After A Business Merger, Document Management Systems Allow Companies To Adapt To Their New Situation

Corporate mergers are often first heard about through internal rumours. This can have a negative effect on workers as it triggers a sense of generalised uncertainty. In the best of cases, the required adjustments will not include letting off staff, but will bring about major changes for a company's employees, such as different supervisors, relocated colleagues, modified working conditions and even other technological tools.

Most companies involved in this adaptation process do not efficiently communicate the changes to their staff, and, as a result, concerned employees do not know what to expect. These organizations also run the risk of having some workers beginning to pursue other opportunities with the competition, which could prove to be an important loss in valuable human capital that has been trained by the company over years.

Some studies suggest that a lack of trust from corporate managers is one of the main reasons why mergers were stalled in 2011. This occurred mainly in the Euro zone. On the one hand, it is obvious that the current situation would generate suspicion among investors and executives, which affects their decision to perform complex transactions such as mergers. Secondly, this distrust seriously affects external debt financing, because banks are also becoming more stringent when granting credit.

Once the initial phase of adjustments has been passed, it is time for the new departments to re-establish their working procedures and redistribute their tasks. This is where document management software systems come in, by providing a solid working environments and facilitating overall business production.

Back to normal

In an abnormal and uncertain situation brought about by a merger, most staff members are eager to get back to normal. This will be easier to achieve if employees can continue using the technological tools of one or more of the merged firms or if at least one of the firms used virtual environments before the merger. In this scenario, document management systems enable the newly created organization to access both shared resources and the general information. This software would also unify business documents, reduce response times and speed up business processes. Finally, efficient document management helps to establish the new corporate identity, both externally and internally, to the bewildered workers.

Full preservation of data is another key aspect in which document management systems contribute positively, ensuring both the maintenance and the confidentiality of the information. Data preservation avoids loss of documents, prevents employees from having to perform the same tasks twice, and allows organizations to rapidly adapt to new situations if needed, since previously establishes deadlines can be rapidly met.

In addition, document management systems play a critical role in controlling which users or departments are authorized to access certain information. This means that only a select amount of people can access data about the real situation of a project, inside their office and also outside through their mobile devices.

Dealing with business risks

Any company, regardless of its size, should consider that all of the production processes may be affected by a technological risk. Obviously, the larger the volume the greater the impact on both the structural and the economic aspects.

A merger is a good opportunity for companies to implement a business strategy focused on the prevention of technological risks, although the best option for any type of organization would be to apply a business strategy at its foundation.

According to the Global Survey of I.T. Risk, by IBM and The Economist, generally, firms are not sufficiently prepared to take on risks and only one half of the survey respondents has a Risk Management department. In fact, most companies still perceive I.T. risks to be a unique situation that only affects I.T. However, they do not realize that it is part of the entire risk framework and therefore presents a risk to the entire organization.

There has been an increasing interest in technological risk management, which is largely motivated by the existing legislation. However, this notion must be further integrated so that companies perceive I.T. as being as vital as production.

Businesses must make sure to consider I.T. risks from the start and not to wait until a mishap occurs. Risk strategy must be considered as a business strategy and cannot be isolated from other departments or other aspects conceived as being potentially dangerous.

In this aspect, there is still a long way to go. Corporate managers must be aware that risks in I.T. should be treated as high priority. Meanwhile, manufacturers of document technology software, and particularly developers of document management systems, must assume their role in helping these organizations understand the real risks that I.T. may face. That is, they should help them understand the value of I.T. and of the different components that make up the company's architecture. This will help them to detect the right moment for transforming their architecture when necessary. In short, it means helping clients understand and alleviating some of the technological risks.

Let Gourmet Coffee Catering Do All The Work For You!

Gourmet coffee catering is a great way to let someone else do a little work for you. These companies work to provide the best hot and cold beverages such as: coffee, tea, iced tea, cider and hot chocolate for your next party, reception, work meeting, church meeting or any event where drinks are going to be served! The wonderful thing about hiring a gourmet coffee catering company is they will virtually do all the work for you!

Last year I was planning a large woman's event at my church. I decided to hire a catering company to supply the food such as: finger sandwiches, an assortment of cookies and pastries, vegetable trays, and delicious little cakes called petite fours. The problem with this company was they did not serve drinks. I looked around online, and in the phone book, and found a fabulous gourmet coffee catering service! I hired them for the event and it was a rave success! All the women loved having a variety of choices.

The company showed up to my event and sat up everything. They provided more than enough coffee, tea, iced tea and hot apple cider. All the ladies at the luncheon raved how wonderful it was to have a selection of delicious beverages available, the favorite being the delicious hot beverages. Another great thing about hiring this company was they did everything, from the set up to the clean up. They even provided the cups and napkins.

This year I also started new employment as an Office Manager for a Wealth Consulting Firm. Consistently hiring a beverage catering service has been wonderful for the company. It has probably saved me, my job a time or two! We have monthly meetings and I am now on a monthly service with the company to cater these meetings. The Wealth Consultants, Insurance Agents, and Bankers love having a fresh cup of coffee for the morning meetings. It has saved a lot of time and made coordinating these business meetings a lot less stressful for me!

After many successful events, meetings and party planning under my belt, I have found hiring a gourmet coffee catering company is a fabulous, and stress-free way to go! They great thing about these companies, are many of them are small operations, so they strive to provide the utmost quality and customer service to all clients. If you're thinking about how to make your next event a delicious success, try a gourmet coffee catering service today!

Event Management Company Promotes Your Events in a Unique Way

From planning to execution, you will need the right event staff that has the skill and the experience to offer you the results you need. You may not have readily assembled staff and it will definitely take you a lot of time trying to figure out how you can get the right event staffing.

Event management companies come handy to ensure that your event is successful. They are specialists in the fields and understand whatever is needed to register high levels of success. There are instances where high level of skill and planning is needed which many companies and individuals don't have. This necessitates that a professional event management company comes in to offer the service.

There are so many things that event management companies do. They can handle the planning from scratch and carry on until they execute the task. The companies handle media attention and also help in making sure that the tickets to the event, if any are sold to as many people as possible. It's a great experience working with professional event staffing company since it offers you readily assembled team of people to work on your projects at reasonable charges.

There are some more roles that event management companies do. They ensure that they send out the invitations to all the people concerned and handle all the communication regarding the function. They ensure that they pass the information to the required number as conveniently as possible hence helping you save cost and time. They help guarantee that your event will be successful.

After hiring an event management company, they will provide you with timely updates on the progress they have made. They keep you updated of all the developments concerning the work done and what's expected to be done.

If the event you are preparing for involves cash collection, the event management company will ensure that every thing is done. All the stationary used will be met by the company. You will pay a fixed cost to the event management company as their professional fees. They help deliver successful results always.

To ensure that your event is organized successfully, event management companies carry out their research and identify how the task can be done in a more practical approach. They help identify what exactly can be done to enable you achieve success.They use their expertise to provide you with what you could not otherwise be able to achieve. You can review the success achieved and help offer the necessary suggestions that will help achieve the goals of your event.

Event management companies use custom named emails to communicate with the target audience. They make it possible to achieve the highest level of participation possible from the target audience.

Corporate Events and Its Types

Corporate events are those events which are organized by a company or an organization. Such events can be: meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions, seminars, product launches, road shows etc. Seminars are organized to provide relevant information to the target audience. A seminar can last for couple of hours to a day or two. In a seminar there is generally only one session at a time. Conferences on the other hand, generally have multiple sessions occurring at the same time. Cultural programs and exhibitions can also be held in conferences. Typically, anyone can participate in a seminar. Entrance in a conference is only by invitation. Both seminars and conferences are generally organized in hotels. An outdoor conference or seminar is generally rare.

Corporate meetings are generally organized to devise and discuss marketing plans and growth strategies or to evaluate team performance. Meetings are almost always in-door and are generally organized in five star hotels. Various incentive programs are organized by big organizations to motivate, retain and reward there performing employees. Sometimes these programs are organized to attract and retain clients. Companies organize trade shows for lead/sales generations, to build/enhance its image and market value. Attendees of a trade show are generally prospects and suppliers. Although anyone can attend a trade show in general hours, the business hours are reserved only to attend clients and suppliers. Product launch is a way of bringing a new product to the market. Generally a new product is launched by a company either through press conference or through a stage show or both. Sometimes companies use reputed trade shows as a platform to launch their products as this can help in getting lot of media attention.

Team Building Motivation and Leadership

Inspire and promote conversation with traditional promotional printable board games, or personalized classic board game like custom logo printed chess sets or checkers. If your company creates strategic solutions, then why not leave a promotional chess set with your prospect?

Traveling becomes easier with promotional travel games and custom imprinted electronic games. Corporate event planners, realtors and travel agencies can benefit from logo imprinted travel games.

Many hours of enjoyment can come from imprinted promotional flying discs or personalized Frisbees. Your company name will be soaring high these promotional Frisbee discs and other customized toys. Promotional and personalized outdoor games make good promotional community event items. Corporate event planners, Realtors and travel agencies can benefit from logo imprinted outdoor games.

Promotional decision maker puzzles is just the right promotional custom logo puzzles. So roll the action dice during your next brainstorming session and choose imprinting your logo on promotional games.

Many hours of enjoyment can come from imprinted promotional toys like promotional trucks and vans with your company logo promoting your services.

Keep the stress down with logo imprinted stress toys. See our selection of personalized stress balls, bricks, cars, people and other custom logo imprinted stress toys.

Stress building blocks are a great team building game for any employee up to executive management.

Involving employees at work means more involvement and an atmosphere of value, empowering them to make decisions and become more involved. Few people really know how to create team involvement and really allow an employee to be given credit for good decisions or ideas. Team building can have long lasting positive effect on a business. Take your team to new heights with these promotional team building products.

Benefits of Corporate Racehorse Ownership

There are numerous benefits when it comes to corporate racehorse ownership. Buying a racehorse is a great way for a company to promote their corporate profile, and provide entertainment and rewards for their clients and employees. It enables a company to take a huge step forward, and make a worthwhile investment.

Brand Awareness

Corporate racehorse ownership entails promotion of the company on a number of levels. Companies can name their racehorses after themselves, or a brand they want to promote. Companies can sponsor their horse, and have the horse wear their branded logos. Corporate racehorse owners can also get the jockey to wear their corporate colours when riding the horse, another way of promoting the company. Horse racing is the UK's second largest spectator sport, with over 5 million visitors to UK racecourses and a large TV audience. These are effective ways of advertising the company name to a wider audience.

Lucrative audience

Companies are able to promote their company or their brands and products to a wide and lucrative audience. Many people involved in horse racing represent potential clientele for a company, and make a great client target.

Race Sponsorship

Companies can also have opportunities to sponsor horse racing events and have their own race. There are certain racecourses that offer corporate sponsorship packages that companies can purchase. Sponsors are entitled to their own hospitality boxes and they can invite guests, including clients. Companies can even name a race that they sponsor after the company's name. Sponsoring a horse racing event enables media coverage and further boosts a company's corporate profile. If the event that is sponsored is at a racecourse like Newmarket, there would be even better media coverage and exposure.

Hospitality

Corporate racehorse ownership also enables a company to provide entertainment for clients and employees. Horse racing events have always represented an opportunity for entertainment. Owning a horse that will partake in a race will certainly make the experience a more exciting one. Companies that own horses can have access to racecourse hospitality facilities, which they can entertain their clients with as well. There are also opportunities to reward employees. Altogether, the experience can boost company morale in many ways.

Possible Financial Gain

Owning a racehorse comes with the prospect of having a winning horse, and this can benefit the company in a number of ways. It entails financial gain for the company, and also further promotes the company. Having a successful racehorse at racecourses like Newmarket or Ascot will certainly benefit the company.

Moreover, corporate ownership of a racehorse allows a company to recover the Value Added Tax that is charged with the purchase, training and upkeep of the horse.

Why Member Based Organizations Are Opting For Online Solutions?

With internet becoming a part of our day to day life, increasing number of people are converting to online solutions to make their tasks easier. Be it buying airline tickets to completing a course, everything can now be done with the mere click of a button. In this era, when online solutions are such a craze why should member based organizations remain on the back foot? The recent trend has however shown that an increasing number of member based organizations like clubs and associations are opting for online solutions to effectively streamline their attendee management, dues collection and fundraising campaigns.

The community based online member management solution allows associations to strategically and logically channelize their activities and purpose to the stakeholders. At the same time, the member management service reduces your back office work load significantly and permits you to save on substantial time and money. Let me give you a brief overview of the benefits that this online service offers:

Enhanced Member Management

The online member management solution gives you improved member management facilities by bringing to you various membership options like platinum, gold, silver, annual, monthly, trial etc. Besides it also facilitates members with quantity as well as percentage based discounts along with member specific pricing. Since the data is stored in a central database it involves easy renewals and editing. The online service also helps in easy communication with the members via email.

Ensures Effective Dues Collection

Organizations can collect their payments online. The extreme security of the payment norms protects the organizers against any fraudulent transactions. Individuals can make payments through multiple ways including both the online and offline modes. They can either make their payments either through multiple credit cards or through various payment gateways. Along with that, the service also helps you to keep track of the centralized data from time to time.

Creation of a Secure Private Community

The web based service also allows organizations to create private community for members, community, constituents and registrants. This helps organizers to stay in touch and pool resources. Creation of a private and secure community also allows you to share information in an efficient manner and thereby maintain a strong bonding. Organizers can also create separate Private Social Network for online networking and collaboration thereby giving them an edge to enhance mass awareness for their activities.

The online member management service adopted by various organizations helps to effectively take care of the fundamentals of dues collection as well as member management. It thus gives you a chance to improve your communication and member service.

Maintain a Good Company Image and Reputation With the Assistance of Conference and Events Organisers

Conference and events organisers are also known as conference organisers and event management. They work for corporate clients, the public sector and all other associations. Their services include the entire management and organisation of conferences, handling all technical production and the management of events that are either combined with conferences or conducted alone.

Given below are some of the services that are offered by these organisers:

• Conference organisation and management


• Awards and Gala Dinners


• Delegate registration - online or on arrival


• Payment and fee collection


• Technical and AV support


• Venue location


• Onsite registration staff and providing of badges


• Marketing, PR and Sponsorship


• Exhibition sales and management


• Preparation of delegate packs

Conference and Events Organisers services are based on modern and novel ideas with appropriate attention given to every detail of the event and conference, flexibility and enthusiasm, and last but not least an immense amount of patience. The client or the committee nominated for the event will need to work closely with these organisers. They too will also work closely with you, the client, and provide a comprehensive package of support, ensuring that your conference, event or road show will run smoothly and successfully, from start to end - meeting your targets and objectives.

Before deciding on any particular organisation to handle your up-coming event, it might be wise to read a few of the reviews that are found on their websites. This might help you to make a better decision.

A majority of Conference and Events Organisers work with an international network, making it more advantageous for organising events. They possess a considerable amount of resources and are quite competent in handling a number of events at a given time.

The costs of this valuable service will be an interesting fact to know; basically, they will always create value for your event budget. These organisers will deliver high quality event management and conference organising at costs which represents value for money. Costs are generally for individual items, giving the client the opportunity to split the costs for those that they would think are essential, 'good to have', or even omit if the budgets are tight.

Given below is a useful guide on the costs of hiring Conference and Events Organisers:

• Venue costs - this section will have categorised rates such as room hire, or a per head delegate rate or a rate for the entire day - depending on your plan for the event


• Delegate registration and management - the costs for registration, creating the required web pages if it is an online registration, online payments etc.


• Project management - the cost will be calculated in the number of days that an experienced team had to work on the entire event.


• Marketing the event - if it is not done in-house by the client. This will include branding and logo design, designing and printing of mailings and email templates, preparation and postage of invitation mailings etc.

When considering the effort and stress that is needed to organise an event, it is far worth to hire competent Conference and Events Organisers who will deliver an excellent product creating a good image and reputation for your company.

Event Planners - Why You Need These Specialists At Your Next Event

What does this person do?

Event organizers are either a person or company that takes care of promotional events. This job is made up of a number of tasks. It starts from the planning stage all the way to the actual execution of the event.

In the planning stage, the organizer will meet with you. He or she will discuss your event down to the last detail. You will have to work around your budget and figure out how much you are willing to spend. You can hold your event in a number of ways. Some companies like to hold parties while others might want to have a musical performance.

Once you figure out what you want, event organizers turn into logistic experts. They have so many contacts that they can find the right artist to fit your company's image. After all, you want to avoid alienating your audience. Do not hire a rock band when the average guest age is around 50. Hire a smooth jazz band instead. This is something you have to think about carefully when planning the entertainment portion of your party.

Aside from entertainment, event organizers can help you find the right caterer for your function. You cannot call it a party if you do not have food to serve. For an organizer, this is not a problem. They can find you a reliable caterer and wait staff for your party. It is important to keep the food and drink flowing throughout the proceedings. If you have prepared an Audio-Visual Presentation (AVP), part of their job is to find you a technical crew. It is important to have electronic technicians around. You have to make sure all your AV equipment are hooked up and working properly.

Event organizers have to be one step ahead of everyone else. Look for this skill when hiring a person or company for your product launch or party. Certain clients have specific needs or requests. Make sure you meet these so your guests can relax and enjoy themselves.

What other services do they offer?

During your party, you will see event organizers passing around questionnaires. Product launches make use of this response form, especially if a client wants feedback right away. Sometimes, the survey forms are just left on the table for guests to fill out. Once the party is over, the team of your event organizer will collect them.

Who has the final say?

As a client, you have the final say whether to push through with certain activities. For example, the band you hire will only perform four songs. In case you want them to sing more, it will cost you. You need to let your organizer know in advance. Unlike accountants, events planners are not concerned with costs. What they do is more along the lines of task administration and implementation. If you find some costs unreasonable, an organizer will suggest alternatives but not necessarily ways on cutting down expenses.

How much will it cost?

It really boils down to whom you hire for the job. If you go with a popular firm, expect to pay more. Experienced event organizers charge higher because of an established reputation. The benefit you get is their expertise and professionalism during your party.

For those who want to save, go with untested events planners. Since they are trying to break into the industry, expect to pay a lower price for their services. A lot of these new groups are eager to please since they want to increase their client contact list.

A memorable product launch or party is not complete without the right event organizers. Make sure you do research before hiring one. The Internet is a great resource if you want the latest packages. You can also ask family and friends as well. They might have worked with a good one before.

Importance of Entertainment For Your Next Corporate Event

Many companies today are realizing the positive impact that corporate events have on their team members when it comes to entertainment. The companies are sponsoring more company teams such as baseball, soccer, and football. The employees look forward to the time they spend doing something they enjoy and the added bonus of having their company behind them makes it even more rewarding.

Not only are the corporations sponsoring these teams but they are also opening up to all types of corporate events, such as employee dinners, picnics, and recognition for their hard work by having parties. The entertainment aspect of the corporation is a relatively new idea. There are some that are still paving the way for the remaining companies.

When considering the importance of these corporate events, think about this from the employee's point of view. When an event is planned, this tells the employee that the company for which they work is very oriented towards taking care of their employees. When the employees do a good job, it is rewarded. This is an incentive to the employees to be the best they can be.

Not only does it show you are concerned about your employees, but it also allows the employees to interact, get to know each other, and have a good time together which will help relationships in the office setting. It is a well know fact that employees who feel that they are friends as well as co-workers get along better, have less problems in the workplace and are more apt to depend on each other when it comes to solving problems at work.

Many companies in the past frowned on the employees becoming too friendly with each other. Their reasoning was this would cause them to spend too much time socializing and not enough time doing their job. But today the importance of being in tune with each other in the work place is showing to be more of a help than a hindrance. The productivity of employees is better when they are not under the stress of working with people of who they know nothing.

The responsible employee is going to do their job. There are those who would rather do anything but their job. However, this employee is going to do so no matter what the circumstances. They will find any reason to spend time talking and dallying instead of doing what they should be doing. The employee corporate event is not going to be the cause of this. This is just how this person reacts. This is an employee who is not going to be around long anyway.

After years of experimenting with every type of situation for employees, it is being recognized that having a relaxed work setting where everyone is more comfortable with each other is the best type when it comes to production. When you schedule a corporate event do not make it the staid and staunch type of the past. Add the entertainment, have your employees interacting with each other and the knowledge that they are working together as a team towards one goal will be the attitude they project.

Corporate Events - What is a Corporate Event?

Corporate events are essential in today's world. It is a part of any business nowadays to have the ability to plan events which can help strengthen companies from the inside while educating and informing people about the place and purpose of their company inside an industry. A highly effective way to do this would be by hosting corporate events.

Ideally, corporate events deal with planning conferences, activities and community projects, which all focus on accomplishing the organization's overall goals. Several events that would fall under the wide range of corporate events concentrate on internal functions and needs. For example, companies that have numerous locations might opt for semi-annual or annual conferences for key managers and offices, offering forums for education and to share information about company goals and upcoming events.

One other example would involve the participation in business conferences and expositions where companies and their product lines get the opportunity to attract attention from brand new clients. Third variations of these corporate programs deal with company involvement and the need of the community to know the location of the business facility or company.

No matter what kinds of corporate events are involved, several important aspects exist, which need to be addressed to make these corporate events succeed. One great place you could start would be by defining the event's mission and purpose. Arriving at clear understandings of the event's overall reasons would make things much easier for corporate planning perspectives.

If an upcoming event which has to be planned involves a weekend getaway for top company customers, the focus should be on the clients' overall travel arrangements. This would include hotel accommodations, airfare, and ground transportation. From there, adding in arrangements for entertainment and meals, like golf, concerts, or cocktail parties would be acceptable. If the company wants to recognize these particular clients in a formal manner, a testimonial dinner has to be planned out, as well.

On the flip side, if the planning of a corporate event is more geared toward internal training conferences, the focus would be a bit more different. Internal conferences would involve agenda planning, arrangements for sessions of facilitators and speakers, exhibit determination, hotel room and meal planning and registration process set-ups. While putting together weekend events for several important clients might merely take several months, planning bigger conferences might take a minimum of eight months to fully process.

Top 3 Ways to Promote Your Events Online

The advent of the internet has given organizations across the globe a golden opportunity to promote their products and services via various online modes. In addition to using the print media for marketing purposes, they can always take the help of the 'World Wide Web' and mobile devices to reach out to a large number of people all over the world in no time. However, before you start using any of the online promotional tools; it is necessary to know about the best ways to promote your products, services, and events online.

Social Networking

Social networking has gained worldwide popularity because it helps every individual stay connected with their friends and family, 24 hours a day. You can utilize sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus, MySpace, and others to publicize your events and activities to every account holder.

The first thing you should do to publicize your event among the social media users is by opening an account on Facebook. Create an events page on this site to attract the users to come and view the information. They can also share your event and class details with their friends and family. Make sure to add the links of your event website and the registration page on Facebook for easy access and signing up.

You can start tweeting about your functions and upcoming academic courses on Twitter. This popular micro-blogging website accepts sentences with maximum 140 characters. Hence, you need to make the updates short, crisp, and appealing to the potential attendees. Don't forget to include the links of your online event registration page as well as the online ticketing portal to allow instant ticket booking facilities for the event. Try using one or more hashtags while tweeting to help your tweet rank high in the Twitter search and attract maximum visitors.

Professional networking websites like LinkedIn allow you to share all your news and similar relevant content with your LinkedIn friends and followers. You can also join different groups there to start discussing on your conference, seminar, or business gathering. Send invitations to potential contacts to join your group and check your uploaded links on LinkedIn.

Private Community

Another great way of interacting and sharing everyday news about your functions is by building a private community. You can easily create an online community with the help of the web-based private community management solution. It lets you set up, connect, and share event or class-related news with the community members.

Blogs

In addition to maintaining your business website, you can also set up a blog to add important content covering your events and training programs. Upload the best images from your past events to make the blog posts attractive. Do add the link of your business site, together with that of the ticketing page, to enable people to view and buy tickets of your next set of events quickly.

Move Forward in Your Career With Event Planning Courses

Looking for an exciting and rewarding career in a field that offers higher than average job growth? If you have great organisational skills, can communicate effectively on a professional level and enjoy the challenge of working to deadlines then you may want to consider a career in event planning. Event planners work for a variety of corporations or individuals to plan, coordinate and manage special events such as training seminars, trade shows, conventions, weddings and parties. While no formal qualifications are necessary to become an event planner, those employing such professionals are looking for people who have either experience or training in this field and event planning courses can certainly prove beneficial if you are looking to enter into this industry or advance your career in this field.

There are a variety of options available for anyone wishing to undertake formal training in event planning. Many institutes and colleges offer certificates, diplomas, degrees and post graduate courses in various aspects of event planning and management and through different modes of study. Choosing the right course options for you will depend on your individual circumstances and your career aspirations.

Event planning courses can be undertaken through a number of different methods and deciding on which approach you want to take will be influenced by your own situation. You can choose between a full time or part time study workload, either on campus or through correspondence or online methods. Obviously the advantage of full time study is that you can complete the course in a shorter timeframe but this may not be possible for some people, particularly for those who need to work while studying, in which case part time courses are a much more viable option and offer the same qualification. Studying on campus is a good option as it provides you with greater access to resources and other people moving in the same professional circle that you will be, however, if time or demographics then correspondence or online courses may be more suitable. Correspondence and online courses are good in the fact that they allow you the flexibility to study at your own pace and in your own home. These courses provide students with all study material and resources required to complete the course and access to online tutors, study groups and forums.

Before undertaking any training you may wish to first consider the area of event management you would like to be involved in. Many event planning courses specialise in different areas of event management and if there is a certain aspect of this career that interests you then a specialist course may be a better option for you. Other courses offer a more rounded curriculum, training students in many different facets of this industry and if you are looking for the flexibility to between different areas of event planning then you should be looking into these kinds of qualifications.

While the type of course you undertake is an important decision, so too is the institution through which the course is offered. Choosing a reputable college that is well recognised in the industry and offers you the resources and support needed to succeed in your studies will ensure a positive result and set you up for a great future in the area of event planning.

Using Audio Visual for Effective Branding at Corporate Events

If you have ever organised a corporate event, you will know that the first measurement of its success is how effectively it conveyed your company's message to its guests. These days, corporate events range from fancy to spectacular, with each event aiming to outdo its competitors or previous company functions. The use of an event equipment hire and, more importantly, audio visual equipment, has become a central part of corporate event production and more companies rely on innovative audio visual design to make their event a success. This is not only because the right event equipment adds to the professionalism of the event, but also because using good av hire will ensure that your brand is advertised and communicated effectively, resulting in a memorable event and your company's name remaining at the forefront of your guests' minds.

Audio visual ideas for your brand

For your brand to be communicated in the right way there is no need to plaster it over every surface of your event. Indeed, the less it appears, the more impact it can have. The trick is in the way it appears. Over saturation is certainly not recommended by experts. In fact, most experts recommend using branding for the event itself, rather than the company. In other words, creating a theme for the event and then blending it into the invitation and throughout different elements in the event.

One such method is through visual equipment. A projector hire has become so versatile these days that you can use projectors for a whole range of branding ideas at your event. For example, projecting a certain image (instead of the name of your company) that fits with the theme of your event. Projector hire as well as LCD screens and vision mixing desks can all add to a powerful visual display which will remain in people's minds.

Similarly, a speaker hire, and other sound equipment can help to promote the theme of your event which will be associated with your product's branding. I am not suggesting that your company creates a special song to be blasted throughout the event. Rather, music, or certain sound effects that will support the theme that you are trying to convey.

Of course, a lighting hire can also be used in effective branding. It may simply be a case of choosing one colour that is repeatedly used in the event, which may be in line with your company's logo.

No matter what kind of audio visual hire you choose, it is necessary that you consult with your event equipment company beforehand, so you can devise together an effective audio visual plan to make the branding at your event successful in a tasteful and professional way.

How To Find Great Local Magicians for Kids Birthday Parties, Corporate Events, or Special Events

How to find a great local magician for your party or event:

If you are planning a birthday, a company picnic, a wedding, or really any kind of local event or party for adults or children, here are some tips from an expert (that's me) on how to find the right magician. This article also applies to finding any kind of local entertainers such as clowns, bands, jugglers, face painters - you name it.

Obviously, first you have to find some magicians in your area to choose from. You could get a recommendation from a friend, and that can be a good start. Keep in mind that almost every magician out there (even the lousy boring undependable ones) have some people that will recommend them. Why would they suggest someone bad? Well, it may be because they don't know any better - they may not have seen a good local magician to compare with. Also, just because someone is good doesn't mean they are the right magician for your party. In any case, don't stop with just a recommendation, check the guy out carefully and make sure he specializes in the type of magic that is right for your event (more on that later).

OK, then after recommendations, you have 2 options. You can find and hire a magician directly, or you can go through some type of entertainment agency. There are usually local agencies in your area (unless you are in a small town) that book magicians as well as a big variety of entertainers for any occasion (I used to own a business like that back in Ohio). There are also national online agencies that have thousands of entertainers available for parties anywhere in the country, even for children's birthday parties.

If you find a good local agency, they tend to be very familiar with most of the local entertainers and can give you more personalized help and suggestions than you could get from a national online agency. Not all local agents are good, though. Some are just out to make a quick buck and are not very picky about who they send out. Sometimes local agents book great people, but sometimes they have a hard time finding good people who are available when they need them. Sometimes the better local entertainers don't want to work for agents because the agents may not be able to pay them enough and still make a decent commission. Sometimes the local people get plenty of work on their own so why bother with an agent. Therefore, agents can work out well, but check out the agency carefully.

Now, for online agencies: some are just a listing service and don't get involved in the booking process at all. All of them let you sort out entertainers by city so you can find someone close. They may simply provide some names and contact info, but some show pictures, demo videos, links to the performer website, and have room for several paragraphs of info provided by the entertainer. Some even show ratings and comments from clients who got the entertainer through their service. With most of these national sites, the performers are not screened for quality - anyone can be listed. A few do screen for quality magicians as best they can considering they have not seen most of the performers in person. Generally there is no personalized help from the agency; they serve more like an online phone book. You will find these agencies without effort - just search for magicians on a search engine - these agency listings will be mixed in with your local results. A few examples are Gigmasters, Gigsalad and Partypop.

Speaking of phone books (yellow pages), they can be an excellent way to find entertainers directly as well as find local entertainment booking agencies. There are the old school paper phone books and the online kind. In most cities there are at least 2 or 3 paper phone book companies - and some are much more complete than others so use the ones that are bigger or look through a few of them. Nowadays (2011), many entertainers don't get listings or ads in paper phone books due to the expense and because people don't use them nearly as much as they used to. However, there may be many good entertainers and agents listed in them. There should be at least 2 or 3 good online "phone books" that have somewhat complete local listings. Dexknows and Yellowbook are a few examples, but the selection of online directories varies based on your location. Again, some of these are much better and more complete with local listings. Often the one that is considered the "official" one for the main phone company is the best - but not always. Just do a Google search for online phone books. Categories to look under include Magicians, Entertainers-family and business, Party Planners, Entertainment agencies, etc. Google itself does something like an online phone book, and you will often see those results when you do a local search for a business.

And of course the sources that a ton of people go to first are Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. To use these and find the biggest selection of local magicians, do several searches, each search with a different set of words or phrases. Be very specific with some of the search phrases for better results. For example, don't just type in magicians, try "birthday magicians Portland" or "close-up magicians for corporate events Atlanta" etc. You'll get different results based on how you search. You'll find individual sites for magicians as well as some of those online and local agencies I talked about. Not all good magicians have websites, hard to believe I know. And some websites don't show up unless you dig through several pages of search results. There are also those paid ads put up by the magicians - they have ads for very good people sometimes (on Google they appear on the right side and sometimes the top).

Anyway, once you find some people, then you can first narrow it down based on their specialty. For example, some magicians (such as myself) specialize in local children's parties and events, so make sure you read their websites carefully so you don't waste your time contacting magicians that are not right for your event. Some specialize in expensive illusion shows for big events, some only do close-up walk-around style magic, some don't do kids birthdays. Some do a mix of everything, but may not admit that they are not good at everything (though some are good at everything). Some are expensive and worth it, some are expensive and not worth it. Some will charge a very reasonable rate and give you a better show than you expected. Most importantly, get the magician that seems to specialize in what you want if possible. Some magicians, such as myself, also do balloon twisting, face painting, game leading, juggling, etc. Multi-talented people can be a great choice because they can keep the party going by doing multiple things (if you want).

Make sure you know exactly what they will do for you, make them be specific so you can make the right decision. Also, if you pay $125 for a birthday show, don't expect some big elaborate show. Know what to expect and be realistic. See their demo videos if they have them. See reviews and comments on online phone books, etc. Get a contract if possible, with details of the show listed on it. Make sure the entertainer knows the details of your party, make sure they have good lighting, enough space, shaded area, a contact number for the day of the event, etc. Oh, and book as far in advance as possible - let me say this again - book as far in advance as possible (several months or even a year in advance if you can). Don't procrastinate or your favorite person is likely not going to be available.

A Corporate Event Equipment Checklist

While planning for corporate events like trade fairs, conventions, and business meetings, a key task is identifying the equipment you require. If you need the newest models, renting computers is certainly a more practical substitute for an expensive purchase, especially if your requirement is a temporary or infrequent one. The fact is that computers and allied equipment rentals for business events are becoming increasingly popular with organizations both big and small as this is seen to be cost effective. However, there are certain aspects to look out for when going in for a computer equipment rental.

Checklist prior to the event

• Consult event organizers about the number of participants anticipated at the event. Ensure you have placed a rental order for enough computers, as well as a few extra for attendees who register at the last-minute.


• Discuss the kind of computers required with those who will be doing the presentations. For example, what is the operating system required? Must custom software be loaded in the machines prior to the event? What is the display size which would be ideal for participants or the audience? Is hardware such as a modem, WiFi access, USB ports and so forth required? Is enhanced graphic capability required for presenting video?


• In case you require customized software applications but the rental company is unable to supply it, ask for a test computer beforehand so that your staff can install it on a trial run. When the number of units rented is small, you could ask for an early delivery at the venue so that the software could be loaded ahead of the event.


• Synchronize arrangements and give enough notice to the computer rental firm so that they can provide the items in good time for easy set up at the venue.


• While renting computers, determine what kind of insurance is available short term to cover theft, damage and loss. Discuss the security aspects at the venue with the event manager. Will they do the needful or must you make separate arrangements?

Checklist for receiving the equipment

• Match each item delivered to the packing note. Be sure not to sign for an item you have not received.


• Before the event begins, boot and run the computers to check if they are operating properly and are according to the specifications you requested.

Checklist during the event

• Ask the computer rental firm if they can give you reserve computers in case any of the main ones fail. It may also be prudent to check if they can provide additional machines at short notice.


• Arrange to have a technician standing by at the event. The person could be either from your organization or from the rental firm and should be prepared to tackle any technical hitches. Also maintain a record of the rental firm's phone support number just in case you require help at a pinch.

While renting computers is now a simple affair, be sure that your personnel use the rented machines carefully though it is the rental firm that bears the responsibility for maintenance and repairs.

It is wise to bear these aspects in mind while renting computers for any corporate event. Above all, remember to rent equipment only from an experienced and reputable computer rental company that provides excellent quality technical support.

Wedding Planning Committee of Friends - Their Roles and Selections

A Social event contriver can support you in taking charge of the events but you may still demand your friends around at some point in this time. You sure need a committee of friends for your wedding here. This can be made up of your very close acquaintances that would support you to have a remarkable wedding.

To start a committee of friends for your wedding, name your closest friends in a list. Communicate to each of your friends that you are counting on them to make your wedding day worth remembering. As a member of a social organization, you may not find it hard to get other members to become members of your committee of friends.

Before you conclude on engaging a committee of friends for your marriage ceremony, you need to determine what purpose they will play in the wedding. The wedding concept you have will influence the duties of your friends.

You may decide to set up your wedding planning committee of friends to assist you in the following areas: Assist you with finance, decorate the wedding for you, provide supplies needed, joining the bridal group in uniform and engaging in other necessary activity. It is important to note that your committee of friends is a potential wedding and event planner for you.

However, you do not have to rely on a committee of friends completely because they may disappoint you. What I have in mind is that there are some times when our human efforts cannot take care of certain undesirable events in our lives. Apologies could be made by your friends in the course of the wedding preparations.

Hence, you must have an alternative plan for successful wedding.

Set a New Trend in Event Planning by Hiring Corporate Event Planners

You hardly remember any of your previous corporate event parties, meeting and any gathering because they are very boring, right? Well, must not know the real reason behind this. It is because you might be excellent in making business deals and other profit making ideas but throwing a party and organizing it is not an easy job. A god party can only take place if it is organized properly.

The event in a company is one of the major functions which take place. It happens very rarely when the whole team of the company or rather the entire company people come together in a friendly mood to have loads of fun. Therefore, it is very important for the event to be rewarding so that all the people attending the event remember it for years. The corporate event should be a result of a great team work. A good corporate event is very important and therefore, you should appoint a good corporate event planner to organize the party. A good event helps you to gain more and more recognition and good will.

Once you have thought of throwing a corporate party, you need to think a lot more after that. You have to decide on things like food, drinks, venue, entertainment, activities, speakers and time and date. It is always advisable to hire a corporate event planner who takes up almost all the charges of the event. But even if you do this, you have to make a list of all the things that you expect the planner to work on to make your corporate event a great success. The more info you give and explain properly, the better will be your event.

The most important thing while planning your corporate event is that you should make the list of everything about the awards, discussions, meals and everything which is essential for the event. It will help you to remember everything and nothing will be skipped. After doing this, fix or book a venue for the event. By booking the venue, you will get a rough idea about the rest of the work which needs to be done.

A medium of entertainment is the most essential part of any good event. Thus, you have to decide and keep such activities in the party that the entire guests have a gala time in the party. While deciding on the activities, you should always keep in mind that while playing the games in the party, everyone should again become a kid and forget about their personal relation at least for some time.

The food and drinks that need to be served in the party is another major part of the corporate event planning. The food should be so good that people just can't stop hogging. The music, dance floor and other things in the event should be all perfect in order to make it a superb occasion.

The corporate event planners helps to organize everything that you wish to have in your event. So, make your event an unforgettable one in the assistance of a good corporate event planner.

Service Advice to Hire Best Event Planner For Event Planning Services

Do you want to throw a birthday party or an anniversary celebration? Perhaps you'd like to organize a fund raiser but don't know how to go about it? You may have ideas brimming over you and now spilling through your ears. Grab a piece of paper and pencil and get your thoughts organized. There are quite a number of questions you will need to answer and once you've jotted those questions down, you'll start to realize that perhaps you might need a little extra boost in throwing your party or getting your event together.

Some of these questions will range from how many guests are coming, to the type of paper to use for the invitations you need to send out, to what kind of canapés you ought to serve. Then there are also more detailed items to turn your attention to like whether your event needs a host or master of ceremony, the sound system provider, chairs and tables, etc. Now you're beginning to realize that maybe there's more to events than just the main costume theme or event title. There are countless other things that go unseen by the guests but are essential for the event to be successful.

There is a question of getting in contact with suppliers and owners or managers of the chosen venue. If your event requires catering, your planner will also be the one getting in touch with the catering service and staff and making sure that they can get a team together for your little shindig. If you're trying to convince yourself that you can take on all these responsibilities just to save some money on hiring a professional planner, then you're in for quite a rollercoaster ride. It's difficult being both the host and organizer of any event?especially if it is on a corporate scale. Events like galas, charity balls, exhibits, etc are best left to the pros because if you are the host, you will need to keep yourself as stress-free as possible so as to enable you to entertain your guests and still look and be at your best. Taking on the responsibility of an event planner will leave you frazzled and haggard, stealing time away from you that could be spent talking to your more important guests and making essential network connections among your guests. You want to avoid a scenario where the head honcho of a certain corporation you have been trying to get acquainted with comes over to talk but you end up excusing yourself in order to find out why on earth the salmon and lemon dill cucumber tea sandwiches weren't served on time to your slightly famished guests.

Unless you're throwing a Super-Bowl-Sunday event at your home, or a Grey's Anatomy 5- season DVD marathon in your apartment where the only gastronomic menu desired is nothing short of a bag of chips or a bowl of popcorn and some canned drinks, it is good to hire best event planner in putting your event planning services together because you will want your occasion to come out smooth, organized and polished.

Decorative Painting Services For Wedding And Event Planners

Are you planning a wedding or are you a special event planner? What a great way to dress up the occasion by providing your guests with hand painted dessert plates. Maybe even hand painted center pieces for each table, that matches the theme and colors for your event.

You may even find that something painted such as a wine glass can be used for the event and taken home as a reminder of the occasion. What a neat gift for people attending your wedding! If you prefer something else as a party favor or gift, other suggestions can be made.

This is a wonderful way to make your event stand out from the rest. It does not have to be expensive to provide this little extra touch either. It will be worth the little extra spent to make the gathering more memorable for you guests. If you are a wedding or event planner this could even assist you with getting more events to organize.

By allowing a decorative painter to assist with your plans you are allowing a little art to be a part of the gathering. It also makes for a pleasant and appealing atmosphere, while adding a color to the surroundings. Colors can have an affect on our moods and can play a big part in how we feel. Adding color to the decor is a wonderful way to encourage a happy and fun filled experience. Is this not what you clients are looking for?

Why not give it a try? It is free to check it out!

The Advantages of Working With Conference Event Organisers

Conference Event Organisers are specialists in the field of event management. Taking into consideration the great amount of events that are being organised in the public and corporate sector, this field has become a very competitive market today. Most companies working with event management offer a unique range of services, supported by quality, efficiency, knowledge and client service.

Given below are some advantages in working with these service providers:

- You will receive significant and extensive support to organise an event: Most of these renowned organisations are committed to offer a quality service with the full assurance of delivering a successful event.

- Minimum Risk: Considering the experience of Conference Event Organisers, they are capable of forecasting probable difficulties and are capable of offering alternative suggestions, thus minimising the levels of risk.

- Capable of offering unique and novel ideas: It is up to the client to decide if you would like to have a change, a novel idea or a new feel for your event. You can even suggest a new approach - these organisations are capable of offering such features as well.

- Flexibility: They are open to suggestions for change and are capable of adapting to new methods.

- Work together as a Team: The organisation offers a personal approach and works together as a team with the client or the organising committee. They effectively reduce the client's workload, are always willing to share responsibilities and delivers successful results.

- Reduces stress: Conference Event Organisers will always support you with every step, providing solutions to difficult situations.

- Endeavour and Effort: These organisations make special effort with their high standard of service to make the event a tremendous success.

- Adding value to the event: Based on their wide experience and creativity these organisations will provide a service in order to obtain measurable results.

These organisers are also known as event managers and they can be easily found on the Internet at detailed and informative websites. All required information is found at these sites, which will easily help you to read through, or even have an online chat and decide the best service provider for your event. These Conference Event Organisers are very flexible and are always willing to accommodate their client's requests. Their services are clearly outlined on their websites; however, they are also flexible with changes and are willing to take on suggestions and additional activities in accordance to the conference and event.

You can ensure an excellent product when your event is handed over to these competent service-providers. The relief of stress is of immense value to the client, as it enables them to be relaxed to participate at the event, leaving them with ample free time to mingle around with their invitees and other delegates. Interaction with existing business partners and potential clients is vital in a marketing-mix, especially when it is organised by your company. Handing over an event to competent Conference Event Organisers will release you from the stress and give you the time and opportunity to liaise with your business colleagues.

Corporate Sponsors Want To Give You Money For Your Project

Company Sponsorship Programs Can Finance You!

Do you have a dream or project that you cannot move on because of money? Instead of just giving up or waiting for "some day" when you do have more money, you may be able to get help today! In exchange for a little good will, many companies are quite willing to sponsor a variety of projects. If you do not take advantage of corporate sponsorship, then you could be missing out on a simple financial solution that many others are already taking advantage of!

Companies donate money for many different things. Amateur athletes, professional sporting events, research projects, travel, and education are just a few examples. This is not a loan, that you have to pay back. It is, basically, free money, that companies donate in return for a little publicity and good will. Enjoy your dream of promoting an amateur folk music festival or a professional tennis match with the help of corporate checks!

Money For Team or Individual Sports

Teams and individuals obtain corporate money to help sponsor athletics, for instance. Long distance bicycle racers, student soccer teams, and figure skaters are examples of athletes who take advantage of sponsorship money. Companies provide money for training, uniforms, travel, and more. Instead of a team sponsorship, perhaps you would like to host a local golf or tennis match. Perhaps you want the match to raise funds for a charity, or even to make profit for yourself. Either way, companies will sponsor these type of events.

You have certainly seen race cars with corporate names on them. That is because the companies "sponsor" the cars. But you do not have to be world famous to obtain a sponsor. Many local and amateur organizations can find willing donors.

Fund Your Next Event

You do not need to hold an athletic event to obtain a sponsor. You could hold a local music festival, beauty pageant, or talent contest! Again, some groups hold these events to fund their activities or raise money for charity. However, some people make a full time living by promoting and organizing events. Imagine, making a living by doing what you really love, and by getting companies to sponsor you! You can learn how to attract eager corporate sponsors, even if you have never done it before!

Money For Education

Many companies provide money for education, and these are called educational sponsorships. The companies may use this sponsorship to promote good will for their business, or perhaps they hope to help train future employees. You can learn how to stay in school, courtesy of a corporate sponsorship. Again, this is donor money, and it is not a loan that you have to pay back! It is often fairly simple to apply for these programs, and the process is already in place to help people just like you if you know how to look for it!

Do Not Give Up On Your Big Idea

A lack of seed money should not make you give up on your dreams or great ideas. Potential authors have found money to fund their books. Scholars find money to finance their research studies. Marathon runners find money to train and travel to their next event. You can step up for sponsor money too!

Five Simple Ways to Stay Stress-Free When Organizing Holiday Parties

Holiday parties are the ultimate stress-busters, if you are one of the invitees; but what if you are hosting a couple of them yourself in the coming holiday season? Be it a small informal gathering with friends and family at your own place or a big official event on New Years' eve, organizing a party takes a lot of time and planning if you want to really make it a stand out experience. The entire process is quite stressful too. However, if you avail of the comprehensive holiday party event registration software, much of your workload is reduced.

How?

Opt for the holiday event registration software to know how the solution can make your party management procedures absolutely stress-free in five simple steps:

1. The software helps you to create online event registration forms using its pre-built form templates and upload them online to be accessed by your guests 24/7 from every part of the world.

2. It enables you to collect party registration fees via a number of online and offline payment means. You can even track every transaction in real-time using the online payment management solution that comes with this application. Hence, requests for party contributions do not have to be made by the organizer personally.

3. It sends out bulk email invitations, reminders, and notifications using the automated event mail and listing management tools. So, you are able to save a large amount of money that would have been otherwise spent on posting paper invitation cards.

4. You do not have to worry about promoting your holiday parties. The software provides a Social Media Connector. You just need to purchase it by paying a minimal amount and you can easily connect to social media sites to reach out to a wider target audience.

5. When your parties are full and absolutely packed to capacity, this software lets you provide a number of wait listing options to your guests. This enables you to accommodate at least a few of your guests from the waitlists in case of last minute cancellations. In this way, you make your guests happy and your events become a roaring success with enhanced participation.

The software provides the latest mobile applications by using which you can send updates of your holiday parties to all your registered guests. You can even set online calendars with the software to add a further zing to your promotional activities.

Ever thought of building a private community network with all your office colleagues and business partners? If you are to host a series of holiday parties shortly, then coming up with such a community can be a great idea. You create regular discussion forums and encourage your members to participate in them, and whenever there is a party or event you can instantly notify your members about it through this platform. This way, your parties get instant publicity, which in turn, is reflected in your registration records. To manage the community properly and collect dues and renewals in time you can also avail of the software's member management solution.

How Much Should I Pay for a Band at My Event?

When faced with the daunting task of choosing a band for your event, the choices seem to be endless, even more so, complicated. Its almost like nothing makes any sense. Make sure that you choose a band that is in the right category for the type of party you are having. Category you say? What does that mean? Isn't a band just a band? Are there really categories? Yes of course there are categories for bands, just like there are categories for many things... For example, lets say you want to rent a comedy to watch with you wife tonight, you wouldn't look at movie titles from the Horror section! And if you are having a party for your wedding reception you should be looking at bands that perform in the wedding category, makes sense right? But how do you know the difference? Its simple, see what category the band is in, and make sure they are the right fit for you... So let's explore the different types of categories starting from the lower end moving our way up to the higher end.

Category 1: Hobby Bands

These bands play for fun, mostly on weekends for their friends or family. They don't have a dress code, their gear is usually lower end, and the songs they play are typically ones that equal their level of ability. These bands aren't very career minded; don't have websites or promotional material, however they can be entertaining. They typically will jam at a party rather then put on a show for an audience. These bands are happy to show up and play for free, and if you throw in a case of beer they will love you for it!

Category 2: Bar Bands

Under this category there are 3 separate levels of bar bands that you're going to come across.

Level 1 Bar Bands:

This level is at a lower end for the bar band category. These acts are typically a soloist or duo that perform with backing tracks (pre-recorded music) or they can be just an acoustic player. They can also be a piano player or a combination. These types of acts play in smaller bars usually from 25 people up to 100 depending on the venue and the type of act. At this level a soloist may charge anywhere from $50 up to $300 if they are really good and can work with a larger audience. A duo may charge anywhere from $100 up to $400 depending on how well they can work an audience and bring patrons into the venue. These acts usually have a tip jar and take requests. There is not a great deal of pressure at this level and often these acts are easy going and work at their own pace. It can be hit and miss at this level, as some are outstanding, while others are just blend into the background while you enjoy a beer and burger at your local watering hole.

Level 2 Bar Bands:

At this level you will typically find bands in the size of a three piece and up to a five piece. These bands are a little bit more professional, they take a little more pride in how they dress and perform. Not that the "level 1" Bar Bands don't, however there is a variant of professionalism at this level then the lower one. The bands at this level will typically earn anywhere from $300 up to $1200 per night depending on their experience and their ability to work an audience. Also, their price can reflect on how busy the bar gets as well. These bands may have there own PA and Lights, however it will usually be to accommodate the type of venue which may hold 75 up to 150 guests. It should also be noted that a lot of venues at this level do have their own PA and Lights so this is more attractive to some bands, who don't want to make the financial investment to purchase their own equipment. It is at this level that the majority of people have experienced when seeing a band live, and when making a decision on choosing a band for their event. These bands can be easily found playing nightly. It's important to also mention that the vast majority of these bands are weekend part time players. They usually have day jobs or teach to supplement their income. Only a small percent of bands at this level perform full time, and in this case, may be more professional minded. It's important to also note that the majority of bands in this category are more focused on themselves, meaning, the show is all about them, and not the audience. Though, most people associate the theory of " a band is just a band" to this category, because this is the only type of band (level) they have ever really experienced. However like the movie title example earlier, there is much more available beyond your local bar band, which takes us to the next level...

Level 3 Bar Band:

This level of bar band is greatly associated with Tribute or Clone bands. Other bands at this level are specialty bands that perform music of a specific era. These bands are typically very professional and have taken the time to produce quality promotional material including videos. These acts don't play every night, however they can be found on special evenings such as a Birthday party, Halloween, or other special occasions. They will usually charge anywhere from $800 and go as high as $2,500 per night depending on how elaborate there show costumes and performance is. You may see at this level acts such as The Beatles Shows, or Elvis etc...

Category 3 Corporate Event Bands;

Corporate Event Bands? Aren't they the bands you see in the bars? NO! These skilled bands perform at Corporate Parties, Conventions, Fund Raisers, Festivals, etc... These bands usually work with specific agents or management. They are very well organized, usually always have their own PA and Lighting, dress and coordinate at a much higher level then the previous levels. They can handle logistics of equipment, travel and their promotional material is top quality. So how come you don't see corporate bands around? Well, because the events these bands perform are NOT open to the general public, this is why so many people don't even know they exist. However there are a large number of these bands around. They are business minded, and usually full time performers that have their own companies and some even cover them for health insurance. These bands can easily manage the flow of the evening, deal with special requests, and work with high pressure/profile situations. These bands are usually masters at controlling a room full of people. At this level there is no margin for error while performing, and these bands can smoothly make an event spectacular. These bands can charge anywhere from $2500 and up to $10,000 or more per night depending on the size of the group, and type of client looking to hire for the event.

Category 4 Wedding Bands:

Bands at this level have a higher level of investment on their part. They all have websites of great quality, own their own PA and Lighting, dress sharp, and are very well organized. They understand why they are hired for a wedding and create the proper atmosphere for the bride. They completely understand that there is no margin for error, and these bands take a great deal of time in rehearsing and managing the flow of the night making the bride and groom's night magical. There can be a higher level of pressure at this level because it's a once in a lifetime event, and everything must be right the first time! The sound must be great. These bands understand that the party is not about them, but about the families uniting and celebrating the joy between two people deeply in love. Bands at this level can handle complicated requests and will deal with brides and wedding planners in a very professional manner. Wedding bands charge anywhere from $3,200 to $10,000 or more per night, depending on the size of the band, their experience and ability to provide the desired environment. You can find bands in a 4 piece and even as high as a 12 piece or even higher! Remember if your getting a band that is cheaper, its not because they are a wedding band at a lower price, its because they're probably a bar band charging a higher price. It's important to know that the band you choose can provide the right atmosphere for the two uniting families, and not provide a bar band environment for your favorite niece or your silver haired grandma...

Category 5 Original Bands:

These bands, as you have already guessed, write their own music and will go out and play clubs, parties, festivals and anywhere else that people can be exposed to there music. Some also play cover songs, however there primary focus is to get their music heard. They focus on building a following so they can sell their own CD's and merchandise. These types of bands will earn anywhere from zero dollars to thousands depending on how popular they are. These bands are entrepreneurs and innovators of music, it's with much sacrifice that these bands endure and making it to the top, is certainly no easy task.

Category 6 Record Label Bands:

This to some is the holy grail of status in the music industry. These bands can be signed to recording contracts with major record labels giving the artists a significant income and fame. These bands have music videos, CD's, and tour extensively at major venues including arenas and stadiums. These bands can charge anywhere from $8,000 up to tens of thousands a night! Not bad for a nights work, however, it does come at the expense of a lifetime of preparation! It's important to note that not all recording label bands become rich and famous, it's the bands business side that may need professional consulting.

So, if you want the right band for your event, choose from the right category and you will know exactly what you are getting. When talking to a band notice the price range they offer, this will be an indication of the type of category they are in. Do you really want a hobby band performing at your next corporate event? How about a level 2 bar band at your wedding reception? Many clients have been overjoyed from there choice of a band at there party, while others who have focused solely on cost have not chosen wisely only to have there event turn in to a disaster. Seek out the right fit for your event and you'll be just fine!

Good luck!

Peter Khan is a highly acclaimed entertainer who has been performing throughout the world for over two decades. He is the Music Manager for the wedding and corporate event band, ELITE.

info@eliteshowband.com

http://www.eliteshowband.com

Cocktail Party Ideas For Summer Cocktail Parties

Summer is under way and what isn't a better time than now to throw cocktail parties. Here are some cocktail party ideas that don't take much time to produce and won't break the bank!

For starters, let's look at the cocktail party menu. Keep it light and simple. Slice chunks of various kinds of vegetables, skewer them, place the skewers in a simple marinade of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, season with salt and pepper if desired and then grill or roast the marinated skewers.

Want to mix it up a bit? For outdoor cocktail parties, stick the finished skewered vegetables in a bed of wheat grass and there you have a grilled vegetable garden! Or place the finished vegetables on a platter and decorate the platter with loose flowers such as Cymbidium orchids or Gerber daisies.

I recently attended a cocktail party where the caterer created a great cocktail party menu that included Macadamia nut crusted chicken lollipops. Other menu items can include European cheeses with dates and figs, sliced toasts and crackers.

Have some fun serving your appetizers by using a shot glass at cocktail parties. Create a conversation piece by serving either skewered shrimp with a shot glass of cocktail sauce or soups such as gazpacho or cucumber served in a shot glass. Good old-fashioned milk and cookies where the tray includes shots of cold milk with a side of mini cookies is always fun too.

And since it is summertime, for your outdoor cocktail parties it's always fun to include tray-passed mini-burgers (can be beef, turkey or veggie) and of course the all-time favorite mini-hot dogs.

Other fun cocktail party ideas include creating an all white themed summer event with a white fabric gazebo. You can rent a 10' x 10' canopy and then use sheer fabric to swag the sides of the tent. You may need to bring in a tenting company to help with the small tent but you can buy the fabric yourself to create the swags.

Add some color to your white cocktail parties with colored glass d矇cor items such as vases and marbles for your buffet display as seen in the first picture. Flowers too can be fun and colorful yet simple.

And for drinks, here are some cocktail party ideas that are refreshing and cool for the summer. One cocktail party menu idea is to make your own spa water. Just add any of the following to water and let sit for a bit:

• Fresh raspberries or strawberries
• Citrus such as lemons or oranges
• Cucumbers
• Herbs such as mint or basil

If you prefer serving alcoholic beverages for cocktail parties, think about adding to your beverage menu sangria, mohitos or flavored martinis such as lemon, cucumber or watermelon. (For some cocktail party martini recipes, look at pages 87 and 88 in Budget Bash.)

I hope you found these cocktail party ideas helpful for your summer cocktail parties. Keep your cocktail party menu fun and light and when throwing a cocktail party remember the Budget Bash mantra: make it simple, delicious, stylish, fun & economical to all!

Why to Hire Event Planning Services

Nowadays, event planning has become very popular. People hire planners to get their work done as per their requirement. This reduces stress and people can perform their day to day duties without any interference. Individuals are given education on event management and they are then hired by organizations to provide quality services to their customers. Not everyone can plan and organize an event, for this purpose event manager is available. However, it is a better option to hire the services of a well established event planning company in the Bay Area to get the best results. A well established company will have the necessary equipment and experience to make your event a real success.

Event planning companies in the Bay Area are starting to offer a number of new and exciting services because of the growing number of events in the Bay area. You can find a number of event companies and individual planners who will offer to plan and organize your event, but finding a trustworthy one is quite difficult. You need to find a company who has experience in managing all kinds of events including birthday parties, weddings, corporate events, retirement parties, etc.

A good event company will work in a certain way to fully satisfy their client's requirement. When they are hired they first get all the required information from their client and plan and perform their duties accordingly. They first need to get the right information in order to execute the work assigned to them. Everything should be mentioned by the client before the job has begun so that there is no hold up during the event.

Event planners in the Bay Area can easily be found nowadays thanks to the internet. You can visit the office of the respective organization or you can log on to their website. They know their job well and provide tips for smooth planning of an event. They study the area they are working in and ensure high performance in their area of expertise.

Event planners make a step by step preparation of the task to be performed and divide the people in teams to execute a task that they are best suited with.
Event management not only involves hosting parties but also road shows, promotional activities, etc. The basic rule of a good event management company is to keep the customers satisfied and happy. They make sure that the needs of the people are taken into consideration. They also ensure that when a party is thrown people enjoy to the fullest.

Strategic Planning in Business Today - The Importance of Incorporating Digital Media

Along with the more traditional forms of marketing, in the current business landscape, it is essential to plan strategically using digital media in your overall marketing strategy.

Digital media gives a business the ability to not only reach more people, but also to reach those people in a more time efficient manner for less money than any other type of medium available in the modern business landscape.

Digital media has the following advantages among other things:

1 - Strategic planning in digital media has the ability to create a long term strategy without long term expenditures.

Most of the money that is placed into Internet videos and other forms of content are done during the production phase. This is because the maintenance phase of digital media costs a great deal less than any other sort of media.

It does not cost anything to keep a video up on a video sharing site. Unless you as the business owner decide to take the video down, it will stay up for you and serve as a 24 hour, seven day a week public relations campaign. It can go viral at any time, creating even more PR for you without you having to spend a single dime.

2 - Online media also has the ability to incorporate itself more readily into off-line campaigns.

With many new online marketing tools, it is much easier to create off-line foot traffic through online mediums than it has ever been before. Because the major search engines have created a need for businesses to localize themselves in niche oriented markets, proper keyword optimization and digital media incorporation into a content marketing campaign will serve as another inroad into customer acquisition and customer retention.

It has never been easier to supplement an off-line marketing campaign with online marketing tools. There are more tools than ever before, both paid and free.

3 - Digital media gives companies the opportunity to try out new strategies and analyze results in real time.

There is no other medium that gives a business the ability to see the results of a campaign in real time. Online reviews can be given to a company while the customer is still in the store. Multivariate marketing campaigns can be tested within a matter of minutes and optimized on-the-fly to give a boost to short term and seasonal marketing campaigns. These strategies can then be tweaked without having to restart marketing campaigns for large amounts of money.

Event Planning Companies for Both Personal and Professional Parties

Time has gone when parties or events were limited to dinners only; today parties include everything from dance, music to the final dinner parties. Most of the people celebrate parties in their own style and want to make it as exclusive as they can through their creative mind sets and out-of-the-box intuitive thinking. However, in order to execute everything in style and status, people need someone that can handle tedious tasks easily. Event management companies are playing a bigger role in planning and organizing events in a custom format manner. They provide necessary information to the hosts and help them to arrange everything from music, dance, and decor to the photographers.

Unquestionably, event management companies and their party planners themselves come forward to transform events and make them above normal. Today, event management companies not only arrange things for parties, but also help in promotional activities. For corporate events, companies play a vital role and arrange for the important marketing and promotional activities from invitation card distribution to the email promotion.

Event planners offer their services in an inclusive manner and determined to provide a vast range of services that needs professional touch of extensive activities. Their professionally trained and qualified event specialists handle such promotional events which require ideal strategic planning, party resources, human resource as well as transportation.

When you hire an event management firm, you can be completely stress-free as your responsibilities are shifted dramatically to it. It significantly reduces the burden and helps you to think more. It is always good to hire professional team for mega corporate events, as it becomes highly difficult to arrange from decor, lighting, dinner to advertising and arranging for transportation activities. They apply their creative and intuitive ideas that can turn out to be a profitable venture for the hosting company. In fact, it is good to take full advantage of such corporate parties, as most of the managers and companies come to seek business proposals and establish business relations.

In order to revolutionize the party and make it more meaningful for guests, it is good for the corporate giants to hire expert event planners. Only they can make the elements amazing and truly wonderful. They can even plan weddings, engagement parties, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and a great range of other private and corporate events. They regularly organize events and involve in production and coordination that make sure that each event they produce is an outstanding success. They know that events are important and stressful. With that in mind, they make sure that nothing is left to chance to avoid any unwanted and expected surprises!

Their teams can manage everything from complex corporate parties to the backyard birthday parties. If you want to establish your brand then also it is the best option to consider. You can uniquely position your brand in the market and overpower your competitors.

Keep Your Event Participants Engaged Until Event Day

Collecting and managing your event participant data is only half the battle. The key to hosting a great event is to keep your participants' excitement level rising steadily from date of registration to the day they show up to your event. If event registration opens 3, 4, or 5 months prior to the event date, expect that some registrants may get preoccupied at the office or with daily life and lose that feeling of exhilaration they experienced when signing up for the event. Keeping in contact with your participants on a regular basis will build anticipation and ensure they show up to the event ready to have a great time.

You should shop around for a fully automated event management system that enables you to schedule your follow-up emails to be sent out automatically on the date you choose with the custom content you want to deliver. Some ideas for follow-up email content could be:

* Inviting the registrant to visit your event website for more event information.
* Announcements of new event merchandise for sale with a link to your online registration form for purchase.
* Training tips
* Testimonials from last year's event participants
* Results or video from last year's event
* Reminders of where and when to pick up your race packet
* A final email including last minute updates to the event schedule and weather forecast.

These are only a few examples of email content that has worked well for event organisers I have worked with at The Active Network. Our best advice would be to get creative!

Should You Enforce The Use of Corporate Clothing at Your Office Christmas Party?

When it comes to the office Christmas party, many individuals focus their attention on the word "party," completely ignoring "office." This can cause major difficulties during the event. When you are organizing a Christmas office party for your employees, you need to be concerned about what your employees are wearing to the event if you want to avoid potential attire blunders.

Corporate Clothing and Your Office Christmas Party

Without a metaphorical line in the sand, your employees may arrive in attire totally unsuitable for the occasion. They may try to show off a little bit of skin, or get overly excited about the holiday and appear decked out in reindeer sweaters and Santa hats. While this type of clothing may work well for a neighbourhood Christmas gathering, they do not keep up the professional appearance of the office, especially if your office is also entertaining corporate clients.

By enforcing a corporate clothing dress code, you can help your employees avoid these common clothing mistakes, and make the most of the party. Your workers may not realize it, but the annual holiday party will be attended everyone, including their superiors. If you allow for a casual appearance, the mood of the party may be a little too casual as well, leading to too much drinking and inappropriate behaviour their superiors will remember for a long time.

When you are attempting to enforce your Christmas office party dress code, there are a couple of steps you can take to ensure everyone in the office remembers to dress appropriately.

• Have The Party In The Office - If you can set aside a few hours during the workday for a Christmas party, your employees will have no choice but to wear their typical corporate attire. For some businesses, however, this may not be feasible, and it does not allow for spousal attendance.


• Send Out A Memo - A couple of memos would be best actually. When you first send out a memo, informing your employees of the office party, make sure you mention they must wear their corporate clothing. The day of or the day before the party, send out another memo with a friendly reminder of what they are expected to wear.


• Hold a Meeting - Some of your employees may not understand the benefits of wearing corporate attire to the Christmas party. If you hold a meeting, you can listen to their concerns and inform them of the many advantages their regular work clothes will bring.


• Reward Them For The Correct Attire - If you are unsure your employees will adhere to your clothing guidelines, or you are also allowing their spouses to attend the party, consider rewarding them for appropriate attire. For instance, you could make sure they know they will only be eligible for the office Christmas raffle if both your employees and their spouses are wearing the right clothing. Who would pass up a chance to win a big screen TV or a day at the spa just to wear a skin tight dress or jeans?

When it comes to the office Christmas party, make sure your employees focus their attention on the word "office" and wear their corporate clothing.

Event Planning - 10 Commandments For An Event Planner

To be among the best event planners, there are many hints and ideas that one can use. However, it is essential that a really good event planner pays attention to all the finer aspects of the event process and is able to offer the best possible event setup that the client could expect. This could cause a lot of disruption to your regular activity schedule, but as a good event planner it is essential that such sacrifices are made.

1. The first and foremost thing that an event planner should do is getting to know the best local suppliers. It is good to keep good contact with as many suppliers as possible so as to offer several options to your clients. Note that, when you have suppliers who are the best, it will give an edge to your reputation.

2. Always give many options to your clients. They should be able to choose from at least a dozen vendors whom you work with regularly so that your clients can choose based on their needs. Giving clients some options makes them feel more involved.

3. You have to give some thought about the kind of events that will be planning for. They can range from small dinner parties to extravagant wedding affairs and you have to develop creative ideas so as to bring some life into the event. There are many trends and specific signature styles coming up each day, but continuous research will keep you with terms on what is the latest.

4. In the event of a multicultural wedding, you should understand both the cultures that shall be presented at the wedding. You will be able to better understand the traditions to be honored.

5. The location of your office is a major issue. It has to give the impression of good business and also enhance the comfort of your clients. Good office space is a sure shot way to improve your clientele.

6. Effective communication is of utmost importance for an event planner. You have to understand the acceptable standards with regular review with your clients. Keep in mind that the party is about the client and that his needs are more important than your thought.

7. A good way of enhancing your reputation is by keeping ties with satisfied previous clients. Refer them to your benefit but always ask before doing so. This way will give your clients a much better idea of your services.

8. You may request your client if you could capture some snap shots of the event so that you could give future clients a better idea of your capabilities. This will surely enhance the chance of you getting hired on the spot.

9. Discuss with your client on the details of a suitable budget before contacting suppliers. This will lead to more effective communication between you and you suppliers and clients. It is possible to offer the best solutions to suit any budget. If you can plan an event to very good standards within a really small budget, you will surely be recommended to many other people. In an event, the most important factors are cost and design.

10. Finally, create a personality that is comfortable to everyone. They should be able to interact freely with you and tell you exactly what they want. You should be able to handle things collectively and make the whole process fun filled for your clients. The way you handle the process and your overall attitude will make a huge difference in your growth as a successful event planner.