Meeting & Event Planners - The Worst That Could Happen and How to Avoid It

There is a simple trick that every meeting or event planner can use to avoid their worst nightmare. Imagine your conference, meeting or event begins tomorrow with a tremendous kick-off breakfast. You have brought in a well-known speaker whose book is climbing up the best-seller lists and whose presentation is guaranteed to motivate and inspire the attendees. Their profile and presentation synopsis in the program has everyone at the event buzzing! Your group cannot wait to hear this incredible speaker who is flying in from the east coast for your event.

Around 6PM you get a call from the speaker. He is snowed in, sick or otherwise unable to make it to the host city in time for the morning event. You call the bureau that booked your speaker only to get their office voice mail. They are closed for the evening! You are stuck with several hundred (or thousand!) attendees and no speaker. Not much you can do about it at this point, since it is probably too late to find another speaker and you would not even know where to begin. Even if you had more time, hours on the internet may not net you a qualified, appropriate speaker for tomorrow's kick-off breakfast. Your morning's event starts with apologies and ends under a cloud of disappointment; attendees are even talking about refunds and rebates!

The fabulous start to your amazing event has, in one phone call, been reduced to nothing more than an ordinary breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon. Without a speaker you have no show...no information, no excitement...possibly a disaster that could be remembered for years to come. Okay, it's not YOUR fault that your speaker got snowed in! But you will be at the center of this disappointing event. Your clients will look to you for an explanation of how their event, several months in the making, has somehow come to a screeching halt. It happens all the time. But there is a simple way to avoid ever having to deal with this scenario.

The trick to avoiding MegaDisasters is to use a speakers bureau that is in the same time zone as your host city. This will allow you to avoid any such disaster. Even if your star speaker is unable to get to your event in time, a good bureau will be able to find a comparable speaker and have them arrive at your event with time to spare. Most bureaus have rosters full of speakers and contacts and will know exactly who could get there and how fast. They know which speaker would most likely be able to fill the shoes of the original speaker you had booked. And, while there may be some initial disappointment among attendees upon learning that they won't get to hear the featured speaker, the replacement speaker will more than likely rock the house and satisfy the audience completely.

Having a great speaker is critical to the success of any event. Most bureaus know alternative speakers who live nearby or who can at least get to the event within a few hours notice.

The best part of using a speakers bureau in the same time zone as the event's host city is that you'll avoid the frustration of not being able to get in touch with your bureau in the event of an emergency.

How to Find the Right Corporate Caterers for Your Next Business Event

Food is a personal business, even when it happens on a large scale. Make sure the food at your next corporate event is top-notch by finding the right food catering company ahead of time.

As anyone who has ever attended a catered business event can attest, the values of an organization are reflected in the quality of food that it serves. A lack of quality in either the food or the presentation can have a distinctly negative impact on how others perceive the host organization. That's why hiring the right catering company for your business or corporate event is vital. Take the time to find a catering pro who is right for you so that you can put forward the best image (and taste) possible for your business.

When you're in the market for a corporate catering service, one of the most important things to do is to find a caterer who will work with you on your terms, not theirs. Your caterer should listen and ask questions about the type, amount, and arrangement of food that you want. They should also be willing to discuss how to best meet your needs while staying within your budget. If you need a breakfast spread to feed a group of 50 at your office and your caterer starts talking about caviar and champagne, hang up the phone.

Your caterer should be more interested in you and in what you need rather than in pushing what they want to sell. The bottom line is, your catering company should work with you from day one to provide the type of food you need in the most cost-effective manner. If, at any point, you sense otherwise, it's time to find a new company.

In addition to listening to what you actually need, your caterer should also be willing to do their best to accommodate special requests. While not all companies will be able to handle all situations, a good caterer should be receptive to hearing if you need a specific item or are dealing with a specific dietary restriction. You might, for example, need a kosher, vegetarian, or gluten-free item for an event. Or, you might need to have a copy of the nutrition or ingredient information on hand for certain clients.

Even on the corporate scale, food is a personal thing. Your catering service should be willing to meet the personal specifications that you set out. If they are unreceptive to these conversations, get them out of there! If they simply can't accommodate something you need, keep them on file for future events and have them recommend another company that would better suit your needs.

Serving quality food that's right for your guests is a surefire way to show off your business in a good light. Start that process off right by finding caterers who are invested in providing you with the food and the service you need every step of the way.

Two Secrets to Get More People to Attend Your Business Networking Events

As the Membership Director for a large west coast chamber of commerce, I have attended over 2,000 networking events in the last 7 years. Of those 2,000 event, I was the organizer of more than half those events. When the success of your business meeting depends on getting people to show up, it's important to figure out very quickly how to get them to show up. It's a scary feeling to be standing in the doorway of your venue, looking at an empty room on one hand and the clock on the other. Here are my two secret weapons that have helped me nearly double the average attendance of the business events I run.

The secret ingredients to get people to attend are bribery and nagging. Sounds like the method your mom used to get you to clean your room when you were young? Well, I call it that for the fun and shock value of the words to help you remember the two pillars of getting people to attend your events.

Bribery is how you answer the age-old, vital question that we all have of "What's in it for me?" As event organizers and business event planners, we get caught up in the process and forget that the luncheon, mixer or meeting is NEVER for our own benefit. It must be for the benefit of the people who are attending. You must have a compelling reason for them to be there. And then you must communicate that benefit to them when you market the event.

Food is a great bribe, but you want to think carefully if that is the main attraction will it bring the people you want to have there. Do you want to have a trade show with 1,000 "lookie-loos" or 300 dedicated buyers and prospects? There are liability issues if adult beverages are the main attraction and would you only want to attract the "cocktail crowd?" For my chamber of commerce, one of the best bribes was the quality of people who were attending.

Nagging is making sure that you reach your target market in as many ways, as many times and in as many different forms as possible. Hopefully you've got a great list of people who you want to attract. Use multiple outlets for your announcements and reminders.

The combination of bribery and nagging are the secret to help you get more people to attend your events. I've doubled the attendance at mine and you can too.

What to Look for In an Event Company

Hiring the right event company to produce your special event can make the difference between hosting an event that is organized and well received from one that is unprofessional and a dismal failure. A professional event company can prove an invaluable asset in helping to produce a special event such as a conference, trade show, new product launch, workshop or employee training session so that everything goes smoothly and event attendees get the maximum benefit out of the program. There is a checklist of things to consider when hiring the right company to produce or manage your special event.

First, look for a company that has solid experience in producing and organizing the type of event you want to offer. Some companies can handle a wide range of events, while others specialize in producing specific types of events. During an initial meeting with the company, be sure to have a clear outline of your budget, timeframe and needs so that the company will know the parameters of what they have to work with in order to match your needs without exceeding the amount of money and resources you have dedicated to producing the special event.

Ask the company for references and then follow up with these to find out other people's experience in using their services to produce a special event similar to the one you are planning. If you are planning a special event at a remote location rather than on your own home turf, it can be wise to choose an event management company based in that location because they know the local area and how its resources can best suit your event.

Find out whom from the event planning company will be assigned to your account and if there are several staff members who will be involved in coordinating your event. Determine if the company will have one of their member's onsite the day of the event to handle any troubleshooting and to oversee every that every detail of the event goes as planned and as expected. Be wary of companies comprised of only one individual who might easily be overwhelmed handling every detail, as well as companies that use contractors in managing client events because these individuals may not be as reliable as company employees.

Be certain to cover every detail with the event planning company you hire, from food and beverage service to lighting, entertainment, and registration and parking so there will be no unpleasant surprises the day of the event. Get everything in writing when you contract with a company to manage your event so there is no misunderstandings and that all of your expectations are met.

Event Planning Process: How To Use The Online Event Registration Software For Best Results

For an event planner, it is very important to start the process of event planning smartly. After the first meeting with the client, you should invest time creating a presentation for the second meeting wherein the client is given information regarding the shortlisted venues for the event. When going on venue-hopping, you should keep the client's monetary capacity and the style in mind. A good homework is required so that you can explain the pros and cons of selecting the venue to the client.

The site visits can be planned once the contract is signed. You would be accompanying the client to the different sites. It would be useful if some preliminary information can be served to the client about the venues, you intend to visit. The client can then consider and the schedule for venue hopping can be decided.

Sub venue

Also, shortlist locations to be used as sub venues. If the main event venue closes at a specific time, you can schedule an after party in the second location. You can use the online event registration software for such purposes. Using the automated process cuts down on the workload and gives you more time to do all the running about for selecting venues.

Events Page Customization

Once you have signed up for the online process, you can create the online event registration page in minutes. The page can be customized according to the look and feel of your website. You may customize the online forms for registration that include the questions along with multiple input options.

The Calendar of events

The online calendar option helps you to check the dates of the event with the client. You can get update the attendees about any change of plans via the online registration software programs. The automated results feature allows you to offer instant information to multiple attendees at the same time.

Data collection and Reporting

Although selecting the venue is an action that requires a lot of precision, the other aspects of an event planner's activities cannot be ignored. You can choose the data that you must collect from the registration forms through a web interface. The registration pages and the attendee data are found online 24x7. You get reports on attendees, sales and registrations at no initial cost.

Payment Facilities

The online event registration tools helps online processing of all major Credit Cards, Checks, Pay Pal, and Purchase Orders. The client can also opt to use the Merchant account for collecting payments. The event planner can use the online ticketing system for selling tickets as well as marketing the event. Tools for increasing ROI and also free tools for marketing like email marketing, surveys, connectors to the social media, the calendar tool and so on increases attendee participation. For a conference or an event where you need to register multiple attendees you can have more than one booking options. The participant information for the individual or the group can also be collected.

Thus, online event registration can be a safe, hassle free and breezy affair with the top-notch solutions from firms that provide event planners with immaculate services.

10 Best Reasons Your Company Needs a Corporate Event Planner!

Getting individuals together for the purposes of brainstorming, motivating and other business-related concerns demonstrates the high-need necessity of a well-planned, well-organized, and well-run conference to produce a remarkable outcome. To handle this weighty job, companies are seeking help from third parties for their corporate meeting planning rather than selecting someone from their staff to accomplish this task.

One major problem of selecting an event planner from the company's staff would be that they are actually taking on two things: the planning of the event as well as their other assigned tasks within the company. Even a person designated to handle small, occasional events could be overwhelmed by anything more major than that.

Corporate meeting planning needs can be comfortably handled by these professionals and here are ten of the best reasons your company should consider a third-party corporate event organizer!

1. A corporate event planner is fully accountable for all details. They can focus on things such as site selection, contract negotiations, the whole reservation process, and basically manage the corporate conference from start to finish.

2. Your company can hold meetings more often in different venues and your company can even decide to take the gatherings to another country.

3. Doing corporate meeting planning for 10 participants is somewhat the same workload as holding conferences for large numbers and the company can get these workloads done efficiently and professionally with the help of a corporate planner.

4. Although most companies don't have any problem in getting their executives together for meetings, giving them the most convenient gathering sites and fulfilling their logistical needs can best be handled by a third-party planner service.

5. About a decade ago, the majority of businesses could spend large sums for luxurious convention venues with first class airlines and other incentives for their executives. In contrast, the present economic crunch finds most businesses trying to lessen costs for every meeting. When a company uses the services of a corporate event planner, research has shown this helps significantly lower the whole budget cost of the company's annual conference.

6. A company can turn over the assembly specifications to a professional event planner and get the information when needed and expect the best results.

7. An event planner will handle the hiring of entertainers or vendors best-suited for any of your corporate events. So whether the event needs a stand-up comedian or a good band, these professionals will handle all these concerns for your meeting!

8. Especially if your company has a short amount of time to plan for a meeting, a third-party event organizer can get all the details worked out and still deliver to you the best venue and assembly management services. In addition, event planners work on every detail of the event with flexibility, understanding that planning sometimes needs to be accomplished in a shorter period of time and be subject to last-minute changes.

9. Your company is guaranteed that everything about your meeting event will be appropriately accomplished as these professional planners are persevering and will work hard for the company's best interest.

10. Corporate event organizers have undergone training and accreditation and are professionally equipped to handle an event and fulfill your corporate meeting planning needs - big or small!

Planning your corporate gatherings is the key for a wonderful yet inexpensive business conference experience for your executives or key personnel - and getting a corporate event planner is the best choice you can make now for your next business meeting and other corporate events!

Live Auction Faux Pas - What You Should Avoid in Planning Your Next Event

I am always surprised when event planners take great care with all the cost centers of an event: hiring the band, hiring the caterer, and booking the venue. These same planners rarely consider hiring the auctioneer for the live auction.

As a professional auctioneer, I typically receive panicked calls a week or days before an auction from many organizations inquiring if I can help them out? A classic mistake many planners and organizations make is not understanding the potential the live auction has in driving revenues. According to the National Association of Auctioneers, approximately, $268.4 billion were sold at live-auction in 2008. Make no mistake, live auctions are viable revenue generators.

So here's a short list of the things to avoid:

1. Treating the live auction like an AFTERTHOUGHT versus a key Revenue Generator.
Waiting until the last minute and hastily planning your live auction component of your event will cost your organization revenue and/or fundraising dollars.

2. Hiring a local celebrity auctioneer versus a professional auctioneer is not the best decision.
Auctioneers should always be HIRED not ACQUIRED. Let's face it, your local meteorologist may be great at predicting the weather-but he, nor she is a professional auctioneer.

Auctioneering is both a profession and a skill set. The 15-30 minutes or more when a Professional Auctioneer takes the stage may look easy. However, the live auction is really intensive selling masked by a dash of entertainment.

Auctioneering requires commanding the attention of a crowd, and selling merchandise or experiences in such an enticing way that the audience is willing to bid top dollar for it. It may look like something the local Anchorperson or Meteorologist can do-but it's not. Your neighbor may be a good cook, but I bet you didn't hire him or her as the caterer of your event.

3. Having poorly crafted, generic descriptions or no information at all on the auction items.
Generic descriptions of items don't drive up bidding or get you the top dollar. A skilled auctioneer will craft enticing descriptions of the items to get them sold. Always arm your auctioneer with the information they need about the items well in advance of your event.

4. Deciding the sequence of what is sold without consulting the professional auctioneer.
Organizations love to create programs and decide the order of what is sold. However, WHEN an item is sold is as important as the item itself. Professional auctioneers can assess the audience and line the auction items up to keep the crowd engaged and bidding.

Depending on the audience, trips and vacations may sell better at the end of the auction. Jewelry and merchandise in some cases, sell better at the beginning of the live auction. The professional auctioneer can read the room and tell you WHEN items should be sequenced for bid. Good auctioneers work the room prior to the event to find out what the crowd is interested in and he or she will open the auction with the item that has the highest interest.

Auctioneers will open bidding with a common item that will appeal to all audience members to include: Boomers, Millennials and Gen Xers.

5. Having too many standard retail items (i.e., TV, Stereo) versus an experience item, like a trip to Italy or a weekend at NASCAR makes it difficult to generate demand and a frenzy of bidding.

Buyers at a live auction rarely come to buy needs, so it is important to package the experience items with great descriptions to drive the bidding up and ultimately the sales price. This is particularly important at benefit auctions where some buyers will buy and bid high knowing that the purchase will also benefit and advance the mission of the organization.

6. Having auction items in the live auction that are better suited for the silent auction can slow the momentum and energy of the live auction.

7. Not allotting enough time for the auction and /or letting it start too late, when the crowd is thinning.

8. Having a bad sound system defeats the purpose of a live auction. Appearing live and sounding dead is not an option.

9. Making the checkout process too long due to inadequate planning or low staffing.
Keep in mind that the checkout is the last impression that attendees will have of your event. Always close out your auctions quickly, efficiently and with ease and people will remember the event positively and gladly return the following year.

If planners or organizations can avoid committing most of the common live auction faux pas above, then you can expect your live auction to be successful, revenue generating and a memorable event.

Corporate Sports Hospitality Package - Its Importance To Your Business

Regardless of the nature of any business, loyal customers are hard to find. They are like pieces of jewelry which must be regarded with utmost value. The same is the case for top performing employees. There are many ways by which you can share quality time with these important people who keep your business running. One of which is availing a corporate sports hospitality package. It can either let your treasured business partners enjoy playing or watching a game with you and their other co-clients or co-workers.

Moving forward, you can also take potential clients whom you want to convert into loyal customers to events covered by packages like this. Having a first-class location in the game's venue or a private use of a sports site can allow you talk about business while enjoying a leisurely time with your prospect patrons.

In order to make the most out of this opportunity, there are some considerations which must be observed. These aim at picking the right corporate sports hospitality package to ensure great time among your attendees and to avoid waste of funds on your part.

Firstly, know the interest of your would-be guests. Would they love to watch a football game or play in a mini-golf tournament? After you have decided on the initial step, your next concern will be the date and venue of the event. If you plan to bring your guests to a finals game, then there would already be a set date and venue. All you have to do is inform your attendees of the details beforehand so that they would never miss it. If you are organizing a tournament for your guests, mark a date when they all would be available and a central location that is accessible to everyone.

To make corporate hospitality events such as this successful, you must take the effort to personally invite them to the occasion. Sending emails would definitely disseminate the information a lot quicker. However, it cannot ensure perfect attendance from the recipients. A few of them may opt not to attend but with a little persuasion from you, they might just change their minds. As you invite them, remind them of important details like observing the proper dress code so that they could enjoy the event more.

As you want your guests to feel valued, ensure that all the meals and refreshments they need are included in your chosen package. You would never want them to be paying for anything on that special day, right? If there is more time to spare, think of additional activities your company can host after the main event that you have set.

Holding corporate sports hospitality events on a regular basis could be the best tool for you to network and expand your customer base. These give you the right time and venue to find clients and new contacts. Additionally, these can attract highly competent people to stay or join your company. Yes, they come at a certain cost but they come with worthy rewards as well.

6 Ways to Negotiate a Win-Win Contract With Your Audio Visual Company

When you are negotiating a contract with your AV supplier, it is best to keep the "win-win" mentality and attitude right from the start. Both the event meeting planning company and the audio visual firm want to achieve the best deal for their respective organizations. For the planner, it is keeping their costs down and for the AV company, it is keeping their profits up. So how can we do this? Below, are six common sense, but creative ways, to work with an event audio visual rental company and make everyone come out of the negotiations with a smile on their face.

1. Start with a written Request for Proposal (RFP). Include in the RFP as much information as you possibly can about the event. With respect to interactive technology tool rentals, start with the "must haves" and always include the "nice to haves". If you have worked with this supplier before, ask for their creative input. You might be surprised with the response and it may even save you money!

2. Provide the history of the event and trend analysis. If you have been holding the same event for 10 or 15 years, include the AV requirements for each of those years, including the number of attendees, speakers, and rooms in which audiovisual was used. But most importantly, included a detailed 3-year snapshot of your event. This will help the AV company understand whether your attendance is trending up or down and possibly explore alternative methods to reach your audience, such as hybrid technology.

3. Determine the flexibility of the day of the week for your meeting. The highest demand for meetings is Monday through Thursday. Can your meeting be held on Friday or during the weekend? Double check with the event audio visual rental company. See when their slowest day or days are. They will be more willing to reduce their fee, if they know it is very likely their equipment will be idle and their people sitting at the home office.

4. Schedule your event during a slow time of year. Every city has a "super slow" time of year whether it be Cleveland in January or Tampa in August. Consider hosting your event during that time. Again, check with the AV company to confirm that is the lowest rental time for them. This may not always work for every meeting, but it is a creative option especially when you are working with a really tight budget.

5. Get ALL the fees in writing, well before the event. Labor is usually your largest cost for AV, so make certain you understand the labor costs for regular time, time-and-a-half, and any other labor charges you might incur. Determine if this is negotiable (especially if you implement #3 and #4 from above). What about supplies, like batteries, lamps, extension cords? Get this all in writing and see if they will bundle items or provide you with an inclusive price.

6. Consider negotiating a yearly or multi-year contract with your AV Supplier. If the rental firm knows all the meetings and their AV requirements up front, it is much easier for them to look at the total picture of profitability.

An Introduction to Corporate Hospitality Jobs

Have you ever thought it might be a fun job organizing all those end-of-year company Christmas parties? Or managing company events such as employee training or team-building seminars? Well, if you have, a corporate hospitality job might be the career choice for you.

Companies wishing to inform, entertain, or educate their clients, staff or stakeholders use the services of the corporate hospitality industry to organize their seminars, events or parties. This sector is one of the most dynamic and exciting and offers a remarkable variety of corporate hospitality jobs.

If you are interested in the catering industry - this job will take you to different venues, be it the company's facilities, convention centers, or a beach BBQ. You will get the opportunity to mingle with a great variety of people, maybe even a celebrity or two. There is always a demand for catering chefs, hosts and wait-staff. You will need to be a 'people person' with a pleasant manner and good communication skills, well presented and reliable. The job will most likely involve working outside of the 8-to-5 work day, and working on weekends or holidays.

For those with management and organizational skills, there are a multitude of opportunities, from event planning and staging, conference organizing and support, to hosting VIP clients for companies and corporations. Experience in management and a good knowledge of the hospitality industry and the corporate world are essential, as well as problem solving skills, people skills and a positive outlook.

There are many other skills that would be required, depending on the specific field. You could be developing themes and branding for company events, which could also include all the logistics - catering, accommodation, entertainment, technical support or transport - whatever the job, you will have to make sure that the client's guests or employees have a positive experience and your client's goals were met.

Corporate events require a host of support staff - whether technical, food & beverage, transport or accommodation.

The technical side is crucial to the success of any event. Be it maintaining the audio-visual equipment for speakers and presenters, or the light and sound gear for the entertainment crew at a party or sports event.

Big hotels and conference centers have staff that specialize in corporate events. From co-ordinating accommodation and transport for the company's staff to looking after the families of the people involved in the conference or meeting. Issues like transport, communications, last-minute cancellations and changes to the plans - dealing with these requires a person who is a good multi-tasker and a great people-person, who can solve problems as they arise with a cool head and a smile. If that sounds like you, you would need to get a good knowledge base on how the corporate hospitality jobs work, and once you get your foot in the door, there are always opportunities to get ahead and advance as you acquire experience.

Events and parties also require support on the artistic side - be it designing a theme event, the company branding or decorating for a Christmas party.

You might even find yourself involved in the corporate hospitality jobs sector if you are an outdoor activities persons; there is a growing demand by companies for team-building activities and sports that involve an outdoor experience. This could be your dream job - doing something you love doing as a career. As an outdoor team-building event coach you will meet lots of interesting people and have the satisfaction of seeing people appreciate all your hard work.

Another exciting corporate hospitality job is in the sales and marketing field. Selling corporate hospitality packages involves developing long term working relationships with clients and corporations, getting to know their specific needs and finding the solutions to answer those needs. As always, the clients will be looking for the best value for their money, and by fulfilling the client's requirements and goals you can demonstrate your sales and marketing skills.

So, if you are looking for a challenging, diverse and rewarding job with plenty of opportunity for self development and advancement - a career in corporate hospitality jobs might be a good choice for you. Having the satisfaction of knowing that you contributed to yet another successful event after the happy guests have all gone home, will be a bonus.

4 Popular Event Venues for Weddings in India

In recent times, people in India are greatly concerned about the venues for hosting weddings. Even people from other countries are keen to get married in magnificent venues all across India. The beaches of Goa, the historical places of Rajasthan and the scenic beauty of Kerala are the most famous event destinations for hosting weddings in India. However, while hosting a royal wedding or a beach wedding, hire the services of experienced event organizer for dealing with the managerial activities, as it can help you enormously. The top 5 venues within India to plan a grand wedding are listed below:

繚 Jaipur: For those couples, who are planning to host their wedding in a royal style, Jaipur, the pink city, can be the best option. The place, Jaipur, has become a very favorite and popular destination for marriage, as because there are a variety of venues available for weddings. Some most beautiful places for hosting wedding in Jaipur are the Jai Mahal Palace and the Raj Palace. As weddings in great palaces are quite expensive, you can also look for less costly alternatives, and opt for the old mansions in Jaipur such as the Mandawa Haveli or the Alsisar Haveli, which are quite popular.

繚 Goa: It is the most preferred place for weddings. People fly from various parts of the world for tying the knots in the beaches of Goa. For hosting wedding in the beaches of Goa, you can take help of wedding planners or event organizers and even grand hotels, as beach weddings require authorization. Top hotels in Goa include The Taj Exotica on the Varca beach and The Leela on the Morbor beach.

繚 Kerala: This place is gradually being discovered as an event venue in India. It is a perfect place for those who are planning a quiet and pleasant wedding in a natural setting, along the banks of the lakes. You will find a number of resorts in Kerala, which caters to such weddings, particularly the Zuri Kumarakom, near Alleppey.

繚 Udaipur: Popular for its lakes and palaces, Udaipur is one of the most charismatic places in India. The charms of the city are the royal palaces and buildings and the best part is that you can get married in them. For a more contemporary style wedding in a historical place, the Devi Gargh can be the ideal option.

While the popularity of these venues, for hosting events is increasing rapidly, you must also have the ability of selecting the appropriate venue for your function or occasion, which can bring applauds and appreciations and help in making your event, memorable.

Become a Scrapbook Event Organizer

There are retreats, crops, getaways, cruises, conventions, and even scrapbook expos being held every single weekend now! Scrapbookers love to connect, and you can help provide the connection. If you're well-organized and can put together the kind of event that will generate excellent word-of-mouth, an event planning company could be a profitable venture for you.

While this is along the same lines as teaching a class, events are meant to be all day affairs - even multiple day affairs. So many women are hankering to get out of the house and get away from the stresses of every day life. A weekend scrapbooking retreat would be right up their alley!

One website I've found gives an account of her "Scrap Camp" that she hosts where a camping experience combines with scrapbooking to provide attendees with not only a getaway, but a way to talk and interact with other scrapbookers and get ideas from each other.

Just like the classes, you'll need to set a price and decide whether or not supplies are included in the price. Obviously, the cost is going to be a bit higher, but often times, your attendees won't blink an eye to paying it.

Concentrate a multiple day event on putting together an entire custom scrapbook. Encourage your students to bring along as many pictures as they can find and then show them how to organize them into beautiful layouts.

An event might require you to spend more one-on-one time with those attending, but personal service could be the difference between you and your competition.

Contact scrapbooking suppliers and let them know about your event. See if they would be willing to donate supplies in exchange for liberal advertising at your event. You might be surprised at how many companies would be happy to sponsor T-shirts, flyers, and even supplies. This is especially true if you really play up your event and have great attendance.

If you can find a company willing to donate toward your event, you want to keep them on your valuable contacts list. The best way to do this is to send a follow-up after the event is over to show how successful your event and their products were.

You can do this in many ways. We would suggest having all participants sign an over-sized card with personal comments and include pictures of that company's products being used. They'll surely appreciate the advertising and are more likely to sponsor one of your other events further down the road.

The best part about scrapbooking events is that you can plan other activities to go along with classes to enhance the experience. After all, you really don't want to spend 12 hours doing nothing but scrapbooking, do you? It would seem too much like work.

Even though scrapbooking is the main reason for the event, networking, sharing ideas, and making friends is also important. This is an excellent way to promote scrapbooking in your community and share your love of the hobby.

BMX Stunt Shows and Business Block Parties

Need a BMX Bike Stunt Team to Perform a BMX Stunt Show for Your Business Block Party, Event, Festival, or Venue?

As rough economic times have fallen on most people and business owners alike, of which, consumers and business owners are now utilizing a myriad of resourceful and creative methods of saving and making money. Local business owners, large business owners, and big corporations are all continuously searching for inexpensive ideas to further promote their business, brand, products, or services.

Recently, local business owners and business owners alike have been getting very creative with marketing and advertising strategies for their businesses and have recently started to use BMX bike stunt teams for extreme stunt shows at business block parties and customer appreciation days. This concept is becoming more and more popular as it is a much cheaper method of attracting more traffic and attention for multiple businesses, while splitting the costs of the business block parties across the multiple businesses taking part in the said events.

Some businesses have found this method of cost cutting, cross promotion, a very effective means of advertising and marketing in a tight economy and on a low budget. The old saying - "Scratch My back, and I will Scratch yours", has quite frankly, fast become a very popular concept once again for people, consumers, and business owners alike.

Business owners have also been getting very creative in how they plan, execute, market, and advertise these business block parties. Once again the idea is to save money, in hopes of making more money. That being said, business owners have been inviting radio stations, TV stations, Media Outlets, Newspapers, non profits, other business owners, donations from other business owners for ad/marketing spaces (banners, shirts, giveaways, brochures, sales materials), restaurants and chefs, special guests, kids entertainment (bounce houses, games, face painting, clowns, cartoon characters...), bands, and maybe some extreme entertainment from BMX bike stunt teams or extreme stunt teams.

In essence, the basis for any business block party is to have something that appeals to as many different types of people as possible.

How to Plan A Business Block Party

Planning a venue or event can sometimes seem like a very daunting task. The fact that your business may just get that extra exposure it needs and at a cheap price may be worth the effort for not only one event, but numerous venues and events to come. Listed below are some general steps to follow when you are planning a local business block party.Brainstorm by yourself and then with other business owners. Get creative.

• Find other businesses to come to event or sponsor/donate at event in exchange for shout outs over PA systems (radio,TV, and newspaper possibly as well)


• banners hung and ads hung or displayed, sales and promotional material handed out...


• Organize all information, businesses involved, materials needed, place to hold event, any required permits and paperwork, and marketing and advertising information.


• Lay out a definitive plan of action and plan of action/to do lists for people and businesses involved in the event/venue.


• Contact any non profits that may want to participate in the event as well. Such as blood banks, mobile pet non profits, book drives, schools, boy scouts / girl scouts, churches and other religious institutes, food drives and shelters, so on and so forth. These non profits may just help in getting the additional media exposure your business block party needs, best of all, it should be free.


• Contact newspapers, radio stations, and TV stations to come out to the event to participate or cover the event.


• Start the marketing and advertising campaigns at least a month prior to your event or venue. Leverage direct marketing and advertising, internet advertising and internet marketing, and mobile marketing and mobile advertising for maximum integration and exposure for any and all events and venues.


• Start getting materials, businesses, services, entertainment in order and organized for the event. Make checklists, take inventory, micro manage, and communicate with all parties involved.


• Finalize all details, confirm businesses and services, confirm entertainment and catering (or food), confirm non profits, and confirm media outlets. Check that all materials have been purchased and are ready for the actual event or venue.

Execution of a local block party event

If the event is set up, managed, and executed properly; the businesses involved should have nothing but a great time and hopefully a prosperous one to. Keep in mind that even if a business owner does not make on red cent, they have actually achieved more than they may understand. Using a business block party provides exposure, brand exposure, business image exposure, offline foot traffic, online web traffic and web exposure, possibly new leads and sales, and most importantly word of mouth advertising from people who actually went to the event.

So as you can see and hopefully understand, a business owners success is not always measured by the amount of money they make in any one given day, but more so how effectively they market and advertise their business while setting themselves up for future success. The trick of it is weathering the current economic conditions amongst the many other hardships of owning a business these days.

Need help with marketing and advertising of your business block party, special event, or corporate event?

How to Keep All External Stakeholders Happy at a Team Building Day

In my previous article that focused on the internal stakeholders for team building away day, I noted that there were potentially seven stakeholders with an interest in the day. The internal ones are the team participants themselves, the manager in the hierarchy that sits above everyone attending, the organisation they all work for, and the person or people responsible for arranging the day.

This article looks at the subject from those acting as suppliers to the organisation. The potential three stakeholders are:
* Representatives of an event management company, if one has been engaged
* Representatives of the professional team building suppliers, again if used
* Venue staff involved with the group, assuming a third party venue such as a hotel is used

It is possible, of course, that an event is run and held internally in which case none of these will be involved. Nonetheless, as most events are held off-site, let us look at each in turn.

Sometimes team building is one component among many, most commonly at a conference of some kind. In this instance, it is possible and perhaps even likely that an event management company is retained to arrange the full logistics of the event, including such things as audio-visual, stage sets and so on. Whether or not they recommended the team building provider, they will know that the activity session will be the one that can make or break the whole event. They will also know that it is the one part of the day over which they have the least control, so they will be anxious about it. What they want most from it is that it doesn't reflect negatively on the event as a whole and, by implication, on them as professional event managers. If it is a fantastic session, that will be a bonus but it will not be their primary goal.

The company supplying the activity will likely have a number of people in the facilitation team present. This is what they do so they will want to enjoy the session, confident in the knowledge that a determinant of their enjoyment is that the group is also enjoying it. Most team building providers get their biggest kicks at the end of an event when people come up at the end to thank them. This is especially the case when they add that they were not expecting to enjoy it or words to that effect.

Venue staff mostly want as easy a life as they can get. As busy as they can be at all times, they recognise that the demands of running some kind of event limits the times that they have to handle what can be quite large groups. Work such as moving tables to accommodate different requirements at different times can be quite demanding and if you add to that he need to keep the group refreshed and fed efficiently, getting it all right at the right time is very difficult. Ideally, therefore, they will want as much information on requirements and any changes to schedules as soon as possible. So for them, effective communication is vital with whoever is controlling the logistics at any given time.

In conclusion, for the external stakeholders all to be happy during the selection of team building activities chosen for the day, communication is as important as the focus on what each of the internal stakeholders are hoping to achieve.

The 3 Most Important Factors of Catering

Whether you're planning a small dinner with friends or an enormous banquet for a fundraiser, the importance of good catering cannot be overstated. Not only does depending on an outside company to prepare the meal free you to concentrate on the other aspects of event planning, but if you choose wisely you can serve your guests a meal that would have been nearly impossible to pull together on your own. When it comes to choosing a company, there are many similarities to the factors you would weigh when choosing a restaurant. But there are other considerations as well. Here are three of the most important factors to think about when hiring one.

The Cooking

Obviously, it begins-if it doesn't necessarily end-with the food itself. Your first goal should be to find catering that will "cater" to your guests. In other words, you might not choose a four star gourmet company for a kids birthday party. Likewise, you might not choose a place that specializes in greasy BBQ if you're planning a white tie affair. But beyond making sure the food is appropriate, you also need to make sure it's actually good. Many places will allow you to taste test their wares before committing. It is a good idea to take them up on that offer.

Safety

Many local markets have news stations that provide behind-the-scenes looks at area restaurants, expose them for dirty practices, and warn consumers when an eatery is slipping underneath regulations. These stations rarely go after catering companies, however, which leaves the research to you. And, if anything, it's even more important to make sure the caterer you're thinking of hiring adheres to proper food safety techniques. This isn't coming straight from the kitchen to your table, after all. Make sure the company you hire has the means and capabilities to keep your food safe and warm (or cold) before it arrives in front of your guests.

Customer Service

It is as important in the catering business as it is in the restaurant field and it is something you should look into carefully before hiring a company. This is something you can usually form an opinion about well before the event itself. Most companies will work with you to create the perfect menu for the dinner. Before even that begins, you should be watching how their personnel interacts with you and what level of service you're getting. If you feel as though you aren't being treated like an important client, you may want to take your business to someone else.

How Will You Organize A Successful Corporate Christmas Party?

A corporate Christmas party is one of the most happening events that take place during the course of a year. Employees of corporate organizations eagerly wait for this time to relax with friends, enjoy drinking, and spend quality time together. It is the organization's duty to plan the Christmas party well in advance to celebrate the end of the year in the best possible way.

There are a large number of things that you, as the organizers of corporate Christmas party, need to keep in mind. First of all, decide whether the event will be free or a paid one. In case you make your Christmas party a paid event, the next thing to determine is the ticket price. Moreover, decide the number of guests you want to invite to the party.

One of the most popular ways of selling tickets is the online mode. Many Cloud-based event management solutions offer this form of ticketing system. It allows customers to purchase tickets from anywhere and at any time.

Event registration is another big issue that most event planners find hard to manage. It is in this context that you can resort to a web-based event registration service.

Online event registration software brings in faster work process management, giving you more time to handle other important tasks. Party organizers can also customize the registration pages as and when necessary. Besides, they can also update recent news or information about the occasion at regular intervals.

Try to organize a function to award the employees whose work performance is exceptionally good. This is likely to motivate them to work harder in the future.

Another great way to make your Corporate Christmas party a memorable affair is by inviting all your ex-employees. You can send emails and notifications to all your ex-colleagues about your present and future event(s) and activities. Online event management solutions come with powerful communication tools to help you instantly get connected and share information with friends.

Most Cloud-based event planning software provides the option of building secure private communities. The private community platform lets you connect and share your event details with all the members. It also offers the opportunity to upload all party-related information on social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Before arranging a Christmas party, organizations should consult with their staff members what they want to do. They might have some better plans to offer you!

Venue selection is an essential part for a successful party management. Corporate houses can throw the party in a clubhouse or at some large, well known hotel. The location needs to have a friendly ambiance and the food has to be really tasty to make the attendee experience great! Play some rocking music to make the party even more exciting.

What Does an Event Management Company Do Exactly?

Event management companies can help you organise a number of different special events that your organisation may be interested in hosting. Ceremonies, celebrations, product launches and product presentations, workshops, company inaugurations, conferences and events where you invite the public.

You can ask the event management company to help you set up special meetings that your employees and/or business partners may need to attend. An event management company can also assist in setting up trade congresses to publicise your line of work and any products or services that go with your company profile.

How do you know the events company can do your work for you the way you want them to? First, you might have to ask around if anyone in your social circles has ever tried this company before. Past experience does predict future results to a significant degree. Second, you can always look at their own promotional materials to find out what they do exactly and for how much. See what testimonials they have and the type of companies they may have worked on behalf of.

A good events company will listen closely to what you expect from them. They should then explain how they can meet those needs within the time, cost, manpower, and resource restrictions they have to live and operate under. Let's face it - not many event organisers can handle everything a client can throw at them under the category of demands. There are just some Event management companies that can handle a bigger and more varied work load than others. But definitely, the events company should be up front about what they can and cannot do to avoid misunderstandings that early in the negotiation process.

Event management companies based in a particular location, for our example, in Spain, have one great selling point in their advantage: they all allow your special event to be hosted in Spain itself and have the local knowledge and first hand experience. Each part of Spain has its own unique features and things to offer visitors, so you might want to be more specific when you ask the event management company if you want your special event hosted in Spain. This means you have to do your own research as to which part of Spain seems ideal to celebrate or observe your special event in. Or you can simply ask the event management company in Spain for tips as to where such a special event would be perfect to be celebrated or observed in.

Some Spanish territories you might want to host your special event in are: Seville, Malaga, Marbella, Madrid, Valencia, or Barcelona. Do your research and then ask your preferred events company in Spain what type of event hosting packages they have for the places that appeal to you. This will greatly help you in making the best choice you can in your situation.

Many events companies will charge you a fee to put forward their proposals whilst some will simply be reimbursed by the local authorities or commissions from the hotels, venues and leisure companies that they may utilise.

Event Management Tips

Atlanta event management can be challenging at best. And the larger the event is, the more challenges there are. Whether you're planning a board meeting or an event for 500 people, the basic procedure is the same. For larger events, you simply have to think on a much larger and grander scale. But even the tiniest meeting can fail on the details like whether or not people can hear, see and have a comfortable place to sit and take in the presentation.

One important aspect of successful Atlanta event management is planning ahead. If you need a keynote speaker or other speakers, you should contact them as far in advance as possible. No one likes to feel pressured to do something on short notice. For someone only speaking for 5 or 10 minutes, it might not seem as crucial. But the keynote speaker could spend a long time preparing his or her remarks. If you don't contact them early enough they may have to turn down the event only because they won't have time to prepare.

Contacting people early is a commandment of Atlanta event management. But what about when you can't contact people early? What if someone cancels at the last minute and you're scrambling for a replacement? This kind of thing can be avoided if you plan for problems when you start the Atlanta event management process. Have one or two people that can fill in at the last minute. Or plan some sort of audiovisual presentation to fill in any gaps left by cancellations.

A good Atlanta event rental company can help you with this type of thing. You're probably going to want to rent audiovisual equipment anyway just to make sure everything goes smoothly. Even if your company has equipment available, using good Atlanta event management skills and creating a backup plan with the rental company is a wise move.

In the case of using your own equipment, something could break down at the last minute. In that case you want a rental company that offers next day or even same-day service. Have a plan in case things go wrong, because something usually will at some point. If you have equipment but you're not sure if it's up to the task, you should contact a rental company right away and get the right equipment.

Many meetings and conferences have not been successful because the audiovisual equipment didn't work properly. Sometimes people can't hear or sometimes they can see the presentation. You don't want either of those things to happen at your meeting. An Atlanta event management company that planned events every day would never leave such a thing to chance.

Using a good rental company in Atlanta means that the equipment is top quality and there will be a large selection. You'll be able to get exactly what you need for the size group you have. And if you use an experienced company, you'll even get suggestions and recommendations about the right equipment to use as well as help setting it up and testing it.

Planning the Infamous Holiday Office Party

Ok, so you're in charge of planning the infamous holiday office party. If you've ever seen the TV show "The Office" specifically the show about the office Christmas party you've witnessed just how a party that supposed to be fun can go so terribly wrong.

To avoid the horror of being known as the person responsible for planning possibly the worst holiday office party your company has ever had let us give you a couple of suggestions that may help you avoid that nightmare.

1. Before you make any decisions about the party talk to your co-workers and get their feedback on what they think would make a great party.

In addition to getting some great ideas from them which can actually make for a great party you can also lay off some of your responsibility (only if the party isn't a success) by reminding everyone that they helped you plan the whole thing! This tip alone is worth reading this article, right!

2. Consider a theme for your holiday party. Yeah... Yeah it's the holidays but that doesn't mean you can't play around with the traditional holiday theme.
If you do decide on a themed party don't forget to mention the theme in the holiday party invitations. You don't want people showing up in formal attire if everyone else is dressing like elves. It could ruin the party for some.

Having a themed party means you'll have to get creative and come up with some cool design ideas for your venue. You'll need to do more than just use the traditional holiday decorations for your party room.
Creating a themed corporate holiday party also gives your co-workers an opportunity to participate and get involved by contributing suggestions for a party theme.

3. Consider having the party outside of the office environment. It can be difficult to relax and have a good time if you're still inside those office prison walls.

4. Think about ways to get everyone to interact, relax and have fun. This is probably one of the most important things you can do to insure the success of a party. Decorations, food and drink are important of course but for a successful party your guests actually also have to enjoy themselves.

You need to come up with some unique ideas for your party by thinking outside the traditional holiday party box!

Of course one obvious way of loosening everybody up and interacting is serving cocktails. But I really think you'll want to do more than just get everyone drunk.
When your co-workers return to work they probably won't be talking about how much fun they had getting drunk but they will talk about how much fun they had dancing in the conga line or winning the pin the ornament on the Christmas tree game. Get the idea!

Here's a couple of simple ideas for activities which may help inspire you to come up with your own ideas for activities that will work for your particular party group.

*Conga line. Who says you can't dance the conga at a holiday party!
*If the theme for your holiday party is a 1960's holiday party rent a karaoke machine that just plays tunes from the 60's.
*Tarot card reader. Everybody loves having his or her fortune told especially with a new year right around the corner. And it gives everybody something to talk about.
*Or take a simple game like pin the tail on the donkey and switch it up and make it pin the ornament on the tree.
*Or find a pi簽ata shaped like a Christmas tree.

Yeah, I know all these are very simple ideas but hopefully they'll get your own creative juices going.

An important point to remember when planning your party activities is that we're all just kids at heart and participating in activities with others can really lighten the mood of a party by helping your guests relax.
Use your imagination to come up with some really cool ideas for icebreakers.

My final suggestion for the success of your holiday party is to get started planning early. Give yourself the time you need to plan the best holiday party your office has ever had. Happy Holidays and Good Luck!

Stage Design For Corporate Events - Benefits of Hiring Professionals

For your company you need to host a number of corporate events throughout the year. From seminars for peers in the industry to training programs for your employees, product launches to media conferences, you have to do it all. For big events like these you need a stage that goes with the mood of the show and does it justice. You have to get your Stage Design spot on to have the maximum impact on your audience. Otherwise a prestigious guest speech at your conference might fall flat on its face or a fabulous performance meant to enthrall your guests can leave them cold.

But Staging of shows at events is not easy. There are many other things you need to concentrate on at the same time. Even if you have people delegated to different jobs you want to be involved and keep things under your rein.

You can do that with things you have some understanding of and know about. You are not expected to know a lot about Stage Design, which is why it doesn't hurt seeking professional help.

If you dedicate members of your staff for the job they will be distracted from their regular and more important tasks. And you still don't have any guarantee that they will be able to deliver as per your vision.

Hiring professional Stage Design companies on the other hand will make sure your ideas are translated on the stage to the T. And it won't burn a hole in your pocket either as these services are available to you at reasonable costs.

What are the benefits of hiring professional Stage Design companies for your corporate event?

• It's an important event for you where you will be viewed and judged by your clients, peers or the media. You need to put your best foot forward in every aspect of the show including the stage. A professional company will have experienced staff working with them and they will make sure your event looks sleek.


• If you have your own designs in mind these professionals will implement them. On the other hand you can leave the task of designing to their team members after giving them a brief and they will come up with ideas that will wow you.


• Your budget will be your concern and if you give these companies a fair idea of your budget they will try and fit their plans within it.


• You might not have space for a permanent stage on your premises and hiring a venue is unaffordable. But these companies will make arrangements for portable stages that you can rent and save costs.


• From catwalks to stages meant for talks and panel discussions at conferences, they will be able to provide you an appropriate setting according to the event.


• Not only will they help you with the platform for your event they also have means to provide you equipment like sound systems etc. You can get package deals, which work out cheaper.


• They will look after transportation, setting up and dismantling of the stage for your benefit.

With a bit of help you can set the stage for a successful corporate event

2011 New Year's Resolution Ideas for Meeting Planners

The economy is in the process of recovery which means more companies are likely to increase the number and workload of events in 2011. Some event meeting services planners have already had this happen. "Things have been pretty much the same for the Levi's brand event landscape for the last five years," said Michael Mecham, CMP, Event Manager for Levi Strauss. "But I am feeling it ramp up now." At Kellogg's, Senior Meeting Manager Karen J. Sweet, CMP, noted, "We have had a record number of meetings this year, over 700. To meet the logistical demands, we've hired a part-time meeting planner and we have someone who works primarily on StarCite So, more meetings, more stress, more workload. What is an event planner to do? Here are some great ideas to get your 2011 started off with a bang.

IMPROVE WORK/LIFE BALANCE

• Schedule 30 minutes at the end of your day to outline the next day's activities. Close your door, turn off the phone, play soft music and schedule.


• Schedule one time management training seminar in the first quarter.


• Follow the 15, 15, and 15 rule. Buy a timer and dedicate only 15 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes at lunch, and/or 15 minutes in the late afternoon to email, texting, and social media updates. When the buzzer or time runs out, move onto something else.


• Work 40 hours a week and negotiate a flexible schedule with your boss. If you are planning on working 14 hours a day for three days straight at a conference, ask your boss for 2 days off upon your return. Do this early in 2011 or better yet, do it now.


• Take a whole hour for your lunch. Pack your lunch, take it outside (if possible), bring a book to read and best of all, get away from your work. It can wait.

IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH

• Get up 30 minutes earlier or take 30 minutes at the end of your workday to exercise.


• Exercise three times per week for at least 30 minutes each time.


• Buy a box of protein bars. Carry them in your pocket or briefcase and when you are super busy or on-site at an event location, eat the bar instead of fast food or heavy appetizers. Protein bars carry less calories than the other option and can provide you with longer lasting energy.


• Take a multi-vitamin daily.


• Cut back to 2 cups of coffee per day.

ADVANCE YOUR CAREER

• Earn your Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation.


• Earn your Certificate in Meeting Management (CMM) designation.


• Schedule a 30 minute meeting with your boss or take him or her out to lunch. Ask them how you can advance your career. Write down their ideas and follow them. Ask if you can be cross-trained in other areas or learn new technologies.


• Obtain a mentor in the company.


• Be positive and open to new ideas, always. The last thing your boss will want to promote is a naysayer or someone who is very rigid in their thinking.


• Don't gossip about co-workers, management, or vendors.


• Compliment other people on their work and if possible, send an email to their boss.

Can My Caterer Be My Event Planner?

Increasingly the answer to this question is yes. If your caterer is busy, it means they're busy working in a whole host of venues in the city, dealing with decor, rentals and staffing- everything that is needed for an event.

Responsibility
Making your caterer your event planner puts the responsibility for your event under one roof- It keeps things simple. Caterers are organization fanatics, if they've been in business for any length of time they have to be. They're trained to think of everything because though they've seen a lot, they haven't see it all. They expect the unexpected and can always devise a workable solution. Generally speaking, responsibility is synonymous with liability. Whomever carries the insurance needs to be involved in the decision making process. Always check for insurance!
When conceiving an event, caterers are able to run their ideas through a "yes, but will it work filter". Or stated differently, the overall conception of a wedding might be where the excitement is, but having the ability to tackle the details is where the challenge is. Caterers love a challenge.

Cost
Caterers know a lot about event planning and are willing to share this knowledge at no charge as part of their service. Hiring separate event planners for very large events makes complete sense, but for smaller ones, where price is an object, using your caterer could be the way to go.

Connections
They are a perfect point of contact in explaining the particular "ins and outs" of any venue or service you might be considering for your event.. In a nutshell, you've caterer will probably be able to tell you if what you're planning will actually fly.. Great caterers have strong relationships with rental companies as well as close connections to a seasoned roster of service staff. It goes without saying that really exceptional service staff are drawn to well run catering companies. Like attracts like.

Staffing Requirements
Making decisions about staffing levels is advice best heeded from your caterer. They know from the type of event, whether it be a sit-down dinner or buffet, just how many service staff are needed to bring the party off without a glitch. It needs to be said as well that bar tending is an art (especially if you're offering a full bar that includes cocktails) and needs to be in experienced hands.

Lighting and Decor
Lighting is often overlooked when planning decor and flower arrangements. Less can be much more when highlighted with proper lighting. Consider making food the feature by using elevated displays with clear glass platters. Use fresh flower arrangements to act as focal points in drawing the eye to important areas,. Working with candle light and lanterns are low-cost ways to add interest and set the mood without messy electrical cords distracting from the look.

Event Day
Coordinating an event is like conducting an orchestra. Bringing disparate forces together into one coherent whole can only be the job of one person. Your caterer will know where everyone needs to be and at what time. Pacing the event by controlling the flow of food and drink is of the utmost importance.

If entrusted with the task. your caterer could very well be the best person to plan your party and execute it to the highest of standards. Caterers have a vested interest in making an event successful on all levels because the they realize their reputation is on the line as much as yours.

Corporate Companies Choose Barbecue Catering For Holiday Parties

Many corporate companies do it up big for the holidays. This is the time of year when companies choose to show their appreciation for their employees by throwing extravagant parties and events. Of course, these parties usually feature fancy food and are often catered by popular area restaurants.

The trend in catered food for the holidays has taken a turn in recent years though. Instead of seven course dinners, event planners are easing up on the formality a bit and instead opting for fun foods such as BBQ restaurant catering. Why break the more formal tradition?

BBQ Encourages People to Socialize

It's true! Barbecues remind us of family get togethers, backyard grills and summertime. Something about pulled pork sandwiches and potato salad just makes people want to relax, laugh and have a good time.

Corporate bosses really want their employees to have fun and keep morale high, so they are opting to have more laid back parties where there is barbecue catering and beer, rather than filet mignon and Champagne. The new take on the holiday party is more than welcome by employees who normally dread the more traditional staid holiday events each year.

Get Your Money's Worth And Act Fast

More and more businesses in recent years have had to start watching every penny spent. Luckily, BBQ restaurant catering is a more cost effective way of catering a party without compromising on the quality of food. Everyone loves BBQ, so employees are always happy, and businesses save money as well. Barbecue catering is considered a win-win choice because really, how many people would choose escargot over baby back ribs? And is there anything better than being elbow deep in sticky napkins and spicy BBQ sauce?

It is highly advised that if a business wants to hire a top BBQ restaurant catering business for their holiday event, they should consider booking the company in late summer at the latest. Since most holiday parties are given on a weekend, holiday dates fill up quickly for barbecue catering companies who are in demand. If a business waits too long to book their favorite barbecue catering company, they may not end up with their first, or even second pick and at this special time of year, no wants to disappoint!

No Clean Up

Besides being given the pleasure of seeing their employees have a great time while eating amazing barbecue with all the trimmings, businesses also love the fact that they do not have the responsibility of cleaning up afterwards. BBQ restaurant catering companies come to the location of the party, set up all the food, serve the food and drinks and then clean up afterwards. This saves employees from having to clean up, so they really can enjoy their evening off.

This year, instead of throwing a traditional corporate holiday party, consider barbecue catering instead. You'll save time and money, and employees will love the fun atmosphere and amazing food!

Event Planning: How To Become an Event Planner

Introduction
In today's world, event planning is an effective business. If you are interested in hosting party, it will be better for you to arrange parties and earn money. For being a good event planner, you have to get good client base as well as referrals. Only after that you will get succeed.

How to become effective event planner
At first you have to figure out the fact that which kind of party you can arrange well. There are several options like wedding, corporate, birthday, business etc. At the next stage you have to calculate the starting cost. Depending on your service this cost can be small to large. You can also gain experience by getting some certificates. You can take classes regarding marketing. This will also help you. You should be professional in each and every step you are going to take. You should create the demand within people that they will want to hire you. You should never avoid any important phone calls and emails. You can pass out your business card as much as you can. You can also develop a website that will aware your clients about different offers from your country. Try to optimize your search engine. With the increased optimization of your website, people can easily find you and contact with you.

Conclusion:
Including all these, you should also create a portfolio that will include your past works. It should also include personal experience from the clients. These things are all for being an effective event planner.

Event Planners and Organizers: How to Get Those RSVP's to Actually Show Up at Your Event

If you're in charge of luncheons, seminars, trainings, referral groups or leads clubs, you know that getting people to show up is the hard part. Never mind that "showing up is 90% of success." You are competing against family, work, fatigue and the precious leisure time that we're all left with at the end of the day. Your members and audience RSVP with the best of intentions. They even pay in advance and put it on their calendar. But there are so many ways that they can go astray the day of.

After hosting more than 1,200 events over the last 7 years, I've learned a few things about getting people to show up. Here are a number of tried and true strategies that have worked for me:

Charge and Refund
This works well if you've got an event that you want to put on for free, but you need to have a firm idea of how many are coming. Or you've got limited space and you want to make sure the real go-getters get those spots. Charge a small amount that must be paid in advance to secure a seat. Then refund their money when they show up at the door. Call it a "Refundable Seat Deposit" and make sure they understand that they have to attend to get it back. Anyone who doesn't show up forfeits their deposit and you have a little bit to offset expenses.

Reminder Phone Calls
You can sit down and make them yourself, hire a virtual executive assistant, get your mature kids to do it, or even use an automated phone messaging service. However you do it, a personal reminder call will increase your attendance. Emails can be ignored or lost in the shuffle, but a voice on the other end of the phone or in the message queue makes a bigger impact.

Guilt
If you're serving lunch or paying for a room, remind your attendees that you as the organizer get charged whether they show up or not. Nothing like laying a small guilt trip on someone to get them to stay committed. If they have to cancel, at least they can do it with enough time for you to make adjustments. An amendment to this is to let them know that there are no refunds, but they can send someone else in their place. It's always important to have "buns in seats" even if they weren't the original person.

These are a few of the strategies I have used over the years. When you add them to other ideas like building momentum and delivering more than promised, your events will be anticipated and well-attended.

Corporate Event Management Services Are Easy to Find on the Web, Just Make Sure You Do Some Research

As we approach Christmas, parties and events are on people's minds and there are literally hundreds of options available these days. Whether your business is planning a team building Christmas party or simple a party, you will need the help of a corporate event management company. You can find a good range of options on the web and it's best to do some research online before you choose a service.

Most of the time, you'll find what you need straight away but it's worth comparing a few quotes before you make your final decision. When it comes to the Christmas party, everyone wants to have a good time and if you don't hire an event management company, it can sometimes go horribly wrong.

However, not all companies have the budget to deal with such events. This doesn't mean that you can't have a good party. There is usually something for everyone and you can normally request that your employees pay £10 or £20 each towards the costs and this doesn't usually bother people too much.

Just remember that doing your research is the best way to make sure that you end up with a great party. You may also want to consider using the company again for other corporate event management such as team building. Just be sure to get all the facts before you agree to anything - either verbally or financially.

It's important to be aware of everything that's available on today's market so make sure that you get all the facts before you make a decision. Perhaps call a few companies and get some quotes so that you can compare what they offer with the next company etc. Just use common sense and you should be fine.

Overall, finding corporate event management services for your Christmas party, or for team building days is easy when you look online. You should find a good range of options available to you but remember that you'll need to do some research if you want to find a good deal.

Party Planning and Management Business: How Can You Succeed?

Getting ready to host a party? If you are all nerves at the moment and totally stressed out, remember you are not alone. The event planning and management business is quite daunting. Which venue you will book? What will be the decoration and party theme? What kind of menu will you serve? Besides, large corporate organizations mandatorily insist on an attendee registration process which also needs to be taken care of.

While you have no other option but to decide which location to book for the party or what sort of menu would you like to go with; you do have a choice to automate processes such as: registration, payment collection, marketing and communication with the would-be guests.

Let's discuss in detail how such administrative tasks can be mechanically managed.

Registration

It is an important element of any successful venture. Registration processes are strictly followed by companies throwing a party, conference, business dinner, seminar, etc. to keep a track of the number of people attending the event over a period of time. Online event registration solution enables you to create as many registration forms as you require over the internet in much less time than what you would utilize designing hard-copy forms. People living in far off places can easily access a soft-copy form by simply clicking on the event registration hyperlink as provided by you on your social media profile pages or via email invitations.

Online Two-way Communication

Event planning and management solutions come integrated with an emailing service that lets event planners send out hundreds of emails at one go. From simple party invitations to complex marketing campaigns, you can create anything and everything providing a platform for instant two-way communication with potential event attendees. According to expert findings, emails leads to higher response rates and an immediate call to action. Email is delivered almost in real time and does not succumb to physical delays or misplacements as in the case of hard copy letters.

Creating Greater Conversions

Social media promotions are paving the way towards greater conversion rates and lead generation for businesses worldwide. You can therefore start marketing your parties well in advance on several social media sites to create the hype and increase the element of interest in the party. Simultaneously, promote your events by posting online event registration link on your website and blog.

Easy Payment Collection

Easily accept any kind of payments virtually using an online payment management solution. It allows you to collect transfer funds using credit cards and similar payment gateways as authorized by you for usage by your party registrants.

The Ways of an Event Planner

Have you ever been to an amazing party or celebration? Have you noticed how everything fits together like a puzzle and that the hard work of the host can be seen because everyone is having an excellent time? Every time I go to an event that is put together excellently, I really enjoy it. The smiles on people faces and casual conversation really strike me in a special way. It is as if the host has put everything together to make everyone come together. Socializing is the only way we know how to live, and if you want to be the center of a social circle you need to plan event.

Hosting such celebrations takes a lot of work and it is hard to do it by yourself. There are many event planners that will help you sort through this problem. The best ones that I have heard of are in the Bay Area. If you live there, make sure to check it out. Since the Bay Area is a hectic place of companies, crowds and pleasure, it makes sense that there are so many people and companies that are willing to help you. These Event Planner Bay Area Companies can help you set up the most perfect night. They will help you chose a venue from high class places to casual and relaxed venues. Also, event planners know how to organize these events.

Event planners in the Bay Area know how to handle all type of events. They can arrange parties because they are extremely well trained. They can also help you out with your baby showers or even birthday celebrations. One of the things Bay Area event planners are used to doing is planning for major companies that are booming with business. A lot of huge companies are located in the Bay Area which is better known as the Silicon Valley. So, if you have any huge business parties or conferences to host, the Bay Area is the place for you. An party planner in the bay area will help your business grow and become more productive by loosening up your employees. You can all enjoy a semi-formal dinner with calming lights and cool music in a romantic setting. All your employees can bring their families and socialize. This would be a great way to gain solidarity within the company.

There are many things that they have to be careful and it is really tough to be an event planner. You have to be very good with organized things and knowing where everything is and the status of the project. You have to have lots of connections and know many different places so your customer can chose the place that fits them the best. You also have to be able to identity what will be best for your customer. If you think you can handle all of this, you should look into become an event planner.

National Speakers Bureau - Helping Professionals and Event Planners Prosper

There is a lot of confusion that abounds regarding exactly what the National Speakers Bureau does, or what functions bureaus in general exist to perform. The actual answer is much less confusing or detailed as you may expect, and can be helpful for both professional public speakers and all kinds of groups and organizations who would like to book one for an event.

A speakers bureau exists to perform a couple of functions. To explain what one does, you first must know how they work. Speakers bureaus affiliate themselves with certain speakers, and then recommend these speakers, or even personally book them, for events as is appropriate. Speakers bureaus allow the widespread world of public speaking to have a bit more unity and organization.

If you are looking to hire a public speaker for a get-together, convention or other event, you may find that a speakers bureau can be very helpful for finding an appropriate speaker for said event. The bureau itself will often work closely with you to establish exactly what type of event you are holding, as well as what is important for you to have in the public speaker you hire. By doing this, they will be able to know exactly what qualities you require, and then will be able to match you up with the perfect public speaker for the event. As you can see, using this kind of service is a great way to make sure that you end up with an appropriate speaker for what your event needs.

A bureau is very helpful for getting recognition in the large world of public speaking. If you are simply working on your own, you can set up a website to promote yourself, or hope for good word of mouth to spread the message about what you bring to the table. However, if you affiliate yourself with a speakers bureau, you will undoubtedly get more bookings than you would otherwise receive. This is important, since professionals are only getting paid when they have bookings.

It is easy to see that an organization like the National Speakers Bureau is an important one for both professional public speakers and the event planners that are looking to hire them. By utilizing the services that this organization provides, both speakers and event planners can prosper.

Corporate Party Games - Livening Up Your Next Work Function

At any corporate party, games are great for two reasons - they allow workmates to bond and have fun together, and they are an ice-breaker for people who may not know each other. Here are 2 corporate party games to play at your next corporate party:

"The Gift Game" Corporate Party Game

This is one of the simplest corporate party games, but is still loads of fun. Prior to the event, purchase and wrap 10 cheap gift items for the game. Before guests arrive, hide 10 coins in and around where the party is being held. Guests have to search for the coins, and the people who find them can exchange their coin for one of the gifts, as long as they don't open them yet. All the partygoers stand or sit in a circle, with one person reading a made-up story containing the words "left" and "right" many times. Every time the word "right" is mentioned, guests have to pass their gifts to the right, and the same with the word "left". Once the story is finished, the people left holding the presents keep them.

"Pass the Hat" Corporate Party Game

This, more than many other corporate party games, requires cooperation and imagination. Party guests have to stand in 2 circles, one inside the other. One player from each circle starts the game wearing a hat, which has to be passed around the circle without anyone using their hands. The first team to pass their hat all the way round is the winner.

At almost any corporate party, games can generate laughs and make the event really enjoyable for everyone. All that's needed is a bit of imagination, and people willing to 'have a go' for the sake of team building and having a good time.

Wedding Planning Courses for Beginners

There is no formal requirement for a wedding planner. If you are interested to be a wedding planner, you will need necessary knowledge. Education is important for you to be a good wedding planner. In the courses, you can gain the knowledge and support from other professionals within the industry who may at some point refer you to potential clients.

At wedding planning classes, you will learn the skills needed to organize weddings as a business or for personal enjoyment. The courses are usually offered in a certificate program in wedding, event or meeting planning. The wedding planning certification is important to show that you are a qualified wedding planner.

At first, the students will learn basic concepts of meeting management. It includes how to set an agenda and the terminology used in the industry. A step-by-step plan will be reviewed so that the students can organize a function that focuses on program delivery, room layout, multi-media integration, return on investment, speakers and other topics.

Wedding planning students will get a course to look at the event timeline and budget management. The use and understanding of fashion, styles, color, and ambiance to enhance the event will be also taught for the beginners. Other skills that the students will learn are directing and consulting with clients regarding personal choices in decoration, music, catering, program, entertainment and other areas. The students also experience to work diligently with vendors to make sure product and service delivery, negotiate contracts and resolve issues. Learning negotiations and contracts is important. They will get the usefulness of requests for proposals in hiring appropriate services and get the negotiation techniques, including leveraging, to get the best deal possible.

Besides, the courses cover everything from communication, organization, hospitality, and conflict resolution. The skill to succeed in choosing convention centers, hotels, conference centers and other sites will be included in the course. Through a tour of facilities, students will experience how to identify potential issues and ensure event needs.

In the course, students learn how to efficiently promote an event to reach and attract target audiences. The skill for marketing plan will be also taught. The course will discuss direct mail options, online marketing and other media.

In the management of food, beverage and catering, the students can learn how to put together the appropriate catering theme, menu and service for an event. Moreover, this course explores the specific types of food usually available at large events and the best foods to serve to different crowds of people. The service style which can affect the ambiance of an event becomes the focus of this course. The students learn techniques on how to maximize budgets and manage costs, as well as how to communicate effectively with catering staff.

Simplify Corporate Events With the Right Caterer

Catering for special events might involve providing a service for such occasions as office functions, receptions, weddings, parties, or anniversaries. A catering service might provide the service and presentation of a set menu, as well as numerous aspects related to planning the event. Caterers can specialize in specific types of event, while others might be more versatile, and host a wide-range of engagements.

If attempting to plan a private or corporate event, it will take a lot of stress out of the occasion by finding the right catering service who can partner with you and help in planning and organizing the gathering. For a large event it might be necessary to call on the services of a caterer, entertainer, photographer, valet, and numerous other services, which can be very time-consuming. By booking an experienced caterer, that person is able to take on and manage all these services, which has the potential to save a lot of time, effort and money.

Here are some of the qualities that might be expected in the right catering service -

Reputation - a good reputation in the industry is extremely important when hiring a catering company. If often pays to research a company by looking into their standing in the catering field, which can be done by getting recommendations from friends or colleagues who have used their services before or go online and search the company's name and search for positive testimonials. It is necessary to find a service offering a well-thought out menu, as well as to consider their presentation and friendliness of staff.

Services - if looking to book a catering service it is vital to ask about the extent of services offered and whether this is a full service caterer or perhaps more restricted to a particular service. Possible questions to ask might relate to whether a caterer is able to supply the required equipment, refreshments, and staff members. A full service might include event managing or venue selection.

Food - one of the most crucial aspects to hosting a corporate event is the food and having a varied menu to accommodate the tastes of all guests. Check with a caterer about the range of dishes offered and whether it is strict, pre-planning menu or if they are more adaptable and able to be more creative. If you find a caterer that seems right for you it might be worth asking to set-up a tasting session to experience the food for yourself.

Overall, finding the perfect catering company will eliminate a lot of the work and stain that comes with organizing such as event, and should ensure everything goes perfectly right on the night.

Use the Best Event Management Software to Streamline Your Tasks

While organizing an event, you need to match up with your event organizing staff and look into hundreds of functional details to ensure everything is in the right place. However, organizing one or multiple events across locations involves lots of stress and exhaustion. To avoid doing such stressful job, many organizations are now embracing user-friendly online event management software. This Cloud-based software can be used by anyone having an internet connection. Besides, you don't have to spend any additional dollars to buy or install any software, as this web-based solution appears to be generally compatible with PCs and Macs.

The best event managing solution should provide you with a rich set of tools including event registration, secure payments option, online calendars, communication tools, and others that are important for the smooth running of your business. Hence, you should check the availability of such tools before investing money on any such web-based solution. These simple yet powerful set of tools and modules also offer extremely high level of scalability. Thus, it is likely to cater to your business continuously, even as it expands over time.

As a social event organizer, you should always try to go for the solution that will actually save you precious time and money! Moreover, it is always good to use a cost-effective online solution instead of going for the conventional and, of course, costly manual process of creating and managing events and activities.

Another important point to keep in mind while buying an event administering service is that whether the service that you have opted for supports social media website connection or not. In other words, you should try to use an online event registration and management solution that offers quick connection to all popular social media websites. To summarize, you must ensure the software lets you easily create an event's page on Facebook and lets you promote all your events details on this social networking site. Besides, the solution should also enable you to instantly include your event and training/workshop details on Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus, and such similar top-ranked social media platforms.

Your event planning and managing software should also provide you with the option of sending any program-related information directly on the Smartphone of your customers. The service should also enable you to easily send text messages, website links, as well as emails on all your target audience's mobile phone. It enables the receiver of your message to quickly search for information covering any of your events as well as browse through your registration or business website pages to finally attend your function.

How to Choose Your Perfect Corporate Events Venue

If you're in the process of choosing a corporate events venue, then you'll definitely want to get it right.

Here's what you need to think about.

1. You'll want to know who for and how many people the event is for. You don't want to book something unsuitable for your guests. It's also important to remember that the event isn't for you, so don't just book somewhere you want to go to or something that you'd like to do.

2. You'll need to establish what sort of event or entertainment you want for your guests. Maybe you'll take them to go karting, or to a golf tournament or perhaps they'd prefer a day at the races with fantastic racing hospitality?.

3. You might also have a particular date in mind, or maybe you'll prefer to find the venue first, and then set the date. Once you know the date, remember to let all the guests know, so that that have plenty of time to rearrange work schedules and sort out childcare.

4. Once you know what sort of event you're considering, you'll need to determine whereabouts in the country you'll hold it. if you have local clients, then you'll want somewhere near you, if you're a national company, then perhaps you'll need to be somewhere central, to make it easier for guests to get to as they don't have to travel as far.

5. You might want to think about arranging transport for your guests. Perhaps they'll need to come to your office or premises first, and then be taken to the venue, or maybe you'll want to meet them there.

6. It's a good idea to offer accommodation, so that people who have travelled far don't have to miss most of the event by having to travel back the same day.

7. Meals and refreshments will also be another important factor that you'll need to think about. You'll need to make sure that everything's included, otherwise your guests will have to pay for their own drinks, which won't look very good.

8. Entertainment is something that you'll need to consider. You won't want your guests to get bored at any time, so there will always need to be something for them to do.

9. It's essential that your guests have a fun time, and that it is better than a day at work. You'll have the opportunity to spend some time with your clients, hopefully generate some business and reassure your existing clients that you do care about them.

10. The cost of hiring the corporate events venue, and the rest of the days entertainment and food shouldn't be the main factor. You'll want to make sure that everyone has a good time, and that your clients are happy. Can you really put a cost on that?

Now you know what to look for, you'll be able to choose the perfect corporate events venue for you and your guests.