Saturday, June 22, 2013

Precisely What Do Event Management Businesses Accomplish?


Arranging an event is no easy task. There is lots that should be thought about and a lot which needs to be coordinated. Many people feel that they're really not up to the job and will hire event management companies to help them out every time they need to manage an event. This is a look at what these kinds of businesses will be able to do for you to make your life easier.

Catering

One of the things that needs to be arranged for just about any event is food. This usually means hiring a catering company or something like that. The menu needs to be decided on and the various possible allergic reactions have to be catered to. This is often a logistical headache for an individual who has never had to do more than decide what to have for dinner. Event management companies will have a list of catering companies that do a good job and will also be in a position to help you choose a menu that is cost effective with out appearing to be stingy. You will have to make a couple of choices but the worst of it will be left to your event management staff.

Decor

Every event will need to have some decor of some kind. It might just be flowers for the conference tables or you might need a whole hall decorated. Once more, event management companies will know where you might get decor at competitive prices and what to place where to make everything look really great. You simply tell them what you need or want and leave it to them to make the plans.

Seating

Organizing exactly where everyone needs to sit and who sits with who is often difficult. You will have to do a large amount of this yourself however at least an event manager will be able to help you decide how many people to have at each table and the way to seat all of them so everyone can see what's going on with the main table or speakers platform.

Coordination

Obviously, it's all good as well as well to have every thing arranged, but it's fairly difficult to get every thing together on the day. Lots of people discover that they are frazzled and anxious by the time the big event gets going and don't have the time to take a seat and enjoy it. Event management companies could take that load off your shoulders too. They'll make sure that things are there on time and make a plan to fix it if anything looks like it is going to go wrong.

The long and short of it all is that no event can go ahead with no manager and big events might do well to have an event management company helping their coordinator out. Occasionally an event is simply too big for just one person to manage and sometimes the person delegated to handle the big event doesn't have the necessary contacts or even experience to complete the job. Event management companies really make their lives easier by taking proper care of the major things as well as guiding choices.

How to Boost Up the Event Planning Process Using Online Event Ticketing Software?


For any event organizer, it is very significant to smartly start up the event planning process for delivering the best results. After the initial meeting with the clients, you must spent considerable amount of time in preparing a presentation mentioning the selected venues and the total budget for the event. Before deciding on the appropriate venue, you must also keep the adequate budget in mind. For this a good understanding is required so that you can explain the pros and cons to the clients properly. Visiting the selected sites should be the next step where you can accompany your client. It would be very beneficial if some prior information about selected venues, you have planned to visit, are available. This will help the clients in taking decisions promptly.

Let us have a look at the various event planning activities and how the online event ticketing software is helping organizers in streamlining them.

繚 Select the event site:

Select locations for the event venue and other sub venues. The sub- venues will serve you if for some reasons the main venue closes at a particular time. You can easily hold post parties and meetings in the sub venues. For streamlining all these activities you can employ the online event ticketing software, which will chop down your workload and offer more time for dealing with the selection of venues.

繚 Create personalized event page:

If you opt for the online solution, you can easily create online event registration page within few minutes. As the software offers flexibility and customizability, you can design the page accordingly and can give it the look and feel of your website. It will also allow you to create customized online forms for registration where you can include required fields and categories, depending on the nature and type of event.

繚 Create event calendar:

The online software comes embedded with online event calendaring tool which helps in checking the dates and times with the clients. You can update the information related to the event using the automated feature, which can be easily viewed by multiple attendees, simultaneously. Changes in the schedule can also be updated and important event dates can also be highlighted using this tool, so that attendees do not miss out the events.

繚 Data management and reporting:

Venue selection may require a lot of accuracy, but the other aspects of event planning activities cannot be easily ignored. Database management of the registrants, which is a crucial aspect, can easily be handled using this online solution. The data related to the forms, registrants and revenues generated can be accessed online 24x7. You can also create reports on the attendee registration, sales, revenues etc, in real-time utilizing the reporting tool that comes embedded with the software.

Thus, the online event ticketing software, with its hassles-free services and advanced features can simplify the event planning activities and can add reputation to your profession, as an event organizer.

How To Create A Party Guest List


The mood of a party is often dictated by the guests who attend the event. Therefore, it is important for you as the host to consider the chemistry of the people you are inviting over. Remember that it is going to be more like a social event and people need to interact with each other. While it is up to the host to decide who to invite and who to leave out, there are general rules that should be adhered to for the success of the whole event:

Do

- If you think of the party in the same way you would think of any other social event, you realize that it could be an opportunity for many like-minded people to mingle and socialize. It probably will involve a meeting of people who do not know each other but who are eager to meet new people.

- Thinking of the party as a get together event will help bring together friends that have not seen each other for a long time. These should be people who would love to visit but their schedules do not allow them to.

- While it may be viewed as a personal initiative, party planning needs support even from the guests. Invite people who will appreciate being invited and who will help in the success of the event.

Don't

- Refrain from inviting just one class of people either aligned to profession or interests. A room full of only journalists or only teachers beats the very essence of bringing people together

- There are some people that do not just fit in the guest list but you feel obligated to have them over. This should be totally avoided because apart from spoiling the general mood of the party they will also feel awkward in a crowd in which they do not fit.

- The greatest action to avoid when planning out the guest list, is inviting known enemies in the hope that they will make the party lively since they have to speak to each other.

While it is mainly a personal decision on who to invite and who to leave out, it may be helpful to keep in mind a few more tips when compiling the guest list. This has to do with what kinds of people to invite and why to do so:

- A banker should be on your list because they are always in the loop regarding industries, the stock market and investments, and can be very good in talking about what is happening in the economy.

- A journalist will always want to know about current issues and they are always collecting information. Getting one on the guest list will guarantee that people have someone to engage them in conversation.

- A F&B professional should not miss the guest list because everyone loves to talk about good food. People especially like talking to someone who can make their everyday chores simpler such as cooking.

- A marketing professional is good company for a party because they will have a say in everything that involves consumer trends.

Corporate Event Transportation


Transportation can be so much more than just a means of moving from one place to another. When you can sit back and not worry about traffic or directions you will find that some transportation can be a comfortable and pleasant way to socialize with your coworkers, sort of like a pre-party before the event. When you plan transportation the right way, you will comfortably arrive at the event on-time and with style.

Plan Ahead

Planning a corporate event? Whether it's a weekend company retreat or a reception event for your executives from overseas, be sure that the transportation plan is prepared. Transportation is one of the most over-looked aspects of corporate event planning, but where would you be without it?

The first thing to think about when planning the transportation for a corporate event is the number of people that will be in attendance and from where each attendee will be arriving. For example, at a reception event for incoming executives or guests, there will be several people needing to be picked up from either an airport or hotel. If your office is planning a retreat, you may just need a vehicle or two (large enough to accommodate all of the employees) to arrive at the office. If people will be driving themselves to an event, consider a valet parking service for the guests.

Next, you will need to consider the event's itinerary. Is it a weekend corporate convention full of travel from one activity to the next or just a one-night, one-stop event? After you have built a complete itinerary of the event's schedule, don't forget to factor in transport to and from each location for all members.

Lastly, but definitely not least important, keep in mind the theme of the event. If the event is formal, consider using formal transportation (i.e. limousines), but if the event is a casual team-building outing, a party bus may be more fitting. Sounds like a lot of work just to plan the transportation of your event, huh? In order avoid worrying about the timing and coordination of transportation; call a transportation consultant to accommodate all of your travel needs.

Transportation Consultants

All the planning is done, the itinerary is scheduled and the transportation is booked. Finally, you can rest easy. But what if a plane gets delayed, an activity runs long, or a meeting finishes early? You need to find a company that can adjust to the last second changes in the transportation schedule. Choose a transportation consultant that understands the importance of a good impression and guarantees an excellent and customized service at an affordable rate and let them take care of the rest.

10 Tips for Arranging a Corporate Hospitality Event


Arranging a successful corporate hospitality event requires an effective balance of research and thought. It's important to consider the preferences of your clients, and to seek out the events and packages which they will most enjoy, and that will allow you to build a strong business relationship with them. To assist you with the process, we have prepared below a collection of our top 10 tips for arranging a corporate hospitality event.


  1. Define what you are looking to get out of the event

    What you define will determine which is the most appropriate event and how to manage it. After all, the need to cement a business partnership will require a different approach than a wish to say 'thank you'. Not all hospitality is linked to a financial outcome, although good corporate hospitality is always guided by a specific set of objectives.

    Some experts say that corporate hospitality is not measurable. We disagree. Defining what you want to get out of it is the benchmark for whether the event is a success. (see Tip 7)

  2. Find out the sort of corporate events your client likes

    What YOU like and enjoy is not as important. We recommend you send clients a short, simple questionnaire asking them to list their top five corporate events. This gives you all you need to tailor the event appropriately. Make sure this is sent with a stamped addressed envelope so that it is easy to return.

    If sending a questionnaire is not possible, develop the habit of subtly asking them what they like to do in their spare time. If someone is passionate about a particular club, sport or pastime they just love to talk about it.

  3. Always remember that your clients are motivated by self-interest

    This is a perfectly natural emotion. Your invitation should be good for their ego, and something they are keen to tell colleagues and friends about. You want your invitation to be an event in the diary they are actively looking forward to, not something they feel duty-bound to attend. The clearer you are about what THEY are going to get out of it, the better.

  4. Avoid doing the same old thing, year after year

    Just because your last event was a success don't fall into the temptation of repeating it. It's an obvious thing to do but based on your understanding of the things your client likes (see Tip 2), try to ring the changes. Ideally, you want each event to be different and unique. Even if you have a client who looks forward to the same annual outing, try to give it a new twist each time.

  5. Make sure your guests have something to remember the event by

    Even grown-ups like 'goodie-bags'. Mental memories are powerful and important but they tend to fade. Some form of physical gift is an excellent way of cementing their connection with the event. But tread carefully; you don't want it to appear that you are lavishing gifts for the sake of it. Aim to find a gift that you know will be used and appreciated.

    A quality photograph of the event is a great memento; especially if your guest has had their picture taken alongside a celebrity. Forward the photo a week later and you have a perfect excuse to get back in touch with your client.

  6. Focus your spend per head on fewer clients

    In our experience, you will get a better return on investment when you focus on giving only a few clients an exceptional time rather than lots. Your top clients probably account for a high percentage of your revenue so it make good business sense concentrate on them.

    This approach helps to make your top clients feel more valued as they know they belong to the 'special' group. Those who miss out may even aspire to become better clients when they learn what amazing hospitality you provide.

  7. Ask for feedback within 7 Days

    Very few companies do this. Those that do are committed to making corporate hospitality work in their favour.

    This is a good thing to do while memories of the event are still fresh in the mind. The trick is to send a short, simple questionnaire that looks quick and easy to complete. If clients have genuinely had a good time, they will have no problem in answering it. For best results, send it to them with a memento of the day, such as a photo. This tip is an essential part of measuring the effectiveness of your investment.

  8. Don't make your hospitality too male-orientated

    Show your sensitivity to women in the work place by providing hospitality that everyone is likely to enjoy. If you have followed Tip 1, you will know what else to consider other than rugby or football. Corporate hospitality packages that have proved a great success with the ladies include Horse Racing Hospitality, Music/Festival packages and Shopping Weekends.

  9. Always avoid cheap packages that offer 'special discount due to cancellation'

    Tempting, we know. The truth is that professional, memorable corporate hospitality is not cheap. Nor should it be. And always remember that a poor experience is more damaging than not having one at all. If there is a discount due to a cancellation it should raise alarm bells not a quest for a golden opportunity.

  10. Always work with a corporate hospitality company with a proven track record

    You would expect us to say this, we know! But as this list of tips proves, experience counts. Ensure you choose a corporate hospitality company who have experience in providing a professional service, with an eye for detail.

How to Turn a Staff Christmas Party Into Something Sensational


The Christmas season is coming up again and the same problem arises again as it does every year at this time; what are we going to do for this year's Christmas work function?

The staff have really been under pressure this year and they have performed well under rather trying conditions, and they deserve a real end of year treat, time to let their hair down and kick their heels up so to speak.

However they are a discerning lot and you are anxious to maintain their respect with a suitably appropriate party venue, something a little different.

You have a list of essential conditions the venue will have to meet:

• Your own private facilities: The facility must be available for your own exclusive use without the fear of gatecrashers spoiling your night

• A chance to "dress up": Theme parties are a lot of fun, helping to create a relaxed environment and break the work hierarchical structure, putting all staff on the same level

• A competition for the best, worst, most daring costume is always a lot of fun

• Convivial atmosphere: A venue with a real festive atmosphere is what is called for on this occasion, a colorful light show, an alluring dance floor ("I could have danced all night"), and comfortable furniture to lounge on

• Music: Your venue almost assuredly should have an ace sound system to play the songs you most enjoy dancing to, maybe you could tell them in advance the style of music you most enjoy and is appropriate for your occasion

• Master of ceremonies: A good team leader will help break the ice, generate good humor, get the dancing going, and provide some structure for the night's entertainment. He or she will work to your program of events if required, but they will have a wealth of experience of these events to draw upon

• Refreshments: Ensure there is a well-stocked refreshment bar with an interesting selection of jazzy cocktails and the more traditional drinks. Non-alcoholic beverages should always be readily available, dancing is hot work! Function staff will be trained in "Host Responsibility" ensuring your event runs without a hitch

Safe travel and conduct is of paramount importance to you, your staff and their actions on this great night are your responsibility, and it is with relief that the right venue hosts will be responsible for this, as they will collect your staff in a luxury coach and deliver them safely to their homes after the event.

Selection of the right corporate party bus hire experts will meet all your requirements and more, allowing you to fulfill your desire to reward not only your staff but also yourself with a truly successful and safe celebration.

Event Planning - Working With Volunteer Based Organizations


Volunteer groups of all sizes need help in planning their events too. These organizations are known to have a work force of people who are willing to do whatever is needed to make their event a success. As a group, they may have the manpower to pull it off, but will it be an event that leaves a WOW factor in the minds of those who attend?

Event planners who entertain the thought of being involved with a volunteer group should address some questions prior to agreeing to work with them.

1. What are they trying to accomplish from their event?

Fund raising, bring attention to the organization, celebrating a milestone, recognizing the community or people in it; or, recognizing their own volunteers. Sit down with the group to establish their wants and needs and goals.

2. Who will you answer to within their group?

If it's one person, great! If it is a committee or the membership as a whole, you may want to think twice about getting involved. If the membership has to be convened to make a decision, your ideas will be stymied until everyone agrees to go forward.

3. What is their budget?

This will determine how grandiose your donated ideas can get.

4. Does the budget allow for purchases to be made without general approval from the membership or volunteers?

Some organizations allow for purchases up to a certain value to be made without approval from the general membership. However, this value may be too low and will hinder planning when payments have to be made to suppliers. Investigate this area completely and be prepared to come up with a viable plan that can be agreed upon by the general membership prior to starting any planning.

5. Will there be enough volunteers available within the organization to get all the jobs done?

Many groups boast about their large membership; however, it is only the same few people who volunteer to do all the work. These few volunteers may not be enough to do everything and a work force will have to be recruited.

6. Are they expecting you to plan everything or only provide guidelines or suggestions of improvement for what has already been planned?

A few suggestions to improve what they already have planned should not take a lot of time or effort. It needs to be made clear that this is all you are doing and additional involvement would have to be reviewed further to determine if there would be a charge for your time.

7. How do they feel about having someone outside their organization running the show?

Even though the majority of the membership has ruled in favour of your involvement, it does not mean you have the blessing of the whole group. This being the case in most committee ran groups, be prepared for negative feed back from a few people on an ongoing basis.

It is essential for event planners to have personal and corporate directives in place regarding their involvement with any type of volunteer organization or event. The legalities that may arise due to accountability issues makes it necessary to strictly adhere to these internal guidelines regarding the donation of time from within your own company. Due diligence on all aspects of the event are crucial as the end result of the event, regardless of the amount of time you give, is a direct reflection on you and your company.

Friday, June 21, 2013

4 Keys Aspects to Organizing Successful Events


Events are always hosted keeping in mind that they will successfully meet the needs of the attendees as well as the organizers. Attendees participate in events to learn the answers to their queries and also to know more about the company and its products. Event planners organize an event to satisfy and retain their client base and also in the process generate more sales and earn higher profits. Organizing successful events is not matter of joke. You have to have the right kind of people, choose the right venue, and attract the target audience.

Let's see how you can arrange a great event with minimal effort and a short time span.

Choose the Right Kind of People

Organizing a corporate event is not actually the same as organizing your kid's birthday party. Your company's reputation to a great extent depends on how well you have prepared for the event. For that, you need to choose the right team of people or volunteers to be part of the working committee. Recruit individuals who are enthusiastic towards work and are prepared to labor overtime if required. You should also keep some extra people in hand to volunteer in case someone doesn't turn up on the big day.

Run Your Event like a Business

Try to take your event as seriously as possible. Prepare a checklist to manage various administrative tasks in a streamlined fashion. Allocate the event budget to see all items have been accounted for without spending being overtly extravagant. Prioritize the most important work first. For example, choose a suitable event venue before printing the invitations. Promote your events in as many onsite and online platforms as possible. Print adverts on newspapers and business magazines; post your event details on social media websites, your business website, company blog, etc. Avoid any pitfalls by taking precautionary measures beforehand. For example, in case of an outdoor event, have a backup ready in case there is unexpected rain or snowfall.

Reward Your Attendees and Say 'Thank You'

You should willfully reward and recognize your event attendees who have taken the pain to attend your event keeping aside their personal or such other tasks. For example, present your guests with a small potted plant with his or her name tag attached. It is a great way of personally valuing your guests' presence as well as creating awareness towards planting more trees to reduce the carbon footprint on earth. You can even handover a personal 'Thank You' note or simply send a 'Thank You' email after an event. It is bound to create a positive impact and help in building up a long-term relationship with customers.

Measure the Success of Your Events

It should be a mandatory task for every event organizer to measure the success or failure of an event. What did the guests like or dislike; the reason behind the same. Did your event receive adequate media coverage? How many new customers did you add to your list? All these should be carefully analyzed to rate the success of your event and improve upon the next one.

Outdoor Event Planning, Promotion and Marketing Tips


Outdoor events are similar to other marketing events in many ways. The basic guidelines for event planning and promotion all apply to outdoor and indoor events. Remember to do some initial research on attendance and demographic records to make sure the outdoor event is worth your investment. The following information will help you to plan your next outdoor event.

Outdoor advertising allows you to reach people in a casual setting, in the presence of other fun activities. The most significant benefit of investing in outdoor events is that people cannot "turn off," "fast forward," or easily ignore your advertisements like they can with television, radio, and print. This gives you far more control over where and how your advertisements are seen or interpreted. There are numerous types of outdoor marketing events including: Sporting events (baseball, golf, football, tennis, soccer etc.), barbeques, concerts, outdoor trade shows, auto/RV/boat shows, grand openings, public fairs, festivals (4th of July, music, art), and carnivals.

When you are in the great outdoors, you are a slave to the weather. Don't participate in an outdoor event in Arizona during July and don't participate in an outdoor event in North Dakota during January. If the temperature is not pleasant, no one will show up! Also, make sure that all of your unsheltered marketing tools (graphics) are made from materials that can withstand moderate rain, wind and heat. For any outdoor event, you should have a backup plan in case of inclement weather. Have a couple of tents set up, or at least ready to be set up if bad weather arises.

There are a few important things to remember when participating in an outdoor event, especially when you are the primary sponsor. You should first sketch out the area beforehand, to determine the best set up and to plot traffic flow. Then you need to figure out the exact time that the sun will set that day to decide if you need lighting for your displays, graphics, and meeting areas. Always try to place your graphics facing the sun (it will move, but place graphics with respect to where the sun will be the majority of the time). Otherwise, the sun will glare from behind your graphics, making it difficult to see them clearly. You should also check the availability of electricity and bathrooms to determine if you need to rent generators or portable toilets.

Always provide water when you are sponsoring warm weather events. If people are fainting because there is no water available, it will reflect poorly on your company. Also, consider ways to prevent the presence of mosquitoes and other pesky bugs if it happens to be that time of year. You can spray the area with insecticide or simply provide insect repellant candles, bug zappers, etc. You should provide ample seating and shade for those who cannot withstand heat and sunshine for extended periods of time. If you are providing food at the event, make sure to keep the hot items hot and the cold items cold. Spoiled food will ruin everyone's experience and make your company look irresponsible.

When it comes to actually advertising your organization at an outdoor event, the options are endless. You can use billboards, flags, banners, illumination, entertainment, and many more. Consider that given the environment, you may have to stand out through any number of distractions! Factor in the surrounding exhibits, sounds, and visuals, and adjust accordingly.

Although outdoor events can be stressful and time-consuming due to the number of unknown variables, they can also be one of the best ways to connect and make an impact in a dramatic, engaging environment. Plan around the uncontrollable, factor in your environment, and keep an eye on the weather.

Ten Reasons Your Company Needs an Event and Conference Planner


A well-planned, well-organized and well-run conference is utmost necessary to produce a remarkable outcome. It is an event of getting individuals together for the purposes of motivating, brainstorming, and other business-related concerns. To handle this substantial job, companies are looking for help from third parties for their corporate conferences or meeting planning rather than choosing someone from their employees to achieve the task. It is because there is one major problem of choosing an event planner from the company's employees because employees are actually taking on two things - the planning of the conference as well as their other assigned responsibilities with the company. Hence often companies prefer to hire professional event planners to organize meeting, conferences, seminars and other corporate events. Here are top ten reasons, you company should hire a professional event & conference organizer.

1. A corporate event & conference organizer is fully responsible & accountable for all details. They manage the event from start to finish focusing on things such as site selection, contract, negotiations, and the entire booking process.

2. With professional event organizer, you company can organize events more often in different venues. Your company can even decide to take the gatherings to another country.

3. With the help of corporate event planners, company can hold meeting for only ten participants and meeting for a large number of participants, efficiently and professionally.

4. Your company will be benefited greatly on logistical needs with help of professional corporate meeting of conference organizer.

5. With the help of professional event organizer, your company can organize meetings, seminars or conferences at prices significantly lower the whole budget cost of the company's annual conference.

6. You company can provide meeting specification to a professional conference planner and get the information when needed.

7. An event planner can also help you hiring entertainers or vendors which are best-suited for any of your corporate events or conferences.

8. If a company has a short amount of time to plan for a conference, a professional conference planner can get al the details done in time still delivery you best venue & services for your important meeting.

9. Professional organizers will to do all details appropriately in time. They will execute their services to provide best ambiance for conferences, meetings, seminars or other corporate events.

10. Corporate event and conference organizers have professionally trained workers and staffs to handle the situations in most convenient and lucrative ways.

Using Promotional Items at Corporate Events


If you run a business organization, chances are that you are looking for new avenues to reach your existing clients and to target potential ones. One of the best ways to give your organization the visibility and brand recognition it deserves in the market is to participate in or host a corporate event. The only downside is that there are many competing organizations which have the same idea, and are also participating in the same event, cutting into your prospective client base. This can make it a little tough to get the attention of the clients, and draw them to your brand.

And that's exactly where promotional items and products come in! Promotional products are a great way to help your organization get the visibility and recall you are aiming for. Handing out these promotional products among visitors, who are at the corporate event, enables your organization to really make your brand presence visible, felt, and appreciated. The right promotional items can pull customers and visitors to your stalls much faster than anything else. Another advantage of giving out promotional items to customers at a corporate event is the positive image and association it gets for your brand. Everyone loves getting stuff and the giver is always remembered warmly; not a bad thing at all for your brand!

There are numerous items that can be used as promotional gifts to be handed out to visitors in a corporate event. Filled your giveaway basket with customized pens, portfolios, scratch pads, sticky notes, rulers, calculators, and much more, to make sure the visitors notice and remember you. Don't neglect this superb opportunity for brand publicity, check out desk amp office products for ideas! Promotional products can vary from carrier bags to Promotional pens, from Promotional Mugs, to computer accessories, and anything else you can think of.

Items like folders, bags and satchels, note pads, promotional USB products and so on make great corporate event promotional gifts to be handed out at events such as trade shows and fairs, exhibitions, and more. Use these superior items as opportunities to showcase and popularize your logo, your brand, and your message by handing out some of these items as corporate event handouts and giveaways. Using custom printed corporate gifts gives the people attending the event something real and tangible they can take away from the event to remember you and your company by. Doubtless, corporate giveaways and promotional items are a great way to get their attention, and to make sure that they remember your brand long afterwards.

For a range of products that you can customize and hand out, at the variety of events that occur in a year, check out some of the stuff from action printing inc. And select the popular or exclusive item you find perfect for your branding and promotional needs! It's a fact that promotional products work miracles for the brand of any organization. Choose wisely, and take advantage of the superior brand recall that can be given to you by a useful, stylish, promotional item handed out at a corporate event!

Planning Ideas For a Corporate Christmas Party


The corporate Christmas party can be similar to a simple office party depending on how much time and money the corporate heads wish to invest into the event. In most cases a party on the corporate level is more lavish and even though it includes everyone within the corporation it may also include a number of honored guests such as VIPs from other businesses or departments or important suppliers, customers and even competitors.

There is more of a tendency to incorporate a theme into the corporate party not just because there is a larger audience but because there is more of a need to impress.

Depending on the theme you choose for your corporate Christmas party you can choose a very elaborate or simple. One suggestion is to choose a good hotel where guests can stay afterwards if they can't or don't want to risk driving home. Hire one of the banquet rooms for your event, to include cocktails, dinner and then dancing with either a band of dj.

Guests will be free to stay at the hotel after the party at the expense of the company or within the budget of the event, whichever method is chosen. Make sure your guests have at least two menu items from which to choose since not everyone will like the same thing. It's best to stay away from fish since many people are allergic to it perhaps Chicken or beef would be good choices for a main dish.

If you want to do something more lavish you could choose a casino or trendy bar and make an evening of the event. You can hire the entire venue for the course of the event, but the problem with doing this is the venue may wish you to guarantee a minimum spend because they will be losing money by closing their doors to the general public for the time of the corporate Christmas party.

The corporate Christmas party can also extend into the theatre scene allowing guests to attend a Christmas production such as those you can see in the West End in London. Dinner might be planned before or after the event depending upon the time of the show. Another option is the opera or symphony if there is a Christmas production in progress.

An Event Planner And Coordinator Makes Event Management Successful


Event planning is a systematic and organized way of planning a ceremony, festival, convention, party, exhibitions, fairs, fund-raising & social events, company promotions & product launches, competition or concert. It includes financial budgeting, choosing & reserving the site, deciding dates including alternate dates. Along with these activities, it also includes coordination of transportation and parking of vehicles. Thus, the role of an event planner is crucial, which is also responsible for developing a theme or motif, coordinating location support such as electricity and other utilities, arranging tents, chairs, decors, tables along with security concerns, police, fire, catering, Signage, health care professionals, parking, portable toilets and clean up. Now, you can understand the importance of an event coordinator or planner.

An event planner & coordinator work in the private, public as well as non-profit sectors. They work for various event management companies as freelancers or they also work in-house for an organization. Have a look at their activities:

• Managing a financial budget.

• Booking a well-suited venue or site.

• Preparing delegate packs and papers.

• Promoting the event by coordinating PR professionals.

• Interacting with clients and designers to create a brand and organizing various activities that are required for production such as posters, tickets, catalogues or sales brochure.

• Ensuring legal, insurance, safety and health obligations.

• Knowing the clients' requirements.

• Selling stand, exhibition and sponsorship space to potential partners or exhibitors at one of the best competitive rates.

• Coordinating venue management, contractors, stand designers as well as equipment line.

• Identifying and securing of speaker, special guests or any other participants.

A successful event planner is also responsible for providing conference services and selecting ideal conference venues that are well-suited for the clients according to their specific needs and requirements. They should also well-versed in verbal as well as written communications so that there could be better coordination among various team members in the management. They should have a good relationship with various vendors and contractors which will help them in creating cost-effective and memorable functions. This will build a long-lasting impression to the target audiences. They should know about their management aspects so that they could use their resources in a better way. They should have time-management for performing multi-tasking activities.

In this competitive era, there are large numbers of event planner available and all use to commit to the clients that their services are the best in comparison to their competitors. You should not choose someone on the basis of their sayings only. You must enquire about them at your own level to make your event successful & memorable forever.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Event Log Monitoring for the PCI DSS


This article has been produced to assist anyone concerned with ensuring their organization can meet PCI DSS obligations for event log management - "PCI DSS Section 10.2 Implement automated audit trails for all system components..."

There are typically two concerns that need to be addressed - first, "what is the best way to gather and centralize event logs?" And second, "what do we need to do with the event logs once we have them stored centrally? (And how will we cope with the volume?)"

To the letter of the PCI DSS, you are obliged to make use of event and audit logs in order to track user activity for any device within scope i.e. all devices which either 'touch' cardholder data or have access to cardholder data processing systems. The full heading of the Log Tracking section of the PCI DSS is as follows -

"PCI DSS Requirement 10: Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data"

Logging mechanisms and the ability to track user activities are critical in preventing, detecting, or minimizing the impact of a data compromise. The presence of logs in all environments allows thorough tracking, alerting, and analysis when something does go wrong. Determining the cause of a compromise is very difficult without system activity logs.

Given that many PCI DSS estates will be geographically widespread it is always a good idea to use some means of centralizing log messages, however, you are obliged to take this route anyway if you read section 10.5.3 of the PCI DSS -

"Promptly back up audit trail files to a centralized log server or media that is difficult to alter"

The first obstacle to overcome is the gathering of event logs. Unix and Linux hosts can utilize their native syslogd capability, but Windows servers will need to use a third party Windows Sylog agent to transfer Windows Event Logs via syslog. This will ensure all event log messages form Windows servers are backed up centrally in accordance with the PCI DSS standard. Similarly, Oracle and SQL Server based applications will also require a Syslog Agent to extract log entries for forwarding to the central syslog server. Similarly, IBM z/OS mainframe or AS/400 systems will also need platform-specific agent technology to ensure event logs are backed up.

Of course, Firewalls and Intrusion Protection/Detection System (IPS/IDS), as well as the majority of switches and routers all natively generate syslog messages.

File-Integrity Monitoring and Vulnerability Scanning

While we are on the subject of deployment of agents to platforms for event log monitoring, it is worth considering the other dimensions of the PCI DSS, namely file-integrity monitoring and vulnerability scanning/assessment.

Both of these functions can be addressed using an agent on board your servers and workstations. File-Integrity monitoring (see section 11.5 of the PCI DSS) is necessary to ensure key program and operating system files are not infiltrated by Trojans or other malware, and that 'backdoor' code is not inserted within applications. File-Integrity Monitoring should be deployed to all PCs and Epos systems, Windows Servers, Unix and Linux hosts.

Vulnerability Scanning is a further element of the PCI DSS and requires all devices to be scanned regularly for the presence of security vulnerabilities. The key benefit of an agent based approach is that vulnerability scans can be performed continuously and any configuration changes rendering your PCs/Epos/Servers less secure or less 'hardened' will be identified and alerted to you. The agent will need valid PCI Security Settings/Vulnerability Assessment/PCI Hardening Checklists to be applied.

Event Log Backup to a Centralized Server

Once assembled, the Audit trail history must be backed up in a way that is "difficult to alter". Traditionally, write-once media has been used to ensure event histories cannot be altered but most centralized log server solutions now employ file-integrity monitoring as a means of detecting any attempt to change or edit the event log backup.

So in terms of our two initial questions, we have fully covered the first, but what about the next logical question of 'What do we do with - and how do we cope with - the event logs gathered?'

"PCI DSS Section 10.6 Review logs for all system components at least daily"

This is the part of the standard that causes most concern. If you consider the volume of event logs that may be generated by a typical firewall this can be significant, but if you are managing a retail estate of 800 stores with 7,500 devices within scope of the PCI DSS, the task of reviewing logs from devices is going to be impossible to achieve. This may be a good time to consider some automation of the process...?

The Security Information and Event Management or SIEM market as defined by Gartner covers the advanced generation of solutions that harvest audit and event logs, and then parse or interpret the events e.g. store events by device, event type and severity, and analyze the details within event logs as they are stored. In fact, the PCI DSS recognizes the potential value of this kind of technology

"Log harvesting, parsing, and alerting tools may be used to meet compliance with Requirement 10.6 of the PCI DSS"

SIEM technology allows event logs to be automatically and intelligently managed such that only genuinely serious security events are alerted. The best SIEM technology can distinguish between true hacker activity running a 'brute force' attack and a user who has simply forgotten their password and is repeatedly trying to access their account. Naturally there is an amount of customization required for each environment as every organization's network, systems, applications and usage patterns are unique as are the corresponding event log volumes and types.

The PCI Event log management process can be approached in three stages, ensuring that there is a straightforward progression through becoming compliant with the PCI DSS standard and becoming fully in control of your PCI Estate. The tree phases will assist you in understanding how your PCI Estate functions normally and, as a result, placing all genuine security threats into the spotlight.

1. GATHER - Implement the SIEM system and gather all event logs centrally - the SIEM technology will provide a keyword index of all events, reported by device type, event severity and even with just the basic, pre-defined rules applied, the volumes of logs by type can be established. You need to get familiar with the types of event log messages being collected and what 'good' looks like for your estate.

2. PROFILE - Refinement of event type identification and thresholds - once an initial baselining period has been completed we can then customize rules and thresholds to meet the profile of your estate, with the aim of establishing a profiled, 'steady-state' view of event types and volumes. Even though all logs must be gathered and retained for the PCI DSS, there is a large proportion of events which aren't significant on a day-to-day basis and the aim is to de-emphasize these in order to promote focus on those events which are significant.

3. FOCUS - simple thresholding for event types is adequate for some significant security events, such as anti-virus alerts or IPS signature detections, but for other security events it is necessary to correlate and pattern-match combinations and sequences of event. SIEM only becomes valuable when it is notifying you of a manageable number of significant security events.

It is important to note that even when certain events are being de-emphasized, these are still being retained in line with the PCI DSS guidelines which are to retain logs for 12 months. At least 3 months of event logs must be in an on-line, searchable format for at least 3 months, and archived for 12 months.
Again, the archived and on-line log repositories must be protected from any editing or tampering so write-once media and file integrity monitoring must be used to preserve log file integrity.

How to Become a Professional Event Planner


Event planning is an attractive career, allowing you to travel, meet many interesting people, and feel the thrill of being able to say 'I did that'. In these changing times, it can be difficult to choose which qualification suits you best, and how you prefer to learn.

Leaving school

If you are about to leave school or college then you may be debating whether to take the further education route or the apprentice route. Both offer their unique advantages and disadvantages, the main differences being that as an apprentice you will be reviving a wage, but no formal qualification at the end (usually), whereas further education will cost you money, but you will have a qualification at the end of it.

Career changes

You may be looking to change career - whether you have done a spot of event management in your current job, or whether you fancy a change - then you may be looking at gaining some training or a qualification in event management. For this you may be tempted to take a break from work and go back into education, or you may investigate evening courses which you can undertake alongside your day job.

University

There are many university courses available in event planning and management. If you are about to leave college then you may wish to take advantage of this route, as you will likely be entitled to student loans although tuition fees are increasing rapidly. If you are looking for a course in event management then you should look in detail at the courses offered by different institutions and look for a course which offers work experience either alongside the taught course or through a placement in a 'sandwich' year.

Post-Graduate

It is possible that you already hold a degree but that you are looking for a career change. There are some courses available as post-graduate diplomas, or you could opt for a masters degree. Again, real hands-on experience is essential even when you are out to get a qualification.

Evening courses

There are many evening courses available to learn the various aspects of event management. These range from a short course in wedding planning, which could be anything from an afternoon to a year long course, to courses in other aspects of event management, or even full courses covering all aspects. Some of these courses also offer qualifications at the end.

How to decide?

Depending on the types of events you wish to manage, you may or may not need a formal qualification. If you are looking to start a small business planning parties then you are unlikely to require a formal qualification, but gaining experience and learning about how to run a small business would be beneficial. If you are looking to manage big scale events, corporate events, music festivals or charity events then a formal qualification may be required.

What to do next?

Before you apply for a course in event management you should be clear that it is what you want to do. Although the job appears glamorous at times there are often times of stress, and unsociable working hours are likely. You could get a real taste by shadowing an event manager for a few days, or perhaps just talking to someone in the job for a real life perspective on it.

Planning for Audio-Visual Equipment, Lighting, and Staging of Your Corporate Event


Exciting new technologies like interactive computer use, live video enhancement of speakers, and teleconferencing can be utilized but the associated cost of these new technologies can be steep. The type of AV support you will need for your meeting or event may be simple or more complex. Be sure to review all your options and plan ahead:

o Get a list of all speakers' needs well in advance of your meeting date and schedule a rehearsal.

o Allow for rehearsal and set-up time in your meeting rooms.

o Give speakers a chance to rehearse with equipment they will be using.

o Test equipment immediately prior to the beginning of the event. Check acoustics

Clap your hands sharply... talk loudly... listen carefully

Check to see if there are any echo's or dead spots.

Do drapes or acoustic panels need to be added.?

Plug-in and test the audio.

Is the public address system working?

Is there any feedback at working level?

Are the speakers correctly placed?

Are there enough microphones, cords, stands?

Have spare bulks and extension cords on hand.

If you are taping, is the tape recorder microphone working? Check to see if you have to erect a stand or move a table

Is the audiovisual the right distance from the screen, rigid and level?

Know the location of circuit breakers and fuses

Have spare fuses and standby circuits ready

Test the intercom system.

Is the emergency work light ready?

o Having a technician available to attend to your needs throughout the meeting may be your best insurance policy.

o If the facility where you are holding your meeting has AV equipment available check to make sure it is in good working order.

o Remember that poor-quality AV equipment can ruin a meeting.

To maximize your audio visual budget, try the following:

o If using an outside vendor, choose a reputable company and reserve equipment early. If you have never worked with the supplier before, ask for references and check them.

o Negotiate all costs. Package deals are good for you and the rental companies. If they know your needs and have your timelines, it will be more cost effective.

o Make sure all agreements are in writing. If one company is not able to meet your needs, look at other companies until your needs are met.

o Provide clear instructions in writing. Include agendas and room layouts so your vendors know exactly what you expect.

o If you need help, find experienced production managers and technicians to oversee the AV portions of your event. Introduce yourself to the technicians who will be working your event, and find out how to contact them should the need arise.

o Barter goods and services with your rental companies. They may want to advertise in your publications, exhibit at your trade show, or acquire leads from your attendees.

o Guaranteed performance is often a policy of AV companies. They will compensate clients for rental costs in the event of equipment failure. Even better, many will provide on-site back-up.

Check the audio-visual equipment that is available at the meeting facility you are using. Many facilities have their own in-house audio department. Ask if any audio-visual equipment is included in your room charge? Be sure to check out the quality and age of the equipment provided.

Most facilities only provide a podium and microphone, so you will need to rent additional equipment from a qualified local audio-visual rental company. The facility where you are holding your meeting or the local Convention and Visitors Bureau can provide recommendations.

Your Company Anniversary - Create a Profitable Event


Whether it be 10-year, silver, gold, or platinum, a company anniversary can be a great reason to spend some of the promotional budget on one's own employees, clients or vendors. While many corporate cultures may shirk away from internal objectives, developing internal branding has been proven as a method to drive sales goals, improve customer service, and increase efficiency and performance across the board. But a run-of-the-mill event that employees feel obligated to attend will not do the trick. It is only with a hefty amount of zeal and style that a company anniversary can be transfigured from an awkward middle-school dance, to a healthy ROI.

Corporate events allow for a number of worthwhile exchanges to occur. Clients can meet employees outside of the normal work environment, forging ties that produce loyalty, both internal and external. Employees can meet corporate executives and finally take the five minutes of face time they have wanted for years, which also bolsters loyalty and motivates increased performance.

To promote that effect, employee incentives can be released via keynote speakers. Consumer promotions or award shows can celebrate the achievement of performance goals. Externally, online events can spur increased sales and activity in the weeks prior to the internal event, to synthesize an aura of accelerated success and accomplishment, to give employees personal reasons to celebrate. In so doing, a company anniversary and the promotions surrounding it can refresh employees' feeling of connection to the brand's success.

At the same time, a company anniversary, what is in essentially an aggregate's birthday celebration, provides the opportunity for self-praise. Just as a birthday gives proud parents license to show old family albums or videos, so too does an anniversary grant the ability to educate employees and clients about the brand's history and the core corporate values. Oftentimes, as tasks filter down through the corporate structure to divisions and subdivisions, initiatives can lose focus and become a mere set of instructions without purpose or goal. But impressing employees and clients with a stylish celebration can help bring out the uniqueness, even quirkiness of a coherent, internal image.

An entertaining ambiance and good food will give political clout to a corporate event, but a captivating and engaging theme, well-executed, will be a lasting boon to the profit margin. Some people will be excited about the event; others will take more convincing than free food. Expressing the theme through pervasive details, such as rented furniture, props, and costumes stimulates a celebratory environment and signals a departure from business concerns. A compelling array of decorations, creatively deployed to reflect the era when the company was founded, for example, can instantly transport attendees to a foreign place, which can serve to educate, stimulate, relax and reward simultaneously. Rented furniture, props, and custom-made graphics can induce nostalgia and reverence of the company's history.

Some anniversaries implement a "through the eras" approach to the evolution of corporate culture, which feature a number of rooms made to represent various decades in the history of the company. Each room is decorated with photographs taken during the relevant time frame, marking events that shaped company history, as well as a general cultural heritage. Coincidentally, incisive use of lighting and scent machines can help guests distinguish between separate chambers and ambiances, making a variety of experiences open for anyone to join as they see fit.

Even themes that are less directly related to the company can be effective in creating an entertaining atmosphere where guests will sincerely enjoy themselves. Tropical themes can give everyone an evening vacation in the middle of winter, or Mardi Gras can be chosen to emphasize fun and relaxation. Each of these themes, when performed down to the smallest detail, show attendees that they are appreciated for what they do, and simultaneously give employees a source of pride. The more impressive the display; the more memorable the anniversary.

Event Management As a Rewarding Career


By the term "Event Management", we mean it to be a process using which we plan a successful production and implementation of an event. As the importance of entertainment is gaining ground, so is the popularity of Event Management as a career and a full time business. For those interested in knowing more about this exciting career, read the details below.

Today, Event Management has grown into a full fledged industry. Business houses, large and small and even the middle class individuals compete with each other to make their event, whether it's a marriage, a birthday party, or a social gathering to be a memorable event which would be remembered for a long time. Theme Parties, Lights and Sound Shows and Musical Nites have become very popular today. For this purpose, people leave no stone unturned to hire the top Event Management companies. Sky rocketing budgets are allocated for this purpose to make the event a grand gala success. Event Management companies on the other hand plan the event in such a manner, so that there is no scope for failure.

Safety of the Event is of the paramount importance

When the reputation is at stake, the good Event Management companies never forget the safety aspect of the event. They take every risk such as fire, rain, unexpected power cuts etc into consideration, and take an insurance cover for the same. They have a backup plan for any unexpected eventuality. They know that in the event of the failure, there's not only the loss of face, the litigation costs too could be phenomenal.

Successful events don't happen by chance

It's certainly not a fluke to make the event a grand gala success. Elaborate detailed planning is involved for this purpose. Every minute detail, right from the purpose behind the event to the final implementation is planned in detail. All the pros and cons are weighed to avoid any hitch at the last moment. All this is done, because the stakes are very high. In case the event flops, it could result into huge financial losses.

Event Management as a Career

Event Management has turned out to be an exciting and a very rewarding career. But you just can't jump into the fray and start an Event Management company. In order to be successful, you require proper training in this field. Today many universities and institutes are offering degree or diploma in the field of Event Management on full time as well as part time basis. The course includes organizational skills, technical understanding, public relations, marketing, advertising, and catering. The course also includes study of logistics, glamour identity, human relations, law and licenses, risk management, and budgeting. Knowledge of related industries such as television, cinema, and other media also form a part of the curriculum. Some better universities have a tie up with the top business houses in this field, so that the students can get some work experience too. They have placement cells too, so that the brighter students get hired by the leaders in the field as soon as they finish the course.

The Growth of Event Management is Phenomenal

As the economies are opening up and the incomes are rising, the future of this business is very bright. People in the business and entertainment world organise some event or the other at regular intervals. If they want their events to be successful, the demand for Event Managers can never show a down trend.

Managing events is a very good way to develop a career in an industry that is on its crest of its development.

Corporate Companies Choose Barbecue Catering For Holiday Parties


Many corporate companies do it up big for the holidays. This is the time of year when companies choose to show their appreciation for their employees by throwing extravagant parties and events. Of course, these parties usually feature fancy food and are often catered by popular area restaurants.

The trend in catered food for the holidays has taken a turn in recent years though. Instead of seven course dinners, event planners are easing up on the formality a bit and instead opting for fun foods such as BBQ restaurant catering. Why break the more formal tradition?

BBQ Encourages People to Socialize

It's true! Barbecues remind us of family get togethers, backyard grills and summertime. Something about pulled pork sandwiches and potato salad just makes people want to relax, laugh and have a good time.

Corporate bosses really want their employees to have fun and keep morale high, so they are opting to have more laid back parties where there is barbecue catering and beer, rather than filet mignon and Champagne. The new take on the holiday party is more than welcome by employees who normally dread the more traditional staid holiday events each year.

Get Your Money's Worth And Act Fast

More and more businesses in recent years have had to start watching every penny spent. Luckily, BBQ restaurant catering is a more cost effective way of catering a party without compromising on the quality of food. Everyone loves BBQ, so employees are always happy, and businesses save money as well. Barbecue catering is considered a win-win choice because really, how many people would choose escargot over baby back ribs? And is there anything better than being elbow deep in sticky napkins and spicy BBQ sauce?

It is highly advised that if a business wants to hire a top BBQ restaurant catering business for their holiday event, they should consider booking the company in late summer at the latest. Since most holiday parties are given on a weekend, holiday dates fill up quickly for barbecue catering companies who are in demand. If a business waits too long to book their favorite barbecue catering company, they may not end up with their first, or even second pick and at this special time of year, no wants to disappoint!

No Clean Up

Besides being given the pleasure of seeing their employees have a great time while eating amazing barbecue with all the trimmings, businesses also love the fact that they do not have the responsibility of cleaning up afterwards. BBQ restaurant catering companies come to the location of the party, set up all the food, serve the food and drinks and then clean up afterwards. This saves employees from having to clean up, so they really can enjoy their evening off.

This year, instead of throwing a traditional corporate holiday party, consider barbecue catering instead. You'll save time and money, and employees will love the fun atmosphere and amazing food!

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Event Planning 101


One of the tools I use as a professional organizer are countdowns.

What exactly is a countdown? To put it simply, anytime a special event, party, or holiday is anticipated (okay maybe dreaded :), create a MASTER list of EVERYTHING you need to do.

For example, during the winter holidays, tasks such as- setting your table, gift buying, cooking, decorating, may be floating around in your head. "Oh yes, I can't forget to do x,y,z", sound familiar?

Transfer all of that mental clutter from your head onto a piece of paper. This is your MASTER to-do list.

Then, transfer each item on your MASTER list to a day in your calendar, sometime before the event. It will not be too hard to determine the necessary chronological order for each task. You may want to use something large like a wall calendar with post-it notes for the individual tasks. This way, if you cannot complete a task on the assigned day, you can move the post-it over to another day.

You now have DAILY and WEEKLY to-do lists and have just created a COUNTDOWN.

After creating your Master list, you may decide that you logistically cannot get it all done before the event. If this applies to you, decide to delegate, delete, or diminish some of your tasks. Do you really need to give a gift to every single one of your coworkers? Can you buy the jelly donuts instead of baking them-especially if you've never made jelly donuts before?

Event Planning Checklist Tips


The key to successful event planning is being resourceful and avoiding uncertainties. The more you research your available resources, the simpler it is to overcome any obstacles to your objectives and pull off the perfect social function.

When putting together any social function, business party, special event, or mini festival, you can't begin advertising or producing promotional material until you have chosen and contracted a fitting location. Likewise, it would be putting the cart before the horse, to sign up a speaker or book your entertainment before your event visions have been brought clearly into view.

Event Planning Tools

Preparing lists for the many planning stages is an excellent way to stay organized and accomplish your goals. A check list is an important tool for planning any event. Having one will increase your productivity and the chances of meeting your objectives. Some useful headings to use for your check list may be: Tasks, Notes, Due Dates, Activity/Items, Cost, Actual Cost, Questions, Completed, etc.

Whether your check list is on your website, laptop, PDA or or legal pad, it is important to constantly update and amend your list to comply with your changing needs.

Event Budgeting

It is important to scrutinize your actual costs as they emerge, and compare and prioritize them to reach your projected goals. Crucial to the process is having a budget. A budget is a written projection of your expected income and expenditures for a specific time frame. Such a tool is a dire necessity when overseeing financial projects, and a precise budget is your most valuable resource for making intelligent choices. Be sure to update your budget frequently.

Identify your profit sources so you can plan how and when the profit should be spent. Generally, there will only be a few sources of revenue: participants, sponsorship, reserves, and possibly your own private funds.

Event Venues

There is a large selection of event venues to choose from, so feel free to be creative! The hospitality industry thrives on meeting the specific needs of many different types of groups and individuals from all over the world.

When choosing a location, keep in mind that just because a site may seem quite impressive, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's out of your price range. Don't be intimidated. That classy location could end up being the perfect one for your special event.

Event Design

If catering to the upper crust is your intention, you might want to consider hiring one of those companies with the reputation for "doing it right". If this is not your objective, and you're planning a social or festive event, be sure that your theme design transforms the mood of your participants upon entering your affair.

To give an example, clowns riding on unicycles and handing out balloons would certainly put smiles on the faces of the guests to your festival. If you're planning an evening social affair, soft jazz and hors d'ourves might set the mood and encourage mingling and networking and so on.

Event Supplies

Remember that the quality of the supplies you choose for your event should befit the occasion and the caliber of the attending guests. At the same time, you have to stay within the constraints of your budget. This may require some shopping around. There are many items which can be rented for your occasion, such as tables and chairs, linens, audio visual equipment, portable toilets, etc.

Event Catering

Do not underestimate the importance of the culinary department. If catering is required for your event, give it your utmost attention because doing it correctly is so crucial to your success. For a black tie affair, fast foods would be out of the question, but for an outdoor picnic event or amphitheater show they would be quite appropriate.

Event Registration

If you use a third party vendor for registration services, be sure to check their references. Make sure that your contract provides that you own all of the collected data, that it is secure, and that nothing will be shared without your permission.

Protection of personal information is of primary concern when planning your event. Secure socket layer encryption for online information, and document shredders for actual paperwork, are key to the protection of privacy.

Many registration companies charge in the area of $4 per attendee, so sound judgement will certainly benefit your budget.

Event Lighting

The purpose of choosing appropriate lighting is to not only draw attention to show pieces and focal points, but to also provide a welcoming atmosphere at your event. There are many different types of lighting which can be employed to create the desired effects when lighting backgrounds and walkways, dining tables and buffets. Colored lights next to white spot lights can make clear distinctions, while holiday lighting, applied to landscaping and entrances, can create dramatic effects as well as insuring that the pathways are attractively lit.

If you plan meticulously, and pay close attention to details, your event is sure to be a success!

Unique Christmas Team Building Ideas Explored


Christmas Team building events provide the best opportunity to convey key messages or participate in Christmas team building activities. However, organizing Christmas parties doesn't costs time or fun. Here are the few Christmas team building ideas that can take you on board to fun world.

Perhaps, these are unique from what you usually see in Christmas corporate entertainment, so why not try these events this time for a change.

Sweet Like Chocolate: Creative games with constructive ideas always adds up more fun and enjoyment to the parties. This event's recipe has just two ingredients: loads of laughter and pounds of chocolate. So why not join us in a Christmas team building Chocolate war?

Chase your Christmas Treasure: This could be a fabulous extra topping to your Christmas team party night. Have fun chasing the treasure around the city in Christmas lights solving funky clues, cryptic photo hints and word game challenges, all in the shortest period possible. This just boosts up the team work, builds team relationships, encourages team work in problem solving and as a tip of the ice, you may include Christmas shopping too.

Christmas Cooking: This could be truly outstanding event to cook for the colleagues a Christmas meal with five courses. This particular event encourages team work with full laughter and fun around the kitchen. Perhaps the team will have a full access to a complete kitchen equipped with all the ingredients needed for an outstanding meal.

Christmas Filming: Turn on your creative brains along with your digital cameras, and switch on the lights to start the action! The team will have to do editing, pros, background sounds, digital set up and everything a film requires, the team will work together sharing the chores of writing, directing, camera, and acting.

Ice Events: Create a snow world programme themed with artificial or real ice and snow with related tasks to do. This can be either indoor or outdoor depending on what you like to have.

Go Quaffer: The most popular of all Christmas corporate entertainment, the wine challenge could be full of fun that can help to build teams with mild competitions of games based on wine challenges.

No Carbon Tasks: Majority of the corporate teams have become more cautious about the carbon footprint the next day in their offices. There are variety of team building activities that are more nature friendly absorbing carbon gases than emitting during a team building experience.

After A Business Merger, Document Management Systems Allow Companies To Adapt To Their New Situation


Corporate mergers are often first heard about through internal rumours. This can have a negative effect on workers as it triggers a sense of generalised uncertainty. In the best of cases, the required adjustments will not include letting off staff, but will bring about major changes for a company's employees, such as different supervisors, relocated colleagues, modified working conditions and even other technological tools.

Most companies involved in this adaptation process do not efficiently communicate the changes to their staff, and, as a result, concerned employees do not know what to expect. These organizations also run the risk of having some workers beginning to pursue other opportunities with the competition, which could prove to be an important loss in valuable human capital that has been trained by the company over years.

Some studies suggest that a lack of trust from corporate managers is one of the main reasons why mergers were stalled in 2011. This occurred mainly in the Euro zone. On the one hand, it is obvious that the current situation would generate suspicion among investors and executives, which affects their decision to perform complex transactions such as mergers. Secondly, this distrust seriously affects external debt financing, because banks are also becoming more stringent when granting credit.

Once the initial phase of adjustments has been passed, it is time for the new departments to re-establish their working procedures and redistribute their tasks. This is where document management software systems come in, by providing a solid working environments and facilitating overall business production.

Back to normal

In an abnormal and uncertain situation brought about by a merger, most staff members are eager to get back to normal. This will be easier to achieve if employees can continue using the technological tools of one or more of the merged firms or if at least one of the firms used virtual environments before the merger. In this scenario, document management systems enable the newly created organization to access both shared resources and the general information. This software would also unify business documents, reduce response times and speed up business processes. Finally, efficient document management helps to establish the new corporate identity, both externally and internally, to the bewildered workers.

Full preservation of data is another key aspect in which document management systems contribute positively, ensuring both the maintenance and the confidentiality of the information. Data preservation avoids loss of documents, prevents employees from having to perform the same tasks twice, and allows organizations to rapidly adapt to new situations if needed, since previously establishes deadlines can be rapidly met.

In addition, document management systems play a critical role in controlling which users or departments are authorized to access certain information. This means that only a select amount of people can access data about the real situation of a project, inside their office and also outside through their mobile devices.

Dealing with business risks

Any company, regardless of its size, should consider that all of the production processes may be affected by a technological risk. Obviously, the larger the volume the greater the impact on both the structural and the economic aspects.

A merger is a good opportunity for companies to implement a business strategy focused on the prevention of technological risks, although the best option for any type of organization would be to apply a business strategy at its foundation.

According to the Global Survey of I.T. Risk, by IBM and The Economist, generally, firms are not sufficiently prepared to take on risks and only one half of the survey respondents has a Risk Management department. In fact, most companies still perceive I.T. risks to be a unique situation that only affects I.T. However, they do not realize that it is part of the entire risk framework and therefore presents a risk to the entire organization.

There has been an increasing interest in technological risk management, which is largely motivated by the existing legislation. However, this notion must be further integrated so that companies perceive I.T. as being as vital as production.

Businesses must make sure to consider I.T. risks from the start and not to wait until a mishap occurs. Risk strategy must be considered as a business strategy and cannot be isolated from other departments or other aspects conceived as being potentially dangerous.

In this aspect, there is still a long way to go. Corporate managers must be aware that risks in I.T. should be treated as high priority. Meanwhile, manufacturers of document technology software, and particularly developers of document management systems, must assume their role in helping these organizations understand the real risks that I.T. may face. That is, they should help them understand the value of I.T. and of the different components that make up the company's architecture. This will help them to detect the right moment for transforming their architecture when necessary. In short, it means helping clients understand and alleviating some of the technological risks.

Corporate Events - Picking a Venue


If you have been tasked with organising a seminar or conference for your company then it is more than understandable if it seems to you like a somewhat daunting task. Not only have you been charged with managing every aspect of what is already a reasonably complex event, but before all this can be taken care of you need to find a suitable venue in which it can take place.

The most effective conference venues will be well equipped and well laid out. Not only this but they should also have a good selection of chairs, tables and furniture for your attendees use. If your conference is well organised then those in attendance will come away having had a positive experience and recommend it in future. With that in mind here are a few useful hints as to what to look for in a suitable conference venue.

One of the most important aspects of any potential venue is that is has a good atmosphere to it. If your conference location exudes a positive atmosphere then this will have a beneficial effect on on the delegates and contribute to the overall experience of the event. You may wish to use suitable technical equipment in order to add an extra visual element to the atmosphere.

The rooms available in the venue should of course suit the needs of your conference. The room you choose must be able to accommodate enough furniture and equipment depending on the type of conference that you will be hosting. It is for this reason that hotels are quite often a popular choice for these types of event as not only will they likely be able to offer catering to the attendees but they will also have suitable audio visual equipment on hand for whatever presentation purposes you may required. When drawing up a shortlist of potential venues then remember to ask what sort of facilities each location has available as this will be a key part in your decision making process. Any venue that is able to take some of the hard work off your hands will clearly be more desirable than one that cannot.

Delegates are likely to be attending your event with their laptops. It is with this in mind that you should also check that the venue has a suitable wireless internet connection available. Even if the venue does have this facility available you should enquire as to whether their connection will be able to cope with the volume of people you are expecting to attend.

As mentioned it is also important that your event is well catered. Your attendees should be well fed, especially if the conference is likely to go on for at least a day. Poor food is where many conferences can do themselves an injustice. You may think this a trivial affair but no matter how good the conference presentations themselves are, poor catering will literally leave a poor taste in the mouth of your attendees. You should make the most of any opportunity to leave a lasting impression and the last thing you will want to do is fall down on something as basic as the food.

All About Wedding Event Planning


If you are in charge of being the event planning specialist for a wedding reception, wedding rehearsal, or something else that goes along with being involved with the wedding then chances are that you know it is a huge responsibility. Not only are the bride and the groom counting on you to make sure that every aspect of their wedding reception goes smoothly, but all of your event planning skills are being relied upon for the success of the whole event! Even though not many people will realize if a specific faux pax is made on your part throughout the reception or wedding event because it may be so small in nature, chances are that you realized that you have messed up. Here are some things about wedding event planning that you should know about in order to create the perfect wedding reception, rehearsal dinner, and coordinating the cleanup efforts afterwards as well!

The Bride and the Groom

Even though the person charged with event planning for the wedding reception or the rehearsal dinner may feel overwhelmed at the great responsibility that he or she has, an important thing for the event planner to realize is that the wedding and everything pertaining to the wedding is all about the bride and the groom. Even though a lot of what's going on will feel like it has to do with the event planner him or her self, chances are that it will only feel that way because there is added pressure on the individual to make sure that things go off without a hitch!

Coordinating the Rehearsal Dinner

The rehearsal is just one aspect about wedding event planning that definitely should not be taken lightly! Even though all of the wedding attendants are not required to go to the rehearsal dinner for the bride and the groom, it would be a good idea if the wedding event planner were to convince everyone to attend! In addition, another very important thing that must be thought about when it comes to the wedding rehearsal dinner is where it will be held, what food will be eaten, and how long it should last. Of course, a lot of these things will be chosen by the bride and the groom itself, but the wedding event planner will obviously have to help them make some of the more important decisions, such as where it will be held and also to make sure the reservations are in place!

A Successful Wedding Reception

Perhaps the best thing about event planning for a wedding is witnessing the marriage ceremony and wedding reception to make sure that it all happens successfully with no real downfalls! The wedding reception is an important part of this; making sure that the bride and the groom have agreed upon the food that will be there, what type of cake they'll have, and where it will be held are very crucial issues to making sure everyone is satisfied! In the end, however, it all comes back to realizing that the whole wedding event is about the bride and the groom, and that is the secret to making sure that your wedding event planning efforts don't go to waste!

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

12 Questions to Ask About the Arrival of Your Guests At Your Special Event


The beginning of an event when your guests arrive is one of the most crucial times. What your guests experience during their arrival will set the tone for the rest of the event. If your guests have a negative experience even before they get in the door, it will be hard for them to enjoy your event.

Asking - and answering - the following questions will ensure that your event gets off on the right foot:


  1. What will the weather be like on the day of the event? Each season brings its own weather, and you should factor that into the planning of your event.

  2. What is the arrival area like? What is will your guests' first impression be when they arrive outside the venue? Is it clean?

  3. Is there a convenient drop-off point at the venue? Make sure access to the drop-off point is easy and suitable for everyone. Assume the weather on the day of your event will be bad and that your guests will want to drop off passengers. Are there any traffic or safety considerations? You may want to consider having someone control traffic. If you are using buses or limos, you should make sure the drop off point is suitable.

  4. Is the entrance covered? Again, assume the worst when it comes to weather. If the entrance is not covered, should you have people stationed with umbrellas to keep your guests dry?

  5. Whose responsibility is it to keep walkways clear of ice, snow, slush, or puddles? Make it clear to your venue that this is important to you. Ensure that non-slip carpeting is in place where it is needed.

  6. Is the entrance wheelchair accessible?

  7. Who will greet your guests? Does the venue provide a doorman? How will they be dressed? What will they say? Will they expect a tip? Don't rely on corporate volunteers. They will often be called away, and you really need someone stationed permanently at the entrance to your event. Rely on professional staff.

  8. Are there adequate signs for the event? Will your guests know where to go? Where to park? Do the signs make it clear that it is a private party? Are the signs attractive and professional looking?

  9. How will the suppliers of an event be entering the building? Will they be coming in and out of the same doors as your guests? Where are the loading docks and freight elevators? When will the suppliers be arriving?

  10. Where is the coat check located? Will there be traffic flow problems? Will it be adequately staffed at the beginning and end of the event? How many coats can the coat check hold? What about umbrellas, briefcases, and boots? How secure is it?

  11. What fanfare will your guests arrive to? Fanfare is more than a blast of trumpets. It is anything that impacts the arrival atmosphere. For example, a red carpet and search lights that sweep the sky create a sense of excitement at a fancy ball. Give some thought to creating energy in the arrival area.

  12. Do guests have to register upon arrival? Where will the table be located? Who will staff it? How long will it take to process each guest? How can you make this process faster?

By answering these twelve questions, you can ensure that your corporate event starts off right and that your guests are in a great mood at the beginning of your event.

Event Planners Put the Spotlight on Safety, Security, and Cleanliness


If you've ever attended a conference, a trade show, or a festival of any kind, you know how exciting it could be to gather with so many other people sharing in common interests. Some fairgrounds are up to 5 million square feet in size, like the one in Hannover, Germany. Some festivals have roughly 1 million people in attendance, like the Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Some conferences stretch over several venues and dozens of exhibition halls, like the annual Consumer Electronics Association in Las Vegas. In all of these events, it is important for average attendees to be able to enjoy themselves without having to worry about their safety, security or health.

It is therefore up to the careful planning of an event coordinator to look after all of these details before and during the events so that we can focus on making connections, exploring new products, or enjoying festivities. The work of the event planner consists of a huge variety of tasks, ranging from contracts, budgets, scheduling and transportation. But perhaps none are as important as the ensuring that everyone in attendance can feel safe, know that they are secure, and have access to a clean and healthy environment.

This is the reason that for anyone enrolled in event planning classes, they should expect a good deal of their education to cover these topics. Here are some of the details surrounding these subjects:

Safety

There are lots of safety concerns where large amounts of people are gathered in confined spaces. The most important thing is proper procedure in case of a fire hazard situation. Emergency exits should be plenty and well positioned throughout the space. The signs for the emergency exits should be very clear and very numerous. The exist themselves should be wide and have very quick access to the outside or other safe zones. In case of a fire emergency, event employees should be trained to help people exit without causing any panic or stampeding. Electrical systems and sprinkler systems should also be checked and maintained.

Security

Properly trained security guards should be hired for the events and given plenty of advanced training as to event schedules, floor plans, and possible situations specific to that kind of event. They should be alerted to any potential targets, like celebrities, for extra attention.

Health and Sanitation

All food and drink sold or distributed at an event should be inspected and approved. Regular cleaning crews should operate at all times, especially in food or restroom areas. Smoking should be prohibited, or limited to designated areas. Good ventilation for indoor events should be approved. First aid and hydration stations for indoor and outdoor events should be implemented.

An event planner might not be directly responsible for every detail of the above concerns, but should have the knowledge and capability to oversee all those who do. With so many people gathering for business or for entertainment, their well-being might not be the first thing on their minds, but it should be the first part of the plan.

How Team Building Events Can Make Your Organization More Effective


If you own a company, you are probably always trying to use your resources to become more profitable and become the best company possible. So much time and effort is spent trying to research where the market is moving before spending any money on marketing. It can be very frustrating at times. This is especially true when we still have to manage day-to-day operations. Fortunately corporate team building programs and events can help you achieve your short and long goals for your business become more efficient and effective.

Why Corporate Team Building?

Basically, because corporate team building event is an event that includes your employees- the entire staff or single departments- with the end goal of better communication for enhanced company productivity and efficiency. The events typically occur at external locations such as retreats, conference halls and hotels, and create a team-playing environment for employees through games, and problem solving activities. Studies show time and time again that employees involved in corporate team building events come back to work noticeably more productive, enthusiastic, and overall happier.

Team-building Enhances the Efficiency for Your Business

One of the biggest goals and typical outcomes for businesses and organizations that enlist in one of these corporate team building events is enhanced efficiency. Your business can have the most up to date equipment, the newest technology, the best employees and the best product possible for your prospective customer. However, if your employees do not know how to effectively work as a team, your company's objectives and overall efficiency will greatly suffer.

So, how do these corporate team building programs, events, and retreats teach your employee workforce how to better communicate in a day, weekend, or week? First, like any business or service, the professionals involved in corporate team building programs have been trained in personal communications. They know the basic personality profiles that make up any sample group of people, and can therefore use this to work with your employees in order to unite them. The team building activities, games, etc. that they use have been tried and proven to best connect your team through better communication.

More Effective Communication

Your employees communicate on a daily basis amongst themselves, but, because of human nature, they may be subconsciously communicating with stereotypes, negative perceptions, and grudges that only serve to break down effective communication. This breaks down the efficiency and productivity of your entire business. Team building events teach your employees, through games and activities, how to trust, depend upon, and better communicate with their fellow employees. In this way, they can better contribute to the efficient success of your company.

Improved Employee Morale

Corporate team building events can also improve your company's efficiency through boosting employee morale. Studies have shown that making people feel more connected at work to fellow employees dramatically enhances how people feel about themselves and their place in the company. Furthermore, it makes your employees feel like they are a vital part of the overall success of the company.

Improved Problem Solving Skills

Many corporate team-building workshops contain activities that bring the participates together to solve a challenge or puzzle. This is an effective way to reinforce the employees need to look at business challenges in a healthy way and not in the typical, "we're all doomed" attitude. Teams work to find the best collaborative solution to problems and challenges. Once the solution is found, the teams feels a strong sense of accomplishment, and are more willing to take on future challenges with a confidence they have never shown before.

If you are interested in a Corporate Team-Building Event, contact us at http://www.magnovo.com or call us at 1-800- 861-TEAM (8326)

3 Top Unique Places to Host a Conference


Organizing a conference is not a cake walk. It requires a lot of proper planning and strategic thinking on the part of the organizers. The most challenging task however remains in venue selection. Choosing a suitable venue is important as it not only reflects your organization's professionalism but also helps you to make the right impression. You must keep few things in mind while selecting a venue for your conference. The first and foremost thing that you need to keep in mind is your venue location. Choosing a prime location ensures easy commutation. Besides, your selected venue must be able to easily accommodate all.

You can however think a bit differently by choosing unique venues options that will help you to make an ever lasting impression. Instead of choosing the conventional venue spots why don't you try something innovative by organizing your conference in an historic building, art gallery or museums? Let me now give you quick look at some of these venues:

Buildings with a History

To give a competitive edge you can think of such kinds of buildings as a venue for your conference. Nowadays, most of these buildings have opened their doors to organizers for hosting events. Since the buildings have a historical look and feel so it also makes the conference experience memorable among the employees. If you are unable to find it then you can seek the help of a venue finder agency.

Museums or Art Galleries

Another great venue option can be museums or art galleries. There are many museums as well as art galleries that allow you to organize events. You just need to consult the venue finder agency to locate an ideal one to make that suits your needs. Some of them also provide special dining facilities. With museums or art galleries as your venue options your conference can be an instant hit and thereby help you in earning good reviews.

Farm Houses

Though choosing farm houses as conference venue will require you arrange for transportation as most farm houses are located in the outskirts of the city. But the efforts are worth the price. There are many farm houses that are especially designed for conducting conferences. Some of the farm houses have exquisite location that can instantly impress your delegates. If you however cannot get hold of one, you can any time look forward to the venue finder agencies for help.

Choosing the venue is as important as organizing a conference. The right choice of venue not only leads to maximum attendee turnouts but also leads to your events success.