Thus, it becomes clear from the above discussion that corporate catering service providers play an important role in organizing better events and upholding the status of your company.

4 Unusual Ideas For Corporate Events

The idea of corporate events is one that has spread like wildfire across the capitalist west. There are various reasons for having them, but in essence, whether they are for clients or workers, corporate events are basically a mixture of business and pleasure. This mixture has proven to be very successful in terms of promoting togetherness in the workplace and building on the personal relationships required to make business run smoothly. In this article we'll look at some less common ideas for business conferences.

1. If your staff are on the active side, then you might want to consider a day of Zorbing. This involves getting in a giant inflated rubber ball and rolling down a hill in it. It certainly gives people an adrenaline surge, as there is a often more than a little fear associated with tumbling down. In a sense, there is a certain degree of 'letting go' involved in being able to get in one of these things. If you do it as a group, you are likely have a very memorable experience that could help unite you as a team. It could also be a good way to gel with clients.

2. Paintballing corporate events. While this is also a fairly unusual event, it is also really for the more active members of a team - and some less active or female workers might not be interested. This activity involves using paintball guns and firing them at an opposing team in order to achieve a pre-defined objective - e.g. to take a flag or a base. It arguably helps build a sense of team work and for the right client, can help do business too.

3. A Spa Day. Among corporate events, these are very popular as they tend to appeal to a broad range of people; young or old, male or female. The emphasis is of course on relaxation, and business is arguably done much more easily in this atmosphere. Relationships with clients are forged more quickly, and working relationships become stronger - based on something more real, perhaps.

4. You might even consider something such as a magic workshop. This is also something less common and something that could well appeal to a broad range of people. There is value in something learned communally - it brings people together and is often fun. Less commonly used for client-focussed corporate events, they are nevertheless one to consider.

These are just some of the less common corporate events available - there are plenty of companies who are adept at helping you select just the right event for your situation.

Evaluating Social Networking Tools for Events Promotion

A growing debate arose amongst event organizers regarding the usage of social networking tools for event promotions. One school of thought believes in the view that spending time and energy on social networking sites is nothing but wastage of vital man hours. They rely more on traditional age-old methods of advertising which primarily consist of newspapers adverts and telecasting commercials on television and using radio jingles to campaign for the event. However, new age business bees have argued social media has brought about a revolution in the way event promotion used to take place previously. The online strategy is quite fruitful too in diverting web traffic to the event website successfully.

Facebook

Facebook is the most popular social networking website today and will soon have 1 billion registered global users. Facebook allows you the platform to promote your events and company products to millions of people worldwide. It is very easy to use and you can open an account absolutely free! The site lets you search for people related to your industry and potential attendees and customers. You can join groups to network with like-minded professionals and share ideas and suggestions when planning smart marketing strategies for your business. You can 'Like' an event page that looks interesting and informative.

Twitter

This micro-blogging site is a powerful tool to share information and updates of any kind. You can tweet about your upcoming events as well as provide useful online webpage links for the users to click on those to visit the page. Twitter allows anyone to write a message of maximum 140 characters; hence you need to be extra careful to tweet the most important things first. Don't fill up your profile page with unnecessary scraps; rather share your online event registration links or your business website links with fellow Twitter followers. This site helps you get feedback from people in real-time by voting in favor of or against your tweet.

LinkedIn

It is a professional social networking website where you can meet and network with industry experts and specific company executives. LinkedIn increases your event website visibility plus credibility. It lets you establish contacts with like-minded people and in the course of time create new business opportunities and increased event registrations.

Google+

Google+ allows individuals to create "Circles" to allocate contacts into different groups. The chatting feature lets you start a dialogue with anyone -friend or potential prospect, and "Hangouts" facilitate group video chats with a maximum of 10 people joining in a single Hangout session. With Google+, you can initiate discussions with likeminded individuals and in the process begin an interesting conversation with them explaining the reasons for attending your upcoming conference or webinar.

Maximizing Innovations in Special Event Transportation for More Efficient Event Management

Corporate events organizers are all too familiar with the logistical nightmare that results from moving large numbers of employees from one location to another, and within a specified time frame. This process can be streamlined through the innovative special event transportation solutions offered by leading transportation firms.

Conferences, training sessions, and charity fundraisers are only some of the events that will require companies to move employees on a mass scale. Finding the appropriate number and type of vehicles for these events is not the only factor that needs to be taken into consideration. Event organizers also need to consider the potential traffic, speed, road conditions, fuel, and general performance of these vehicles. By factoring all these in, companies ensure not only the timely arrival of employees, but their safety and comfort as well.

Established transportation companies are typically one step ahead of their clients. By adopting intelligent solutions, they are able to account for all of the above in order to proactively address client needs. Through the use of state-of-the-art GPS technology, their dispatch teams are able to identify traffic patterns, receive flight updates, and monitor speed and idling.

Top transportation companies also use innovative approaches for training their staff. For instance, some use BIT smart technology on vehicles to depict the results of certain scenarios, such as when G-force parameters are exceeded.

As for the vehicles themselves, those of leading special event transportation providers feature a high level of fuel economy and produce less carbon emissions through the employment of hybrid, CNG, propane or bio-diesel engines. Not only that, but these vehicles also use sophisticated technology to deploy gears for appropriate shifting based on the vehicle's load and speed, as well as road conditions. In addition, these vehicles can also be equipped with Wi-Fi and AVR recorders.

Companies can also benefit from services such as real time ridership reports, which include details on the number of employees who have boarded and at which pickup points. Some service providers even enable clients to check the arrival of the next bus through their cell phones.

For greater value for their investment, companies are advised to seek out service providers that also offer event planning and management services in addition to transportation. This enables them to focus on more pressing matters while their service provider takes charge of the ground transportation plans. Professionals can also factor in details such as additional passengers or stops while adhering to their client's time frame and budget.

The Benefits of Being a Wedding Planner and How to Become One

The role of wedding planner is a fairly modern one. Until fairly recently, such a job was unheard of, where as now it is almost the norm. These days, such is the pressure on brides and grooms to spend money and get everything right on the day of their wedding, while still working full time demanding jobs, has led to the birth of the wedding planner industry. Whole companies are now evolving who will hire out wedding planners and cater for the whole day. It has also left some people wondering how they can become a wedding planner and what qualifications or training are available to them.

What Are The Business Options For A Professional Wedding Planner?

One of the first decisions to make when you decide you would like to become a professional wedding planner is whether you work as part of an established company or be an independent and work alone. Many budding wedding coordinators choose to run their own business as they can work from home with limited overheads. It is also possible to fit it around family commitments and the overheads would not be too serious as you don't have to pay for special premises. With the prospect of keeping all the profits from the venture it is no surprise that 60 to 70 per cent of consultants start as independents.

Even so, working for a public company can have its own benefits. Firstly the publicity is better and you might have access to a wider range of clients. You could also avail yourself of the larger company resources and their contacts.

However, it is even more important to check that becoming a wedding planner is the right profession for you to pursue now or in the future.

Wedding Planner Skills

There are a number of skills required for those who want to be wedding co-ordinators. Some are natural while others are learned. A number of successful wedding planners have degrees in event planning. Others will have done a business course or worked in retail or done art and craft at college. These learned skills will be very beneficial, especially if you plan to run your own business. You will also need to set up records and accounts as well as develop contacts with a number of reliable suppliers from photographers to caterers, from venues to registrars, etc.

Natural qualities that are very valuable are not only organizational skills but also the ability to keep everyone calm. You will need to be a good communicator as well as a good listener. You will also need to network with businesses and prospective clients. If you feel there is much you need to learn, you might be better to start as part of a larger company and only branch out on your own when you feel more successful and that you have a good understanding of what it means to be a successful wedding planner.

Finance And Wedding Planning

One thing is certain, people are using the services of wedding planners and they are paying for the privileges of their services. This means there is the means to make a living. Many weddings are big affairs and as a consultant you can earn a good sized fee. How big and how successful you become will depend on the size of weddings you do, the reputation you build up as well as how good you are at negotiating deals and building up a reliable network of suppliers. The standard fee is about ten to fifteen per cent of the overall costs. The cost of the wedding will depend on the facilities required and the number of guests. A typical fee for a wedding planner can be between £1000 and £4000 per wedding.

The Life Of A Wedding Planner

As a wedding planner, you will need to be able to handle stress of varying proportions without losing your cool. You will also need to remember all the smaller details as well as the overall events of the day. There will also be many difficulties which you will need to overcome (although with experience these should become easier to deal with if not avoid altogether). On the other hand, you do get to relive countless "happiest days" over and over again. Although they will be other peoples "happiest days" the satisfaction level of this type of job done well, will be high.

Party Planner 101 - Putting Together A Party In Three Hours

First remember that you, your family and friends are the party. When it comes to simple gatherings, folks love to chip in on short notice so long as the request made is not out of reach. Therefore your number one priority it to call your more local family and friends and invite them over. You should ask each one to stop by the local grocery store and pick up food or drink according to the number of invitees who will attend.

For those who think they can snap up a hot dish in one hour let them have at it. Although these days store bought dishes can be just be tasty, there is no place like home for good home cooking.
Create a self-serve banquet setting. It's best to set up a beverage table a slight distance away to avoid over crowding at tables.

Here is a basic shopping list of party must haves.

Cake, cakes and more cake

Ice cream/sherbet

Chips and dip

Salad

Fruit/cheese/vegetable platters - Get the ready-made platters sold at large food markets

Shrimp, and shrimp cocktail precooked

Pizza - delivery

Drinks, drinks and more drinks

Ice, ice and more ice

Coffee and tea

Napkins

forks/spoons/knives

Plates and cups

Bottles of bubbly

Big bottle coolers

Punch bowls and ladle

Now that the food items are delegated it's time to decorate. Your decorations need not be elaborate, just festive and fun. Put together a list of needed decorations according to the theme of the party. At short notice it's best to keep your list short and simple. Do not challenge yourself to put together something you never have. Go with what you know.

One big banner, balloons and streamers will do. Run down to the local food market or drug store and grab balloons, streamers and 3 sheets of poster board. Get a large magic marker and glitter. Look for metallic stick on letters and stars and get back home ASAP.

Decorations Shopping List

Poster board

String

Streamers

Markers

Large Stick on Letters (at least two packs) and Stars

Glitter

Balloons, Balloons and more Balloons

Long drywall screws and electric or battery powered hand drill or Phillips screwdriver

Heavy-duty transparent box tape

Box of glitter confetti

Decking The Walls

Tape or staple your poster board together length-wise. Using a hole punch, poke holes on the side by the upper corners leaving one full inch of space. Decide on message for your banner and begin placing letters on the board decorate with stars and glitter.

Cut three to four feet of string and put string through holes on each upper end of banner.
Run screws into drywall as close to the ceiling as possible leaving half inch of screw exposed. Hang your banner tying string to screws in wall.

Tie balloons to six feet of string in grape cluster formation. Hang string from ceiling or tape to wall using box tape. Runs streamers from ceiling. Toss glitter confetti about.

Have some guests arrive at least 45 minutes early to help with decor and set up food table and drinks.

Boom! You're ready. Let's get this party started.

10 Tips For Choosing a Corporate Hospitality Venue

If you're looking for a corporate hospitality venue, then perhaps you've already got somewhere in mind, and know exactly what you want. Alternative, you might not know what sort of venue you want, or what to look for.

Here are some ideas to make sure everything goes to plan.

1. You'll want to decide whereabouts you want to hold your corporate event. Will it be near your work, or somewhere central so that it's nearer for all guests to get to? If you've got an idea in mind, such as horse racing hospitality, or other sporting event, then you'll have to decide which event you want to attend.

2. Knowing how many guests you're expecting can also help you to decide on the perfect corporate venue for your event. You don't want to be lost in a large room if there are only a few guests.

3. The sort of guests you invite can also make a difference to what sort of corporate hospitality venue you decide on. You won't want to choose something that your guests do for a living, or do regularly. Why not think of the corporate events you've been to and see if you can think of something appropriate. Will your guests be impressed if you spend a fortune, or will they think you're charging too much?

4. Once you've decided on your venue, you'll want to make sure that it's available when you want it. Alternatively, you might want to choose a different date, or a different venue.

5. What sort of entertainment is on offer for you and your guests? Will it be appropriate and the sort of things your guests will expect?

6. The next thing is to determine how you and your guest will get there. Will you be laying on transport, or will you expect your guest to make their own arrangements. You might want to provide taxi or minibus details to make it easier. Why not see if you can arrange overnight accommodation too?

7. Meals and refreshments are another consideration, and you'll want to make sure that they are all included, so that your guests are not expected to pay for anything during the day.

8. Check that other extras are included, or can be added if necessary. Perhaps you'll want an expert in the even to help you, or you might want to advertise at the event, or you might want to stay overnight.

9. Remember that it's important not to choose a location or event solely on cost. You don't want to forget anything important like meals, and you also don't want your guests to think that you're working to a tight budget. It might be better not to host an event than to do it on the cheap. You don't want your reputation to be spoilt.

10. Above all, it needs to be a fun day out for all involved. Whilst you might be looking for new business, it will be a chance to spend time with your clients, and so you'll want it to be a relaxed atmosphere. If the venue you're considering is very formal, and you're a relaxed company, it might not be the right place for your corporate event.

Now you know more about how to choose a corporate hospitality venue, where will you hold your corporate event?

Event Management Tips - Keep the Success Going Through the Night

Planning an event is so much harder than it's portrayed to be. You'd think that making a few calls and setting the time, place and date is not so hard, then you have to think about the food, decorations, the people being invited, the drinks, the waiters and waitresses, uniforms, flowers, settings, music, DJ, songs and lots more. Still seem easy to you?

Whether you're planning your first event or it's something you've been doing for some time here are some event management tips to making sure that the event you plan is a success:

Event Management Tip 1: Always have the Budget settled before doing anything else. Knowing the budget is what you have to base everything on, otherwise you could end up overspending and having to cut costs here and there and all that could be messy. For just-in-case situations, you should also have a little amount kept aside or a small backup fee you could use.

Event Management Tip 2: Count the number of people. You can't know how much of what to buy without knowing the number of people expected, and when you know that number, add some more. It's better to have more available seats than to not have enough.

Event Management Tip 3: Give the service people the information they require. The people you hire are going to be leading the event; they should know who they're serving, history of the company or information of the party hosts/celebrant. They should also know what they can and can't do and if there will be special guests at the party choose who will be serving them.

Event Management Tip 4: Have a backup plan for EVERYTHING. Think about what if this happens, that happens, lights go out, it starts raining, the speakers/projector/mic stop working etc. Having a plan B is what can save the party.

Event Management Tip 5: Practice once the day before and then relax. Stressing yourself out and over thinking doesn't necessarily help, it's more likely to cause problems.

It's not going to be easy, but it can be fun and challenging. Just keep in mind that mistakes can happen and all you need is a solution, with proper planning that should be quick and easy.