How to Start an Event Management Company

Event Management is considered to be a sunrise industry today. The industry is growing dynamically due to the sudden gush in Live Entertainment Shows, corporate events, exhibitions, carnivals, festivals, seminars and conferences.

The industry started with the multinationals poured into the global market in the late 80s. Today, industry segments like music, sports, culture, fashion shows, award ceremonies and cultural gatherings have become the fundamental growth drivers in the event management sector.
Events are considered to be a power tool for marketing, advertising, promotion and communications mix for all companies. It has become the most significant part of any marketing strategy. A large number of companies are looking forward to good event management companies as a means of building a brand image for them.

This calls for a demand of event management companies in the business sector. These companies require specialization in planning, visualization, creativity and venue management. Personnel of these companies should be skillful, talented and creative to organize and execute any kind of private or public event.

If you are really willing to earn big and live big, then event management career is the right option for you. Don't sit in a corner of your room and ask yourself, 'how to start and event Management Company', rather ask yourself, 'when should I start learning and practicing'?

Learning and practicing simply involves learning and understanding the basic concept, fundamentals and benefits of starting this company. You can get into event management by joining a firm that will help you gain experience and learn client specific requirements. After a year or tow, when you feel, you have gained enough of understanding and experience of the industry, you can go ahead and open the veil of your own future for name and fame.

Starting the right business you need business resources, equipments and a laborious workforce. So, the day when you finally decide to start off with your own business, first hunt for few personnel who can be a part of your organization and help you in promoting your business. Keep one thing in mind while hunting for the workforce, education cannot open doors to creativity and imaginations. These qualities are inbuilt.

There may be cases where you might get highly qualified personnel, who may lack analytical thinking, creativity, good communication skills and other skills and abilities essential for the business. At the other end, there are people who are just a graduate but have good analytical skills, wild imaginations and a strong networking as well.

The fundamental qualities required for starting any event management business or hiring personnel for your business are good analytical thinking, client service orientation, good negotiation skills, ability to work under pressure, teamwork, planning and good networking.

Analytical or critical thinking is essential to acknowledge and solve any problem obstructing the business potential. Client or customer service orientation helps in meeting and fulfilling the needs of the clients as well as customers.

If you want to become an astute minded businessman, then it is needless to say that teamwork, good negotiation skills and good networking skills are the basic requirements for any business to start off.

LCD VS Plasma Monitor: Differences Explained and How to Use Them in an Event Setting

According to PC Magazine, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) is a flat panel screen that uses liquid crystal technology. This type of screen is usually connected to a computer and laptops use LCD screens almost exclusively.

According to Wikipedia, a Plasma Display Panel (PDP) is a type of flat panel common to large TV displays and the pixels (which determine screen resolutions) rely on plasma cells to bring forth the image.

So which technology is better? As in the case of beauty, it is often in the eye of the beholder. This blog is intended to help you show the technology differences between a LCD and Plasma Display, and possible uses for event meeting services and conference services planners.

Difference between LCD and Plasma Monitors, Feature, Plasma Monitor LCD Monitor, Winner
- Screen Size, 32 to 103 inches, 13 to 108 inches, Tie
- Viewing Angle, Up to 178 degrees, Up to 175 degrees, Plasma ever so slightly
- Screen Refresh Rates, Handle rapid movements very well, such as video Designed for static data, Plasma
- Brightness and Contrast Higher brightness and contrast -- have individual pixels that are either on or off Maintain same brightness and contrast, even in well-lit rooms Plasma Glare Yes, No LCD
- Thickness As thin as 3" As thin as 2" Tie
- Energy Use High Low LCD
- Shipping Need specialty carriers, No specialty carriers required and less expensive than plasma, LCD
- Product Life Span Up to 100,000 hours, Between 50,000 and 60,000 hours, Plasma
- High Altitudes Can affect image because of the gasses in each pixel, Not affected, LCD

If you tallied up the information on the right, you will see 4 clear winners for Plasma, 4 for LCD, and 2 ties. This is why it is so important to look at your event application, the city your hosting it in, total cost of the interactive tool technology rentals, including electricity and shipping costs.

How can you use this technology? LCD and Plasma panels have many uses but here are a few ways they can be used in an event setting:

* At trade show booths, running a product demonstration or video about the company, product or service;
* Digital Signage, posting the event agenda, directions, or video clips about the event or speakers;
* Product Launching Events, creating a buzz outside the event room or at a large meeting having the displays positioned strategically around the room so everyone can see the speakers
* Replacing standard screen rentals, having the image go directly to the monitor vs. running it through a LCD projector and then onto a screen
* For display of videos and presentations
* For entertainment at a large corporate event

Team Building Training for Optimal Business Growth

Corporate learning program is a key to successful business and development of an excellent team. If you want your organization to make it to the top, it is vital that you pay attention to team building and management training aspects as well. An efficient and motivated team can improve operational efficiency of an organization.

Importance of Team building:

Team building is important for any organization to motivate the employees and get the best out of them. Through such programs, a manager makes sure that his team works closely with each other, trust among the members of his/her team strengthens and energies are driven toward achieving a common goal. Team building develops the spirit of togetherness, co-operation and mutual understanding. It can also help in motivating the employees to give their best and take the company to the peak. Through such programs, a company can proactively increase job satisfaction among employees.

Many companies plan several corporate learning events to rejuvenate employee's minds and motivate them to take up new challenges. Companies plan a weekend getaway at some resort or a team dinner, to bring employees together and increase interactive within the team. Such outings are significant for new employees so that they get a chance to interact with their seniors and develop a strong rapport with them.

Team building programs-

Below are a few programs that can help employers to promote bonding between team members:

o Quiz Events: Many companies organize quiz programs for excellent team building. This includes various questions that help employees to know more about their co-workers. Sometimes, the employee is asked about the likes and hobbies of their colleague. This helps to develop a strong bond among the co-workers. Many-a-times, employees are divided into teams and certain questions are posed, this is also an excellent technique of team building.

o Performing a skit: Some companies organize plays and skit, wherein all the team members are encouraged to participate. The script is written in a way that the play highlights the strength and weaknesses of every employee working in the company. For such a stage drama, all employees will automatically work in team and plan and rehearse together. The motive of such a skit is to develop a sense of team work among the employees. These also help in improving communication among all the workers and strike a long lasting bond.

o Treasure Hunting: This team building game requires a lot of strength and team work. Besides, companies can also organize crossword puzzle contests. All the employees are divided into groups and asked to solve certain quiz or puzzle. This not only involves intense brainstorming but also team work. Such activity helps the employees to realize the importance of team work and strength of working together.

Unlike the traditional corporate training programs, team building events conducted in the form of fun games can prove to be more productive in boosting team dynamics. After all, team building programs are essential to boost overall productive of an organization. Therefore, utmost importance should be given in selecting the right kind of program.

Understanding Movie Copyrights

Outdoor movie events are all about fun; getting together with family and friends in the community and enjoying a new film or an old favorite. If you are the one planning the event, though, you have the responsibility of making sure your event complies with movie copyright law. If you have never put on a movie event before, you might not understand exactly what these rules mean and whether or not your event must be licensed as a public performance. This quick guide will give you a basic understanding of movie copyrights and assist you in determining if one is needed for your event.

When you purchase or rent a movie, it affords you the right to view the movie in your own home with close friends or family. What you do not have the right to do is host a public screening of the movie. Copyright laws are in place to protect those involved in the production of films (movie producers, script writers and others) since these professionals receive royalty fees when their work is sold, performed and used.

Who needs a public performance license? You might be surprised at the many types of individuals and entities required to obtain a public performance license before hosting a movie screening. Government run agencies like parks and recreation departments, nonprofits, churches, schools and universities, individuals and businesses are all required to obtain a public performance license prior to hosting a public outdoor movie or other movie event.

What types of events need public performance licenses? You might assume that only events that charge admission must secure a public performance license; but any event, whether admission is charged or not, must comply with copyright laws. There is an exception for movies used in a classroom setting, but the requirements for this exception are very specific and must be strictly adhered to. The movie screening must take place in a classroom setting with the teacher and only enrolled students present, and the movie must relate to the core areas that are currently being studied. The movie must also be a legitimate copy of the film.

Each time you view a DVD you see the FBI warning, but you may not pay much attention to it. This warning is about copyright laws. Many of the royalty fees paid to artists involved in producing movies come from licensing fees, and copyright law is meant to protect these artists and ensure they are fairly compensated for their work. The penalty for non-compliance includes possible jail time of up to five years, and a penalty of up to $250,000.

If you are planning an outdoor movie event, whether you are a business creating an event as part of your marketing strategy, a church hosting an event or anyone else planning a public movie screening; it is best to do your homework and determine if your event requires a public performance license. In most cases you will find that you do need one.

Help Your Business Grow With Corporate Events

With the competition between global players sharpening its teeth and ready to bite each other corporate world is always on the lookout for ready measures to be taken up to promote themselves. Corporate events have come to solve this issue to a very good extent. They are the best available strategic as well as effective tools to make the corporate meetings more promotional and effective ones. The importance of any corporate gathering be it a conference, an official meeting or formal get together, or product launch, is something of grave degree to the company organizing it. The management of the best available resources in order to complete the function in a well scheduled manner is very important and needs to properly handled.

The decisions to be taken when you are organizing a corporate event would definitely influence the way the programmed function proceeds. These events mostly include dinners, meetings and conferences, interactive events and many other sort of corporate conferences. For a successful completion of any such event the number of factors to be considered in depth would definitely outnumber the factors that we consider in the first place. Since almost all the corporate events includes a large number of invited guests and members it would be a tedious task for the organizing company itself to take charge of every minute details involved.

This is where the role of event management teams and event managers comes to forefront. There are a number of such event management teams ready to offer their services available to the corporate now. These managers are specialized in organizing and planning for such big scale corporate events and add to the fruitfulness of such functions in tune with the desires of the organizing company. We could readily call these event managers as experts in handling such large scale functions related to the corporate promotions and advertisements. These management teams apart from offering their services to the corporate players also offers a helping hand in organizing small scale parties and functions at homes and offices.

Many of the minute details that might evade our eyes when we are organizing an event would definitely be considered by these specialized event mangers and they would take all the necessary preparations to meet unexpected situations that might crop up during the function. These unexpected surprises could sometimes be even in the form of accidents. Event managers know how to evade such bitter situations and if by ill luck something crops up they know how to handle them and secure the function from getting spoiled due to them.

Corporate events are mainly focused on promoting products and services from a particular company organizing the event. This means the invited guests and members should be given proper care and taken well care of. This could be easily performed by the event management team who knows it best to contact whom to get things done at the best affordable rates and yet with good quality service. However the responsibility and the freedom to choose the event management team rests on the shoulders of the corporate before signing an agreement with the team.

Top Five Reasons to Outsource Corporate Event Planning

When planning a corporate event for your company and/or clientele, it is important to have every last detail handled efficiently and quickly. Whether you intend to host a multi-day event or a simple awards banquet, you must provide for the comfort of your attendees while making sure you get everything you need from the venue. It is tempting to have somebody within the company take control of the planning in order to save some money, but you may wish to consider outsourcing this task to a professional corporate event planning service, one that knows your industry and is prepared to make your even memorable and effective.

Why outsource if you feel your company is capable of putting on a meeting? Why spend the extra money? Here are five reasons to consider:

1) Event planners know the hospitality industry. You may not have much involvement with the hospitality industry, and that is okay. If you have not planned a conference or luncheon before, you may not be aware of all the details to which one must notice. A professional event planner, however, will have years of experience negotiating hotel space and rooms, catering services, and promotional items. They make sure meeting rooms are equipped with beverages and pens and pads, and that there are plenty of rooms blocked out for your event.

2) Planners keep track of attendees. Find a reputable planner with the means to keep track of all registrations to your event. This is an especially time-consuming element that requires steady organization. Many event planners offer online registration services that can make it easier for you to gauge the size of your audience.

3) Event planners handle all crises. In a perfect world, we want everything to go off without a hitch. However, you may find during your meeting anything can happen. Reservations may be lost, food grows short. This is where having event planner helps - the people you hire handle all the problems while you handle the actual business of the meeting.

4) You may actually save money outsourcing. Because planners have an "in" with hotels and venues, you may be able to strike a deal on rentals and other services you wouldn't normally get if you planned the meeting on your own. Your

5) You can concentrate on your business. When you take the responsibility of planning a meeting off your shoulders, you retain the time to focus on why you're having the meeting - your business. Your work doesn't pause while you arrange for a conference. You will ultimately deal with the everyday work and the one-time conference, so let a professional deal with the event.

Outsourcing conferences, conventions, and special events are essential in keeping your business flow smooth and your sanity intact. Consider an event planner for your next big meeting.

Family Reunion Planning Step By Step

As a wise proverb says "There is a time for everything under the sun. A time to run, a time to laugh, a time to skip about." With that sentiment there is a time to strengthen the bonds of family union. And what better way to begin then planning for your next family reunion. Family reunion events have evolved into big-time annual family shindigs these days. From gatherings at the ol' homestead to luxury cruise ship gala events. But when is a good time to start planning for your family reunion? The fact is, anytime is a good time to start planning a meaningful memorable family gathering.

KEEPING TIME ON YOUR SIDE

They key to successfully planning a modest to large family event is giving yourself and the rest of the family plenty of time to put it all together. This will also allow family reunion planners drum up support when and where needed. This calls for good communication and organization on the reunion planners part.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT FAMILY REUNION SOFTWARE

Your best approach to organizing a family reunion event is using what is called a family reunion planner organizer with *attendee registration spreadsheet features. Planner organizers now come in many software formats. A stand-alone program may require the manual input of information such as reunion date, time, number of attendees, guest list contact information and such. It is advantageous to choose reunion planning software platforms that allow users to export and import data into formats most users are familiar with such as MS Word and Excel Spreadsheets.

COMMITTEE MEETING PRESENTATION FEATURES

Users should be able to take advantage of spreadsheet data report and presentation features such as bar and pie charts for surveys, dues ledgers and such. Your family reunion planner organizer should allow you to easily enter survey data and tally. For example, the reunion committee narrows down three possible locations for the family reunion event. Perhaps you want to find out how far these locations are from each attendees home address. Features that allow you to enter travel distance to the reunion event location per household and run a comparison report can help you narrow down the most convenient locations.

CHECKLISTS ACCOUNTS AND BALANCES

Your software should include features the allow you to add up T-shirt orders and payment balances. Keep track of desired reunion activities and menu surveys. Keep track of delegated assignments. Make sure your planner also comes with a family reunion planning primer. It should contain an editable pre-written timeline planner with built in checklist. Reunion supplies and materials lists are extremely helpful. Many reunion planners come with a host of templates such as flyers, labels, nametags, official reunion correspondence stationary, welcome letter template to name a few.

HELPFUL SEARCH ENGINE FEATURES

Now major search engines offer features that allow users to share standard data in MS Word and Excel spreadsheet format with other online users making the reunion communication process a whole lot easier for all involved.

REUNION PLANNING STEP BY STEP

Step 1. Your first task is to gather information from family members regarding the kind of family reunion event they would like to have. To do this you should first commence announcing that plans are underway for the next family reunion and the need to consider ideas and select committee member volunteers.

Step 2. Compile a list of family members and their addresses and send out your announcements as a flyer or in newsletter format. Your announcement should include a brief survey asking for their opinions and suggestions for food, entertainment, theme, events and location. Those who respond quickly and provide practical input should be asked to form the reunion committee.

Step 3. Establish an initial committee meeting time and place where most can attend.

Step 4. Form your initial committee members including the chairperson and treasurer.

Step 5. Using your "Committees List" commence selecting other subcommittee heads. Your committees lists includes the following duties:

Food committee

Welcome/Greeting Committee

Finance Committee

Communications Committee

Setup and Cleanup Committee

Fundraising Committee

Family History Committee

Photography Committee

News and Media Committee

Supplies Department

Health and Safety Committee

Security Department

Genealogy Research and Presentation Committee

Step 6. Now review your consideration elements and consider potential reunion site locations visited", reunion themes, proposed date, initial cost estimates for budget. Remember to use the survey you sent out with your initial mailing. Many Family Reunion Planner organizers contain 30 or more elements for consideration.

Step 7. As you discuss consideration elements record final decisions as to who will do what. Delegate committee heads and volunteers accordingly. Make sure delegations are in harmony with your committee heads department. Avoid overlapping assignments.

Step 8. Now get into the details of planning the event. Using a "Possible Locations and Activities " list compare completed surveys to the possible location and activities list. Draw a line through locations not recommended and narrow down the desired location to about three or four choices. Now take a vote. Follow the same pattern for activities.

Step 9. After deciding on location and activities you now have a better idea of event needs in the form of materials and services.

Step 10. Using a "Needs List" as a starter, begin listing all needs for your event with the help and feedback of department heads.

Step 11. Create a ballpark "Expense List" to get an idea of the amount of funds required for the event and activities and add this to your Reunion Planner Budget list and Calculation Tool.

Step 12. Using your surveys complete a "Reunion Lunch Program Agenda" if your reunion event will be held in the after noon. Otherwise create a "Reunion Dinner Program Agenda".

Following these basic steps when choosing your family reunion software and organizing your reunion event will get you off on to a good start.

*A Family Reunion planning "Attendee Registration Worksheet" is a spreadsheet that allows the user to record information in the form of a dues ledger, tally reunion surveys, create a guest list roster". Enter T-shirt orders and keep track of special needs.

Can Event Companies Help You?

There are a number of event companies in existence in the UK and all provide various services depending on your requirements. Event companies can cater for all kinds of events whether they are for private individuals, large organisations or for government events. An event company in effect will handle everything for your event from staffing to the way the day will run, they will organise all the other individual assets as well for the event including catering, entertainment and all other assets.

An event management company essentially takes away the headache of putting your let's say wedding or conference together as they will go away and source everything to your requirements. Remember event managers are highly experienced people with a large numbers of contacts within the industry so if you are looking for a chocolate fountain with people dancing around then I'm sure these are the people to help you.

Obviously you have to pay their costs i.e. travel, management and the costs for the catering, staff and other items they provide on their list. By no means is it a cheap endeavour but you have to realise that trying to organise large scale events outside you daily life is not going to be easy by any means at all. Assuming you are going to be quite precious of your event (why wouldn't you be?), you will want it to go off without a hitch and going with an events manager is probably the best way of doing this.

That's all well and good but most of us don't even know how event planners work or operate so here are some tips on finding your ideal coordinator. First of contact a few event planners and definitely contact any where you have had recommendations from friends or family. Meet with them and discuss your requirements and find out exactly what it is they can do for you, if this means you have to sit there for a couple of hours and discuss everything then so be it.

Now you have an idea of what they are all about, you then look through their portfolio of work and make sure the portfolio is quite wide and varied but also includes examples of the kind of event you are looking for yourself as this help you generate ideas as well. It may also be an idea to ask the company whether they have any upcoming events where you can see them in action, it's a little cheeky but there's no harm in getting an invite for yourself.

Remember in the whole process of your event you need to make clear who is responsible for what. For example a simple thing as cake knife, who handles this? Who is providing the knife you or the management company? Granted on the scale of things this is small aspect but you don't want to be left with using a meat cleaver to cut your cake or do you? In fact please don't answer that.

No matter what you decide, make your decision very carefully and consider all aspects. You do not want any disappointments on your events as whether it is from a business or family point of view it will always be remembered.

Custom Printed Backpacks

Custom printed backpacks are used in various occasions, events and purpose. The backpacks are used by school going children, high school students, university students and corporate events. The backpack comes in different designs and sizes for various purposes. The bags vary in color from a single color to multiple colors. The backpacks are made of various materials such as nylon and polyester. Companies can use the message printed on them to market their various products or services.

Corporate, non-governmental institutions and even educational institutional can promote their products and services by using the custom printed backpacks. The organizations can use the rucksack as advertisement space bearing the corporate logos and messages. A learning institution may provide knapsack bearing the institution logo and address. This way the kids and students can promote their institutions.

Companies the world over are looking for ways to increase their brand awareness. Custom printed backpacks are a superb way to increase brand consciousness. The company's logo and addresses can be printed in on the rucksack creating the brand affinity. Since the bags will be used for a long time the publicity will last as long as the bag is being used.

Custom printed backpacks are used by people of all ages and social standing. The rucksacks are used by kindergarten children, high school, tertiary colleges and university students. The rucksacks are also used in sporting events and other social gatherings. With such a wide base of users then the printed bags are an ideal marketing tool. The printed messages can be spread far and wide to the target audience.

Sporting events such as high school games are events where the custom printed backpacks are used greatly. These events represent a good avenue for the various organizations and institutions to display their corporate brands. A company may sponsor some sporting events and give rucksacks bearing their brand identity. This publicity will go a long way in promoting the company and providing an effective way to market their product and service.

The custom printed backpacks vary in design and sizes. The bags designs are based on the purpose of the usage. Rucksacks for kindergarten children are smaller in sizes while those for college students are larger. Companies dealing in various products may choose the design that best promotes their products. Companies dealing with mineral water may choose a rucksack that has water bottle compartments. A computer company may have the brand name printed on the backpack designed to carry the laptop.

Companies may have custom printed backpacks bearing their corporate colors. This allows the companies to choose the colors that reflect their corporate identity. The organization can have backpacks bearing their logos and messages. The choice of color enhances the corporate image with some organizations identified with some colors.

The custom printed backpacks are very effective way to promote the company products and services. The backs offer the advantage in that they are durable and the message can be spread for a long time. The bags can be branded with the corporate colors and logos using screen printing technology. The rucksacks are used by people of all ages and social standing making it an ideal way to market the company products and services.

Event Management as a Career Option

Event management in India is still in its nascent stage. It is just ten years old as a profession. Event management is a process which involves market research, planning, marketing, execution and evaluation of an event. It involves procurement management, resource management, crowd management, attendees' management, risk management, information and finance management.

Event management from a distance looks like a glamorous profession but infact it is not. It involves horribly long working hours and lot of hard work and dedication. Event professionals are required to organize events like wedding, concerts, parties, trade shows, exhibitions etc.

Any person who has good communication skills, enjoy interacting with people, can work for very long hours and has a very strong networking can become an event professional for events which are not corporate (like Meetings, Incentives, Conference, Exhibitions). For non corporate events there is no minimum qualification required to become an event professional.

However when an event is used as a marketing tool to promote a brand or enhance its image or increase sales then it becomes necessary that the event is organized by certified event professionals or people who are qualified enough to understand sales and marketing.
There are many event management schools in India which provide courses in event management. These courses are generally certificates, diplomas or sometimes degrees. They also assist students in job placement. However majority of event professionals in India are not certified.

Certified event professionals are basically for corporate events. They are trained to use events as a powerful marketing tool to promote a company's products/services. But most of them end up organizing events which are not corporate like weddings, parties, stage shows etc. As such they don't get the opportunity to utilize the skills for which they got the training in the first place. Moreover certified event professionals have not been able to differentiate themselves from the uncertified one so far (by organizing events with high degree of professionalism) therefore the relevance of the event management courses in India is still under the scanner. Either the course material is not up to the mark or it is not imparted and implemented thoroughly.

For large scale national/international events (esp. trade shows), companies still prefer MBAs and not certified event professionals. Starting salary of an event professional can range from Rs 3000 to Rs 8000 (depending on the job location, hiring company and amount of exposure to events).After two or three years of experience you can expect a salary of Rs 15000 or above. Working as an entrepreneur after 2-3 years of work experience is the best option to earn in lacs and crores per month.

Company Or Corporate Christmas Parties - How to Make it a Memorable Event

To have a company or corporate Christmas parties that shall be an event to remember for you and your co-workers, you need to give it a touch of creative planning. No matter if it is for large companies with big budgets or small businesses with minimum resources, creativity is the key to planning a memorable company or corporate Christmas parties.

To begin with, lets look at what SHOULD NOT be done, since this have been proven to be some of the major factors that will kill the party before it even started.

Don'ts - DO NOT give a major focus on the party buffet. Having the idea that food is what attract workers to company or corporate Christmas parties is so not true, and most of them will simply avoid attending because those parties are predictable.

Another major drawback to company and corporate Christmas parties is planning a sit-down dinner at the boss's house. This kind of parties tends to have pressure-filled conservative atmosphere and should always be avoided. Employees that are tired and stressed are more than ready to break away from the workplace and most probably hard to be enticed into spending even more time with one another, especially if your company Christmas party are the same old tired tradition.

Organizing and Preparations - A creative idea to spark high interest in workers to attend company or corporate Christmas parties is to send out invitations with an included note that there will be a prize for a person that decks out in the most Christmas outfit.

This can include anything from a 'standard' Christmas costume to guests wearing garments that display cheerful holiday clothing, jewelry, hats or anything that their imagination can come up with. Plan for all that attends to be involved in the judging process by using a voting system. The person wearing the most creative Christmas outfit will win a prize of a wrapped gift of their choice from the gift table.

For companies with big budgets, a great idea for a memorable evening is to have a designated receptionist announce the names of each new arrival, crown them with a Santa hat that have their name on it while reading something humorous about them. This works great especially at large corporate parties where large number of employees and customers participate while not everyone knows each other. First names on Santa hats work much better than name badges, and they make great party favors that everyone will be more than gladly take home.

Another great idea as an alternative in using Santa hats is to use it earlier, at the stage of creating your company's party invitations. Take pictures of all employees wearing Santa hats with their personalized name on it and use the picture to create a corporate Christmas greeting card as well as Christmas party invitations. This will not only makes the employees feel appreciated, but will also create the 'party energy' right from the beginning.

Entertainment - Having some fun programs with games and activities is a must to ensure company or corporate Christmas parties are an event to remember. Some of the favorite party games that are suitable for company Christmas party such as Mind-teaser games, Christmas Movie Trivia, The Bacon Factor, Names Those Logos and Association Game are just to name a few that can really spruce up the event.

Also make sure you have some great Christmas party music collections available to ensure the party mood never dims out early.

Party Favors Take-home gifts or party favors can be considered as proof if you may, to a well remembered event. So again, being creative plays a big role here.

For company or corporate Christmas parties, giving away personalized stockings, t-shirts, Santa hats or even an ornament with the official company logo imprint on them is always a great idea. Those personalized stockings and ornaments are perfect decorations for the Christmas party room and then when it is time to leave, you can give the stockings with Christmas bonus checks or Gift Certificates to your employees and some fun goodies like Company Logo ornaments for your customers and guests.

Planning a perfect company or corporate Christmas parties is really about understanding; what are the important stuff that needs to be focus on and executing each of them with some creative planning, so it would create an enticement that will lead to an enjoyable and memorable event.

Catering Business Information - Is a Catering Business Right For You?

If you are a business minded, creative person with a flair for cooking, a catering business might be an ideal venture for you. Managing your own catering company will give you're the opportunity to channel your creativity, energy and ideas into something you not only do well, but something you enjoy. Running a catering business, as with any entrepreneurial venture, you will encounter new challenges and be your own boss. The only limits to your catering business will be the ones you place on yourself.

What Do I Need to Know About the Catering Industry

Catering businesses prepare and serve food for social and corporate events. Corporate events include conferences, employee incentive events, customer appreciation events and meetings. Social events, such as weddings, parties or even private dinner parties are another catering market.

While food serve is a very important component, the most important aspect of any business is business development and marketing. Simply put, no clients means no business.

An outgoing, confident personality is a must in the catering industry, especially for anyone working directly with clients. Clients range from meeting planners, to stressed brides to corporate executives. In each case, you will need to not only market the food, but you will be marketing the service also. Clients must be confident in your ability to not only create a delicious meal, but you and your staff must act in a professional manner in every aspect of the event. This means the from the moment you first meet with your client until the final meal is served, the event looks seamless.

Building Your Network

All successful caterers must create a referral network in order to create and stay in business. The easiest way to do this is to introduce yourself to others in the party planning and event management industry. For example, wedding planners, party equipment rental centers, florists and bridal shops are all great connections. Local banquet halls which do not have in-house catering services are another great business lead.

Make sure you always have business cards with you, because you never know who you might run into while waiting in line somewhere. Follow up with your contacts and if you'd really like to show off your culinary skills, drop off sample appetizers or desserts to potential clients.

Catering Business Information and Tips

As with all small business, your success is directly related to your planning and executive of your plan. It is very important to understand your client's expectations and to meet, or ideally, exceed those expectations.

Keep in mind in the catering business, thirty percent of your time and labors will be related to the food, while seventy percent of your efforts will involve food delivery, equipment rental and staffing. This is why organizational skills are necessary to your success and survival as a catering business.

Enthusiasm, focus and business-savvy decision making skills are also vital to the long term success of your business. Fulfilling your client's wants and expectations will always be your top priority, and it is important to remember patience and understanding goes a long way in building and maintaining relationships.

Event Planning - Take Your Event From Good to Great!

You've been tasked with planning an event and don't know where to begin. Take a deep breath, anyone with any level of event expertise can take an event from good to great. Here is how:

For beginners, it is imperative that you do your homework. You must first generate an event plan and consider the building blocks of any event: target market, situational analysis, the 6 P's and planning.

Let's get started. Think very clearly about the people you are trying to attract. Ask yourself the question: Who is your target market?

Once you identify those that will be attending your event, allow yourself time to travel into the hearts and minds of your potential audience. Believe me; knowing what kinds of things they like to see, do, buy and eat will be helpful as your event plan begins to come to life.

Now that you have your target market in mind, let's take a look at your situational analysis. You will need to examine your internal strengths and weaknesses and your external opportunities and threats as they relate to whatever you are planning to do. You must be brutally honest with yourself when analyzing the various components of your event.

The next step in taking your event from good to great is to identify the 6 P's of event planning: Purpose, People, Product, Place, Price and Process. Outlined below you will find the questions related to each P that you should answer prior to diving into the planning phase.

- Why are you doing this event? (Purpose)
- Who will attend? (People)
- What are you going to do? (Product)
- When and where? (Place)
- How much is it going to cost you? (Price)
- How are you going to get the job done? (Process)

Now that you have identified your target market, have performed a situational analysis and have answered the building block questions of planning an event, you are ready to develop a formal event plan and begin execution shortly thereafter.

A formal event plan has several interrelated components: goal, objectives, strategies, tactics, budget, timetable and evaluation. Your written detailed plan of action will serve as the backbone to your master event plan. Keep it close at hand and refer back to it often.

Congratulations, at this point you have finished your homework and can now move into the imaginative, fun side of event planning! Take your events to the next level by identifying a theme and carrying that theme from start to finish.

Planning a successful event is no walk in the park. It is tedious work and requires an individual who always keeps their dancing shoes and party hat nearby. One who is forever excited about the adventure and who remembers that problems that will inevitably arise but the beat must go on.

You've got a plan, now the let the event begin. You are on your way from good to great!

Lighting Design Tips for Corporate and Special Events

Lighting is the key to setting the right ambiance for your special event, it can immediately warm the room, evoke emotion or colour it to spectacular effect.

Often a clear plan and design process for lighting events and conferences is left out or though of during the setup of your event. This can lead to a number of things such as insufficient coverage, wrong choice of lights, underutilising of the equipment, which all adds up to how your event is perceived and functions.

As a lighting designer for events, theatre and broadcast we approach each design with a clear slate as each design is always going to have a unique set of requirements to suit the content.

We generally start by dividing our lighting requirements into two parts, function and creativity.

Firstly, our main priority for most events is to have lighting as an essential function in either lighting people and/or objects that need to be highlighted. This is your key lighting for stages, products or showcases or even walkways and exits.

These are the things that need to be lit so your audience can see them and do not really have a creative impact, but an essential function.

Our second, and more memorable priority is how we use lighting creatively to enhance the ambience and overall look of the room or stage.

This is where we add a bit of colour, patterns and movements to enhance your audience's experience.

Both the essential function and the creative look of the event lighting design are important and need to work in with each other to create a good overall result. Your event wont deliver your message very well if the audience can't see the presenters on stage or the video recording is too dark, and the impact or "wow factor" wont be there if you don't also creatively enhance the atmosphere.

Here are a few of our tips when thinking about lighting:

• Front lighting your stage is important to see your presenters faces, but back lighting is equally important to give dimension. This is essential when filming for presenters to stand out on stage and not blend into the background.


• A creative design does not need to use every colour available throughout the night. Think about selecting just 2 or 3 colours that work with the event theme or brand or create a colour pallet that evolves as the event progresses.


• Think outside the box. You don't need the latest and greatest technology to be creative. If your budget can not allow for moving lights or colour changing fixtures then there are still plenty, if not more creative opportunities with conventional lighting fixtures.


• Use lighting to highlight the features of the surroundings. Look for architectural features, walls, pillars, and ceilings to highlight instead of flooding the room directly with light. This not only creates depth to the venue, but is a softer light source and wont create harsh lighting shining in your eyes.

Outdoor Movie Event Planning and Weather: The Wind

One of the important differences between an indoor movie and an outdoor movie is that those who plan an outdoor movie event must take the weather into consideration. If your event is to take place on the shore or beach, where the wind is typically higher, you will need to be especially conscious of the effect that the wind might have on your event. Carefully choosing a company with skill and high quality equipment can help take the worries away in windy situations.

As you plan for your event, keep at eye on the weather forecast. Knowing what to expect as far as wind speed and direction is critical when planning your event. Not all inflatable screen systems have ratings for wind. A screen that is not made to withstand wind can be unsafe for the audience, since it can become a big sail in the wind. Airscreen brand screens can withstand winds up to 35 mph. The screen frame is designed to withstand high pressure from the pump, which prevents the screen from bending or folding in the wind.

In addition to safety concerns, wind can also affect the quality of the picture and sound. Wind can distort the picture on some inflatable movie screens by pillowing out in the wind; the resulting image looks much like a circus mirror. Airscreen brand screens have a wind shield on the back of the screen surface to prevent this from happening. Wind direction can also cause issues with the sound and how the sound travels from the movie screen area. Equipment must be carefully placed to optimize sound in windy conditions.

An anemometer should be used to measure wind speed and direction on-site. If the speed of the wind gets to an un-safe level, event organizers will know it is time to cancel or postpone the event.

Skilled team members from an event company will be able to determine if additional ground anchors, such as multiple long tent stakes, are needed to secure the screen, as well as what type of screen ropes are needed. In windy situations, a thick ratchet strap is needed to handle higher wind loads.

As wonderful as outdoor movie events are, it can be frustrating as an organizer to deal with weather conditions. A lot of time is spent planning a movie event, but weather is a factor that is completely beyond human control. Reduce your worry over wind with a skilled and knowledgeable outdoor movie company that uses high quality equipment.

Wedding And Event Planning Courses Online Can Help You Make Your Career

Wedding and event planning courses are very essential for you if you aim at making a career out of it. Previously importance for these courses was not realized. Later when the important of events and weddings was realized by the people getting affected by them; more professional and literate people were being considered for the job. In olden days any body with some creativity was selected as an event planner or wedding planner. This was because in older years only the creativeness was given importance. The rest of the work was done by the people employing the planner.

The requirements of a planner have changed; now the planners are required to help the employers in every field. These fields include: making budgets, working according to the budget, selecting an appropriate venue, taking care of the visitors, taking care of the boarding and lodging of the guests, keeping the guests happy and tackling unforeseen circumstance. So many things are needed to be done by a planner. A planner should have the correct knowledge of tackling every situation. He should always keep his cool and he should have really good interpersonal skills in order to plan events successfully.

These online courses help the planner in learning all the characteristics of this field. These courses help the planner to learn about proper budgeting and how to help the clients in remaining under a certain budget. It even helps the planner in selecting the best venues for the event or marriage and these courses even help the planner in achieving good interpersonal skills which will help in communicating with people. These courses develop the planner to tackle unforeseen circumstances and take the entire burden of the event off the shoulder of the sponsor. These courses polish the skills of the planner which helps him in getting really good jobs.

Since the profit of the sponsor is dependent on the event; more and more importance is given to these events. These events are used for different reasons such as employ appreciation and meeting with clients. If these events go haywire then the business might face huge issues or even end up making losses which a sponsor never wants. This is the sole reason why professional and knowledgeable planners are required. The knowledge can easily be achieved from these online courses. Now a day's creativity is given less importance than literacy and knowledge. Those planners who have the creativity and experience but do not have professional training are less considered than those who have professional training.

6 HOT Tips Dealing With Your Event Vendors!

No event is a deserted island. When you are organizing an event on your own, unless you are hiring an event planner, you will be dealing with at least 5 or more vendors per event. Sometimes it can be as many as 10 to 20 of them! It is therefore important to know how to deal with vendors. They can make or break your event!

1) Treat Your Event Vendors As Your Partners

In any event, you may have to deal with the venue representatives, caterers, audio visual suppliers, photographers, videographers, and many more depending on the complexity of your event. Great vendors are a source of expert advise - they can help solve problems for you and they have a wealth of ideas that you can tap on. If they are your partners, they will not hesitate to help you out.

2) Treat your vendor as if he or she is your friend...

If your vendor is a friend, they will go the extra mile for you. Sometimes staying throughout the event to ensure that there are no technical glitches without charging you extra. This helps ensure that your events run smoothly. Furthermore, depending on your event needs, you may have to run a pre-event rehearsals which you didnt budget for - as most vendors will charge for this. But if your vendor is your friend, its easier to seek for their "understanding"

3) Build a relationship with them

Even if you have a newly working relationship with your vendor - learn to build a solid relationship with them. Especially the good ones! I always make the point to know my vendors personally. I go to their office, have coffee with them and even attend their wedding!

Having said that, you must not take in everything they say nor take advantage of their "kindness" so to speak - you do not need to drive sharp bargains to get things done. If you are really in a tight situation, explain to them the real situation and know when it is reasonable to request for more.

4) The 3-Quotes Requirements - What not to do

Vendors hate to be treated like they are fulfilling your 3-quotes requirements. It wastes everyone's time and it is not productive at all. If you have not decided on your vendors, then by all means go ahead and get the three quotations. But once you have decided, it is not fair to get other vendors to pitch in just for you to fulfil your 3-quotes requirements. So always watch out for this as you will develop a reputation in the industry and no one wants to work with you.

5) Differentiate the good from the bad

Learn also to differentiate those vendors that just want to "make a quick buck!" If you are not careful, you may have one or two of this kind to deal with. Especially when you are not paying them much. Look at the way they handle your calls (no matter how frequent), listen to their comments when you ask for an opinion and observe how fast they respond to your requests. Vendors that don't bother to answer your calls and not return your calls without any good reasons are not the ones that you want to build relationships with. And those that they didn't show up when they said they would without calling back, warrant reasons to worry because on the event day itself - he or she may not show up and that's bad news!

6)Rewarding your vendors

As with all things, it goes both ways, if your vendor goes beyond his call of duty to help you then it would be good to reward him or her also. Pass him/her a business referral or two, give him/her a letter of commendation (if he/she deserves it). Be a good paymaster and pay him/her on time. Your vendor may not mind getting paid less if the payment is prompt and you treat him/her kindly. So even if you may not have big budgets to play with. You can still go a long way if you treat your vendors well!

穢2011 Maya Kuchit-Desjarlais, Convention Links (S) Pte Ltd

How an Event Planner Can Capitalize on Mobile Marketing to Promote Events

As an event planner, you must focus on adopting innovative marketing tactics that will help you to attract more attendees. One of the rapidly evolving mediums for event marketing is mobile promotion. It is an extremely powerful medium that can help you to reach out to your target audience and increase event participation.

Mobile marketing enables you to target the right audience for your event. It is a useful medium that can help you to inform prospects about upcoming events even when they are traveling. Moreover, it is convenient for your attendees to share information about the event with their friends and colleagues. As a result, most marketers are going for this option to ensure that their event is a roaring success. If you too are thinking of selecting this medium to market your event, here are some tips that you will find useful:

Adopt a Strategy for the Campaign

To ensure the success of your mobile marketing campaign, you must adopt a detail oriented approach. Some marketers assume that sending messages in bulk helps to draw the attention of prospects. However, your prospects will not appreciate receiving the same message repeatedly. You must therefore plan the number of messages that will go out to prospective attendees. In addition, you should have a database of people who have attended your event in the past and also those who would want to attend.

Communicate a Powerful Message

The purpose of a mobile marketing campaign is to inform and induce the prospective attendees to sign up for your event. It is therefore extremely important to communicate a powerful message that will draw their attention. You must focus on creating a visually appealing message that will interest your prospective attendees.

Enhance Attendee Experience

Apart from using this option to promote your event, you can also use it to offer enhanced attendee experience. Your attendees can access complete information about their registration status and all the upcoming events using their Smartphone. This makes it convenient for them to procure all the details at the click of a button.

Create a Poll for the Campaign

Getting your attendees' views on an upcoming event will offer useful insights that can help you to plan your event effectively. You can create poll questions to know if your target audience is interested to attend the event that you are hosting. Based on the poll results, you can implement necessary changes in your upcoming events and ensure their success.

Add a Link to Your Social Media Profiles

Social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are extremely among people of all age groups. As an event organizer, you cannot overlook the potential of this medium to increase the number of attendees. Since the text message that you send to prospective attendees cannot provide every detail, including a link to the social networking profiles can help your participants to procure necessary information.

Mobile marketing is an upcoming trend with endless opportunities. Go for this option to make your event stand out.

To learn how mobile marketing can change the way you create, host and promote events check out this page.

The Ultimate Office Party - Murder Mystery Events

Corporate events can be a tedious occasions. We've all been through it. Colleagues and Managers forced awkwardly together in a budget-restricted venue and fed party food and cheap champagne whilst attempting to make conversation isn't really anybody's idea of a good time.

Thankfully, there is an exciting alternative which is becoming increasingly popular amongst businesses today. What starts out as a pleasant social evening is soon faced with an unpleasant twist - there's been a murder amongst the guests! Combined with plenty of delicious food and drink, and excellent themed costumes, these role-play gatherings are the latest office team-building experiences livening up the UK's office lull.

As any company director knows, it is virtually impossible for an organisation to be successful and profitable without an enthusiastic team who mesh well together behind the scenes. Unfortunately, we never get to choose who we work with and the pressure of daily tasks can prevent us from being able to properly get to know the people we see every day of the week. From a business perspective, a fragmented team who can't work well together is massively detrimental to productivity, therefore employers have always been ensuring that communication is supported and working relationships are strongly encouraged.

What better way than to get the whole team involved than with one of these engaging events? The choices for plots, locations and venues are now practically infinite. Whether you fancy flying back to the 1920's, donning your Gangster hat and tie, or perhaps flavouring it up with some burlesque feathers at the Moulin Rouge, each event integrates professional actors at their venues where drinks, dinner and prizes are also included.

Murder Mystery Events companies generally offer events in two standard formats; 'roleplay murder mystery' and 'dinner theatre murder mystery'. Roleplay murder mystery plots are created for all age groups and usually for smaller parties, whereas the dinner theatre murder mystery is usually the preferred choice for office parties. Plots falling into this category have been performed to groups as small as 6 individuals right up to huge groups as large as 400.

As part of a dinner theatre murder mystery, you will witness the murder taking place before the story and clues begin to gradually unfold. You and your co-workers will all receive clue packs and an opportunity to thoroughly question the fiendish suspects, played by professional actors. Amidst all the suspicion, there are various token parts which can be played by you or a colleague, before a prize is awarded to the person who successfully solves the mystery.

Of course, the brilliance of these kinds of events is that people don't really turn up with the intention of becoming the next Inspector Morse or Sherlock Holmes; instead it's simply a team of people coming together from a normally pressurised and busy environment and instead simply enjoying a good laugh and a little mystifying escapism.

Keep in mind that a run-of-the-mill corporate dinner may still be more appropriate in some cases. For example, it is not recommended to bring along a prospective client to one of these events and have somebody scream hysterically in their face. Chances are they will be slightly concerned about your commitment as a result. However, these hysterical 'whodunits' are an excellent way of getting the team communicating, concentrating and participating. Unbelievably, they can even affect a person's work ethic and unearth skills such as logical thinking, discipline, motivation or commitment that perhaps were not evident before.

Security Tips for Trade Show Exhibitors

When thousands of people descend upon a trade show exhibition hall with their co-workers, customers and client prospects, the good news is that there is a lot of sales prospecting and high-powered networking going on. The bad news is that the conference site may become a Mecca for theft. Not only are the Hershey Kisses left on the trade show booth counters at risk, but also your company's sensitive top-secret information may also be in danger of being stolen if left unattended or unsecured.

The big issue, then, is how can you safeguard against theft of company equipment and knowledge during a trade show exhibit?

According to Karla Krause-Miller, Director, Cappa and Graham, Inc., the event planning company in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, it starts with the security guards who are hired to check trade show attendance. They are busy making sure that all visitors are legitimate and have the proper badges. The guards do not have the responsibility of insuring that your equipment is safe. You must be aware that it is up to you to protect against any trade show booth theft. With that in mind, there are certain rules and precautions one must take at the trade show exhibit hall in order to insure your trade show booth is secure.

The first rule is to keep your valuables either locked away or in your line of vision at all times. This goes for purses, briefcases, cell phones, laptops, company manuals, price lists, and anything that may be of interest to your competitors. Theft happens extremely fast. You need to keep your eyes focused on protecting your vulnerable assets at your trade show display.

Be aware that anything you leave in your trade show exhibit after the show is also at risk for theft. Never leave valuables or any confidential company items lying around your trade show booth after hours. Be sure to detach all plugs and movable connections to your trade show booth demonstration equipment, such as a keyboard, mouse, floppy drive, monitor, etc. Take these items to your hotel room to keep them safe overnight.

Never count one hundred percent on your trade show booth lock box. It is OK to lock up large pieces of equipment that can't be easily moved and have them stored overnight at your trade show booth, but whenever possible, remove valuables from the trade show booth counter lock box at night. There is standardized keying that can unlock most pedestals where demonstration supplies are stored. That's a big help when you lose your key, but can be a liability if someone else has access with a key copy.

Use laptops that have only demonstration software on them. Be sure that none of your sensitive corporate information is stored on the hard drive.

Beware of security issues beyond the trade show exhibit floor-- from hotels to meeting rooms and places where visitors meet. Use the hotel safe deposit box for jewelry and cash, not the one in your individual room.

Before you go to an out-of-town convention, check online for travel alerts so you can better prepare and know what precautions to take. When you get to your hotel, ask the front desk about how safe the neighborhood is and what places to avoid.

When you leave your room later in the day, you many want to put a "Do Not Disturb" sign on your door to detract intruders from breaking in.

Be ever vigilant in keeping your trade show assets protected. If you do, you can
have a worry-free trade show experience--whether it be the McCormick Convention Center in Chicago, the Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, the Moscone Center in San Francisco, the Santa Clara Convention Center or the San Jose McEnery Convention Center.

By taking steps to insure against theft, you can better enjoy a trouble-free networking and sales experience with the hundreds of industry visitors to the trade show exhibition.

How Can Event Planners Take the Work Out of Company Picnics?

Employees of the larger corporations, due to their massive size, rarely have the opportunity to mingle within the confines of corporate walls on any social level. The heads of corporations have discovered social gatherings are beneficial by the way of personnel meeting and mingling in a relaxed atmosphere actually improves company moral and productivity. Planning a luncheon or year-end office party is a relatively easy task, performed by only a few people who can prepare a menu, arrange for a catering service or simply arrange for a banquet dinner held at a local establishment. However, an event such as a company picnic, on a grand scale, requires the skills of a professional events planner.

A professional events planner will meet with you, and obtain as much information as possible about your staff and event ideas. For instance, a company picnic may include family members of employees. Therefore, children of various ages will require activities which will be appropriate. The finer details of possible locations, entertainment, food, activities, seating arrangements, possibly even transportation arrangements will be required. Every detail will be taken care of by the event planner, within the confines of your budget. Event planners often charge up to $250.00 per hour. The industry leading event planners include any consultation fees in the event package and do not charge by the hour.

With the goal of providing the ultimate experience for your company picnic, from the initial consultation, to the very end of your event. There a park areas, private and public facilities to serve as the perfect location for company picnics Orlando style. Reservations are usually required for large groups. The large grassy areas will provide ample space for relay races, volleyball, maybe even pony rides or face painting for the kids. A DJ for background music outdoors is a plus. Your event planner will arrange every detail for you from reservations, to ensuring there is enough comfortable seating for everyone. Not only will the top companies arrange for your BBQ, they will work with you in menu planning, provide the food, all of the necessary equipment for preparations and serving, including any needed picnic tables. There staff will cook an all you can eat, outdoor banquet comprised of fresh food on site. If you would like to end the day with a trip to a water park, or family fun park, the necessary arrangements will be made by your events planner as well.

Some companies will even provide a detailed event plan for you, and attend to every detail of your event, or only those events, you choose for them to attend to.

Make Your Corporate Event A Winner!

A corporate karaoke event can be an occasion to celebrate any number of things.

It can be a team building exercise, Christmas party, linked to the successful end of a project, or to farewell a team member.

Typically, a budget will be allocated to the event and getting value for money is key for justifying to the Accounts Department. Planning is important to ensure a memorable night. Hold a brainstorming session early on in the planning stages, thinking about what you need to buy or order for the night. Often it is far more prudent, for example, to hire party wigs, (rather than buy them), as most will never be used again. Also the quality of the units hired will almost always be far superior to buying from a $2 shop.

Be sure your karaoke rental has the right songs for your theme. Typically, if it is a party that involves music, a 70's theme is popular, as is an Abba night. Your colleagues might be happy to turn up with punk wigs on, but don't force Directors or Heads of Department to do the same.

Food and beverages. Many staff will come along and postpone their usual big night on the town for some good basic food and quality alcohol. Ask the venue if they can recommend a good catering company, or contact a company you have used before.

• Set menus will eliminate the risk of running out of food, whereas a buffet might be plundered by a small group of individuals, leaving the majority with nothing to eat.


• Typically beer or wine flavour and brands (assuming alcohol will be served) should be thought through carefully, staff will not appreciate cheap wines and budget beers.

Music. If the event involves music eg karaoke event or jukebox party, quality audio-visual system is imperative. Ask the company you are hiring from, what brand PA they will rent you. Typically the better known brands; Mackie or Yamaha will give you the best results. If your event involves awards and speeches, you will need good quality microphones again typically Behringer or Shure. Cheap, poorly maintained equipment, though typically cheaper, can ruin a fun night.

Projectors. Holding a karaoke event with a projector and giant screen, can get all involved and will take the pressure off individual singers. This can be synced to your PA system and will provide high-quality pictures projected onto a large area. Also great if you want to run a short PowerPoint show.

Lights. Nothing sets a mood better than a good lighting set up. Consider the theme of your event and try to organise a light setup that matches it. Remember that people want to eat their meals without lasers flying about, so be sure you have the lighting for the evening planned out.

Corporate events are a fantastic way to grow your staff's dedication and to simply say thank you for a team's effort. With a karaoke rental, they are cost-effective ways to impress, entertain and introduce, and it pays to invest good planning and rental of quality musical equipment.

Handmade Scarves and Shawls for Corporate Events

Selecting clothing and accessories which will be appropriate for the workplace is always a careful balancing act and even sometimes means making a complete departure from what we might choose to wear in our free time. We want to put across an impression of total professionalism and respectability, but at the same time we don't want our own personalities and tastes to be entirely swamped. If deciding what to wear on a normal office day can be tricky though, then choosing something suitable for a corporate event can be very much more difficult.

Corporate events, of course, take a variety of different forms, the most obvious of which is the office Christmas party. Unfortunately, this particular occasion is one which many women tend to see as an excuse to bring out that dress with the daringly plunging neckline or the very short hem. What they often don't realize, however, is that both their behavior and their appearance is being judged by their bosses to just the same extent as it would be in the workplace. Care needs to be taken, therefore, to ensure that whatever outfit you choose does not cross the bounds of respectability and does not leave too little to the imagination.

Corporate events to which existing or potential clients are invited are others which require a good deal of consideration when it comes to choosing appropriate attire. As a representative of your organization, you are not just sending a message about yourself by what you wear, but also about the company which employs you. No matter whether the function is a daytime or an evening one, selecting an outfit which allows you to portray yourself in a way that your employer would be proud of is vital.

Although there are many looks which employers and clients may well not approve of, one of elegance, grace and sophistication will always go down well. Whether you choose to wear that favorite little black dress or a skirt or pant suit, a stunning silk scarf or shawl will add that touch of sheer class that will turn heads for all the right reasons.

Silk scarves and shawls which are hand painted with unique designs make an especially strong statement when worn to corporate events because they demonstrate an eye for quality and an attention to detail, things which those in the business world recognize as being of great value. Not only this, of course, but the gorgeous colors and designs look absolutely fabulous, and if you feel like a million dollars then you are certain to come across with confidence and poise.

Another great thing about silk scarves in particular is that they are wonderfully versatile and make a stunning statement whether you choose to wear them around your neck, draped across your arms or shoulders, around your waist as a belt or under the bust to create an empire line. The gorgeous 100% silk fabric is also flattering to women of all shapes and sizes and so whatever the corporate event that you are attending, you cannot fail to make a spectacular and highly appropriate impression.

Food is Only One of the Many Responsibilities of a Caterer

ADDITIONAL SKILLS NECESSARY FOR AN EXCEPTIONAL CATERER
 
According to Webster's dictionary, to cater is to serve food or to supply whatever is required or desired. Catering to someone's needs can be many things. Finding your niche, what you're really good at, is key to being a good caterer. Food isn't always necessary to fill a need for someone's party. Sometimes, the caterer can function as more of an event organizer.
 
I've found that the more events you attend, the more ideas and networking you achieve. One birthday party for a 10 year old was just going to be cake and ice cream. I was not asked to make the cake, but to supply the paper products, music, presentation of food, cutting and serving and clean-up. Not a bad job, actually. This took minimal knowledge of where to find paper products and to organize a DJ.
 
When you speak to the client, verify all aspects of the event that may  be needed: tables/chairs, wastebaskets, drinks, bartending, posters, easels, games, etc. Sometimes, helping out from an organizational stand point brings more client satisfaction than the food. That's why wedding planners are in demand. This type of organizational assistance can apply to any type of gathering. A professional meeting may only be for 20 people, but, audiovisual equipment is needed along with note paper and pens. Any way that you can help out your client makes your service unique and valuable.
 
As variable as client requests can be, make sure to organize all your networking names and numbers for easy access. Several years may go by before a similar request comes again; give yourself more than one of every vendor type in case one is unavailable or goes out of business. Any time you experience a quality vendor, get their information. The worst thing is using some vendor you know nothing about and having upset clients.
 
Always think of different ways to serve your client because the best marketing is word of mouth. The more memorable you are, the more your name will be mentioned. Please visit my blog at www.homebasedcatering.blogspot.com

How to Host a Successful Event

Whatever the type of event - briefing, corporate meeting, team building or a private party - it needs expert event management to ensure the message is successfully conveyed. Events can vary in size from small business breakfasts to large award ceremonies attended by thousands. If you need an event planning, you'll need the help of a successful event management company.

Firstly, you'll need to ask yourself what the event is for, is it to make money, to introduce new clients to a new business or to promote a brand? There are certain protocols to follow for certain events. If it's a business briefing, a breakfast meeting would work well, but if it's a surprise party it wouldn't work well at breakfast time. The day you choose for your event is vital in attracting the right kind of people you want there. Mondays are usually out of the question as people are usually recovering from their weekend and want to relax. Friday evenings are the start of the weekend and people would prefer not to attend a work-related event in their personal time. Mid-week work-related events usually fare well - people will be more likely to attend during these days. You should also check for other events that are happening around the same time as yours. If you are planning an event for a product launch and inviting celebrities to promote the product, you can't clash with other celebrity events that will get more attention. An evening at the BRITs does not contend with a product launch when celebrities and business-people are concerned.

The location of your event is vital in attracting people, you need a venue that is close to the city/town and easily accessible. The beautiful Victorian mansion in the countryside may be the perfect venue but if attendees are going to struggle getting there, your turnout won't be impressive. People are busy and don't have time to rush around finding transport after work. If the perfect venue is a little out the way, organising transport links to and from the location is a way to attract more people. But it is advised to keep the location close to the main hub of the city.

The theme of your event must be relevant to the type of event it is. A product launch theme should reflect the product. For example, if you are launching a new alcoholic drink then why not find somewhere with a bar and a nightclub feel? Offering a free drink or even a free bar, if you can get sponsorship, will keep the attendees at your event. Who can turn down a free drink? If you are hosting a corporate meeting, or a venue for interviews, then keep the theme formal and professional - offer a boardroom setting with tea, coffee and water. The theme must be relevant for the event to be a success.

Finally, and most importantly, you have to make sure your message is perceived correctly and understood by your attendees. The whole reason for the event is the message you want to convey, it's all well and good hosting a glamorous event but if the message hasn't been received, the event will not have been worth your time and money.

So You Want to Become an Event Planner?

If you desire an exciting job with a high salary, and an urge to use your creativity, then event planning is the right business for you! When people consider the role of an event planner, they usually envision a job with a lavish life, working in a luxury hotel, dining on a connoisseur feast, and traveling to far-fetched destinations. But what they overlook is the time these planners invest to produce a detailed orchestrate of the program throughout their struggle. When choosing to become an event planner, you must choose a domain to specialize in. For instance, a bbq catering company is known for the quality food it provides, whereas wedding catering are one of the best marriage planners in town, preparing the best food for your wedding.

The profession of event planning is growing on a global basis, and is in demand all around the world. If you are entering this industry, you will have a wide range of options available. Before choosing this field, there are some things that you should consider. These points, which should be kept in mind, are as follows:

• When starting an event planning service, keep in mind the start-up costs. However, these costs might vary according to the services that you intend to offer. In the beginning, some of the things that you will definitely need include laptop, business cards, a dedicated small team and a small organization of some sort. Other necessities might vary as per your specialized domain, for instance if you are starting a catering service, you might need a kitchen and related utensils, etc.

• The work of an event planner is not as glamorous as it looks. You will often have to spend time managing small meetings in a conference room or a hotel. You will be surrounded by binders, notes, phone calls, immediate meetings, and thousands of e-mails. What you need to possess is strong organization expertise, and the ability to apprehend quickly what your event guests would want.

• Develop the best skills related to event planning field by taking courses and receiving certifications. This way, you will gain some experience in different areas, with marketing, management and sales, to be specific.

• To become the best event manager, you need to present a professional image of yourself. This will not only help you gain popularity, but also help you market your newly formed company. Make sure that all your e-mails, cards and invoices bear your company logo and have a good visual presentation. Within few days, you will probably see some good results as the network will expand, and many people will be joining and recommending your company for managing other events.

• Develop a website and fill it with a lot of useful content which will give you a high ranking in search engines and provide you with a powerful marketing tool, so that your business gets promoted. This is one of the strongest methods to promote your business and will take your business at its peak. Make sure that you include all your e-mails and correspondence in your website, so that visitors can easily contact you when they visit your website.

Why Green Events Are Increasingly Becoming the First Choice Amongst Organizers?

Nowadays, with sustainability dominating the charts across majority global issues, an increasing number of event organizers are planning to go green with the events that they are organizing. This helps them to move up a step ahead in the path to reduce environmental burdens. The motive behind green events is to eliminate the negative impact on the environment. Usage of energy efficient materials, proper treatment of food wastage, usage of recyclable materials, etc. are some of the elements that need to be taken care of whilst organizing a green event.

Though events bring together thousands of people and contribute to the local economy but environmentally and socially it leads to creation of tons of waste, use of exorbitant amounts of electricity and increase in carbon monoxide emissions. As per reports put forward by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, tourism's contribution to climate change accounts for approximately 5% of all carbon monoxide emissions. Organizers must therefore strategize on serious efforts to reduce carbon emissions and play a part to a greener and better environment.

Let me now outline some of the benefits of organizing green events that are increasingly making it the preferred choice amongst modern day event organizers.

Contributes To Environmental Protection:

Green events can contribute greatly towards overall environmental protection. By incorporating and implementing sustainable practices while event planning like choosing an energy efficient venue, ensuring composting of food waste, usage of recyclable materials can greatly ensure preservation of the planet.

Improves Company's CSR Responsibility:

Going green largely reflects the organization's commitment towards ensuring a sustainable environment. In a company's Corporate Social Responsibility lies its duty to ensure welfare of the host community and the environment as a whole via basic elements of event planning, implementation and its evaluation. Going green add to the element of welfare for both, thereby enhancing the company's CSR.

Cost Effective:

Green events are quite cost effective since the bulk of the necessary equipments used are either biodegradable or can be re-used for future use. This allows companies to reduce waste and cut costs thus allowing organizers to gain a significant competitive advantage.

Increase Awareness amongst Participants

These sustainable events can pave the way by example a brilliant stage and great means to spread the message of reducing environmental burdens amongst the attending participants and staff. The benefits of such events initiate more awareness of the greening process amongst attendees. This will help participants to become a part of more long term solutions therefore altering their environmental practices and the decision-making process. Such consciousness also helps them grow into better human beings and contribute greatly to the environment.

These are some of the benefits that organizers can enjoy once they go green.

How to Plan the Menu for Your Corporate Events

When you are tasked with organizing a corporate event, it is understandable that you feel initially daunted and frazzled. When company bigwigs come together after all, nothing short of perfection is expected from coming up with the programme to the food to be served. You as the organizer need to make sure everything runs smoothly or you may just find yourself scouring the want ads for a new job.

It always makes your job easier if the venue you choose has their own catering company they work with but most of the time, you may be required to host the event within company premises or at some swanky location that is more likely not going to have their own catering staff. When this happens, you need to be able to have a backup plan but first you need to have at least some initial plans on hand.

Knowing what type of guests to expect for your corporate events is a surefire way to make your menu planning easier. In corporate circles, when business people attend events that serve the same fare over and over again, they disparagingly describe these monotonous dinners are running the "rubber chicken circuit." To keep your event from being described this way, you need to consider several factors like the professional level of your guests, the number of time they attend these types of formal dinners, where your guests reside and their ethnic backgrounds.

When you take the time to profile your guests, you will be able to explain this to your chosen caterers who in turn, will be able to come up appropriate menu selections. Other factors you may consider can include the age group of your guests, which means that the older they are the milder the food choices should be. You should also consider any dietary preferences or specifications due to any medical conditions they may have or if you are expecting a younger crowd, fusion cuisines may be best since they are usually more adventurous and willing to try anything new. Also, remember that guests usually eat with their eyes and nose first so you must make sure that as they approach the buffet table, the food looks and smells great as otherwise, you could be looking at a still full table at the end of the party.

Another thing to remember is that your guests should be offered a variety of choices. You can offer at least two or three entrees, three or more salad dressings, serve all your condiments to the side and as far as dessert is concerned, you can offer one that is indulgent and one on the healthy side. Also, since the season in which you decide to hold your event also plays a huge factor, try to include seasonal items in your main entr矇e or desserts and also consider as well the region or location of the event so you can incorporate the famous cuisines that region is known for in your menu.

A popular food trend seen among catering services these days is fusion cuisine, which is basically combining the best that the world's regions have to offer. A common combination would be Asian/Chinese/Japanese cuisine or Mediterranean-Asian. Ethnic combinations appeal to most guests because it reminds them of their roots and offers a sense of comfort that enables them to relax and enjoy the party even more.

Time is also of the essence when it comes to planning the perfect menu for your corporate event. If you opted for boxed lunches, serve the food within 30 minutes of the guests' arrival or if you opted for plated meals, allow at least an hour and half for preparation before serving. Buffets usually require an hour at the most and cocktail receptions are usually held an hour before dinner will be served. Remember that it is most likely that guests will not have eaten anything before coming to your event so you should not keep them waiting.

How an Event Management Degree Can Help Your Career

Event Management skills are in big demand in today's fast paced lifestyles. The need for the management and organisation of an event are plentiful. Planning a large event is very time-consuming and complicated for the individual. Good management requires the utilising of many skills to deliver plans for projects. There are many different kinds of events being held in current society trends. The acquisition of an event management degree is very useful to any career. This management is prevalent in many industries for promotional, employee recognition awards and many other purposes. It is now also used to coordinate weddings and ceremonies. An event management degree can assist in corporate and personal circumstances.

If you wish to further your career, but are not sure which direction to take, you should seriously consider event management. The qualifications and skills you will gain from a degree course will prove invaluable. They will give your CV an impressive boost that cannot fail to advance your career options and paths. The criteria for many top hotel and tourism job vacancies now, is the necessary requirement for a degree in this management. With a degree qualification you are seen as adequately accomplished to oversee any size or type of event.

Event management is utilised in many business concepts, administrational procedures, marketing and promotional functions. Being professionally trained with a degree in management makes you a valuable asset. The cost of funding this management can create a big hole in the project budget. If an owner or employee of a business is capable of the task then time and money will be saved. It also means communication and updates about the planning can be easier and quicker.

Managing an event can be an overwhelming venture if it is not planned to precision. The capabilities gained from a degree education of event management will equip you with the necessary procedural instruction. Management necessitates a particular approach and certain personalities achieve this easier than others.

If you feel you are logical, cool headed, methodical and a people person, then this type of management could be for you. The responsibilities of an event manager involve event coordination, sales, marketing, selecting venues and publicity. There are many more and they usually include deadlines and ensuring satisfaction. Any event will want to aim to achieve success and impact. The event will be remembered by its attendees and a good impression is one the goals set by a professional event planner.

Wherever you are on your career path a degree in event management will be an advancement to your vocation. The business methods conducted today focus on sponsorship, image and branding. This has been instrumental in the growth of the event management industry. The industry continues to grow at a steady rate and so does the demand for qualified planners. An event management degree will teach you persuasion and negotiating skills. It will highlight the satisfactions of skilled planning and let you study public and customer relations. Just take a peek at the degree contents covered in an management prospectus. You will then understand how much a degree can help your career.

Reduce Your Administrative Cost With Non-Profit Event Registration

Most organizations seem to spend a good amount of money in organizing an event. In doing so, it is seen on many occasions the cost always exceeds the revenue earned through the sale of tickets. This difference becomes more prominent in case of non-profit organizations that runs on a limited budget. So they look for more cost effective solutions that can help them divert funds towards the core cause. Web-based event registration services seem to be the most lucrative option for effectively managing non-profit events.

The online registration reduces the company's internal costs by automating the entire process of event management. The software comes with embedded tools that enable simple and convenient registration process along with secure payment options and outstanding staff and logistics management facilities. This smart online solution enhances attendee participation and at the same time saves you valuable time and money. Presently, an increasing number of non-profit organizations are looking forward to this service for successful execution of their events at an affordable cost.

Let us now discuss some of the benefits of this web-based non-profit event registration service that you can enjoy whilst planning your upcoming event.

Completely Eliminates Manual Registration

You can completely eliminate the hassles of manual registration by resorting to this online service. The service allows you to create your registration page within minutes as well as customize it as per the look and feel of your corporate website. Moreover, to avail this service you do not have to be technically sound. Attendees can go through the registration forms online and sign up according to their convenience. The service being entirely web based saves substantial cost in terms of buying and printing paper registration forms. This is turning to be environment friendly

Increase Sale of Tickets

Payment processes have not been so simple, until recently. Prospective registrants can make payments online using various credit cards and standard payment gateways. There also option to make payments via offline methods like paper checks and cash. The online registration service also allows the organizers to have a separate merchant account where payments can be accepted directly. Also they can make payments through various international currencies. With this service you no longer have to appoint external staffs for carrying out these activities.

Extensive Promotion without Hiring External Staffs

Event promotion is crucial to the success of any event as well as ensuring maximum attendee participation. Unlike manual processes, online registration platform enables you to do that in a convenient manner without hiring any external staffs. The integrated emailing tool allows you to easily send mails and reminders to your prospective attendees about your upcoming events. You can even send automated notifications from time to time. Take the help of the social media connector to promote your event on various social media networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for free.

Creation of Precise and Customized After Sales Report

The software also prevents non-profit organizations from any further manual data entry requirements. Non-profits can now experience automatic tracking of ROI and precise and customized creation of reports based on sales and revenue earned by each event. Organizers easily download and retrieve these reports as and when necessary.

Non-profit event registration service is the most time saving and cost effective way of organizing an event.

Planning a Holiday Party: 5 Key Points

We all love partying at some point of time or the other in between our busy schedules at home or at work. To arrange a successful holiday party, you need to at first pay attention to details and create a checklist. There is no arguing on the vast amount of effort you need to invest to stay organized and have fun while hosting such parties.

Let's quickly glance through some of the highly effective tips for holiday party planning.

Create a Guest List

Most important, you need to finalize a guest list to avoid missing out on important names and see that their calendars don't get filled up with other invitations. Think on how you will invite them - going the same old way of posting hard copy letters or via electronic mails. I suggest you go for the second option, since it guarantees faster delivery of messages and a quick confirmation on their attendance to the event.

Budget

Fix the budget to keep or remove items from your party list. For example, do you have the money to spend to book a four-star or a five-star hotel room? How many guests can you afford to entertain? How much will you spend on decorating the holiday party venue? All these questions need to be answered before you make final preparations for your much awaited party. Try to keep the most important items on your checklist and remove the ones that you can do away with.

D矇cor

You need to spend some bucks on decorating the party venue. Depending on your budget, you can plan and buy flowers, colorful satin ribbons, white cloth to put on the dining tables along with white floral designed napkins to go with it, etc.

Save the Date

You should fix the party date that actually does not conflict with any important state occasion or national holiday. With so many holiday parties being organized throughout the year, you should better be cautious about selecting a date that is best suited to your guests' schedules to come and attend in large numbers.

Promotion & Sales

In case you have planned for a paid holiday party which needs people to buy tickets or register in advance, it is always better to promote such events at maximum number of platforms. For example, you can give printed ads on newspapers, jingles on radio, and television ads telling people how happy you will be to see people attending your exciting party arranged on a particular date. Another great way of promoting your party and increasing tickets sales is via social media sites. Also post your party details on your personal blog. It will help to generate an interest amongst the readers to register their names or buy tickets for the upcoming function.