Secretary Work Online - Jobs Or Business As a Virtual Assistant

If you've been looking for a virtual secretary job or online data entry job, and haven't had any luck, you may have considered starting your own virtual assistant business. A virtual assistant works for themselves - and creates their own client base. If you want to work from home and have more control over the amount you earn, the types of projects you accept, and the number of hours you work, then starting a virtual assisting business may be the right work at home option for you.

In order to become a virtual assistant, you will need a computer with a reliable Internet connection, fax machine, dedicated phone line, and the ability to market your services effectively.

Vital Skills for Virtual Admin Assistants

Virtual assistants provide services that traditional secretaries do not. These include technical writing, editing, desktop publishing, and web design. Even though you may not possess these skills, if you've worked as an administrative assistant or you have experience in business writing, marketing, public relations, event planning, or legal experience, you should be able to use these skills when promoting your business. Many of your virtual assisting clients may need your help with email inquiries and content management - basically, a person to handle their daily small tasks while they focus on their main jobs. A good dose of web-savvy is a great launching point for a virtual assistant business.

Traditional secretarial skills like typing, transcription, monitoring email, setting up meetings, updating calendars, and reviewing documents are also needed by those too busy to do this type of work themselves. Depending on your prior experiences, you may be able to offer a wide variety of services to prospective clients. Keep in mind that you can also learn new skills once your business is up and running - don't be afraid to ask your potential clients what daily web chores they could do without on a daily basis.

Finding and Retaining Virtual Assistant Clients

Virtual assistants market themselves in many different ways, and you'll want to find what works for you. Like most small businesses, marketing your services is important if you want to maintain a certain level of income. Using the Internet to conduct searches in online classifieds, joining social networking groups, freelance job sites, and contacting people you know are all ways to find work.

A great place to find prospective clients is LinkedIn.com - an online networking community for business professionals. You can give and receive recommendations and target businesses in your area of expertise by answering questions and participating in groups.

Offline promotions can offer just as much business as your online marketing campaign. This may mean taking out an ad in your local newspaper, networking with people you already know, going to conferences and other functions to meet people in need of your services, or making phone calls to companies you believe could benefit from your services.

Once you have a steady stream of clients, you should continue your marketing efforts by attending social functions, updating your website if you have one, and making phone calls to companies in your area who might need your services. Unlike other jobs you've had in the past, clients who use your services will come and go, so you need to be prepared to find new clients at any time.

Average Income and Terms of Payment for VA's

If you live in an urban area, you will probably earn more than someone who lives in a rural area because the need for virtual assistants is less. The average virtual assistant earns $20.00-$25.00 per hour and works at least 20-30 hours a week. You can choose to be paid weekly, bi-weekly, per project, or you can work with clients on a retainer. A retainer, commonly used in the legal profession, is paid by the client in order to secure your services. A monetary amount is agreed upon by the client and the business owner for a set number of hours during the month. If you work fewer hours, you get to keep the full retainer. If you work over the set amount, then you can invoice the client for any extra hours worked.

Because you are the owner of a small business, you will be responsible for health care, retirement funds, and other expenses that an employer usually pays their employees.

Becoming a virtual assistant may mean working long hours in the beginning until you have enough clients. You may also have to work occasionally in the evening, on weekends, and during holidays.

Virtual Assistance: The Future of Virtual Secretaries

Currently, there are 3,000 to 5,000 virtual assistants working worldwide. The number keeps getting bigger as more companies take advantage of the services offered by those who want to work from home.

If you want to start a virtual assisting business, creating a sound business plan, having enough in savings to pay for living costs until you begin earning a steady income and aggressively marketing your services to various industries are all important to your success. But once you establish yourself, there are many opportunities to be had in this profession.

The Key Benefits Of Implementing A Customer Relationship Management System

A customer relationship management system that is properly implemented can bring substantial benefits to any organizations. The advantages are both direct and indirect and are intended to perpetually improve the overall client experience. Below are some of the benefits of using the CRM software in your company.

The system enables you to store company information in a convenient way. The enterprise resource planning system is quite helpful because it accurately stores customer information. This enables the company to contact their clients easily and also documents their ordering history. An excellent system will enable you to retrieve important information about your clients when necessary.

This system will increase the satisfaction and loyalty of the customer. Regardless of what your business offers, you must deliver the best products or services. All clients value a well-organized and customer friendly environment when they are purchasing something. Therefore, they will certainly come back to you in the near future and vouch for you to others if you offer a perfect and efficient approach to communicate with the clientele.

The CRM software enables the company to share and distribute data. Customer relationships happen on several levels and not through web presence or customer service only. Therefore, the company should share any available information to all the different departments. The system will enable the business to make informed decisions and customer follow-ups to all the different business levels.

The system enhances communication in your company. When data is shared among different departments, the staff can work more competently as a team, instead of working as isolated units. Every department has a specific specialty however; the business will become more profitable if these departments work together. This enterprise resource planning system allows businesses to convey important data from one part of the company to another.

When a company adopts this system, the profitability and the revenues of the firm will increase. Every organization is concerned with increasing its revenues and reducing expenditures. This software is regarded mainly as a revenue enhancer however; expenditure savings are similarly factored in the marketing and other areas. The application enables the firm to focus on the most lucrative clienteles, directing the revenue-driving actions to that particular group.

This business application tends to empower the clients. This is because it makes the clienteles to feel that they are in total control of the process when conducting business with your organization. The enterprise resource planning software aids in developing enhanced communication networks between the client and the company such as websites or interactive Voice Response Systems. These communication channels give the clients an option of picking the best mode of communicating with the company.

The system will also help the company to save time and expenditures. The CRM software will enable you to handle your clients in a better way. It permits the clients to carry out more of the responsibilities that should be done by your employees, for example, obtaining basic data and placing orders. This saves the company lots of time and money. A quality Customer Relation Management system will aid you in all aspects of your client relations. However, you should always get an application that is uniquely suitable for your organization.

Event Management Company - Mange Your Events With Professionals

Theme of organizing an event has emerged as a revolution among the organizations of all levels. It not only helps them to branding the image of the company among the clientele base and the customers but also to make a wider reach in new as well as existing customer base. Even the process of event management is very associative in natures however executing it smoothly is again a tough task need to be considered with immense caution.

Now a number of event companies are out there to help the organizations in managing the events. They cater their services in the range of the small time private events to the large-scale international events as well.

The services of a event management company includes planning services, road shows, laser shows, magical shows, award functions hosing etc. Now by widening the dimensions, companies are also working on various other event related utilities including venue management and site decorations etc. These event management companies take care of exhibition management where they display new Brands & Products for masses to create huge awareness.

They do provide state-of-the art exhibition solutions to let you avoid heavy duty exhibition material as right from the modular exhibition kits, display panels, marketing collaterals other stuffs. All you have to do is to give them the event dates and requirements and rest are done and executed by them.

Their experience in handling Event Planning, Management, Production, various Promotion Activities, Road Shows, Celebrity Management, Artistic Management, Exhibition and Group Events is the USP that they put in to perform the assignment.

An event management company helps a lot when it comes to outdoor advertising. Companies put in several innovative ideas & professional skills to make the outdoor advertising a huge success. The inventive communication tools they use here include Hydraulic Mobile Display Vans, Hoardings, Unipoles, and Signages all over the place.

The task of the event management is not as easy as it seems. The providers are using various methodologies to make the things easy. They offer personalized and customized event management solutions with an edge or responsive service and unparalleled attention to details.

Increase Your Profit Through Staff Motivation, Why Corporate Events Are Essential For Success

In lean financial times an astute manager will turn to corporate events in order to maintain staff morale and keep them motivated. But they have a hidden agenda - building a team. By choosing a corporate event carefully, a smart manager can achieve both in one fell swoop, making a 50% reduction in costs at the same time!

So what sort of corporate event would be useful as this double edged sword? In order to understand how to make the right choices, in the first part of this 2 part article, let's first explore the basics of team building.

Teambuilding should improve interaction

Staff who have learnt to interact with one-another in a non confrontational manner make for a smoother and more efficient team.

Team building should improve communication

Staff who communicate badly seldom work together as a coherent unit, mistakes abound and a lot of time and company money is wasted on putting right these communication based errors. On the other hand, a team whose members communicate clearly will perform efficiently, waste less time and company money.

Team building should encourage creative thinking

Staff who are used to problem solving will also be used to thinking creatively. They will find it easier to deal with client based issues and better customer service equals better customer loyalty.

Team building should improve planning skills

Planning can apply to a single job or a complete company strategy. Staff who habitually and automatically plan their work are more efficient, saving time and therefore company money.

Teambuilding should improve the ability to respond to challenge

Staff who are routinely taught to cope with a variety of different challenges are more likely to cope with new situations within the workplace and thus cope better with pressure. Staff who cope are more efficient than staff who panic. Time and money again.

Team building should be inclusive

This is perhaps one of the most important factors. An event where half of the participants are alienated because they don't enjoy the focus of the event will be a waste of time and cash. You need something that does not leave out people either through interest or physical/mental ability. That is so de-motivating.

OK, so that is the team building aspect, now to the corporate events side of the coin. When choosing a corporate event, many managers will go for something that is fun - absolutely right, a corporate event should be enjoyable. However, enjoyable events like a hospitality box at a sporting event or casino night are definitely not right for team building. Morale building maybe but in terms of value for money, it is almost zero.

So where do you find something that will address the above criteria? That is to be found in part 2 of this article.

What to Look for in a Corporate Catering Service

Events are now becoming an almost daily part of our lives whether it is a corporate, wedding or social event. If can be difficult to manage a large event when a number of guests are expected without taking advantage of a professional and reliable catering service. They not only take away a lot of the stress that comes with preparing the food for the big day but also help save you time by doing a lot of the preparation and organizing.

Searching for a corporate catering service isn't a very difficult. Just doing a simple search online should return a wide variety of companies offering this particular type of service in the local area. However it is important to carefully vet each of the individual providers to ensure you will be partnering with high-quality caterers. Some of the steps to find a reliable company include -

The first course of action to creating a delicious menu for a buffet, luncheon, or diner includes getting in contact with the most promising catering companies from the initial online search. If using a catering service for a special event it is worth putting in the time and effort to visit each of the companies in person so that you're able to see the quality of the food on offer and taste actual samples. This allows you to the see the different providers at work and the way the service might well be provided for you. It is also important to consider the varied tastes of guests so make certain that the catering service is flexible enough in their approach to create an all-round menu.

Also, look for a catering service which is able to provide a wide-range of personalized services besides the preparing the actual food, which might consist of such extras as waiters and waitresses, floral decoration, air conditioning, collapsible furniture and carpeting.

It will also benefit if the corporate caterers travel to any location to personally set everything up for the special event. This gives the peace of mind in knowing that you will have someone arriving on the day to prepare the food and seating. For instance, for an outdoor banquet, the service provider might assist with outdoor settings, such as organizing the party marquee, heater and even decorative features for extra beauty.

Whether it is for team building parties or wedding receptions, a corporate catering service can offer a complete range of services which are tailored specifically to a person's particular requirements to ensure nothing goes wrong on the special day.

14 Questions to Ask About AV Requirements For Your Special Event

When planning a corporate event, you need to assess your requirements for audio-visual equipment and staging. You can have the best speaker in the world giving the best presentation in the world, but it no one can see or hear him, it will be horrible. Answering these 14 questions will help you plan for your event:

1. Is the venue unionized? How will this affect the costs of your event? What regulations do you need to follow?


2. What is the ceiling height? This will have an impact on your staging, lighting and audio-visual. For example, you will need a ceiling height of at least 22 feet if you want to do rear-projection video.


3. Where will the stage be? How large does it need to be? How many people need to fit on the stage? Do you need more than one stage? If you are planning entertainment or a band, you will need to work with them on how much space they require. Make sure the venue understands what your needs if you require a certain amount of space. You don't want to request a specific stage size and then find that the venue has filled it with flowers, pillars, or other decorations.


4. Does the stage need a backdrop? What will be behind the stage? You will want to dress the stage up as much as possible.


5. What is the access to the stage like? Are their stairs? Are the stairs well-lit and safe? Is there a backstage area?


6. Will there be presentations that require video? How big a screen is needed? Will it be front or rear projected? Who will provide the projector?


7. Will the audio-visual (AV) company require their own table or booth? Where will this be set up?


8. How much rehearsal/sound check time will be needed?


9. How long will it take to move all of the AV equipment in and set up? How long will it take to tear it down?


10. Where will the dance floor be located in relation to the stage? If the dance floor is located between the stage and the audience, it will create a big gap of "nothingness" that will decrease the impact of any speeches or presentations. It is best to have the audience seated as close to the stage as possible.


11. How many microphones will be needed? Always have at least two so you have a backup.


12. Do you need wireless microphones? This will depend on the style of whoever is using it.


13. Do you need a podium? Inexperienced speakers like to hide behind a podium. Others like to pace.


14. Is the stage well-lit? Are there any dark areas? If the speaker is prone to roaming over the full stage while they talk, will they be well-lit the entire time?

Make sure you have satisfactory answers to all of these questions when planning your corporate event.

Features and Benefits of Online Event Payment Solutions

Online event payment solutions offer an excellent finance management in terms of safe and secure collection of donations and dues from attendees and donors. The web-based payment solution also provides a myriad of money transfer options through varied payment getaways such as PayPal, credit cards, Authorize.net, and so on.

Generally, most of the online event payment solutions are PCI compliant, which makes them 100 percent secure for processing, storing, or transmitting credit card information. Attendees can buy various program tickets using their credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and so on, or by paying through checks and POs. Participants can also pay with other major payments getaways, such as with their own merchant accounts, or with a payment plan using a recurring billing option.

Donations play a major part of revenue generation for most organizations, charities, and schools. The problem of donation management can be resolved if you accept donations online, which also ensures an error-free transaction. Moreover, it has been found that maximum customers prefer donating funds online.

Advanced web-based financial data management software generally accepts online payments at a highly competitive rate for all major credit cards and via PayPal, CyberSource, or Authorize.net. Online event revenue solutions do not require any additional downgrade fees for corporate' mileage ' or gift cards and fundraisers. Whether there are conferences, meetings, seminars, trade shows, or exhibits, the online payment management services assist quick processing of refunds and resolves chargeback requests, if any.

One of the major advantages of online payment services is that they reduce all types of financial data handling hazards. The application ensures complete online collection of membership dues' subscription fees, or donations, with least manpower involvement.

Web-based payment options:
• Increase fund processing efficiency
• Decrease registration time (no more standing in long queues to fill in registration forms)
• Track revenues by event
• Monitor registrations and payments via notifications
• Synchronize multiple payment systems at large and complex events
• Help to spend less time on refunds and settlement

The PCI-compliant online compensation processing solution consolidates registration data for administering financial reporting and visibility. It supports recurring orders for memberships, subscriptions, and more, regardless of the gateway used. The solution also provides a self-service facility for organizers to submit refund, amend orders, process credits, and complete transfers. Online event imbursement solutions also allow the organizers to view their own payment instructions and refund policy, as and when needed.

The online financial management solutions not only enable smooth flow of payments, but also create and manage instant online registration and other aspects of program management. Using the secure online payment solutions, event companies and educators can reconcile transactions' manage refunds' handle charge-backs' and efficiently administer merchant accounts.

Attending PTO Today Expo Events With Your School PTO Group

PTO Today offers publications and resources for PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) groups a public and parochial schools across the Unites States. One of PTO Today's most popular resources is their annual PTO Today Expo events that are held at select cities every spring.

The PTO Today Expos provide PTO officers, members, and fund raising committees and assembly/ enrichment planners and opportunity to network with businesses that provide products and services specifically for PTO groups. The PTO Today Expos are designed to be both fun and informative, but for the first time attendee, the experience can be a little overwhelming if you are not prepared. This article offers tips and planning advice to help first time PTO Today Expo attendees (as well as Expo regulars) get the most out of their visit to the PTO Today Expo.

The PTO Today Expos are usually held in the same cities every year. 2011 cities and dates include Philadelphia (March 2nd), Atlanta (March 10th), Houston (April 6th), and Chicago (May 3rd). Additionally, in 2011, the PTO Today Expo is expanding to reach PTO planners in Michigan with a new event on April 26th in Novi, Michigan.

Register Early and Save Money

There is a nominal charge for PTO members to attend the PTO Today Expo. Attendees who register early at the PTO Today website can often take advantage of "early bird" registration discounts. The Expo also often offer 2 for 1 registrations and discounts for multiple PTO members that attend from the same school and register at the same time. Therefore, your PTO group should begin promoting the Expo at meetings early in the school year to judge interest and compile a list of members who are interested in registering.

Typically, PTO groups ask general members to pay for the registration for the event out of pocket, but often Expo registrations for school PTO president, vice president, etc are paid for by the groups PTO general funds.

Planning Before The Expo

There are usually 60-100 vendors at a PTO Today Expo. Vendors include providers of school assemblies, companies that offer classroom supplies, spirit wear, parenting magazines, and fundraising companies that offer everything from tie-dyed shoelaces to homemade cookies.

You can get the most out of your PTO Today Expo experience, by planning ahead and decide what types of information your PTO group would like to collect. If you need fundraising ideas, then you will want to make the fund raising booths your priority. But, if you already have your fundraising ideas for this year, you may want to concentrate on some of the other vendors.

A good strategy is to assign different attendees from your PTO group with gathering information from different types of vendors. One group could collect school fund raising ideas, one group could information on school assemblies, and one group could collect classroom and spirit wear ideas. You can then all meet up and discuss what interested you, and revisit select vendor booths as a group.

Sometime Being Late Is Good

Unlike in school, it is okay to be "tardy" to the PTO Today Expo. A majority of the attendees arrive when the Expo opens and the first hour of the vendor hall is packed with people. During this time, it can be hard to get an opportunity to really talk with the

The last 2-3 hours of the Expo are usually the slowest. Arriving during this time will give you an opportunity to browse the vendors more leisurely and talk with the representatives one on one. You will also not have to fight your way through crowds in the trade show aisles.

As a bonus for arriving towards the end of the Expo, many vendors have extra product samples that they do not want to take home with them. This means that instead of getting a sample of a cookie, you might just get a whole box of cookies to take home, or instead of just a wrapping paper brochure, you may get a full roll of wrapping paper.

If you arrive too late, however, many vendors begin packing up during the last half hour of the event because the attendance is so slow. If you are going to arrive late, be sure to arrive a minimum of 2 hours before the scheduled close of the vendor hall.

It is Okay To Say "No Thank You"

Every vendor booth you stop at will want to give you their sales pitch and brochure. They are there for the sole purpose of generating sales leads and making connections with schools. If a vendor has a product or service that you know your school would not be interested in, it is okay to tell the representative you are not interested.

Taking brochures from companies that you have no interest in will make sorting information after the Expo more difficult and will waste your time.

Sign Up For Mailing Lists

When you pick up your registration badge the day of the Expo, you will be given a sheet of pre-printed stickers with your address and email contact information. This allows you to quickly provide your contact information to vendors that interest you.

Signing up for information is also a good way to limit the number of brochures that you have to carry around, as you can ask the vendor to mail you information.

A word of caution! Only sign up with the companies that you are truly interested in, because each vendor you sign up with will be following up with you by mail and email after the Expo. If you sign-up with every booth you stop at, you will soon become overwhelmed with emails and mail. This will quickly become frustrating, and may cause you to overlook an email or information that you were truly interested in.

Have a Follow-up Meeting

Shortly after the Expo, you should plan to meet with everyone in your PTO who attended the event. This will allow you to share notes and discuss products and services that you found interesting. It is at this meeting that you can also decide if you would like to request more detailed information from any of the companies. The sooner you schedule the meeting, the fresher the information will be in everyone's minds.

You can then decide which vendors you want to follow up to get quotes, and other planning information.

Event Planning In Washington DC

Washington DC is a city stands for many things to many people. Whether it is the great history of the city and our country or the political troubles and triumphs that have occurred throughout the years or the great landmarks that stand as endearing symbols of freedom, democracy and independence, our nation's capital is a powerful city and creates powerful emotions for most Americans. It is also the backdrop for a city that is ever-increasing in its commercial and corporate infrastructure as businesses are thriving in Baltimore and the northern Virginia.

It is this corporate and commercial growth that is creating an increase in the need for destination management companies in Washington DC, and companies specializing in event planning in Washington DC and the surrounding areas. Corporate event planning in Washington is growing because the history and beauty of the city center - with its monuments, landmarks and government buildings - creates an atmosphere that is desirable to natives, but also to visiting business interests who may be inspired by the aesthetics of the area.

Planning Special Events in Washington DC

A good Destination Management Company (DMC) can make a huge difference in the success of your corporate event. Choosing a destination management company in DC can be as easy or as difficult as your level of understanding dictates. A few things to keep in mind when choosing a DMC in Washington DC - which can obviously be translated to other cities across the U. S., are as follows: price (value), reputation, and convenience.

Although a good company can make or break your event, they could also break the bank if you go too extravagant and are not careful to keep the event within the realm of your available budget. Creating chatter and excitement from your attendees is great, but (as with any aspect of your business) you cannot afford to live beyond your own means.

Secondly, research the company to find out what events they have facilitated in the recent past and get references from companies that have used their services. Make it very clear to them what you are looking for and ensure that their vision and yours are one and the same.

Convenience is perhaps the most important factor in choosing destination management services in DC and beyond because in incorporates the company's ability to work with your needs as well as their over desire to satisfy their clients. While it may be worth your while to work around the availability and location of a truly remarkable DMC, it should not become a burden on your plans. It is not worth the potential stress, confusion, and inconvenience that it could cause.

A successful corporate event can be an amazing opportunity for company morale, team building, and company promotion and finding a DMC or event planning company can be equally as important. Just keep in mind the notions of price, reputation and convenience, and the right company will emerge to make your event special and memorable.

Outdoor Event Insurance Can Cover Anything From a Sunday Cricket Match to a Large Convention

In theory, brokers can access the whole outdoor event insurance market to find the best cover (which may be from combining a number of separate policies). In practice, however, the special deals for non-profits are more likely to come from one particular insurer. It is quite possible, these days to obtain cover to make good the loss arising from fraud or dishonesty on the part of any of the employees where they are handling any cash or other valuables. It may even be possible to extend the cover to include also fraud or dishonesty on the part of any of the trustees or volunteers. This type of cover cannot a substitute for sound financial and personnel risk management and is usually provided only if the company can demonstrate that its administrative arrangements are both adequate and properly supervised.

• Your outdoor event insurance companies insure almost any event taking place almost anywhere in the world. Whether your event is a Sunday Cricket match or a global convention, they have the capacity and the expertise to protect your event. These companies can offer single event insurance, multiple event insurance or even annual event insurance - whatever your needs.

• Your insurance cover may include event cancellation insurance, event liability insurance and event all risks insurance. The failure of key, utilities or equipment like power, lighting, heating, kitchens, sound and fire safety equipment are all the risks, with the potential to make the venue unavailable.

• Most policies are easy to understand and simple to buy. They are underwritten by one of the most reputable insurers and claims are handled quickly and with sensitivity. Your outdoor event insurance cover may, also be obtainable at a reasonable price against the cost of repairing items which are damaged, or against the cost of investigating theft and of attempting to recover stolen items. Security measures should be reviewed in order to reduce the risk of loss and this might make insurance cover easier to obtain.

• As specialist providers, these companies offer you insurance that are truly relevant to your needs. They know the right questions to ask about your plans and can tailor your insurance to suit your requirements, perfectly.

• Whether you are planning a party, staging a large rock concert, or organising a national flower, motor or music festival, you need to ensure that you are covered for all possible events that may spoil the enjoyment of you and your guests when the big day arrives.

In a worst case scenario, the whole event operating budget could be lost, or you could incur additional costs such as rebooking at another time or another venue, extra accommodation and subsistence costs, venue penalties for not vacating on time, plus the profit you might otherwise have generated from the event. Because all this is at risk, your insurance needs to be on the agenda early in the event planning process. You can quite easily buy all the elements of your outdoor event insurance in one easy package, with absolute confidence.

How to Distinguish a Good Event Planner From an Amateur

As event planning becomes more and more of a common field, there are many amateurs out in the market along with the professionally run businesses. How does one distinguish the amateurs from the professionals especially when on a low budget? First thing, it would be a great idea to ask your potential event planner if they have an event planning certificate. You can quickly omit all the event planners who claim they are professional if they do not have their certificates or some sort of event management degree.

However, because of the many trade schools offering event planning degrees, sometimes people may still be amateur but carry some sort of an event planning certificate. In this case, there are different signs you need to look for to recognize a professional event planner. For example, look at where their office is located. Are they running a supposedly successful business from their living room or do they have a professional, well-maintained and well paid for office? Also always ask o look at portfolios of their previous events to see if they can back up what they have claimed they have done.

It may also be a good idea to ask their former clients for personal reviews by getting their information so you know what level of event planning expertise you are getting yourself into. Another sign is just the name of the company itself. There is some sort of distinction you can usually notice in the pattern of how amateurs name their businesses and how professionals do. There logo is also a good sign of their level of professionalism because a stable, well-maintained business will always have a more professional looking logo that looks like it has money spent on it.

With all this talk being given about recognizing amateurs and professionals, it is also important to recognize fresh talent. If you are doing an event that is not so much on a large scale (such as maybe just a birthday or a bridal shower) you may want to experience with low-priced, promising looking new planners with fresh new event planning certificates. If they talk like they are hard-working, and seem energized and ready to go with their new job and look passionate for it, you may want to just observe their working style a little bit in the beginning and give them a chance. Not only will you save a lot of money on fresh new workers in this industry, you will be the first to taste and experience the freshness of new and energetic talent

How to Start a Wedding Hall

A wedding reception hall can be a fun and lucrative business venture when you carry out the proper amount of planning to start and operate it. Putting some thought into how you'll run the venue and rent out its space can be the primary determinant in whether or not your reception hall is booked regularly or empty weekend after weekend.

Supplies Needed:

Facility with commercial kitchen

Tables and Chairs

Curtains and wall decor

Brochures

Step One:

Create an atmosphere that is conducive to the elegant and celebratory nature of weddings. Because your facility will be focused on wedding receptions, you should decorate the center in neutral colors with graceful artwork and finishing touches. This center should be functional, but it should also attract the eye of the bride looking for a beautiful venue.

Step Two:

Build relationships with vendors. Find vendors you can outsource to for the details you don't want to handle yourself. Some vendors include linen companies, party rental companies for tables and chairs, caterers, wait staff, flowers, bridal shops, party stores, etc. In order to build these relationships, make personal visits to the companies to leave information about your wedding reception business. Ask for any brochures or other information they can give you and pledge to pass it along to the brides and grooms with which you come in contact.

Step Three:

Create your rental packages. Put together different reception packages your clients can choose from. You may wish to offer a low, mid and high-level price point package as well as a la carte items customers can choose to add to their packages. Creating packages helps you to showcase what you can offer customers, and it can also help you stay focused on your offering. In a wedding reception center business, you may offer a basic package with just the hall, tables, chairs, and the use of the kitchen. A more all-inclusive package option might be one that includes catering services, linen rentals, an event coordinator, and other party details.

Step Four:

Apply for licensing and operating permits. Contact your city hall to inquire of the necessary permits. These will be unique from state to state and will cover requirements for the facility, food, liquor, and operations. This process may require inspections.

Step Five:

Hire staff. Generally, a wedding reception hall requires a manager, an event planner and one or two sales people. Higher volume reception halls may require more staff than ones with smaller volumes. Decide on what staff members you need to help you run the center effectively and hire them.

Step Six:

Have an open house. Since you have the party space and some of the other details for throwing a party, a great way to showcase your reception hall is to throw an open house party. Invite potential customers and potential referral sources to an open house party where they can preview the wedding reception hall and enjoy some refreshments, dancing and more. Advertise your open house through local newspapers, online city events calendars, and through the vendors with whom you have already spoken. Make sure your reception center is well-furnished and looks impeccable for the big day.

Step Seven:

Advertise. Contact bridal magazines and websites to ask about advertising space. Research local bridal shows and plan to host a booths at the events. Print full-color brochures with pictures of your reception hall to give to vendors, prospective clients, churches, bridal shops, and rental centers. Contact your local newspaper and ask for an interview about your newly opening hall.

Tips:

During the wedding off season (January, February, and March are the least popular wedding months), you may consider reaching out to other rental clients in order to fill your calendar. Corporate events, reunions, or other large gatherings will bring in cash while you build excitement for the coming wedding season.

Effective Donor Management Solutions for Non-Profit Fundraisers

Maintaining a sustainable donor base is essential towards making a fundraising event successful. For non-profits organizing regular fundraisers is even more important as their growth as an organization depends of the same; funds raised through these events are allocated towards working for social causes. Availing comprehensive online event management solutions that come embedded with fundraising tools provides exceptional donor management facilities that make nurturing customer relationships a rather easy task. Whether it is for maintaining year-round communications through emails and newsletters, or for making year-end appeals to new and existing donors, a donor management system can prove to be extremely helpful in streamlining backend operations thereby reducing overall cost for the non-profits.

Wading through endless numbers of spreadsheets, email programs, dated lists of campaigns, and unfriendly donor databases constitute a major chunk of back-office jobs of most non-profit organizations. The situation worsens as the year-end approaches or when there is a fundraiser in the offing. It is during these times when pulling together contacts and contribution related information to identify the right donor or a prospective sponsor to send an email appeal becomes imperative for a non-profit. By making logical use of the online fundraiser management system one can sail through the situation quite smoothly.

The right donor management system helps to create exactly those targeted lists which are required to ensure that each donor on the list gets an email message that will convincingly encourage their support towards the cause. A good SaaS solution can facilitate an organization in understanding individual donors, and accordingly analyze, categorize, and communicate to the target groups of potential donors.

For smaller organizations with tighter budgets

For cash-crunched non-profits with limited staff and resources, it is always better to opt for free fundraising event management tools that are hosted online. These solutions, which are available to the end users at a monthly fee over the internet, are designed to work differently without requiring substantial upfront investments, and are surprisingly easy to learn.

The biggest advantage of using such tools is that an organization does not need to worry about its timely upgrades, or other maintenance related functions as the actual software is hosted by the vendor. The organizational staff can easily access them from anywhere in the world provided they have internet access.

Less expensive installed fundraiser management systems

Instead of opting for a "rented" database hosted online, a small non-profit organization can also choose to go with a low-cost fundraising event management solution that can be installed by an individual having basic technical know-how. This often requires a bigger upfront investment, but reduces overall cost if the entire lifetime of the system is taken into consideration.

Advanced fundraiser donor management solutions

These fundraising event management solutions have more expansive reporting and donor profiling facilitates that assists bigger fundraising organizations to manage their donor base with convenience. No wonder, they require more implementation resources as well as time to learn and support, while providing greater depth and width of service capabilities that are essential for effective donor management.

Salesforce is one such hosted software solution that offers a broad framework for managing all kinds of data related to the donor base management. Non-profits can make use of the free "Nonprofit Template" to gain unprecedented support for converting potential business leads into donors.

Tools For Event Management

You will need several things to run a successful event management firm. You need staff and contacts that you can rely on. A well maintained and organized office is paramount. Most importantly, you need to have a dedication and instinct about what your clients want for their event. You will need to make their every whim become a reality no matter how difficult it is to acquire. As a result, you will become respected for your professionalism and ability to make things happen. In addition to all the previously mentioned, you need several tools that will separate you from other event management firms. They are as follows:

1) A well filled Rolodex!

No one in the PR world is anyone without their contacts. You need to know the right people in order to get things done. Your contacts are your life, so, guard them as such! If you need a certain venue or celebrity appearance, your contacts will make it happen. Never let them out of your sight!

2) Social Media Networks

Social media is today's way of reaching the world. You need to be on top of the social media trends in order to attract new clients and to maintain your current ones. Social media networks are an invaluable way to know what is hot on any scene. Your own social media page should also be regularly updated to promote your events and firm.

3) Time Management

Nothing is as important as time management. If you know how to balance multiple events at one time, then you are golden. Once you have accomplished multiple difficult tasks at the same time, you will understand the importance of time management. You need to know your limits, but also push yourself to make any situation work.

4) Press coverage

A client will want their big event to be covered in depth by the media. This is where your PR department will come into play. They will need to know who is wear and doing what. They will stir the media about any event that your firm is planning. On the contrary, if this is a highly private event, then your PR people will know how to keep it on the down low by generating news about other events at the same time. Just remember, you are what the media says you are.

In conclusion, if you have the dedication and drive to become a successful firm, then it just may happen. You will need all the above mentioned tools in order for it to work in this industry.

Event Planning - Doing It All

"You can't do it all." These are some very wise words that were spoken by an instructor at a recent seminar in regards to planning events. Once those words were uttered, the debate was thrown wide open. The question wasn't can a person plan and executes an event of any size by themselves; it was should they even try.

In some instances, working alone to plan an affair is smart and very do-able. But even that doesn't always mean you are doing everything yourself if you use any outside sources.

Consider a surprise birthday party for a loved one. You will undoubtedly come up with the idea, plan it out, keep it quiet and hope that everyone you invite will do the same. In the end it will be a success if your loved one comes through the door and is genuinely surprised. Good for you. You have just executed a planned event.

Let's take another look at the same birthday scenario. This person is considerate enough to always be a help to you when you plan an event. If you are secretive or refuse their help they will think something is up. However, if you give them something to do you will be expected to provide information about the event which means you will have to remember every white lie told in order to keep the event hidden. The surprise will most likely be harder on you to plan and carry out than you thought possible.

This is the time to have a team put together to draw from. You get to be the coordinator or event planner and all of the family and friends that you bring on board to help you orchestrate the event are the team. They are the ones who will go to the bakery, make the canap矇s and make sure everyone on the list is contacted and have sent back a R.S.V.P. You have planned the event, kept on top of everything and in sharing the tasks the resulting event can then be enjoyed by you as well.

The same thought should be considered in planning a larger event. Realistically there isn't too much of a difference between the two types of events. One is on a larger scale but you still have the same options - do it alone or with a team. The results will be the same as well. Taking it all on by yourself and become frazzled and burned out by the time the event is over or put together a team that will work with you and jointly make the event a success.

If planning events is the career path you would like to travel, flying solo might work for a while; but, the wise words spoken by the instructor should be heeded. Surrounding yourself and your company with a qualified and reliable team of people and other companies will ensure the success we all strive to attain as event planners.

The 3 Most Common Headaches for Brides Planning Their Own Weddings

Weddings are a time to experience beauty, flawless memories, and most importantly- witness two people's undying love for each other as they unite. While all of this sounds like a fairytale waiting to come true for each of us, in all reality, 99% of brides spend most of their lives dreaming of their wedding day to come, only to realize how much work it actually is to prepare, especially if they are embarking upon planning their own wedding. We all hear the horror stories of "Bridezillas" and at times, even encounter a few, but until you are a bride-to-be, it is hard to understand the amount of pressure they are under with having to plan their own wedding day.

The first headache brides fall upon is vendors, especially if they are not using a wedding planner. Weddings are expensive and become an investment, when all is said and done. From start to finish, you are expensing something in every direction. Flowers, table decorations, bridal party gifts, entertainment, catering, cake, beverages, photographers, and the venue (just a few to start with) all add up in the end and can become very frustrating if you are not aware of what is considered reasonable pricing in the wedding industry. The best thing to do is to conduct research. Ask friends and family for personal referrals and make a list. Visit vendors and get a feel for their style and estimated pricing. After you have done your footwork, sit down and look at all of your options and only then, decide, based on which vendors will best fit the style you have for your theme, while keeping your budget in perspective.

Grooms can also contribute to occasional headaches. While this might not be an intentional act on their behalf, it is well known that men take a backseat when it comes to planning events, especially weddings. This can be frustrating to several brides because they cannot interact with their soon-to-be husbands in the manner they would with a specialist, who understands their planning needs. Grooms take part in minor details, but nine out of ten times, they leave the major decisions up to their brides. Do not hesitate, brides, to reach out for additional help from friends, family members, and even some of your vendors. They are all there to help make this event as memorable as possible and you may be super woman, but even she needs a power booster at times to get through it all.

Last but not least, the day of coordination can lead to additional headaches, if not anxiety or a total meltdown. The best thing to do in the event that you do not have a wedding planner is to reach out to your venue. Venues take great pride in hosting your wedding day and they want to make sure it is as flawless as possible. It is okay to have family and friends help with minor details; however, you want to avoid taking away from their experience on your wedding day as well. Take the time to talk to your venue from the very start about the day of coordination and pricing to make sure your event goes as smoothly as possible, without additional stresses on you or your loved ones.

As you can see, planning can be a full-time job for those who are new to the experience. If you take the time to research, sympathize, and ask for help when needed, your special day will less likely result in headaches or anxiety-filled moments. If you do not plan on using a wedding planner, at the very least, reach out to your venue to see what they offer to help your dreams come true. Remember: your wedding day is solely about you and your groom. Enjoy the moments creating it.

Seamlessly Manage Your Salesforce Events With Advanced Online Event Management Software

Satisfying your customers, vendors, and sponsors can be a significant way to expand your business and maximize products sale. The online event management software helps you offer the best services to your clients and partners by providing a single integrated platform to create and manage all your business events and activities. Salesforce users can use this online event management software to effortlessly carry on their tasks of arranging a grand meeting or corporate party in the best possible manner.

One of the biggest advantages of using such a web-based solution is that it eliminates the need to re-enter any event information and financial data on your Salesforce CRM software database. The online events management solution enables automatic bi-directional flow of all kinds of information between the event solution database and the Salesforce CRM database. Thus, the system saves a good amount of your valuable time as well as energy.

Organizations using the Salesforce CRM software can resort to the online registration and payment management solutions to let their customers easily register and pay for an upcoming program. You don't have to leave the Salesforce platform to use these online solutions. Besides, Salesforce users don't need to purchase, install, or download any costly software or hardware to start enjoying the benefits of online registration solution. Organizers can easily set up and publish event registration pages in minutes. The solution also lets you create custom pages by adding your organization logo and selected graphics.

The online payment management solution helps you streamline all your event-related payment processing and transferring in minutes. You will be able to receive the payments sent by your event registrants almost instantly. Besides, the platform also allows transactions by multiple payment gateways, such as those using credit cards, checks, purchase orders, and others.

Some major advantages of using such a Cloud-based event management solution are as follows:

-Automatic import and bi-directional harmonization of existing associates, leads, and campaign members
-Instant sending of email invitations and reminders without leaving the Salesforce interface
-Automatic flow of attendee, contacts, and leads updates to your Salesforce CRM database
-Creation of new leads from anonymous event registration that is not matching with information already stored in the Salesforce platform
-Improvement of critical back-office functions, thereby achieving more event tickets sale

Salesforce users can also use the built-in event calendar to offer visitors an easy view of all your occasion schedules and timing. The integrated marketing tools will help you easily promote your seminars, conferences, product release party, and more on social media websites, blogs, and on the video and photo publishing tools.

GJ's Entertainment Tackles Corporate Events In London

Many corporate events are designed to increase staff motivation, add incentives, improve morale, boost performance and can be used as an effective promotional tool for new product launches.

The knock-on effects of running a corporate event can have many benefits including financial gains, brand awareness, networking opportunities, media exposure and increased staff performance.
Not every event is the same and different organisations will have different requirements from the event.

We ensure that every event is bespoke and meets the requirements of the customer. From the initial contact to implementation, through to feedback we ensure that the whole process is quality controlled and always exceeds Expectations. We have a variety of products and services at our disposal to make your corporate event the most enjoyable and exciting experience possible.

Live music, comedians, acts and entertainers, MCs, DJs, Gameshows, Celebrity guest singers/comedians/speakers and Casinos. We have it all here, and with 9 years experience in entertainment, you can trust us to provide you with the best. GJ's Entertainment understands the importance over providing your event with the ultimate entertainment within your budget.

We can provide a huge variety of corporate entertainment so that you can really impress your colleagues and staff.

GJ's Entertainment is committed to providing the best entertainment possible within your budget to all types of parties within London and the surrounding areas.

We provide all types of acts for corporate parties, events, awards nights and Christmas parties.

If your event requires a famous host from sport, television, film, radio or major recording stars then get in touch now. We have the contacts to bring you the biggest stars including international and US celebrities.

If you are looking for the best nights entertainment in London then look no further.

Browse our website for more information andsend us an email with your requirements or call us now, and we will get back to you with a quote.

You are just a few steps away from having the time of your life!

If you don't see what you are looking for, please call as we will always be able help.

Why not give us a call today to discuss ideas for your event and then we can get started on planning the finer details of your corporate entertainment.

A Good Conference Venue Gives a More Professional Look and Feel

When you are holding a conference or any other event, the place where it is held says a lot about the success of the event. The venue also reflects on your as well as the image of your organization. It is the venue, which can also convey a lot about professionalism. This is why it is essential that one should choose a venue very carefully.

If you wish to hold a professional event, you ought to choose the best venue so that it can enhance your event and make it the success you want it to be. A good venue can do a lot to impress your guests as well as the shareholders and board members.

By using a good venue, you can give your event a more professional look and feel, and use it to your benefit. The success of an event, because of a well-chosen venue, can make you proud.

A good conference venue does not only have the potential to make your event a whole lot better, but it also has a significant impact on the way the event is carried out. This is made possible through the facilities that a conference venue has to offer. A good audio-visual system and good presentation facilities can highly improve the way you deliver your presentations. This is something that completes your professional events, without giving the feel that anything is missing.

There are many different kinds of venues. The one that you choose depends upon the kind of event you are trying to hold. These venues help in adding the desired ambiance and facilities to the event. The kind of venue that you choose also depends upon how big you want your event to be. Other factors to consider include the kind of meetings you want to hold and the number of people who are to attend the event.

When it comes to conference venues, the choice of the most suitable venue is imperative, because your future success may be dependent on an event. A good conference venue does not only reflect on your professionalism, but also conveys to the attendees how considerate you have been during the choice of the venue.

Considering the importance that a conference venue holds for the professional image and reputation, it may be helpful to seek the assistance of an event planner so that you can be sure that you are not missing out on anything. Event planners are not only experts in their field but they can also tell you a lot about the kind of venue that would be best for you.

Besides using an event planner, you can also seek the services of an events agency for choosing a venue for you. This way, you are provided with the best, unbiased advice related to the kind of venue you should choose for holding your event. You can manage to make your event look like a hit by using the right venue and getting the right facilities.

Corporate Event Management for Business

When you are managing or even planning some small event, it's usually preferable to handle all the details and decisions yourself. Small meetings, medium sized events or dinner parties are manageable to some extent. By contrast, a corporate event management would require outside assistance. Such events are usually held on a bigger scale and number of details that have to be managed or decisions that are to be taken are far larger.

There are many companies that have expertise in the event management and therefore help others in planning such events. With intricate planning overlaying their significant experience in this field, efficient event management teams are entirely focused in their approach on getting the best ever event delivery possible.

As with any business, customers always come first and achieving the outcome they expect should be the priority. Once this factor is clear and the client satisfaction is identified as their top most priority, the best event managers move on to make things happen on the ground.

Here in this article, we will discuss the parts of any corporate event that these management companies handle and the types of events that can benefit from their expertise.

Benefits of Outsourcing the Management

As corporate events are large affairs, there is very less margin for error in their planning and execution. Aside from this, the efforts and time needed for organizing such events is substantial. People who try to attempt organizing such events in the end feel exhausted and overwhelmed. All those companies who concentrate on the management of events have the capability of handling many details easily. These companies have working relationships with many venues and vendors. Such association allows them in conducting big events in an efficient way.

Corporate event planners can efficiently handle almost all the details of your event. They include entertainment, hiring the caterers and finalizing a suitable venue. All the necessary staff required for serving the drinks, preparing and serving the food and taking any requests from the guests is taken care of by them in an efficient way.

You will also be able to delegate any technical staffing requirements. For example, your corporate event may need some audio or visual equipment. The corporate event management company that you are working with can easily supply you the staff to oversee such equipment and successfully resolve any issues if they arise.

Different Types of Corporate Events

Companies organize different types of corporate events that may need adequate planning as well as execution. For example, manufacturing companies usually organize their product launch shows in which they invite customers, reporters, industry analysts and partners. The success or failure of such an event can have a dramatic effect on the overall image of the company as the event is often covered in both local and national media.

Similarly, other events like corporate award shows, holiday parties, employee meetings and company sales meetings are large events that require professional planning for them to be successful. The bigger the event, the greater would be the requirement for organization and planning for the same.

When is the Time to seek Help?

Since the corporate events are held on a large scale, big financial resources are often allocated for them by the companies. However, in successful management of such events, time is more critical than their budget.

Therefore, for big corporate events, use professional event planning company to handle all the details. You can surely make your event more enjoyable and unforgettable due to their expertise and relationships they've already established in the event planning and management sector.

What Is An Event Planner?

If you are unfamiliar with organising, hosting or even attending corporate events, trade shows, exhibitions, awards dinners and the like then your initial thought when you hear the term "event planner" is probably something along the lines of a party planner. To a certain extent, you'd be right, but there is far more to it than just arranging a bash.

Event planning is a serious profession and requires a certain skill set. The wide range of events that an event planner has to deal with through the course of his or her career ensures that they cannot simply be labelled a "party planner".

The final result of an event planner's work is often a great party or event, but they have to focus on the goal of the event and ensure that that goal is achieved. This is what sets them apart from someone who just organises a party. There has to be an aim and it has to be achieved through careful planning and attention to detail or the event itself is a waste of time.

Corporate events will have different goals (networking) to awards dinners (staff morale), which in turn will have a different goal to an exhibition (lead generation). A truly outstanding event planner will know the difference and work accordingly.

Some companies will have an internal event planning team or will leave it to their marketing department, while others will hire in a professional event planning company, of which there are many, all with their own particular specialiaties.

Event planners work long hours in order to make sure every little detail is taken care of for a variety of different events, including seminars, conferences, trade shows, executive retreats, incentive programs, golf events, conventions, and more.

Successful event planners will:

• Have excellent verbal and written communication


• Have outstanding organisational and time management abilities


• Be able to manage a project from start to finish


• Be able to multitask


• Be able to work alone and in a team as required


• Be computer literate, with good database management skills


• Focus on the details and work to very tight deadlines


• Remain calm under pressure


• Be able to negotiate - with venues, caterers and all the services required


• Be able to manage budgets


• Have good people skills, able to manage staff


• Have strong marketing and PR skills


• Be able to manage relationships with all levels of staff and management

In addition to the above skills and abilities, a truly great event planner will have extensive experience and knowledge when it comes to:

• Venues


• Catering


• Entertainment


• Transportation


• Accommodation


• Conference Services

In addition, they will also have a database of other service providers like lighting, sound, electricians and a host of others!

Whatever event you're planning, you should enlist the skills of a good event planner to ensure it goes smoothly. Because they will focus on all the organisational requirements, right down to every little detail, and will always bear in mind the goal of the event, it leaves you free to make sure that those you invite are well looked after and leave your event with exactly the right impression of you and your business.

Why Choose the Online Church Event Management Software?

Churches and such similar religious institutions have a lot of work to do when organizing an event; especially fundraising events. The list is extensive; looking for a venue to fit in the attendees, preparing an invitation list, manning the registration desk and the donation collection counter (if it's a fundraising event), and so on. Heavy manpower is required, time and money is needed to see that these tasks are successfully performed. The online church event management software can help you manage all these functions and more in a timely manner without burning a big hole in your fund collection.

Save Cost on Booking a Location

No need to search for a suitable venue if you plan to take your church event online. It means organizing a webinar where you can discuss about church funding issues, volunteering at the forthcoming events, and plans of hosting some more events in the coming year. Today, many churches are using the fundraising solution that allows a person to receive funds online using a variety of payment options - credit cards, PayPal, etc. You can collect donations at a quick pace when you start using the online software instead of managing the contributions in person.

Instant Registration

Integrated registration solution will let you create soft copy registration forms quite conveniently without requiring you to invest capital on paper and on printing charges. Moreover, once printed if a mistake is detected on a hard-copy form, you have to edit the same manually and resend the copy to the printer in order for the modified versions to be printed. It unnecessarily leads to wastage of time and cost. These situations can be avoided when you use an online application - you can edit multiple times any aspect of the form and instantly re-publish the same online without any cost added to the work.

Smartly Manage Your Members

You can manage your members smartly via an online process. Request all church members, volunteers, and supporters to join the online forum created by you to discuss matters and problems instead of physically carrying out such discussions and conversations. New groups of people can become a member anytime to get information on the church's developmental activities.

Create Online Invitations

Instead of sending hard copy letters, why not use the emailing module to send online invitations and reminders to innumerable numbers of people. It is very easy to operate an email communication tool and any non-technical person can use it to create, edit and save drafts of email templates for sending out later.

Automate All Back-office Jobs

A church event solution lets you manage different managerial tasks in an effective manner without compromising on quality or quantity. From registration to payment collection to organizing church events, creating invitations, every element can be supervised and monitored via such a Cloud-based system.

Party Planning Marketing - 3 Valuable Tips in Planning Your Marketing

There is No Business like the Party Business!

Everyone has something to say and to stand out in the business crowd, your message has to be the loudest and the most obnoxious one out there because you are destined to be the...

OK, I have definitely got your attention, right?

Party Planners, by their very nature, should be flamboyant and outrageous, at least that is what Hollywood tells us. How often is the Party Planner or Wedding Planner in a movie or TV program portrayed as this "Over-the-top" type who creates a wave of emotion everywhere they go?

Well, in some respects, that is not too far from the truth as the very nature of a Party Planner is one of a creative force to be reckoned with. But, putting all of that wild creative nature aside, behind every dynamic Party Planner I have ever known is an equally dynamic branding message. It is just that many times the message IS the Planner, which sometime can be a danger.

Let's look at some business branding that you should be implementing into your Party planning business to give you a competitive edge.

Any great business has a great logo, catch-phrase or both. More often than not, the catch-phrases change with the times, but the logo not-so-much. You see, there is a prevailing attitude called "Top-of-Mind" advertising which simply means that when a person thinks of that product, the company that has done the most effective job at cementing the "image" of the company has the "Top-of-Mind," or first place in the consumers mind. I mean, face it, McDonalds would never have to run another ad again if they so desired, but the company wants that first place position in the consumers mind.

So get to work on getting a logo or catch-phrase working for you and remember the importance of a fairly creative use of color and style as you do so. You are a Party Planner. The very nature of the business is fun, so create something that is memorable and fun.

Second, Place that logo everywhere you can place it and make your business the first Party Planning company someone thinks about when they need a Planner.

Third, become the logo. Now there is a danger here and you must be careful as not to become so associated with the company that if you ever sell the business that it fails because of that association. That is not so easy a task because people will indeed associate you with your Party Planning business, especially if you are good at it. But you have to let your business become its own identity.

In the end, it is all about building a brand that survives and thrives and becomes bigger than you. Do that and you will carve out a fantastic future for yourself.

Remember, Life is a Party, you just have to know how to Plan it!

Event Planning - How Do You Treat Your Clients?

How do you treat your clients and customers? Do you do it right? Do you meet their expectations, do it with a smile and how do you show your appreciation? We all work for companies that try, but some do it better than others. So, today we are going to talk about going above and beyond, not just partially, not most of the way, but all the way and beyond.

Appreciation in Style - Courthouse Retrieval System showed their appreciation in the manner they do business, first class. Their brochure states "Focus on Quality. We are committed to superior customer service and we value our customer feedback." and I believe what they say. While attending a convention at the National Association of Realtors in New Orleans, they invited several of their clients to an appreciation breakfast at Brennan's Restaurant and I was fortunate enough to be invited as part of the group.

For those of you including myself that had never had the fine opportunity to dine at Brennan's, they are a fine dinning restaurant, winning many awards and that's why Courthouse Retrieval Systems decided to plan their event with them.

Greeting and Smile - what I like most from anyone taking care of me, either personally or business wise is to be greeted with a smile and that was what we got. Every time I see Sara with CRS, I get a warm welcome with a smile and a hug. Needless to say, she is warm and everyone becomes a friend. So we were met at Brennan's with a smile and that smile was extended throughout the breakfast from each server that graciously took care of all her guests. Our special greeting from Brennan's started off with a mimosa.

Reputation and Expectations - Brennan's name itself tells the story. They provide such great service and quality, that you just know you will have the right experience and we did. So, what Courthouse Retrieval Systems was trying to do was show the same kind of service, smile and effort with a restaurant like Brennan's that has a reputation to supply the same expectations time and time again.

Excellence and Entree - while Brennan's has an extensive menu, we were offered a choice of three appetizers, four entrees and two desserts that were all exquisite. My choice was New Orleans Turtle Soup, but others chose Creole Onion Soup or Strawberries with Double Cream.

I normally try and eat healthy, but the day encompassed some extra walking because it was impossible to resist the gourmet options. So, my healthy entree was "Eggs Ellen - Grilled filet of fresh salmon topped with two poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce." Most of the others at my table selected "Eggs Hussarde - Poached eggs atop Holland rusks, Canadian bacon, and Marchand de Vin sauce. Topped with Hollandaise sauce." The entrees were prepared to perfection and the quality was superb.

Customer Satisfaction and Dessert - we were perfectly happy with the service, entree, quality and smiles, then we were offered the "Icing on the Cake." In this case, Brennan's had two choices, but we went with their signature dessert "Bananas Foster - Bananas sauteed in butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and topped with banana liqueur, then flamed in rum. Served over vanilla ice cream." The motto here is to take your customer satisfaction to a higher level.

Service with Style - to all of the above, add a service staff in tuxes, an elegant New Orleans surrounding, an intimate room seating about forty guests and a never ending supply of water and hot coffee. By the way, my idea of service implies "doing" before one asks, so we never had to ask for anything. They were always replenishing coffee and water, so glasses and cups were never empty.

Thank You - Remembrance - so, while we don't always treat our clients like this every day, we can always provide the service, excellence, attitude and smiles that make our customers return. Create the atmosphere and mentality to thank your customers for their business. They will return if you treat them right.

Unique Christmas Team Building Ideas Explored

Christmas Team building events provide the best opportunity to convey key messages or participate in Christmas team building activities. However, organizing Christmas parties doesn't costs time or fun. Here are the few Christmas team building ideas that can take you on board to fun world.

Perhaps, these are unique from what you usually see in Christmas corporate entertainment, so why not try these events this time for a change.

Sweet Like Chocolate: Creative games with constructive ideas always adds up more fun and enjoyment to the parties. This event's recipe has just two ingredients: loads of laughter and pounds of chocolate. So why not join us in a Christmas team building Chocolate war?

Chase your Christmas Treasure: This could be a fabulous extra topping to your Christmas team party night. Have fun chasing the treasure around the city in Christmas lights solving funky clues, cryptic photo hints and word game challenges, all in the shortest period possible. This just boosts up the team work, builds team relationships, encourages team work in problem solving and as a tip of the ice, you may include Christmas shopping too.

Christmas Cooking: This could be truly outstanding event to cook for the colleagues a Christmas meal with five courses. This particular event encourages team work with full laughter and fun around the kitchen. Perhaps the team will have a full access to a complete kitchen equipped with all the ingredients needed for an outstanding meal.

Christmas Filming: Turn on your creative brains along with your digital cameras, and switch on the lights to start the action! The team will have to do editing, pros, background sounds, digital set up and everything a film requires, the team will work together sharing the chores of writing, directing, camera, and acting.

Ice Events: Create a snow world programme themed with artificial or real ice and snow with related tasks to do. This can be either indoor or outdoor depending on what you like to have.

Go Quaffer: The most popular of all Christmas corporate entertainment, the wine challenge could be full of fun that can help to build teams with mild competitions of games based on wine challenges.

No Carbon Tasks: Majority of the corporate teams have become more cautious about the carbon footprint the next day in their offices. There are variety of team building activities that are more nature friendly absorbing carbon gases than emitting during a team building experience.

How to Make the Most of Corporate Events

In the business world, corporate events take place every other day. Whether it is the annual day, a product launch, the New Year party or the celebration of record-breaking sales, corporate events are important because of the exposure and publicity that your company gets. They can be expensive but the resultant profit that it brings for your company in the long run more than makes up for it. If you think that a corporate party is just like any other party, then you are wrong because the unspoken words and gestures add up to more than what is visible. Professional relationships are made and broken and new possibilities of future ventures are decided upon in these events. If you are organizing such an event, then taking care of a few points can turn your event into a real success.

Usually a corporate event takes place after a period of hectic work. So your employees and the other delegates also see the event as an opportunity to relax. In addition, unlike other activity days and parties where the event can afford some little lapses in the organization, the corporate events demand maximum precision and all of your concentration. After all, your hospitality and cordiality to your clients and delegates will help in the growth of your business. And if you allow media coverage, then the publicity also adds to it. The goal of any corporate event is to flaunt the potential and the success of any company and if you let minor glitches ruin the mood then chances are you would end up getting less than what you had wished.

You can of course win the hearts of all those who are present with three simple things. Good Food, Good Entertainment and Stylish Corporate Gifts to end it. Almost all the five star hotels in the world have special arrangements to suit the taste buds and match the standard of high profile events. This would look more endearing if you take the trouble to find out about the personal likes and dislikes of the important guests in respect to wine and food. Some good performers and great music sets the mood for the evening after the main event- like the presentation or a product launch. Round it off with gifting some unique and stylish corporate gifts, boldly imprinted with your brand name and logo. If you can take care of these three elements, then you do not have to worry about the evening any more.

There are of courses chances of certain last minute glitches. The sound system might break down or the performers may have not arrived due to a delay in flight schedule. For all of this, hire an event manager well in advance and make a list of all the things that can go wrong and keep a back up. If still the unforeseen happens, then try to take care of it subtly and calmly.

Why Catering Companies Are Ideal

Embarking into a significant period of your life is special and memorable moment. Whether you are planning a wedding, bar/bat mitzvah or a special event, it should be done with tradition, elegance and your conceptual vision. Special events are exciting yet highly stressful at the same time. A special moment is meant to be enjoyed, not spent worrying about table seating and cake flavors. Hiring a professional catering company removes the burdens of planning an entire event and focuses more time on enjoying the finished product.

Weddings are special romantic occasion that celebrates the love between two people. Ask any bride that has ever gone through marriage, and they will express the amount of stress it takes to plan a wedding. From decorations and arranging seats, to choosing cakes and more, planning a wedding can be mentally and physically exhausting. The thought of planning an event alone can stress out anyone. Thankfully, a professional catering company has the ability to input professional wedding ideas and strategic event planning. Catering companies usually carry every type of vendor needed, from DJs, chefs, halls and more. They are a one stop shop for special event planning.

A catering company will carry fresh quality ingredients for licensed chefs to prepare and garnish for unique food displays. Each dish is presented to please the eyes as much as it pleases the stomach. All cuisines are individually decorated with garnished fruits, vegetables and poultry to add design to the exquisite dining. With delicious food follows fine wine and personally selected songs to complement the special occasion. To perfect the night, a photographer will capture every moment and suggest professional poses for selected individuals. Catering companies will provide you with all of your catering and party needs.

Imagining a special event should be done precisely, to make sure every special moment is captured. Hiring a professional catering company or venue ensures every detail will not go unnoticed but will be perfected. Each catering professional is trained to handle special events whether it is at the venue or catered at home. Each affair is strategically laid out to allow the planners conceptual ideas to be put into action. With fresh mouth watering cuisines, delectable fine wine, ideal song choices, mood setting lights and more, catering companies are the idea companies to use to help you plan a special event. Special moments should be captured and shared with friends and family, so why not capture it with professionals caterers assisting to your every party need?

Turning Over the Stone - Event Production Basics

The world of event planning has never seemed so healthy, despite what many consider to be an ongoing and possibly deepening risk of recession. We never tire of gathering together for a myriad of reasons and sporting events, social activities, commercial functions, smaller celebrations, society weddings and all the way up to giant conventions and conferences.

At the time of writing preparations were well in hand for one of the leading events in the industry, the Event Production Show, which takes place in central London during the winter. Of course London will be the center of attention in 2012 as the Olympic games get underway, but the British capital is also gearing up for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, the Rugby World Cup in 2015 and numerous other keynote events.

Event production is an exciting and challenging sphere of business. For event planning companies however one thing is a constant and must be remembered, no matter how small or large the function concerned.

Event planners know that they must live by the motto, to never leave any stone unturned as they put together a first-class event from "soup to nuts." The proverbial stone, if left unturned, can hide something that will according to our good old friend Mr. Murphy, significantly and adversely affect the running of the event itself. What it means in other words is that every "what if" scenario should be investigated and it is up to event planning companies and their principles to anticipate different scenarios as they lay out the course of the event.

When an event goes smoothly and all those involved go away with good memories, the sponsor of the event is happy, the associated brand is well represented and all attendees are richer for having attended. Yet unless many different stones were turned over to see what was beneath, something untoward could have cropped up to derail the best of intentions. What happens if another event encroaches on yours, causing the possibility of a reschedule? What if a keynote performer fails to materialize? Do you have a backup plan in case of electrical or equipment failure at an important point in proceedings?

It doesn't matter whether you are preparing for a large family wedding or a qualifying event in the Rugby World Cup, event production must be carefully analyzed from the point of view of a master logistician. When you think that you have covered "everything" go over it all again and ask your "what if" question from a number of different perspectives. That's what it takes to be successful in this industry.

5 Steps to Planning the Perfect Event

Where to start? Are you excited? You have just been given the challenge of planning the perfect event! And more than likely, you have no idea where to start. Whether you are planning a backyard birthday party, holiday party, church event, company picnic or a post prom, event planning does not have to be stressful. It can even be fun!

Step 1 Plan your Budget The first thing you have to know is how much money you have to spend. Then you can plan your budget for different parts of your event. Once you decide on your total budgeted amount, work within it. It is no fun to be running way over budget weeks before your party. You will need to divide your budget between the following categories.

Invitations- If you are sending out regular invitations do not forget the postage cost.

Venue- There are many different types of venues. Ask about any additional fees besides the actual rental fee. (Cleaning fees, etc.) A venue that includes tables & chairs could ultimately be cheaper than an empty hall where you have to rent everything from an outside source. If you are having the party at home, remember to include the cost of any equipment you will need there also like tents, tables and chairs.

Food- After planning your menu, make a complete list of recipes and needed items to add to your budget. If you are using a caterer, talk to two or three different ones. Tell them what your vision is, and see what they suggest. Also, give them your budget for food up front so they will not waste your time suggesting things that you do not want.

Drink- Do not forget to add in the cost of ice, cups and other extras.

Extras- Anything extra you might need to purchase for your event.

Décor- Any decorations needed; lights, flowers, candles and props

Entertainment & Activities- Games & Activities, either rented or coordinated by others.

Music & Entertainers- DJ, Band, face painters, caricaturist, magician

Favors- think cheap; try to keep it under $1.00

Emergency Fund- IMPORTANT- Before you even start, set 10% of your total budget aside for emergencies.

Step 2 Pick a Date In many cases the date will be picked for you. If not, think of your work and personal schedule as you plan. Also, consider holidays where people might be out of town.

Step 3 Choose a Theme Themed parties are always fun and if you use a theme it makes it much easier to tie in food/decorations etc. There are so many themes you can use that they are only limited by your imagination. Here are some samples: Mexican Fiesta, Mardi Gras, Key West, Tropical, Western and Casino Night

Step 4 Pick a Venue There are so many places you can hold your event. Home, a church hall or a specialty location This can take up a huge part of your budget so shop carefully. If you are using a venue that is furnishing napkins/table settings and other items, ask to see them to make sure they meet your standards.

Step 5 Make out your Guest list

Ok, now that you have done all the basics it will be SO easy to plan that perfect party.

Starting an Event Planner Business

You will need to start a planner business the following items. First think of a name for your business, check with your local government agency to make sure that you can use the name you selected. Get your domain name and choose your email name. Be simple and yet creative; less is more. Try to make it easy so your potential clients to be able to remember your business name and like a poem it needs to flow gracefully. If you find that you need to spell out the name of your company then it means that is oo complicated for anyone to remember. Also in your email your name should be in front of your business name. Your number one method of getting new business is going to be your old clients referring you to their family and friends but not if you make it difficult for them to remember you name or business name.

Licenses will be needed to do business in any state and you need to check with your local government agencies about license requirements for either working at home, office or opening a store; each state might have different requirements. If you are working from home it is very important to check with your local government as some neighborhoods prohibit any type of commerce inside a home. Your local government will be your best source of information on licenses and taxes.

To open a bank account in your business name you will need the formal registration from your local government and corporation stamp but is always best to go to your local bank and ask what they require for you to open a business account so this way you will have everything when you are ready to do business.

Business card is a must and should always be on you. It should be readily handed out as soon as you give someone your name; be ready to hand business card or marketing material. That is going to be your greatest opportunity to tell the world what your business is all about and you have a good chance to get new business this way or be referred to someone that needs your services.

Your marketing material will say who you are as a business person. When someone asks you what you do for a living then that is an opportunity to hand out your marketing material. Have professionals design this for you unless you are an advertisement designer and can do a professional job. This material will say more of you are than you can say about yourself.

One of the main things that you will need is a business computer for your software; this computer should be use for the business only. There is software designed for wedding planners and event planners that will be beneficial for you and will impress your clients. But your computer will be use also to write up invoices, keep some bookkeeping, write proposals and to keep your ideas stored for when you need them.

Many planners think that they do not need a land phone because they use their cell phone at all times. But serious business people know the importance of having a land phone to their clients is; it makes them feel more secure of you when you mention that you have an office phone number; you probably never going to answer it and that is why you need a voice mail so your clients can leave you a message. The phone line makes you look respectable and serious about your business.

Get a webmaster if you do not know how to build a website but that is going to be if not the first thing that your potential client sees or maybe even your second face. The internet will be a crucial part of your business because you will be able to show your work to your future client and you might be able to secure your event planning jobs. A professional website will be your storefront and we all know that an attractive store front brings in clients.

Ideas for Business Events

If you know that you want to hold a business event but just aren't sure where to start on the whole thing, here are some event ideas that might lead you in the right direction.

Event ideas can be as diverse as the companies and businesses that hold the events themselves. The first thing to think about when choosing what sort of company event to hold is what your reason for having the event is. Depending on the type of information you want to get out - a new business venture, a new product, a promotion - you can decide what sort of event will get your information out in the best way possible.

One of the best company event ideas out there is to hire a company event planner. While planning an event yourself might seem easy at first, the logistics of making sure everything will go off without a hitch can often be more than just one person can handle. A company event planner can make sure that you get the right location, food, entertainment and more for your event without having to go and shop around for all of these things by yourself. They can often give you great ideas of what will work for your event and what will not, and whether or not an idea that you have is feasible.

Other ideas can come from looking at previous company events. Take a look at the other events held by competing companies or businesses, and see how well they worked. Take the good ideas from these events, and avoid anything that seemed to be too complicated or unfriendly for the audience. Remember that you don't want to exactly copy any other company's event, but you can definitely take ideas from events that are already passed. Also look back at your company and their own events, and make sure you don't repeat what has already been done.

Finally, company event ideas can be had in many places that are great resources for all event planners - such as books, magazines and the Internet. Look around, there are ideas everywhere. Themes can evolve around the core message of your event, or they can be totally separate and wacky. You can choose to stick to ideas that are tried and true, such as sit down dinners and classic parties, or you can start your own event traditions with picnics and concerts. Many planners get their inspiration from tons of different sources.

Business event ideas are all around - and there are many good themes and ideas to choose from. Picking one for your next event should be a piece of cake, if you take the time to carefully think about the event.

5 Good Reasons to Hire a Wedding Planner

Should you hire an event planner? That's a good question, and honestly one you should ask. Not everyone needs one. Of course, getting married is far from a new thing. Weddings have taken place for centuries, usually without complication, and often without outside help. So why is it so important for you to consider hiring an event planner to handle your upcoming nuptials? Let's discuss, shall we?

1) Weddings can take A LOT of time to plan. A planner may have the time when you don't. The average wedding can take upwards of 250 hours to plan. Keep in mind that this is an average. Some take less time, some take more. If all of your desired vendors are immediately available, and have contracts/packages that do not require negotiation, you'll be on the lower end of that spectrum. If you're having your standard church / reception hall wedding, and you have relatives (mom, aunts, cousins) making most of the contacts, you may be all set. But, if you're looking at in demand vendors, in a high volume area and time of year, and your mom and friends are busy working, and you're busy working ('cause you know we're all busy!) you probably won't have the time to do all that. Not to mention all the choices on top of the research. That pushes your planning hours up to 300 or even 400+. If you'd rather spend that time in the "soon-to-be-married" glow with your new fiance, you may want to consider professional help.

2) Planners keep tabs on all the details. The number of details that go into an event like a wedding can be mind boggling. And believe you me, the devil is DEFINITELY in these details. Time lines, checklists, who needs what by when, and of course, for how much... Keeping tabs on all of that is the forte of the professional event planner. When you hand it all over, they will keep you updated and keep the process moving forward. No need to worry about what time the caterer is expecting your florist, or what time the band needs to get in to set up their 5-piece horn section. Relax, it's all under control.

3) The planning process can be stressful, and a good planner knows tricks to keep you relatively stress-free. You will find that this process often brings out the best and worst in people. Little arguments can turn into huge ones. Guest list disagreements (his mom wants to invite her grade school friends, your venue only holds 75), budget snafus, bridal party problems... the list goes on. A good planner can act as a buffer between you and your mom, you and your crazy florist (AND can help you avoid hiring crazy florists in the first place), and even you and your fiance. They offer advice, let you vent, and many will be there with chocolate and wine if you need a shoulder to cry on. Of course the goal is to keep you from crying in the first place, but hey, this process can be emotional!

4) Weddings can be expensive, and a pro knows where and how to cut to save you the most money. Many avoid discussing this aspect of wedding planning- the cash question isn't pretty or fun. Any good event planner worth their salt has experience in budget management. It seems like planning services can be an added expense, but it may end up worth it in the end. They'll keep you from overspending on any one category, and guide you in choosing the best buys with the highest impact for your dollar: for example, custom monogrammed cocktail napkins may be a waste, but a monogram gobo for the dance floor...now that's a definite possibility. It's all about impact for the investment.

5) A planner lets you, your bridal party and family enjoy the day! The day of your wedding is going to be hectic. Like out of control hectic. Some days start super early with hair and makeup, some end crazy late after a 5+ hour reception. A lot happens. Wouldn't you rather have a good time partying it up with your new hubby, closest friends and your family? On the day of, a planner fields questions from vendors. You won't have to worry about the maitre'd asking your mom if it's OK for them to pre-set the salads in the middle of your first dance. They also troubleshoot. If anything looks off, it gets fixed. If vendors are having conflicts, they'll be mediated. If your limo breaks down, alternate transportation will be obtained. A planner's top priority that day is to keep you happy, beautiful and glowing so you can spend your time making memories and enjoying the moment!

If these reasons resonate with you, then an investment in a month-of coordinator may be worth it, at minimum. If you're looking more at the time, or investment reasons, then hiring a planner for partial planning or even full service may benefit you. Weigh the reasons against your motivations, and do what's right for you!