Become A Wedding Planner And Enjoy Its Fringe Benefits

When you become a wedding planner who's so good at what you do, you open doors to a very high-paying job! Getting paid, working freelance, and having fun are only some of its fringe benefits.

1. Getting paid as a wedding planner

Did you know that you can earn as much as $25,000 to $35,000 when you become a wedding planner? The rate goes even higher when you go beyond the tasks of being a wedding coordinator.

Once you take on the bigger responsibility and work scope of being a wedding manager, you can earn as much as $45,000 to $65,000. This opens a whole, new range of earning opportunities for you - and we haven't gone into tips and commissions yet!

2. Working freelance as an independent consultant

When you become a wedding planner, you are also known as a bridal consultant. You officially become a part of the event planning profession. As long as you have a business license and a card with all your contact details, you can set up your own wedding planning business.

An independent outfit, you enjoy the benefits of flexible work hours and customized jobs which are mostly dictated by you. This equates to a lot of personal freedom!

3. Having fun as an arranger of events

It goes without saying that you will enjoy the job of arranging happy endings for people. As an individual, you become part of creating the happiest day in a couple's life. Because every couple is unique, you get to explore different designs and work on special concepts.

Granted that everything goes well, the work environment is generally upbeat and friendly. As long as you're prompt and organized, you can minimize the stress.

Although it isn't always a stroll in the park and it does involve hard work, there is so much fun to be had! In any event, you will never run out of hugs, kisses, and handshakes to participate in.

However, it pays to ponder on this a bit. In the U.S. alone, there are more than ten thousand people who have actually become professional wedding planners. In their wake, there are hundreds to thousands more who dream to become a wedding planner too. What makes you any different from them so as to stand out above the rest? This is something you'll have to figure out on your own! And once you do, you'll have that unique identity which sets you apart - the name and trademark couples and clients will remember you by.

How Do Personal Events and Business Meetings Differ?

What is the difference between a business and personal event? Plenty! I will focus on three different type of events and how they differ from multiple prospectives including focus, planning time, and budgeting.

Let's think about a wedding. Probably the largest segment of the event meeting services market and they are practically recession proof. People continue to get married even in tough times. However, the focus of the wedding are the BRIDE and GROOM, FOOD, and ENTERTAINMENT.

Next, let's think about personal parties. These consist of special birthday parties, bridal and baby showers, anniversary celebrations, and holiday get together. The focus of these events is THE ONE BEING HONORED, FOOD, and BEVERAGE. When trying to get unique ideas and decorations about personal parties, I recommend you go to Party411.

Lastly, think about business or organizational events. These celebrations can be large or small but generally consist of grand openings, number of years in business celebrations, training, retreats, company parties, and non-profit fundraisers. The focus of these events are THE ATTENDEE, FOOD, and LOCATION (City and Venue).

To see questions and answers about various types of events and how to plan for them, I would recommend going to MerchantCircle and Eventective Forum. If you are apart of an event meeting services or conference services organization, I recommend you belong to some of the great LinkedIn groups and ask your questions there.

For a wedding or party, you might consider the following audio visual:

• Presentation Services Audio Visual, including Projector Rental to highlight a photo, video, or blended show of the bride and groom or honoree


• Sound and Light Rental for Entertainment and to add pizazz to your event

For a business or organizational event, you might consider the following corporate audio visual:

• Computer Kiosk


• Powerpoint Presentation Equipment including Projector Rental


• Rent iPad or Tablet PC


• Wireless Audience Response System

How an Event Planner Makes Your Event a Dream

It is no surprise that people are hiring event planners in San Francisco to organize their parties and social events. These party planners have been known to make dreams come true and organize parties which clients remember for years on end. They have been known to think out of the box and come with creative ideas for parties. They have great themes and ideas for all kinds of parties and events. They have the best tips for kid's parties as well as adult parties. They can even handle your corporate events. They strive to make your party much more special.

A party is not just about a date and people getting together. There are a lot of factors you need to consider like caterers, your d矇cor, lights, sound, music and the theme for your party. These event planners' in San Francisco will take care of all of this. If you look properly, you can find companies that offer these services at very affordable rates and in a budget suited to your needs. Here is a list of a few of the services that these event planners in San Francisco offer:

1. Catering - These companies have an array of world class chefs who are experts at cooking all sorts of cuisines. Great food has always been called the essence of life and can be one of the key elements of your party. These companies are also tied up with the top caterers in San Francisco as well as San Jose. Good Food, Great Beverages will always delight your guests.

2. D矇cor - This is one of the most important elements of an event. These companies make sure they transform your home or venue into something out of a dream. They design the d矇cor to match your theme. And if you haven't thought of a theme as yet they can help you with that as well. They provide lighting, Space Shaping, Props, Center Pieces, Balloon D矇cor, large outdoor d矇cor as well as draping.

3. Event Rentals - These Companies would help you with all sorts of event rentals like Chairs, Tables, Linens, Glassware, Patio Heaters, Tents of all sizes, inflatable's as well as generators.

4. DJ's, Music and Bands - They would provide the best DJ's with a wide variety of music to suit your party theme. You can also get live performers and bands if that's what gets your feet kicking.

5. Transportation - Your planner can also provide great transportation services for your guests. They can provide a pick up and drop service for all your guests. They can arrange for Party Buses which would seat up to 40 people. They can also provide Stretch Limos, Hummer limos, Escalade Limos, Executive Limos, Limo Buses, Trolley Car Busses as well as tour busses.

These are just a few of the great services that are offered by a good event planner in San Francisco. So why not go a little crazy for your Birthday and have a party you will remember for a lifetime, I am sure with the help of these companies you can make that a reality.

Charity Fundraising Ideas For a Red Carpet Event

Recently I produced a red carpet event and thought I would share some of our charity fundraising ideas with you. The event was for PCRM and like other red carpet events we produce, many hours of planning went into creating this successful non profit event.

One of the main non profit ideas was to make this non profit event stand out among the crowd since the charity was being introduced to a new audience on the West Coast. Thus it was important for this red carpet event to adhere to the highest level of professionalism in terms of food, service and design. We accomplished this by bringing in one of the top live TV show producers who in turn assembled a top-rated production team making the television portion of this event seamless.

Other charity fundraising ideas we used to maintain our budget was to create elegant floral arrangements at cost and recycle the glass containers. We even used one of the floral designs from Budget Bash, which is to submerge a cymbidium orchid.

Like all other red carpet events, we placed "asks" for sponsors for our bar. Because this was a vegan non profit event we had very strict parameters in terms of what beverages we could serve but found generous sponsors for our liquor, beer and wine. Other sponsors were kind enough to let us "borrow" their recipes in which the caterer created our delicious three-course dinner menu.

Additional non profit ideas included our live and silent auction which also adhered to a vegan code to ensure our patrons were not offended from what we offered to help raise funds. We used lighting effectively as our main design element for this red carpet event as well as vegan friendly drape and linen. We incorporated our design elements from the save-the-date card as well as the invitation to create our timeless yet elegant room d矇cor.

And what are red carpet events without an after party? For this part of the event, we quickly transitioned our cocktail area into a night club with a white dance floor, white faux leather couches and a vegan dessert station. Additional charity fundraising ideas included sleek modern-looking informational kiosks to help translate, explain and support the charity's mission statement.

I hope you picked up a few non profit ideas for your next non profit event. I learned a lot from producing this event especially in terms of healthful eating habits and incorporating aspects of a vegan diet into my everyday routine. Until next time, remember the Budget Bash mantra: make it simple, delicious, stylish, fun & economical to all!

Think Beyond Perfection When Wedding Planners Take on Your Big Day

Wedding is a special occasion in everybody's life. To make it an unforgettable event, it requires professional management by expert hands. The occasion needs proper arrangements of things and leaving it to family members may create hotchpotch at the end. Moreover, the process will consume more time and money which one could save by hiring a professional wedding planner. So, it is wise to give away the responsibility of your big occasion to expert wedding planners Ireland. They move on strategically and can take care of A to Z arrangements for your wedding occasion. These professional event planners give undivided attention and constant efforts so that you can find the ceremony get done the way you have ever wished.

What Event Planners really do?
Wedding planners Ireland can help you in a great way by reducing your problems that may come across your way while planning for your wedding. You are often stressed and burdened with work while preparing for your wedding and are likely to worry about the arrangements and proper implementation of wedding plans and lots more. A skilled event planner will surely assist to relieve you out of the stress and that too in a well-synchronized manner. They are all about to ease your anxiety and ensuring that you enjoy the fullest on your big day.

To add more, these professional event planners offer many services to make your wedding a memorable one. Most of them are experienced and have made contacts with numerous providers, thus you can get the best possible wedding items within your budget.

Well, that's not enough! An event planner can also help you to spot the best possible wedding venue or church for your wedding. The wedding planners Ireland have lists of venues where you can have your wedding at an affordable price as well. Also, choosing the best possible wedding garments for the bride and the groom or even for the entire family, making floral arrangements, hiring wedding photographers are also done by marriage planners. If your wedding date is fixed then contact any professional event planner now.

Successful Event & Meeting Planning: How to Boost Attendance

Consider the fact that the annual meeting is the single largest source of non-dues revenue for most associations. Also consider the fact that most exhibitors view a sizable base of interested, qualified buyers as the linchpin of a successful trade show. Consequently, it's in the best fiscal interest of your organization to ensure that as many delegates as possible turn out for your event. Meeting planning should include promotion which is the key to increasing attendance figures, provided that the rest of the "Four Ps" -- product, price, and place -- have been properly developed.

Planning a Meeting? Do Your Homework

Before drafting the marketing plan for your next meeting, ask yourself the following questions:

o Are you certain that you're offering the best educational program to your audience? Do you ask your attendees and members (including those who do not attend) what they need to know and learn to prosper professionally and personally? Are you responding to their needs? Do you actively seek grants, partnerships, and sponsorships that will help you afford to bring the best to your delegates?

o Are the cities you choose affordable and accessible? Are the room rates suitable? Are your registration fees reasonable and competitive while yielding acceptable profit margins?

o Are the time of year and the day of week pattern easy to sell to your audience? (Educators are usually free in the summer, while entrepreneurs of any ilk may have a hard time pulling away from their source of income on weekdays.)

o Is your event scheduled so as not to compete with other industry (public and private) events or your own organization's regional events?

o Is your marketing database the most comprehensive and accurate it can be? Has it been tested, corrected, and USPS-certified? Have you captured the names of all potential attendees from Web inquiries, product purchases, membership inquiries, exhibitor surveys, and marketing alliances with related associations?

o Are your conference mailings frequent enough and timely? Do respondents have sufficient time to budget for the event, get permission to attend the event, and benefit from the early-bird registration cutoff date and the hotel cutoff date in general? Is your program printed far enough in advance to allow you to take advantage of the significantly cheaper, yet slower, nonprofit or bulk mail rates?

o Are you missing opportunities to promote your meeting? Frequently missed opportunities include e-mail signatures, broadcast fax cover sheets, letterhead, ads and articles in every newsletter and magazine you produce, inserts in dues renewal letters and all other outbound correspondence, announcements to the trade press, and splashy unveilings at the previous year's convention and all mid-term events. Do you provide your local chapters and exhibitors with turnkey packages that enable them to support the marketing of the national meeting?

Keep in mind that many activities are competing with your conference for a share of a potential attendee's time and discretionary funds these days. Less personal time; shrinking educational budgets; and an increasing number of educational opportunities available locally, regionally, and on the Internet are forcing meeting planning managers to create a more sophisticated, quantifiable approach to marketing than ever before.

Do the Math

According to the Professional Convention Management Association's Ninth Annual Meetings Market Survey, marketing and promotion account for 11.1 percent of event expenses. Compare this figure to the amount that you are spending to promote your event. Are you spending enough? Too much? Let's calculate.

Assume your attendance goal is 1,500 -- an increase of 5 percent over the previous year -- and your registration fee is $500. If you achieve your goal, you would generate $750,000 in gross revenue. If you spend the industry average of 11 percent to secure this attendance, your out-of-pocket marketing expenses would be $82,500 or $55 for each registered attendee.

Given that the acceptable rate of return for direct mail is at most 3 percent, you would need to mail at least 50,000 total pieces to net 1,500 attendees (.03 x 50,000 = 1,500). With a budget of $82,500, your cost per mailer would be $1.65 including postage. But since research has shown that people need to see your message at least three times before they respond, your cost per mailer would drop to 55 cents. Since this is a low unit cost, you would need to be creative with your distribution costs by including the piece with your monthly newsletter or as a polybagged insert with your journal to save on postage. Advance planning is key.

Create a Timeline for your Meeting

The development and utilization of an annual marketing plan and timeline is a meeting planning tool that will help streamline advance-planning issues. If you rely heavily on board members and volunteer committees, a timeline is a particularly valuable tool. It contains all deadlines so that both staff and volunteers know exactly what is expected of them. It serves as a volunteer recruitment device, allowing prospective volunteers to either commit to the time frame outlined or decide that their schedules won't allow them to participate. And it empowers everyone -- volunteers, staff members, and potential speakers -- to be on the same page at the same time.

Create the timeline with all deadlines and cutoff dates backed up from the date of the event, including sufficient time for development, layout, printing, and distribution in order to avoid rush fees. Following are a few examples of the elements of a bare-bones timeline:

Initial mailing

The purpose of an initial mailing, most likely a postcard, is to prepare the recipients to act. It should inform them to mark their calendars, prepare travel budgets, check the organization's Web site regularly for updates and prepare them to be dazzled at the upcoming event. Destination promotion can be included here along with information about any new educational elements resulting from last year's evaluation. Be sure to send the initial mailer during budget planning time for your industry, typically six to nine months out.

Second mailing

The goal of this mailing is to encourage early registration. The piece, mailed four weeks before the early-bird cutoff date (or eight to 10 weeks before the hotel cutoff date), should include registration and housing forms in addition to finalized information on keynote speakers and seminar topics and presenters.

Final mailing

The purpose of the final mailing, sent out a minimum of three weeks before the hotel cutoff date, is to ask for the order and close on it. It should include all the information that potential attendees need to know to commit -- final agenda, list of exhibitors to date, names and photos of all speakers, airline and car rental discounts, optional tours, registration and housing forms, and anything else that will entice them to attend.

You should be able to determine whether an additional marketing push is needed by figuring out the date, historically, by which half of your attendees are usually registered. If the numbers are lagging at that point, you may want to add another mailer, broadcast e-mail, or fax to the mix.

For each element on the timeline, provide a final copy approval deadline, final layout approval deadline, blueline or press proof approval deadline, and mail date. All dates should be realistic, firm, and shared with all parties as early in the marketing cycle as possible. When all elements of the event -- from site selection to program planning to exhibit sales -- are promoted via a well-oiled marketing machine, the inevitable benefit is increased attendance and satisfied delegates and exhibitors.

Sample Marketing Timeline

14 months out --

Select graphic design/marketing firm. Prepare meeting theme, logo, and introduction for unveiling at current year's event. Prepare exhibitor pre-prospectus. Prepare call for speakers. (Note: All information should be placed simultaneously on the organization's Web site and in vendor newsletters. Public relations team has parallel timeline.)

12 months out --

Unveil meeting theme, logo, and introduction at current year's convention. Provide preliminary destination information. Host committee and CVB should exhibit at event. Update media contacts in press room. Place call for speakers on Web site and hand out to speakers who will be returning. Program committee evaluates current year's speakers. Renew booth space on site using exhibitor pre-prospectus.

10 months out --

Distribute meeting dates to press and affiliated associations for their informational calendars. Begin exhibitor marketing and continue speaker acquisition. Thoroughly analyze current year's exhibitor and attendee evaluations and adjust program to address the issues.

9 months out --

Send out initial mailer (or broadcast fax and/or broadcast e-mail) to members and prospects, asking them to prepare their budgets, mark their calendars, and make plans to attend. Announce keynote speakers and entertainment if possible. Promote destination attractions. Create and approve registration and housing forms. Create PDF and/or interactive forms for Web site. Prepare confirmation letterhead, envelopes, and fax cover sheet.

9 to 6 months out --

Education committee updates members and exhibitors on key speakers and vendors signed up to date via Web site and newsletters. Prepare early-bird registration mailer. Prepare press releases and contact lists, complimentary trade show passes, and marketing materials for inclusion in exhibitor service kits. Send event logo to general service contractor for kit covers. Place event promotion ads in affiliated journals and association's publications.

6 months out --

Send out early-bird mailer. Include registration and housing forms for attendees and exhibitors. Develop preliminary program. Update Web site.

4 months out --

Mail preliminary program, providing specific information on speakers, educational sessions, and the destination as well as registration and housing forms. Post registration and housing forms on Web site. Develop final program mailer. Send list of pre-registered attendees to exhibitors for their pre-event promotions.

3 months out --

Send out final program mailer. Organize public relations efforts for venue and local attendance. Prepare/place ads in local publications if appropriate. Send last-chance broadcast fax or e-mail if necessary. Prepare promotional splash for next year's event for closing ceremony. Prepare materials for your own booth in exhibit hall or welcome area.

Immediately before meeting or event --

Prepare directory, proceedings, and on-site materials, including art for signage, sponsor banners, at-a-glance agendas with room assignments, miscellaneous attendee instructions, message boards, emergency contact information, and other bag stuffers as needed.

Explaining Your Catering Needs to Your Catering Service Company

Catering services can handle many different types of requests. Some companies may have their own specialty. A finger food catering company can supply wedding finger food or cold finger foods for any special occasion. Split roast catering can be handled by many different types of companies and can make a certain type of event the talk of the town. When someone needs office catering, corporate catering or individual catering services, he wants to make sure the company he hires can meet his particular needs. A person can find out if a particular company can meet his needs by explaining his need to the service that he hires.

A person who wants cold finger food should tell a caterer right away. If he does not plan on expanding his menu much beyond this, he does not need to worry if the service will be able to keep its food warm after it arrives. Chafing dishes and other items used in many catering operations are not necessary. At most, the service just needs to bring plates and forks.

When organizers begin the process of explaining their needs to a catering company, they need to make sure the catering company understands what the needs are in detail. The company will ask questions about the type of food the planners wish to serve, if the planners should have options for people with different dietary needs, and how much food is needed. As soon as the company covers the basics of an event, the company will start to ask other questions that are just as important to conducting the event successfully.

The event planner should tell the catering company if he plans to host an indoor or outdoor event. The venue affects the type of food served. An indoor event may allow for a sit down meal, while an outdoor event allows for more portable foods. It also determines whether the caterer will bring paper plates and plastic silverware or if the caterer will bring normal plates, silverware and napkins. Serving trays will be used regardless of where the event is held.

Event planners should also tell the catering company if the event is for a particular celebration. Although catering companies prepare the food and handle the meal, they perform additional functions as well. A Christmas party will require different decorations than a party held in July. If the planners have a particular theme in mind, they need to tell the caterer about their chosen them. The catering company may decline to decorate for the party in some circumstances. Politely declining the offer to decorate does not mean the company cannot handle the food. It just means the decorations are beyond that company's means.

A face-to-face meeting is not necessary when event planners first contact a caterer, but such a meeting can help the company and the planners clear up many details. Long-term relationships may be developed in this manner. The arrangement can be mutually beneficial to all of the parties involved. If the event goes well, the catering company may gain repeat business.

Meeting Information and Meeting Planners

In the fast-paced and cutthroat environment of today, when companies are constantly vying with each other to dominate the market, the role of information, in general, and that of meeting information, in particular, are cardinal and cannot be underestimated. Undeniably, knowledge is power and information is the fuel that runs an organization and its entire infrastructure thus helping to convey the power of knowledge to every arm of the company machinery.

As information is of paramount importance, companies have to know how to procure it, store it, handle it, transmit it, and use it so that time and cost efficiencies are generated and so that they derive the maximum benefit and value.

The Age of Information

Previously information and meeting information were obtained from company activities, were stored in files and folders, books and papers, and were transmitted by word-of-mouth, lectures and speeches. Today, the scenario has changed drastically. Information is generated almost as soon as a person thinks, it is stored in virtual files and folders on a PC or laptop or other device, and it is disseminated through email, chat and other high-tech methods. The Internet is an information superhighway that is spearheading the information revolution. The Internet is an opportunity per se that presents unlimited means of learning and absorbing new facts. The modern media, which includes newspapers and the television, is a powerful source of information too. Currently, there is so much of information around that the chief threat that plagues the modern world is information clutter. Nevertheless, information keeps piling every day. The greatest challenge of modern companies lies in information management, i.e. how well they can manage information in the wake of the Internet and the information revolution. New-age software has been developed by IT companies in order to help companies grapple with endless information, leverage their resource pools to the maximum possible extent, and cope with the sheer numbers of new facts that are spawning every day. Hence, the company that follows the smartest information management mantra is the company that emerges as the winner.

Importance of Meeting Information

Among the various information management applications that have been invented over the last few years, a mention must be made of software that has been designed to manage meeting information. That is because among all categories of information, meeting information is the information that is the root cause and basis of all other company information. It is only when one party or person meets another that a transaction takes place. It is only when managers meet that a collective decision can be taken. It is only when two or more people meet and start working in a team that a stage is set for synergy. As the meeting is the most fundamental unit or form of any organizational interaction, the significance of meeting information cannot be undermined.

Organizing Meeting Information

There is practically no end to the amount of meeting information that a meeting can generate. In fact, meeting information can be so excessive in volume that it can almost fill a whole library. Hence organizing meeting information is of the utmost importance. Every event manager should know how to organize meeting information if he or she is to earn praise in his or her profession.

On the face of it, organizing meeting information seems to be an easy task. But only experienced event managers know what it takes to successfully handle and deal with an overwhelming amount of meeting information. Event managers are people who have to manage the entire event on the company's behalf. Sometimes, event managers do not belong to the company, they are hired by the company so that they may organize the event for the company. At other times, the event manager is a person from the company itself. Whatever the case maybe, whether the event manager is external or internal, he or she has to manage the event with aplomb and panache. Or else he or she will have to face the flak and the ire of senior company executives.

Needless to say, each event comprises a mind-boggling amount of information. It is primarily the event manager's job to manage, organize, sift through, reject and control this meeting information. Meeting information is generated for both large and small meetings. In the following paragraphs, we shall examine the different kinds of meeting information that may be generated when a large meeting is summoned and how such meeting information may be organized.

Large-Scale Events

Large-scale events are generally hosted by companies in fabulous luxury hotels and are attended by plenty of invitees. These meetings do not get over in one day. They generally carry on for a few days and are invariably followed by workshops and talks. Companies often look for sponsors who help them sponsor such conventions. Sponsors typically comprise other companies. By sponsoring events, sponsor companies gain a tremendous amount of publicity for their own products and services. That is the reason why they agree to sponsor. A massive number of meeting invitees attend such meetings. Food is served elaborately, the media are called, stationery kits are given to the guests, and promotional events are organized with a lot of fanfare and with the presence of actors, singers and other celebrities. Companies host such events in order to make important public announcements such as an announcement declaring that the company has acquired another company, to promote products and services, to declare product launches. Shareholder meetings and meetings announcing Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) are other meetings, which are hosted on a grand scale.

Different Kinds of Meeting Information

The different kinds of meeting information, which may start to accumulate a few weeks before a meeting, consist of:

• meeting information about the meeting agenda and the aims and objectives of the meeting.
• meeting information on whether meeting objectives are in line with overall organizational objectives.
• meeting information on whether the meeting agenda and objectives will add value to the meeting process and to the organization.
• meeting information on whether the meeting will contribute and add value to the organization. If the meeting is not going to add any value to the organization, then it should not be hosted.
• meeting information regarding the names and number of meeting participants.
• meeting information regarding who will be the presenter, panelists and speakers.
• meeting information regarding the names and number of attendees.
• meeting information about out-station and foreign meeting participants. This information is necessary because their accommodation has to be arranged for in advance.
• meeting information regarding the travel schedules of foreign and out-station meeting participants. This information is needed because these participants have to be received at airports and railway stations upon their arrival.
• meeting information regarding the fare, the menu and the cuisines that will be served at the event and whether there will be a buffet or not.
• meeting information regarding the sending of meeting invitation requests and cards. This information is required, as invitations must be sent to all invitees in time. Invitees will not be able to attend the meeting if they get their invitations too late.
• meeting information regarding whether invitees will be able to make it to the meeting or not. The organizers have to call up attendees in order to confirm arrivals or the absence of attendees.
• meeting information regarding the total cost of the meeting. This has to be calculated much before the meeting and should be strictly followed so that costs do not exceed the budget that has been allocated for the meeting.
• meeting information regarding stationery kits. The contents of these have to be decided in advance so that they are ready to be distributed when the meeting starts. It is important to note here that the stationery kits may not be the same for all the attendees. Senior and more important attendees are generally given heavier kits that are very expensive whereas junior attendees are given lighter and cheaper stationery kits and sometimes no stationery kits at all.
• meeting information regarding the seating arrangement at the conference. The meeting room layout may be theater styled or boardroom styled or U-shaped styled or classroom styled or banquet styled or cabaret styled. The seating arrangement is generally decided by the senior managers and the event and meeting managers have to arrange the meeting room layout according to the wishes of the senior managers.

A Scaring Business

The task of organizing a meeting can be pretty daunting for an inexperienced event manager. A meeting or a conference or an event is a minefield, which brims with opportunities for an experienced and smart meeting manager, and which is full of pitfalls for an inexperienced meeting manager. Seasoned event management professionals and Certified Meeting Planners always look forward to the task of event planning as they know that the task is like a platform where they can showcase their talents freely and earn accolades. However, the same task is a nemesis for inexperienced event managers. There is so much to coordinate, so much to understand and so much to deal with, that if you are an inexperienced meeting manager, the entire meeting can go topsy-turvy and crumble like a house of cards. If senior managers are accidentally made to sit at the back due to a flaw in the seating arrangement; if stationery kits are not in order; if your staff have forgotten to pick up key meeting attendees from the airport; if the accommodation that you have fixed is not up to the mark and high-profile occupants complain about the room services, or if any other last-minute problem has cropped up, you have had it. One gaffe and you shall have to shoulder the entire blame. Also, you should prepare yourself for eleventh-hour crises because they often happen in meetings and events.

Even experienced meeting and event managers admit that it requires superhuman abilities to manage diverse, intricate, detailed and complicated meeting information. Sometimes, more than one meeting manager is assigned the task of meeting information management as companies feel that only one manager may get lost in the sea of information, in spite of his or her proficiency in event management.

Meeting Planners

In a bid to help companies manage meeting information effectively, some forward-thinking IT companies have created meeting management software. Such meeting management software, also known as meeting planners, enables company managers to realign and restructure business processes. The makers of these meeting planners have deployed leading-edge technology in order to devise them. High-end meeting planners are capable of storing almost infinite quantities of meeting information. They aid managers to grab the bull of meeting information by its horns in order to manage information. They help managers to reduce downtime, to think proactively and innovatively and to upgrade their managerial skills. Authentic meeting planners come with attractive specs and lots of features and functionalities. The purpose of these features and functionalities is to help managers organize meeting information properly. Modern meeting planners not only help managers to restructure meeting information, they also aid managers to streamline business processes. Besides, they also offer end-to-end business solutions to managers in real time.

The aim of a meeting planner is to train and guide a manager to execute a formidable amount of work and to multitask, seamlessly. A meeting planner helps a manager to manage time in a way so that he or she can work with clockwork precision. Modern meeting planners have manifold objectives. Apart from allowing managers to store meeting information and maintain records accurately, the modern meeting planner enables a manager to get a holistic view of a business, to operate economically and effortlessly, to minimize costs and to maximize profits and to increase his or her own workplace productivity exponentially.

Meeting Planners on the Internet

You can avail of such event management software from the Internet. Reliable meeting and event management software helps users to automate meeting and business processes. Authentic meeting management software enables you to store mounds of meeting information in it and also allows you to retrieve the same from it, in mere seconds. All the same, I must warn you before you jump at the first meeting management software that you come across on the Internet. Most meeting planners do not deliver what they promise. Besides, they are not secure software. Although they collect personally identifiable information, they are not foolproof applications. They are hacked into often. Users have complained frequently of losing valuable information from such conference management software and of hackers getting to know their personal data and trying to rob them of money or harass them in other ways.

Online Diary Planners: The Best Meeting Planners and Meeting Management Software

However, do not get apprehensive. Not all meeting management applications are bad. In fact, there are some that are totally above board and outstanding. These are the online diary planners. Visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_diary_planner in order to know which meeting software is the best. Online diary planners are the only meeting management software that can be completely trusted as they have been researched and examined thoroughly before being cited by Wikipedia. Wikipedia, being an encyclopedia, gives a correct, impartial and unbiased account of the best online diary planners that should be used for meetings, events and conferences. The meeting and conference planners that have been cited by Wikipedia may be used free of cost, and can make the meeting information management process easy, enjoyable and a cinch. Such meeting information software as has been cited by Wikipedia can help managers to make each meeting or conference a flawless success.

Companies that carry out their day-to-day operations with the help of authentic and genuine meeting planners, such as those recommended by Wikipedia, are able to call the shots over competitors. They are also able to shore up operations to the extent that their working modes and methodologies become unique and exemplary.

Some of the meeting planners are even able to give a shot in the arm to ailing businesses in order to get them back to the mainstream and their machinery rolling. Many meeting planners enable managers to participate in professional networking so that the latter are able to kick-start the smooth flow of meeting information among company personnel. This helps personnel to be in the know of things.

Meeting information management has become the single most important factor, the key parameter in determining whether a company is competent or not. The meeting planner has become an indispensable tool for goal setting and attainment and for measuring progress of a company with respect to various benchmarks. Modern companies are often judged by the meeting planners they use. Analysts know exactly where the company stands vis-a-vis its competitors once they are apprised of the meeting planner the company uses. Moreover, if two rival companies use the same meeting planner, the way each company manages its meeting information with its meeting planner, becomes the indicator of which company is performing better.

The Benefits Of Using Event Wristbands

Using event wristbands while organizing or sponsoring an event has a number of utilities and benefits, ranging from brand promotion of the organizer or sponsor to smooth management of the event. This explains the popularity of event wristbands with event organizers.

Every experienced event organizer knows how helpful it is to use a particular wristband for the event, as it largely helps in the smooth conduction and management of the event. Whether it is a small office party or a music show, arranging for event wristbands will always be a smart decision for you.

Some key ways how wristbands help in the smooth running of an event are as follows -

An Effective Promotional Tool

Wristbands will act as an effective marketing and promotional tool for the company or organization which will arrange/sponsor the event. Issuing customized wristbands to guests/invitees/visitors - with the name of the organization clearly written on it - will make the guests/visitors know about the organizer/sponsor behind the event, of course unless they are not already aware of the same. In any case, the wristband can always act as a powerful branding tool, as the guests/visitors may show the bands to their friends/relatives/acquaintances while sharing with them the experience of attending the event.

Moreover, if the visitor keeps the wristband in his collection, then he will remember the event (and its organizer/sponsor) every time he will have a look at it.

Smooth Entry For The Guests/Ticket Holders
Issuing wristbands for invitees and guests and/or ticket holders can be highly beneficial. This will enable the gatekeepers or bouncers to easily identify them and also spot the gatecrashers and other unwanted elements. Besides, the invited guests and even ticket holders can enter the venue straight away, instead of being stopped at the gate for showing the invitation cards/tickets, etc.

Age Identifier

There may be certain arrangements or spots at the event venue where the access to minors will be restricted (for example stalls selling alcoholic beverages). The organizer might issue customized or special wristbands to minors to ensure that they can be easily identified by the bouncers and other staff, and prevented from entering those places where they are not permitted to enter.

Child-Parent Protection

Twin wristbands can be issued to ensure that parents of a child can be easily identified in case the latter gets isolated from the former. The wristbands will enable event organizers to identify whether a person claiming to be the guardian of a child is telling the truth, instead of handing over the child to a wrong person.

Functional Smoothness And Better Security

It will be a great idea to issue wristbands to staff members working at the event. Given the fact they are easily identifiable, they can have smooth access to authorized areas. This will ensure functional smoothness, which is otherwise likely to get affected if the staff get stopped for identification every time they have to visit any sensitive place, even when the event is going on in full swing.

Given the key benefits and utilities that event wristbands offer, you can pretty well understand how fruitful it will be for your organization to use them.

Engagement Party Checklist and Planning Ideas

This is a comprehensive engagement party checklist and some ideas to help in planning your engagement party.

Upon Engagement

* Engagement notice in newspaper, Facebook etc

* Arrange Engagement Party (easy to create an event in Facebook to invite your friends)
Engagement Party Checklist

* Date & Time (most Engagement Parties are held on a Saturday night, but a Sunday breakfast or brunch option is also a popular option. Always check any events held locally or nationally that may clash with your date, you don't want to find out you've chosen the football grand final - unless you want to include it in your theme!)

* Guest List (not usually as many guests as the wedding, but it's entirely up to you! Also don't forget about whether children can come)

* Location (usually a parent's home or your house, but venues can be great for fuss free entertaining, or even a River cruise!)

* Budget (it's hard not to get carried away when your excited by the wedding, but try and look at the entire amount you can afford and work backwards from there. For example if you have a $1200 budget and 40 people, then you have $30 per person, which will determine whether you can get catering etc.)

* Dress code - Casual/Formal/Black tie etc (remember to include on your invites)

* Theme & Color Theme (good time to introduce your wedding theme on a smaller scale and try out some ideas)

* Entertainment/Music (Hire a Band/DJ or even a jukebox)

* Food & Catering (another way to save money is to get guests to "bring a plate" instead of gifts, but there are many options such as a barbecue, or getting it catered for with a spit roast or cocktail style. Some caterers supply just platters of food, which can be a good option to "top up" what you may already be providing)

* Alcohol & Drinks (guests usually expect some alcohol, wine and beer are the most economical with some fruit juices. Also a good time to introduce a "signature cocktail" to be used at the wedding, or try a few out and get guests to vote on the best one!)

* Cake (to save money DIY, or enlist family or friends instead of a gift. Cupcakes are another option you can make yourself and freeze ahead of time, you can defrost them and decorate the day beforehand. Some bakeries allow you to buy "blank" cakes which will save the time in cooking and you can just decorate and ice. Fresh flowers are great for an instant and effective decoration on a cake)

* Invitations (a lot of people just email invites now, and you can get email templates or customisable printable invites from Etsy and Madeit, alternatively you can have them printed professionally)

* Decorations (add instant colour with balloons, most party shops can do custom helium designs quite economically, or hire your own cylinder, enlist some friends and do them yourself depending on your climate the later you have to do the balloons, the hotter the less time they last. Try to do your decorating the day before, it's also important that if the party is at night to see what the venue is like then, you may need to add in some hire fairy lights, uplights under trees, candelabras and bamboo torches etc to set the mood. Another option is flowers in vases, you can often buy in bulk at market sellers, and just sprinkling masses of rose petals around tea light candles on tables, gardens and the driveway can make a cost effective but amazing impact. Most party shops have disposable plates, crockery and cutlery which will make cleaning up a lot easier too! )

* Gifts (consider how far away from the wedding the party is, as you don't want to impose on guests too often. If you are already set up in your house, money in lieu of gifts is OK to ask for on your invitations. Guests will need some direction so making it easier for them on the invite is the best way, donation to a charity is another option)

* Organise any Hire items - such as tables, chairs, lighting, crockery & cutlery etc. (Party hire places have many options that you might not be aware of such as small, good for rain marquees, carpet runners for your entrance, archways, vases, lighting, eskies, fabric draping etc for decorating. Most have a price list you can download or get them to email you so you can find out all your options before purchasing items)

* Videographer/Camera (ask a few guests who have video cameras if they would mind videoing through the night, try and follow up with friends afterwards for photos. It can be a great regret later in life that you didn't capture everything that you wanted to on the night. If you budget allows a videographer can be a great way to capture memories. If you've found your photographer already for the wedding, a lot of them offer engagement photos as part of a package which can be great for invitations and keepsakes as well)

* Games/activities (depending on your guests and venue you can add in some fun activities such as wine and cheese tasting, karaoke machine, Trivia contests, Twister, Wii or PlayStation contests etc. If this is the first time your families are meeting, then you might just have to gauge the night as it goes along, but it's always good to have something preplanned if you may need to "break the ice". Don't expect to do everything you've thought of, but you might be surprised at how happy guests are to indulge in some fun once they've had a few drinks!)

* Contingency Plan (If your party is outside you may need extra cover for rain, or to move to a completely different venue. You can check the previous year's weather at the Bureau of Meteorology, but always be prepared no matter if it's "never rained that time of year")

* Do a run sheet (all event organisers have run sheets which is basically a time line of what's happening when, it also includes all your suppliers and contact details and numbers on one page of all the relevant and involved people. You will need an overall run sheet that has each item listed on a table with two columns, one for whether it's been organised and the second for confirmation and payment. A run sheet for the week and day leading up to the event is handy also (depending on how involved your party is). If you have friends/family doing (delegated!) certain things for you it's good to give them a checklist of their own if they have multiple things to do.)

For example:

1 week out - bake cake and freeze, clean driveway, hair cut, check RSVPs etc.
Day before - decorate cake, pick up hire items, check weather forecast, get flowers, set up lighting and check that night etc
Day of (this list needs to include the time as well) - Pick up balloon decorations, put drinks on ice, set up tables and chairs etc.

The easiest way to make a run sheet is to literally look at each item on your list and work out what needs to be done in relation to it - for example -

* Venue (Mum and Dad's house) -
1. Clean patio
2. Get Dad to fix the gate
3. Draw up lighting plan give to Brother
4. Put flowers and extra toilet paper in bathroom etc

* Me -
1. Find a dress and accessories to wear
2. Get hair done
3. Take emergency kit to Mum and Dad's (makeup, hairspray etc)

Notes - If you are doing a lot of the setting up yourself make sure you allow time to have a shower and freshen up before your guests arrive, and don't forget to eat and hydrate! If budget allows a Event Organiser is always a good option, but ensure you have solid ideas on what you want beforehand to save you money. A "mood board" of pictures you've found, cut out and placed on some pages to give them a visual idea of what you want also is a great help. You may find that family and friends want to "say a few words" at your Engagement Party, make sure you talk to those people first to ensure there aren't any surprises on the day. Most of all have fun, and see this as a "dress rehearsal" to the next exciting event - your wedding!

Pulling Off That Challenging Event-Planning Task

Have you been given the challenging task of organizing your company's corporate event? If this is the first time you've been assigned such monumental task, don't let it give you sleepless nights thinking of how to put it together. The following checklist should provide you with the general aspects that you need to take into account so you can show your boss that you can pull off this demanding undertaking.

Know the objectives - Your overall planning should be guided by whatever the objectives are for holding the event. If the goal is to improve the team spirit, for example, you have to think of the activities and games that can be done to strengthen the relationship among your co-workers. If it's a seminar-workshop, carefully choose the resource speakers that you're going to invite who can share their knowledge and insights.

Identify possible dates and venues - You always want to choose the ideal date for your event, so be sure to check if everyone that's going to attend it will be available on the date you choose. Be sure also to give the attendees enough time to prepare in case they have a major role to play at the occasion. As for the event, your choice will be determined by the size of the people attending as well as the purpose for the event. If the venue does not provide its own food, you also need to contact a corporate function catering company that will handle such aspect.

Prepare a guest list - You don't want to miss inviting VIPs, so be sure to have a list of the persons you're going to invite and the persons that need to be there. Be sure to confirm their attendance so you can be assured of their presence during the event. Including an RSVP on the invitation comes standard.

Establish action plans - Planning a corporate event involves focusing on what needs to be done to make it a success. A list of action plans is a statement of what you aim to achieve within a specific period. You need to set a deadline for each aspect of the planning, but you must also make some leeway for certain delays. There would sometimes be setbacks and snags along the way, so you also need to be able to anticipate for them and have a contingency prepared in case it happens.

Considering this checklist will hopefully equip you with the things you need to successfully carry out your first event-planning assignment. Contact a reputable corporate function catering company to help you out with other aspects like decorations, parlor games and even entertainment for the guests. If you succeed with this first effort, the next ones will just be a walk in the park.

How To Add Excitement To Your Spiderman Birthday Theme Party

For your little champion's upcoming birthday, why not choose a Spiderman Birthday Theme and let him celebrate his special day with his favorite idol? Every boy envisions becoming a superhero like the Spiderman and therefore, your party will be the envy of the neighborhood. From young boys to the grownups, everyone is suffering from spider mania and therefore, this theme will surely make the kids go crazy about dressing up and attending your action-filled party. Here are some useful party ideas.

The invitation:

Since this theme is very popular, you can easily get the invitation at any nearby party supplies store or buy them online. If you are willing to make the invites yourself, here are some ideas.

• Make your child wear the Spiderman costume and take his pictures posing as a real superhero. Take a printout of the best picture on a white cardstock along with some cobweb prints. Write your party details on the reverse side using fancy language such as 'Look out, your friendly neighborhood superhero (your child's name) is turning (his age). Come on for some spiderly adventure'.


• Take a printout a movie still of any of your child's favorite Spiderman movie and use it as an invitation. Write your party details on the reverse side and use a blue envelope for enclosing it. Decorate the envelope with some Spiderman Party Supplies such as stickers so that it also reflects the theme of your party.

Decoration:

• Buy the basic Party Supplies such as balloons, face masks, spider web, tableware, banner, etc. in advance so that you don't have to suffer from last minute mess-ups. These Spiderman Party Supplies are extremely useful to create a perfect party atmosphere without breaking your bank.


• Cover one of your walls with stretchable spider webbing that can be found at any craft store. To give a wild look to your party, add some red and black plastic spiders to it.


• To get the guests into the mood, play the Spiderman music in the background.


• Decorate the guest chairs with cobwebs and red and black crepe paper. Above the party table, hung Spiderman poster using fishing thread in a way that the Spiderman has his face down towards your table as if he is watching the celebrations from the rooftop.

Party food:

• A Spiderman themed cake will mesmerize the guests. You can either order it from your nearby bakery. If you are on a shoe-string budget, you can bake a plain rectangular cake at home, and cover it with red colored icing sugar or cream. You can change the color of the sugar by adding edible color to it. Use black edible color in the cream or icing sugar and draw the webs on the red colored cake. Add a theme candle on it. Hurry! Your cake is ready.


• Make cheese pizza and make spider webs on it using ketchup.


• You can serve many other items that fit in your theme as well as budget.

Party favors:

Since the spiderman birthday theme is extremely popular, you can get almost anything you want. Stickers, Spiderman movie CD, superhero figurine, comic book, toy spiders, coloring book, etc. are some of the cherished options.

Spice up your adventure-laden party with some heroic games and let the kids live up their imagination.

Corporate Event Entertainment: 7 Dos and Don'ts

The little things that make big differences to event success.?

The corporate event has such potential - to bring employee's together, to foster a culture of sharing and openness, to create good memories that will tide employees through hard times at work and help create a far more stable workforce. However, there's a reason that most people groan when they open an office Christmas party invitation! Competing interests and demands often lead to corporate event entertainment, activity choices and outcomes that really don't match the hype over corporate event possibilities. Today we check out some do's and don'ts for choosing everything from your corporate event entertainment or Melbourne corporate band, to a venue, an activity and a theme.

Do: Ask the people what they want

Many corporate event entertainment organisers feel that if they ask people what they want, there will be so many competing interests that they will only have to disappoint some people anyway. This is quite true - but you can get around it by asking your employees to negotiate an activity amongst themselves. At least everyone has the opportunity to speak and argue for their choice, then!

Don't: Pit departments or employees against each other

It's very tempting to make a competition out of corporate events, saying that it's 'all in fun'. However, competitive corporate event entertainment that creates teams and names a winner is only guaranteed to foster dissent in the ranks. There may be greater team spirit within small teams, but the overall loss is greater than the gain.

Do: Cover up the silence!

Getting everyone together in one spot only to listen to the twittering of birds is guaranteed to mean your event flops. Music doesn't have to be the focus of an event, but background music from Melbourne corporate bands is essential to helping people loosen up and feel ready to talk about things other than work. Utilising an actual corporate band in Melbourne rather than an iPod on shuffle means that you get help creating an appropriate playlist, and also create an attention focus for quieter times.

Do: Feed the masses!

Providing food is a fairly standard requirement that goes along with event entertainment in Melbourne. Hungry people are not happy people!

Don't: Offer alcohol on tap

Drunkenness uncovers a side of everybody that is better left at home! Don't encourage people to do things that they'll regret later by offering free alcohol as part of your corporate event entertainment.

Do: Match your entertainment to your audience

Most workplaces up to a certain size have a fairly definite demographic profile. You should choose Melbourne event entertainment that matches the demographic of your staff members - consider the level of physical fitness required, generational interests etc.

Don't: Make interaction difficult

If the aim of your corporate event is to bring employees together to have a good time, don't make it difficult for them to interact! Choose a Melbourne corporate band that is happy to tailor their volume to your needs; leave plenty of room in the schedule for people just to chat; and allow people to choose their own seating etc.

There are so many choices for corporate event entertainment in Melbourne, there is bound to be one that suits your workplace perfectly. Remember, if in doubt... grab a Melbourne corporate band and put on dinner for an easy-please function!

Free Corporate Team Building Activities - Ideas and Games for Events

People work together oblivious to the person they are sitting next to. Thus, organizations can promote healthy work relationships with corporate team building activities for. Staff picnics and parties work magic for the teams to get friendly with each other and games help form teams to build a connection the best.

Survey Says

No matter how different people may be, there would be some things that would be typical like common interest for a book or a cuisine. To make out the familiarity, try playing Survey Says where the host asks each member five questions about something. It could be a show or movie or band or something everyone is familiar with. Many of the things would be common among the staff and they'd realize how similar their choices are.

Back to Back Drawing

After the initial introductions, members can get directly to the communication exercises to make the teammates talk to each other. Back-to-Back Drawing is one of the games that foster teamwork. While playing this game, the two partners sit with their back to each other. One of them verbally communicates the instructions on how to draw and the other one draws the shape. This exercise requires communicating and interpreting and the role of both the players is equally important. The success of the game depends on how well they do their parts.

Disaster Management

In a corporate office, everyday is a challenge when you have to deal with many problems. Problem-solving is a game where the team is given a problem with some causes. Every employee has to think of solutions that are creative and unusual. This activity will acknowledge the creativity and sensibility of the co-workers.

When planning an event for a team, be specific about the goals. A day of fun would be nice for the office environment but it must also unite them as a group. However, if these exercises are too competitive, they would just add fuel to the fire. Organizing these events regularly would be more effective in making them feel like a team and help achieve better results.

Seven Event Management Tips for Fundraisers

Staging a special event is a reliable method for fundraising and a good way to publicize your organization and your cause. This article contains some practical advice for event planning, promotion and management.

1. Decide on the Right Type of Special Event

There are several types of special events. Each has its own purpose and can be very effective if used for that purpose. Confusing the type of event can result in disaster. There are fundraising events, in other words, events that are run to make a profit for the organization. People pay to attend, buy something at the event, or gather pledges and then participate in the event. Similar to these types of events are what is often called third party events. These events are staged by someone or some organization other than the charity for the benefit of a charity. Another form of event is used for cultivation of prospects, recognition of donors or volunteers and to make announcements, such as the launch of a campaign. The purpose of this type of event is not to raise money at the event but to publicize the charity and inform potential donors about something new, with the intention that they will follow-up with a donation.

2. Make Appropriate Decisions Based on Type of Event

If you are running a fundraising event, you need to decide how you will make money with the event. This may seem obvious, but it is sometimes overlooked. Ask yourself if the funds will come from admission tickets, sponsors, sales of items in additional to the admission cost, a silent or live auction, door prizes, and so on. For third party events take these things into consideration. If you are working on the charity side, make sure that you have an understanding of what your role will be. It is easy to get asked to do more than your organization may have the resources to do. If you are the third party, understand how exactly how your event will benefit the charity. If the main purpose of your event is to make announcements and cultivate prospects, you will make more if you offer something for free and make the request for a donation later. Pay attention to how the media are managed at the event

3. Planning the Event

Cover the basics first - secure the venue, have enough food and drinks, book entertainment or speakers, look after details like parking, coat check, security, and washrooms. Prepare a budget based on these basics then adjust as more things are added or sponsors are secured. Prepare a detailed checklist of everything you will need - invitations, RSVP, who orders what and do it well in advance. Make a timeline working back from the day of the event and mark the deadlines for getting invitations out, placing ads in media, payments of deposits, to suppliers and entertainers, and when the RSVP must be received. Walk through the venue and imagine how people will move as they come to the event. Anticipate people's needs and if at all possible, don't have people waiting in lines at any time, get them a drink ASAP, and get them seated or involved.
Double check everything.

4. Promoting Your Event

Brand your event. Even if it is a relatively small event, a unique name, slogan and logo can help to sell the event. Consider building a special website for the event, with a link from your organization's website. A unique URL can help to brand the event and this can also make tracking registrations easier. If you are sending invitations to your mailing list, usually about six weeks to a month is an appropriate time to mail invitations. Use email lists and email invitations and have people register for the event on your website. If the event is open to the public, advertise in the media, using the media that will target your audience. As an example, if your event is upscale, advertise in business media or if your event is family oriented, advertise in community newsletters. Issue press releases when the date of the event is set, about a week before the event and just after the event.

5. The Day of the Event

Rehearse the program - time speakers and make sure they know where to stand and what to say. Test the audio visual equipment and have backup systems in place. If you are doing something that requires some technical skill, like a video presentation or sound feeds for media, hire a technician to be on standby. Always have a contingency plan for bad weather, late speakers, and emergencies.

6. If You Are in Charge of the Event

Never forget that you are working. It can be easy to relax with a few drinks and get into the mood of the event, especially if things are going well. Never forget that you are working. Be prepared to deal with the unexpected. Keep review your check list. Remember that key people - celebrity guests, speakers, entertainers - want to be taken care of and told what to do. Never leave them alone or ask them to decide something. Meet people where they arrive, assign someone to be with them at all times and respond to whatever they request. The most common breakdowns at an event are poor venue (too small, inadequate parking, not enough washrooms), poor food service, a/v breakdowns, and key people who don't show up or show up late. Try to anticipate these problems and solve them if they occur.

7. Wrap - up

Do a final accounting for the event as soon as possible. If a fundraising event, take all costs and revenue into account but also all take other benefits into account, such as an assessment of the value of the publicity you gained, new people you met and so on. If the event is for an announcement or donor cultivation, make sure you have follow-up planned - follow-up calls and letters to participants and to media. Get thank-you letters out to sponsors, suppliers and volunteers as soon as possible.

Steps for Planning a Seminar and Training Event

As we head into 2011, most organizations prepare to plan their goals. Included in this is continuing professional development.
Corporate meeting planners are busy this time of year planning seminar, convention or training event (s).

Here is a really simple list to Consider in building effective continuing professional development events:

1) Decide on your Goal. Will the event be for skill building like leadership, inspiration, or training like new advances in technology, compliance training, etc? Brainstorm first and plan each of your seminar, training or conventions into specific available dates in your calendar. Create a focus and theme for each meeting or convention.

2) Organize the key players. For each meeting or event, decide who needs to be a part of the seminar. If you are looking for specific skill training, consider what experts need to speak. If you are looking to build rapport and create motivation, than hire a motivational speaker. If you need after dinner entertainment, hire after dinner humorous keynote speakers. From here you create the agenda.

3) Decide on meeting space. For a smaller event, a boardroom may be sufficient. Larger convention space is available through hotels which also provide lodging accommodations for out of town delegates. You may need to create a request for proposal for different potential venues to get the best rates and service for your meeting.

4) Create a list of potential participants. Who needs to be at each seminar, meeting or event? Is it leadership? middle management? technical support? front line professionals?

5) Determine logistics. Some professional, guest or seminar speaker require PowerPoint, and others don't. It is best to equip each room just in case. Standard set up are microphones (lapel, handheld and/or podium), power point projector, computer, screen. Will you have internet access for presentations? You may need to hire an AV technician Company

Remember food and beverage and room set up.

Convention Industry Council has established a series of tools that should be viewed as an excellent source of best practices

6) Create your promotion strategy. How will you let people know about the event? Consider the audience. Some ideas:
A company or association newsletter, email promotion blast, social media, mass media, company website.

7) Create your specific promotions. Once you have decided on and coordinated the key players, leadership expert, keynote motivational speaker, seminar speakers, etc. It is time to get the word out about your event. Promote the keynote and seminar speaker, continuing professional development goals, and your theme

8) Set up a registration list. How will you handle payment? in advance or at the door, online? Coordinate and streamline the registration efforts.

9) Prepare signage. For specific rooms. Meet many times with the hotel or special event manager to organize and coordinate the fine details. Be clear on who does what. You many need to reduce or increase food and beverage, chairs, tables, number of rooms etc based on registration numbers.

Prepare name badges, the convention meeting agenda, keynote and seminar speaker bios and handouts.

Get all PowerPoint presentations and set up all last minute logistics. Be prepared that speakers may change their slides, last registrations may be high, you may have last minute room changes, AV challenges.

If you go through this list and are prepared your Continuing Professional Development event, speaker, and agenda will be an inspiration and success.

How to Become an Event Manager

Special events managers are the people who help to coordinate events for a variety of purposes. They may focus on non-profit agencies, large companies, private individuals, or weddings and parties. The usually are the ones to find and reserve the space for the event, decide on catering and activities, determine the type of decorations will be used, and gather any equipment. These roles will vary depending on the type of event management the individual is performing and the occasion for the event. If you are interested in becoming an event manager, here are some steps you can take.

First, you will want to have a degree in a field related to management. You many opt for a business management or focus on a specific type of management depending on what your school has to offer.

Aside from education, the next most important step to take is to get experience before you try to join the working force as an event manager. Find out if there are sporting events or other special events going on at your school that you can volunteer to help organize. You may even be able to find a paying gig of this sort if the school allows work-study programs. This is the entry-level experience you will need to build your resume for after graduation.

If you are not in school or if your school does not allow students to assist with events, find other venues to peddle your services. For example, local bands are always very willing to allow new event managers to assist them in booking shows, distributing information, and gathering more fans. This route may not be the most financially rewarding, but the experience is invaluable.

After you have some experience on your resume, try to intern with an event planning company in your area. If possible, intern with a company that specializes in your desired field, such as wedding planning or corporate events, but do not get discouraged if that does not pan out. The most important aspect of any internship is the contacts you will be making in the industry.

From there, begin looking for actual jobs in the field. The volunteer work, education, and internship will provide an impressive resume for any special event management position. However, if you are having difficulty finding work, it may be helpful to meet with a staffing agency. The work they provide will be temporary, but it will develop contacts and help you to make a name for yourself. It may even turn into a full-time career.

The most important thing to remember is to not get discouraged. Every job entails starting from the bottom and working your way up. As you build a clientele and word of mouth spreads, your success will increase exponentially.

Find Out How Exciting an Event and Venue Management Diploma Can Be

Are you an energetic person who would love to have a job where each day is new and exciting? Do you enjoy attending special events and festivals? Would you be interested in a career where you could go behind-the-scenes of various events and take part in the event planning and management? Then an Event and Venue Management diploma program may be tailor made for you.

As both Montreal and Toronto are quickly moving to the top of the list of cities that host an immense amount of great events and exhibits, a diploma as an event planner in these cities is an amazing diploma to hold. What is even more wonderful is the fact that you can also take this diploma out to any other city, where the skills you have can just as easily be applied.

A diploma program to become an event planner will provide you with the skills and knowledge essential to successfully find employment in this great field of work. Becoming an event planner means you can be qualified to work in areas such as planning weddings, charity and corporate events to festivals and even the Olympics.

An event and venue management diploma focuses on everything involved in the field of event and venue planning, along with marketing; budgeting, contract negotiations; advertising and management. The courses are taught by industry professionals who have experience in the special event industry.

An event planner diploma usually takes a total of 48 weeks of full time study. The courses are offered in each of the fall, winter, spring or summer semesters of study.

The first term of an event and venue management diploma will focus on event management. These courses include special event planning; organizing an event; event co-ordination; exhibit marketing; tour management; event entertainment and production; facility management and career development. All of these modules blend a combination of theory, group work and field trips, allowing students to get a good feel for the industry.

The outline for the second term of study is business and design skills. The courses involve computer basics; event graphic design; event industry software; multimedia stage production; theatrical staging and design; finance and budgeting; event planning contracts and risk management. These modules focus on both the managerial and creative sides of the industry.

The third and final term of study in an event and venue management diploma program involves the communications and marketing module. The courses students will take include written communication; communication skills; event marketing; public speaking and stage presence; corporate presentation labs and media advertising. It is through a mix of theory, lab and written assignments that students work on their communication skills in this term which will allow them to become effective event planners.

Since events and festivals will not stop happening anytime soon, event planner diploma is a wonderful diploma to have. Become an event planner to ensure an exciting career for years to come.

Top 4 Advantages of Cloud Computing for Event Management

Have you already started planning for your next event? If yes, then you can take the help of Cloud computing; it can come in handy for you to manage the whole procedure right from your office, without even visiting the venue. With this procedure already popular among users, event management is no more a labor-intensive job. Top-notch data security, with on-demand accessibility of resources from any location, has made it a hot ticket among the event organizers.

With Cloud-based solutions, you need no additional hardware device or software program anymore. You can access it directly from developer's service using an Internet login. Leading examples of Cloud computing includes Gmail, Salesforce, Facebook, and so on. Lately, Cloud-software providers have come up with a myriad of tailor-made solutions befitting the diverse requirements of business owners?.

The advantages of the Cloud-computing in the event industry are far-reaching. No matter where you are, organizing your events and managing your members is no more a hassle if you have a computer with internet connection. Thus, Cloud-computing has made association as well as communication with your mobile team easier. It also builds up the organizational structure of the event.

Reduce Costs

The cost-efficiency of software is another major contributor of its popularity. It helps organizers to cut down investments on infrastructure, ongoing maintenance, and electricity bills. Thus, Cloud computing lets you invest on business, instead of burning your pockets on infrastructure.

With Cloud-computing, organizers can also make less investment on admin staff. It's known that event management is a labor-intensive job. However, Cloud computing helps you manage everything online accessing the software remotely. As a result, you hardly need staffs to do these jobs manually. With so many conveniences available at affordable prices, Software as a service (SaaS) has become a thriving event solution these days.

Online Registration

However, Cloud solutions are not only meant for the conveniences of the organizers only. It also benefits the attendees in the same way. They no longer need to walk into the event's venue to collect the registration forms. They can download them 24x7 online and submit them over the internet. They can also do group registration without filling up separate forms.

Online Payment

Cloud Computing has also made online payments easier for the attendees. Instead of visiting banks to check if the transaction is successful, attendees can now make online payments. Online payment through secured PCI-compliant platform is safe and convenient. All the more, attendees can make payments using PayPal, checks, purchase orders, wire transfer, and so on. Organizers can also accept payments through their merchant account, which they can set up remotely.

Top-notch Security

However, the security factors of Cloud computing often come in question, especially when the hacking scams are on the rise. However, Cloud solution providers have implemented a number of security measures to ensure highest quality of data security.

Wait no more! Invest on Cloud solutions today and reap maximum profits from your events.

Role Of Event Management Companies

Event management companies, the name itself is suggestive of the work it does i.e. a paid company that does all the work of organizing and event planning. It takes up all the responsibility of handling the minutest details that an event requires. With a bunch of skilled professionals they provide you with the best service at your footstep in your provided budget. The event companies are not at all specific when it comes to event planning or organizing. They organize a variety of events like wedding, exhibitions, seminars, conferences, expositions, trade shows, galas and even birthday parties. These day by day growing and progressing event companies do take in note the way you want to get things done and organize the whole event according using their perfection and skills to make it as special as they can.

REASONS TO PREFER AN EVENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY

REDUCTION OF STRESS: People are often under this misconception that event planners won't respect their ideas and needs. But that's not a true story. Event planners take into consideration the demands and needs of their host and work to provide him/her with all the facilities in the allotted budget. Overall the host just has to look into the progress of the work, thereby reducing his stress.

PROPER PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT: There's no denial to the fact that event management companies owing to their experience and skilled workers manage to organize the whole event smoothly. They help people who find it a burden to organize a party and bring out the best in the allotted price using their creativity.

HANDLING PETTY JOBS: the event planners even handles petty jobs like lighting, decoration, catering etc. with their innovative ideas they make a simple place look like a wonderland. They even choose the best location to match the feel of the whole event.

WAYS TO CHOOSE AN EVENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY

TAKE OUT THE MAXIMUM DETAILS: in this 21st century the best way out to search for an event management company is the "internet". But the host should take care to get out each and every detail about the genuineness of the company and whether their offices exist or not. They should ask their friends for assistance or any person who have availed their service.

QUOTES: Ask for quotes from the event management company as it is one way to go through their packages and analyze which one is better than the other.

CHECK THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES: one thing that all hosts think of is to get the best out from the event management companies and to do that you must look into all the facilities and prospects the company claims to provide. Check the venue, catering facility, lightening arrangements etc for your satisfaction as well as to be on a safer side.

COMPLAINT LIST: Avoid trusting a company with a bad track record or complain list. Do not make compromises with your event and immediately go in for another event management company.

Business Event Management in a Nutshell

This is not an article on how to organize your next company party or sales event. Business event management (BEM) is a method on how to detect deviations of the effectiveness in your business and pro-actively reacting to changes.

Forrester defines business event management as:

"Business event management (BEM) is the process of capturing real time business events from multiple sources and assigning them to the appropriate decision maker for resolution based on the business context of the events"

The main focus is on the terms real time and multiple sources. This is the only way to intercept business processes that are out of control or are about to miss their target. Business process management is the method to ensure that a business process has a clear definition form start to finish with checkpoints along the way. Business event management is also known as cousin to workflow. Workflow management ensures that a single business process completes successfully and in a timely fashion. Whereas business event management combines multiple business processes, monitors its progress and lets process owners know when things are about to go wrong.

Another term that is frequently used in combination with business event management is complex event processing (CEP). As CEP implies, business event management is a complex method to detect patterns that are exceeding a certain threshold or are about to exceed them. To boost the effectiveness of BEM, the pattern detection must be done in a timely matter to stop a bad situation from getting worst.

As an example, in the restaurant industry, fraud detection is a big problem. Detecting these fraud patterns as they happen would save an immense amount of money. Without BEM the detection happens after closing the books, a long time after the potential fraud happened, and a lot of man hour is spend to scan the transactions for irregularities. This is a good example on how BEM can apply complex event processing in real time to detect situations that exceed a predefined threshold. The timeliness of the detection is the real money saving factor in this example.

BEM doesn't need to be a messenger of bad news. Monitoring positive situations is as important to a success of a business as preventing negative situations. Identifying positive situations initiated by an employee and recognizing this employee will not only boost morale, but ultimately boost the bottom-line.
There are many vendors that are offering their implementation of BEM. Most of these products are vendor centric, meaning that they are not capable of correlating multiple sources of event data. This defeats the primary objective of Forrester's BEM definition. Other vendors went too far with their BEM implementation and made it overly complicated and unnecessarily complex.

I came across one tool that lives up to Forrester's BEM definition without being too complex. It is called SmartScore. With the ability to connect to most known database flavors and even monitoring ftp servers and file folders, this tool has the power to combine many data sources for an effective pattern detection, which is the primary objective of BEM; monitoring multiple sources in real time.

This is what the industry has to say about BEM:

"Through 2010, the adoption of BEM platforms will grow at least 200 percent from 2006."
Source: Gartner Report

"BEM's real potential is at the business level, helping to enable new strategies, reduce operating costs, and improve process performance and other tangible areas of management attention."
Source: Gartner Report

"The Business Event Management market will grow from $1.2B in 2005 to $2.7B in 2009."
Source: Forrester

In my opinion, BEM is absolutely crucial to detect real cost saving opportunities and then constantly and consistently execute these saving measures. Especially in a down economy it is a question of survival if your business is able to minimize the cost to do business. Sometimes the only way to do this is with the use of additional software. This additional expense is OK as long as the ROI is fast enough to benefit the cost savings in the long run. I believe SmartScore is the tool that can deliver.

What Is the One Audiovisual Item an Event Planner Cannot Live Without?

As an event meeting services professional, you know the value of great presentation services audio visual equipment. It can make or break your meeting. Now imagine striding up in front of your audience to find no PowerPoint presentation equipment, just a podium. What would you do? What piece of audio visual equipment makes your presentation soar?

Imagine you had to choose just one or two pieces of audio visual equipment, what would you choose?

According to industry professionals, the most requested items are many but typically consist of these three PowerPoint presentation equipment:

• Projector and Screen Rental;


• Personal Computer and/or


• Internet connection.

When considering presentation services audio visual, it appears the most popular requests consist of the tripod screen and a LCD Projector (at least 2000 Lumens). Computer requests are further back because many presenters bring their own laptop (though an iPad rental is another excellent option) and Internet connections are expected everywhere nowadays.

However, if you were trapped on a deserted island, would those be the most important piece of equipment for you (besides food and water)? Would these factors come into consideration:

• Is it light?


• Is it easy to store?


• Is it reliable?


• Do you know how to use the PowerPoint presentation equipment?

Lani Arredondo, author of How to Present Like a Pro, said "Intonations, gestures, audiovisual media, and other delivery techniques have no value in and of themselves. They are simply tools for the purpose of adding expression to the content. So whatever you do in the way of enhancing delivery, make sure it supports the message."

How to Ensure a Sell-Out New Year Party? 4 Great Marketing Ideas

This New Year you can ensure maximum footfall at your event by opting for online marketing in addition to the usual traditional advertising campaigns that you so religiously invest in every year. Perhaps the most important fact about online event marketing is that it is relatively less expensive and yet gives you tremendous exposure and visibility over a longer duration of time.

Today, there is hardly any organization that does not have some form of online presence on social media platforms. Social media happens to be the buzzword amongst marketing teams worldwide since they provide remarkable marketing opportunities for a variety of products, services, events or classes.

Here are 4 great marketing ideas to ensure that you have a sold out New Year party.

Posting on Your Facebook Wall

Introduce your company; share its history and milestones along with an update on the upcoming events. It is very important to build up mutual trust and compatibility before you opt for a hardcore, promotional strategy. Gain acceptance from social media users and be honest in your post. Write interesting content about your New Year party and how anyone can easily register to have a fabulous time. You can also provide the online registration link along with attractive photos of your past New Year events and video clips to arouse genuine interest amongst people.

Tweeting About Your Events

Mention about your New Year party registration and payment processes, etc. on Twitter, the leading micro-blogging site. However, while tweeting, ensure that your tweets are appealing to people so that they respond or re-tweet. Also, it is better to limit the number of tweets per day to say maximum of 5 to avoid confusion with too much event information and ideas.

Maintaining an Online Calendar

To ensure maximum event attendance, you should create and maintain an online calendar. These calendars will normally contain the description, date, and timing of your upcoming New Year festivals. Audiences on a global scale can easily stay updated about your programs since only a small section of the interested people can actually make it to your office to check what programs you are organizing to welcome a grand new year 2013! You can also add your event registration hyperlink with each event detail on a web-based calendar for maximum sign ups.

Update Your Website and Blog Friends

At the cost of marketing your New Year party on social media, you must not ignore the loyal website visitors and blog readers. They should be targeted seriously as you never know which of your loyal followers may be equally eager to participate in your New Year bash.

What Is Hotdesking?

The new age professionals are fully equipped with the gadgets like laptops, Blackberry and mobile phones. With all the gadgetry they are in a position to setup the office just anywhere. The employees who telecommute are well versed with the problems they face especially in terms of the technology. The employees who work from home are disturbed by many things while they are working, the things like attending to children, domestic chores, or just not willing to work can lead to a big time decrease in the productivity of the employees.

Hotdesking is the answer to all those problems. Hotdesking is the way in which the employees are encouraged to share their workspaces and other office equipment on "as-required" basis. The small business can invest onetime money on the technology and mobile office equipment instead of the traditional office equipment and they can be rest assured about the benefits and the profits. With the advancement of the technology telecommuting is become very easy. The employees can work from home and they can login to the company's secure network within minutes. This setup ensures that there is lot of space created within the office so that the employees can reserve the space according to their need. The concept of Hotdesking is especially suitable for the companies who have their office in geographically dispersed area.

Today there are two ways in which the concept of Hotdesking can be implemented.

Traditional - There can be formal and traditional desks with complete office setup be established and the people who are Hotdesking will come on the designated days and use the office equipment to complete their work. The printers, faxes and other equipments are also provided by the companies.

Informal - In this way of informal Hotdesking, the employees are given an option of using the seats in the office as they are available. There are generally laptops which are issued to the employees and they commute using the wireless telephony.

We now list for you some of the areas which can be considered for revamping if you are planning to implement Hotdesking in your company.

• 
  The cubicles need to be designed in such a way that any computer can be connected to it.


• 
  The telephone services to be configured in such a way that, the people who login to that particular computer should be able to use it.


• 
  Personal or shared storage and filing facilities can be provided.


• 
  Meeting room is also needs to be created as the people who are using Hotdesking will definitely need the meeting rooms to discuss the plan.


• 
  A booking system, automated or manual is also needed to be setup. This setup will come in handy for the employees to book the desk and other office equipment as and when they are coming to the office.

It is highly recommended that you conduct a detailed study of your facilities and also consult your employees before you plan to implement the concept of Hotdesking in your company.

Event Planning Software: A Beginner's Guide to To-Do Lists

Just the fact that you need event planning software uncovers you have a lot to do. Since you have a lot to do, wisely, you will create to-do lists. This should be more of a reminder more than something new. That's OK. We need reminders every now and then.

This may be old hat to some but just in case you haven't thought much of this, here are a few benefits of to-do lists:

Trains you mind to focus/refocus. We live hectic lives and things can easily get out of control but if you keep a to-do list you can get yourself back on track quickly.

Indicate your productivity. On any given day your to-do list will show you how efficiently you are completing tasks.

Helps you remember what needs to be done. We have all forgotten something we've needed to do. When you write your tasks down on a to-do list, you don't have to rely on your mind to hold it all together. As you and I both know, the "all" is getting bigger everyday.

Your event planning software should allow you to create to-do list categories so that you can segment them based on any criteria that you wish. Each to-do list category in your event planning software should give you a monthly view of your to-do lists. You should be able to make customizable lists that are free form for maximum flexibility.

In conclusion, to-do list find their place in the group of essentials for event planning software. It is good to be reminded of some of the benefits of to-do list so that their incorporation into your use doesn't get overlooked. Monthly views of to-do lists are a good idea and you should be able to create multiple to-do list categories in your event planning software. This concludes this 4 part series on "event planning software: a beginner's guide."

(c) Copyright 2005 Olan Butler All Rights Reserved