How to Manage Your Event Budget

If you need an event organising, you may find the help of an event management company useful. Organising an event takes a lot of time and planning so hiring experts in the industry will save you a lot of time and money.

Your event budget will be the framework for all of your event planning decisions and your budget is there for a reason - to save you money and make sure you don't go above your means. To keep your budget organised make yourself a spreadsheet including your projected expenses and actual expenses, and any revenue you will receive (if applicable). Keep your receipts and invoices organised and safely filed, and make sure all purchases are recorded for reference.

When planning your budget you must consider upfront costs; the venue hire, staff hire, catering, performers, special guests, equipment etc. There are plenty of ways you can help stick to your budget when organising your requirements. For example, you need to hunt around to find a good price, as with anything - a holiday, a car - you'll need to do some investigating before you decide to purchase. If you find a location that tugs at your heart-strings but is above your budget, you really need to consider whether it's beneficial to your audience. It may be the perfect place but there may be somewhere as perfect (but not so lavish) that will be just as beneficial to your customers. Remember there are other expenses as well as venue hire. These include all catering costs, whether it's a formal sit-down meal or nibbles, there will be costs for producing and serving the food. You will also need to consider the costs of event staff and performers/entertainers should you decide to use any. If the event is themed, the d矇cor and equipment will be a pricey expenditure to consider.

If you are hoping to make some money from your event, you can charge a small fee for tickets (providing people are willing to pay for your event - bear this in mind). You can also hold prize draws - a raffle will help you gain a bit of revenue. Companies (or friends) are often willing to donate raffle prizes for a little bit of promotion.

There are ways to get your events paid for by sponsors or bag a discounted price. If you are holding a charity event, companies are far more likely to give you a free venue or reduce the costs of their services. You can also try to get sponsorship from other companies but remember it works two ways. A company will sponsor you if it means their brand or services will get exposure and media attention. If you are targeting a large company to sponsor your event remember how competitive it will be, you will need to plan and organise at least a year before the actual event - we'd recommend this for large-scale extravaganzas. For smaller events look to smaller, local companies for sponsorship.

The best way to find a suitable sponsor is to analyse your demographic, if you are holding a careers event, you might want to ask a local recruitment company to sponsor you. Remember to emphasise the reasons why your potential sponsor should subsidise your event - sell them your event - mention the exposure and the potential new candidates they could receive from the advertising.

Event Logistics: Dealing With the Details

Most people don't realize it until they host their first event, but a thousand little details go into planning an event. The event organizer must consider everything from marketing the event to organizing speakers, handouts, food, lodging and other relevant event details. If you're hosting an event and you're the main feature of the event, you have far less time to focus on these thousand-and-one details that go into a successful event. Dealing with the details becomes an integral part of handling event logistics.

The Logistics of Planning an Event

The logistics of planning an event require you to negotiate the details. You must coordinate the venue, any food and refreshments, the temperature, handouts, lighting, lodgings and many other details. If you're using an A/V system, you must make sure the equipment is where it's supposed to be, and fully functional.

If you're coordinating an event with multiple speakers or sessions, ensure that each participant's needs are met. The event itself requires coordinating these logistics in the days and weeks leading up to the event, a flurry of activity the day before and the morning of, and managing details during the day of the event.

Balancing Logistics with Price

The specific logistics of your event vary depending on the price point of your event. If you're charging a low price point, you're probably not providing refreshments, meals, or substantial handouts. Conversely, if you're charging a high price point, you might want to provide your attendees with special little touches that make the price seem more justified, including handouts, promotional materials, refreshments and a meal.

Handling Logistics When You're Presenting the Event

When you're planning and presenting at an event, not only do you have the details to manage to ensure the event runs smoothly, but you must also think about your presentation. If you're running around the morning of the event taping cords to floors or thinking about your lunchtime refreshments, you're not getting yourself into the right mindset for presenting at the event.

If you're presenting, you might want to hire a professional that has event management experience to take care of the details for you, leaving you free to focus on your presentation. If you do hire a professional to deal with the logistical details, make sure you're hiring someone who has experience dealing with event logistics. Hire someone with whom you are comfortable presenting your image, as the way they handle the event will reflect on you as the host and presenter. If you hire an event manager who won't provide the customer service experience you want, or who doesn't know how to manage the details in a way that is acceptable to you, you have only yourself to blame if the event is not well-received.

Think about the logistics of your event during the event-planning phase. Don't wait until the last minute to decide how you want to handle logistics, or realize you'll want to hire an event manager to free up your attention for the event itself. Make a list of the details you need to manage for the event, and determine whether you're comfortable managing the details yourself or whether you want help. Eliminate details that are cost-prohibitive in a low-budget event, or add handouts and giveaways for a high-budget event so your attendees feel like they're getting their money's worth for the event.

Special Event Planning - Party Planning!

Party Planning needs particular efforts and creativity to prepare the best. All the preparations about any occasion or party depends upon the specialty of event. All is dependent upon the significance you connect to the particular event and the results you expect as the out put.

Earlier than making any preparations you might want to know the type of event. What's the theme of party? A party or event could have any kind like a birthday party, Anniversary party, theme parties, star nights, kitty parties, music events, vogue shows, ramp reveals, DJ nights, Rock show Disco parties, Orchestra bands, laser exhibits, magical reveals, get-collectively parties, company parties, private parties, annual days capabilities, new yr parties, any live performance or seminar etc. All preparations needs to be carried ahead by conserving in thoughts the kind of event.

You will need to look into the issues of fixing a correct date, arranging the leisure that suits the theme of your party, inviting particular visitors, preparing invitations to invite all of the visitors, catering issues, transporting your visitors, decorations, the logistics of leases and equipments etc. You will also want to rearrange the parking facilities in your guests and cleansing up of the venue.

Lately there are number of event planning firms that can allow you to in organizing your special event. Party planners can make all of the preparations as per your taste, requirement and budget. They may hearken to the aim of your particular event. They may give you an entire analysis of you're your event like its price range, venue fixing and arrangement of rentals and catering affairs. They'll keep in mind the purpose of your event and might make all of the arrangements accordingly.

Price range for occasion performs an vital half in organizing any event. So, to start anything first set up budget. How much you want to spend in your special party or occasion? An occasion planner makes all the preparations inside your determined budget. At all times explore all your concepts and themes in front of the occasion administration company you're going to hire and in addition discuss about budget in order that the event planner can provide you finest companies as per your style, requirement and budget.

Make Your Company Anniversary Memorable With Event Program Printing

Your company's anniversary can be very overwhelming, because this is the time when you look back on the past year and realize how far you've come from a small time business into the company that you are now. This event requires extensive planning and preparation-from the date of the event up to the anniversary theme.

One of the important things that you should consider is the event program printing to highlight your company anniversary. You can use catalogs or booklets to commemorate this very special occasion. Take advantage of discount printing offered by your online printer for cost-efficient event program printing. But before seeking the expertise of a reputable online printing company, you must prepare the contents of your catalog or booklet to make your company memorabilia more memorable and special for the event.

• How you got started: Present a detailed and impressive background history of your company. A chronological list of the events that occurred in the past year allows your supporters and customers to know more about your company. Your company history is the perfect introduction to write on your catalog or booklet, because this presents your company in the most impressive way possible.

• Company milestones: These give your customers and supporters more reasons to maintain their loyalty to your company, because your company's milestones are the proof of your hard work and dedication to your profession. Discuss about the problems that your company faced over the past years and how you overcame them. This way, your supporters and customers will be amazed of your company's efforts. Your experiences can inspire your followers and supporters to strive for success.

• Testimonials from loyal customers: What your loyal customers say about you reflects the kind of company that you are. Their testimonials also help to enhance and strengthen the brand identity that you have been building for years.

• Expression of gratitude: Acknowledge the people behind your company's success and express your sincerest gratitude to your loyal customers. Let them know that without their support, your company will never reach new heights. Assure them of better products and improved services to encourage them to keep their loyalty to your company.

Tips, Trends, Savings

"Couples want to give their guests a great meal and memorable experience so they are still ordering nice entrees and wouldn't dream of cutting out the cake," says Katie Grace, Director of Catering for the Grand Hotel Minneapolis. When it comes to saving money at the reception, brides and grooms are opting to limit the open bar.

"It is nice to offer guests complimentary beverages, however, one can still host a memorable event without doing so," Grace continued. "Many brides are hosting just one hour of open bar, a champagne toast and/or wine with dinner, and a cash bar is available for the rest of the evening. Most wedding guests do not mind paying for their own alcoholic beverages." This move can save thousands of dollars without sacrificing the quality of the event.

What to tip your vendors

Your vendors are responsible for making your wedding day great and many couples wonder what the standard is for tipping vendors and who normally gets a tip.

Catering Coordinator: Most couples aren't aware that their catering contact doesn't get any of the mandatory gratuity tagged onto their bill. They do a lot of work for you, so it is really nice to thank them with a gratuity. Standard gratuity ranges from $50 to $2,500, but the average is $100-$300.

Wedding DJs: Your DJ is working hard for your gratuity and typically the majority of their compensation comes from a tip. Fifteen to twenty percent of the show price is standard.

Hair and makeup: Just like if you were to go to a salon, your hair and makeup artists do expect a tip. The standard amount is 18-20% of your service price.

Photography: Unlike DJs and hair and makeup artists, photographers do not rely on a tip as their compensation. However, most couples do tend to tip their photographer. The typical tip for photography is anywhere from $100-$1000 per event. Some couples prefer to wait and see their photos before giving their photographer a tip.

Videography: Five to fifteen percent of the service price. They get tipped less than photographers, but they definitely deserve it. Some couples do wait until they see their video.

Event Planner: Typically event planners see 10-15% of the price as a gratuity. If you have hired a planner, you know how invaluable they are to your wedding success!

Officiant: Fifty to $200 is the standard gratuity for your officiant.

Transportation: Fifteen to twenty percent of the price. They also rely heavily on tips for compensation and many transportation companies automatically add gratuity on to the package price.

Florist: It is not typical to tip your florist. However, if you have extensive floral, a small gratuity would be appreciated.

Cake: No gratuity necessary.

Photo Booth: Fifty to $100 is the average tip.

Themes and Corporate Entertainment For Corporate Events

With the popularity of corporate events steadily rising, it is no wonder that businesses are now going all out with their planning.

Many large companies are using live music to spice up an event. This even means hiring a mainstream band for thousands of dollars and perhaps adding activities like a carnival or a beach trip. By using such entertainment, it is also easy to disguise team building. Many people cringe at the thought of playing name games all day at a company retreat. Therefore, planning a skydiving trip, paintball or something adventurous will help. Other ideas include Kayaking, canoeing, treasure hunts and sailing.

Corporate entertainment is such an important tool when it comes to team building. After all, live music is usually at every great event, so this is no exception. Team building and corporate entertainment go hand in hand.

Another way to spice up your company teambuilding event is by incorporating and event theme to Here are just a few great ideas for the next time you need a theme and gift ideas for the perfect corporate event;

Beach/Hawaiian Event
A sunny beach theme, complete with Hawaii shirts and leis gives the event a fun, laid-back and friendly vibe. You can decorate your venue with sand and pool toys, and choose gifts that go with your theme. Try visors, sunscreen, and beach towels as creative corporate gifts, giveaways or prizes. Stubby holders are a good idea for holding your favourite summertime beverage of course. You might also try beach tents and umbrellas for larger corporate gifts.

Vegas Corporate Event
A gambling theme is great because you can easily incorporate games to wine conference prizes, large or small. You can decorate the venue with neon lights, sequins, and fuzzy dice, and include pries that only the "high-rollers" win.

Western Event
Yee-Haw. Rent a mechanical rodeo bull for a laugh. Cowboys are also equated with honesty and loyalty, other good qualities to associate with your business. Some great ideas for conference gifts with this theme include animal shaped stress toys and water pistols for a laugh. Larger gifts could include cowboy hats vouchers to line dancing lessons.

Sports Event
You can throw together a sports themed event fairly quickly and for inexpensive prices, you can choose gifts that emulate this theme, like themed stress toys and company branded water bottles. You can even narrow things to a particular sport. Golf is a good choice. You can use a tiny putting game as a game for giving away conference prizes-offer personalized tees to people who play and personalized golf balls to people who get the hole in one.

Balloons as a Themed Event
Not only do balloon designs and sculptures look amazing, but they are also a creative and eye-catching way of promoting your companies image, logo or brand. At conferences and exhibitions, a host of balloons in corporate colours or printed with your strap line will give your business that wow factor to make you stand out from your competitors and make your business stick in their minds. If you are planning to open a new shop or promote a product, then a specially designed balloon sculpture will make a real impact.

For more information visit http://www.nusuevents.com.au

The Secret to a Stress-Free Party - The Event Planner

Throwing a celebration of any kind can be a daunting task for most people. Knowing how and when to use an event planner can make the experience less intimidating and more enjoyable. When planning a party, you should think about your personal schedule, party size, event date, your party throwing experience, being creative, and your support system.

Are You a Busy Person?

What does your daily schedule look like? If you are like most people, you have many things on your plate. Juggling everyday responsibilities while trying to not overlook every aspect of a special event can consume a lot of time, especially if you have a busy schedule. Having an event planner to take on the task of planning your party is a great resource because they are experts in this area. In fact, you can simply tell your event planner the type of party you want, your budget, number of invitees, etc. and they can do the rest. In addition, you can tell your event planner how often you want to be updated on your party's progress. Using an event planner can give you time to attend to your normal busy schedule without the extra burden of planning a party.

How Big or Small is Your Party?

Smaller parties (5 to 8 people) might be easier for one person to plan on their own. However, if you are planning a bigger party, you should look to an event planner to help. Event planners can help with decorations, invitations, catering, equipment rental, and entertainment. Many event planners also have a database of reliable vendors that they can go to to make sure your party is a success. In reality, any size party will benefit from using an event planner.

When is Your Event?

Is your event in 2 months, 6 months, or a year? Depending on the amount of time you have to plan your party, using an event planner might be a valuable option. Most event planners can help with the biggest or smallest of details. Many event planners can offer guidance with every aspect of your special event time frame. From, developing your party timeframe to day of event timeline, your event planner can help you no matter the amount of time you have before your party.

Do You Have Experience Throwing Parties?

If you have thrown a party or two in the past, then you have good insight into the amount of time that might be needed to get a party together. However, you also know that this is usually very stressful, especially when it comes to those last minute errands. Throwing a party on your own can also get in the way of your personal enjoyment of your own event. That is why it is good to know that many event planners also offer Day of Event Management. This type of management helps to make sure that the party is a smooth event and allows you time to actually participate and take pleasure in the party you are throwing.

Do You Need Some Creativity?

Even if you have experience throwing parties, it might be beneficial to utilize an event planner for party concept and theme development. A fresh perspective is good to have when you are planning an event that is special such as a weddings and receptions, milestone birthday, anniversary, bridal party, child's birthday, etc. Event Planners can offer you unique ideas on themes, decoration, party giveaways, favors, music, and other activities. If you prefer to plan your own party, you can still look to an event planner for development of theme ideas that you can do yourself.

Who Do You Know?

Having a group of people to help you with planning your party can be a good idea. If you have a few people (friends, family, neighbors, etc.) you can trust you can assign party planning tasks to them. However, if you don't have this resource available to you, an event planner might save the day. Event planners have staff and vendors they can go to to ensure your party is pulled off with flair.

An event planner can eliminate the pressure that you have when planning an event. No matter what your event needs, and a planner can make it a hit.

Event Planning - Risks of Importing Decorating Props

Props used at events are procured around the globe. The glitz and glam that produce the wow factor of any event is worth the quest when it arrives on time and without incident. However, one of the risks of purchasing items from outside the country is the possibility of having shipment stopped at customs.

The hold-up could be initiated for several reasons from wrong documentation to incorrect Harmonized Codes or HARM codes to not your fault at all.

If it is your intent to be involved in events that require equipment, props or decorations from outside the country, the person you should be looking to for guidance is your customs broker. Take the time to meet with them at the onset of your business. Explain your company to them and include any and all items you think you might want to import. If they have the full story, they will do all kinds of hoop jumping to keep your shipment rolling from the supplier to your door.

If your company finds itself in a situation where by your shipment has been held up, there are some steps you can take to get your product delivered to you as soon as possible.

1. Isolate the problem. Take and deal with any and all telephone calls immediately. These calls will provide the information needed to direct you in resolving the problem. This hold up may be due to someone else's error; however, you are ultimately going to have to deal with this as your problem until the product you ordered arrives safe and sound.

2. If it is determined that your company is responsible for the product being held, recognize possible reasons as to why. Once it has been ascertained that there is an issue and at what magnitude, start gathering your team. Assemble the files, orders forms, names of contacts with the company you have bought from and go through each with your team.

3. Brainstorm with your team. This will provide options to solving the problem from getting the product to your door to reviewing or initializing Plan B in order facilitate your customer's wishes.

4. Identify outcomes, problems and solutions. As things fall into place, for you to receive your shipment, it is important to review the situation and its outcome. Your company and the team responsible for this area must have an all-encompassing comprehension of the problem, the solution and outcome in order to evaluate and make the best choices for the company and ultimately your clients.

The predicaments that arise from border crossing delays can be avoided if you know your suppliers and have a logistics company that you trust to handle the shipping arrangements. These two factors along with having a good inbound customs broker working for you will be to your company's advantage. Communicate with all concerned from date of order to date of delivery as this area of planning an event cannot be taken lightly. Preparations for any event that is based around a specific d矇cor piece can be disastrous if the focal point does not arrive.

Speed Racer Party Ideas That'll Get Everyone Revved Up!

If your child is inspired by Speed Racer, the 18 year old boy who is professionally and passionately involved in automobile racing, taking up this theme for hosting his birthday party would be the best way to cheer him up. Turn your party venue or house into a race track and let it be a race day! With these useful Speed Racer party ideas, you would surely be able to please all the racers attending your party!

Race track decorations

Your child's racer party would be incomplete without having a racetrack! Use old tires available with car repair shops or else use black and yellow duct tapes to build the track. To give it a realistic look, make some banners and put them across the track. The orange cones will also be a great addition to this. If you have a good amount of space for the race track and are inviting young kids, let them enjoy racing each other in their ride on cars. Rent or borrow these cars or ask the kids to bring their own.

Pinata decorations

Zip, Zap, Zoom! Hang this racing car shaped pinata at the entry, at the racetrack, or any other strategic place to attract the attention of your guests. Pi簽atas can quickly double up as party decorations and therefore, these Speed Racer Birthday Supplies are a great way to beautify your party area.

Checkered flag

Those black and white checked flags will surely stimulate an adrenaline rush among your guests! Why not attach two of them to your mailbox or place them crisscrossed at your entrance to help people locate your venue easily? Checkered banner around the party table, window panes, doorways, along the fences etc. will give a complete look to your party decorations.

Theme decorations

The basic Speed Racer party supplies such as Mylar and latex balloons, streamers, crepe paper, etc. are indispensable for any Speed Racer theme party.

• Tie a bunch of latex and Mylar balloons to your child's toy car and use it as a centerpiece.


• Use the themed tableware such as lunch plates, cups, napkins, etc. to serve food to the hungry racers.


• Buy some old issues of racing magazines, cut out pictures of various drivers, and use them for decorating the walls around the party area. You can even have a quiz on these posters as a part of your party game.

Ask the little speeders to come dressed up in their Speed Racer costume so that they can enjoy to their fullest. These Speed Racer party ideas along with a bit of imagination will surely help you to throw the best racing theme party of the town.

Event Planning Template: Steps to a Successful Event

If you are organizing a business event, working with an event planning template proves to be very useful. A basic event planning checklist will make sure you don't miss anything important, and will help you use your energy most efficiently by focusing on the things that really matter.

Simply take the below event planning template, type the answers right behind the questions, and you stay on top of business event.

What, Where, When - The name of your event, date, time and location.

Desired Audience - Who do you want to reach? Want kind of reaction would you like from them? How will you keep their interest?

Your Message - What message do you want to bring across through your event? What should be on the mind of the participants after they've gone home?

Your Goals - How many people would you like to attend the event? How much funds would you like to raise?

Assessing the Risks - What are dangers and weaknesses related to your event? How would people be held off from participating or donating money? What is your answer to that?

The Budget - How much does the whole thing cost and how are you going to finance it?

Invitations - Will you send out invitations directly to your target audience, and which ones? Think of your newsletter, direct mail, etc.

Advertising - Which means of advertising will you use to let your target audience know about your event? Think of free publicity (press releases), radio, newsletters published by others, social media, and other means of communication.

Registration - Should people register for this event or not? Is entrance free, and if not, how will they pay? Will attendees wear name tags?

Catering - What foods or drinks will be available for the attendees? How and when will you present them? Have you arranged the logistics (tables and chairs etc.)?
Program - Who will be the speakers or other special guests at your event? How is the event structured? Do you need any audio or visual equipment?

Freebies for Guests - Will attendees receive gifts when attending the event? Think of a special offer which is valid only on this event, discounts, free samples, etc. You can even run a contest with prizes, if only you make sure the winner is decided on the basis of his skills, or you may have a (possibly illegal) lottery.

Keep It Safe - What is the security situation around your event? How will you ensure everything is in good order?

Staff - Do you need to hire extra staff for this event? Who will meet and greet guests?

Take-Down - When and how will the event be dismantled?

Feedback - If the event went well, you will have made the right impression on your target audience. How will you check if this was the case? Think of a way to take comments from the attendees, and consider sending them a thank you note for the participation.

When you follow the above event planning template, you will effectively determine the purpose and outcome of your business event and you will have solidified your connections with your target audience.

Virtual Assistant Certification

It is not 100% necessary to be certified in order to become a Virtual Assistant but it does help with building up your credibility. Depending upon your experience, skills, and education will determine your ability to start your own professional virtual business. To compete in an industry that is growing quite quickly your services are still high in demand but you must show your potential clients you are that much better than your competitors.

Certifications/Schooling

There are many companies advertising their certification programs that may not necessarily be reputable and provide the courses or certificate you need to add to your professionalism. Do your research, ask other VA's, ask potential clients what their needs are and what is the best way you can serve them. That will give you the information needed to determine whether you need upgrading or training. Just because someone touts themselves as offering a certificate program does not necessarily make them good.

A small sampling of reputable schools or training organizations include:

1. The International Association of Virtual Office Assistants (IAVOA): They are dedicated to the professional education and development of member of the Virtual Assistant profession. They are also interested in educating the public on the role and function of a VA.


2. Red Deer College VA Certificate Program - this Canadian College has an excellent program and is highly recognized.


3. The International Real Estate Assistant Assoc. Training - for those who wish to specialize in working with Realtors this organization should be researched.


4. REVA Training Center


5. University of Virtual Assistants


6. Vaclassroom - this is an excellent resource for targeted programs that relate strictly with this profession. Examples include social media specialist and event planning.


7. VBSS - this is a start up system that guides you from beginning to end in starting your business. This comes with a mountain of material that is extremely helpful from creating your business name to finding clients and learning how to market yourself.


8. Virtual Assistant University - Technology changes at a rapid pace and it's important to stay up to date with classes that will help you improve your services. The most used programs of administrative assistants or office clerks are MSOffice - Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Bookkeeping programs, Simply Accounting or QuickBooks are extremely popular and useful both for your own business and potential clients.

Other related classes may include event planning, organization, photography, time management, WordPress, web design, social media, HTML code, accounting, graphic design, desktop publishing, and anything else remotely related to providing a service or assisting the VA in her own business.

Although certification is not necessary a business owner who wishes to succeed should believe in continuing to better themselves and give themselves the tools to provide better service to their customers. Certification or any training that relates to operating a Virtual Assistant business will only enhance your professionalism.

Team Building And Corporate Team Work

Getting people to work well together and as part of a team is something than can in the long term help to generate income for a company and prove more profitable than the cost of organising and covering the cost of such trips. Doing these events abroad can also add an extra dimension to the experience and companionship between the employees and deep working relationships can be created: Below we look further into what types of events can benefit the employees and also we talk specifically about team building.

Communication is a word we hear time and time again in business and also at home. Having a good working relationship, understanding and high level of communication makes a huge difference at work, especially in medium and large organisations. Finding a way to forge better levels of communication and understanding between employees is a challenge.

Sending employees to a local or even more so, to a foreign destination such as Barcelona or Paris, can be very beneficial. You need to get employees out of their familiar surroundings and environment and by sending them to somewhere such as Barcelona or Paris or anywhere outside of the UK where the language is different, you make them more vulnerable but more open to change and this leaves the way open for new ideas to be absorbed.

The events you should organise for your employees on their team building trip should ideally be something which will put them in teams i.e. on an organised city treasure hunt, dragon boat racing or group cooking challenge for example. The emphasis is on the need for the team to work together to accomplish a task together.

An organised city treasure hunt in a city where the language is foreign can really make for a fun yet challenging team building event. This type event is organised by many companies in the UK and abroad and commonly involves the team needing to follow certain instructions given to them and to collect and visit certain places, and to work out certain clues. They will usually be racing against another team of colleagues.

Corporate team building activities can be rewarding and memorable for employees, The feel good factor is also often high with employees remembering the time they were in Paris, London or Barcelona for example, getting to know colleagues better with whom they had previously had little interaction. The results can be good

Bring Your Corporate Evening Events To Life With Xbox Kinect

Once again a brand new technology has hit the streets this week with the release of the Xbox Kinect console and corporate clients looking for the next new thing for their evening entertainment need not to look any further!

Most people have experienced the more traditional entertainment such as horse race nights, fun casinos and quizzes but few have seen or experienced the upbeat competitiveness that the Wii or Xbox consoles can bring to their evening entertainment event.

Everyone likes a competition and what better way to get your office team or invited clients together and battle it out in an Xbox Kinect event where the guests can experience this fantastic new form of entertainment that involves nothing but their own bodies and energy!

The technology scans the players body shape and uses this image as the control for game play, so as you start to run on the spot, so does the character on the TV screen! No more controllers or wires, you become the controller!

Imagine a corporate event with your teams lined up in front of a tv screen all running as fast as they can or jumping in the air to beat their fellow competitors in what has to be the most interactive and amusing upbeat event available to date.

If you have a group of guests that love nothing more than getting off their chairs following a corporate dinner and having some fun then this new Xbox Kinect event could be exactly what you are looking for. The event can be run on the same format as you may have seen in a Wii Olympics competition where the guests are split into teams and rotate around a set number of pre-selected sporting games before going head to head in a finale to decide the winning team.

There are also no barriers to this event as it can be set up in most locations and will entertain all ages and genders, whether your pre-dinner drinks need a lift or your conference needs energizing this Xbox Kinect team event will surely prove to be the best dinner entertainment you can experience at any corporate event.

Corporate Team Building - Events and Themed Parties

As a part of the corporate exercise, most companies conduct special team building events that are meant to promote team spirit and closeness among people working as a team. Usually, this is done in batches. Employees are taken to the location in batches of 2-3 teams, or division wise, where they are introduced to a whole host of themed parties and team building activities. These activities are co-ordinated by companies which specialise in corporate events, and have sufficient experience and knowledge of people management.

Corporate events

You can have your employees taken to some really good locations - like resorts or picnic spots, where they will take part in team building exercises. These are generally fun events, but which teach the employees the importance of team work, and how co-operation and collaboration are the key to success. They give fun activities to perform as individuals, and then as a team. Then, the instructor involves the employees in discussions related to analysing what the team did right, and where they went wrong. They also compare team performance Vs. Individual performance, and include it in their results. You could also have themed parties to add to the fun.

Usually the activities involve fun team building games. For example, employees may be asked to form small groups of 4 or 5 and given a set of spaghetti noodles (uncooked and still straight), some marshmallow and jelly. They will then be asked to build a tower out of this, and the team making the tallest tower wins. This will require the teams to concentrate on the task given. People with leadership qualities immediately take charge and subconsciously ask the employees with the required skills - for example someone with engineering background or degree to concentrate on supporting the beams and so on. The co-ordinator usually makes these observations and sends it back to the HR department of your organisation, which could be used for career as well as succession planning.

Benefits to employees and the organisation

Corporate team building events provide employees a much needed break from routine life. They feel refreshed after being introduced to a whole lot of new team building ideas and sub consciously try to incorporate these when they return. Having spent time with colleagues at a non-formal setting, the employees develop a deeper bond among each other, and are thus able to understand each other better. They also serve as great ice-breaking sessions, and could be used for new entrants to the organisation. You could even have a number of activity days where instead of just one day, employees could be sent for a weekend to a resort for receiving their team building training. It will also serve as a great unexpected vacation for the employees, and improve their productivity when they get back to work.

Online Registration Analytics Tips for Event Planners - Hand Out Cookies!

It's not the goal of this article to explain the technical details of what cookies are and how they work; all you really need to understand is that cookies are small files than can be created by web pages. The files are stored on a user's computer and can be accessed later by the website. Cookies are generally harmless, but like anything (software, cars, guns) when people use them inappropriately, they often get a bad name made for them.

So what does all this mean to meeting planners?

Online registration software packages have recently started to include the ability to track visitors throughout the entire registration process. This is accomplished through the use of harmless tracking cookies that are placed on a registrant's computer. These cookies allow you to answer questions like:

How many potential registrants viewed the form?

Where did the registrants come from?

How long did they take to fill out each part of the form?

How many visitors actually became registrants?

Where in the process do most of the visitors leave the form?

As you can see, this is valuable information to know about your form. Online registration saves you time by automatically sending out confirmation emails to your registrants, processing payments online, running and emailing reports and much more, so that you can concentrate on improving and adding value to your event.

This added information allows you to use the time saved using the software to improve your registration form. Reevaluate the spots where registrants get stuck, find new partners via referral stats, or provide incentives for your promoters to send you more registrants by running your own affiliate program.

Clearly, the addition of cookie technology to online event registration software for the purpose of tracking visitor behavior is very valuable. Even if you've never used web tracking software before, it is very easy to get started and the potential rewards are very high for those willing to take advantage.

Event Planning Certification - Learn The Best Ways To Plan

Event planning is not as simple as it seems. Or it is not everybody's cup of tea. You need to have some knowledge about the event planning which you can get through event planning certification. The qualified event planners are trained to create a magical ambiance in the event by their professional skills. They learn the latest trends, fashions and where to find the best bargains in the market. They have contacts with the relevant people to have contract with. They know that what kind of music is liked by different age groups. Apparently you might know all these things, but handling all these things at the same time when the event is near, believe me it's really not easy.

If you want to become an event planner then you must go for event planning certification. There are several institutions that give you training in event planning with exciting offers but I suggest you should go for the online ones as they offer the best there is around the world. But make sure you get to the right one! There are plenty of online event planning certification courses on the internet. You can search out a few and have a clear idea about what they are offering before you make your final selection.

Before getting admission in any school of learning event planning choose your direction that which kind of events you are really interested in. there are many events which are arranged by the event planners like wedding ceremonies, birthday parties, seminars, corporate events, conferences and official meetings. Because every event is different from the other, and the way of arrangement and management will also not be the same.

To become an event planner keen observation is very important, because observing is one of the best methods to learn. To learn you have to observe when you attend any function, just look around and see the decor, take different ideas and note them down. You can implement them later with a little variation in the event that you get to manage, even if it is your own home event. Note down the event step by step, try and calculate how much time is required for preparation and conduct of each event. When you will go for professional training for event planning certification, you will be taught about things in detail for any event. The most important aspects are time management, budget, theme, planning and preparation. You can't miss out any of them because these together give your client what they need for their occasion.

So when you plan to get education to become an event planner search for a good institution so you know the reputation of the place. And try to learn from your experiences, be vigilant where ever you go and get practical education to groom yourself for this profession. The best way to lean anything is with enthusiasm.

Top 5 Types of Entertainment for Parties

When choosing the most memorable entertainment for parties, first take a look at what kind of party or event it is. Depending on the event, such as weddings, there are wedding entertainment ideas and for corporate events, there are corporate event ideas.

To make it simpler, you can divide the types of entertainment into a group. Remember, entertainment for parties and events can be considered an amusing type of activity from very passive to very interactive. For instance, group classifications are: children, group, public, private or corporate. You want to find the right entertainment for the specific group you would like to entertain for the event.

Here are some examples:

Public Entertainment

When you walk through the park or subway station in any big city, you can probably see a large range of public entertainers amusing the city's bystanders and passers-by for any amount of money. There are all sorts of public entertainers from Jazz musicians, a violin soloist to mimes. Public entertainers flock to bigger cities because there are a large number of concentrated people in an area to hopefully make some kind of wage. On the other hand, once you make your nominal donation, you can enjoy the gifts these talented public entertainers have to offer.

Corporate Entertainment

Corporate entertainment is aimed specifically at corporate events, award ceremonies and product launches, and is usually private and by invite only. Corporate events can run the gambit scale-wise, from very intimate to thousands of people. Forcorporate event ideas, think about including live speakers or even consider booking live music for corporate picnics and charity functions.

Adult Entertainment

Adult Entertainment is not only referring to the sex industry but can involve entertainment that adults might enjoy, like live concerts, sports, theater and even other activities that might be also appealing and appropriate for kids such aswedding entertainment ideas.

Live Entertainment

Live entertainment can be broad-including all ages and encompassing many varieties of entertainment. For example, music concerts, arena sports, musical theater, plays, live talk shows and seminars-practically any other activity that are aimed to bring large groups of people together and be amused. They can be for wedding entertainment ideas to corporate event ideas.

Child Entertainment

Entertaining kids is a fine balance between mental stimulation and physical activities. That's why clowns, magicians and puppets are usually the most popular, coupled with games and races. They can be quite enjoyable for adults as well. Live music is also a hit at children's parties for both young and old alike.

So when considering what kind of entertainment for parties or events, it is simply a matter of matching up the type of entertainment, with the type of audience or group to suit their tastes! Drawing people together with live music is almost always a sure hit! Book your live music today. Call an entertainment professional to help you choose what type of band or DJ you'd like to feature at your party or event!

The New Age Event Management

Modern day event registration and management has become so easy that in a few minutes you are ready to sell tickets for your events. Today, the concept of event management is well propagated online and there are innumerable companies offering an array of online event management services such as online registration and ticketing.

Through online event management one can increase participation and also make enormous money at their events such as seminars, exhibitions, fashion shows, musical concerts, etc. Online event registration and management companies offer organizers the perfect platform to register, promote, sell tickets, and collect payments online. The software used allows organizers to eliminate the administrative hassles related with registering and managing attendees.

How it works

The process is quite simple. Organizers can create and publish an Event Registration page in a couple of minutes and start selling tickets instantly. Interested attendees can buy online tickets directly from the event organizers, and thus there is no middle man to collect the payments. Those days are gone when organizers had to sign a contract and wait for days to get approval from these event registration companies. These web based applications offers hassle-free operation as you don't need to install anything on your computer.

The online application would process and confirm the registration and payment information instantly and send an automated confirmation email to the attendee or buyer. Interestingly, all the information or data that is entered by the attendees are stored in a database from where they can be downloaded any time. Event organizers can also get up-to-second information about the number of people registered and the amount of money collected.

Online event management is not rocket science. You don't have to be an experienced web marketer to enjoy the privileges of online event management. A little knowledge of World Wide Web (WWW) is all that is required. So, go ahead, grab your share of online world today.

Hospitality Industry Resume: Welcoming Career Opportunities

The hospitality industry is considerably one of the biggest and fastest-growing sectors today, and, indeed, one of the highest job-providing areas of the global economy. As such, it embraces services entailed in several areas including entertainment, accommodation, restaurants, travel and tourism, event planning, and other luxury-based conveniences intended to satisfy customers. Since it offers a number of career opportunities, the industry itself has progressively turned out into a very competitive arena for job seekers. And in this challenging setting, what an applicant needs to have is a much convincing and ideal hospitality industry resume that will powerfully emphasize the 'information' relevant to their chosen field.

Talking about information, a resume appears to be an important, yet crucial requisite for a job seeker since it basically reveals one's goals, skills, and experiences that will give employers the chance to determine your potentialities; thus, a keen evaluation on the details to be incorporated must be observed.

One dynamic part is the career objective. This part is usually the very first thing that potential employers read since it essentially speaks of a person's utmost purpose in applying for a certain position and the value you can bring to the company. It sets the rhythm for the rest of a resume; thus, a sense of directness and creativity must be established in order to grab the attention of employers. In most cases, job seekers intend to substitute career objective statements into a qualifications profile, which highlights attributes and gives a summary on one's skills.

Education, trainings, and other certifications relatively matter for most of the companies; hence, these details are commonly brought up in a hospitality industry resume. Universities and related courses or degrees taken by the applicants are cited, along with their attended training programs and obtained awards, recognitions, and special licenses. Likewise, affiliations and activities are added up to heighten the resume.

Job experiences convey something about one's professionalism in a specific field. These generally include an outline on the aspirants' internships, volunteer works, and chronological employment history together with a detailed and clear job description on each position. Such will allow company heads to be familiar on the companies and duties that the applicant has already worked with. On top of that, an application must entail an individual's personal profiles including the name, contact number/s, existing home address, e-mail address, and a webpage link, if possible. This will allow prospective company superiors to reach and contact the applicants in the easiest way as possible.

There are a variety of positions and fields of expertise available in the sector-may it be in the food, beverage, and restaurant services, hotels and resorts accommodations, corporate or functional events planning, or even the travel and tourism sector. Despite the fact that it demands a diversified level of manpower, competition among its aspirants is still a tough thing to consider. For such instance, it is greatly a huge factor to come up with an impressive hospitality industry resume that will stand out among other job hunters.

In order to have a good application document, the candidate must consider also certain guidelines in preparing such requirement. Since the realm of the sector comprises different areas, it is a must for an applicant to initially choose and set focus in a specific field of interest he or she intends to work on, say for example, a career in hotel and restaurant management. It can be based accordingly with the essential skills acquired through educational attainment and work experiences that one has undergone. In the process of writing the document, remember to quantify and put emphasis on trainings and professional experiences related to the chosen career path, since most of the companies in the field actually use these as basis of competence. Additionally, use distinctive keywords that will suitably enhance the resume. Once done with the content, the applicant must also prepare the requirement in a clean and presentable manner by means of applying simple yet formal font style, size, and the like.

In this specific sector what seems to be a primary factor of achievement is to satisfy customers through exceptional service. But before you can actually render your service to them, you must first satisfy your prospective employers with the 'service' brought about your hospitality industry resume -and this will serve as your initial key to land and be welcomed in a career in this service-based industry.

Event Management Services Help You Deliver Your Most Successful Event Ever

Do you have the time or skills needed for the event management of a major conference or one-off corporate entertainment? With so much at stake and growing demands on managers' time, organisations increasingly outsource event management services. Here are some of the things to look for when choosing a partner.

Mix and match to meet your exact needs

Leading conference specialists offer a full range of services that clients can mix and match or combine as a complete package. The main disciplines on offer range from marketing and event management services through speaker management, delegate management and event finance management. Used singly or together they are the keys to successful events.

Marketing and event management services

Conference and marketing, and management covers the successful integration of an event with other ongoing marketing activities. Services provided by event management companies typically include branding and literature, direct mailing, advertising, venue selection and management, and finances

A really good events manager will offer all the elements required to get you from concept stage to successful delivery - and the essential post-event follow-up too. Done professionally, outsourcing to an experienced and suitably qualified partner can save you time and money, deliver a memorable event and build your reputation.

Speaker management

Professional speaker management transforms a competent event into a stunning one. Arranging speakers may look easy but can often be very specialised and time-consuming. Professional companies have the selection and engagement skills needed to choose the right speaker, manage their attendance and handle their fees. While your event manager looks after the complicated administration you can focus on other aspects of your event - before taking credit for a great presentation.

Delegate management

Increasing event sophistication means that delegate websites and booking facilities are often required, as well as other delegate management activities. Your event management company can spare you from the hassle of delegate applications, enquiry handling, questionnaire design and analysis, and other aspects of delegate management.

Event finance management

It's the same with event finances, another discipline where your event partner can save you from tedious administration while giving you the peace of mind of knowing your event budget is being used correctly.

Business and Consumer Driven: Market and Multidimensional Segmentation

What methods or tools do you or your organization use to expand the application of segmented marketing? Do you identify and develop products for a particular segment of consumers who other companies in your industry do not target? Is your customer driven marketing strategy parallel to your multidimensional segmentation approach?

Companies seeking to identify and reach target markets, while developing segmented marketing strategies are using different approaches and tools for their industries. Well-defined segments based on a number of variables such as behavior, geography, demographics and psychological profiles relate and influence a consumer's needs, lifestyle and purchasing behavior. Beyond traditional marketing practices, many companies are approaching segmentation to target certain niches within their marketing reach.

Achieving specific goals require developing and implementing a marketing strategy that includes product, promotion, price and distribution in your marketing mix. Systematically collecting information and researching data about the buying behavior of current and potential customers will help to guide key marketing decisions. Buying behavior is based on psychological and social variables, such as culture, attitude, social roles, character traits or habits.

With multidimensional segmentation, instead of grouping variables into one category, they are divided into several different groups of variables. Data that is collected directly from respondents and data that is compiled by internal or external organizations help to guide marketing decisions. Some methods are not statistically flawless and the process can pose some confusing results. If different groups of variables are segmented and create independent segmentations, then each respondent could fall into multiple segments. This type of marketing approach can cross over into other data gathering segments that include categories of pricing, culture, demographics, gender, age, lifestyle, social media and communication preferences.

Customer driven marketing strategies helps to focus on the needs of a business' target consumers and gives organizations an edge in a highly competitive market. Dividing your marketing plan into customer groups will build the right relationships and create meaningful customer value that will appeal to your customer's characteristics.

How to Dress Right for the Races

Horse racing is not just about big bucks and loads of galloping but also about high-end fashion and glamour. Fashion is a huge and vital element of the horse races. Each year the horse racing season brings out the fashionista in everyone and attendees fish out all their chic finery to drape and be noticed. Horse racing news and information dissipating publications do special features on racing fashion. No racing news or review is complete without a mention of the fashion and glamour at the event.

Fashion is what builds a connection of such events with the general audience because good looks never go unnoticed and are one of the most commonly discussed topics among people of any taste. There are several competitions also held to judge the glamour quotient at the event. Not just the horse racing news magazines partake in these competitions but popular fashion magazines also use these events for promotion and a way to engage with their audience.

So if you are planning to go for a racing event you need to ensure that you dress right and be at your glamorous best to let the shutterbugs come rolling in. Here are a few tips to help you dress perfectly:

Be sure of the dress code- Most of these events like to have a standard dress code and ensure that it is followed to the "T." If any attendee does not abide by the dress code, event planners posses all the right to turn such guests away. So it is always better to read that invitation enclosure carefully and thoroughly to avoid any embarrassment later.

Keep an eye on the season and the weather- Before choosing what to wear for a race always check the weather beforehand. Dress according to the weather for the day and always be ready for any weather emergency. Make sure that you read the weather section of the horse racing news publication before heading out. Dress keeping in mind the season and time of the day as well. If it is a bright sunny day of spring then go for bright tones of colors and prints while for a race in the autumn season go neutral with your color choice.

Be classy- For such events "less is more" norm is followed. Well-cut dresses with elegant falls and flow teamed with stylish and bold accessories help you to stand out. Classic suits with a quirky bend are also befitting for such occasions. But most importantly wear what suits you the best, compliments your figure and accentuates your looks, even if it is not the "it" trend for the moment. In most cases fashion victims in horse racing news and fashion magazines are the ones who follow the trends too closely.

Planning A Conference? Here Are Some Tips To Help Make Your Conference A Successful Event

Conference are planned to bring together different people in a single venue to exchange information about a topic or topics. To plan a conference is a massive task. It means you will need to work hard to ensure everything is arranged accordingly.

Below are some of the important things to consider if you are assigned to plan a conference:

• Make up a conference planning committee


• Plan your budget carefully


• Investigate several conference venue options and select the best venue.


• Agree to the terms and conditions with the all important parties.


• Search for the right person to deliver speeches.


• Arrange conference events.


• Achieve the planned activities.

Conferences come in different forms such as academic, business or sales conferences. This means that the conference plan should be done based on its form, as different forms of conferences also differ in terms of their activities and needs.

Allow enough time to look for a venue for the conference. Rushing your search may not give you the best result. The facilities of the venue should be able to cater to all the essential needs of the conference and the participants. In addition, a venue near local tourist sites or any type of attraction is an additional feature. These give the participants something to do during their break. Accessibility to all types of transport should also be considered.

Good scheduling of the conference program is one of the essential parts of a fruitful conference, as this can enhance the quality of the discussions whilst, bad scheduling can make the discussions less interesting and of low quality. Some recommendations of what to do to make the proper program are mentioned below.

• Inform participants who require accommodation of the details.


• See to it that the participants are able to choose the events they prefer.


• Arrange a free day between busy days to give the participants time to see around the place.


• Heavy discussions must not be scheduled one after the other.


• Avoid boring speakers or boring discussions after lunch.


• Breaks are important for the participants to relax especially, if the discussion is intense.


• If conference organisers do not serve lunch, guide the participants to places they can go.


• Big conferences means more time for networking.

The venue of the conference should be well signed for the participants' easy orientation of the place. If possible, avoid changes to the conference agenda and schedule. If changes occur, ensure that every participant is well informed of the changes. The conference coordinator should know how to delegate responsibilities to his staff. At the same time, the staff should also do their share of work to have a flawless and successful conference.

Hopefully, with the tips above on how to plan a conference, your next job in planning a conference will be an easier one. Furthermore, the next conference you organize should be more productive.

5 Tips To Planning A Corporate Holiday Party

One of the best times of the year are around the holidays. Of course, with the holidays comes corporate holiday parties. Every corporation wants to ensure that theirs is the best and lots of fun for the employees. However, there are employees that think corporate parties are boring. So some corporate planning is challenging, as you want to make sure everyone has a blast.

To plan a corporate holiday party, we suggest hiring a caterer for the food and drinks at a minimum. This is the best way to ensure success. A caterer can ensure that there is enough food for everyone and that there is a variety. If you are looking for a turnkey program, look for a corporate party planning company. They will manage not only the food, but also all the other elements of the party experience.

One thing to consider is whether or not to allow alcoholic beverages. The employees can bring in their own, if allowed. Serving alcohol can be costly. Or you can ban alcoholic beverages altogether, especially if on company property. Sometimes, people think that they will have more fun with alcohol, but that is not the case. Alcohol consumption at corporate parties should be carefully considered since alcohol can create awkward moments and we will see our co workers back in the office on Monday morning.

The entertainment is very important, as you want to ensure that everyone has lots of fun. It is best to hire a dj or band. Either one of these are good choices. A dj may offer more of an assortment of music. However, there are bands that can play more than one genre. Music should be an array of genre, so that there is something suiting for every one's taste. One additional option is to hire local talent. Some of the top companies are always staying up on the current music trends and will have a local group that can perform. In today's musical landscape with Rap, country and pop, finding a good band can be a challenge.

Other ideas for a successful corporate holiday party Tampa is prizes. Everyone loves to win something. If the company doesn't want to spend a lot of money on prizes, use things like time off from work. It can be something like, leave one hour early one day or come in one hour late one day. There are many things that can be offered regarding time off.

Remember it is a party, so you want to ensure everyone has a good time. Planning a Tampa holiday party that is successful is something that can be done easily. Make sure that you do not wait until the last-minute to plan the party. Allow for yourself more time, which will make your party more fun and successful. Some companies have lots of availability and the companies that have a great track record, fill up their calendar very quickly. So book ahead and follow these great tips.

A Very Thorough Look at Event Management Jobs

Setting up events is both a skill and an art. A person that can plan and initiate events at any given point is someone that has astonishing time and personnel management skills. Planning an event alone would take days and countless hours of brainstorming. This is why event management jobs are among the highest paid professions in any industry. he average annual income of this profession is around 瞿25000-瞿40000 depending on experience.

Any person that has planned big events knows the difficulty involved in managing it. You are in charge of the concert staff, lighting, venue, contractors, security, and more. Delegating the jobs to other personnel is not easy. You have to make sure each piece of the puzzle fits and this is a daunting task. Experience and a little luck are definitely necessary in making the event a success.

There are a couple of essential factors that any would-be event manager should posses. There are only 5 and we will be discussing each of them. These factors that can either make the event a success or a failure. If you plan on being an event manager, you should have each of the elements mentioned here.

The first factor is time management skills. It is absolutely necessary for an event manager to be very much aware of time. If you are planning an event, you have to follow some kind of schedule. Setting up a milestone for each step would give you a better control.

Like any manager, planning skills are very important. Problems that may arise from any given task should be taken into consideration. There should be contingencies planned for every possible problem. A good plan should be able to expect every problem may happen and fix them before it gets out of control.

Aside from planning and time management skills, one should also posses excellent accounting skills. You will need to buy thousands stuff for the event. The event manager should be able to balance out a budget that will work best for the event. Once a budget is set, accounting for every item bought for the event is no easy task.

An event manager should possess great communication skills. Delegating would not be possible if you cannot even communicate well. You should be able to motivate your staff and inspire them do strive harder. A good event manager pushes people to do more without forcing them.

The last and most essential element is dedication. This type of manager should dedicate all his or her time to the event. There should be nothing hindering his or her job. The event manager should always go to work at an optimum efficiency. If you are an event manager, you will be leading your staff through example. If you show any bad habits at work, this may discourage them.

The managing of events require utmost care and patience. Hosting huge events like the Olympics would require a team of event managers, instead of one person. The five elements should be present in each event manager. If one element is missing, the manager would not be able to accomplish his or her objective.

Event Planning: Choosing a Limo Company to Recommend to Clients

As an event planner, you know that your clients expect the very best from every option you recommend to them, including transportation. That's why it's so important to find a limousine company that you can consistently recommend to your clients. Here are a few steps you should consider taking to properly vet any chauffeured transport company before recommending them to your clientele.

Look at Reviews, References
When you are initially looking into chauffeured transport services, one of the best initial indicators of a company's quality and reliability are the reviews that other customers have given them. Check several established review sites to get a reasonable feel for the quality of the company's services to narrow down the field. At that point, call top contenders and ask if they have references they can provide. Follow up with those references about the service they received, any problems they encountered, and what resolution the limo company provided to solve the issue.

Ask Other Event Planners
Your professional network indubitably includes at least a few trustworthy event planners who work or have worked in your city. Reach out to this network and ask them for their experiences with local limousine companies. They may have a very different perspective from other limousine clientele, which can give you insight into how they will work with your events.

Arrange an Interview
Once you've narrowed the field to a small handful of limousine companies you might consider recommending to your clients, you should arrange an interview with management. Considering the volume of business you will bring to their company, management should have no issues with speaking with you. Prepare a set of questions for them to answer, either in person or over email. Be sure to ask follow up questions to be certain you understand exactly how they operate. Problem solving should be an emphasis during this interview.

Go for a Ride
At this point, it's time to test the product itself. Arrange to have a limousine pick you up for a schedule similar to one of the events you would plan. If you plan weddings, consider having the limo around all day to account for bridal hair appointments, dressing, pictures, ceremony, reception, and send-off. Make it fit in with your life by using the service to run errands or to take your friends out for a fun filled day. Be sure to pay attention to the chauffeur's professionalism, punctuality, availability, and flexibility to changing announced plans. Events, especially large ones, can be hectic, so understanding how the company's employees handle change is essential.

Keep Evaluating
After going on a few ride-alongs, you will probably have a top candidate or two in mind and feel confident with recommending them to your clients. However, you cannot rest on your laurels at this point. Be vigilant about how your recommended limo company treats your clients and how your clients feel about their services. Send clients follow-up questionnaires specifically regarding the transportation services they received. Be certain to address any issues your clients have with both the clients and the chauffeured transport company. Your efforts will be rewarded with loyal clients and the assurance that you can recommend the best limo company in town.

What Does an Event Planner Actually Do? 3 Keys to Look For

There is No Business like the Party Business!

Event Planning is a fascinating profession that ebbs and flows with the economy, naturally, but I have found that overall, the economy has not affected the Event Planning business as a whole. You see, the better a Party Planner is, the more efficient a Planner can distinguish the value of their services. A good Party Planner can easily point out the benefits of how they can save someone money, time and resources and should do so.

With that being said, I wanted to touch on the basics of Event Planning and what you should look for in an Event Planner. Maybe you are going to use one in an upcoming party and you want to know what to expect.

First, a good Event Planner must know about the business and how to make your Event really stand out. Now I want to stress that it is NOT necessary that someone have years and years of experience, but someone who has an innate ability to handle your Event. One of the best Event Planners I ever had as an employee was a young man who had very little experience but could immediately grasp the needs of the clients. That is important.

Second, they need to have a pretty good feel for how to handle the location dynamics for you Event. Let me tell you why that is important. Getting someone who you feel will not allow some owner of a hall or convention center to run over them, you can be assured of a better overall dynamic as far as price and overall accommodations. You definitely the best bang for your buck so really quiz the Event Planner how they would handle the situations.

Third, let's talk food and entertainment. This is vital for a great Event. A dynamic Event Planner wants to make a great impression and food is one of those classic areas that many an Event Planner find can make or break them. You definitely want some creative ideas for food ideas and display. Definitely ask about display options from your Event Planner because presentation can make a HUGE impression.

Those are some basics, but there are many other details. Quiz the Event Planner on these basics and if they pass your test, they should be able to handle the Event with flying colors.

Again it is all based on your report with the Event Planner, but trust your instincts and you will probably come out on top.

Remember, Life is a Party, you just have to know how to Plan it!

Should You Hire Or Perhaps Buy Your Wedding Or Special Occasion Interior Decoration?

When a lady gets married or even whenever a company hosts a sizable event they want every thing to look great without it all costing too much. One of the things that can cost the most is the decor for the venue. There's two options the event planner will have to look at, buying the decor and decor hire.

Buying your own decoration

Purchasing decor is not necessarily the most affordable choice though it will depend a great deal on the event the decor is being purchased for. If the event is going to be a recurring event then purchasing the decor the first time round and re-using it for subsequent events might save a great deal in decor hire expenses. Nevertheless, if the event is a once off event, buying the decor might cost more than hiring the very same decor would cost. Then there is the problem of having to source and get and set up the decor your self which you would not face if you hired it from a organization that specialises in event decor. You would likely have more freedom though as you are in complete control of the decor.

Decor hire

This really is generally the option that most once off event planners opt for. The decor hire choice is generally simpler and less expensive than buying the same decor. It also has a tendency to cause less trouble since it is the responsibility of the organization which rents the decor to you to set up and take down the decor before and after the big event. You also won't have to worry about storage for the decor as you simply have it returned to the company you hired it from. Obviously, if you are going to have the identical event a number of times over the course of a couple of years then it may work out cheaper to buy the decor and have it set up each time by your own staff. Once you hire decor you wind up paying a portion of the purchase cost as well as for the time it requires to setup and take down the actual decor.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both buying and leasing decor for your event. You are likely to need to take a look at the nature of your event and make your choice from there. If you require very special decor you might have no option but to buy it your self which means this would take the choice out of your hands to some extent. The generally rule of thumb would be to look at costs as well as chances of recurrence. If the price of hiring the decor is actually less than the cost of buying the decor for a once off event, then rent! If the price of buying the decor is actually less than the cost of frequently renting the actual decor for a recurring event, then buy! If you just think about your event logically the solution should make itself evident within a short period of time.

Organize Successful Alumni Get Together With Online Event Management Solutions

You may have left your school or college long back, but it is always great to get reconnected with your school friends in some way or the other. School reunion parties offer a scope to meet with your ex-classmates. You can always arrange such an event with the help of an online event management solution.

Benefits of the web-based event management solution are many. Some of them have been discussed below.

Cloud-based Solution - A Cloud-based event management solution can be accessed from any part of the world and at anytime. You just need to have a computer with an internet connection to start reaping the benefits of this solution.

No Software or Hardware Required - You don't need to buy any software or hardware to use the Cloud-based event management services. No installation, maintenance charge, and downloading is needed.

Online Registration - Event attendees are expected to get multiple online registration pages to view and update their profiles. The registration pages are available 24x7 and can be accessed from wherever you wish with the help of a computer connected to the internet. Moreover, event organizers can customize the registration pages, as and when required, for promotional purposes.

Secure Payment Options - The online event administrative services provide you with safe and secure PCI-compliant payment system. From collecting dues and donations in fundraising events to processing general admission fees for the reunion, all can be done easily with this online payment system. Attendees can pay using their credit cards, checks, or through other standard getaways, such as PayPal and others.

Building a Private Community - You can set up a private community with the help of an integrated, highly scalable platform. It provides an extremely convenient space for communicating and sharing event-related information with your members. In addition, event planners can integrate online event and payment management with this private community platform.

Private community solution also comes with a host of social and enterprise networking elements. Alumni organizers can inform and update their members about various events using Facebook, Twitter, and smartphones.

In addition to the above features, the web-based event management solution also provides excellent lead retrieval services for the organizers of programs of all sizes. Lead retrieval services help to capture contact information of all attendees visiting your virtual booth. You can then scan the attendee name badges to measure results against ticket sales or event objectives. The lead retrieval solution promises higher ROI, as you get to know more about your event attendees. Lead information automatically gets stored in emails, printed reports, electronic data on disc, and more.

Online Wedding Planning Courses

Wedding planning course is a good way to step into the profession of wedding planning. This has become a popular business as people want their wedding day to be the most memorable event in their lives and they seek wedding planners for that reason. To make the industry of wedding planning better, there are many institutions that provide people with courses of event planning and management; students are taught about event planning and skills to manage an event successfully, and one of them is wedding planning course.

There are some students who are interested in doing wedding management course either for their own wedding or to go into this profession but the commitment of job or any other reason makes it difficult to join an institution for the course. Online wedding planning courses are the ray of hope for them; they can avail this opportunity to achieve their goal and become a successful wedding planner through online wedding management and planning course. Online wedding management and planning diplomas and courses give the students facility of learning at home; students can take their classes or lectures easily at home without disturbing their other commitments; people who are already working somewhere can learn the professional skills in their free time. Online wedding management courses solve the problems of transportation and provide all the information and etiquettes online. Though online courses allow students to take the classes at home but, students may be required to be online at specific timings for web conferencing, submitting assignments, instructor student communication or interaction with other students.

As this course is online course so students need to have a computer in their home; they should be technical enough to handle the computer as there could be video demonstrations or lectures in the course.

There is a vast range of courses regarding wedding planning courses are available online for the students. You can get the information by reading this.

繚 Beginning wedding planning course.

繚 Wedding consultant course.

繚 Certified wedding planner's course.

繚 Planning the wedding ceremony course.

You can get your course online if you are engaged with some commitment like job, kids or other studies. You can get all the education at home; only for taking specific tests or practical presentation you would need to come to the institution which I think can be managed for once or twice. After you get certified by the institution, you can bloom your business or job.

Using a Light Rental Company

If you are planning an event, be it corporate or otherwise the most important decision is the color scheme. It is often overlooked or not considered important, but the right color scheme well set the tone of your event. Whether corporate or entertainment, the color scheme you choose is a reflection of you or your company. Sight is a sense that plays a major role in daily lives. Even though you do not consciously register what you are seeing, the brain takes a note of it and factors it into your decision. For example depending on the color, a room can be made to appear larger or smaller.

Hiring a lighting rental company will help you decide and improve on the theme you have selected. If you are having your event under a marquee, consider computer controlled lighting systems. These could be used to project captions on the ceiling of the marquee or be used as disco lights to change the mood between speeches and dancing. Experienced event companies have a variety of packages and themes to choose from and they will customize a theme package to fit your requirements.

Event planning companies are mostly hiring lighting rentals that use LED technology. Improving technologies have made LED lighting closer in costs to conventional lighting, though it may be a while before you see LEDs approaching the same costs as incandescent. LEDs offer a wide range of colors to work with at a substantially lower power usage. In fact so good is the technology that stadiums constructed now-a-days all incorporate LED lighting on the exterior. These lights are often programmed to fade and contrast in the home team and visitors colors. The small size of the bulbs makes it possible to design features and images that are not possible with traditional bulbs.

Up lighting is directional lighting and as the name suggests in the vertically up direction. It is also know as accent lighting and is used to create dramatic, highlighting and various other effects. For example pointing an up light at a wall produces a subtle effect by creating a shaft of light up the wall that is reflected around the room as ambient light. Uplighting is a wonderful way to complement the room rather than be the center of attention. A few other lighting options are lights for the DJ or stage, the gift table, first dance lighting, a custom monogram and pinspotting the table center pieces.

Event lighting companies analyze and study your event and come up with an action plan. This will tell them of the equipment they are going to need. Once they know what equipment and how much labor they require they start setting up at the venue. Most event planning companies have an event lighting branch of their own and using them is a good way to avoid chaos, delays and setbacks. Make sure that the company you hire makes arrangements for a full backup.

How to Organise a Great Corporate Event

A corporate event can range from a day time picnic in the park to an evening formal black tie dinner. When planning your event you can do everything yourself or you can enlist the help of an event hire company. Your first step is to consider what the event is trying to achieve, whether it is a casual evening for staff or a Christmas break up, or if it is a formal gathering for managers and clients and the company is trying to ensure future business. Are the guests going to be a young crowd or is it a more mature set? Certain styles of events may be more appropriate for different age groups. Your choice of event and everything from the decorations, to the entertainment, to the food served will also depend on your budget.

Venue

The first thing to organise is the venue, and depending on the time of year, you may need to get in quick as the demand for your preferred location could be quite high. For example, around Christmas reception centres and function rooms have been booked out months in advance. You will need to choose a venue that suits the desired style of event. You may be planning a fancy black tie evening and a winery or function centre is appropriate, or a marquee on the beach will be an ideal location for your staff team building exercise.

Entertainment

To make your event really stand out don't overlook the importance of the entertainment. Once again keep in mind of who your guests are and organise entertainers that you know they will appreciate. Will the staff picnic include children? If so book the jumping castle and the pony rides. At a black tie dinner will there be speeches and a presentation or will there be time for dancing? Would your guests be happy with a DJ or would they appreciate a live band? Modern music or a classic big band? Think about what will really stand out in your guests minds and make your evening memorable.

Food

With a formal sit down dinner you will need to hire a caterer. A reception centre may include the cost of a caterer or you may have booked out an entire restaurant for your function. For a casual event a barbecue may suffice or even a spit roast served with salads and jacket pockets, which is a cost effective option. Remember, when planning the food provide alternatives for vegetarians and those with allergies. Importantly, serve food that will suit the occasion.

Prepare for the unexpected

To ensure a success evening and one that runs smoothly, make sure you are prepared for any problems. Work out what any likely issues could be and decide how you will tackle them in case something goes wrong. For example, if your event is being held outside then plan for a change in weather. Provide shelter in case it rains or stock up on sunscreen and insect repellent in summer. If you need sound or lighting equipment, or if there is going to be a visual presentation, then make sure you know who to contact if it suddenly blows a fuse or breaks down.

Tips on Event Planning

Weddings, birthdays, promenades are only a few of the most important big events in our lives. And we don't want to ruin it with an event that is disorganized. That is why it better to carefully and thoroughly plan the event. If you are assigned to be the event planner for a particular event, the responsibilities shouldered to you will not be quite easy. But when this event takes place, you will be happy that the event is successful and ran smoothly. So anyway, let me give you some tips in planning an event.

1. Checklist
Make a checklist of all the things that needs to be done, or a step-by-step guide to so that it will be organized. And you will have a lookout of what you have missed to do.

2. Consider the budget
You should first acknowledge how big the budget is. And get the budget proportion for the appropriations like the food, decorations, tickets cards, invitations, stage set-up, manpower, transportation, and all other expenses..

3. Book the place
A week or two before the event, look for a place where you will hold that event and have it booked. After that, you may waive to them that you will not pay on any damages that may have incurred during the event. This works for some establishments. If the venue will be held at home, it will not be a problem.

4. Check the venue
But before you book a place, consider its accessibility, utility support, security, rest rooms, parking lot, audience capacity, setup and emergency exits.

5. Publicity issues
The publicity of a particular event is a thing that also needs consideration. Promoting your event takes creative thinking with practicality. You should know what the point of this event is. Is it to inform, educate or entertain?

6. Evaluation
After the event, evaluate how the event went through. Take time to do this while the details are still fresh. This gives you a feedback of the things that you have missed and you can improve in your incoming events to organize.

Marketing Managers - Why Bother Organizing Your Own Events?

Marketing managers may find it more effective to organize their own marketing events. When you do it yourself, rather than hiring an event planner, you have more control, and you more clearly see how effective your event was. Organizing your own event allows you to identify what works and what doesn't, better gauge the impact on clients and guests, and better coordinate your event with your overall marketing strategy.

1. Control is an important issue for managers in general. When planning a marketing event, a marketing manager makes all the decisions. They don't have to wait for contractors or service people to get an answer for them. They are in direct communication with all service providers and can better coordinate the event planning process.

2. Organizing your own marketing event also saves money. Saving the cost of a professional planner allows you to invest more in the facility, the decorations and accessories, and in your entertainment or speakers. You may even want to reinvest your savings into other areas of your marketing strategy.

3. It's much easier to make changes when you organize your own marketing event. If you've signed a contract with an event planner, you're tied into the agreements you made with them. When you are the event planner, you have greater flexibility to make adjustments in your schedule, furnishings, entertainment, and food and beverages. You can respond more quickly than can a contracted service to changing conditions and requirements.

4. You have "creative" control over the event. Often, event planners interject their opinions and tastes into the event. These may not reflect your company's policies or image. When you plan the role of organizer, you can rest assured that your organization's goals will be reflected in every aspect of your marketing event.

5. When you organize your own marketing event, you can create and place advertising that reflects your company's message and intent. Leaving that task to a professional event planner may result in mixed or confusing messages that do not support your organization's goals. The consequences of possible miscommunications like this are lost revenues and bad feelings.

6. When you are the event planner, you have the reassurance of knowing that everything is being done properly. Even when you hire a professional event planner, you are still responsible for the results, and you are the one who is accountable to your stockholders and senior management team. Organizing your own marketing event is a form of career control - you protect your status in the organization by making sure everything works as it's supposed to work. Be aware, though, that failures are YOUR failures. You can't blame the professional event planner for your mistakes.

7. As the manager and event organizer, you can chose to delegate as much or as little of the work to your subordinates. You can assign minute details to your staff and reserve the serious decision-making for yourself. Since they report to you, you will still know the exact status of every activity taking place to make the marketing event a huge success. You won't have to "trust" the professional event planner who assures you that everything's all right. You will know it's all right.

8. One popular theme in business today is "no surprises." When you organize your own marketing event, there will be no surprises. Of course, in an event, there will be last-minute changes and the momentary crisis. But as the event planner, you will be in a position to learn of problems immediately and resolve them quickly. You will also be able to communicate with your stockholders or senior management team about problems from an informed, assured position. You won't have to depend on the promises of a professional event planner who is, in the end, not accountable to you except through a contract.

9. Being able to adjust your spending to meet contingencies and changing requirements is the final, but not least important, reason you should manage your own marketing events. When you contract out every aspect of the event, your budget is committed to specific purposes. Whether you under- or over-utilize a particular service is irrelevant. You've made the agreement to pay a specified amount. When you are the event planner, you have more flexibility to shift funds from one area to another.

Deciding whether to organize your own marketing event is not easy. You already have a mountain of responsibilities in your role as marketing manager. This article summarizes for you some of the advantages of doing it yourself. Hopefully, it will make your decision-making easier and help you produce a better marketing event.

Types Of Employment When Working In Event Jobs

It often requires many people with expertise in the field to plan an event. Often when you think of people working in event jobs you may think of the wedding planner or event coordinator. However, there are actually many positions available within this career field and finding your niche best begins with knowing what's available.

Event planners actually have various titles when it comes to the corporate world. Though it may not be apparent in the business world seminars, trade shows, conferences, appreciation events, and much more can fall under this umbrella. This requires people with expertise in various aspects of this position to ensure it comes together on the day of the event.

For those interested in working in the meeting management department of a corporation a job as a meeting planner, travel coordinator, or meeting assistant may be options. These positions require excellent communication skills as well as training in the foundational structure of corporations. It will require the ability to contract outside services, manage expenses such as lodging, beverages, food, transportation, audio-visual equipment, and much more.

Another department which has a big impact on the outcome of an event is administrative support. Positions within this field will be found throughout a corporation and often serve in the capacity of event planning within the corporate structure. This might include such events as department meetings, making travel arrangements, client-specific meetings, as well as coordinating the services of outside vendors. This position requires strong organizational skills and is often the starting place for many who would like to become corporate-level event planners.

Another area in high demand is in the marketing and sales department. This is a key position within any corporation since the livelihood of the business often depends on the success of this department. For those working in this field, the coordination of face-to-face activities by planning conferences, client seminars, appreciation events, and much more will ensure that marketing is effective and sales are high. Positions within this department might include marketing coordinator, marketing specialist, meeting and event manager, or product specialist. Often these key players work together to pull off the perfect event.

Another department integral to the success of a corporation is communication. Turning a company into a "brand name" is difficult and this department is responsible for ensuring the company name becomes a household word. This may be through business communications, advertising, community relations, sponsorships, internal communications, media relations, or much more. Although this department rarely plans an event themselves, those working therein are essential to ensuring a successful outcome. Communications specialists, advertising coordinators, promotions assistants, and public relations specialists all fall within this department.

These and other options are available for those planning a career working in event jobs. The educational criteria will vary depending on the position sought so researching the many options prior to beginning an educational plan will ensure you end up right where you want to be once on the job.