Wedding Planning Binder and Checkilsts

A wedding is such a wonderful event and a big day in any new couples life together. It will hopefully be the start of a life long partnership between husband and wife. However, since many couples planning a wedding have little to no experience in event coordination and planning things can quickly become disastrous. The details of florists, priests, caterers, decorations and many other such details can quickly become overwhelming and almost choke out any fun that might be had. Don't let this happen to you, don't let your wedding become a nightmare of disorganized chaos in which you are rushing around so frantically that you won't remember what happened.

By following some simple wedding planning checklists and organization skills you can ensure that your wedding will be pulled off with class, grace and even be a fun carefree event that you can actually enjoy. There are many different ways to keep organized and everyone is individual and will want to do what works for them. However, one of the most universally used tools in wedding planning or even event planning is a wedding binder.

A wedding binder is important because it will keep track of all the paperwork and details so that you are not scrambling around looking for these things. This does not need to be a fancy elaborate binder any three ring binder will work. Of course, there is nothing wrong with a little decoration and you will be using this binder on a daily basis so if you choose to purchase something with a little style that will work just fine also.

1. Site - In this section you can keep all of the details regarding both the site where the ceremony will be held and where the reception will be. You will want phone numbers and contact information for both of these sites along with directions or maps to the place. You will also want to keep any contracts and agreements that have been made in renting the site for the event.

2. Clothing - You will want to keep information in this section regarding everything about clothing. This includes information about your wedding dress, the bridesmaid dress and accessories and where the tuxedos for the groom, best man and so on. Make sure you have phone numbers and a contact person, brochures from the places if available. As well as maps or directions to the place for out of town or out of state visitors. You might also want to include photos of wedding clothing that you like to use as a sample when shopping. Colors for the wedding are also very important make sure you clearly layout and decide what colors are being used.

3. Decorations - Centerpieces, floral arrangements, table clothes, trinity candles and much more can go in this general category. Essentiality this category will contain any information about any type of decoration that will be used.

4. Ceremony - In this section you can include information on the offciant of the wedding, the location for the ceremony, music lists, maps, and programs

5. Reception - You will want to include any catering, food prep ideas, and site information including phone numbers and contact people.

6. Honeymoon - Hopefully you are planning a wonderful honeymoon vacation after the wedding. You might want to keep tickets, itineraries, email and phone numbers all in this section. Along with any brochures and other vacation options.

7. Photographers - This section is of course dedicated to photography. You will want to include contact information or a business card for photographers, and videographers. Keep your contracts and terms of agreements with photographers in here also.

A binder can not solve all the problems and complications associated with planning a wedding. However by regularly using wedding planning checklists and a wedding planning binder and keep up with organizing the information you wedding will run smoother. Which means you will be able to enjoy the special occasion like it was meant to be.

Five Details That Take a Corporate Event From So-So to Spectacular

By paying attention to these details, you can go a long way in ensuring that your event will meet its objective:

1. Plan a theme.

Your theme can help tie your event together and take it from bland to exciting. Use colors, logos and other elements to make your theme inviting and memorable. Make sure that your theme is carried through your invitations, decorations and program schedule. You can even find meeting entertainment that connects with your event theme.

2. Use social media.

Registering a hash tag for your event and making it known to your attendees is a great way to get everyone involved. Most corporate event attendees are on social media, and by having live tweeting from your event you can build buzz about your event. It will help pull the entire attendee group together and exposure your event to a wider audience on social media.

3. Work with a professional corporate entertainer.

Whether you want a keynote speaker, a musical revue or a spectacle style show, you can benefit from working with a professional corporate entertainment company. Having entertainment at your event can help make your event more memorable and exciting. By hiring a professional, you can ensure that your entertainment will be appropriate, well planned and easy to work with.

4. Use freebies and prizes.

Giveaways add an element of fun to any event. You can use anything from stress balls to clipboards to hats - there are many different options. Freebies can remind your event attendees of their participation long after the event and get them ready to attend next year.

5. Get feedback on your event.

People like to know that you care about their opinion, especially during big events. It's important to get feedback on your event. Make sure your team makes a point to reach out to attendees personally and get their opinion of the event. Not only will it help you develop a better relationship with attendees but it will help you get valuable information to plan the next event.

7 Key Factors Affecting Corporate Bonds Performance

1. Market Conditions - Market conditions are one of the key factors that will affect the performance of corporate bonds. If market conditions change then this will affect the way that these investments perform. If the market improves then the economic outlook and interest rates will also improve, and this may increase the bond yield. If the bond is callable and the market and economy decline then this can cause the bond to be called, so new ones may be issued at a lower rate.

2. Interest Rate Sensitivity - Some companies, fields, and bonds are more sensitive to interest rate changes then others. When the interest rates rise the bond prices tend to fall, and this relationship is true for all bonds. Short term bonds will be less sensitive to changes in the interest rate while those of a longer duration will have a higher degree of sensitivity in this area.

3. Credit Quality - The credit quality of specific corporate bonds will also affect the performance of these investments. Each company and bond is assigned a credit rating by the rating agencies, and bonds which have a higher credit rating will generally perform better and be more liquid than those offered with a lower credit quality. The lower the credit rating of a bond the more likely the corporation is to default, but the higher the possible yield may be.

4. The Bond Duration - The duration of a bond also affects the performance of this investment, because the duration will help determine the interest rate sensitivity. A longer duration means that the bond is more sensitive to any changes in the interest rate, and this causes more fluctuations in the performance to occur.

5. Current Events - One important factor when looking at the performance of corporate bonds is any news or current events that could affect the ability of the underlying corporation. If a company is filing for bankruptcy, even under chapter 13 reorganization, then the desirability of that specific bond can drop dramatically. Anything that affects the value of the underlying corporation can affect the performance of the bonds offered.

6. Corporate Cash Flow - This type of bond is backed by the company that issues the bond, and the financial aspects of the company are related to how the bond performs. A company which is not performing well financially and that does not generate a good cash flow will typically have a bond that performs poorly. Investment analysts prefer that the company generates at least enough cash to cover any debts. A poor cash flow and financial position could cause a downgrade in the credit rating of the bond, which adversely affects the bond performance.

7. Inflation - Inflation can have a negative effect on corporate bonds. When inflation rises this is bad for bonds, because the low yield will not generate enough income to provide the same buying power to allow the investment capital to keep up with rising interest rates. The price of bonds will usually decrease to compensate for this fact. When inflation goes up so do yields, but the bond prices decrease. When inflation goes down the yields do as well, but bond prices rise.

Event Planning Facts

Event Planning or management is most probably similar in analogy to planning a typical birthday party, where the preparations need to be set up in the most effective ways. However, there are more intimate details in event management that needs to be paid close attention to.

Nowadays, the term Event manager seems to refer to an easy yet sophisticated and chic profession. Yet in actuality, there are consequences and accountabilities that are attached to this classy title of being a service provider. The name suggests the job profile of an event manager involves organizing a special affair. Concepts have to be visualized, planned, budgeted, and executed in events that are often highly regarded such as fashion or beauty shows, concerts, corporate seminars, exhibitions, wedding celebrations, theme parties, product launching, etc.

What is good about this career and its gaining popularity is the minimal requirement for financial investments, yet it allows the planner to be independent and flexible. Personal traits, character and attitude are of more importance in event planning. The planner of events must possess a real passion in holding or conducting affairs, they need to be organized and able to work in flexible and often extended hours. Although this exciting career among the younger generation may have been seen as a sensational one, it also demands a substantial amount of hard work and effort. Perfection is a major quality that must be achieved in any event management and therefore requires a great quantity of patience, good communication skills and comprehension to be practiced by an event manager. Duties must be discharged with efficiency, challenges must be confidently faced and situations must be given due attention and reaction. Team spirit, leadership and organizational skills are as well required in event planning. Every detail no matter how minute must be paid close attention to.

There are also courses available to be taken by anyone who decide on taking a career in event planning. Eligibility courses usually requires to have a bachelor's degree in any discipline but most preferred are management-related fields, social sciences, liberal arts and humanities. Individuals who are of interest simply have to finish these courses that are offered in many academic institutional and universities. Short term certificates as well as post graduate MBA courses may also be taken. Major areas of principles and techniques must also be mastered to effectively perform and execute the duties of an event planner. These principles include public relations, organizational development, communication and implementation.

Training and experience also contribute in becoming an adept and qualified event manager. While at school, the aspirant may work as an event staff personnel for sporting festivals and leagues. If there are local music shows to be held, assist in the preparation. Internships also play a major role in molding a successful planner.

Upon completion of qualifying courses, the event planner can join established companies in event planning or they may choose to set up and start their own business. Employment are available from corporate and public sectors, government agencies, tourist agencies, hotels, banks and other financial institutions, private consultancy firms etc.

Starting an Event Planning Business - The Importance of Having an Event Plan

It really does not matter how many event planning tips you read on or watch online, if you do not know how to make use of the tips, then it would just mean you won't do well in the planning. Knowing how to use all the tips and apply them is the most useful tool you can have for any event planning. This is one event planning tip which is almost never even written about for it really depends on the planner how they plan out and how they execute their plans.

For the beginner, thinking of making a list of how to go about with the plans seems tedious, but this is a very common thing for the more experienced event planners. They make notes, lots of notes. They list down details so they never forget, they record the conversations they have with their clients, they cut out clippings to help them formulate their plans, and they even make sketches.

Some of the planner will make their detailed plans on paper, some would do it on their PDAs, but one thing in common - they all make notes. These are the notes which they can access even if it is in the middle of the night and a difficult client changes their mind yet again. Keeping the plans concrete can only be done with a good and well detailed list.

Event planning takes up a lot of energy and yet with a simple list, one can plan out their plans. The list will keep the line on the dotted line; the list will make sure the right co-services are contacted; the list will guarantee that nothing gets out of the list.

Of course you can just say that you can do without one, it really does not matter. If you think you work better without the list, and then go ahead, do not let anything stop you. The event that is planned well will guarantee the success of that event. Many have already raked in the benefits of doing it right - even if the planning may just involve your child's birthday, it is still good to make the right plans. A good event planner is efficient, creative, flexible, well organized and detail oriented. They are always at the top of their field. Just one very important tip: make sure you have an eidetic memory so you do not get lost in oblivion.

Company Picnic Game Ideas - Top 6 Favorites

Searching for a few company picnic game ideas for this years gathering? I've booked company picnics for a while, and after doing it for so long, I've gotten a sense of what games people really enjoyed and what games aren't worth your money.

Fortunately, there are a lot of really great, fun game ideas for you and your employees and their families to engage in.

Now, I personally find these company picnic game ideas a lot more exciting then a potato sack race or a three-leg race, but that's just me.

Here are the top six favorite company picnic games I've witnessed over the years:

Micro Reality Racing

Micro Reality Racing lets you bring the high-speed thrills and wrecks of Nascar racing right to your company picnic. This game is a super-fun, high-tech portable event that's loved by people of all ages.

3 Lane Bungee Run

Another favorite among people of all ages is the 3 Lane Bungee Run. It's a completely-safe, absolutely-fun sports inflatable. Three participants compete at one time, trying to sprint against the resistance of a bungee cord in order to score a basket! The participant with the most basket 'wins,' but the game is so fun that will want to keep playing again and again.

The Joust

The Joust lets participants face each other in a one-on-one jousting session! Armed with a double-sided soft inflatable "weapon," participants try to knock their rival from their pedestal. Participants wear a helmet and are surrounded by a soft, inflatable landing.

Full Court Basketball

Who can make the most shots in a given time limit? This combines all the fun of shooting hoops with your friends, but without the sweat from running around. Two participants step up to the free-throw line and compete to make the most baskets. It's a whole lot of fun and I've seen big lines form for this company picnic game.

Bonzi Bikes

Bonzi Bikes is truly a unique, novel and genius game ride. Two participants ride per turn, attempting to get the most "laps" in a given time. Strapped in safely, participants pedal themselves around in a vertical circle, in which they'll briefly be upside-down at the top! The faster they pedal, the faster they turn around the circle.

Rock Climbing Walls

This is a favorite among people of all ages. Participants will love climbing the rock wall themselves, as well as watching their family and friends climb to the top. Climbers are safely harnessed and are spotted by staff as they find their way to the top.

Benefits of Using Event Registration Solutions for Hosting Holiday Events

The holiday season is around the corner and everyone is gearing up for festive revelry and excitement. Fun events, games and parties make this time of the year truly special. For organizers, this is a great time to host events and draw crowd in large numbers. Christmas is special for everyone. People get into the festive mood and enjoy fun filled evenings with their dear ones. As a result, most organizers look forward to this season to plan successful events. Understandably, the workload is huge and there is lot to plan and finalize. To ease work pressure and plan a successful event, most event planners are now depending on event registration and management software tools.

There are a number of factors that make event management tools a great option for hosting holiday events. Some of these are as follows:

Easy Registration

With effective event registration solutions, your event registrants get to register for multiple events at the same time. This is significant, as people prefer attending multiple events during the holiday season. Furthermore, attendees can easily manage their registrations after completing the registration process.

Event registration solutions enable you to create customized registration pages with the look and feel of your website. Moreover, you get to prepare registration questionnaires that provide necessary information about the attendees. On the day of the event, you can download registration data to print bar coded name badges.

Real Time Reports

Estimating the number of attendees is a major challenge for event planners. With online event solutions, you can get necessary information on the registration status, check-in reports, attendee reports and sales reports. In addition, you get in-depth post-event reports that help in gauging its success.

Promoting Your Event

As an organizer, you will understand how challenging it is to inform past attendees about an upcoming event you plan during the holiday season. The event management software has secure attendee database using which you can send email notifications to your past attendees. You can use the "Invite a Friend" option to market your holiday party more extensively. You can even schedule emails to be sent out on a specific day and time. Moreover, with effective built-in promotion tools including social media and mobile connect for smart phones, you can easily promote your upcoming events online. In addition, you can publish details and calendar on social networking sites.

Online Payment Management

You can make the entire procedure of payment management extremely simple. The payment management solution provides instant authorization and processing of all the major payment options, including American Express, MasterCard and Visa. Furthermore, it helps you to consolidate registration data. Thus, you get to keep track of all the customer payments.

Secure Data

As an event planner, you are required to maintain data and other important records about your event attendees. This can lead to a lot of workload and unnecessary paperwork. To solve this problem, event management solutions have been developed to manage and retain data effectively. Moreover, you can calculate your ROI and generate leads for your next event.?

Event management solutions provide an unlimited number of advantages so that you can increase your return on investment and streamline your administrative workload. Hence, opt for an efficient event registration solution and host a rocking holiday event this season!

The Pros and Cons of Organising a Corporate Golf Day

It is common practice for companies to organise a corporate golf day these days, however, while many have great reasons for doing just that, others are unsure of their motivation, and may just be doing it because everyone else is.

There is no denying that there are some fantastic benefits to hosting a corporate golf day, but there are also other things you need to consider. In this article, we look at the pros and cons of organising your own golf day, as well as advice on how to make the most of your event.

First, the Good Bits

In the interests of staying positive, let us take a look at the positive aspects of hosting a corporate golf day yourself.

First, there is the opportunity to meet, and spend time with, your most important clients, suppliers, associates and potential clients. That's one of the reasons why a carefully thought out guest list for your event is so important - everyone on it should be someone who can help your business to grow, whether it's in terms of deals made on the course, or by sharing their expertise with you off the course.

Then there is the publicity and brand positioning that you can gain from a corporate golf day. This comes from indirect means, like the media coverage of the event itself, and from the status you gain from the companies and individuals you invite.

Finally, there is the golf itself. The opportunity to get out into the open, swing a club, compete in a friendly environment, and possibly even to pick up a few tips from your opponents and fellow players.

Now the Down Side

Not every corporate golf day is a huge success, and that could be for a number of reasons.

The first thing you should remember is that corporate golf days take a lot of work to organise, manage, and put together. If you do not have the time or the budget to create a full event, you might end up creating an event that gives prospective clients the wrong impression of your company.

Then there is the guest list. If you do not have enough valuable business contacts to fill up your list, you may be tempted to add a few people who are not strictly business associates, and that may dilute the effectiveness of the event.

Remember that just as a hugely successful business golf event can raise your profile, forge meaningful connections that will serve you for years to come, and create fantastic opportunities, a less successful one could damage your reputation and your prospects.

Hosting a successful corporate golf day is a huge undertaking, and it is not always possible, especially for new businesses and entrepreneurs, to find the perfect balance of players, business, and marketing.

The good news is that there are alternatives, one of which is to attend a third party corporate golf day, hosted by an outside company or person. These days take the planning and organising out of the equation, allow you to hand pick only the most important people that you want to play with, and often incorporate other types of networking and business growth activities.

Whatever you do though, remember that your corporate golf day's success relies heavily on you, to make the right decisions, and to organise a knock out event, so make sure you get it right!

Benefits of Hiring a Wedding Planner

A wedding is an unforgettable occasion for any couple. People take extreme measures and spend enormous amounts of money in order to ensure that their wedding is perfect. In earlier times, all aspects of the wedding had to be managed by the couple and their close relatives. In addition to being joyous and memorable, weddings are an extremely stressful affair. If not managed properly, the stress of a wedding can take a severe toll on the bride and groom. This is one area where a wedding planner can be of immense help. Nowadays, these planners can be hired to ensure that the wedding takes place without a hitch.

Budget is a very important factor in today's fluctuating economy. A professional event planner will be able to make the best use of the budget in planning the wedding. Some people hire a planner to manage certain aspects of the wedding while others trust them with planning the entire wedding. Reputation is an important factor that should be taken into consideration while looking for wedding planners. One can look at photos of weddings that have been managed by the event planner before making a decision.

The opinion of friends and relatives who have used their services may also be taken into consideration. Coordinating a wedding is an extremely stressful affair. The venue has to be decorated and seating arrangements have to be perfect. Photographers and caterers have to be arranged and managed.

The wedding attire of the groom, bride and entourage has to match the theme of the event. Music, gifts, invitations and other aspects of the wedding must also be managed accordingly. Without prior experience, managing a wedding can be an extremely tedious affair. This is one of the main reasons why wedding planners are becoming increasingly popular.

The internet is a good place to find reputed wedding planners in one's locality. Once a few reputed planners have been shortlisted, their rates may be compared to identify the cheapest one. Although the service of wedding planners comes at a cost, this is negligible compared to the numerous advantages of hiring one. It is always best to look for wedding planners well before the actual wedding date.

This gives you enough time to perform adequate research on the planner and communicate all requirements accurately. Having a wedding planner ensures that the bride and groom can concentrate on their vows rather than running around making arrangements.

The Truth Behind a Successful Event

Our world is littered with enough star power to blow the galaxy away. We celebrate weddings or birthdays with the most lavish settings, dazzling colors and jaw dropping cuisine. Of course in our era now, we throw extravagant parties and gatherings for just about any reason. Probably because its fun, to have a big group of people, meet up and bask in mutual companionship. But whatever the reason, we cannot deny that we love these events, nor can we deny that our world would become rather bland with its absence.

Which brings us to one major question, who is the mastermind behind these events? Logically these people should definitely be vivacious, creative, innovative and just sweating star power, if they are to be capable of creating such mind ravaging masterpieces.

Well as anti climatic as it is, the person behind all of this is indeed an event planner. I'm sure most of you when you think event planner, you're thinking he just plans it, then sits down with a cup of latte and do absolutely nothing. Well you couldn't have been more wrong.

Knowledgeable and experience event planners work hard and diligently to bring the most glamorous of events to the eyes of the world. Their jobs consist of more than just dreaming up a concept and leaving it as that. They have to figure out how to bring that concept into reality and bringing visions such as theirs to the world is not easy task.

Even then their job is still not done, because you see, event planners are also given the job as an overseer and have to be there 24/7 to ensure the completion of the event. Every little detail, from decorations, to the slight variations of color, they have to do it all. In fact most of the time you will see event planners running around doing jobs like putting up the decorations, running errands, plumbing and electrical work, which is a little absurd since that shouldn't be part of their jobs right?

But at the end of the day, it is his vision and no other individual would know how he had envisioned it, which is why it is difficult sometimes when the workers don't produce results that fit his vision. Unfortunately, that vision is the one he had sold to the client. Thus it is crucial that the end product be as he had sold it or better. Because if the event planner fails to see his entire vision come to life, it is very likely he will never work in the business again. The world of entertainment and events is like that, you become less than perfect for one day, and all the other competitors under you will crawl all the way above you.

Even though you love the events, and are bedazzled by how the celebrities and stars have thrown the party, keep in mind, that they just throw out the cash, the real masterminds with the creative power and determination.

Life as an event planner really isn't that easy so next time you think glamorous events, give the event planners their credit for being the true masterminds behind these events which tickle our imagination.

Portable Outdoor Shelters - Perfect for Events and Celebrations

Portable outdoor shelters have many different uses. Whether you need a simple tent for a small party or a serious shelter for a big celebration such as your Christmas work party, there is something for just about everyone out there. When you're planning any type of celebration, keeping it safe from the weather is definitely a must. Parties outside are great, but with the unpredictable nature of the weather, it's always best to have a backup plan. Marquees and gazebos are ideal for protection from both the wind and rain, and heat of the day. With a portable outdoor shelter, you can guarantee that you're going to get the most from your special occasion or event, no matter what you have in mind.

With portable shelters, it should be simple for you to get everything that you need. You can find them in all shapes and sizes, making it perfect whether you are trying to accommodate 20 people or 100. These shelters can be used for birthdays, special occasions, weddings, and even corporate events and business celebrations of all kinds. It doesn't matter what you have to celebrate because a shelter like this can serve many different purposes. They come in all types of styles, as well, making it easy for you to get exactly what you need, no matter what the event might be.

Portable shelters don't have to be expensive, either. Too often, people are consumed by the budget that they have for their celebration, and that's understandable. However, you should never rule out portable outdoor shelters as something that you can afford to purchase. If you follow the storage and care guidelines required to keep your pop up covering in top condition, you will have it for many more celebrations and events in the future. These shelters aren't expensive if you take the time to look for the most reputable, affordable shelter available, thus making them a great investment too.

Many companies and corporations have yearly events and celebrations that they like to attend and support. The presence of a branded company marquee or gazebo will help your corporation stand out from the crowd, build brand awareness and help your customers/clients easily find your tent. A reputable retailer of outdoor marquees and gazebos will be able to arrange for your outdoor shelter to be custom printed with your brand name and/or logo. It adds a touch of class and protection from the elements, while giving you a great space to accommodate your guests.

Relax and Plan the Perfect Event

In the Bay Area, there are so many places to go and there are so many events we have to attend, it is actually crazy that we accomplish all of these tasks. Our lives are really hectic and planning more things into our lives gets even more obnoxious. What are we trying to do? Are we insane for thinking we can handle all of this and still spend enough time with our family, get enough rest, and have some peace of mind? Luckily, there are lots of people that do event planning, which means that you do not need to do more than work with a pro to create your dream.

There are many things that an Event Planner Bay Area has to do, and none of these is easy. The most difficult task is just deciding where to start and how to gather all of the items to be organized. The people you hire have to be able to multitask because they must know how to manage their surroundings and plan the next steps at the same time. First they have to get a general idea of how you want everything run and the atmosphere you want to create. After establishing the feel of the event, the organization of the lighting, the decorations and the entertainment that will be present at the party. There are lots of lists and places to arrange and order from and event planner bay area usually have specific places to order high quality products and cuisine from. Your job in all of this is to approve of their work and be content with the services being provided.

The essential aspect to a beautiful event is the decoration. The colors must be perfect, and the texture and style of everything in the room must match perfectly. If event planners can get this right, they will create an environment that no one will ever forget. There are a few things to start working with and one of these is the color of the party or meeting. Lighting effects the aura of the color because it reflects onto all the surroundings. Event planners in bay area know how to arrange lighting so that it boosts the elegance of the surroundings without obstructing the path of people with cords and wires. Gobo textures can match themes of the event. The ambiance when you pull it all together makes atmosphere come together. An event planner will know exactly how to put the puzzle together depending on your specifications because they have been trained for this job.

Then event planners must consider the activities. Activities in an event are absolutely essential because they determine the mood of the event. Suitable entertainment will be provided by the best event planners and you will need to think about what you want at the party. There are lots of different activities for kids and adults and choosing the right ones is a decision that should not be taken lightly. Bay Area Event planners in the Bay Area have contracts with world class performers such as acrobats and musicians. Never assume that people can entertain themselves because you might ruin your otherwise perfect party.

There is a lot more for an event planner to think about, but leave all of that up to them. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy your peace and simply approve of things that they are going to do. So kick back and relax because this will be something easier for you to do.

Wedding Planning Marketing - Q&A on Sales

What's the most effective way to advertise a wedding planning business?
 
First, be clear about exactly the type of services you want to offer and the type of clients that you want to work with. Calling yourself a wedding planner means different things to different people. Do you want to specialize in high-end expensive weddings for a select few? Perhaps you'd rather target the less expensive but larger middle-class market?
 
Think about being a specialist. You could specialize in creating and planning exotic destination weddings like tropical resorts or other interesting locations. Perhaps you could specialize in certain ethnic or religious ceremonies.
 
Where's the best place to advertise wedding planning services?
 
Before you advertise, get clear about whom your ideal client is and what services you want to provide.

Should I advertise online?
 
No doubt today's bride is shopping online when it comes to selecting goods and services for her wedding. Obviously, you want to be online so that customers can find you. If you don't have a website it is very hard for clients to accept you as being a competent professional. So yes, you definitely need a website.
 
Should I advertise on wedding directories like TheKnot.com?
 
That depends on the market you wish to serve. If you know for a fact that your ideal clients are searching on wedding websites for vendors then yes, absolutely advertise there. But do your homework first.
 
Make sure that your online presence includes a plan to convert website visitors into sales leads. If all you're doing is sending visitors from your directory listing to your website home page, you are not doing an effective job. You need to send visitors to a specific landing page that will engage them and encourage them to contact you.
 
How do I get more leads from my website?
 
After you get website traffic, you need to convert those visitors into leads. Ideally you want them to call or email you, but brides just starting to shop around are likely to leave your page without doing wither. That's why you must offer an incentive for the bride to give you her contact information. Offer to send her a free book on wedding planning, a free PDF report or a discount coupon package worth hundreds of dollars off of services from a number of vendors that you work with. When give the bride a good reason to give you her e-mail address she will. Make your special offer enticing enough and you'll have plenty of leads.
 
There's lots of ways to attract leading clients online without spending a whole bunch of money. Right now you can download a free copy of more clients now for free. This report will show you how to use 10 breakthrough tools to attract qualified clients. This is a limited time offer download your copy now.

Conference Retreats - A Checklist For All Event Planners

Centers across the country offer a wide variety of venues for hosting conference retreats. These destinations are capable of hosting groups of all sizes and types. Most centers are located near geographic features like mountains, lakes, and deserts. All conference retreats are unique and are best suited to a place that fulfills the particular need of the group attending.

Common conference retreats are developed around the following interests: team development, couples' retreats, youth groups, artist workshops, spiritual retreats, weddings, birding adventures, yoga workshops, family reunions, and also retreats just for women or men.

It is key to find a center that has specific amenities that are best suited for each of the particular interest groups. Obviously, retreats featuring adventures in bird watching would need to be located in a region known for its diversity of bird species. Yoga retreats would need to be removed from noisy traffic.

The following is a checklist for event planners when searching for the perfect center for its conference retreats: transportation available to and from the center, dining hall fare, equipment available for usage, climate, insurance requirements, and deposit information. Other details to investigate are the policies on pets, alcoholic beverages, quiet hours, and smoking.

Conference venues generally feature guest speakers who are experts in their field. Rooms should be comfortably filled to capacity, but not over crowded. The room should reflect the appropriate atmosphere for the topic. Rooms can be set up in one of these 4 basic seating styles: theater style, banquet style, classroom style, or reception style.

Centers for conference retreats and their meeting rooms should include most of these items: sound system, lighting options, podium, stage, chairs, tables, and water service for guests. Speakers' needs must also be addressed. Equipment that is typically requested includes: projectors, screens, and TV/VCR/DVDs.

Conference retreats offer the attendees a place to withdraw from the daily routine. They also offer a time and place to focus on business, relationships, hobbies, or spiritual renewal. The trick is to find the place that best suits the need.

Event Planning Using Social Media

Social Media presents a fantastic boon to anyone planning an event, whether it's large or small, online or off. Below are tips for what to do to promote the event, what to do during the event, and post-event activities. Follow these bits of advice, and you will attract new and very engaged prospects as well as build loyalty with your current customers and clients.

Pre-Event Promotion
* Create a website, a single web-page, or blog as your anchor for the event. You will be sending all of your links to this URL.
* Use Meetup.com Ð if yours will be a live event. Meetup.com is a fantastic site that can be searched by location and subject category and will help build attendance.
* Use Twitter, and Tweet frequently and consistently. Six weeks in advance, you might Tweet 2 or 3 times per week; as you get closer to the event, Tweet several times a day; on the day before your event, really increase the frequency. Be sure to vary your Tweets, always talking about different aspects of the very valuable content of your event.
* Blog about your event, with at least 2-3 posts before event. Talk about the speakers, topics and overall content, and how it will benefit the attendees.
* Create "Events" within LinkedIn and Facebook. Email as many of your connections as you are allowed initially, and then email them again closer to the actual date.
* Post the event in the Discussions section of all of your relevant groups in LinkedIn, and on the discussion section as well as the wall in Facebook. Update those walls frequently with more info on the event to keep readers' interest.
* Use event-announcement sites like Eventbrite.com, Eventful.com, and Upcoming.yahoo.com to promote your date/time.

Engage participants during the event
* Have the keynote speaker or kick-off speaker incorporate references to the Twitter hashtags, Facebook page, and blog for the event.
* At the event itself, use the signage and printed program to promote Social Media aspect of the event.
* Set up an event-specific blog or wiki (Ning) for posting while the event is going on (this would be different from your blog or promotional pages)
* Create a Twitter hashtag to aggregate comments and engage attendees with each other.
* Be sure to cover the event with live blogging, Tweeting, video, and podcasts from the event floor. You may want to consider hiring an outside resource just that purpose.
* Get feedback throughout - be sure to engage with all social media posts and comments soon after they appear, to create a true dialog with the attendees.

Post the event
* Remember your sales training; the secret is in the follow-up. Be sure to contact all registrants with follow-up offers for downloads, white papers, podcasts, special offers on speakers' books. Anything to keep attendees interested and engaged.
* Invite registrants to sign up for your company's Facebook page, to register for your blog, sign up for your newsletter, connect on Twitter, anything to keep the connection ongoing.
* A month after the event, follow up multiple times to keep those leads warm!

Follow through on all stages of the event with strategic and creative use of Social Media, and your event will be well-attended and talked about for months afterwards.

Promotion Ideas for Your Corporate Team

Building a corporate team is one of the most important facets of business today. Fostering teamwork, improving employee morale, and empowering employees are three key characteristics of the most successful organizations. Building an effective team is necessary to achieve these characteristics in your company. However, corporate teambuilding is an ongoing process that requires commitment at all levels of the organization. Continually updating your program with new ideas and initiatives will go a long way with employees.

Reinvigorate your teambuilding efforts with some of these fun ideas. They can be as simple as an internal event or as complex as an overnight retreat. Properly promoting the activity both before and after is as important to its success as the event itself.

Take your team to a local sporting event. Sporting events are a natural way to bring people together and create excitement. Arrange an outing for your employees to attend a local sporting event together. Hand out invitations in promotional sport bottles with your logo. Give each employee a logo seat cushion when they arrive at the game. These will help keep the excitement going even after the event. Make sure to seat employees next to people they don't work with each day to encourage cross-departmental interaction.

Arrange a company tailgate. Pull employees together for an outdoor tailgate event. Use this as a platform to deliver company results, thank employees, and get them excited for new opportunities on the horizon. Have management grill for the team and arrange games for all to participate in. Hand out tailgating coolers to each employee, and be sure to have sport-themed prizes such as hand clappers and megaphones on hand for game winners.

Coordinate a team scavenger hunt. Scavenger hunts are a creative way to bring adventure and competition to employees. There are several scavenger hunt companies you can hire, or you can pull together an internal team of creative people to come up with the activities. Send out the team assignments ahead of time so they can start getting excited and come up with a team name. Give each team t-shirts and rally towels with their team name and take photos of them prior to the event. Give everyone a magnetic photo frame after the event with their team photo. The memories will be priceless.

Organize a corporate retreat. Corporate retreats don't have to be only for executives, and they don't have to break your budget. You can create an overnight retreat at a close location near a park or picnic facility to help minimize cost. Make sure to have a retreat objective or theme and build all activities around the objective. Hand out the agenda with a portfolio or writing pad several days ahead of the event so that participates know what happens when. Give all attendees a duffel or backpack at the close of the event to remember the activity.

Best Promotions offers a range of teambuilding products from megaphones and rally towels to coolers and apparel. View the selection to find products to enhance your corporate team program. http://www.bestpromotions.com/products/browsecategory/360/

Services Provided By Event Planning Companies

Bay Area is a popular place in every aspect especially because of the businesses that have recently come up there. It is considered to be the main hub for upcoming businesses, entertainment and science. It is situated in California in the United States of America. Event planning can be a tough job because you have to keep track of everything which makes the work hectic. Though the people living in Bay Area have the habit of doing all their work themselves it is recommended that one hires a party planning company while organizing any event. Event planner in Bay Area provides the best event management services which are inexpensive and affordable. You can find many websites which provide event planning services at discounted rates. They provide a wide range of services and organize almost all kinds of parties which easily help you decide what you need for your party.

Event planners have a good experience as they have planned many events before. You can be highly benefitted by their expertise and service quality which will make the event a grand success. They plan the whole event in an organized way with proper planning. The food can be easily ordered and transported to the venue with the help of event planners. You can also get easy and inexpensive transport facilities. Lighting is a very important aspect when organizing an event. Event planner provides the right kind of lighting techniques which give a different effect to your event and make it look more dramatic and attractive. The lighting technique can be decided according to the theme of the party or the size of the venue. Uplights is the most popular and interesting type of lighting technique used by the event planning companies. This gives a unique effect to the party venue. Bright lights always work well for highlighting the main things in the event. The party planners usually highlight areas like entrance, bar, dance floor and cake.

All these services are provided by the event management companies. Make sure that they are using the LED lighting system to reduce the heat levels. This prevents blowouts or any other problems in the party. Event planner in Bay Area also provides string lighting facilities for outdoor dinners which create a calm and soothing atmosphere. All these factors together can make the party a great success. Thus, hire the right kind of event planner in Bay Area and make your event a grand success which will leave an everlasting impression in the minds of the guests.

Banquet Hall Event Planner

Banquet hall event planners can save you a lot of headaches and hassle by handling all those small details that add up to a great banquet hall event. There is another way that can also make a huge difference to your event - and that is announcing it and organizing information in a centralized location.

Corporate Event Management

While your banquet hall event planner will be doing most of the corporate event management, there is still some aspects that you will want to control yourself - one of these being the sending out of event announcements and also delegating tasks to your staff members or volunteers who are involved in the event All of this can be easily done from a central location online.

A great place to start would be by putting up a page that announces your event to the world. Add photos related to the event share some tidbits about the plans your banquet hall event planner has for your guests, and maybe even add some music or video clips.

Once you have set up a great web page then send out emails to tell everyone where to find your event website. They can also respond online or buy tickets and you will easily be able to keep track of who is coming.

Event Planning

Another aspect of your event planning that you will want to do yourself is the delegation of tasks and management of your budget. These can be easily done using the task manager and budget manager.

Delegate tasks to your staff and volunteers using the task manager and then manage the budget for the event using the budget manager to ensure that everyone working with money sticks to the amount they have been allocated.Your banquet hall event planner will also be able to access this information and so help you achieve your objectives for the event.

After the event you will probably also want to go back and add more photos to the web page, add some music, add video clips of the night (or maybe even a live video feed at the time of the event for those who couldn't make it).

Making event planning easier begins with appointing a banquet hall event planner to ensure that all the details go like clockwork but you will also want to create an event website to announce your event as well as keep all your information in a central location such as allocating assignments for your staff and volunteers and managing your budget. This can be easily done by signing up for a free account at Events Listed.

Managing Registration In-House Made Simpler With Event Management Solutions

As an event planner, you would want to handle ticketing and registration in-house to prevent last minute glitches. By supervising the entire registration process from scratch, you can monitor registration status, access reports and undertake necessary measures to ensure complete sellout for your event. However, managing registration in-house is no simple task and requires a lot of planning and supervision.

Some of the major problems associated with handling registration in-house include the following:

繚 Setting up and running an event registration system may take up a considerable amount of time and involve multiple tests for final development
繚 The process also requires event managers to hire dedicated resources to ensure the success of the initiative
繚 Most event planners avoid this option as it escalates their budgets because they need to get specialists to handle the process
繚 Handling security issues is also a major concern to avoid fraud or breaches

Owing to these factors, most event planners do not prefer going for in-house registration. However, there are some user-friendly solutions that can aid you to manage registrations effectively. The benefits of using comprehensive event management solutions for handling online registrations include the following:

Technical Support Available 24/7

As an event planner, you must make sure that your prospective attendees find it convenient to sign up for your events. You would want to simplify the registration process by opting for a simple yet powerful solution. A comprehensive event management solution provides complete assistance to your attendees. This helps you to avoid situations where your attendees encounter problems while registering themselves online. In other words, you offer improved customer service to prospective attendees.

Cost Effective Customer Relationship Management Solution

Event organizers have to spend several dollars to hire support staff. As a result, budgets are often exceeded and a lot of time is wasted on hiring the right people for the job. With an end-to-end event planning solution, you can build and sustain relationships with your attendees. Options such as live phone support help you to create a positive impression on the minds of your attendees. Moreover, you enable your attendees to sign up using multiple options including phone, fax and email.

Streamline Payment Management

Cutting edge event planning solutions feature enhanced payment management options to make it easier for your attendees to sign up for the events. These solutions support multiple payment gateways including MasterCard, Instant Visa, American Express and more - making it simpler for attendees to sign up for the event.

Customized Registration Pages

With sophisticated event management tools, it becomes easier for you to create customized registration pages for different attendees. You can embed the pages using your corporate logos and graphics to match their look and feel with the corporate website.

Market Your Events

With an objective to help you market your events, comprehensive event planning solutions feature a wide range of powerful marketing tools. With these tools, you can spread the word about your upcoming events and ensure full attendance.

Implementing an effective event registration solution can help you to exceed your ROI and thereby assist you to host successful events.

To learn how you can simplify the process of online event registration, visit this page.

Get Yourself a Career in Event Planning!

I had by no means deliberate on having a profession in occasion planning, however typically you just fall into one thing since you're good at it. All of my family members have been medical doctors, lawyers, businessmen, and other professionals. Evidently, careers in event planning were not on the menu.

As a matter of truth, I by no means would have considered considering an event planning profession if considered one of my buddies had not requested me to organize her wedding. She was pretty broke at the time, and couldn't afford to rent a professional occasion planner for what was, primarily, a fairly low-profile, down-to-earth event. I used to be fairly nervous about it at first, however she insisted that I would do fine. It seems that she was right. The whole lot just got here together. My ideas for it were pretty good, and I used to be able to put collectively different individuals priorities in a means that nobody had been ready to. Up till I took charge, the bride and groom may never agree on everything anything, however I someway managed to negotiate a truce between the 2 and lower down on the hassle tremendously.

They both thanked me profusely. They had been quite amazed on the job I had done, and advised me that I ought to take into consideration going into careers in event planning. On the time, I assumed they have been just flattering me. However, that spring I get a job with a wedding planning company. At first, the duties I was doing were fairly basic. Help serve food, print out invites - that kind of thing. However, they liked my concepts, and I ended up advancing by means of the ranks fairly quickly. Soon the proprietor came to me and instructed me that I should go to an event planning vocational school. My expertise was too nice, he mentioned, to waste doing menial labor for a marriage catering business. The very best careers in occasion planning, in any case, involve working your own enterprise.

I didn't know it at the time, however you do have to go to school to have careers in event planning. Nevertheless, what was true then is true as we speak - it really does show you how to to advance quicker, and makes it simpler to get jobs, if in case you have some sort of formal coaching which you can level to. There is a lot that goes into organizing occasions that it is a difficult to choose it up all on your own. You can do it, however only with a good variety of trials and errors.

Event Planning Companies - Benefits of Hiring Them

Event planning companies have gained a lot of popularity over the past few years. A lot of events are being held in San Jose, this in turn has increased the demand for event planning companies there. These companies have teams that have been trained to organize any kind of event. They can help in the entire process and they actually make the entire event a success. Just preparing a guest list and inviting people is not the only thing that is required while organizing an event. Everything has to be taken care of, for example, the venue, lights, sounds, food, theme, etc. there are some things that you can do yourself, but for some things you cannot do without these planners.

If you look for event planning companies, San Jose online, then you will see that there are several companies established there. All you have to do is choose one that will be able to tend to your needs in the appropriate manner. This is not at all time consuming and you can browse through an entire website within minutes. You also have the benefits of checking out different event planning companies, San Jose and comparing their services. This will help you make a decision that will be beneficial to you. it is essential to know the services provided by these companies, as this will help you discern if they have what you want. You should also make sure that their fees are affordable. Productions Company Bay Area are being established on a larger scale on. Production Company Bay Area has also gained a lot of popularity for the services they provide.

Once you have hired a company, the planner will help you plan out and organize the entire event. They will relieve you of all you work and you will be able to concentrate on everything else. They are experienced in this field, so they capable of getting everything done with minimum supervision form you (the client). You need to give the each and every detail and give them all the required information.

Apart from all of their other services, at times they also provide transportation services to the guests if require. Planning an event is not done often, so you need to make sure that everything is being done in the right manner. Choosing the right event planning company will help you get the desired results. All you have to do is be a good host and the event will be a huge success. If you want the event to be remembered by everyone for years, then you need to make sure that you get all the necessary details right.

Become a Top Wedding Planner - 5 Reasons Why DIY Marketing Materials Give Brides a Bad Impression

When you are just starting to market yourself as a wedding planner, you may be tempted to save money by creating your own marketing materials and website, even if you have never created these things in the past. There is nothing wrong with doing things yourself, as long as you have the knowledge and experience to produce professional-quality materials.

I have seen business cards and marketing materials from new wedding and event planners that give very bad impressions. The business cards are on light-weight paper, have free clip art images and are smeared and wrinkled because they were not well-protected. I have also seen new planners get free business cards that have the logo of the online company that printed them is on the back. Self-printed brochures have misspelled words and are on flimsy paper. And website addresses read something like this; myeventcompany.freewebsite.com.

Here are 5 reasons why these types of Do-It-Yourself marketing can hurt your chances of attracting the brides you want:

1) Flimsy, smeared and wrinkled business cards look sloppy

Brides expect their wedding planners to be neat, clean and organized and your business cards should reflect that image. Self-printed cards can smear quickly so check locally and online for low-cost printers and have your cards professionally printed. Order the thickest, highest quality business card paper you can afford so cards do not wrinkle easily. Purchase a business card case to store them in so you are not just jamming them into your purse or pocket where they will be damaged.

2) Free clip art images can look dated and show a lack of creativity

One of the reasons brides hire wedding planners is for their ability to bring creativity and beauty to their vision of their dream weddings. Clip art does not show that you can do that. If you need graphics, find a graphic designer in your area or online and hire them to help you create a logo and graphics that express who you are and appeal to the brides in your niche.

3) Business cards with advertising for another company make it appear like wedding planning is your hobby

When cards advertise their printing company, they say, "I am not serious, I am just planning weddings as a hobby, I may not be around for very long." A bride wants a planner who is professional and reliable, they do not want to wonder if you will still be in business on their wedding day. The same companies that offer free business cards usually also print business cards for a fairly inexpensive price that do not have their logo on them. Make this investment in your business.

4) Brochures with errors say you are not detail-oriented and thorough

Carefully check any marketing materials for spelling errors. Have a few people proofread everything before you print. Also, get your brochures professionally printed on high-quality paper.

5) A web address with an extension looks unprofessional

Your web address should be myeventcompany.com. It should not have any extensions, that instantly tells your potential clients that you have a free site and may not be serious about your business. Also, be sure your email address contains the name of your website and is not an AOL, Yahoo, GMail or other free email account.

Save money when you can but always look at your marketing with a critical eye and make sure you can answer "yes" to the question, "Does this marketing piece reflect the high level of quality, professionalism, detail and experience that I bring to my work?"

Best Event Management Software That Make Your Life Easier

When it comes to organising your next event, selection of the conference venues is only a small part of the preparation. You need to think about registration procedures, marketing your event beforehand, managing payment processing, providing information and answering questions from potential attendees and updating an event calendar possibly on an interactive website.

The organisational list seems endless, and the tasks involved in each element of the program require great attention to detail and careful anticipation of any problems that may arise. These days, with the complexity and technicalities of organising a large event, event management software can provide an easy solution or leased go part of the way to alleviating the problems which face organisers.

Choosing the best event management software however is not easy task, especially given the fact that organisers may not have the opportunity to see the software in operation beforehand. That's why it is important to take some time out and evaluate the software well in advance before making any decisions.

One of the best things you can do is to consult with previews users and obtain a review of how the software assisted them and what problems they experienced. It may mean you have to attend several training sessions to familiarise yourself with any software package before putting it into practice.

Let's take a look at some of the top software packages on offer today.

• Cvent. Event management software needs to be tailored to your individual requirements so it's important to look for a package that has an all in one approach. This particular suite can assist you in every element of organisation including registration procedures, e-mail marketing campaigns, secure online payment processing, housing and travel management, budget management, custom websites, workflow management, on-site functionality and event reporting to name a few. It is evident that the software is appropriate for large-scale events but can also be utilised to run online webinars as well.


• ManagEvent. If you are looking for a general project management solution, then this software may be what you are looking for. Before you decide whether the software is appropriate, you can sign up for a free webinar where you will be able to see the software in operation for yourself. It also comes with a 60 day guarantee and a string of testimonials to ease your concerns. Other users have commented positively on the contact management side of this software and the ease with which projects can be managed. It takes advantage of carefully designed templates to import project information and to automatically enable fast communication; all important elements for efficient event management.


• Event Software. Event Software has been providing facility and event management software for over 21 years. One of the best selling features this company has to offer is its previous experience in running all types of events including convention centres, performing arts, universities, museums as well as small to medium businesses. Reviewers applaud the technical support this company provides, and the large range of modules allows you to update websites, provide instant communication methods and track budgets on demand.

If you want to make certain that your conference venues are well attended and can be carried out within your budget, you should check out which software is right for you.

Reduce Event Management Cost With Online Registration Software

In today's events industry, with the rising price of materials and services, it can be a real challenge to grow your event and maintain the quality experience that your loyal attendees have come to expect. If inflated costs are contributing to a slow-down in growth for your event, event management software may be just the thing you need to streamline administration and do more with the human resources and budget you already have. Here are some ways that online registration software can help streamline event management:

Reduced Printing Costs

It used to be that all event registration, marketing and communication were done on paper. The event would print advertisements and post them all over town, the attendee would fill out a paper registration form, the event staff would mail a paper confirmation back to the attendee, and after the event was all over, the event organiser would send out a flyer to his attendees with an announcement about following year's event.

Taking your event online with event management software will easily cut your printing costs and paper consumption in half. Pre-event marketing can be done with email advertising campaigns that have been proven to be more effective than post. Your event participant can register online and submit their data and payment through a customised online entry form.

Registering online means that the attendee will receive an automatic confirmation email eliminating the need for your staff to print one and mail it off. After the event, a good event management software will allow you to send an electronic survey form and notification about the date for next years event.

Reduced Staff Hours

As mentioned above, one of the great advantages to offering event registration online is that your participants will receive an automatic confirmation email immediately following the submission of their data and payment. This not only eliminates the event staff's need to print and mail a confirmation but also puts the registrant's mind at ease. If your participants are currently registering on paper forms, your staff probably spends a good portion of their day answering phones and email from registrants who are concerned that you have not received their payment. If you are hosting registration online, the automatic confirmation email should reduce registrant inquiries considerably.

Event management software will also dramatically cut the number of hours your staff spends manually entering participant data into a spreadsheet or event database. Offering online entry for your event means that all data collected on the online registration form will be automatically sent to a secure database. If you currently collect paper forms you know how many late nights are spent transferring data from the hard copy over to the database. Those last days leading up to the event will be much less hectic with a system that automatically sorts and houses your data. You only need to log in to the event administration area of your software and check your numbers.

Reduced Over-Purchase of Merchandise and Food

One of the most challenging things any event organiser encounters in those last weeks leading up to the event is accurately predicting the number of event shirts he should order from his vendor or the number of hamburgers he should buy as opposed to hotdogs. Collecting event participant data by way of paper form means that there is lag time between when the form is received by mail and when that data is available in your database. In those last few weeks before the event, the speed at which you are able to get your participant data updated in the database is crucial.

With online event management software, this is a non-issue because attendee data is automatically added to your database and available for viewing with real-time online reports. Adding shirt size and food preference questions to your custom online entry form will allow you to get quick accurate reports and email them on to your vender or caterer at a moments notice. This will eliminate the need to guess how many orders to place which oftentimes ends up being more than you actually need and a waste of money.

In conclusion, growing your event without an increase in staff, payroll, and hours in the office is possible! Cost efficiency without a cut to the services you offer the attendee is the smart way to grow your event. A good event management system will help you streamline the logistics involved in planning your event and enable you to get more done with the money and staff you already have.

Tips to Spice Up Your Corporate Events

Are you looking for some fun and interesting ways to liven up your company entertainment? Maybe you want to impress a new customer or want to create something a little different for your staff. There are businesses you can visit who specialise in just this. These companies provide the best quality business entertainment; they will be your brand ambassadors.

From professional dancers, podium dancers and models to waitresses, drinks girls and cocktail bar staff. They only employee the sexiest, most interesting people because it's important that your corporate event goes off with a bang! As your brand ambassadors they will sort everything from venue choice, drinks, food and fantastic entertainment. It's their job to ensure it all goes to plan so that your corporate event will be remembered.

If your event is screaming for some up-to-date, funky entertainment then think about hiring in a tribute band. You could have the Pussy Cat Dolls, Girls Aloud, Britney Spears or Christine Aguilera at your business event. Or if you decide on something completely unique you can sit down with an events company and work out a fantastic show which fits your budget. Promotions companies are masters at creating an event that's special and unique without it costing a fortune.

There's no better way to mould that special bond with your customers than to do it with a cool drink in a swanky location. It's a great way to ensure they don't forget your business. What about thanking loyal customers by escorting them to a secret venue to see an exclusive band. Or take the boys out for an evening of saucy entertainment and male bonding. Look after your staff and they will take care of your company!

Plan a Career In Event Management

Have you ever wanted to work in event planning? A degree in hospitality with an emphasis on event planning might be a good idea for you. By definition, event management is the application of the management practice of project management to the creation and development of festivals and events.

What They Do:

Event managers work in the capacity of organizing and managing all aspects of the event planning process. Event planners are responsible for overseeing that all plans are in order, and that things are adhering to a timeline. Event planners have to follow a set budget to meet all the needs of the event. They arrange the location, food and beverage service, rentals such as tents and linens and service and event staff. These professionals need to have excellent organizational and time management skills, coupled with creativity and patience.

Training:

Earning your bachelors degree in hospitality and event management is the best way to get started on and event management career. A degree program will provides students with a means of developing management skills and knowledge specific to the field of event management. Event management programs offer subjects related to areas of event creation, event management, venue management, event marketing, and accounting. You will also learn about the environment in which event managers operate. On-the-job experience is the most useful and sensible training that a learner can attain to prepare for the occupation. Having practical experience in the field will help you to better understand the industry. Along with practical experience, skills in marketing and time management are a must.

Outlook:

Event management professionals can earn from $25 - $75 dollars an hour. The average annually salary of event managers and planners is $51,961. Job prospects for event managers and planners will fluctuate with the economy. If a strong economy, job prospects will be better than average.

Garden Girl Party Decoration Ideas for Your Little Gardener

If your daughter loves to dig in the dirt, why not throw a garden girl birthday party for her and let her do all the gardening that she always wanted to! Your garden would be the best venue for this party and the girls would certainly enjoy the beauty of the nature. Garden parties do not require a lot of decorations. The garden setting will speak for itself; however, adding a few special touches here and there will give a glorious look to your celebration. Here is how you can use the garden girl birthday supplies to delight your guests as well as your girl.

Party table decoration:

• Use the forest green colored table cover and the garden girl birthday supplies such as tableware, crepe paper, streamers, balloons, etc. for beautifying the table.


• Buy some medium-sized terracotta pots and use them to hold your cutlery.


• A blossoming plant in a pot can be the best centerpiece; however, make sure your table is sturdy enough to bear its weight. You can also use a fruit basket or a flower bouquet for enhancing the look of your table.


• Experiment with the seating arrangements. While the standard table and chair arrangement will be the most convenient one, you can also spread out a sheet in the garden to let your little guests sit cross-legged and enjoy being in the garden.


• Attach some balloons or paper flowers to the chairs.

Tree decoration

• Hang a lot of tissue pom-poms, Mylar and latex balloons, streamers, etc. from the branches of the trees.


• Hanging a few paper lanterns or light strands from the trees will give them a nice touch.


• Beautify the trees of your garden by hanging a few wind chimes. These charming ornaments create a tinkling sound as the wind passes through them. This sound will create a whimsical environment for your party.

Garden animal decoration

Why not invite all the creepy, crawly creatures for your daughter's birthday? Make some cardboard cutout and painted animals such as butterflies, ladybugs, bumblebee, frog, snake, squirrel, and other garden animals and place them around the party area for giving your party an aesthetic look. Encourage your child to help make the decorations so that she can also enjoy doing the artwork. If your child has some stuffed garden animals, use them instead of the making the cutouts.

These ideas will surely help you to organize a perfect Garden Girl Birthday Party for your child. So go ahead and celebrate!

Get Out Of The Office! What Can Off-Site Business Meetings Offer Your Company?

If you're in charge of planning corporate meetings for your company, the first decision is likely whether you're going to have it within your own company's office or if you should use an off-site venue for your corporate event. While the right choice depends on a number of factors, including the size of your company and your meeting's agenda, here are some things that an off-site business meeting can provide your company.

Planning A Professional Presentation? Off-Site Business Meetings Can Provide Pro Audio/Visual Equipment

Have you ever attended a business meeting where more time was spent trying to get the audio/visual equipment up and running? This situation is all too common and is frustrating for both attendees and corporate meeting leaders. By holding your business meetings or corporate events at a location with professional audio/visual equipment, you'll ensure that your time isn't wasted trying to get the microphone or presentation equipment working.

Look For A Location With A Catering Staff That Can Hand Pick The Perfect Menu

Corporate events that last all day mean you'll need to feed everyone. While it's true that you can always order some pizza or call a local sandwich shop to arrange meals, this means you'll need someone to take the time out of the business meeting to set everything up, as well as provide drinks, plates, napkins, silverware and more. Instead, having your corporate meeting off-site means that the site's staff will be able to serve your employees whatever you'd like -- forget about those old stand-bys, pizza or cold sandwiches. They'll also be able to cater to attendees with allergies or food preferences, such as providing a meal for a vegetarian. Best of all, you won't need to worry about setting the food out or cleaning up the mess when everyone is done eating. If you choose the right site that has a professional chef and a full catering staff, you'll be able to provide your employees with cuisine that might just rival your city's best restaurants.

Enough Space, Whether You're A Group Of 10 Or 1000

If you're planning a large corporate event, chances are good that you just don't have the space within your location to house everyone. Many sites that are available for conference meetings will be able to handle your large group, without requiring a lot of set up on your end. These sites for business meetings can place chairs in rows for presentations or educational seminars or they can seat everyone at round tables that are perfect for meals or awards ceremonies.

If your conference meeting is on the smaller side, you don't need to worry about having too much space with an off-site event. Many sites that are used for corporate events can tailor your space if you need something for a small group. As long as you choose the right site for your business meetings, you'll still receive the same personal service.

Holding your conference or meeting at an off-site location means that you'll conduct your business meeting with professional audio/visual equipment and a catered meal that your employees will appreciate. Whether you're planning a corporate meeting for 10 or 1000, consider calling a venue that specializes in corporate events and business meetings to see how they can help.

Corporate Event Management

Corporate event management involves managing various corporate events that can be a special media event, an internal event or event open to the public such as a fundraising gala. They are usually managed by a professional planner whose specialty is corporate events. An experienced event planner has the expertise to research and plan a successful event from start to finish.

Some of the common examples of corporate events are launching a product, road show, galas and media event with corporate sponsorship. The events are managed according to their respective nature, keeping in mind the aim of the event, the audience to be reached and the content of the message to be transferred.

Launching a new consumer product is a good example of what a planner does to manage this type of corporate event. Launching a product involves consumer conviction as an ultimate goal. The customer has to be convinced to buy the product by using innovative ideas. A corporate event manager might set up a convention to launch the product. This would involve planning all pre-convention meetings, working with graphic artists, writers and printers for all printed materials, choosing a location for the convention, selecting food and entertainment, etc.

The basic requirement for managing a corporate event is a step-by-step disciplined to see through various tasks from start to finish. There are many corporate event management companies offering professional services. They will work with the company contact one-on-one to make sure all of the needs and wishes of the company are met when putting together an event.

Planning an Anti-Violence Assembly at a Middle School

So you've been tasked with having to put together an assembly at your middle school and you have no idea where to start. You are not alone because many Educators are in the same boat. In fact, recently with the increase on media exposure related to bullying in schools, many are running around frantic trying to figure out what steps to take to protect their students.

Here is a list of steps to take when planning a school assembly:

• Figure out what issue has been apparent within the student body.


• Be proactive as well and have assemblies that focus on anti-violence or school bullyingSet a date with the Principal and make sure she/he is on boardCreate a small committee to look for speakers who can connect with teens


• Review the speaking demo of each youth speaker


• Consider a bullying speaker who is immersed in the topic


• Set a budget for a speaker, hire a good one


• Get a contract in place with the speaker


• Promote the event at the school

You might be asking yourself why you should hire a speaker. You hire from the outside because you want for that person to be a neutral person who can say the hard stuff that no one in the school is willing to say. Speakers know that they are saying the same thing that teachers say but they are more about connecting with teens first before relating a positive message.

The reason why you want to have a school assembly is so that the message can be presented to all students and faculty and so that everyone can be on the same page. The last thing you want is for one grade level to have valuable information and for the rest of the school to be ignorant of what they could have learned. So this may mean that a class gets cancelled so everyone can attend a school assembly but it will be worth their time and yours.

Mexican Catering for Your Next Event

Mexican food is one of the most delicious and asked about foods in the entire world. Finding someone who has not consumed Mexican food before is pretty much few and between. When planning your next event, there are many different reasons to consider hiring a Mexican catering company that specializes in providing authentic Mexican food.

Not every catering company can create authentic Mexican food dishes. There is a lot that goes into making Mexican food. If you hire a caterer that you just find on a limb there is a big possibility that you are not going to receive the type of food that you think you are. When employing a caterer that specializes in creating different types of dishes, such as Mexican dishes it is important that you ensure that they are able to deliver on everything that their advertisements are promising.

There are a lot of Mexican catering companies that boast that their food is as close to authentic Mexican food as you can possibly get, but on the adverse side their food does not taste anything close to authentic Mexican cuisine. It is vital that you remember that there is a lot more to Mexican food than tacos. Enchiladas, burritos, tostadas, and empanadas are just a few items that should be included on any Mexican catering companies menu.

Make sure that when you are speaking with a company that claims that they specialize in making Mexican cuisine that you are aware of what items should be included in the food that is being made. Do not be afraid to question the catering company about the ingredients that they use in the food that they create. It is important that prior to hiring a Mexican catering company that you sit down and speak with the owner or a few of the workers of the company first.

By meeting with the owner or employees of the company you can generate an idea of how skillful they are when it comes to creating this specialized cuisine. The last thing you are going to want to do is invite a large group of people out to your home or event, promise them that they are going to be able to enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine and then hire a company that cannot deliver what you promised your guests. This will not only make you look incompetent when it comes to hiring a caterer, but it will also make you appear like you lied to the guests you invited.

One thing that you need to keep in mind when hiring a Mexican catering company is that Mexican food can be fairly spicy. It would behoove you to have the company cook the food that they will be serving so everyone can enjoy it. If you have guests at your event that prefer spicy food, have the company bring additional spices so the guests can add the spices as they desire. This way you can ensure that everyone is pleased with the cuisine, and that all of your guests are able to enjoy it equally.

Insider Budgeting Tips From Top Event Planners in the Industry

If you're planning a major event like a wedding, conference, or family reunion, you need all the help that you can get. Thankfully, we've gathered the best of the best in advice from expert event planners in the industry to help you plan a memorable event with as little stress as possible.

Step 1: Separate Expenses and Income

Before you can book the first vendor for your event, you need to know how much cash you're working with. Pro event planners reveal that the best way to create an initial budget is by separating expenses and income on a spreadsheet.

For example, expenses for a conference or business meeting may include:

• Venue rental
• Marketing
• Guest speaker fees/accommodation
• Catering
• Staff
• Administration

Income for a business conference may include:

• Tickets
• Sponsorships
• Company budget

Understanding where money is coming in and going out will help you to make wise decisions when booking vendors. You can also use this information to help you effectively cut costs in rentals and vendor bookings to keep the overall budget for a conference affordable.

Step 2: Pay Attention to Detail

Expert event planners reveal that an event budget will only be successful when you pay meticulous attention to detail. If not, extra costs and expenses can easily creep up on you that were unanticipated to eat away at your overall budget.

Set aside time to account for and consider the cost of unforeseen details for an event, like table and chair rentals, Austin car service for guest speakers, security guard hire, cleanup fees, and much more. If possible, communicate with the owner of a venue to find out about any additional charges that may apply to rentals for setup, waitstaff, security, cleanup, and more.

Step 3: Ask for Discounts

Even though you may have to humble yourself to ask for a price discount, most vendors are willing to comply. In order to keep your business, a vendor may be willing to discount the rental charges for a venue, throw in extra waitstaff in a catering package, or provide freebies with equipment rentals, like extra speakers and microphone stands.

This is yet another case of where the squeaky wheel will get the grease. If you don't take the time to ask and make your needs known, you won't be able to take advantage of potential specials or discounts that may be available.

When booking any vendor for a special event, do your research in advance to find the best advertised rates. If you have your heart set on a certain hotel for a family reunion, check out the rates of competing hotels in the area. You can then inform the hotel that you have found a better booking rate nearby to see if they're willing to price match.

The good news is that you can plan an important event on a budget when you stick to the guidelines listed above. By categorizing your expenses, paying attention to detail, and requesting discounts, you can throw a high-dollar event on a dime.

7 Tips In Creating Publicity For Corporate Events

Organising corporate events can be exciting and interesting but simultaneously stressful and nerve-racking. This is especially true when corporate event managers are faced with a dilemma in balancing the need to create an enjoyable and beneficial event, and at the same time entrusted with the responsibility to create publicity for it.

Nevertheless, if the right approach is used, creating publicity for corporate events will become an easier task to manage. The following tips will provide you with an insight on some of the best practices used in creating publicity.

1. It's always a good idea to work in a team, and delegate the task of creating publicity to a particular team member. This way, you won't be caught up in the legwork, but rather be involved from an event manager perspective. Your responsibility then is to make decisions and guide others in getting things done for you.

2. Selecting the right person to delegate this task to is also an important factor in making your event a success. It is essential for this person to possess the necessary contacts with media companies, such as television stations and newspapers, way before the event kicks off.

3. Use short copywriting for direct mailers or newspaper advertisements. Good editing and good writing go hand-in-hand to create impact for your publicity pieces. Also, thick information packs are out of the question, unless specifically requested by the recipient.

4. Try not to use copywriting that may be a tad too creative or flowery. Your audience has no time trying to figure out your message, and it is best that you send them something direct and concise.

5. Although it may be common sense to include a contact number or an email address in your publicity pieces, you may be surprised that many corporate event organisers actually overlook this. Keep this in mind so that you can be contacted for further information.

6. No one wants to read outdated information. That is why your press releases should be kept as relevant and up to date as possible.

7. Always stick with the truth when you are answering questions from the media, or holding a press conference. Many corporate event managers tend to exaggerate and end up presenting an event that falls short of expectations.

Why Engage a Cloud Based Event Management Solution?

In this technological world, cloud computing is playing a key role in event management industries. Planners and organizers can now opt for a cloud based event management solution, which will help in reducing the work pressure and executing the plan smoothly. In the recent times, where time counts to money, this solution can help you immensely in simplifying your work offering added features and functionalities.

The top 5 benefits of using this solution are mentioned below:

· Minimize the cost:

While planning an event manually, you need to consider the different aspects and the make expenses accordingly. But you can now curtail your costs using this solution, which requires no installation charges. It will also reduce your investments on infrastructure and maintenance. Thus, the solution offers you the opportunity of investing more on your business, saving these additional costs. Event management industry, being a labor-intensive job, the cloud based solution can also save the cost on hiring staffs. By using the solution remotely, you can manage your event online and will require no manual labor. With so many benefits available, the solution is prospering these days.

· Increased Reliability:

Arranging an event requires handling different activities like listing down the number of attendees, their names and details, tracking the expenses on various items, recording the transaction details of the payment made by the attendees, etc. All these tasks need to be done with utmost care to avoid errors. Manually performing these tasks becomes tiresome and may take a lot of time. But engaging this solution, you can maintain and store the information of each employee, online. The solution automatically stores information of the attendee as he/she registers. Thus, there are fewer chances of errors and the organizer can easily view it, whenever required.

· Registration online:

The registration process is a tiring and time consuming task, when performed manually. You need to create the registration form adding the information required and print it. All the interested attendees are required to come to the mentioned venue to fill up the form and make the payment. This becomes a long and complicated process. But the event management solution, offers a convenient way of making the registration, online. The organizer can create a customized registration form, add logos and graphics and make it available for the attendees. The concerned attendees can fill up the form online and register for the event from any place using internet. Thus, the process is simplified and requires less time.

· Quick payments:

Payments can be made online using credit cards, PayPal and wire transfer. The payment through safe PCI-complaint platform is convenient and secured. The organizers can also set up a merchant account and accept the payments.

· Excellent Security Provider:

The security factor always comes into consideration, when the hacking activities are high. However, the cloud-based solution offers a number of security actions to deliver the best quality of data security.

So, avail the services of a cloud based event management solution and obtain maximum profits from your events.

Broad Range of Services Offered By Event Planning Companies

Event management companies are the real event organizers that help businesses and people in strategic planning of the event. Whether it is a corporate event or wedding party, they take complete responsibility of planning and successfully organizing the events. They apply their broad range of skills and market knowledge to make the event a true matter of inspiration.

Event management companies handle even the most delicate and minute details for its successful completion with its core objective. They have a team of highly skilled and technical professionals that offer the best services, ideas and guidance as per the budget. These companies are not at all specific when it comes to event planning, event management or organizing; they are expert in both private and corporate events. They plan, create & organize a wide variety of special events including, but not limited to, wedding events, exhibitions, Jewish events, seminars, B2B conferences, mega parties, expositions, Bat Mitzvahs, trade shows, and birthday parties.

Broad Range of Services Offered By Event Planning Companies:

Conference Planning and Organizing:

Event Planning Companies have specialist corporate event planners that can conceptualize and implements big budget conferences for corporations both nationally and internationally. Their innovative and creative design team can devise superior and attractive podiums, meeting structures, warm welcoming and memorable closing receptions. They apply their skills and knowledge to provide wonderful and interactive experience. They understand the need and prominence of effective meeting and plan out an effective strategy to organize it in a remarkable way in order to meet goals yet staying under the stringent budget.

Consumer Events Organizing:

Event planning and management firms have everything to make a party outstanding. They can organize exceptional platforms to effectively reach wide strata of consumers. They help in live events and word of mouth marketing to street teams, and even stunts. Their proven techniques can elaborately communicate the brand attributes, assisting in brand awareness.

Wedding Planning:

Every bride and groom wants his/her wedding to be the most wonderful and fabulous one. In order to do the same they hire wedding planners that can plan and organize wedding parties in a distinct manner. Creative teams work closely with the brides and grooms to understand their exact needs. They work to arrange everything from wedding menu, flowers, decoration, theme development, lighting, audio and visuals and technical requirements to reception itinerary.

In essence, event organizers specialize in organizing and creating seamless event solutions. They also specializes in organizing special events like weddings, engagement parties, bar and Bat Mitzvahs, engagement parties and a full range of other private and corporate events in an effective and efficient manner.