Finding Event Management Jobs

Various event management jobs employ approximately 57,000 professionals throughout the US. Employment for event planning is available in different industries such as religious organizations, non-profits, or government agencies. 14% of all event management careers are in the hotel industry. Roughly 6% of professional event planners work as independent contractors, and the remaining ones work for educational institutions or independent event planning agencies. Event planning is also a popular career option throughout the UK.

Event planning affords the opportunity to work in a wide variety of areas. Professional event planners on both sides of the pond typically stage large scale events such as:

* Industry trade shows

* Music festivals

* Conferences

* Product launch events

* Charity fundraising events

Event Management Salaries

The average event planner's salary is around $45,000 per year on average. Some planners with several years of industry experience can earn up to $75,000 with some hard work and dedication. These specific salary figures are comparable for both the US and the UK. Some supervisory event planning jobs can have slightly higher salaries in some cases. Common college or university degrees that can be helpful for event planning include:

* Public relations

* Business communications

* Hotel management

Some event managers enter this career field from other unrelated areas or even without a formal college education. They can usually gain the needed experience on the job and while learning from more experienced planners. Good speaking and writing skills are especially helpful for event planning as well. Event management professionals also need to be able to work in busy, fast-paced environments and interact with many different people. Prior supervisory or management experience can also be a plus. Common entry level positions for these types of event planners include assistants and sale representatives. These jobs often come with basic responsibilities, although they can be valuable experiences for learning about this industry from the ground up. As with many types of career areas, building a good network of contacts can be helpful for future employment.

Applying for an Event Management Job

Event management jobs are often fairly easy to obtain with prior experience and references. A college degree in a related field is usually helpful in many cases. Many event planners gain their first practical experience with school internships. A good event planning resume includes information such as the names of past events and data measuring the numbers of attendees from one year to the next. Increases in attendance are particularly good indicators of a seasoned professional. Aspiring event planners without formal career experience can often create effective resumes by listing their past job positions and describing how this experience is relevant for event planning. Recommendations from past supervisors are also indications of a strong candidate for an event planning job position.

Embark on an Exciting Party Spree With Creative Party Invitations

Throwing a party for any special occasions is very common these days. Some people like to send specialized invitations to their parties. Whether it is a simple get together at your house or wedding party, you want to lure the people with invitations. There are a lot of exciting and appealing ways in which you can invite people to your party. Creative ways of party invitations are getting very popular. A number of websites offer specialized service in this area. You can choose from a number of predefined party invitations or create your own.

Parties on special occasions

Many of us like to throw parties on special occasions like birthday, wedding, movie nights and game nights. It is essential that you plan your invitations in a proper manner. An invitation acts as a bridge between the host and the guests. This is one of the main reasons why you should take care of the invitations. With predefined designs and templates, you can choose from a number of options. Events like bachelor of bachelorette parties demand special invitations so one must keep in mind the whole idea behind inviting the people. If the invitation is catch and enduring, it lures the guests to come to your party and makes them feel welcomed. Party invitations play an important role in creating a good rapport.

Planning your work

Personalized daily planner provides great help in managing daily activities. It is the perfect way to stay connected with important things your life. Planners also provide a perfect way to organize your life in a much better manner. Wedding planners have a very important role to play before the wedding. You can manage your wedding with the help of this planner by writing specific notes and things to do. These planners contain sections like checklists and remainders to keep you on your foot. Some planners also provide ideas to plan the wedding. Calendar notebook is another type of personalized daily planner. It helps you in managing your professional and personal life in easy manner. You can write down the telephone numbers, addresses, birthdays and anniversaries of your friends. Day planner comes in different formats. You can use them weekly or monthly. It helps in managing commitments, appointments and meetings efficiently. These planners also have a specialized section in which you can jot down important notes and tasks that have to be done on high priority.

How to Organise a Charity Walk Or Run

Charity events in any form are always popular, but increasingly, many organisations are choosing to recruit their fundraisers through more interactive events such as walks and runs. A charity walk or run is not only a healthy way for your participants to raise money for a good cause, but also a very visible way of publicising your charitable cause to the community.

If a charity run or walk seems like a good fit for your organisation, here is an overview of some things you may want to keep in mind when planning the event.

THE PLANNING PHASE

Choosing a Route
When planning a mass participation event such as a walk or run it is important that you first take some time to carefully consider the route your participants will be following. Your choice of route will play a central roll in other decisions you make concerning resources, staff size, security, transportation, volunteers, signage, and ultimately the satisfaction of your participants.

When mapping out the course, first determine the type of event you would like to hold. Most fundraising events try to be as inclusive as possible because, simply put, more fundraisers translates into more donations for your cause! If your goal is to be as inclusive as possible that means you want people of all ages and physical abilities to be able to participate in your event. That said, when choosing your route it is a good idea to not only look at a map but get out there and actually walk the course yourself. When surveying the road, pay attention to elevation gain, traffic, road conditions, and any other factors that could potentially make participating in your event strenuous for the less physically able. You may also benefit from contacting a local running or walking club for suggestions of routes that may fit your participant's ability levels. Some common route distances for charity events are 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon.

Safety

Participant safety is something to strongly consider when mapping out your route. How much traffic travels along your route? Are there adequate pedestrian lanes that will keep your participants a safe distance from the traffic? Does your route require that your participants cross any especially busy streets? Is any stretch of your route undergoing construction? Will the course be open to the public making it easy for non-registered people to come in contact with your participants? Asking yourself these questions will help you chart your course around any potential hazards and allow your participants to have a fun, care-free experience on event day.

Transportation
When choosing the location of your route, also keep participant and spectator access to transportation in mind. If you want crowds of spectators to turn out and easy access to the event for your participants, make sure that the course is in close proximity to public transportation and parking for those who have automobiles. If your event is not in a metropolitan area, it may be a good idea to hire busses and choose some meet up locations where people can catch a ride to the event site.

Resources and Staff
The number of participants and spectators you expect on event day as well as length of course are the two main factors that will determine the size of your volunteer staff and resources needed. Here is a list of items commonly used by event walking and running events:

• Two way radios


• Rope, tape and cones for course marking


• Signage for start and finish areas


• Signage for services and support areas


• Portable toilets


• Trash cans


• Food


• Water


• Tents


• Tables


• Stage for awards ceremony


• PA system


• Generator

Looking at your course map, you will be able to strategically position your water stops, trash cans, portable toilets, concessions stands and so on. When placing these resources, keep in mind that many people will want to gather around in the finish/celebration area after the event so you may need additional resources in that area. When planning for food and water for your participants, you may want to ask a local market to sponsor the event in the way of donated oranges, bananas and water that you can position along the course. For your spectator concession stands, you will need to determine what types of food you will sell and if you will need to prepare or cook food on site. There are many companies that you can hire to staff and prepare food at your concession stands or you could use your volunteers. In either case you should check to see if you need a special permit to sell or prepare food for the public.

Legalities of a Charity Walk or Run
Speaking of special permits, there are several legalities to consider when planning a charity walk or run. Now that you have chosen your route, have you looked to see if you need permission to use this planned route? You may need to speak with the local council or the person who owns the land. Have you checked to make sure there are no other events planned on your route come event day? Have you obtained liability insurance for your event? Ideally, your insurance should cover any medical problems that occur during the event as well as damage to the land and surrounding property. With the size of event you are expecting, are you required to schedule police presence or request road closures? Do you have permission from the organisation you are raising money for to use their logo and name?

Considering every city, town, or district have their own set of regulations, how you address them will depend on local law and requirements. What we highlighted above are only some of the larger items you should investigate. We would suggest contacting your local council for more information.

FINDING PARTICIPANTS

Marketing
Now that you picked an event location and have all of the necessary approvals and permits, its time to start spreading the word! Traditional event marketing consists of mail, tv, radio, newspaper advertisements and signs posted up about town. These methods can be effective, reach large audiences, and should be looked into but they can come at a high cost. Don't let that get you down though - the internet has spawned many highly targeted, low-cost, and sometimes free marketing channels that are ideal for creating a buzz about your charity event. Here is a list of some web marketing options that you may want to consider:

Build a website - This is a must. Nowadays, any successful event has an official website where they can direct the public, media and interested sponsors for more information.

Facebook, Twitter, Social Media - There are countless online communities and fan pages out there that are filled with people passionate about the same cause you are raising money for. Get involved with these people and immerse yourself in the online conversation. Build a Facebook Fan Page or Twitter page for your event, invite your new online friends and encourage them to recruit their friends to get involved for the cause.

Paid Search Advertising - Google and other search engines allow you to bid on keyword phrases and place an ad at the top of their search results. Try bidding on keywords such as "London charity events" or "London fundraising run". Create compelling ad copy and entice the user to click through to your official event website for more information.

Submit Your Event to an Online Events Calendar - There are many websites that will give you a free event listing on their online calendar. Submit your event profile to as many of these as possible and make sure to include a link back to your website in the description.

Email Advertising - Does your organisation already have a list of members who subscribe to your monthly newsletter or email announcements? Send your contact list an attractive HTML email with information about your event and a link to your. Make sure to include "share" buttons in your emails to make it easy for the recipient to pass it on to a friend. Also, on your website, Facebook page and Twitter page, include a feature where the visitor can join your mailing list.

Participant Registration

Something important to consider from the start of the planning phase is how you will collect contact information, entry fees, and fundraising commitments from people who want to participate. Until recently, most events collected participant data and entry fees in person in the event office with a paper registration form. To streamline the staff workload that comes along with paper-based registration, you may want to find a technology provider that specialises in event management software and online event registration. An integrated online event management system will allow you to build a custom online registration form, link to that form from your website, and collect your participant contact data online. We would suggest that the technology you choose include a merchant gateway integrated with the registration form so that you can seamlessly and securely collect payment online during the registration process. Depending on your technology provider, the data collected on an online registration form should be captured and stored in a database that you can log into, manage the data, run reports, email participants and process cancellation refunds if needed.

Examples of questions that could be included on a charity walk registration form are:

• Name


• Address


• Email


• Phone


• Age


• Gender


• Emergency Contact


• Shirt size (if you are offering a free shirt with the entry fee)


• How did you hear of this event?


• Number of times you have participated in this event


• Team Name (if you are offering team fundraising)


• What is your fundraising goal?


• What distance will you walk?


• Will you be attending the pre-event celebration dinner?

If you hope to grow the size of your email database, it is very important that you make the Email question compulsory so that every online registration has an email address associated with it in your database. You will be able to use this email to send out reminder emails about changes to the event schedule or important notices about fundraising. Any fully integrated online event management system will also need the email address to send out an automatic confirmation email letting the registrant know that their payment has been accepted and spot saved for event admission.

Fundraising Tools

Some more advanced event management systems include an online fundraising platform that you can integrate with your online registration form. What's great about this is that every person who registers online will automatically have an online fundraising website created for them. The fundraiser can customise their website, ad images, set a fundraising goal, blog about their progress and training for the event, and communicate with their donors. The donor can visit the fundraising site and make an online donation with their credit card at which point the donation amount is added to the fundraisers goal total and money is sent to the charitable organisation. Many organisations are moving their fundraising efforts completely online because the general consensus is that people are likely to donate more if they are able to do it online from the comfort of their own home.

Communication up until event day

The key to a successful event is to steadily build the registrant's excitement and anticipation from the day they register all the way up until they arrive on event day. Participants that register months prior to the event may loose interest or slow down their fundraising efforts if they are not engaged and encouraged on a regular basis. This is where collecting your registrations online will be very useful. Since you have a database of registrants including their email address, you will be able to send out reminder emails and keep the communication going up until the event. Some content ideas for a weekly newsletter could be:

Updates and special announcements of developments to the event schedule or added entertainment
Fundraising Tips
News and articles from the organisation your event will be raising money for
A training plan for those getting in shape for the event
Special contests for the post-event awards ceremony
Free prizes and incentives for those participants that recruit friends to join the cause

You should also send one final email to your registrants 2-3 days before the event including:

• Event start time


• Instructions on how and where to check in upon arrival


• Schedule of events


• Reminder to bring extra money if they want to buy merchandise or food at the celebration party


• Summary of prizes that will be awarded to the top fundraisers


• The cost of late registration if anyone wants to bring a friend to the event


• Weather forecast so that people dress appropriately


• List of hotels in the area for anyone who plans to stay the night

AFTER THE EVENT

You and your staff may be exhausted after the long build-up to a successful event but believe it or not, you should already be thinking about next year's event! Considering everyone had a great time, send out a follow-up email and offer your registrants a discounted rate for next year's event if they register for it now. Or offer them a "returning participant" coupon that they can use when you activate next year's online registration form. Another smart thing to do is send an online survey out to your participants and ask them what they liked and what can be improved upon for next year's event. You can offer your participants a free gift or registration discount if they complete the form for you. This participant feedback is extremely valuable and will help you get a sense of the participant experience on the ground that many event organisers are so often shielded from on event day with so many administrative tasks to juggle.

The Changing Marketing Department

The traditional marketing department focused on brand management, advertising and communications, event management (tradeshows, lead generation etc.) coupled with Product Management with ownership of the product across all sales channels.

If your marketing department still sits with these roles you are likely part of the old school and you are likely going to be replaced by a new roles and responsibilities you may also not be very comfortable with.

While traditional media such as TV, newspapers, magazines and radio advertising continues to drop the new media advertising requiring a very different skill sets such as banner ads, PPC advertising, mobile and social media continues to grow.

The modern Marketing department should probably be renamed to customer relationship management and analytics department. The new roles in the Marketing departments are typically:

(1) Social media management. The rapid fire and free language of social media is very different from the traditionally carefully analyzed advertising process and the skill sets are very different requiring a good understanding of do's and dont's in this social media world. A simple answer written to one individual and delivered in a few minutes without any formal internal reviews process may be read by millions of potential customers. One bad move and a large number of customers can be lost. The freestyling methods requires a special skill set of enormous importance.

(2) Web marketing / lead generation and channel management. The modern marketing department has responsibility for keyword analytics for PPC, banner advertising (for quality sites which properly represent the brand) as well as channel relationship management to make sure you are effectively using and branding your company on partner sites.

(3) Data Quality Management. With the amount of data from social media, web analytics and complexity of customer master data now available to the Marketing department the responsibility in managing the data quality does not only lie with the IT department but also the Marketing department.

(4) Marketing Data analytics (Big Data). The marketing department is now a key consumer of Big Data and new data sources and is starting to employ data scientists to crunch through the large amounts of information becoming available to generate new leads, improved personalized service/offerings and analysis of complex web marketing strategies and campaigns. The traditional saying that "only 50% of advertising is effective but the problem is that we don't know which 50%" can to a greater extent be gone. With careful comple analysis of the data the effectiveness of campaigns can be better understood.

(5) Search Engine Optimization and Blog management. The Marketing department (not the IT department) should own the responsibility for Search Engine Optimization as more and more the strength of search engine ranking is made through social media, web content and interactive communications with other web media outlets.

If your marketing department are missing these responsibilities you are likely missing out on significant opportunities which can be had in this new media world. If your competitors are effectively using these techniques and methods you are quickly ending up with a competitive disadvantage.

Outdoor Movies: Finding The Right Equipment Provider So You Can Have a Successful Movie Event

Outdoor movie events on inflatable movie screens re-create the experience of the old drive-in movie. With today's new technology of inflatable movie screens and portable high-powered projectors, an open air cinema event can be hosted at any outdoor venue. Movie night events are becoming popular for organizations such as schools, churches, businesses and cities. Finding the right equipment provider to produce your movie night event is essential so that your organization produces an event that it is well received by your audience and is stress free to organize.

Before you hire an audio/visual company for your movie night event, you need to know that there are two kinds of companies that produce outdoor movie events:

1.) The first kind of company that produces events are: DJ, Bounce House rental companies, and people who think it showing flicks outdoors is fun as a side businesses to their actual full-time employment.

• Typically these kind of outdoor movie providers carry no insurance, or say they have insurance, but it does not cover outdoor movie event productions.


• These kind of companies typically hire people with NO particular skill set to work their outdoor movie events.


• Equipment from these kind of providers are inexpensive, usually is not commercial grade (but rather equipment meant for personal use) or that is under-powered for an outdoor movie setting. Their equipment is really ment for indoor movie events.

2.) The second type of company that produces outdoor movie events are full-time businesses that specialize only in outdoor cinema productions.

• Professional companies that produce movie events outdoors will use theatrical grade screen surfaces, professional grade video and audio sound systems. Cinema production companies equipment include HD digital projectors and high-definition sound systems.


• Employees of professional cinema companies typically have background in working with stage and audio-visual equipment and often work in the film industry.


• Full time outdoor cinema productions companies will carry General Liability Insurance for exactly what they do which is outdoor movie events.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS FOR HIRING A COMPANY TO PRODUCE YOUR MOVIE EVENT OUTDOORS.

Ask the following questions to the company you are looking to hire:

- Do you carry insurance and how much insurance do you carry?

Request a copy of the provider's insurance and call the insurance agency listed on the paper. Find out if the business is covered for outdoor movie events or is the provider list as something else.

- How do I obtain a movie license?

Beware of a companies that tell you do NOT need a movie license for outdoor movie events in public. These providers are asking you to break copyright laws. Via copyright laws all outdoor movie showings require a public performance license to be purchased, except for events shown in your backyard for personal use.

- What brand of screen do you use?

Currently there are only three professional manufacturers of inflatable movie screens: AIRSCREEN, Open Air Cinema and EPIC. If a provider can not name their equipment then they do not know a lot about what they are doing. The brand of screen that is being used will both effect the presentation of your movie and safety of your event.

- What type of screen surface are you using?

Professional grade screen surfaces will use theatrical grade surfaces, just like in the movie theater. Quality of the screen is measured in gain. Screen surfaces should be highly reflective so to produce a bright and colorful picture image. Big-box store and inexpensive screens will have a cloth or plastic surface that is see-through and not very reflective which will produce a dull or poor image quality.

- What type of sound and projection are you using?

Most companies will claim they are using state-of-the-art audio or video, but when was it state-of-the-art? Equipment that was top quality 5 years ago, is not top quality today.

- Do you maintaining your projectors? Are you changing the projector bulbs regularly?

Bulbs that are not changed in projectors will get dull over time and effect the image quality at your show.

- How do you measure your screen size?

Is one companies 50' inflatable screen the same as another companies 35' inflatable screen? Do they measure the screen surface or frame? Are they measuring their inflatable movie screen on the diagonal, width or height? These are important questions to ask when comparing screen systems.

- Can you provide references for the last 3 events you produced?

Professional outdoor movie providers should be able to provide references of the last three shows that they produce, not just a select list of references that may be old. Also ask to see pictures of actual events that company has produced.

Gifts Corporate Professionals Will Appreciate

When one is searching for gifts corporate businesses can present to their clients or customers, one would need to select products very carefully. There are several issues that need to be kept in mind when choosing corporate promotional gifts.

First and foremost, one should understand the purpose of giving out corporate promotional items. The basic idea is for clients and customers to keep the brand name and business in mind. Thus, it is important to choose gifts for corporate clients that will be used frequently, and not left in a corner, gathering dust. This takes food items that would be consumed quickly and breakables that may not last for long, off one's list of gifts. Similarly, it is best to choose gifts for corporate clients and partners that can be used year-long. Utility is a key feature that should be kept in mind when buying corporate promotional gifts.

Some popular gifts for corporate clients include clothing that bears the business name, picture frames, organizers, pen stands, writing instruments, pen drives, journals and golf accessories. It is a good idea to choose gifts corporate businesses can be closely associated with. They should feature the business logo, colors and name.

When one is looking for the perfect corporate promotional item, it is vital to keep in mind the audience that would receive such gifts. Demographics, such as the age group of the people who will receive the gifts, are very important. The occasion or venue for which the gifts are bought is also crucial. If one is buying gifts for a promotional event such as a trade fair, one will be giving them away in large numbers. On the other hand, gifts corporate businesses will like to present select clientage on special occasions, such as the festive season, will be quite unique and distinct.

The budget for the corporate promotional gifts will play a key role in the type of products and brands that one can choose from. An online survey would reveal many retailers who offer competitive prices for corporate items. It is important to high quality products as the business will be closely identified by its corporate gifts. There are many products that one can select from and will be suitable for one's budget. Shopping in bulk can bring down the price of one's shopping.

Buying corporate gifts online is fast, easy and convenient. Promotional product industry is growing rapidly online and it give more options and competitive pricing to business. No matter what corporate gift you decide on make sure appeals to your target audience.

Special Event Planning Tip: Cupcakes

When you think of cupcakes, you might envision what I do. Cheap frosting piled upon dry cake that was placed on your table during the holidays while the adults got pumpkin pie and delicious desserts. Who would even bother serving them? They just wind up in the garbage can along with your wasted money. Not anymore!

In the past few years, cupcakes have earned their place at the adult table, making the transition from child's birthday parties to weddings and corporate events. Why you ask? Simply put: they allow freedom of choice and they are less inexpensive than their towering counterparts. Plus, who doesn't look good eating a cupcake?

These days, more and more brides are opting for cupcake displays instead of the traditional wedding cake. They allow the guests easier access to the sweet treats while providing more variety. It's hard for a cake to house six different flavors, but cupcakes can pack a wallop of flavors, especially if done right. Gone are the days of waxy frosting and sandy cake creations and in are the gourmet cupcake: premium ingredients (such as Madagascar Vanilla and high quality dark chocolate), fresh baked and portable. Cupcakes also allow you to cater to individuals who have food allergies or preferences; many bakeries offer dairy free, vegan options. Brides are even using them as party favors, placing them in inexpensive gift boxes to send home with guests.

Cupcakes are really simple and cheap to make. If you are cost conscious, like many people are these days, cupcakes offer pint size sugar fixes without sacrificing. On average, cupcakes can cost up to 50% less than a cake. Some other benefits that are often overlooked? They are much easier to transport, making delivery costs less in some places and they are great on short notice. Friends dropping by for dessert or coffee tonight? No problem. Everyone loves a great cupcake!

So the next time you are planning a get together, try looking up a local bakery that offers these treats in foodie pleasing flavors. In Orange County, my personal favorites are the ever-popular Sprinkles in Newport Beach, Casey's Cupcakes in Laguna Beach and Riverside (inside The Mission Inn), and The Perfect Circle Cupcakery in Old Towne Orange. Each one even has seasonal flavors, including pumpkin and candy cane, plus a few unexpected ones like banana and orange flavors. Perfect for those last minute holiday get-togethers!!

Credit Crunch Solutions For Corporate Events

The credit crunch has had a far reaching effect across almost all sectors of the business world. This has left employers facing a difficult problem: How do you maintain the morale and loyalty of your workforce whilst also keeping costs to a minimum and also satisfying the 'green police' who look over all aspects of corporate spending and frown when extra costs on things like travel are expended?

Is it worth it?

In almost all areas of life, it is remarkable how much difference a little perk or benefit can result in a much greater return of loyalty than the item actually cost to give.

When times are hard however it is all too easy to cut back on these little extras without realising the knock on effect it could be having.

Holding back on the perks means that employees can expect little reward for their hard work and diligence.

Interestingly, there are many companies also using the excuse of the credit crunch to cut back on perks but not necessarily to save money. Banks have been well known to cut perks to give employees the impression the company is under financial pressure. The theory is that this leads the employee to work harder to ensure that their salary is more secure.

With a little creativity however a company can beat the credit crunch and still enjoy the perks they were used to.

What are the options?

Traditionally companies have shied away from expensive but short lived events such as:

• Days out at Ascot, Wimbledon, Henley Regatta, Premiership Football


• Corporate golf days / motorsports


• Executive yacht charter

All of which carry a certain exclusivity but offer very little in the way of team building opportunities or event 'bonding'.

Because of the dramatic change in the tourism market, new opportunities for longer, more effective corporate events have sprung up with hotel and chalet operators across the European continent especially in France, Switzerland and Italy.

Luxury accommodation has become affordable due to the demand having shrunk. This has enabled operators like Ten80 Events to offer week long fully serviced 5 star trips for a fraction of what it would have cost before the credit crunch hit.

"Our customers are increasingly aware that the standards have risen and the costs fallen and the availability of offers is like nothing they have experienced before" says Alistair Slinn of Ten80 Events.

Companies are also taking advantage of the opportunity to run a corporate event during the winter months thereby avoiding competition with the increased domestic travel experienced during the summer months.

Event Planning - Don't Forget the Branding

Planning a company event can be a daunting task. It can also be a lot of fun. Setting a date. Creating the right theme. Inviting the guests. And whether you're planning an open house or a company picnic, never waste an opportunity to promote your brand.

Choosing a Theme Most companies plan several events every year. The winter holiday party. The summer bbq. An open house with the local chamber of commerce. A dinner with your top clients. Or a fund raising event for a local charity. Whatever the event may be, make sure you take some time to think about your goals, and create an event that will achieve your goals and please your guests. Choosing the right theme is a key element for a successful event.

Setting a Budget Just as important as picking a theme is deciding upon a budget. Can you achieve the theme with your desired budget? There are plenty of ways to achieve your goals on a tight budget. One of our most successful events every year has been the company bowling party. It's also an inexpensive event that brings our staff closer together every summer.

Branding the Event From the initial invitations to the parting gifts, you will have numerous opportunities to promote your theme and your brand along the way. Remember that everything you do or say is part of your brand, and conveys a message to your guests. What message do you want to convey? Think of fun ways to invite your guests. Carry the theme and your company brand throughout the event. Serving dinner or snacks? Use custom coasters, personalized napkins or promotional cups to display your theme proudly. And if it fits in the budget, make sure everyone leaves with a branded item to remember the event.

Company events can bring your staff together, earn you new clients, and reinforce your brand. And with a little planning, it can be an event to remember.

Importance of Effective Communication for Group Leaders in the Event Planning Industry

In service industries such as event planning, the work is very hands on and on severe time restrictions before and at the day of the event as a successful party, wedding, conference, needs to be planned and the job is not done until the last person leaves the event.

If you are in a management position, you need to able to communicate your ideas effectively to carry the plans your team has decided on in time and in an orderly manner. This is true not just for the day of the event but also if an emergency occurs such as the date of the occasion being pulled back, the leaders still have to run a smooth process by telling the appropriate departments what needs to be done. In the event when you might have to do emergency conference planning for your team you need to make sure that you are delivering ideas effectively and adequately so the team understands within the least amount of time what tasks are to be completed.

If the people running the show (the main event managers) are not good at effective communication then there are high chances that the entire process of putting the show together would fall apart. Hence, any person looking into getting in with a career in event planning not only needs to consider organization, creativity, and effective time management but also needs to learn how to deliver his or her own ideas in ways that other people can easily comprehend and carry out.

Unleashing the Power of Internet to Find Corporate Events Organiser

As the outsourcing buzz continues spreading, more and more organizations are seeing the light in it, and making a decision to outsource their 'non-core' functions - things which are best done by the folks who specialize in doing them - so that they can concentrate on their 'core' business, as we always put it. And in line with outsourcing non core functions, if you are an Irish firm organizing a given corporate event, or an organization outside Ireland considering taking an upcoming corporate event (like a 'company out' or a 'fun day') to Ireland, then chances are that you will soon be shopping for a firm specializing in organizing corporate events in Ireland, because attempting to do that yourself could leave you with 'burnt fingers.' After all, the firms that specialize in organizing corporate events in Ireland have that as their core business and they are therefore more likely to know efficient ways of going about it (as a function of their experience, at least) than you could ever do.

Opinion on whether the Internet is the best place to go shopping for the ideal Irish corporate events organizer might be divided, but there is no denying that the Internet does make for free flow of information regarding what each of the events organizers in Ireland has to offer, and leveraging on this information availed to you through the power of the Internet increases the chances of your event ending up in the hands of the ideal Irish corporate events organizer.

Now in days gone by, looking for anything through the Internet was an arduous activity, as the search engines we had in the past were really clumsy. To find anything really, one needed to cram and remember the web addresses, also called URLs of the various firms they were considering in their search and manually type in the internet address of each firm and compare it with the others to finally get to the best. Thankfully the Internet search engages have progressively refined their techniques over the years, to an extent where you can now access the websites of all corporate events organizers in Ireland by entering the simple search term 'corporate events Ireland' in your favorite search engine.

A search term like 'corporate events Ireland' is likely to give you tons of hits, so many in fact, that you could get overwhelmed. To mitigate this overwhelm factor for which the Internet is often blamed, you could consider refining your search to something more manageable like 'team building Ireland' if the corporate event you have in mind is a team building excursion, or to consider an even more refined search term like 'offroad driving Ireland' if the exact team building activity you intent to engage in as part of your team building corporate event in Ireland is offroad driving. Generally, the more refined your Internet search, the easier a time you will have in shifting through the results it yields and from them working out who could be the ideal provider for the service you are looking for could be.

Benefits of Using an Online Reporting System

Creating company reports manually on paper can take a lot of your time and energy. It also results in high expenses and requires involvement of substantial workforce. Besides, the reports are also needed to be updated on a daily basis. One of the most efficient ways of coming out of this problem of report creation and management is to use an online web reporting platform. These programs are expected to save your time and enable you create and update an unlimited number of reports at your convenience.

The benefits of using an online reporting system are listed below:

Easy Access - The Cloud-based reports provide the opportunity of accessing them anytime and from anywhere. Management no longer needs to wait for the weekly reviews, as the reports are always available online.

No Hardware or Software Installation - You do not require installing any hardware or software to use the system. No monthly subscription fee is needed as well. What you need is only an internet connection to open the online reporting portal and start creating customized reports.

Cost-effective - This type of reporting service is highly cost-effective as well as eco-friendly, as it does not involve the use of paper. You will get to save cost on papers, stamps, stationery, and so on. Moreover, this reporting system helps to reduce the manpower needed to do the work.

Real-time Feedback - After the completion of an event or workshop, you can immediately make reports and provide feedback to the participants.

Flexible Reporting Option - Companies can create customized reports at their free will. They can add or delete data as and when required. You can thus generate, download, and print different kinds of reports to guide your company's decision making.

Easy Photo Uploading Option - Enterprises can easily upload photos of different sizes on the reporting file. This helps all your quantitative and qualitative reports to be kept in one place.

Storage Facility - You can produce informative reports anytime to enable access by anyone or selective people in future. Simple reports containing data ranging from employee contact details to highly confidential reports outlining the company strategies can be stored securely using this web-based reporting system. Reports can be kept safe and password-protected for restricted access.

Instant Report Sending Facility -You do not have to wait for days to get a report. The Cloud-based reporting solution helps you send and receive reports on sales, wait lists' check-in' monthly or semi-monthly activity statements, and so on in minutes through emails or faxes.

Thus, utilize the online reporting system to save quality time and reduce workload in your next meeting, seminar, or trade show. This web-based reporting portal provides a highly scalable and comprehensive program for all your events and activities of any size and complexity.

Let Email Invites Increase Your Event Registration

Over the past few years, the increased dependence on email communication has made it an important strategy to increase your event attendance. At present, a large number of event organizers are using email tools to send invitations and RSVPs to the attendees effortlessly, without investing a lot of time and money. With the introduction of online event registration, this form of communication is rapidly gaining ground among the organizers. Experts believe that in the present scenario, email invitations have become a crucial strategy to increase your event's attendance. However, you need to know the fundamentals of an effective email campaign properly to make it work for your event.

Subject Line of the Email

The subject line is the most important part of an email campaign, as it will instantly grab your reader's attention or deter them. Moreover, your email's subject line will help you get through the spam filters. Hence, it should be descriptive and catchy enough to define your purpose and attract readers' attention instantly. For example, a subject line, like "Registration for the 2012 Chess Championship is Now Open" sounds better than "2012 Chess Championship Registration".

Secondly, to get through the spam filters, you have to avoid some specific words, such as 'Free', '$$$', 'Save', 'Discount', and so on in your email campaign.

Choose Images Carefully

Choosing an appropriate image and its proper placement is extremely important. Getting your message out with adequate text and appropriate images can help you create a positive impact on your target audience. It increases the chances of getting more potential attendees register for your event.

A Well-framed Email Copy

A well-written email copy is one of the most important parts of an effective email campaign. Try to define the purpose of writing the email clearly to your readers. You have to make your readers understand why they should attend your event and how it is going to benefit them. In short, you have to keep your audience engaged through a well-written email copy.

Effective Call to Action

An engaging Call to Action is extremely necessary for a successful email campaign; yet, it has always been the most overlooked part. A clear and concise "Call to Action" is likely to help your readers understand what they are expected to do next. To make your "Call to Action" button more creative, you can insert an image there.

Before sending your email campaign out, check carefully if it has all these basic elements in it or not.

Tips For Smooth Trade Show Booth Set-Up And Removal

Any time you attend a new venue or need to have your trade show booth set up in a location you aren't familiar with, it's best to work carefully with the venue managers/event planners every step of the way so that you can take advantage of their expertise. These days, most venues request or require that all of the vendors use the same Install and Dismantle company. Communicating clearly with the I&D team is critical to the proper set-up of any custom trade show stands, but you can't simply send them a set of instructions and expect them to flawlessly install your trade show banner stands, table top displays and modular units. Here are a few tips for making sure that everything is done correctly the first time and that your company and the installation and dismantle team work seamlessly together.

Details: Paperwork And Lots Of It

Be sure before shipping your custom trade show displays to various venues that you have a complete, detailed inventory of the contents of every box shipped. Boxes can become separated during shipment or damaged. You need to let the team on the receiving end of your shipment have a complete manifest detailing how many crates and skids they should be expecting and what is in each and every container, right down to the number of screws. Don't forget to itemize elements such as company brochures, tablets, signage and giveaways as well. The more detailed your paperwork, the easier it will be for the I&D team to keep track of everything. It will also make it simpler for them to let you know what's missing if a container doesn't arrive. Bring copies of all this paperwork with you as well so that you can quickly refer to it when you arrive to give your booth a pre-event checkup. Without a detailed inventory, it can be easy for installers to overlook banner stands and other elements of your display that didn't arrive at the right place at the right time.

Instructions That Leave Nothing To Chance

Once again, detail is critical. There is no such thing as set-up instructions that are too detailed. Be sure the I&D team receives a copy of the installation and dismantle instructions about a week before you arrive for the actual event. Keep in mind that the team will probably be setting up numerous displays. If your instructions and your shipment arrive early, you're less likely to be the last, rushed job they do right before the trade show floor is open for business.

Understand The Venue When Installing Custom Trade Show Displays

Be sure you understand the limitations of the venue as well as any special considerations you'll need to address when your trade show booth installers are setting up. If you don't know whether the electrical power is supplied by drop-down cords from above or floor runs, you could end up without power because you didn't bring the appropriate extension cords or power strips. If you aren't familiar with the venue floor and where your booth will be within that area, you could end up sitting between trade show banner stands that can't be seen clearly because the set-up is all wrong or you simply didn't provide appropriate lighting.

Don't Forget About Tear-Down Instructions

It's easy to forget about what happens after the trade show is over. Don't assume that the same I&D team that set your booth up will also be dismantling it. There should be detailed, precise directions for the dismantle that also outlines how to properly pack, crate and ship everything to the next location or back to your company. Double check the shipping address and make sure any needed shipping paperwork is properly filled out so that your custom displays aren't lost or damaged in shipping after the event is over.

By carefully outlining and detailing every aspect of shipping, installing and dismantling your custom displays, you can ensure there are no unpleasant trade show booth surprises to deal with and no damage to any of the elements of your display from trade show banner stands to giveaways.

Trade Show Strategies and Event Planning - Know Your Competition

To succeed in today's aggressive and fast-changing marketplace, companies/organizations need to continually identify their competitive advantage to both hold and increase market share. They also need an in-depth understanding of the competitive dynamics of their market. Trade shows are an excellent forum to research and collect information from current and prospective customers. From here, you can learn about your competition. Here are some important things to consider when researching your competition as well as potential and current customers.

If you are exhibiting in a show, there will no doubt be a competitor presence, and it's important to stand out to attendees whether they are current or prospective clients. Take the time to introduce yourself to the competition find out what they are offering and how they are presenting their product/service. Walk the show floor and take mental notes of just what your competition is doing, they may just tell you something of interest that will be beneficial to your business. Observe where they are on the show floor and determine if it is a competitive advantage. Is their booth crowded, and yours is not...why? How long has your competition been in business and what is their reputation in the eyes of the marketplace? Learn everything about their products/service and come up with ways your product/service is better - give the buyer a reason to switch. Just what is it that differentiates you from your competitor and does it matter to the consumer? A very important question to ask yourself is what your competition strengths are and what are their weaknesses. Make sure your competition's buyers know the difference between you and "them." These buyers may not be aware of just what you can offer them!

Lastly, remember the 80/20 rule. Listen 80% of the time and talk 20%. Ask good questions of your booth attendees (particularly if they buy from your competition!).

To take market share from your competition you first have to know all about them. From there you can use your competitor's perceived advantages and beat them. You've been given ways to best your competition, now go get 'em!

What is SAP Advanced Planning and Optimization (SAP APO)?

SAP Advanced Planning and Optimization (SAP APO) is the planning component that, together with SAP Event Management (SAP EM) and SAP Inventory Collaboration Hub (SAP ICH), makes up the SAP SCM solution.

The mySAP SCM Solution suite is complete and heuristic, spanning from supply chain planning and execution to collaboration, visibility and performance management.

Structure of the mySAP SCM solution

Supply Chain Planning contains demand planning, (cross-plant) distribution and procurement planning, and detailed production planning down to operation level. These functions can be executed in SAP ERP Central Component (SAP ECC) (previously version: SAP R/3) and/or in SAP SCM in the components SCM DP, SCM SNP and SCM PP/DS in SAP APO.

Supply Chain Execution contains planning execution as part of manufacturing. Materials Management also falls into this area. mySAP ERP Central Component (ECC) or SAP ECC play a central role in these functions.

Supply Chain Visibility is a key area of the mySAP SCM solution and is composed of Supply Chain Event Management (SCEM) and Supply Chain Performance Management (SCPM).

Supply Chain Collaboration is a key area in the mySAP SCM solution that supports collaborative planning and the exchange of documents with suppliers and customers. Collaborative planning can be done in the SAP Inventory Collaboration Hub (SAP ICH) or in SAP APO.

Structure of SAP APO

Synchronize supply with demand in the global chain by balancing push and pull network-planning processes and by handling replenishment and production based on actual demand.

SAP Advanced Planning & Optimization (APO) is consisted of the following components:

• APO DP: Improves the forecast quality and planning accuracy


• APO SNP: Improves visibility across your global chain and lowers inventory


• APO PP/DS: Supports you in creating optimized production plans


• APO gATP: Allows state-of-the-art sales order confirmation planning processes


• APO TP/VS: Optimizes transportation loads and minimizes transportation costs


• APO Alert Monitor: Powerful exception message system integrated in all APO planning modules

APO components

APO DP (Demand Planning):

Calculate and determine future demand to improve demand quality and accuracy. Improved forecast quality by using one tool for power and business user and consolidated demand plan (different regions, countries, departments, for example)

APO SNP (Supply Network Planning):

Calculates quantities to be produced and delivered to the locations to match customer demand and maintain desired service levels. To increased visibility over the overall supply chain and optimized sourcing and capacity utilization. SNP also reduced inventory levels and improved customer service.

APO PP/DS (Production Planning & Detailed Scheduling):

PP (Production Planning) delivers a short term plan that matches overall supply to demand, given available resources and production methodology.

And DS (Detailed Production Scheduling) determines optimal production sequence for execution to meet delivery commitments based on actual constraints on the shop floor.

APO PP/DS determines how, when, and where resources and materials should be deployed to accomplish the production goals and Master planning for materials

APO gATP (global Available-to-Promise):

Online information about the most recent state of plan allows order promising that will execute after the customers' expectation. Meet the demand communicated throughout the supply chain with the best sourcing for the available inventories in the supply chain and to sell only what you can actually sell.

APO TP/VS (Transportation Planning / Vehicle Scheduling):

Plan and optimize shipments for orders (sales orders, purchase orders, returns, and stock transport orders) and deliveries. Reduction of transportation costs via advanced planning algorithm. Utilization of vehicles can be optimized. Clear visibility of vehicles / resources / demands and optimized Shipments in terms of lowest transportation costs

APO VMI (Vendor Managed Inventory):

Allows efficient management of the supply chain by managing customer inventory replenishment with automated collaboration. Reduction of stock-outs, rush orders and supply bottlenecks and improved cooperation to the customers and delivery service level.

APO Alert Monitor:

Powerful exception message system integrated in all SAP APO planning modules. First task of the day for a planner: Check the existing alerts. Drill-down from the alert monitor to the application to solve the issue, for example.

Party Planning Software Makes Organizing Your Party a Breeze!

Planning a party can be exciting, but the many tasks involved can also be stressful and confusing. One very good way to simplify the process and help you plan your party like a professional is for you to make use of party planning software. Such computer software can help you get organized and successfully coordinate the many varied details of party planning.

To give it a try, just do a search in Google and you will find a variety of party planning software programs available for immediate download. Costs vary from about $30 - $100. However, some are free, though they may have fewer features. If you desire more features, usually you can pay for the full-featured upgrade. (You may find the free programs are all you need.) Others are offered as trial programs for a limited number of days.

To give you an idea of how this software can help here are some features you will find in them:

Task organizer

Handling the many details of party planning can be challenging, especially for a large party with many segments involved. Party planning software programs will help you with this by breaking down all the details into various categories, and then allowing you to organize them based on your priorities. Categories include booking a venue, sending invitations, obtaining supplies, menu planning, decorations, party favors, party activities, music, and more. The task organizer even allows you to plan several parties at a time, a big hit with professional party planners.

Budget management program

These programs usually have accounting ledgers and budget control features, letting planners easily adjust the event to their personal budget while keeping accounting records. Integrated calculators sum up the costs into category subtotals and grand totals, allowing you to see at a glance if you're right on budget or if your expenses are already running wild. There is no need to add or re-add costs; the software does it for you.

To-do list and timetable

Planning a party becomes more manageable if you know what to do and when to do it. Party organizing software with its to-do list feature improves your task management skills, helping you do things in the right order and at the right time. By letting you create a timetable it helps you schedule tasks days, weeks or months ahead. To pace the work flow to your preference, you enter the corresponding duration and deadline for each task.

Friendly reminders

There are so many things to do when organizing a party that even professionals sometimes overlook some important task; that is, if they aren't using party planner software. The software will help you remember each and every item in your to-do list - from meeting appointments to buying garbage bags. By setting the alarm feature for each entry, you will receive email notifications when a task is near its due date, a task has not been completed, and when a new task has to be started. With the program constantly bugging you, what are your chances of forgetting the duties? Zero.

Stationery program

Are you unsure as to how you want your invitation to look? Let your creative ideas flow and experiment with different looks. Many party planner software programs come with a stationery program that lets you design and print invitations, reception cards, table cards, envelopes, labels, etc.

Lay-out manager

Many programs also help you lay-out seating arrangements for your event in addition to setting up table placements.

Record Keeping

Most programs include a feature which allows you to keep on file all correspondence regarding the event, emails, letters, inquiries, quotes, etc.

Supplier database

Some programs even come with a database of suppliers, complete with addresses, phone numbers, email and website information.

User-friendly

You don't need to be a techie to be able to use the software. With user-friendly interfaces, these programs enable you to easily create an effective work flow, and quickly care for your many party planning duties.

Party organizing software programs can help remove many of the headaches that come with party planning. They save both time and effort and are far more efficient than the best lined notebooks. With the success that comes from good planning this software can help you earn a reputation of being an A-grade party planner!

A Simple Guide to Managing Successful Corporate Events

Corporate events are more than just parties. They are tools to convey your company's messages whether to your internal or external stakeholders. From press conferences and product launches to company galas and internal award ceremonies, corporate events management entails meticulous planning and seamless execution to create a memorable experience to everyone involved.

Every professional events management company has its own trade secrets, but there are basic guidelines that encompass professional event planning services.

Be Clear on Your Objectives

A business event should be founded on clear-cut business objectives - whether it's to provide a venue for a grand entrance of your company's new product or to boost employee morale. If you're outsourcing an events management company, make sure that these objectives are clear to them. As you go along the planning process and brainstorm on execution options, always go back to your objectives and ensure that everything works together to achieve these pre-set goals.

Your Choice of Venue is Critical

Venue selection is one of the most critical steps in corporate event management. The venue should be aligned with both the theme and purpose of the event as well as your brand or company image. If you're a luxury brand, make sure that your venue options are also upscale.

Accessibility is also a key factor. If you're holding an event in a venue which is not too familiar, make sure that provide maps. Better yet, you can consider providing transportation that will pick up and drop off your guests in a more accessible location. The last thing you want to happen is people bailing out on your event just because they can't find the place or because it's too far.

Take no shortcut. Do an ocular inspection and do a dry run of driving to the event venue so you'll know first-hand how easy or difficult it would be to go to your event.

The Devil is in the Details

Those who are involved in professional event planning services should have a healthy level of OCD. Indeed, the devil is in the details and the success or failure of your business event can be cause by the tiniest things.

Successful corporate events management is about seamless planning and flawless execution. Always have a set of fresh eyes to offer new perspective and pinpoint possible lapses that you are overlooking since you are extremely immersed in your work. Review your plan together with your partner events management company and make sure you anticipate all possible scenarios.

Have a Plan B

That being said, it is a mortal sin in corporate event management not to have a contingency plan. Not planning for the worse is tempting fate too much. Have a rain contingency if you're venue or part of your venue is outdoors. Be ready if more people came than you expected. Assume that your VIPs will be late and have a plan to keep people entertained while waiting. Further, don't stop at Plan B. Plan as far out as you can. At least you're prepared no matter what.

Corporate Function Event Planners

Corporate function event planners can help ensure that your corporate functions go off smoothly and without any problems, but there are still probably a few areas that you will want to be involved with. Leave the booking of the venue, corporate entertainment bookings, and catering to the professionals but make sure they have what they need and that your guests know all about this great function yourself.

Outsourcing Event Planners

When it comes to outsourcing event planners you want to make sure that there is good communication - that your corporate function event planners know how many people are coming for catering purposes, that you tell your people what entertainment the event planners have booked, etc. One great way to do this is by means of a Web 2.0 web page that gives all the details as well as acting as a communication tool between the different people involved in or coming to the function.

Set up a free web page at Events Listed and you will be able to use task manager and budget manager tools, as well as many other applications to co-ordinate the planning of your event. All guests will be able to view this page and your event planners will also be able to access it.

Add photos, videos and audio clips that will show your guests what the event planners have organized. Allow your guests to RSVP online and in this way your corporate function event planners will be able to see at all times who is coming, who is not coming and how many people they need to cater for.

Polls and comment walls can also help to get guests involved in the function planning and encourage them to share their views with the event planners. You may have a poll on decisions your event planners have asked you to make or simply leave room for people to comment on what has been planned and advertised.

Event Marketing

Once your corporate function event planners have given you the details of what they have organized and you have set up your web page with these details then it is time to make sure that everyone necessary has been invited. You need to let people know that your event website is up and that they can go there for more details or to reply so send out email invitations.

When your guests get these invitations they will be able to click through to your web page and respond. Other guests, your event planners and, of course, yourself will be able to see who is coming, who is not coming and who still has to respond. This makes the event easier to organize as well, as you and your corporate function event planners will know exactly how many people they are catering for (and you can chase up those who have not answered).

After the event (or even during the event) go back and add video, photos, audio or anything else that will remind people of the event afterwards or keep those informed who were unable to make it.

All you need to do to assist your corporate function event planners in this manner is to go and register a free account with Events Listed and start creating the web page with the multimedia applications available to you.

Popular Corporate Gifts for the San Francisco Market

There are a lot of suitable occasions for San Francisco business owners to provide corporate gifts to clients or associates. Whether showing appreciation to loyal customers; recognizing achievements of personnel; or hosting a trade show or promotional event, it's important to select merchandise that represents your brand.

While corporate gifts are good for most events hosted in San Francisco it is advisable to think about your target audience and their common interests. Other considerations are the type of event and purpose of offering presents.

Most Bay area residents live active lifestyles, so duffel bags, backpacks, and luggage are good gift options. They also appreciate the better things in life such as Napa Valley wines, premium chocolates and gourmet foods.

One fail safe item that is enjoyed by practically everyone is gift baskets overflowing with specialty meats and cheeses, coffees and teas, or pasta and sauces. An alternative is to have company logos imprinted on coolers or picnic baskets and fill with edible treats, dining accessories, and a stadium blanket.

An affordable and practical item that nearly everyone enjoys is imprinted drinkware. People particularly like personalized goblets, flutes, and steins. Drinking glasses can be included in picnic baskets, along with a bottle of regional wine from Nob Hill, Union Square, or Pacific Heights.

The actual drinkware chosen is dependent on the function. As an example, if a colleague is getting married a great selection would be crystal champagne flutes or wine glasses. Or, if staff members are running in the San Francisco Marathon series then logo imprinted water bottles would be more appropriate.

What's great about drinkware is there are so many options. Create a one of a kind design by having a special mold manufactured or imprint corporate logos on cocktail glasses, coffee cups, travel mugs, and sports bottles.

Custom designed desk accessories are ideal for use as business gifts. There is an abundance of merchandise that can be imprinted or custom designed. Many people are fond of stylish writing instruments, desk planners, journal books, paperweights, and business card holders.

Not only do these items leave a favorable impression, people use them regularly. This in turn provides extra exposure for your brand. A good way to deepen the bond is to hand deliver the present or at least include a handwritten note.

Last, but not least, custom designed corporate attire is always valued; particularly if stylish and comfortable. San Francisco residents favor clothing that is manufactured from recycled materials and organic cotton.

An added bonus of creating branded apparel is every time people wear it they advertise your company. Always make certain design work is accurately portraying your corporate identity.

These are just a few of the types of corporate gifts that are suitable for Bay Area business owners. It's best to work with an established promotional products company to figure out the most suitable merchandise for your audience. Experts can help you select items that people will enjoy and want to brag about to others.

Benefits of Using Corporate Hospitality Providers

In this current economic climate business can be tough, with lower demand; the pressure is on to win contracts and hold onto those contracts. One way to show your best customers that you value their custom is to spent time with them at a memorable and exclusive event. Using hospitality events is also a good way to spend time with sought after potential clients.

Quality Time

Using the corporate facilities at a sporting or other big name event is vital it you want to spend quality time with a client and show them how much you value their business. If you were to sit in the regular crowd it would be impossible to have a decent conversation and wouldn't really leave a great impression.

Create Loyalty

By taking clients and potential clients to a very special event such as a high profile sporting event like the glamorous world of Formula 1 or Wimbledon tennis championships in July it will definitely demonstrate how much you value them and create a lasting memory linked between the event and your company.

Networking Opportunities

At a stylish event you will have time to network with not only your own important clients but will meet like minded companies who may provide you with new and important business contacts. A hospitality group can provide many similar events where you can create more opportunities time and time again.

Launching New Products

A corporate hospitality event is the perfect opportunity to launch a new product in style. You can have a very stylish event, creating excitement and engaging guests that will maximise the interest and create the desired effect - maximum impact.

Differentiating from the Competition

Be taking clients to prestigious events you are offering something above and over what competitors will be doing for their clients, giving you an opportunity to entice new clients as well get referrals from existing clients if you look after them properly.

Motivational and Reward Tool

Hospitality events can also be used as incentives and rewards for employees. Top performers could be given the opportunity to enjoy the next six nation's game from the privacy and relaxed corporate hospitality room as well as a method of attracting high performing individuals into the business.

Corporate hospitality events offer huge benefits, distinguishing your business from competitors, creating a lasting impression with clients and providing the opportunity to win more clients. Going with a hospitality group allows you to coordinate hospitality events in multiple countries if you are a global organisation.

The Advantages Of An Event Company

There are many occasions that may arise which require the use of event management companies. The company that will host your activity or event for you. These companies are similar to a party host in that the event management companies are the ones that do all the legwork for you. These companies can assist you in the marketing of your event and handling all of the operations during the event for you, allowing you an opportunity to socialize with your guests. This allows you to market your company without worrying about the logistics of the event.

An example would be with a celebrity dinner that your company is hosting. The event company will aid you in finding the celebrity or celebrities to attend the event. The company will then use their connections to provide a list of caterers that can serve the meal at your dinner, and will offer recommendations based on companies they have used in the past. The event management company will aid you in compiling a list of guests to attend the event. In addition to your own customers, they may be able to obtain mailing lists from previous events they have hosted in the past.

Your management company is the central contact for all the services provided at your event. This means that the caterer, disc jockey, florist and any other service providers will all go through the event manager with questions. Your event manager will then come to you, or the representative that you designate, to answer the questions instead of you having to answer multiple requests from multiple people during your gathering.

Managers are trained to help handle challenges during an event. If you have never hosted an event, or only a few before, you will not have the experience that the company and representative you hire has. They have seen situations such as food service being delayed, flowers not being the ones that were ordered, and aggressive photographers in the past. Letting the company you hire handle these issues during your event frees you up for other activities. This will allow you to serve as the emcee for the event and be visible to your guests and potential clients throughout the event. Instead of worrying about the logistics of the event, you will be able to market your company and work to maintain the business of current clients as well as attracting new clients attending the event. After the event, the management company will handle cleaning up for you.

Organizing a Memorable Wine Tasting Event

Wine tasting events are a good way to do some fundraising and have become very popular with people working in the field of non profit event planning. A wine tasting fundraiser is a strategic event, and you have to be very judicious while planning the details of such an event. You have to be extremely meticulous, have a strong workforce, and well-laid fundraising plan to get success in any such event. These days, wine tasting has also become common among the corporate houses as a team building event; merging conferences, announcements and other such events along with the wine tasting schedule.

There are plenty of things you have to keep in mind if you want to host successful wine tasting events. Here're a few pointer that might be a good direction to take when you're planning to organize such an event.

- First up you should form a committee to plan and organize the event and you should do it well in advance (read six months to one years). Assign this team the task of contacting wine vendors and conducting promotional activities, design wine tasting cards, chalk out logistics (like parking) for the day of the event etc. Next you should do some research on local wineries to decide who would participate in the event and make sure you have a wide sample of wines during the event.

Go through your available choices of venues for the event unless of course a vendor has agreed to provide a space. Remember that wine tasting festivals are memorable events and the venue should reflect the stature of the event. Decide on the date and time of the event well in advance, and also draw up an estimation of the costs you would incur.

- If you were holding the event in a wine region, it would be a good idea to include tours of wineries and brief ups on the heritage of the region. Wine tasting events celebrate the power of our senses over logic and uphold the tranquility of life, and you should keep this theme in mind-never deviate from this mood during the event.

- Aromas form a very important part of what makes good wine-so arranging for an educative workshop on the different kinds of aromas in wines is a very good idea. Also you can think of 'blind tasting' exercises.

- If you're thinking of what music to incorporate, of course you probably know that the best idea would be to arrange for a piano player, symphonies, or opera music. The idea is to stick to the classical and cultivate the vintage atmosphere. Staging enjoyable play/drama performances is also a very good idea during wine tasting events.

- Tasting events always end with dinner and toasts over a choice of delectable wines. You should prepare for this event well in advance, writing out the speeches and in fact an entire script that includes the toasts, the costume, etc.

Of course, if you need help with the planning there are a number of professional event management companies out there who have just the expertise to make sure the event goes the way it should. There are many software applications available online that helps you manage and organize the event with event registration, management, and payment services.

Planning a Weekend of Wedding Events

The wedding day has been replaced by the wedding weekend, which includes a jam packed schedule of activities. Some are fairly standard (the rehearsal dinner), while others are definitely popular, but optional (the golf tournament). This is a guide to get you started on planning a weekend of wedding events.

For a Saturday wedding, the wedding weekend will likely begin on a Thursday. This is the ideal time for the bride to host a ladies' luncheon, a lunch which she gives to show her appreciation for her bridesmaids. The guest list is small for this event: the bride, the bridesmaids, the flower girl, and the mothers of the bride and groom. During the luncheon, the bride will give out the pearl earrings, or whatever gift she selected for her bridesmaids. The ladies' luncheon is typically held in a nice restaurant, since the last thing the bride needs to be doing the week of her wedding is cooking and hosting a party at her house!

Once upon a time, the first party of the wedding weekend was the rehearsal dinner the night before the main event, but many couples are now choosing to have informal Thursday night gatherings as well. They are generally pretty loose affairs, with any wedding guests who are already in town welcome to attend. Relaxed dinners like barbeques and clam bakes work particularly well for the Thursday night party. If you are not up for organizing anything, just book a private room in a family style restaurant and spread the word that all are welcome to join the bride and groom for dinner.

Friday is when things really ramp up. A trip to the beauty salon is usually the first order of business for the ladies in the wedding. This can be a really fun time for the bride, her bridesmaids, and the moms to bond over manis and pedis (and maybe a few Champagne cocktails, if the spa is really posh!). If you did not host a ladies' luncheon, this would be the perfect time to present your bridesmaids with a pair of pearl earrings or other token of your appreciation. After that, you can leave some free time or get the group together for lunch somewhere fun. Friday afternoon is the usual time for the wedding rehearsal, and it is important that all hands are on deck for this event. Some couples like to line up an activity to entertain their out-of-town guests on Friday who will not be attending the rehearsal. A sight-seeing tour or trip to a local attraction like a vineyard would be a good choice.

Friday night is the traditional time for the rehearsal dinner. The customary guest list includes the bride and groom, their immediate families, the wedding party with their spouses, and the officiant and his or her spouse. Adding out-of-town guests to the rehearsal dinner guest list is optional, but very thoughtful. In recent years, some couples have opted to host a wedding welcome dinner instead of a rehearsal dinner. The difference is that the welcome dinner is open to everyone, which can make a lot of sense if a large percentage of your wedding guests will be out-of-towners. The rehearsal dinner or welcome dinner can be as formal or informal as you like. You could rent a yacht and serve a five star meal or have a picnic in a neighborhood park; there is no right or wrong. The only rule of thumb is that you don't want to have a rehearsal dinner which is more lavish than the wedding reception!

On Saturday will come the wedding ceremony and reception, of course, but that is not all. For ceremonies with a 4pm start time or later, it has become very popular to arrange a group activity to keep people entertained before the wedding. The golf tournament is a particular favorite, although you could choose any activities which you think your friends and family would enjoy. The comes the wedding itself, which is of course, the main event of the weekend.

The final thing to add to your wedding weekend is a post-wedding brunch on Sunday morning. This is always a fun and relaxed event, where guests can see the newlyweds one more time before they head off on their honeymoon. It is often convenient to host the post-wedding brunch in the restaurant at the hotel where the majority of the guests will be staying, though it could also be in someone's home. The brunch does not need to be fancy, especially if it is in your home. It is really just a great way to cap off a wonderful weekend of wedding fun.

Printed Polo Shirts for Corporate Fundraisers

One of the most ingenious ways that businesses can create publicity for themselves is by offering corporate sponsorships through fundraisers to charitable institutions. This kind of sponsorship works in two ways. The charitable organization will find assistance in the funding of their event and the company will get low-cost publicity through the sponsorship of the event. Companies are motivated to sponsor charities because of the benefits associated with the marketing end of things.

It is no surprise then that printed shirts can propitiously be used for corporate fundraisers. Printed shirts are one of the most popular and successful promotional attires that can be used in fundraisers today. Everyone loves polo shirts because they can proudly be worn in support of whatever cause the funds are being raised for and because they are one of the easiest items to sell in support for a cause. Printed polo shirts can also retain for a cost and the money raised through their sales can be used as a corporate fundraiser in support for a worth cause.

Any company can form a corporate partnership with any charitable organization whereby polo shirts are printed and sold as a fundraiser for a good cause. The shirts can have the logos and messages of both the charitable organization and the corporate sponsors thus helping to raise money for the organization while also bringing exposure to the company. Fundraisers can even be organized through corporate fun events where the polo shirts with the logo of both the company and the charitable organization are worn. The shirts can be sold during such events with the proceeds going to the charity and the company getting lots of visibility.

The good thing with fundraisers is that they give a company an opportunity to build a brand image and make connections with people from all walks of life. When someone comes for the fundraiser and buys a polo shirt that is printed and branded with both the company and the charity, they walk away with a walking billboard that creates lots of publicity for the company. Many people are also very conscious of any company's efforts to assist charitable organizations for a worth cause and this will stand in good stead with the company's customers and prospects.

Because apparel such as printed shirts are quite easily very useful for fundraising at events and also have the added value of promoting the company's brand, many companies are willing to take advantage of the extra benefit by teaming up with the charities that they sponsor. Any apparel including printed polo shirts will last long and the company that sponsors the charity will have their brand connected with the charity for a long time to come. This will give the company lots of goodwill in the eyes of their customers and their prospects and their brand will stay in the mind of these people for quite a long time.

While the sponsoring company will derive lots of satisfaction from the idea of supporting a worthy charitable institution, they will also be guaranteed that their brand will have a more increased value in the eyes and minds of the public. Fundraising efforts for charitable organization have a lasting effect on not only the company that sponsors charities but also on their employees as well because such activities boost company pride and help in employee satisfaction levels. By giving through printed polo shirts, a company get's back much more and in a very different way.

Successful Corporate Catering - A Guide to Event Planning

Most corporate catering planning arrangements are placed on the PA or secretary or similar person and are usually on behalf of the boss or superior within the organisation. The result is meant to impress, be professional and fall within budgetary constraints. If this task falls on you, here are some tips to a successful result.

Plan ahead. Ensure you have all your requirements at hand. Nothing is more frustrating than receiving calls from under-prepared clients. Style, number of people attending, demographic of attendees, time of the event, duration of the event, location, facilities, food and or beverage requirements and last but not least, budget. Each area is discussed below.

Style: Is the event formal or casual? What is the desired outcome? Who are you trying to impress?

Number of people: Often referred to as 'pax', the number of people attending the event is of paramount importance in planning both seating arrangements and catering alike. Have an idea before calling around.

Demographic: Understanding who your guests are will allow for appropriate catering requirements to satisfy a range of tastes and styles. Are the guests mainly men, therefore requiring more substantial food items? Or are they likely to be a greater female demographic who usually prefer smaller, daintier food items? Possibly the attendees are form a particular cultural or religious sect and more thought and panning is required not to offend. These are all important issues to a positive outcome.

Time and Duration: Have a clear understanding of when the event will start, have breaks and finish and the appropriate catering requirements for each interval. Both food and beverage components need thought and attention to satisfy each delegate to the event.

Location and Facilities: Where the function is held has many implications for the caterer. Access, operations and bump out are all of paramount importance. Is there a lift, a goods lift or just stairs? Does the venue have a kitchen or an area for a kitchen to be setup? Does the caterer need to set a kitchen space themselves? What other facilities does the venue have including, water and power access and usage, rubbish receptacles, recycling bins and cleaners?

Food and Beverage Requirements: Obviously the most important factor for the caterer, this can be a wide area of discussion. Understanding the demographics, duration and all the above indicators will assist both you and the caterer in determining the desired menu and beverage package. There are a huge variety of options that your caterer will be more than happy to discuss.

Budget: From a caterers perspective, if a client has a clear budget to work towards, it makes the process a lot easier in terms of formulating a proposal based on actual data and therefore saves time and effort in the back and forth negotiations that can take up valuable time.

Know what you want and how much you want to pay but be open to suggestion from your caterer who should guide you through the process to a successful event.

Catering - Food Preparation, Delivery, and More for a Successful Event

Events that use a caterer and staff can range from full-service to lunch drop-off. This type of business includes caterers and staff that supply individuals companies, or organizations with services to include cooking, delivery, and sometimes even serving food and beverages to guests. Full-service catering may involve services to include:

• Decorating an off-premise site
• Flower and plant arrangement at the site
• Food preparation
• Providing service staff
• Prep and cleanup services
• Valet parking
• Telecommunications
• Tenting
• Security
• Entertainment
• Satellite connections
• And much more

A caterer and staff prepare food and beverages for events such as anniversary parties, weddings, corporate events, birthday parties, and much more. This company has a staff that has the skill and experience to make your event a success. They relieve much of the stress and worry from having to deal with specific details of your event such as food delivery, preparation, decorating and more, and allow you and your guests to show up and have a good time.

If you are interesting in catering services for your next event, you should call and schedule a consultation with the company to discuss the services they offer, costs, and your expectations. You need to take this time to also discuss any considerations you may have for your event such as certain religious or dietary preferences for menus that need to be kosher, vegan, vegetarian, Halal, in addition to food allergy requests. If you want hors d'oeuvres at your event, you and the caterer need to discuss if they will be stationary or passed. Many caterers will agree that 3 or 4 passed items is proper for a 1 hour period before the meal.

During your consultation, you should also discuss if you have a need for meal rentals for your event. The rentals can include a flatware, linens, china, serving equipment, chairs, tables, and more. You should be specific on whether you need chair and table set-up and take down, and if this service is included in the price. During your consultation, you can inquire if the company offers partial catering service, which can include the cooking and delivering of your food and beverages, cooking, delivering, the meal without service, or having pre-cooked meals ready for pickup at the caterer's location. This service can be a great and economical option to the full service.

If you are interested in catering services for your next event, just call and set up an appointment to learn of the services they offer. Visit the site website of the caterers to receive a detailed account of all the services they offer.

Corporate Events - Different Entertainment Ideas

The hectic timetable of business organizations often proves to be very tedious and employees often need more than just a Sunday to keep their spirits up. Corporate events usually help people to bond outside their usual work environment. These events often lead to long lasting friendships and relationships. They also serve to ease the relationship between subordinates and superiors.

Corporate events are a mixture of business and pleasure. But some events should stand out from the norm. For example, when companies celebrate landmark accomplishments or significant anniversaries, they might want to go above and beyond what they normally do. Going out and evening party have become as old as corporate events. Here we have some interesting event ideas-

• Music: Music can be an excellent idea for corporate events. Established professional artists and live bands may add an extra level to the party. A rock concert can revive the spirits of the employees. One can even have a theme party side by side.


• Dance: a dance group is another good idea for a corporate party. It can be modified according to formality and occasion of the party. Break dancing group, Ballet Company or professional ballroom dancers may prove to be good options.


• Team Building activities: one can conduct many team building activities throughout the year. Small games such as brain games, one minute games etc are great stress relievers.


• Artists: Hiring local artists can be a unique entertainment idea. They can be ice or marble sculptures or painters and actually create a piece during the party. This works best for the events where there is a lot of socializing and guests moving around frequently.


• Cooking Day: In a cooking day the employees can show their skill. It is certain to give the employees a very good vent to their culinary activities.


• Comedians: standup comedy can be a good idea for entertainment. But one should preview the act and select a 'clean' routine that is appreciated to a business setting.


• Magic Show: Magic show is a less common option and may attract a large variety of people.

One can take help of the professional party planners and they may make tremendous differences in their client's functions.

Event Log Monitoring for the PCI DSS

This article has been produced to assist anyone concerned with ensuring their organization can meet PCI DSS obligations for event log management - "PCI DSS Section 10.2 Implement automated audit trails for all system components..."

There are typically two concerns that need to be addressed - first, "what is the best way to gather and centralize event logs?" And second, "what do we need to do with the event logs once we have them stored centrally? (And how will we cope with the volume?)"

To the letter of the PCI DSS, you are obliged to make use of event and audit logs in order to track user activity for any device within scope i.e. all devices which either 'touch' cardholder data or have access to cardholder data processing systems. The full heading of the Log Tracking section of the PCI DSS is as follows -

"PCI DSS Requirement 10: Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data"

Logging mechanisms and the ability to track user activities are critical in preventing, detecting, or minimizing the impact of a data compromise. The presence of logs in all environments allows thorough tracking, alerting, and analysis when something does go wrong. Determining the cause of a compromise is very difficult without system activity logs.

Given that many PCI DSS estates will be geographically widespread it is always a good idea to use some means of centralizing log messages, however, you are obliged to take this route anyway if you read section 10.5.3 of the PCI DSS -

"Promptly back up audit trail files to a centralized log server or media that is difficult to alter"

The first obstacle to overcome is the gathering of event logs. Unix and Linux hosts can utilize their native syslogd capability, but Windows servers will need to use a third party Windows Sylog agent to transfer Windows Event Logs via syslog. This will ensure all event log messages form Windows servers are backed up centrally in accordance with the PCI DSS standard. Similarly, Oracle and SQL Server based applications will also require a Syslog Agent to extract log entries for forwarding to the central syslog server. Similarly, IBM z/OS mainframe or AS/400 systems will also need platform-specific agent technology to ensure event logs are backed up.

Of course, Firewalls and Intrusion Protection/Detection System (IPS/IDS), as well as the majority of switches and routers all natively generate syslog messages.

File-Integrity Monitoring and Vulnerability Scanning

While we are on the subject of deployment of agents to platforms for event log monitoring, it is worth considering the other dimensions of the PCI DSS, namely file-integrity monitoring and vulnerability scanning/assessment.

Both of these functions can be addressed using an agent on board your servers and workstations. File-Integrity monitoring (see section 11.5 of the PCI DSS) is necessary to ensure key program and operating system files are not infiltrated by Trojans or other malware, and that 'backdoor' code is not inserted within applications. File-Integrity Monitoring should be deployed to all PCs and Epos systems, Windows Servers, Unix and Linux hosts.

Vulnerability Scanning is a further element of the PCI DSS and requires all devices to be scanned regularly for the presence of security vulnerabilities. The key benefit of an agent based approach is that vulnerability scans can be performed continuously and any configuration changes rendering your PCs/Epos/Servers less secure or less 'hardened' will be identified and alerted to you. The agent will need valid PCI Security Settings/Vulnerability Assessment/PCI Hardening Checklists to be applied.

Event Log Backup to a Centralized Server

Once assembled, the Audit trail history must be backed up in a way that is "difficult to alter". Traditionally, write-once media has been used to ensure event histories cannot be altered but most centralized log server solutions now employ file-integrity monitoring as a means of detecting any attempt to change or edit the event log backup.

So in terms of our two initial questions, we have fully covered the first, but what about the next logical question of 'What do we do with - and how do we cope with - the event logs gathered?'

"PCI DSS Section 10.6 Review logs for all system components at least daily"

This is the part of the standard that causes most concern. If you consider the volume of event logs that may be generated by a typical firewall this can be significant, but if you are managing a retail estate of 800 stores with 7,500 devices within scope of the PCI DSS, the task of reviewing logs from devices is going to be impossible to achieve. This may be a good time to consider some automation of the process...?

The Security Information and Event Management or SIEM market as defined by Gartner covers the advanced generation of solutions that harvest audit and event logs, and then parse or interpret the events e.g. store events by device, event type and severity, and analyze the details within event logs as they are stored. In fact, the PCI DSS recognizes the potential value of this kind of technology

"Log harvesting, parsing, and alerting tools may be used to meet compliance with Requirement 10.6 of the PCI DSS"

SIEM technology allows event logs to be automatically and intelligently managed such that only genuinely serious security events are alerted. The best SIEM technology can distinguish between true hacker activity running a 'brute force' attack and a user who has simply forgotten their password and is repeatedly trying to access their account. Naturally there is an amount of customization required for each environment as every organization's network, systems, applications and usage patterns are unique as are the corresponding event log volumes and types.

The PCI Event log management process can be approached in three stages, ensuring that there is a straightforward progression through becoming compliant with the PCI DSS standard and becoming fully in control of your PCI Estate. The tree phases will assist you in understanding how your PCI Estate functions normally and, as a result, placing all genuine security threats into the spotlight.

1. GATHER - Implement the SIEM system and gather all event logs centrally - the SIEM technology will provide a keyword index of all events, reported by device type, event severity and even with just the basic, pre-defined rules applied, the volumes of logs by type can be established. You need to get familiar with the types of event log messages being collected and what 'good' looks like for your estate.

2. PROFILE - Refinement of event type identification and thresholds - once an initial baselining period has been completed we can then customize rules and thresholds to meet the profile of your estate, with the aim of establishing a profiled, 'steady-state' view of event types and volumes. Even though all logs must be gathered and retained for the PCI DSS, there is a large proportion of events which aren't significant on a day-to-day basis and the aim is to de-emphasize these in order to promote focus on those events which are significant.

3. FOCUS - simple thresholding for event types is adequate for some significant security events, such as anti-virus alerts or IPS signature detections, but for other security events it is necessary to correlate and pattern-match combinations and sequences of event. SIEM only becomes valuable when it is notifying you of a manageable number of significant security events.

It is important to note that even when certain events are being de-emphasized, these are still being retained in line with the PCI DSS guidelines which are to retain logs for 12 months. At least 3 months of event logs must be in an on-line, searchable format for at least 3 months, and archived for 12 months.
Again, the archived and on-line log repositories must be protected from any editing or tampering so write-once media and file integrity monitoring must be used to preserve log file integrity.