How Writing Vision Statements Can Help Companies Become Successful

Vision, mission statements and strategy are often confused terms at business terminology. In reality all of them are quite different and are complementary to each other.

A vision statement is basically what the leaders of an organization want the organization to become. It typically is forward looking to 10-15 year period.

On the other hand a mission statement explains why a company/organization exists. It defines the core role and the purpose of the company. Mission statements almost never change throughout the life of a company.

Finally strategy is the roadmap that defines how a company is going to reach its vision. Strategy is action oriented and lists the major initiatives that a company has to implement in order to reach its vision. Strategy is typically a 3-5 year roadmap and it may go through annual revisions based on changing market conditions, competitor reactions etc.

One thing that all successful companies share in common is to have a vision. Some companies make it official and call it vision statement while other successful companies don't make it official but they still have a vision. A company with a vision knows where it wants to go over the long term. Many business leaders and CEOs engage too much in short-term priorities and forget to take the actions that will help them realize their long-term goals. A vision statement and a strategy defined to achieve the vision ensures that a company is organizing its activities around achieving its long term goals.

One good example of vision and strategy in action is General Electric (GE) during the leadership of Jack Welch. When Jack Welch became CEO of GE which consisted of dozens of very different businesses, he developed the following visions for GE:

"Become the number one or number two in every market we serve and revolutionize this company to have the strength of a big company combined with the leanness and agility of a small company"

Of course having vision without strategy would not work. Then he rigorously implemented a strategy that divested businesses that weren't either market leader or number two. He implemented "6 Sigma" initiatives across all GE to drive efficiency and make GE a lean and agile organization. A strict performance management system was implemented and everyone at GE had numerical goals. Success of an individual was measured strictly by his achievement of personal goals.

Successful leaders are great not only at setting visions but also at "walking the talk" which really makes them successful.

Why Are Virtual Events Becoming Popular Worldwide?

Virtual events enable your attendees to gain access to valuable resources before, during, and after the program, even if they are not physically present at the venue. Not only the big corporate, but the smaller companies have also embraced this new technology. Web-based events are mainly held on the Cloud or over the Internet. Just like any other trade show or meeting, individuals or companies organize these events to exchange valuable ideas, information, and resources with their customers and company executives.

Easy to Set Up

It is extremely easy to set up a virtual meeting or trade show!

Extremely Cost Effective

Online functions can cut costs to a considerable extent. According to industry experts, these types of events require 75% less money as compared to the budget required to organize a live occasion. Hence, virtual programs are ideal for companies with limited or small budgets.

Increases Attendance

These types of functions promise high attendance in your conference or product launch party. A 2011 research conducted by the Event Marketing Institute found that "increasing event attendance and awareness" is the top-most priority for 50% of the marketing executives. A large number of companies host virtual events to build a strong attendance base at a minimal cost, thereby ensuring a steady ROI.

Helps to Deliver Quality Leads

People across the world get the privilege of attending your virtual tradeshow. How? Well, virtual seminars (or webinars) are Cloud-based and hence can be accessed from anywhere and everywhere, provided you have a computer connected to the Internet. Hence, they offer you the scope to attend a meeting without being physically present at the location. People can actively participate in your exhibition through online chats, audio, and video simulation. This, in turn, increases the scope of producing quality leads from your festivals.

Highly Interactive

These web-based gatherings offer an excellent platform for attendees to interact with each other, share important ideas, and exchange documents and excel sheets, even when their physically locations are different. As an event organizer, you can easily host a global virtual occasion to showcase your latest product to your present as well as new customers from across the globe.

Thus, the cost of booking a hotel or location is saved once you decide to host a web-based event. Selling tickets for any type of shows and functions also becomes extremely easy once you organize these types of activities on the web. The web-based ticketing software facilitates online booking of passes for any number of people.

Effective Conference/Convention Planning Requires Contingency Plans

After having been involved in nearly every area of event, conference and convention planning, organization and negotiation over the last three plus decades, one of the most overlooked items many seem to make, is insufficient planning for contingencies. While positive thinking, hoping, and good planning should keep the need for this down to a minimum, the reality often is that in many circumstances, something does not go, either partially, or completely as planned. Therefore, planners should always have contingencies ready in case of any issues that may arise.

I have observed all too many conferences and conventions either ruined, nearly ruined, or at the very least "hobbled" because of something going wrong. Professional event planners understand the necessity for effectively planning for any and all eventualities that they can conceive of. One of the most common disruptions occurs because either there was a bookkeeping error, a payment lost in mail, or some other dispute. There is a very fine line as to what an organizing and registration committee can and should say if there is any dispute, to create a balance between assuring proper financial and fiscal constraints, and being careful not to offend an attendee. Organizers must assure that they are on "the same page," and that there is a set procedure created.

It is impossible to be overly prepared for an event of any type. Careful flow sheets, schematics, cost analysis, etc., should be conducted. Organizers should create detailed guidelines, clear instructions, and a welcoming attitude toward all attendees.

Many organizers do not seem to realize that the "tone" for the conference or convention is often set on first contact. If an attendee has a positive first contact, they are in a better frame of mind, and are now looking forward to the event. On the other hand, when the first contact is not as favorable, attendees often develop a negative attitude, and then begin to nit-pick, and look for things to complain about.

Successful conference and convention organizers often must act as "trouble shooters" or facilitators, and be readily available for any question, comment, or concern. A good organizer carefully trains his committees, to assure both quality control, as well as a consistent message. There is generally very little that can cause more difficulties than when a well meaning member of committee, "offers" innacurate information, and then the attendee invariably gets upset when it is corrected.

The success or failure of most events, conferences and conventions lies in the attention to detail.

Event Checklist

Organising an event is not as simple as it once was. These days' people expect more from events and as organisers try to compete, you need to ensure you have thought of everything.

As such, here is a solid checklist that you can use to organise your events and ensure that you have considered all of the options and covered all of the angles, before the event begins:

1. How many guests are you going to invite?

2. Do you have enough time to organise the event and publicise it in order to make it a success? (If not, push the date back).

3. Has a similar event been held in the past, and was it successful?

4. What would you need in order to make your event successful (people and skills, and can you arrange these things in time)?

5. Is your event going to entertain (party, meal or trip) or is it going to inform people (workshop, conference, lecture, AGM)?

6. How much space do you have available to you (take into account room for guests who walk around, a dance area if necessary, decorative arrangements and other things that will infringe on the floor space).

7. What menu are you going to offer, and will this be simple or complex to arrange in your local area?

8. Have you created the invitations and given guests enough time to attend (remember that your guests are busy and may have other engagements to attend to).

9. Have you considered what you need to hire and what you already have available (in terms of equipment and goods)?

10. Is the event going to be based on a theme (if so, what theme)?

11. Are you going to invite special guests or VIPs to your event?

12. What seating arrangements have you planned for, and which guests will be sitting together?

13. Is your event going to be formal or an informal event?

14. Are you going to need a DJ or a band to play at your event?

15. What cleaning staff do you have on hand, or do you need to arrange them?

16. Who is going to set up the venue (will you hire this out or organise it yourself)?

17. Have you found the best location for the event (easy to find, good parking, safe, and scenic)?

18. Do you need to buy extras such as balloons, hats, gifts, drinks, cakes, alcohol, cake, toys, writing materials etc.)?

Party Planning Potholes - 6 Event Planning Mistakes to Avoid

Mistakes are a part of life. I hate making them, we all do, but they happen. With over 16 years in business, I have seen my share of mistakes, some that I have made, and some my party planning colleagues have. The best of us make them, but they should be infrequent. The key is to learn from them as you go. But those that can be avoided should be! The common event planning mistakes I bring up below will hopefully allow you to not step in these proverbial potholes.

The Tips!

1. Cursory site/venue check. I can't tell you how much time I spend checking a venue for a client. I don't care if it is for a birthday blowout or a small corporate meeting. Inspecting the main room where the function will be taking place is only one aspect of a venue check. I also make sure to note what outlets are available for audio/visual, the valet parking area, the kitchen, and the restrooms (why not, if they are not taken care of, guests will notice and it will cast a shadow over the event). It is also imperative to note if there is a place where smokers can congregate. Whether or not you smoke doesn't matter. What matters is the comfort of your client and their guests. I have heard too many horror stories where the site selected looked great, but failure to check for necessities in addition to the
"pretty things" added up to a nightmare for the planner involved.

2. Communication, communication, communication. Having all the event information in your head is fine if you are not working with anyone else, but seriously, how often do you put on an event by yourself? Even if you don't have employees, you will have vendors that you will be working with and you must communicate with them, frequently. In addition to vendors, you also have a client that needs to know all the pertinent details about how the event will proceed. I know that we all want to look like Super Woman and Super Man, but at some point, this will absolutely backfire. It is an absolute must to bring everyone that is part of the event up to speed on everything that they need to know in order to make their tasks seamless. Treat each person as a stock broker, each having their own portfolio that they are in charge of. If they are not given the appropriate financial information, your personal portfolio can lose all its value. Why take a chance?

3. Double checking, triple checking, and then some. Don't leave anything to chance. Why drive yourself crazy? I have checklists for 8 weeks out, 4 weeks out, 2 weeks out...you get the picture. The week of any party I produce, I check in with the venue and do another walk through. I call all my vendors and powwow with them. I go through the menus and I talk to my client almost every day to make sure there aren't any last minute changes. And of course, changes occur, so why gamble on your reputation? Double check the details. We all know the odds in Vegas are not in our favor, so do as much as you can to limit any missteps.

4. It's all in the fine print. When looking over contracts, no matter whom they are from and no matter if I worked with them twenty times in the past, I ALWAYS go over the entire contract, line by line. Yes, it is time consuming, yes, most contracts are standard, BUT, there could be a line or three that puts you at a significant disadvantage. I even break out my magnifying glass to read some of the fine print. If you don't understand something, ask questions. If you don't agree with something, try having it removed from the contract, or walk away. Don't put yourself in line for legal troubles that will cost you a lot more than the one hour it takes to thoroughly review a contract. There have been many times where I have successfully lobbied to take out clauses that were just plain awful and could have potentially hurt me in the end.

5. Vetting the entertainment. When hiring speakers, clowns, singers, and DJs, I don't care who it is, I always try to get a referral from a trusted source. But, I do not just stop there. I meet everyone (if feasible) before I put them in front of my client. I want to get an idea of who they are and what their true abilities are. If I can't grab a meeting with them because of logistical issues, I make sure to see them on video, whether it is on a YouTube video or their personal promotional video. As I wrote above, I don't want to leave anything to chance. Imagine the horror if "Rex the Tyrannosaurus Rex" showed up at your children's party when "Bozo the Happy Clown" was expected! Since the entertainment is so important as is a key note speaker, it is imperative that you have a high comfort level that promises made are promises kept.

6. Sticking to your event timeline. You are the producer of an event. You are the leader of troops. You keep morale up and things running smoothly. You are also the warden of the clock. You have no doubt set time marks that you want to hit to keep the party going. If you are producing a wedding for example, you will have a timeline for wedding photos, first dance, band breaks, dessert, etc. A timeline is needed for every party/event you do. Just hoping that the party will start at 1pm and end at 5pm as the invites say is wishful thinking. This can be especially true when alcohol is involved. Imagine if your late afternoon engagement party featuring cocktails and hors d'oeuvres dragged on and guests started getting hungry for dinner? You need to be there with one eye on the clock and the other on the client to make sure food is rolling, entertainment is happening, drinks are being poured, key note speeches are delivered when they're supposed to, and wait staff are not taking their 15 minute breaks at the wrong time.

Event Furniture Hire Can Increase the Profits of That Special Event

Event furniture hire is the ideal way to have an incredible assortment of furniture to make an event successful without having to worry about what to do with the furniture after the event. It is the perfect choice for private parties, meetings, weddings, concerts and other events where furniture is needed for just a few hours.

There are certain pieces of Exhibition Furniture that is used at almost all events include items like tables, chairs and stands, among others. These make up the basic essentials and are not necessarily the only furnishings available for event furniture hire. The organizers of events recognize that Exhibition Furniture hire is the most important feature of planning a functions and that is why many of the are directly affiliated with furniture renting and Bar Hire companies

Companies that have Exhibition Furniture also have an uncompromising commitment to the success of the exhibition event for which they are hired. They have staff and support teams that are well trained to help the exhibiting company plan, design, install and remove whenever and whatever is needed. Other items like tables, casks and chairs can also be rented on a regular basis for yearly corporate events or for updating a home or office to keep the rooms looking updated and fresh.

Companies supported by highly experienced teams which offer new and fresh ideas and the choice of a short or long term contract will work hard to accommodate the needs of any family or company planning a special event.

Using Pinterest to Market Wedding Planner Careers

You know the old adage, "A picture is worth a thousand words"? Well, the folks at Pinterest, the word wide web's most recent social addiction, have hit pay dirt with those seven short words. In case you are unfamiliar, Pinterest is best described as an online pinboard-style social sharing photo site where you share the things you love, whatever they are. As a wedding planner, highlight your expertise by creating boards like, Destination Weddings, Simple Invitation Designs, Buffet or Sit-Down That's the Question, and so on... Keep your titles short but use snappy language to pique curiosity... Then again, My Wedding Stuff might work just as well... simple is nice too.

Once you've developed your boards, with every pin you create and share with your followers; the fun begins. In addition to pinning photos, you can pin video, coupons and more. But you're not just sharing photos; you're creating visual content that will help you connect with your customers. Each element you pin is coupled with an area for a description, comment area and an area for a URL link. These areas help you to engage your followers and send traffic back to your website or blog.

So, how is it possible to cultivate wedding planner careers using Pinterest? Well, because it's a no muss, no fuss platform, Pinterest can help you develop relationships and generate buzz about your ability. And, in addition to your website or blog, showcase your portfolio with one fell swoop and every wonderful pin you pin. Here are a few simple ways to make Pinterest work for you:

No More Wedding Binders or Inspiration Boards - Pin It!

Pinterest makes it easy for wedding planners to collect ideas for their bride's big day. From invitations, save-the-date card and bridal party fashion to venue ideas and reception decorations, you can develop your client's overall theme so that they can see how each element works to create the overall look for their event. This strategy allows for real-time input from both you as the planner and your client, the bride.

Remember the Breck Shampoo Commercial?

Yes, that old thing that went something like, "I used Breck and I told two people and they told two people, and they told two people, and so on and so on and so on." Unlike traditional word-of- mouth marketing, Pinterest is a great way to reach and cultivate potential clients by gaining followers, sharing your pins, sharing your follower's pins and your followers sharing your pins - all in one easy-to-use forum. Comment on and "Like" other pins to let users know you think their content is great.

Quick Fact: In the last quarter of 2011 alone Pinterest referred more traffic (to personal and business websites or blogs) than Reddit, YouTube, Google+ and Linked-In combined... And 90% of Pinterest's users are - you guessed it - female and your potential clients!

Now that You're Up and Running - Pay Attention to which of your pins gets re-pinned

Something in that board is worth paying attention to and could signal a budding trend with potential clients. Those serious about using social media as a way to cultivate wedding planner careers will jump on the opportunity to get a pulse on the market in their area.

More Ways to Use Pinterest to Build your Client Base

In addition to creating a simple online portfolio, you can use Pinterest to create wedding planning offers exclusive to your business. Publishing often will help in retaining followers and referring new followers and potential brides.

Use Pinterest to promote bridal events. For example, add a save the date board for the next bridal fair you take part in. Be sure to add a crafty description like "Just engaged? Visit Mari's Weddings at the ABC Wedding Fair this Saturday." Combine this with a special offer that brides can receive at your booth.

Use QR codes and coupons to build awareness of your business. Create a board and pin them to drive potential brides to your website blog where more information is available.

Often, wedding planners are a one-stop-shop. Cross-promoting vendors you regularly work with such as travel agents, florists, wedding photographers and caterers gives brides-to-be one concise area to explore the many facets of planning a wedding.

Much the same way wedding photographers share still photos on their websites with bridal couples and their guests, work with your videographer vendor to create branding videos of your work and post them for your potential clients to view. Feature a new wedding monthly and mention the bride and groom so that they can share with friends on Pinterest - easy potential referrals for you and your vendor!

Pinterest-Effective, Beautiful and Addictive

And... A great way to cultivate wedding planner careers. Of course, a good wedding planner school will have taught you traditional marketing strategies. However, as you begin to build your business contacts and client base, consider including Pinterest as a tool in your traditional and social media content marketing plan. Ready, set, Pin it!