Reasons Team Building Events Fail

A lot of planning goes into a team building event. But even with meticulous planning and care a team building event may fail. There are a number of reasons why a team building event may not go off exactly as you had hoped. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects, you need to analyze why the event failed and what can be done in the future to prevent it from occurring again. Failure in business is inevitable at some point but learning from it can seriously impact the strength in which you overcome it. Working with your team is necessary in doing this.

Planning that lacks focus and direction may run your event off course. In some cases managers or leaders will attempt to plan team building events without actually consulting the team. This is a big mistake. The point of team building is to strengthen and empower. By leaving the entire team out of the planning process, they may become disinterested and lack enthusiasm that is needed to make the event a success. Poor planning is the culprit behind many corporate failures. Don't let it happen to you. Include your team. There is a reason that you rely on them for their expertise.

Having a lack of resources can hinder your team building event as well. This is why planning is an essential first step. Trying to pull off a team building event without the proper resources is completely pointless. It will take more than it gives. You need your event to be effective so if anything is lacking, determine what it is and take care to correct it before you launch your event.

Your team building event must have a purpose and a significant point that is obvious to all who attend. If this is unclear you will simply have many confused people who are not sure what it is that you wish to convey to them. It should be very obvious to all present why they are gathered and what it is that you hope to achieve by having this event. Communication comes into play here. Your team wants to have open lines of discussion in order to achieve higher successes. Present your goals and desires to them with great clarity and allow for feedback. You can learn plenty about event planning by receiving feedback and ideas from those in attendance.

A team needs to know what is expected of them before they can come through for you. Team building events should focus on the team and the team members as separate people that make up a whole. When everyone knows their role and feels confident in that position, the results are outstanding.

Never use competition between team members in your team building events. It will only create and encourage animosity. Co-operation should be encouraged rather than competition. Save that for your true competitors. Dividing your employees in that manner will only work against you. Team building events are never guaranteed to be a success. However, the important thing is to identify where you went wrong.

10 Reasons to Use the Racecourse for Corporate Events Entertainment

One of the best ways to build stronger relationships with your clients and establish promising foundations with the ones you hope to do business with is to use corporate events entertainment. Here are 10 reasons why the next time you're planning corporate hospitality events, the racecourse may be the ideal venue.

1. There are premier racecourses all over the country, so no matter where your business or clients are located, a great venue is never far away.

2. The majesty of some of the UK's best racecourse grounds means it could make an immediate impact on the people you're looking to entertain.

3. Not only that, but the atmosphere at the year's big meets is something very special. Your clients can't fail to be impressed from their experience.

4. Most people have either never been to the races or only get to go on rare occasions, so will have a truly memorable experience from their day. Meanwhile, those that love to go, will relish an invite for a special meet.

5. Most racecourses will be able to provide excellent corporate hospitality packages to ensure your guests receive the VIP treatment. There are often different levels of hospitality, so it could be ideal even if you want something less formal.

6. From arriving at the venue and studying the form guide to placing best and cheering on the horse, every part of the day will bring something special to the occasion.

7. Many celebrities and royals enjoy the races, so your guests may get to spot or even mingle with the rich and famous.

8. One of the best things about the races is that you have the option to invite clients with their families. Not all corporate hospitality events provide this, yet it may be more in keeping with your company's culture.

9. In between races, as well as before and after, there is plenty of time to talk and socialise with your guests. If you're looking to secure a new contract, this may be the ideal opportunity.

10. If you want food as part of the event, the UK's best racecourse are able to provide fantastic meals in a restaurant setting.

Volunteers Need - How To Organize An Outdoor Movie Event

If you have not planned your own outdoor movie event, what goes on behind the scenes is probably a mystery for you. A ton of work goes into planning one of these events and making it a success. People are needed to perform various jobs that are essential for outdoor movie events. Let's look at the many people needed behind the scenes at an outdoor movie event.

Parking Attendants
Finding a place to park will be the first concern for guests. If your venue has a small parking lot and you are expecting a large crowd, you might need parking attendants to assist guests with parking. If your parking area is a field, for example, you might need parking attendants to direct guests to where they should park so that all of the guests will be able to fit into the limited parking area.

Greeters
Depending on the type of event, greeters might be desired to welcome guests as they enter the venue. Church events typically feature greeters, but you might utilize a greeter at other types of events as well.

Activities Coordinators
Are you planning any activities to kick off your event and keep guests busy as they wait for the movie start time? If you are planning on having activities such as a bounce house or face painting, you will need staff to organize and supervise the activities.

Concession Workers
Will you have a concession stand at your event? You will need people for several jobs related to the concession stand. You will need concession stand workers to purchase food for the event, and sell food during the event. Concession stand workers might also obtain food donations from local businesses and restaurants.

Clean-up crew
Don't forget about clean-up. Most of your staff will be focused on guests: welcoming them, helping them park, and organizing food sales and activities. A clean-up crew is there to make sure the venue stays clean, and everything gets cleaned up following the outdoor movie event. The clean-up crew provides essential services such as putting out trash pails, emptying the pails as needed throughout the night, and cleaning up after the event.

A great outdoor movie event will seem smooth and effortless to guests, but organizers know better. In order to create a simple, fun outdoor movie event for guests, a lot of work must be done before, during and after the event, and a lot of people are needed to make it all happen.

Social Media Vs Face to Face Marketing - The Death of Real World Networking?

There is a myth that face to face marketing is retiring and we are moving on to bigger and better things. Face to face marketing includes everything from live events, seminars, outdoor events, trade shows, and conferences. The younger group, known as generation Y, or those born between the 80's and early 90's, highly depend on technology for not only work but personal relationships as well. The rise in people's need for technology to function has led others to believe that meeting with clients for face to face marketing is not necessary anymore and has become a fossilized tactic. So what is the point in wasting money to meet with clients if it is an outdated tactic?

The point is that meeting face to face is absolutely effective and vital to building strong relationships with clients, or anyone for that matter. People who are wrapped up in the virtual world still have a strong desire for personal relationships, which is what they try to falsely attain through technology. All relationships are the same, whether it be a business related relationship or a personal relationship, they all need to make that face to face connection. By using technology you almost lose that relationship, the more people see someone the less likely they are to treat them poorly. So, this goes both ways, each individual who is engaging in face to face interaction will mutually treat one another better, which leads to better business. People have bought into this myth that face to face interaction is no longer important and have begun adapting to technological alternatives. But, face to face marketing has and always will be effective; it is a strategy that best fits our descending economic status.

A study released by UCLA stated that an astounding 93 percent of communication effectiveness is determined by non-verbal cues. This means that if you are communicating via e-mail, texting, etc. you are losing 93 percent of your intended message because it is not as effective on the target. Somewhere within this 93 percent of nonverbal communication it is a good idea to take advantage of eye contact. Making eye contact with someone, especially when relating to business, is important in the sense that it shows honesty and credibility. The more eye contact you have with someone, the more they are willing to trust you. Companies certainly want to do business with someone they feel are trustworthy, most notably during difficult times. Face to face marketing needs to have little promotional content and a lot more useful information so that the customers walk away knowing a lot more about whom you are and what you do rather than how much something costs. You need to take it back down to the basics, because people do not want to be wooed into buying something. One of two things will happen if you spend all of your time exuding promotional content, either they will become defensive and in return ignore anything you have to say, or walk away with something that they will later regret buying. Neither of these scenarios can benefit your business long-term.

All of this information is relevant to the trade show industry in that they are not dying out as some may think. Trade shows are notorious for their face to face marketing strategy, which is true but exhibitors can be inventive in how they utilize this strategy. Trade shows are generally a way for exhibitors to get to know some current or potential clients. Trade shows are also a great way to show off new products. Or if you offer services then your clients absolutely want to know who they are working with. Putting a face with a name is always a positive. This is backed up by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, who pronounces that 76 percent of attendees at a trade show rate face to face interaction with potential vendors and suppliers as extremely important in performing their job. As well as, 86 percent of exhibitors at trade shows who rate face to face marketing as being very important.

But there are some disadvantages to face to face marketing that come as a package deal with today's harsh economy. Fuel prices are rising, cutting into traveling funds, and people are working longer and harder to keep businesses afloat. But, the economy does not have to get the best of anyone; companies can have great turn outs at a trade show, or any event, without having an enormous amount of individuals actually at the show. If you do have an enormous amount of attendees that's great, but if not, your event can still be successful through word-of-mouth. Even if a company extends invitations to an event to any number of individuals, then all who received an invite will acknowledge your credibility and expertise. This lets others know that you are willing and ready to get out there and talk face to face about what you have to offer. First hand experience of a product awards knowledge and understanding of your company and how it works. Even if a few individuals attend your show and you present your material in a memorable manner, they will tell another person about your show and you can potentially generate an entire line of business. According to recent research, done by Jack Morton Worldwide, people exposed to live marketing on average tell 17 others about their experience. So, if you can get your message across to 5 individuals who find your show interesting you potentially have gained an actual 85 people who are interested in your company and what you do.

Society's need for technology can be turned into a constructive characteristic for face to face marketing, but particularly for trade shows. People are using "virtual worlds" or social media more and more everyday. There are numerous amounts of social media programs which you can use to your advantage. Since these technologies have made their stamp in our society, why not work with it? Social media marketing can be tied into your face to face marketing as well. If you encourage attendees to visit your company's Twitter account, Facebook account, etc., they will recognize that you are up to speed with current trends and still value that face to face connection at the same time. Customers like to have options, and giving them the option of using a virtual world or a face to face meeting is a great strategy. Social media is not too far fetched from face to face communication as emails and such tend to be. Social media still allows for your client to see exactly what is going on, you can post videos, or have live feed on your website of your booth at the show. You are also able to instant message chat on some social media programs, which still gives you, as the exhibitor, the opportunity to answer any questions someone may have instantaneously.

Businesses need to stay up to speed with today's technologies, but keep old values at the same time. Face to face marketing values interpersonal relationships and gives your client the trust they crave. It is time to get inventive and think of current ways to keep individuals engaged during a face to face interaction. Attention spans are short and if you can show the client, in the short amount of time you have captured someone's attention that you are trustworthy and all about business then you have achieved success. Face to face marketing has come full circle; it was out and has now been shoved back in by the economy. This time around companies may realize how highly beneficial face to face marketing is for business.

Future Proofing Your Online Event Management Software, Part Two

Interviewer: What sort of things do you need to consider when you're choosing the right kind of event management software system?

DL: It's important to consider what would you like to do - what would be the ideal model today if you had a green field site that could do whatever you wanted it to do, and then look further down the track if you can; five years time/two years time, what's it going to look like for your business? Then come up with a list of key points that you need your solution to meet in order to get to that end goal. Then you can start looking at products and solutions. Get products in, making sure to ignore the tinsel and the glitz around the products; they all look good, they'll all demo well, they'll all look fantastic in an hour's presentation, because all event management software companies can do good presentations! Look at the company behind it, look at the how seriously they take your business processes and look at how much time they're willing to invest in working with you to understand what you do. If they're just going to sell you a box with a bit of software in it and a support and maintenance contract, that's probably not the company for you, if you've got a long term view of how you're going to take your event management solution. So look for a company that's going to work with you, that's going to be there for the long term, that's going to take your ideas on board. Because you're the person, as an event manager, who is doing the job. The software company - they don't do the same job as you. They create the software. So a good software event management software solution company will want your ideas; so listen to what they're saying in response to the ideas you've got, and then formulate whether you think you can work with them in the long term. It's all about relationships.

Interviewer: Over the next few years, how do you see the event management software industry developing?

DL: The economic situation is having a huge impact on the event management market place; there is a reluctance to leave your desk. If you're not at your desk, you're somewhere else and you're not adding value to the business. So people are reluctant to leave their desk. The online WebEx/GoToMeeting/online meetings, there's a relatively large explosion of that, especially in the US and it's started to gradually come into the UK and Europe. We're a bit more reluctant to do online events - they're a bit 'strange' to us and we're more used to getting in our cars and going on the train to physically attend an event. But with the pressures of the economy, online events will become more and more prevalent.

Equally, social networking such as Facebook, Twitter is creating a level of personalisation. The whole 'Amazon' experience online is what people expect. People who go onto Amazon and buy a book, they're told what other books are in the same subject, and this is exactly the same with events. If you're booking on an event you want to be able to see suggestions such as:

- Here's an event that may be relevant to you

- Here are some others events you can look at

- Here are some other subjects surrounding the event

- Here's a book about the event subject

- Here's a DVD you can buy to prepare yourself

- Here's a hotel that's near your event

So you can't just look at it in isolation of the event, it's all the bits that go around it as well. People's perception of what they can get from an online experience is rising exponentially, and the software industry and the web industry are racing to keep up.

The focus in the future will also be with the integration into the back office systems. A lot of online event systems aren't integrated; they're not integrated with CRM solutions, you can't therefore get personalisation in place. Personalisation is crucial if you're going to deliver an online experience that adds value to the customer, personalisation is essential. Without that you're just providing a 'me too' type experience. One delegate may register to attend a 'Yacht Master Sailing Course' and someone else is going on a 'Competent Crew Course' on a yacht; they're completely different experiences that the two people are having, and so they have two completely different sets of expectations. One may be a leisure sailor the other may be a professional. The professional will want a professional experience, and the leisure sailor will want a leisure experience. Getting it right, and getting the interests of communities together and interfacing that with other systems is going to be crucial in the next two to three years. That is what will differentiate the events companies and the events solutions that will drive forward in this economic downturn and as the economy recovers, and those that just stand still.

This article the second and final part of this interview. Please search for Part One to gain a full understanding of how you can future proof your events through investment in a comprehensive event management software solution.

Advantages of Team Building Programs for the Corporate Sector

Team building programs are referred to a series of activities that are organized for schools, businesses, sports teams as well as religious or nonprofit organizations to improve team performance. The main focus of such programs is to bring out the best in the team and make certain that there is positive communication, self development, along with leadership skills and the ability to work collectively as a team to solve any problem. It is an excellent way to communicate, learn and have fun.

Team members get a good opportunity to communicate and express their opinions while participating in any activities. It offers a practical experience that allows individuals to contribute towards a common goal. Various team building programs enable developing synergy in teams as well as corporate team building.

Some of the benefits of fun-based team building programs include:

• Motivating employees who are not interested to participate
• Facilitating communication between team members
• Working towards a common goal as a single team
• Tackling difficult situations together as a team
• Giving personal opinions and improving participation
• Improves leadership skills and employee morale

Corporate trainings are essential to develop group skills, communication as well as bonding between team members.

Some adventure based team building activities include:

1. The Incredible Race Challenge
The Incredible Race Challenge is one such team building program that challenges teams to work jointly. It allows the team to race together by means of various transportation forms that range from public transport, scooters, and auto rickshaws to walking on own feet to get maximum number of points.

2. Mobile Adventure Programs (MAPs)
Mobile Adventure Programs are mobile activities that are flexible enough to be set anywhere at any time. If you don't have time for an offsite trip, you can also get your employees engaged in activities inside your conference room or if required in your office campus. The Mobile Adventure Programs include several team building games, such as Towers of Hanoi, turning Point, Mine Field, Key Punch, Helium Hula and many other exciting and fun-loving games. Such fun and play corporate training programs are thoroughly enjoyed by employees than the traditional programs.

3. Cooking Challenge
The Cooking Challenge tests the ability of the teams to become "Chefs for A Day." The challenge includes simple cooking to earn points and these points are related as learning points in the dynamics of the high performance team.

4. The Rafting Challenge:
The Rafting Challenge is one team building events that can help examine the teams' determination as well as commitment. The challenges involves paddling across the waters using "SELF MADE" rafts towards the finishing line. The team has to first make their rafts and sail using it all the way towards the shore.

Party Themes - Smart Solutions to Host a Party

Are you looking for Party Themes? If you are planning to host a party, then its time to learn about the various themes that you can use to entertain the guests. Learning the various party ideas will help you host the best party in the town.

There are certain aspects you have to think about before getting things ready for the party. Determine the number of guests. Decide on the guest of honor. Figure out the nature of the party and the type of attendees.

If you are going to organize a birthday party, then you have to understand the likes of the person who is celebrating the birthday and choose a theme accordingly. You should also consider about the food that is served. Make sure the food is liked by the person and the guests. It is important to serve food with less food allergies. You can also include the ingredients list with each food item so that people who are allergic to certain food items will keep away from it.

It is important to know the likes of the guests before you host the party. Choosing an appropriate theme for the party involves time and effort. The most commonly used themes for parties are pirate theme, movie theme, decade theme, century theme and holiday theme. Choose party themes according to the likes of the guests. If you choose a theme, make sure to arrange the party hall based on the theme. For instance, if you are going to have a pirate theme, include crew ship, boats and sharks in your party hall. Inform your guests to dress according to the theme. It is important to inform your guests well ahead of time so that they can arrange for dresses according to the theme.

If you are planning to have a party during a holiday season, then you can have a holiday theme. If your party falls during Christmas, you can adapt a Christmas theme. However, if you are going to organize a business event, then you have to choose a professional theme according to the likes of the guests.

A bachelorette party is the most common party that is organized for the bride. If you are going to host a bachelorette party, then you have to choose a theme based on the likes of the bride. If the bride likes sports, then you can host a party where the sports event take place or have the game played during the party. You can even choose to have an adventurous party by hosting a camp in the night. You can also choose to have a tropical party and set a theme which involves all the attendees to wear Hawaii type of dresses.

Parties serve as great memories. If you want to make the best out of the party, you have to plan for it well ahead of time. If you don't have enough time to organize a party, you can take the help of an event planning company who can organize the party for you. There are many event management companies that choose party themes based on your likes and make all the necessary arrangements for the party at a nominal cost.

Catering Companies in the UK - The Cream of the Crop

There is no doubt that the UK's catering consultants are at the very top of their game. Competition within the catering field is fierce, and with such a great deal of event business up for grabs in London, Surrey & beyond, catering companies have to be creative and forward thinking at all times, in both their product and their service.

Of course there are hundreds of different kinds of caterer in the UK. Some, such as Absolute Taste or "rhubarb" are large, luxury organisations employing hundreds of staff and operating in lots of different business sectors (such as fixed venues and retail). Others are smaller, more budget and more family run catering companies - companies that are ideal for catering at a small family christening or birthday bash.

The very best catering companies in the UK though, are normally based in London. Whilst based there, where the hub of the events industry is located, they often operate further afield and can even cater for celebrity, business and corporate events abroad.

It is in this high end celebrity, business and corporate event market that a catering company really needs to up the ante. At a charity and celebrity gala for thousands of people the catering alone can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, so the variety and scope within the catering industry is enormous.

The style of these event caterers, particularly at weddings, birthday parties or charity events, is almost as crucial as the food! In fact, some of the catering consultants based in London have made their food an absolute art form. Picture the scene - towering ice laden piles of seafood, dessert tables heaving with miniature cakes and ices, wok stations and sushi bars, oyster boys and caviar girls...anything is possible in the luxury catering industry.

The larger UK catering companies such as The Admirable Crichton or Urban Caprice have very large event catering planning teams, whose job it is to organise all the catering services for an event and finalise all the outside catering arrangements for their clients. Employed on a full time basis they can build up superb relationships with their clients and ensure that their expectations for their birthday or gala dinner are always more than exceeded.

Most good catering companies can work in varying venues too, and of course the UK can provide the perfect choice of those - grand museums and galleries, atmospheric courts and castles, green parks, fairytale palaces and grand public spaces. Other countries simply do not have the ability to take their catering expertise wherever it needs to go, and from that perspective too, the UK catering industry is simply second to none.

Entrepreneur Bootstrapping Business Idea - Event Planning For Piles of Cash

Event planners are everywhere. Think about how many weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, company parties, and graduations occur in a given month. An event planner is a broker of sorts, getting a lot of different businesses together to create the event. The demand is high and so are the profits.

If you are outgoing and love organizing multiple groups of people at the same time, event planning may be your small business niche. With so many events available, you can specialize or generalize.

This is a great business to build up a list of testimonials and repeat customers. You can market to different demographics (the affluent, new brides, teen birthdays etc.) and really carve a niche for yourself in your particular location.

You can also be a corporate event planner. Some events, such as grand openings, happen overseas, where 99% of the event is planned over the telephone. However, you should assume that no matter what event you plan, you will probably be attending it at least for the beginning and for the tear-down.

Weddings are a permanent part of our culture and appear to be quite recession proof. If you are willing to work with bride-zillas and the like, this may also be a good niche to take. However, for many people this can be a very unforgiving event and if the napkins aren't the right color or the flowers weren't exactly as planned, you may never see another referral.

There are quick and dirty events, like kids parties, where you might have to arrange for a caterer, a tent, and a pony ride.

In all of these events you will be establishing a set of caterers, florists, designers, and other contractors that will become your elite team. Some will stay and some will go. You will need to develop a basic contract with a lawyer, but besides that, the start-up costs are low. The person that hires you pays for all of the deposits up front. Very little money should come out of your pocket for the set-up, and you will get a large fee in the end.

Second City to None - Chicago Has it All For Meeting and Event Planners

What is Chicago? Chicago is a lot of things.

Chicago is a bustling metropolis with a re-energized downtown that has a river running through it. Chicago is a major inland port city at the southern tip of Lake Michigan with a sparkling lakefront featuring 26 miles of shoreline and parks. Chicago is a shopper's mecca highlighted by world-class retail along the world-famous Magnificent Mile, on State Street and in hip neighborhoods. Chicago is a culinary capital boasting four-star dining options, intriguing ethnic cuisine and enough casual restaurants to satisfy any appetite or budget. Chicago is major league baseball, football, basketball and hockey -- a raucous sports town unmatched in America. Chicago is a leading world center for culture, including groundbreaking theater, some of the world's finest museums and tremendous live music.

And, speaking of music, we must mention that Chicago is the world capital of the Blues, baby!

Clearly, the Windy City is second to none in terms of being a big city destination for businesses, associations or families interested in visiting the most vibrant, diverse and exciting urban center in the Midwest.

Founded more than 170 years ago, Chicago is called my many the quintessential American city.

Unlike the much older Eastern cities that grew over decades and were influenced by European designs, Chicago sprung up bold and brash on the Illinois prairie. Following the Great Chicago Fire of 1971, visionary men and women - architects, retailers, industrialists and some infamous rogues and rascals -- flocked to Chicago to help rebuild.

Their efforts led to a truly dynamic city that has evolved into an international center for transportation, finance, manufacturing and culture. Chicago is known as a place where big ideas evolve into memorable, lasting icons of modern society. As legendary urban planner/architect Daniel Burnham said more than a century ago: "Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood."

Chicago took those words to heart and has never looked back. City architects pioneered designs and construction techniques still used today. In fact, the first modern skyscraper was built in Chicago. It's gone, but Dearborn Street downtown is like a living museum showcasing architecture from the turn of the century to today. Farther south of downtown in the Hyde Park neighborhood, the land developed for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition features the mile-long landscaped Midway Plaisance, the prototype for the exposition midway. When other cities scarred their waterfronts with industry, Chicago preserved its lakefront for recreational use with parks, beaches, bike paths and museums; now, the Chicago River has emerged as a place frequented by tour boats and kayakers.

In this decade, the $450 million Millennium Park is a modern example of the city's can-do spirit. Built over commuter rail lines, Millennium Park is 24-plus acres of monumental sculptures, dramatic architecture and mature landscaping right in Chicago's front yard. Installations like Cloud Gate, known by locals as "The Bean," have become must-see attractions for visitors.

But Chicago is more than just the lakefront and the Loop, Navy Pier and the Sears Tower.

Chicago is a city of great neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Wicker Park and Bucktown to the north, Chinatown, Plisen and Bronzeville to the south and the West Loop - where meat packing companies co-exist with bistros and loft condominiums. A visit to Chicago should include a foray into the neighborhoods for shopping, dining and exploring, hopefully via one of the noisy but reliable el trains.

When to visit Chicago? Each season offers something special. Winters can be cold, but the lights along Michigan Avenue seem to take some of the chill away. Spring heralds in warmth and visitors can watch sail boats as they pass by the moveable bridges downtown. Summer signals a time for festivals like the Taste of Chicago, outdoor music at the Chicago Blues Fest and Cubs and White Sox baseball. Fall ushers in cool and crisp days, and leaves on trees in Grant Park turn gold.

Here, in the heart of America, Chicago is a first-class destination and unlike anywhere else.
If you are planning a meeting, convention, conference, reunion, group travel and tour in Chicago, please visit Hereschicago.com, Chicago's online resource guide for groups. Event Planners and Meeting Planners utilize Hereschicago.com as the only resource directory for Chicago event planning education and supplier solutions. Search Hereschicago.com for venues, meeting services, A/V, Chicago Limousines for business and meeting shuttles, bus companies for transfers, convention shuttles, Chicago restaurants with private event space, unique private rooms for corporate events, board meetings, client events and outings, and more.

How To - Event Planners, Wedding Coordinators

Wedding coordinators are available to orchestrate the varied details associated with a successful Michigan wedding and reception. The cost of a coordinator varies greatly and depends largely on the amount of time spent on your wedding.

How to Tips for Event Planners

By using articles and expert advice, you can handle the wedding preliminaries yourself, but it is still wise to use event planners to help keep your wedding day organized. A coordinator can smooth the wedding day's progression and so help provide the relaxed and enjoyable day you desire. A relative or close friend may be able to do the wedding day coordinating for you. Many churches have wedding hostesses who know about church facilities and policies.

How to Tips for Wedding Coordinators

- Acquaint yourself with the ceremony site.

- Discuss with the bride and groom any wedding policies of the ceremony site.

- Be available to assist the bride and groom by answering questions, offering suggestions, and having names of available resources for services.

- Be as organized as possible, with all wedding day information in one place.

- As you assist the bridal couple in planning their big day, know the following;

(1) Who will be giving the bride away?

(2) Will the bridal couple be having a double-ring ceremony? Who will have the rings?

(3) Will the officiant provide the wording for the vows, or will the bride and groom be writing their own?

(4) Will communion (the Eucharist) be observed? Who will participate?

(5) Will the lighting of the unity candle be included?

(6) What other special observances will be a part of the outdoor Michigan ceremony?

(7) Who will have the marriage license? When and where will it be signed?

(8) Will the bridal couple have a receiving line? If so, where? Who will be involved?

(9) Who will be responsible for cleaning out the bride's dressing room? The grooms dressing room?

(10) Who will be responsible for audio and/or videotapes of the ceremony? of the reception?

(11) If a pre-ceremony buffet is to be served at the ceremony site, who will be responsible for setup? Serving? Cleanup?

(12) Where will the reception be? How soon will it follow the ceremony?

(13) Who will be responsible for taking the guest book to the reception? To whose home afterward?

(14) Who will be responsible for transporting the gifts from the ceremony site? from the reception site? To whose house?

- Confirm your arrival time for both the rehearsal and ceremony with the custodian of the facility (or other designated person). This time should be early enough to accomplish any necessary advance preparations: unlocking doors, setting up equipment and accessories, turning on lights, heating or air conditioning, etc.

- Confirm with the bride the arrival times of the bridal party, the brides and grooms parents, and grandparents, special others, the officiants, musicians, florist, photographer, DJ, etc. On the wedding day be available to greet each one, to answer any questions, and to give any last-minute instructions.

- At the rehearsal, review the wedding day arrival times with the participants who's to be where and when - and indicate to them the importance of being on time.

- If possible, have all the decisions concerning the ceremony made prior to the rehearsal. If any unexpected changes do occur, they should quickly be addressed to the bride.

- Make certain that each of the ushers receives a list of his responsibilities at the ceremony site. Also, take time at the rehearsal to demonstrate exactly how they are to usher, and allow them to practice. Don't assume they already know what to do.

- As the wedding coordinator you will probably be responsible for collecting any fees or honorariums from the bride and groom. These may be disbursed either at the rehearsal, before the ceremony, or after the reception, as previously indicated by the recipients.

- Determine how many seats (or pews) need to be reserved for special seating, and who will be sitting where.

- Before the florist leaves the premises on the wedding day, count the bouquets, boutonni癡res, and corsages to make certain all the needed flowers are there.

- Know when and where the photographer will be taking pictures.

- When an aisle runner is being used, make certain it has been firmly pinned and taped in place. Tape the end of the runner down once it has been pulled up the aisle to keep it taut.

- If the facility is not equipped with a signaling system, a small flashlight may be used to cue the musicians for the start of the processional and for any other special timing needs.

- Be prepared for possible emergencies with a special bag that includes these items: aspirin, breath mints, clear nail polish, emery boards, facial tissues, hair spray, iron, sanitary napkins, scissors, sewing kit, spot remover, static spray, and straight and safety pins.

- Another bag may contain: pins (for flowers and for pinning the aisle runner in place), small flashlight (for signaling musicians), hair dryer (for hair needs and candle wax removal), masking tape (for marking the positions of the bridal party), matches or lighter (for lighting candles or candle lighters), measuring tape (for locating positions of the bridal party), scotch tape (for taping gift cards to packages), black ink pens (for signing the marriage license).

Hiring Venues For Organizing High Profile Corporate Events

How about organizing your official conference in a venue overlooking the panoramic view of the Wales hills and the Liverpool waterfronts? And all this from the air conditioned comfort of a gallery provided with comfortable seating arrangements. It's possible at the Liverpool auditorium. You can hire venues at Liverpool to give your team and guests an exotic experience, which they would never have experienced anywhere.

The Liverpool venue can give you a vibrant experience which cannot be found in any other place. It has multiple screens with large auditoriums offering a seating capacity of more than 300. Guests can always enjoy the refreshment corner which is laid with hotdogs, popcorns, and drinks as special attractions. You can find some entertaining mixes at the DVD sales counter as well.

The auditoriums provide a completely secure environment to the guests. They are fitted with CCTV cameras that keep monitoring each and every corner of the venue. Corporate companies can make their events reach their global partners and stakeholders through the satellite link facility at Liverpool venues that are available on rent. To make a grand product launch, the screens of the auditorium are more than enough to make a striking effect on the audience. You can make full use of the High Definition and audio-visual surround systems to add life and substance to your product launches and conferences.

Numerous other events like fashion shows, parties, international and political conferences, award ceremonies, video gaming events, church groups, so on and so forth can be organized at the venues. You can in fact reap many benefits from the different facilities provided by the auditoriums. They have the capacity to hold an event of any magnitude, be it a simple presentation or an international conference of global value. You can discuss and design a customized package event suitable for your requirements and budget.

The Liverpool auditoriums are unique in its myriad features that make them stand ahead of any other venue. You can organize informal meetings and parties inside the multiplex private bar of the venue. Other facilities include ATMs inside the venue, from where guests can easily buy tickets for enjoying the cinema experience. Mostly the cinema and all the auditoriums are installed with Infra Red loop system and compliant access facilities for disabled individuals. Additionally, the guests will never find the vicinity of the venue short in attractive restaurants and bars. There are numerous shops and entertainment facilities within walking distance from the venue.

You can easily reach the Liverpool venue as the train stations Moorfields, Wirral Lines, James Street and Central are within walking distance, while all the bus routes go through the bus stations at Queens Street and Paradise Street.You can email or call the staff of the respective venue at Liverpool to make further inquiries You can request for a call back by dropping your message online.

Protect Outdoor Party Equipment With a Fabric Structure

An outdoor party can require all different types of equipment to ensure the event goes over well. Regardless if you are sponsoring an award show, hosting a conference or any other outdoor event, a fabric structure will provide you with first class shelter to motivate, inspire and excite all of your guests.

Events held outdoors can pose a number of unique challenges, including adverse weather conditions, water, uneven ground and harsh temperatures. However, with the right fabric structure, your outdoor event can pull of a spectacular outdoor event without a hitch. No matter if your event is for a residential or corporate event, you will have the shelter that you need to protect all of your outdoor party equipment and produce a successful event.

Depending on the type of event that you are hosting, you may be using an outdoor stage. There are a number of different stage systems available for outdoor events that will be ideal for your party. With a fabric structure, you can provide shelter over your outdoor stage to keep all of the instruments, sound equipment and performers safe and dry.

Power distribution is also something that you will need to take into consideration if you are hosting an outdoor party. Generators and other heavy power supplies will be safe from the element under the cover of a quality built fabric structure.

Outdoor projection technology is becoming more and more popular for brand imagery, personal messages and advertising at outdoor parties. From simple text to elaborate 3D images, you can enhance your outdoor party with projection technology. Outdoor projection is another piece of party equipment that you do not want to leave out in the weather. An industrial tent is the ideal shelter to keep your equipment and your audience safe and comfortable.

Lighting of various types may also be used at your outdoor party to enhance the appearance of the event site. Using outdoor lighting properly under a fabric shelter will ensure that your guests have an experience that is unique and memorable.

Finally, there is the food. A party just is not a party without a wide variety of tasty food dishes, from finger sandwiches to barbeque ribs. Nothing is more disastrous than tablecloths and napkins flying all about while insects of all sorts taste the h'orderves. Under a fabric enclosure, you will be able to keep everything from flying away while your guests dine and the bugs will not be invited.

With the right kind of shelter, you can host your party come rain or shine. Even when the weather is not favorable outside, your guests will be having the time or their lives inside. A fabric structure is pre-engineered and made from only the finest materials on the market. They are easy to assemble and ideal for both long term and short term use. These all-weather enclosures are made with a durable aluminum frame and a vertically tensioned fabric membrane. They will stand up to winds as high as eighty miles an hour and support a wide array of accessories to make your party one that everyone will enjoy.

Business Continuity Planning Basics - A Primer For Your Business

PHASE ONE

Plan Cover Sheet

The Plan Cover Sheet will not only identify your company, but also offer pertinent information that can be evaluated at a glance. See the sample attached.

Company Address:

The address should reflect the location for which this particular plan is designed. Other company locations and their information will be indexed in other material within the plan.

Site Director:

The Site Director should be the main decision maker of the company. They would be someone who at a moment's notice would be able to decide if the employees should shelter in place, go home or wait for further information.

Alternate Site Director(s):

The Alternate Site Director would be the person or persons who would be the second in command and would also be able to make the same decisions as the Site Director in the event the Site Director was unavailable. You can also assign a third or fourth person in this section. It's best if the person is on site most of the time and does not travel extensively.

Plan Date:

Each time you revise the plan, it is helpful to put the revision number on the front of the plan. You will change out some material such as the employee telephone list which does not warrant changing the plan date on the front cover. It is generally helpful to place a date on the bottom footer for material that will change on a regular basis.

Business Continuity Plan
For ABC Company

The ABC Company
123 Address Street
Pittsburgh, PA. 15222

Phone:
Fax:

Website:
Email:

Site Director

John Mayall
Office
Home
Cell

Alternate Site Director:

Alice Joseph
Office
Home
Cell

PHASE TWO

Emergency Response Team

Your Emergency Response Team is generally comprised of your Critical Department Managers as well as your facility managers. If you have a number of locations, each location should have a Site Director and an Emergency Response Team.

Everyone on the Emergency Response Team will report to the Site Director in the event of an emergency. The Site Directors of each location will each report to the main location Site Director or the President/Owner of the company.

When choosing your Emergency Response Team be certain to choose people who will "step up to the plate" in the event of an emergency. Often times in a critical disaster, it is human nature to want to leave to take care of family members. Each team member, should have a back up person in the event of vacations, absence, injury, etc.

o Determine who talks with the fire chief and other officials.
o Determine who can authorize emergency work
o Determine who will disseminate information about your company to the media

Examples of Emergency Response Team members:

Office Manager Responsible for communicating to all employees, vendors, suppliers, floor wardens, etc.

Facility Manager Responsible for shut off valves, electrical/power outages, emergency generators, etc.

IT Manager Responsible for all computer actions, backups, recovery, etc.

Communications It will be critical for your emergency response team members to communicate with each other during an emergency. You may want to either use cell phones or other two-way communications.

PHASE THREE

Develop a checklist of responsibilities

This will be one of the most important steps you will take. In the event of an emergency, many people will begin to panic and need immediate direction. Planning out a checklist of steps to take prior to the emergency will guide everyone through the disaster at hand and calm everyone down. It is imperative that after these checklists are developed and you perform "table-top exercises" (see Table of Contents) to practice for a real disaster.

The attached sample (three stage response checklist) along with the instructions for the Site Manager, Resource Manager and Facilities Manager, will give you an idea of exactly what steps one hypothetical company has worked out in the event of a disaster. This company is a business that produces medical equipment with a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week production line. There are 100 employees who work in the industrial side and 30 office staff. Their home office is in another state. They are located in an industrial park with a river on one side of their building and train tracks on the other side.

Once you have developed this checklist continue to build the rest of this plan. As you do this, you will find that you need to come back to the checklist to add line items or adjust what you have already written. The "table-top exercise" will also help you to develop the checklist even more.

A Sample

Three Stage Response List

Warning Phase:

1. Checking all appropriate functions and supplies
2. Meet with Site Manager to discuss possible impact
3. Brief employees on possible impending disaster and what will be expected of them.
4. Insure you have all necessary documents in the event of an evacuation.
5. Monitor possible emergency through your channels - TV, radio, local authorities

Emergency Response Phase:

1. Meet with Site Manager and Management Team to discuss course of action.
2. Receive direction from Site Manager on next step
3. Meet with employees to brief them.
4. Monitor progress in your specific department

Recovery Phase:

1. Restoration of Services
2. Pursuing insurance coverage, claims and procedures
3. Making repairs and returning to worksite
4. Preparing and restoring all necessary equipment

PHASE FOUR
Identify Your Hazards

Disaster Probabilities

Power Outage 91%

Hardware Error 77%

Fire 58%

Flood 53%

Earthquake 53%

Hurricane 52%

Software Error 43%

Bombing 39%

Storms 38%

Network Failure 23%

Burst Pipe 9%

Riot 3%

Source: Disaster Recovery Journal - 2005

Hazards most likely to occur:

Hazard Preparation Do

Power Outages
o Check for emergency lighting in your facility,
o Have a few flashlights handy that are charged on a regular basis (with battery backup),
o If a storm is approaching turn off all computers,
o Equip your electrical outlets with power surge protectors,
o Check into emergency generators.

Winter Storm (snowstorm, ice storm, etc.)
o Tune into local weather stations,
o Have an emergency radio on hand,
o Refer to police and emergency management phone numbers

Fire
o Check fire extinguishers,
o Be certain employees know how to use them,
o Conduct drills on a regular basis,
o Practice safety procedures for incidents in the event of a fire

Tornado / Windstorm
o Practice evacuation procedures,
o Be certain to have a safe place to go in the event of a tornado,
o Have emergency supplies on hand in the event you have to shelter in place or make emergency repairs or rescues.

Hazardous Materials
o If you have hazardous materials in your facility, you should list them all and report your list to local authorities in the event they need to battle a fire
o Check the materials regularly to be certain they are not leaking and your inventory is correct

Bomb Threats
o Be certain the staff who answers your telephones are familiar with the bomb threat checklist
o After a bomb threat immediately isolate the person who took the call and have them write down exactly what happened on the call

Flood / leaks
o Make periodic checks of hot water tanks, boilers, dishwasher hoses, washing machine hoses, sink connections, toilet tank equipment, etc.
o If files are stored in an area that is prone to flooding, move them to higher floors or on platforms.
o If you are in a flood zone, be certain to tune in to emergency radio stations for updates.

PHASE FIVE

Make lists

Lists will be the most important tool you will need in the event of an emergency or major disaster.

In addition to your Emergency Response Team, you will need to have several lists on hand to utilize during your preparation, emergency and the business recovery phase.

The following pages will give you a good start to what lists you will need to have. Feel free to insert or upload your own forms and/or lists.

Several of these lists will have to be maintained and updated on a regular basis. An example of this would be the employee telephone tree, supply list and computer equipment lists.

In addition to these lists, we have inserted a list of materials that should be stored in the homes of several employees. This material list should be thought out well in advance and then checked by several participating employees to be certain everything is included.

This material list that will be stored in employee's homes should be everything you will need to operate your business if you are unable to enter your offices or in the event of a major power outage.

Employee Telephone Tree

It is imperative to keep this list up to date and to do monthly tests of this list and to make comments in the "Response" column regarding the call. For Example: Spoke to employee, did not reach, wrong number, etc.

SAMPLE:

Name Phone Alternate Phone Response

George Mellon #

George calls:

Sally Field Didn't answer

Nora Ephron Responded

Sally Hays Responded

Ron Mischner #

Ron calls:

Dave Miller Wife took message

Denny Miller Responded

In addition to the employee list, you may want to keep a list of any temporary employees phone numbers and/or their temp agency phone numbers

Emergency Phone Numbers

You should have on hand a list of emergency phone numbers that would include the following:

In the event of an emergency, call _______

If this number does not answer or is slow to respond, call the following numbers:

Police Non-emergency Number

Fire Non-emergency Number

City Emergency Number

County Emergency Operations

Local Emergency Numbers

Poison Center

Hazmat Team

Municipal Phone Number

Disaster Recovery Vendor

Insurance Information

All necessary insurance information should be listed and kept in this disaster plan book as well as in the emergency container stored in selected locations.

It is also imperative that copies of your insurance policy be kept in duplicate in the home boxes or in a safe deposit box.

We also strongly suggest that you take photographs of the following:

o Office equipment
o Carpeting
o Desks, file cabinets, chairs, bookcases, etc.
o Computers
o Valuable paintings
o Supply cabinet
o Computer rooms and server areas
o Electrical and telephone rooms
o Any special equipment, supplies, artwork that would be valuable and unique

Critical Equipment and Materials
Utilize this list in conjunction with the insurance forms to determine what to photograph and what warranties you may need to copy and keep in a safe place.

CRITICAL EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS

Equipment/Room Location Access Required
Yes/no Preventive Action Required
Emergency Generator
Emergency Command Center
Emergency Supplies
Hazardous Materials Storage
Phone System Equipment
Satellite Equipment Room
Computer Center
Servers
Workstations/PCs
Elevator Control Room
Copiers
Printers
Fax Machines

Date: __________________________ Updated: ____________________________

By: ___________________________

Building Utility and Equipment Shut Offs

This is a form that should be completed and then reviewed by several people in the department that handles this equipment as well as employees who might work in the evening on a regular basis and the entire Emergency Response Team.

You may review this form and realize that some of this equipment is not relative to your place of business because it is maintained by building management. We suggest that you contact your building manager or building maintenance staff and let them know you would be interested in viewing the equipment in the event of a disaster and also for insurance purposes.

BUILDING UTILITY AND
EQUIPMENT SHUT OFFS

Building/Address Utility Shut Off Location

Gas
Water
Electric
Fire Suppression
o Sprinkler
o Dry-Chemical
o Other
Boiler
Sump Pumps
Other ________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________

Fire Detection / Alarm Checklist

Check with your local fire department or fire extinguisher supplier regarding fire extinguisher training. Fire extinguishers are good for putting out small fires and many employees if properly trained would be comfortable utilizing them.

We also suggest that you invite the fire department into your building to be certain everything is up to code in your building. Many building owners are hesitant to do this fearing fines or shut downs, however many fire departments welcome coming in before a fire starts to give advice and to be familiar with the tenants of a building.

While going through your checklist, walk around your office or building to

o Check areas that might need a fire extinguisher such as computer rooms, copier rooms, kitchens, etc.

o Check that employees are using extension cords and other electrical conveniences properly. Check to be certain that electrical outlets are not overloaded and avoid using plug in air fresheners as they sometimes explode and cause fires.

o Check to be certain fire doors are closed at all times and signage is properly placed on them so that employees know to keep them closed at all times.

o Check stairwells and emergency exits to be certain they are clear of debris trash and that no emergency exit is chained shut. Also check to be certain exits that lead out into the street are not blocked by cars or debris.

Computer and Information Management

Your IT person is the best person to complete this form. They would know what information your company would need and what type additional equipment you might need to bring the company back up and running after the disaster.

We highly recommend that you find a company that can provide you with an off-site back up system for your computer information.

It is feasible to back up your files on a regular basis and have them stored off-site at either an employee's home or at another company location.

COMPUTER AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
List in order of importance

Location
Equipment
Serial #
Security Level
Own/Lease Service Agr./ Vendor Warranty Expiration Manager
In Charge

Date: __________________________ Updated: ____________________________

By: ___________________________

Key Service Vendors

In the event of an impending disaster or during the disaster, you will need to contact kep vendors that will need to help you immediately. The following list will serve as a guideline, but you may want to add others depending on your type of business.

Specialized Training / Skills Bank

You may want to survey your employees to determine who has skills that would help you in the event of an emergency. You will have to make certain these employees understand that if they are on this list, they will be called upon to assist in the event of a disaster.

It is recommended that you have them sign some sort of release or agreement stating they will assist, but are not liable in the event of a major disaster or medical event.

Some employees may be former military personnel, emergency response personnel, nurses, or have previous training in CPR or first aid.

PHASE SIX

Decide where you will go if you need to evacuate your building immediately.

If you need to evacuate your building because of a fire or other emergency, decide where you will meet and how you will account for all your employees.

Floor Wardens

Do you have floor wardens in your building or among your office staff? If not, ask for volunteers to help evacuate your floor and make certain everyone has safely evacuated. You should then conduct evacuation drills for your employees on a regular basis even though your building management doesn't.

Floor Warden responsibilities would include:

o Safely evacuating everyone who works on your floor.
o Checking to be certain your offices, restrooms, conference rooms, etc. are clear.
o Closing all doors behind them, especially in the event of a fire. Closing the doors will prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent offices.
o Accounting for everyone once you have safely evacuated.

First Aid

Do you have first aid kits handy? Do all employees know how to access the first aid kit? Are there any employees who have first aid training?

Meeting Place

Your meeting place should be a safe distance away from your building. Consider following:

o Meeting in an adjacent building in the event of inclement weather Keeping a safe distance from any emergency vehicles that may need access
o Accounting for all employees - you may want to have an employee listing close to your exits to assure you have that handy.
o Accessing your disaster plan book. If you don't have it handy to take with you in an emergency, someone can store it in their car or you can store it in an adjacent building with an employer who will safeguard it for you.
o A safe distance is usually 300 feet away from the danger.
o Shelter In Place - you may need to stay in your building and not evacuate.

Shelter In Place

Guidelines
One of the instructions you may be given in an emergency where hazardous materials may have been released into the atmosphere is to shelter-in-place. This is a precaution aimed to keep you safe while remaining indoors. Shelter-in-place means selecting a small, interior room, with no or few windows, and taking refuge there. It does not mean sealing off your entire home or office building.
Situations where you may need to shelter-in-place would include: Chemical, biological, or radiological contaminants may be released accidentally or intentionally into the environment. Should this occur, information will be provided by local authorities on television and radio stations on how to protect you and your family. Because information will most likely be provided on television and radio, it is important to keep a TV or radio on, even during the workday. The important thing is for you to follow instructions of local authorities and know what to do if they advise you to shelter-in-place.
Some Guidelines:
o Close the business.

o If there are customers, clients, or visitors in the building, provide for their safety by asking them to stay - not leave. When authorities provide directions to shelter-in-place, they want everyone to take those steps now, where they are, and not drive or walk outdoors.

o Unless there is an imminent threat, ask employees, customers, clients, and visitors to call their emergency contact to let them know where they are and that they are safe.

o Turn on call-forwarding or alternative telephone answering systems or services. If the business has voice mail or an automated attendant, change the recording to indicate that the business is closed, and that staff and visitors are remaining in the building until authorities advise it is safe to leave.

o Close and lock all windows, exterior doors, and any other openings to the outside.

o If you are told there is danger of explosion, close the window shades, blinds, or curtains.

o Have employees familiar with your building's mechanical systems turn off all fans, heating and air conditioning systems. Some systems automatically provide for exchange of inside air with outside air - these systems, in particular, need to be turned off, sealed, or disabled.

o Gather essential disaster supplies, such as nonperishable food, bottled water, battery-powered radios, first aid supplies, flashlights, batteries, duct tape, plastic sheeting, and plastic garbage bags.

o Select interior room(s) above the ground floor, with the fewest windows or vents. The room(s) should have adequate space for everyone to be able to sit in. Avoid overcrowding by selecting several rooms if necessary. Large storage closets, utility rooms, pantries, copy and conference rooms without exterior windows will work well. Avoid selecting a room with mechanical equipment like ventilation blowers or pipes, because this equipment may not be able to be sealed from the outdoors.

o It is ideal to have a hard-wired telephone in the room(s) you select. Call emergency contacts and have the phone available if you need to report a life-threatening condition. Cellular telephone equipment may be overwhelmed or damaged during an emergency.

o Use duct tape and plastic sheeting (heavier than food wrap) to seal all cracks around the door(s) and any vents into the room.

o Bring everyone into the room(s). Shut and lock the door(s).

o Write down the names of everyone in the room, and call your business' designated emergency contact to report who is in the room with you, and their affiliation with your business (employee, visitor, client, customer.)

o Keep listening to the radio or television until you are told all is safe or you are told to evacuate. Local officials may call for evacuation in specific areas at greatest risk in your community.

PHASE SEVEN (optional)

Office Safety Team

Many companies safeguard their employees by training several employees to act as a safety team. This team of employees would be trained in basic first aid, triage, search and rescue and how to administer CPR.

Employees would agree to take classes and workshops and to serve as floor wardens in the event of a disaster. Depending on the number of employees you have, you may want to decide on a ratio of how many safety members you have in relation to the number of employees. Company management will need to decide on whether or not this is a plan that you want to undertake.

Emergency Backpacks

Once your office safety team is developed, it is suggested that you issue them emergency backpacks. Some companies sell them already made up and packaged, but you can make your own and stock them with the following suggested items:

Bandages
Flashlight
Whistle
Safety helmet
Safety goggles
Safety mask
Gloves
Duct tape
Water
Medication for wounds
Medical tape
Floor plan
Emergency numbers
Pen/paper/markers
Emergency food

PHASE EIGHT

Make a checklist of items you will need to continue operating the business after the disaster.

Here are a few suggested items you will need to have in a separate location that will help you operate until you are able to re-enter your building/business. You may have a branch office close by where you can store these items. If not, you may want to either secure a safety deposit box or store items in someone's home.

Computer System:

If your computer system is at your current location and you do not have a back up system, now is the time to determine how you will retrieve your data: back up disks taken out of the building by your IT personnel, servers backed up at another location, is there another location that will have your data, etc.

Website:

If your company is unable to re-open immediately, are you able to access your website to update it to reflect your condition and when you will re-open? If not, discuss this with your webmaster.

Phone System:

What happens if your building is destroyed by a fire or you are unable to access your offices - how will you let your customers and employees know what is going on?

Suggestions: Obtain an emergency number off site that can be programmed to advise customers and employees what to do and who to call for services. Check with your phone company regarding what would happen in the event of an emergency and how you can access your phone system if you cannot access your building or office. If your building is destroyed, is the entire phone system lost?

Hot or Cold Site:

A hot site is a location that is already arranged to have your business up and running in a very short time. Depending on the type of business you have, you may need office space, computers and phones immediately. You must arrange for this service prior to a disaster as you will work with them to determine how many computers and other office equipment you will need. You generally will pay a monthly fee to the company to have this site services available. A Cold Site refers to a location where the space is leased without any office equipment provided. One word of caution is to ask how they determine who gets the space in the event of a regional disaster, as many companies operate on a "first come, first served" basis. If this is the case, you may not have use of the hot site in a regional disaster.

PHASE NINE

After the Disaster

Once your emergency is over, you will need to continue business operations and attempt to return to normal as soon as possible. Now is the time to decide your options on achieving this.

Some of the forms suggested in Step Eight follow this page, but in addition to that you must also consider the following:

Emergency Expense Records form for keeping track manually of what is being spent after the emergency.
Purchase Orders. If you do business with companies that require a purchase order, have arrangements already set up.
Rental cars. If your cars are parked in your building and you need to move your employees quickly, you may want to pre-arrange with a rental car company. This will require that you meet with them and give them all your pertinent information so they have it on file.

Written agreements with companies that in the event of a disaster, you will have a grace period for billing or deliveries.

Content Management Software For Event Management Companies

The events industry is growing at a very fast pace. For the concept of global business and global market have given rise to increasing number of events being held world wide that jumpstart opportunities for board clients and vendors. With this unprecedented increase in the number of events worldwide there is an increase in demand for highly sophisticated Software Systems to manage events.

The web platform for each event has become the next to mandatory for all event management companies. It is easy to go for a Plain Jane website for each event but surprisingly the costs escalate year on year as users demand to be able to more on the website. Also several events are annual in nature causing a lot of redundancy in the tasks that are performed for initiating the event and managing all the event related activities like contact management, newsletter management, check lists etc.

It is those important and useful to have an intelligent website management for content management system that handles events exclusively. Such an intelligent system understands that the data are that stored in the system will be used again the next year. Keeping this in mind it should archive data for easy use in future. Another important aspect of event management is online user registration. More and more users now you want to register online instead of more traditional methods like registration by a phone, fax etc. This registration option opens more possibilities for event management companies to be able to give better knowledge of the event to the user. It also allows them to gather all user data at one place and export it in usable formats.

They are being event management companies that hold hundreds of events per year. It is very expensive and difficult to manage large number of websites for each of these events. An ideal solution would be a single central system that allows them to create web sites and deploy them at will. They should be able to manipulate templates, copy previous web sites, manage contacts, allow online registration etc.

These are some of the features that are ideally required by event management companies for managing event websites.

5 Fun Corporate Event Ideas Mixing Work and Play

You know what they say about 'all work and no play'... it doesn't only make Jack a dull boy, but it can really sap your team's productivity, motivation and morale. We all need to balance positivity with purpose, and when your staff's interpersonal relationships consist only of work there are no good memories to carry them through the hard times. These are the answer - however, catering to all tastes in your planning can be difficult. Today we check out 5 fun, unusual that can really help knit that team tightly together!

1. Secret Agent Adventure
This very neat idea for a corporate event consists of running around your major city pretending to be Nicole Kidman and George Clooney... or perhaps Liv Tyler and Bruce Willis! Your team receives a dossier, containing the mission detail, maps, travel tickets, and a digital camera. The smaller teams will need to run around the city... plenty of talking points in this corporate event!

2. Drumming workshops
These have become quite popular in the past few years. Drumming workshops are a great way to get a lot of people involved, and are far more directed towards team building than some other events. Workmates learn to work in synergy. There's a selection of percussion instruments and people will need to work together to transport and set up the experience also.

3. Go karting
Go karts are a great driving equalizer in - even very experienced drivers are thrown off by their different weighting, and the feeling of zipping around at 40 - 75 km/h with their bottom only inches from the ground! You should be able to choose among differently powered karts- people can select their power range at the beginning, determining how fast and furious the event turns out to be! Many go kart tracks have specialised programs including catering and friendly competition formats. Try to have your team keep the jokes about both male and female drivers to a minimum when trying to build team spirit... or at least keep the volume down on them!

4. Team cooking events
No, not just cooking classes... team cooking events! The name of this corporate event is not just for marketing purposes, it actually is a very team oriented event. There are no leaders and no followers in team cooking, there are no special skills required, no cancellations over wet weather... and best of all, you get to eat everything you make!

5. Circus Skills Workshops
If you have team mostly filled with people that are willing to have a go... a circus skills corporate event will be talked about and remembered for many years to come! They cost just over $100 per person, so are comparable to the 'Secret Agent Adventures', although quite a bit more than corporate events like go karting. There are plenty of activities even for people who are worried about coming home in one piece - juggling, hula hoops and diablo sticks are far less scary than learning skills like forming a human pyramid!

Event Planning - How to Make an Event Successful

Event planning is not an impossible task of ordinary people however, it is difficult. If you are not hiring any event planning firm to organize your event then you will need a lot of stamina to handle every task accordingly. There are going to be times when you will feel very frustrated and want to leave everything but if you manage to be patient and energetic then your event will definitely be successful.

Proper event planning depends on how much knowledge you have regarding it. Therefore, before you start making any arrangements; gain as much information about event management as you can. There best way is to write down all your aims and goals on papers and keep track of your commitments and appointments daily. Moreover, following is a method given, which will help you in organizing an outstanding event:

1. DECIDING THE VENUE:

This is the first task that you have to fulfill. While you are deciding the location of your event you have to keep following things in mind

a. The venue should be easily reachable for everyone.
b. The space provided should be enough for the guests you are inviting
c. It should match your theme and
d. If there is a need for any changes in the location

After discussing all the above queries with the location manager, fix a confirm date for your event.

2. WRITE DOWN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE EVENT:

After deciding the theme of the event, you have to choose activities accordingly. Write down those activities on paper and then make them in order. Moreover, write down the time each activity will take for example how much time the ceremony will take, the meals, entertainment etc. Plan an activity or two that will keep the interest of your guests and they do not get bored.

3. CREATE A BUDGET:

This is one of the important aspects of event planning. It will be really helpful if you write down all the expenses that you have to make to arrange the event so that you can gather enough funds for it. Furthermore, keep extra money aside for unexpected expenses.

4. DEVELOP GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE VENDORS:

If you want your event to be perfect then you need to maintain good relations with your providers. Choose those services that you have come to know from reliable sources. Avert those vendors who do not give you much attention because of their other clients. There is no harm in negotiating with them about lowering down the prices and whatever deal is made, get it written down on paper so that no confusion develops later on.

Hence, these are most important steps that you should take when organizing an event so that it goes smooth till the end of the day. Remember not to take too much stress in this task because then you will be ruining your own health.

Using Social Networking to Increase Attendees at Your Event: Will It Really Work For You?

Some years ago, most people would have laughed at the idea of getting more than a million people hooked onto social networking sites, such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Today, social networking is not a matter of choice but a necessity for most users. We are using social networking sites for a host of purposes - from reconnecting with friends to building links with prospective clients. As an event planner, you can no longer undermine the potential of this new age media that reaches out to millions of users all over the world.

Online communities within social networking sites are extremely useful for event planners like you. These communities are formed by people sharing similar interests and preferences. For example, you can target a community of teenagers to promote a rock fest you are organizing. Not only is this a convenient means by which you can promote your event, you also get to save a lot of money on advertising.

You can make the most of social networking by understanding your target audience. Here are some useful tips that can help you to capitalize on the popular networking sites to promote your event:

CREATE ACCOUNTS ON SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES

This is the first step that you need to take to explore how social networking can help you to increase attendance at the event. Your Facebook or LinkedIn page should immediately catch the attention of your prospective attendees. Remember, unless it catches their attention, they will not come back again to know about your events.

Make your Facebook page interesting by adding necessary information regarding the events that you host, registration details etc. It is a good idea to include a link to the registration page so that interested attendees can sign up for the event instantly.

POST EVENT DETAILS ON MULTIPLE SITES

You can post event details at multiple sites free of cost. Post your event details at all the major social networking sites. This will help you to reach out to a large number of people who might want to attend your event.

GENERATE AWARENESS ABOUT YOUR EVENT

Your social networking account helps you to promote your event in the most effective manner. Popular networking sites, such as Facebook and Orkut have millions of users all over the world. Thus, you can post your event details on these sites to inform people about your event.

When you inform your target audiences about the event, don't forget to add the link to your website or the webpage containing information regarding the event. This is important because prospective attendees might want to know about the event in more detail. Moreover, you can build traffic to your website with this option.

USE EVENT PROMOTION TOOLS

Observing the growing popularity of social networking sites for marketing, business development and lead generation, networking websites, such as Facebook and LinkedIn have now added special tools to aid marketing professionals and event planners. The "Event" section on Facebook and LinkedIn helps you to notify your group members about an upcoming event. This feature helps you to target people outside your network as well!

Social networking offers endless possibilities for event planners like you. Hence, use your creativity to reach out to your target audiences.

Event Planning for the Holidays: Top Tips to Avoid Stress

Event planning in holidays can be stressful for you no matter you are doing it for someone or are arranging an event for yourself. You may be a pro at planning the events but the people around you should realize the burden you have on your shoulders. Event planning can go horribly wrong if guests do not arrive in time or especially, if the guest-of-honor is an hour or two behind the schedule. Here are a few steps that will help you in coping with situation and will allow you to make a better decision when things go out of control.

Slow Down and Grab a Cup of Joe

You need to pay attention to yourself as well when the preparations will be underway. You may get frustrated about a few things and may think that your orders are not followed properly or the crew is not competent enough. Instead of taking undue stress, take a break and have a cup of coffee and think of another way out of the situation. Event planning on Christmas or Thanksgiving can be very stressful as time is short and you have to take care of a lot of things. This little break will help in de-stressing you and you will be able to regain your composure quickly and may come up with a better decision.

Practice Deep Breathing and Relaxation

This is another thing that can prove helpful if you think you cannot focus on the event planning and things are not in control. Deep breathing and relaxing exercises will bring calmness back to the body and will relax your mind. You will be able to concentrate more on the areas that need more attention. Mindful meditation and muscle relaxation exercises are the best techniques that you can perform any time. Even if you have not been practicing them before, you can still perform them in the middle of event planning and these will surely be of some help for you.

Enlist Recruitments

If you are planning an event like 'winter party' then you will be thinking of inviting so many people. There will be people in your family and friends that will be surely attending the event and you can ask for their help. There are chances that people from your close circle will lend a hand in preparations when they see that you are all stressed and have extra burden. Even if they do not ask, you can ask them ahead time for their help and there is nothing in it to be ashamed of. This decision will let you make better arrangements and will save you from the possible mental break-down.

This is all you have to do; sip a little liquid, do some deep breathing and relaxing exercises and ask for a little help to make your event planning more effective. People will not be expecting you to arrange everything for them perfectly on your own. If you consider the methods discussed above then you will not only plan a better event but will also be able to take care of yourself.

穢 2011 Usman Shahid

Tips for Matching Event Entertainment to Corporate Guests

Planning an event entertainment can be one of the most daunting tasks ever. It requires a lot of creativity as well as knowledge of what the targeted audience enjoy most. The journey towards finding the most perfect and wonderful event performers should be treaded carefully to avoid little mistakes that may prevent it from being a success. Below are some of the greatest tips for matching to the corporate guests.

Look forward to finding best corporate entertainers

Most people in the corporate entertainment industry know that there is a distinction that should not be crossed in regards to entertainment content. It is therefore important to seek those individuals who have great reviews from other business clients. They should have a great experience in their stage performances.

Always ask for a preview of their entertainment videos

Most corporate entertainers normally have a clip that shows exactly what their performances look like. It is important to watch a preview of this and know the suitability and level of entertainment it will provide. By watching this tape, you can be sure of what to expect from the event entertainment. Through this tape, you can judge the people and know their level of dedication towards their entertainment careers.

Consider the purpose of holding the event

One of the greatest things that you need to keep in mind is that not every corporate entertainer is fit for any event. You need to select the right entertainers who hold the right theme for your function. They should also comprise of a reasonable size. Suppose the event marks a launch of a product, the audience is large and needs a much entertaining factor that suite all ages as compared to training workshop learning.

Seek a variety of performers

Organizing a show that engages various performances is a great way of entertainment. This ensures your guests get various entertainment choices hence keeping them from boredom. This is greatly important especially in breaking monotony of one person performing on stage. A good corporate entertainment requires amalgamation of various performers and letting them entertain the guests suitably.

With the above tips, you can be certain to find the most appropriate event entertainment group. They will also lead you into picking the best and most relevant entertainment group for your guests. In this way you can make them have fun and exciting experience at your event. If you are planning for a corporate entertainment Vancouver or any other function, the above four tips will guide on how to choose the best corporate entertainers.

Ten Reasons to Choose Horse Racing for Your Corporate Hospitality Event

Horse Racing is a fabulous sport to take your clients to, and we are pleased to include the top ten reasons why you should take your clients to these events instead of any others. These are as follows;

1. Takes the Pressure of you as the host: Horse Racing is a more relaxed way to entertain your clients. If you go to the football or rugby, you are with your client for three hours solid before kick off and however entertaining they are, conversation can dry up! With races taking place every half hour, clients are constantly up and around, putting bets on and watching the racing from different vantage points, which makes entertaining so much smoother and more enjoyable.


2. Dressing Up: Horse Racing is generally a smart event and allows clients to wear their best clothes, including giving the ladies a chance to buy a new dress and hat! With football and rugby becoming more relaxed these days, in that many corporate areas allow jeans, it is refreshing for clients to see a really smart, formal event.


3. Ladies Involvement: Horse Racing is a great event for both genders. Football and rugby are very male orientated, where as horse racing is enjoyed by both sexes. This is therefore a great opportunity for clients to entertain their female customers and also customers and their wives. For some clients, they have more chance to attend an event if their wife or girlfriend is invited as well!


4. Locations: There are racecourses located all around the UK from Newton Abbot in Devon, to Folkestone in Kent and up to Perth in Scotland. With 60 racecourses around the UK, there is always going to be one in close proximity to your business or clients.


5. Every Day of the Week: If you need to choose a race meeting for a particular date, perhaps you have a client coming from a far, or you need to combine it with an important business meeting, you will generally find a race meeting happening on most days of the year.


6. All Year Round: Most sports are seasonally based, with football and rugby in the winter and cricket and tennis in the summer. Horse Racing is fantastic for corporate hospitality in that it runs all year round, from January to December.


7. Meetings Beforehand: With most horse racing meetings starting at around 2pm, this is a superb time to allow for a business meeting beforehand. The majority of racecourses have corporate boxes where you can stage a business meeting or seminar in the morning around 10am, before having lunch at 12.30pm, before enjoying a full race meeting in the afternoon.


8. Betting: All courses have licensed betting facilities on site, where your clients can enjoy a flutter on their favourite horse. All corporate facilities generally have betting facilities within them, meaning that you don't have to queue up with the masses to put on a bet.


9. Offerings to Clients on Day: You can choose a corporate package that will best suit your clients on the day. For the high end clients, you can choose a more formal three course meal, where as for middle to lower corporate clients, you can choose a fork or a finger buffet. You can choose the option that will best suit your budget and clients.


10. Add on options: There are a variety of additional options at race meetings that you can choose to enhance your day or impress your client further. These could be as follows;


• Present a trophy to the winning trainer


• Present a trophy for the best kept horse


• View a race from the commentary box


• A racing tipster to come to your box and inform your clients about the racing line up


• A sporting celebrity to join your party for the day

Thinking of Hiring a Cheap Limo Service? Think Again

When it comes to hiring a limo service; you get what you pay for. Limousine companies know what they're worth, and although there are many limo companies that pride themselves on having the lowest prices in town, it is unrealistic to expect a quality experience from a limousine company that offers the cheapest prices on the market.

If you can't afford to rent a good limo, then you may want to rethink your transportation options altogether. Cheap rates for chauffeured rides can be a red flag for unpleasant secrets which can range from lack of city permits to dirty vehicles or even no insurance. Here are some of the secrets that discount limo companies may be hiding from you.

Unlicensed or unprofessional chauffeurs: Licensed chauffeurs are professionals at what they do; they will treat you with courtesy and respect, open doors for you, stow away your luggage, and do whatever it takes to make your experience superb. Chauffeurs from a discount limo service have no such standards; they may not behave or dress appropriately, and they may not even be legally licensed or insured.

Run down vehicles: "Affordably priced" may be code for poorly maintained vehicles or old cars. Some companies know that they cannot compete with other reputable businesses on the market and that the only way that they stand a chance is to drastically lower their prices so that some unsuspecting customer will rent one of their cars. Poorly maintained vehicles are prone to breaking down; do you really want to risk that? Besides, you won't be making much of an appearance if you arrive in a worn-out limousine with a bad paint job, dents on the side, and tarnished wheels.

Poor service: Cheap limo companies are often poorly managed with underpaid staff, poor customer service, and uninsured drivers. Don't be surprised when your "affordably priced" limo shows up and isn't the car you ordered, or if your unlicensed chauffeur is unapologetic when he comes to pick you up a few hours later than you agreed on.

Riding in a limo is a supposed to be a luxurious experience; everything from the chauffeur to the vehicle itself should portray class and sophistication. When renting a limo, it is a good idea to compare prices and reviews for several different companies. As a rule of thumb, eliminate those with the cheapest prices as well as those with the highest, and choose from those that fall in between. Don't compromise on the quality of your night on the town; a ride in a luxurious chauffeured ride is worth every penny that you spend on it.

Corporate Team Building & Executive Retreats: Booze, Sex & Other Pitfalls to Avoid

To ensure that you get value from the time and money invested in team building sessions and corporate retreats, there are several pitfalls that your company should avoid.

Team Building Pitfalls

1. 
   Allocate sufficient time for planning
   
   There is no way that you can expect to pull off an effective team building session or corporate retreat if 1 - 2 weeks prior to the session you are just contacting vendors



2. 
   Don't schedule your session to end on a Friday.
   
   Like it or not, focus will become a challenge as the day wears on.



3. 
   Do allocate more time for your session if your group is highly analytical.
   
   Analytical learners need more time to debrief and apply the session to your specific business challenges or they will leave feeling frustrated and that the session was a waste of time. "What was that?" will be a frequent comment on your feedback forms.



4. 
   Don't splurge on food and accommodation and scrimp on facilitation fees.
   
   ou need an experienced facilitator to execute a session successfully. I remember a company that contacted us in a panic. They had blown most of their budget for a top of the line conference facility with all the bells and whistles. They had little left to pay a facilitator. We suggested a couple of cost affective facilities for accommodation and meetings but eventually had to pass on that booking too as they insisted on the high end facility and could not afford a facilitator.



5. 
   Don't just go through the motions of team building.
   
   Team recreation is important. If your goal is a day off work, then schedule a picnic or recreational activity.



6. 
   Get your priorities straight.
   
   We thought we had heard it all when we were asked "Can you cut your simulation down to half a day so that we can have more time to go shopping?" Another time, a prospective client selected a venue that was less than optimal for their activity as they did not feel their staff could forego alcohol for one day and the ideal location was not licensed for alcohol.

Alcohol: Don't Let it Flow Freely

There is no way to address this topic without just coming out and saying it. "Watch the booze." Again it comes down to priorities and liability. I remember doing some location scouting with a prospective client. I should have known we were in trouble when one of the first questions they asked was "Will there be a fridge where we can store our beer?" It was downhill from there. Late night drinking binges, a director passing around a bottle of hard liquor before a physically challenging outdoor event and the CEO having to be confined to his bed on the last day of the session for overdoing it.

Certainly there is nothing wrong with a glass of wine with dinner. Many companies are not aware of the fact that if they allow the liquor to flow freely before an activity that involves physical exertion, your company could be held liable if someone gets injured.

There is another area of potential liability. If participants will be driving after your corporate event, hire a smart serve bartender who is trained to detect potential problems and turn off the tap when appropriate. You might also want to have a backup plan and provide a taxi or hotel accommodation for any participants who do become inebriated. The bottom line is that courts throughout the USA are rendering judgements that hold companies liable when employees consume too much alcohol at company-sponsored functions and then cause accident after leaving the event.

Put a Leash on the Libido

During some corporate retreats, excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to poor judgement and sexual indiscretions. Many companies don't realize that they are skating on thin ice when they turn a blind eye to dirty jokes, sexual innuendo and employees skinny dipping in the pool on a corporate retreat or at a sales rally. We heard of one sales rally to which the Director brought along a pornographic video. In the evening, the director, the CEO and several members of the sales team returned to the meeting room at the conference centre and watched it. The next day, a lot of snickering was going on. We are also aware of two unrelated incidents at two different companies during corporate retreats in which employees became so intoxicated that they jumped on the table and started doing a strip tease

If even one employee had decided to file a sexual harassment suit (US) or human rights complaint (Canada) due to any of these incidents, the negative publicity alone could have done a lot of damage to a company's reputation. As Astra USA, the American subsidiary of Astra AB, a Swedish pharmaceutical company discovered, it could also hit you in your pocketbook.

Astra USA agreed to pay nearly US$9.85 million to approximately 80 former employees complaining of sexual harassment and retaliation on the job, at corporate retreats and during sales rallies. They admitted to fostering a hostile work environment, including requests for sexual favors in exchange for favorable treatment on the job. Business Week Magazine covered this story in detail and you can still access it on their web site.

To avoid similar difficulties, have a clear code of conduct for ALL company related meetings, activities, and events. Cover it in your orientation, diversity training and management development programmes. Have every employee sign-off and agree to adhere to this code. When incidents occur that are clearly inappropriate, deal with them and send a clear message that certain behaviour will not be tolerated in the workplace or at company events.

Team Building: The Bottom Line

Team building sessions and corporate retreats can be enjoyable and produce a myriad of benefits for your company. To get the most bang from your team building buck, ensure that there is bottom line results in what you offer. Remember, people don't have to get wasted or tell off-colour jokes in order to have a good time. There is something to be said for brainstorming with co-workers to come up with solutions to some vexing business problems or flow charting to improve a process that isn't working. There is something to be said for relaxing around a bonfire, getting to know your co-workers while you pitch a tent or start a fire, cooking your meals outdoors, learning a new sport like polo, and the many other activities that can add the "fun factor" to your events. From where we see it, there is far more value in activities like that than boozing it up or frolicking nude in a hot tub with co-workers.

© 2006 Executive Oasis International