Sesame Street Party Favors That Will Delight Your Guests Even After Your Party Is Over

The Sesame Street gang is extremely popular among children and therefore, it's very often considered as a theme for hosting kids birthday parties. If your child happens to be a fan of this expressive and educational show, consider hosting a Sesame Street birthday party for him. Apart from creating a festive atmosphere and organizing some educational activities for the little ones, you need to give away some extraordinary favors that will let your guests have fun even after your party is over. Here are some Sesame Street birthday supplies that would be a valuable addition to your party bags.

Bert's Bouncing Balls

The Sesame Street audiences are mostly kids aged 2 to 8. Therefore, a bounce ball would be a perfect age-specific favor for them. Give away individually wrapped bounce ball and name them as Bert's Bounce balls.

Bert's Goldfish

Bert's pet goldfish Lyle and Talbot are perfect favors for slightly grown-up kids. Buy two goldfish, put them in glass jars, and tell your guests that Bert has asked you to take care of his pets. These fish are sure to keep reminding your guests about the fun time they had at your party.

Cookie monster cookies

Edible favors are always a big hit among the little ones. So dedicate some of your Sesame Street birthday party to cookie monster by giving away cookies. Either buy them from your nearby bakery or make cookie monster shaped cookies at home. Wrap them individually to give them a special look.

Play dough

The little ones attending your party would enjoy molding the dough and coming up with creative shapes; therefore, play dough is an ideal favor for your party. This non-toxic modeling clay is sure to keep them busy for days to come.

Crayons and coloring books

Since Big Bird loves coloring, crayons will be wonderful favor bag fillers for your party. Depending on your budget, you can also include a Sesame Street coloring book along with a pack of crayon in each of the bags. Use them to organize a coloring activity and, later, give them away as favors. Tell your guests that their favorite Big Bird wants them to color these pages as neatly as possible.

Finger puppets

This is sure to be an extra special treat for your little guests. Add these Sesame Street finger puppets to your favor bags and let the kids enjoy the company of their favorite character for months to come.

While assorting your favor bags, make sure you choose age-appropriate Sesame Street birthday supplies that fit well in your budget. This way you will be able to assort the perfect favor bags for your little guests.

Party Planning and Management Business: How Can You Succeed?

Getting ready to host a party? If you are all nerves at the moment and totally stressed out, remember you are not alone. The event planning and management business is quite daunting. Which venue you will book? What will be the decoration and party theme? What kind of menu will you serve? Besides, large corporate organizations mandatorily insist on an attendee registration process which also needs to be taken care of.

While you have no other option but to decide which location to book for the party or what sort of menu would you like to go with; you do have a choice to automate processes such as: registration, payment collection, marketing and communication with the would-be guests.

Let's discuss in detail how such administrative tasks can be mechanically managed.

Registration

It is an important element of any successful venture. Registration processes are strictly followed by companies throwing a party, conference, business dinner, seminar, etc. to keep a track of the number of people attending the event over a period of time. Online event registration solution enables you to create as many registration forms as you require over the internet in much less time than what you would utilize designing hard-copy forms. People living in far off places can easily access a soft-copy form by simply clicking on the event registration hyperlink as provided by you on your social media profile pages or via email invitations.

Online Two-way Communication

Event planning and management solutions come integrated with an emailing service that lets event planners send out hundreds of emails at one go. From simple party invitations to complex marketing campaigns, you can create anything and everything providing a platform for instant two-way communication with potential event attendees. According to expert findings, emails leads to higher response rates and an immediate call to action. Email is delivered almost in real time and does not succumb to physical delays or misplacements as in the case of hard copy letters.

Creating Greater Conversions

Social media promotions are paving the way towards greater conversion rates and lead generation for businesses worldwide. You can therefore start marketing your parties well in advance on several social media sites to create the hype and increase the element of interest in the party. Simultaneously, promote your events by posting online event registration link on your website and blog.

Easy Payment Collection

Easily accept any kind of payments virtually using an online payment management solution. It allows you to collect transfer funds using credit cards and similar payment gateways as authorized by you for usage by your party registrants.

The Best Team Building Idea Secret Is to Create Lots of Energy and Enthusiasm

If you are looking for a fantastic team building idea or a secret to conducting a great team building event, the best piece of wisdom I have ever come across is the importance of energy and enthusiasm. Often times, event planners or people who are organizing a convention or annual event will hire a professional team building expert to facilitate some type of team building activity, but if you have a smaller group of people, how can you get the same type of results without breaking your budget? The key is to create a team building activity that does three things. First, the activity has to insert energy into your meeting. Second, you have to facilitate in a way that everyone stays active and involved the entire time. And finally, the activity or event must create some type of emotional response from the participants.

Team Building Events Must Insert Energy into Your Meeting

The easiest way to insert energy into an event or meeting is to get the audience involved in some type of physical activity. The longer that participants are standing around (or worse, sitting down) doing nothing or listening to the facilitator speak, the more bored they will become and the less energy will be in the room. Many facilitators will try to use questions to the audience as a way to get them involved, but this can backfire pretty quickly (especially in a larger group). The reason why is that only one participant at a time will be able to respond, so most everyone else is still just listening. One of my favorite ways to push energy into the team building activity is to use the dividing into teams as a way to get people moving around and communicating. For instance, if you have a huge group of people, instead, planners will often put team numbers on nametags, etc. so that dividing into groups is much easier. Most often, the planner will then number all of the tables so that as participants enter the room, the organizer themselves by table numbers. You can do something similar, though, and insert a lot more energy by hiding the numbers and just letting people know when they enter the room that they can move to any table. Once everyone is in the room, just announce that their first challenge is to find their group, so, "Go find the team mates that have your same number." The energy in the room erupts immediately, and the group is now more open to doing more activities.

Keep Everyone Involved and Active

Once you have the energy up in the room, you will want to keep everyone involved in the activities in order to keep the energy (and fun) high. This is absolutely the hardest thing to do throughout the entire program, but it is also the most critical. The key to making this happen is to create activities that require the participants to work together. For instance, philanthropic team building is very popular now, and one type of team building event is where participants build bicycles for needy kids. Quite often, organizers will think that the building of the bikes is the most important part of the event, but they mistakenly forget that building bikes (or really doing any type of physical activity) by itself is not much fun. If you just organize your teams into small groups and tell them to build bikes, one or two people in each group will jump in and start putting the pieces together, while the rest stand around and watch. So, at any given moment in the event, two-thirds to three-quarters of all of the people in the room will be standing around doing nothing. Instead, you'll want to combine activities that involve more people such as adding in some type of task that groups need to complete to earn each part. The key to making this work is to scan the room during the event and look specifically for people watching versus participating. If you have a lot of the former, make sure and add additional tasks to the activity.

Create Some Type of Emotional Response from the Team Activity

Interestingly enough, the type of emotional response doesn't really matter as much as the presence of the emotion. For instance, in the charity team building event mentioned above, the giving of the bicycle to the kids at the end of the event creates an incredibly emotional and memorable ending to the event. However, sometimes the emotion that facilitators are trying to create is pure competition. A race or a contest can add energy to an event. (Although, this is tricky because competition among teammates can often hamper team building versus building teamwork.) Sometimes, anger and frustration can increase the energy in a surprisingly positive way. For instance, in some team events, the rules are not always known to every participant so as teams keep trying and not succeeding, the frustration builds. But just like any challenging puzzle, once it is conquered, a feeling of pride and satisfaction replaces the frustration.

Think about the old Rubik's Cube from the 1980's. That one puzzle caused a lot of frustration, but once people started to solve it, they got fantastic pride out of sharing the "secret" with their friends who were unaware of the solution. Every time the secret was passed from one person to the next that pride of accomplishment passed with it. The same thing can actually happen in a good team building event as well.

Regardless of what type of team building activity you decide on, make sure to focus most of your time on keeping the energy high throughout the event. Use activity to insert energy into your meeting. Organize the activities to try to keep everyone involved all of the time. And finally, create some type of emotional memory during the event so that at the conclusion, participants say, "That was a lot of fun! I'm glad I participated."

Fundraising Event Planning Checklist

There are thousands of approaches to raising funds. There isn't a single formula that works for everybody. To a great degree, the success of a fundraising event depends on the ability of the organizers to plan and be flexible enough to change aspects of their plans once needed. Regardless of the motives and reasons of event organizers, the fact still remains that the single most common denominator of all fundraising events is that they are aimed at producing profit. Therefore, it is important to be able to plan ever phase of the event vigorously. Detailed planning is difficult. Most especially in this difficult time, it's hard for people to shelf off any amount. This is the challenge faced by any fundraising event. There is no mythical formula that ensures success of any fundraising event. But there are commonalities in successful fundraising events that are worth investigating and implementing.

The following tips are discussed in hopes that it will provide valuable information in helping you plan your own fundraising event.

1. Know and set your goals: Planning starts with setting goals.
Before an effective plan is always goal in which all efforts are directed to. It helps when you are able to determine exactly what you want to achieve after the fundraising event ends. It doesn't only provide motivation for the people working on the event; it also provides a sense of purpose. Goals also help in keeping every activity in check. It will help determine which activities are necessary. Additionally, it points out what relevant options and alternatives the group can choose from when difficulties arise.

2. Meet with the team and Organize tasks
No one man team can ever conduct a successful fundraising event. In one way or another, you will be needing help from people who have different skills and areas of expertise. Therefore, it is important to solicit help from people who may not be necessarily skillful but willing and committed to the task they will be assigned to. Moreover, it is equally important to be able to identify which task needs to be accomplished first. In short, different tasks should be organized sequentially and systematically; which brings us to our next step.

3. Delegate tasks
Each member of the team must be given a task that they can handle. This is called proper delegation. Avoid delegating too much or too less of a task to members of the team. It is advisable to ask the members which tasks they prefer or they are more comfortable with. However, this is not true all the time. In some instances, some task will not be preferred by anyone in the team. Hence, it is important to remind the members that the possibility of being assigned to a task that they may not like is probable.

4. Evaluate Plan
Equally vital to the plan in itself, is its evaluation. In every aspect of the plan, it should always be evaluated. Asking yourselves questions like "Is the plan feasible?", "Does it coincide with the goal?" and "is it working?" will help you greatly in the evaluation of your plan. Evaluating the plan will help you determine which plans are in need of revision.

The checklist discussed above doesn't provide solutions to every problem that you might encounter during the planning phase of conducting your own fundraising event I, however, hope that in my own simple way could extend a little help to you fundraising event planning.

The Link Between Successful Business Strategy and Leadership

Do you sometimes wonder why some companies in an industry succeed and others fail? When strategies look similar between companies, why do some perform better than others?

It may be natural for companies to think that their strategy is missing the mark but that probably isn't the case. Over the last 20 years companies have spent an increasing percentage of their management time developing strategic plans. However many of them have found that they have not achieved the results that they expected from those plans. In fact, many plans are prepared but sit on the shelf awaiting the next revision.

Companies' weak performance is not in fact because they have weak strategic plans; it's because they haven't implemented those plans in an effective manner.

According to recent studies:

• Between 70% and 90% of organizations that have formulated strategies fail to execute them.

• A Fortune Magazine study has shown that 7 out of 10 CEOs who fail do so not because of bad strategy, but because of bad execution.

• In another study of Times 1000 companies, 80% of directors said they had the right strategies but only 14% thought they were implementing them well.

• Only 1 in 3 companies, in their own assessment, were achieving significant strategic success.

Research published by the Harvard Business Review shows that on average, companies deliver only 63% of the performance that is anticipated in their strategic plans.

One problem seen by this study is that less than 15% of companies regularly compare their business performance against their strategic plan. Harvard's survey demonstrates a sequence of events that causes companies to fail:

• Strategies are approved but poorly communicated.

• The lack of communication makes the translation of strategy into specific action all but impossible.

• Lower levels in an organization don't know what they need to do, when they need to do it or what resources are required.

• As a result, expected results never materialize and since management doesn't review old plans, no one is held accountable for the results and the cycle of underperformance gets repeated.

What is going wrong here? Why are strategies poorly communicated? Why aren't action plans developed? Why don't employees know what they should be doing? Why aren't people being held accountable?

Strategic plans aren't being implemented due to a lack of leadership.

Why is there a problem?

The nature of work being performed by companies has changed. Over the last 30 years we have moved from a manufacturing and resource driven economy to one that is significantly service oriented.

Many firms are now driven by intellectual capital.

Baruch Lev of the Brookings Institute has undertaken significant research in this area. His studies found that in 1982, 62% of the market value of public firms could be attributed to tangible assets and only 38% to intangible assets. In 1998 with the rise of the knowledge-based economy, only 15% of the market value of public firms could be attributed to tangible assets and fully 85% could be attributed to intangible assets.

Thirty years ago as a business owner if you ran a manufacturing oriented business it was much simpler to execute on your strategy. Your manufacturing plant would have reported a significant variety of information on its inputs, outputs, production, and inventory etc., all without the extensive use of computerization. Your plant could be finely tuned to produce value economically for customers.

Nowadays, as a business owner it is likely that your business is based on the creativity and knowledge of your people. This intellectual capital is much more difficult to measure and manage that a manufacturing environment.

Business doesn't have the dials, levers, and controls over intellectual capital that that it did in a manufacturing environment.

Another reason that companies have difficulty implementing strategy is that it is a cross functional, multi-disciplinary process. It requires the involvement of marketing, sales, operations, finance and information technology and cannot be approached from the perspective of one discipline only. In order to get the plans for one department such as marketing implemented in an effective manner, it will require the involvement of other departments such as finance and IT. The co-ordination of strategic implementation among different departments within a company is frequently a challenge as each one of the departments does not normally understand the requirements for success of any other department.

But of all of the issues with strategic implementation, perhaps the greatest is that of leadership. A leader's job is to set the vision, communicate the vision and motivate employees to achieve the vision. A weak leader may be able to set the vision but implementation of that vision requires good communication skills and the ability to motivate people effectively.

Strategy implementation is the single greatest problem and the single greatest opportunity facing businesses today. Improving leadership is the key to solving that problem.

How a Wedding Planner Can Make Your Wedding Event a Grand Success

A Wedding Planner is a professional who plans and organizes weddings. The planner looks after the services and supplies required for the wedding. The wedding planner also negotiates contracts with companies, who provide supplies and services for the wedding. A wedding planner is the person who makes sure that the wedding event is smooth and without any hiccups.

Planning for a wedding can be quite taxing and needs a lot of effort from everyone involved in the planning and organizing process. A lot of arrangement is required for a wedding and it sometimes becomes difficult to manage everything perfectly. However, a wedding is such an event that comes once in one's life, so it becomes that much more important to make it a success.

To make their weddings a grand success, couples are hiring the services of wedding planners, who excel in making the wedding event a memorable experience for the bride and groom as well as for the people attending the wedding.

Some of the things that a wedding planner does are:

* Interviewing the couple and their family - It is necessary for the planner to know exactly how the groom and bride and their families want the wedding affair to be conducted. So, it requires the planner to sit with them and discuss the various possibilities and options that they would like to be included in the wedding.

* Budget preparation - This is the most important factor of a wedding and the planner has to make sure that the money delegated for each aspect ultimately produces the desired results.

* Wedding Attires - The planner has the added responsibility of getting the clothes to be worn by the bride and groom in the wedding and in some cases for a couple of days running up to the gala event.

* Planning detailed checklist - A checklist is quite crucial for any event and more so for a wedding, as one has to take care of every single detail. The checklist serves as a helpful tool to manage the whole event.

* Attendee list preparation - A planner's job also involves preparing the attendee list for the wedding day plus the planner is supposed to send the attendees an invitation for the wedding.

* Identifying Event venue - The planner is also required to assist the client in deciding the venue for the event and once the choice is made, he/she has to do the booking of the venue.

* Identifying and hiring services of wedding professionals - A planner is also responsible to arrange for the caterers, videographers, florists, photographers, beauticians, bakers along with the coordinators required for both the bride and groom on their wedding day. The planner also does the negotiations and executions of the contracts.

* Coordination of deliveries/services on the wedding day - On the wedding day, a planner has his/her work cutout with the requirement of proper coordination and delivery of supplies.

* Contingency Plan - A planner must prepare a contingency plan in case of any glitch that might happen on the wedding day.

Brides can search for professional wedding planners, who could provide the services one is looking for online. Brides can also compare between the services provided and the pricing among available planners and then settle for the one who fits the bill.

Party Catering Services for You

There are a ton of positive things that life has to offer, and celebrating something that is significant to you is one of them. The only thing that most people are hesitant about when it comes to hosting a party is having to deal with arranging all of the plans for the occasion on their own. This is where party catering services can help you.

Party catering is available in many towns and cities all around the world. People choose to hold functions for many different reasons, and in most cases a lot of the planning, food preparation and decorating is left for the host of the party to do. Being a party host should not have to be a difficult task, and with the assistance of catering it no longer has to be.

By choosing to hire party caterers, the only thing that you as the host will have to do is make several individual choices about what you want at your party, and set a budget for the event that you are organizing. You will work side by side with the service that you decide to employ to ensure that the event that you are holding will be successful in all attributes. Once you have made all of the crucial decisions about what you want to have at your party, you will be able to sit back and actually enjoy the event when the big day comes.

While you are enjoying the time that you are having with your guests, the party catering service that you employed will be doing all of the work for you, ensuring that all of your wishes are met. There are many different types of parties that party catering services can assist with. The parties can be anything from a basic birthday celebration, weddings, and even corporate events.

A lot of the party catering services have different services that party organizers can pick between. You can choose to add on additional services, such as music, balloons, or even bubble shows. There are some party catering services, that offer themed parties upon request. Regardless if you choose to have a theme for your party or not, you will be able to speak with an event organizer that will help you plan the best party that you have ever thrown.

The event planner can help you make excellent choices when it comes to choosing the services that you would like to have at your party. The event planners will make recommendations that you may want to include at the event as well. The main intent of the party catering service is to ensure that the host of the party and the guests that are attending the party have an outstanding time while at the event.

If you will be hosting a party in the near future, do not hesitate to contact party catering services to assist you with the plans for the party, the entertainment, and of course the food. Research various companies to try to locate a company that is going to adhere to your budget demands and your party demands.

Corporate Event Planning and Corporate Culture

Team building, leadership quality, and different management skills are what most corporations are concerned about. Driven by a motive to maximize the out-put from the employees, corporate events are planned to hone these skills of their employees. Indoor and outdoor corporate events are designed in a way that is entertaining as well as rewarding for learning experiences.

Corporations take their entertainment part seriously. Due to this event, managers have prepared to accommodate their corporate event entertainment in their portfolios. Tour operators and vacation operators are increasingly eager to cater to corporate event entertainment. Simply having a dinner to the accompaniment of music and dance is only a part of what is offered for corporate entertainment. Many facets are included in corporate event entertainment. To develop the quality of risk a company may decide to send its top management on a sky diving trip. Alternatively, if the idea is to develop a sense of humor for its customer service department a company may plan for screening of comedy movies, jokes by stand up comedians and workshops to encourage the participants to narrate humorous incidents, among other things.

Corporations are aware that their culture is instrumental in deciding their productivity and profit as much as their product. Most of the corporate events are aimed at instilling a desired culture or acquaint new staff to the existing culture. So when a merger takes place, it becomes necessary for the weaker company to be acclimatized to the acquiring company's culture. This can be done easily through entertainment rather than passing strict official rules that may be met with resistance. In addition, what better way to get to know one's colleagues than through fun events?

Magicians, clowns, jugglers, balloon artists, stilt walkers, dance instructors, caricaturists all can be part of a corporate event. Interactive comedy shows are now a rage in corporate event entertainment circles. The variety of interactive games is designed to improve communication skills and other management skills in a fun way.

The choice of location is also important. For a company that puts a premium on ideas, an open and natural setting is preferred to trigger off creative ideas. Horseback riding, trekking, mountain climbing, parachute jumping, canoeing and river rafting are some outdoor events, which aim at improving team spirit among corporate clients.

Music has always been the life of any event. Corporate events are no exception. A manager who is known for his tough exterior can lead his executives to have a glimpse of his humane side by the choice of songs to be played by the DJ in a corporate party. Live music entertainment is also the central theme of many corporate events. Music can really loosen up people to relate better with each other.

Copyright @2006, 4th Media Corporation

You have permission to publish this article electronically free of charge, as long as the bylines and links in the body of the article and the bylines are included.

Top Tips on How to Organise an Inexpensive British Event

Organise a Planning group

It's always fun to plan a party, so why not pour some tea with a collective of creative's (by creative's, I mean those close relations who may be design orientated, marketers, good cooks, florists, extroverts and/or performers etc.) to get some innovation on the go? Call up the innovative minds within your friends, family and local area and set some royal English party ideas alight over some cucumber sandwiches. Find a place that's of British influence like your local park, a greasy spoon, the grounds of a nearby historic manor or keep it simple in the comfort of your front room and get brainstorming to make your party the best Jubilee celebration England has ever seen.

Decorations

Make your own! Children love paint and by getting them involved, they can be creative and independent whilst having fun. Organise a decoration day where all the children and young people from your family and friends can play together to make bunting, invitations and flags. Cut some paper triangles and decorate with the union jack, a crown, drawings of the queen or the Olympic rings (just an idea). Save jam and sauce jars and decorate with paint to create unique candle holders to hang around the garden, or use them as miniature flower pots.

Food

Create some versatility with a selection of world foods, how? Get party attendees to bring a dish on their arrival. Whether its pre prepared food for the BBQ or a selection of rice, pasta, salad and nibbles or baked treats, it's a stress free solution and gets everyone involved in the celebrations. Make some lemonade and fruit punch (always cheap to make) and add a little tipple for the adults. For those less inclined to cook, get them to bring a bottle or cocktail contribution instead. It's a win win situation.

Entertainment

Everybody knows someone who knows someone who can play an instrument or is a member of a band. Entice them with the opportunity to play live and pay them with food and drink. You could also get a CD playlist together and get the children to act out a play commemorating Britain. Get some games on the go such as pin the tail on the corgi,bowls, egg and spoon and three legged races are always winners. Then again, football's a winner too - even if England didn't win the Euro's.

Plan for the weather

Hire a gazebo and get some bring really big umbrellas.

Contact your local council

If you're planning to hold a street party you must apply for a permit by calling your local authority.

If you're a business wanting to hold a British themed event, then get some advice from an event business that specialises in event management. They have a multitude of experience and may be able to give you ideas that will make your event unique and memorable. Celebrate Britain in style.

Ruling Trends of Event Management in 2012

The growing craze of taking events online for reaching out to a large number of people has brought major changes in the event management trends over the past few years. Technological advancements have taken event management a step further, leading to increased interactivity in the program. Experts believe that growing importance on technology these days has made it the core of several trends coming up in 2012. Let's take a look at the leading trends, which are expected to rule the event industry this year.

Use of Mobile "Apps" for Event Promotion

With the advancements in technology, there is expected to be an increased use of mobile applications for the promotion and marketing of the events. Now-a-days, the mobile devices, with their in-built applications, help promote audience engagement, interactivity, and networking. Using these mobile "apps", organizers can communicate with their attendees and give live updates of the meeting. Some of the leading mobile audience response and networking apps includes VisionTree, Spotme, and so on. Barcode scanning and RFID are also becoming increasingly important for customized lead generation and tracking and reporting of registration status.

Use of Hybrid Elements in Events

The cost-conscious business environment in the post-recession period has encouraged the growth of hybrid meetings in recent years. Incorporating hybrid components, such as live broadcasts, video streaming, and others not only helps organizers plan event at a reduced cost, but also allows them to conduct it from a remote location.

Events Going Green

"Going green" is no more a slogan; rather, it is highly in practice these days. According to the veterans of the event industry, this is likely to be the buzzword in 2012. Organizers now focus on incorporating green elements in their events. It includes biodiesel vehicles and biodegradable materials, locally sourced food, and reusable plants for decoration. Many event organizers are also using recyclable name badges in order to reduce on-site waste consumption. Water refill stations are also launched in order to replace bottled water.

Increased Social Media Interaction

With the increased popularity of social networking as a marketing ploy, event organizers are using the social media tools for the same. Experts believe that the use of social networking websites, such as Twitter and LinkedIn for interactive meetings will have exponential increase in 2012. The popularity of computer kiosks and Twitter boards that provide live updates of events is gradually increasing. At present, organizers are also making extensive use of Skype for providing instant assistance and "face to face" client interaction to achieve maximum attendee satisfaction.

DJ Event Planner

So you've organized a great DJ event planner, but you still need to ensure that everyone else arrives on the evening. Make sure that they get there and have a grand party by using web-based event management systems and online party invitations to promote and manage your event.

Unique Party Invitations

How do you promote a roofraiser event in a way that really makes you the talk of the town? Well, ensure that you have unique party invitations. Don't settle for those boring handwritten ones that get sent through the mail - create an exciting web page to promote your event and then send the link via email to all your party guests.

With new Web 2.0 technology this is really easy and doesn't require any technical knowledge. Even a child can use over 60 different multimedia applications to create a unique party invitation containing photos, video, music and more to create just the right impression.

Add a video of the DJ event planner who will be hosting your event, play some music that they like and be sure to include all the details of where and when this great event will be taking place.

Entertainment Ideas

Who says that great entertainment needs to be limited to that night at that place? Create a live video feed on the night so that those who were not able to attend can simply log in to the web page and listen to the music presented by the DJ event planner online and join in the party.

When the party is over be sure to go back and add more photos, video footage of the evening and keep people talking and networking to ensure that they come back next time.

You should also start even before the evening by getting other people involved in the preparations. Assign people tasks using the task manager and ensure that people have fun but still do their part. This will save you a lot of hassle and enable you to enjoy the evening more.

Organizing a great DJ event planner is only part of organizing a great event. You also need to ensure that people actually turn up and that means that you should send them unique party invitations that capture their attention and you can even allow others to take part in this event by having a live video feed on the night and post photos and videos after the event. You can do all of this for free (and easily) at Events Listed.

Plan a Company Picnic - 8 Indispensable Tips

When I go to plan a company picnic, I have found that I always seem to follow these basic steps to get it done right.

Follow these 8 indispensable tips for when you plan a company picnic and you can be confident you'll be on the pathway to success.

Plan early

Plan early, plan early, plan early! Don't wait to the last minute! By taking initiative early you'll be able to guarantee your picnic location, entertainment and food vendors before everyone else. You'll also be able to respond to any unforeseen circumstances.

Choose activities/games/entertainment your employees and families will enjoy

You've got to choose good, clean fun that everyone can enjoy. I've witnessed carnival rides, inflatable rides, and high-tech games to be very popular in the past.

Choose an event date when people will be in town (and not away on vacation)

You can do this by taking a straw poll from people around your company to see when they'll be leaving town on vacation. You want to choose a time when most people are available to attend your event.

Book entertainment early

A lot of these entertainment options are very popular, and you want to be sure that your date is locked in. It'd be awful if you were to plan your whole event around a date only to have to change it because your entertainment options are booked on that date.

Have food and beverages available

You don't have to pull out a full class meal, but this is a picnic!

Utilize every communication avenue to inform your staff

Put out personal invitations, use your company e-mail list, or even personally invite each person!

Get a solid count of who is going to be there and who can't make it. That will help you determine the amount of food and beverages you need as well as other details pertaining to activities and entertainment.

Determine where the picnic will take place and reserve early

Just like with entertainment, make sure you get your reservation in early. In the past I've seen companies take advantage of park space, all of which worked beautifully for them.

Set-up garbage/waste containers

There's going to be a lot of trash, from old soda cans, to paper plates and empty bags of chips. You don't want your grounds looking like a landfill, so set-up some trash cans to keep the area tidy.

Top 10 Considerations - DJ/KJ/MC Event Planning

Planning an event, especially at the last minute, can be a daunting effort. Any missteps can have critical repercussions for your brand down the line so it is important to develop a checklist while in your planning phase before you begin any active preparations.

I have developed a "Top 10" list over the years of the most important items to remember when planning an event. These things will help ensure your event runs smoothly and will lessen the chance of you hitting any pitfalls along the way. These are the same things we focus on when planning and executing your wedding, corporate party, holiday party, "Sweet 16", or any other event that you want to make memorable.

1. The atmosphere of your event
Most people know why they are having a wedding or a party, but they sometimes forget to think about what type of atmosphere they would like at the event. While this is usually driven in part by your own personal tastes, it's very important to consider the likes and dislikes of those you've invited to your event. Remember, most events are really about the people you've invited, not just you. So whether you're planning a corporate event with a more "professional" atmosphere or a dance party with a "whoop whoop - flashing dance lights", think about how you want people to feel while they're attending your event.

2. Who are you inviting?
Depending on the type of event you are holding, you'll want to carefully consider who should be invited to your event. You'll want to take into account the various personalities that will attend your event. Making sure that there is something for everyone.

3. Getting the word out
Wedding invitations are easy, well sort of. After you and your significant other agree on the design, price, etc. you're off and running. But what about those other events? Should you send postcards, a text, e-vite? All of these methods work and depending upon your target audience, some may work better than others.

4. Overall logistics
These may seem like the small things but they can escalate into large issues if not taken care of properly. Where will your guests park? Will there be food served? Will there be alcohol and how would you handle any guest that has had too much to drink? The point here is, there are many things to consider before your guests arrive.

5. Engaging your attendees at your event
You "started" this whole thing. Make sure your guests feel personally engaged at your event. This can be accomplished in a few ways. First, you can be sure to circulate through the crowd thanking people for coming, asking them if they're having fun, etc. However, in many cases, you won't be able to personally get to everyone. This is where the event coordinator or MC/DJ can really help out. After all, it is their job to constantly take the pulse of your event to ensure it is meeting the desired atmosphere you've chosen.

6. Giveaways
Providing your event attendees with some kind of giveaway is a nice way to thank them for coming. It's certainly not mandatory, and in some cases it may not be logistically possible. But even small things can make a lasting impression.

7. Be prepared for questions
While most of your lower key dance parties will not be an issue, corporate parties and weddings can certainly add a few wrinkles. Questions like, "where do we put the gifts.." or "...which side is the groom's..." pop up every time. These usually aren't difficult to address, but a well educated event staff will help keep your guest headed in the general direction they should be.....and on time.

8. Staffing for the event
Staffing can be anything from 1 to many members. The key is to develop an agenda for your event with the timelines you want to maintain and share that with the staff. This will make sure things stay on track and flowing smoothly.

9. Document your event
By documenting every wedding, every corporate party, every Karaoke sing-a-thon, you can always keep improving your events. Feedback forms provided to attendees in certain cases are a good idea. Many times you'll just want to take a verbal "poll" to identify what guests had issues with as well as what they found most valuable.

10. Debrief and review
Review the post-event documents and reviews so that you can learn from each event. It's also a great time to share what seems to be overwhelmingly positive customer feedback with your staff (if applicable).

How to Manage Your Event Budget

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

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

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

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

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

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

Promote Your Company Event With Business E-Cards

In the field of business, a great product or service is just a part of successful business. After all, in this modern age and cutthroat competition, everything comes down to marketing. The more creative you are in your marketing efforts, the more successful your business is bound to become. There are many ways to promote your business without spending a fortune. When it comes to online marketing, one of the most powerful tools on the Internet are business invitation cards. An e-card or an electronic greeting card is a great example of an efficient and a profitable way of marketing on web. For a corporate event invitation, an e-card that is sent from your site will undoubtedly contain promotion for your company, its products or services. You will find various online sites allowing you to design your custom business invitation cards.

Corporate party invitations created through attractive well designed e-cards are excellent advertising tools because they are immediate, inexpensive, and personalized. This form of Internet marketing is extremely effective. Marketing professionals are trying all the tactics to get new clients and to retain old ones. Client relations are one of the most important functions of a marketing professional. In business, you need to delight and honour your clients for a great business endeavour. By using e-cards, you can increase sales by getting new clients and re-capture the old ones' attention.

You will find various e-card websites on the Internet. They will provide you with unique business invitation templates out of which you need to select the best one as per your client's preference or your company's nature. A well designed card will grab your client's eyes and make him read the entire detail about the invitation retaining his interest. With the help of these online websites, you can design special business invitation cards by yourself for sending to your customers. You will be able to choose among a gallery of professionally- made and beautiful company invitation templates. E-cards on websites are available in various categories: business invitation, company anniversary, and corporate event are some examples.

Clients should be pampered regularly. Other than business invitation cards and business anniversary cards, it is a must that you send your clients festive e-cards regularly. One of the most important factors that affect the client's relationship is communication and making the clients feel that they are highly valued. During every festive and holiday season, you need to drop an attractive e-card in their inbox. Clients yearn for this type of communication in business. No other marketing tool can be as powerful as this wonderful way to keep communication lines open. In every business, you need to be a step ahead in the competition and with business invitation cards you can retain your relations.

Though you provide the best product or service, some kind of pampering will yield you much in business. Browse the net and you will find various e-card maker websites on web. You just need to select a design, customize it according to your preference and send it to your customers and prospects. Recognizing and adopting business e-cards as the valuable resource they are is definitely something companies must consider for their marketing plans.

Why You Should Hire Fun Casinos for Corporate Events

Fun Casinos are a great entertainment option for corporate events. These casinos provide people the opportunity to enjoy casino games without gambling real money. This takes out the stress of wagering real money when you play at casinos. If you want the corporate event to feature fun casino games, you can hire the services of a company that provides them. Here are a few reasons you should hire fun casinos for corporate events:

Casino games handled by experienced croupiers

Fun casinos are similar to casinos that offer real money games. The croupiers at the casinos will be familiar with the games. Their roles are the same as those of the dealers in traditional real money casinos.

Croupiers generally wear the uniforms that the casino designs for them. However, in case you want them to follow a particular dress code for the corporate event, you will have to inform the casino about it. If you do this in advance, the casino will be able to arrange for uniforms based on your requirement.

Give promotional gifts and prizes

The prizes for winning games in fun casinos are generally gifts that the casino provides. Casinos accommodate client requests to include specific gifts. If you too want to do this, inform the casino about this. Decide whether you want the casino to supply the gifts or you want to do this.

In a corporate event, the prizes can be promotional items. Giving clients and potential customers such gifts can be beneficial for your company. It is an effective marketing strategy that will help promote the company's image. Also, when products developed by your company are given as gifts, they will also function as samples.

Increase company presence at the event

You can get some of the items used in the event customized to have your company's logo. For instance, you can have the logo on the backdrops in the casino. Logos can also be embossed on casino chips and dealer buttons. Most fun casinos allow clients to do this. Find out whether the company you are hiring will allow this.

One of the key factors that influence whether a corporate event will be a success is the venue. Choose the venue based on how easy it is for clients to get there. Also, it should be in a location where the fun casino will be able to move the games and their equipments. Some fun casino companies also provide space for hosting these events.

The Basics of Corporate Events and Team Building Teams Don't Just Happen - They Are Built!

As humans, we are social animals, and the relationships in our lives are our motivations for just about everything we do! They are an integral part of the way we interact in the workplace, just as much as they are the reason that we spend every second Sunday with our mothers-in-law... and good teams and good relationships are vital for a productive workplace. Team building are a time-tested way of improving relationships and therefore productivity in your workplace. Today we check out the basics of corporate events and their team building strategies and potential.

What can team building do for your workplace?
So many organisations assume that all they need to do to succeed is to write great job descriptions, and make sure everyone follows them to the letter. Unfortunately, this approach ignores both the natural impact of relationships in the workplace, and their massive potential! Team building can help the people within your company:

• Communicate more effectively
• Get to know each other
• Allow self-discovery
• Identify strengths to be utilised, and weaknesses to be compensated for
• Set goals that work towards the company's common good
• Teach people to self-regulate, in order to reduce supervisory involvement in managing relationships
• Practice collaboration and improve leadership skills

Ultimately, all of these positives that come out of should result in improved productivity, lower employee turnover, a generally more pleasant workplace... and improved profits!

3 Types of Team Building
There are 4 main types of corporate events used for team building, each of which works towards developing a different aspect of teamwork:

Problem solving events: An example of this type of corporate event would be 'Secret agent experiences' or scavenger hunts, where employees must work as a team to find a solution to a problem. These strongly resemble what needs to be done in the workplace, and can combine fun with learning.

Shared experience events: These are the most common type of corporate event for team building. They aim to entertain... but more than that, they aim to create a backdrop of pleasant times and goodwill among employees that mitigates workplace challenges and difficulties. Examples of this type of corporate event include wine tasting, go kart racing, archery, circus skills workshops, etc.

Communication events: One popular example of this type of corporate event is the drumming workshops that are held across the country. Participants have to communicate to transport and set up the equipment as well as non-verbally, in order to play the percussion arrangement that they get taught.

Effective follow-up

Like any worthwhile business exercise, there has to be some assessment afterwards of the success of a team building corporate event! Your follow-up phase for a corporate event could include activities designed to strengthen the teams formed, such as:

• Collecting data on employee opinions of the event
• Having a debriefing phase, where the team is asked to reflect on how they worked together, and what could have been done better.
• Having an awards ceremony
• Asking participants to write about their experiences for a corporate publication

Corporate events are an excellent way to help build and strengthen the team that is your entire organisation. With effective follow-up, they can help create not only a dream-team... but a dream organisation.

Top 5 Benefits of Using a Party Planner Tool to Host a Grand Event in 2012

This holiday season, many organizations will hire party planners because of their vast experience and understanding of this niche area. The job responsibility of a party or event planner includes not only searching for a suitable event site but also supervising the décor, menu, invitations, etc. The guests are invited in consultation with the party organizers and the task of overall supervising and coordinating with the event personnel. However, there is an alternative route for organizing a grand event in 2012 without hiring a planner. It is through the usage of a party planner tool. It is an online application developed specifically for companies eager to throw smashing year-end event but within a limited budget.

Let's find out the top 5 benefits of utilizing a party planner tool in 2012.

Easy, Error-free Registration

In all previous years, you have opted for the manual registration process. In 2012 try out something different, more modern by going for an online registration solution. It guarantees a smooth, error-free registration process. You can customize and set up multiple event registration forms to let people access them on a global scale at their convenience. You are thus opening a road for maximum registrations for your party by going after a web-based sign-up system! Anyone can retrieve a registration form while at home or during office hours to complete the related formalities.

Secure Payments Collection

You may process payments without setting up one or more payment counters this year and manning it through hired staff at the same time. Online transactions ensure you get the payment deposited directly into your bank account as and when a registrant transfers the funds. It is thus a much safer route and you can act smart by opting for an online money transfer service rather than collect direct cash or en-cash multiple checks, which is again a time-consuming process.

Two-way Communication

While you carry on planning your party, it is essential that you constantly keep in touch with your potential attendees to engage them and keep them interested about your holiday event. An online emailing service enables you to write multiple emails conveying interesting news and updates relating to your parties. You can easily send out such emails, 24/7 to any location without adding postage stamps or taking the help of the postal department for mail delivery.

Spreading News in Minutes

You can instantly spread the news of your 2012 events and registration details by posting information on different social media sites plus on your blog and event website. Through such postings, you actually catch the attention of a worldwide audience and encourage them to register as soon as possible!

Post Event Reporting

You can generate multiple customized reports adding the exact data you want your seniors to view. The reports can be created in Excel or PDF depending on your preference and will have downloadable options too.

What to Look for in a Wholesale Florist

Today, companies are unable to find quality wholesale florists due to the changing economy. Corporations are merging with others, there are many technology changes and products suffer from these complex issues.

Below are some tips in finding the right wholesale florist in your area.

Florists provide their customers with knowledgeable, consistent sales staff. "Four out of five wholesale florists have salespeople who have been with the company for more than five years," according to the Wholesale Florist & Florist Suppliers Association (WF&FSA).

Retailers value the individualized attention, expert knowledge and efficiency that this provides. Wholesalers know their retail customers' favorite products and supplies. And they save their customers' time by offering wide-ranging inventory and are able to obtain specialty items easily.

So when it comes to reliability and added value, retail florists know where to go-to their local wholesale florist. For years, wholesale florists have provided exceptional supplies, service, and expert knowledge to retail florists, event planners and wedding planners. Their customers keep coming back because of the reliability, quality, and convenience that florists provide and the feeling their wholesaler knows them and knows what they want.

In a survey of 358 retail florists conducted by the Florist & Florist Supplier Association, retail florists ranked florists as the best source of high quality cut flowers, as the most reliable supplier, and as the best value for their money. More than 90 percent of those surveyed praised florists for their courteous and professional salespeople and the long-term relationships that have emerged between retailers and wholesalers as a result.

In selecting a florist, there are four things to remember:

1. Open communication-retailers need to talk about their ideas and be open to
suggestions. Keeping an open mind will help the communication go smoothly.
2. Have a budget in mind-the florist can then help clients stay within monetary limits. Much
time can be wasted without a preliminary budget in mind.
3. Choose someone who is detail and service oriented-they should provide both in-store shopping for perishables and hard goods, and they should have delivery capabilities.
4. Quality and best selection of products-make sure the quality exceeds your expectations, and that there is a wide variety of choices.

In conclusion, keep in mind these key points when selecting a florist to build a relationship with. Many companies claim they are service-oriented or can handle large orders. It is recommended to interview several wholesale florists in your area before deciding. It may take some time to do this upfront, but well worth it in the end. The ultimate goal is to have a long-lasting, reliable relationship with your wholesale florist.

Pulling Off That Challenging Event-Planning Task

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

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

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

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

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

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

Professional Conference Organisers Have the Skills to Make Your Conference a Success

Professional conference organisers and administrative employees have a lot of experience and skills, which are required for success in professional organising as well as related industries. They either work independently or as a team, to provide you with the perfect package of services, to help you reduce stress and frustration, as well as save a lot of time and money for you. They are well experienced to come up with a number of ideas, when planning a professional conference or a corporate event. They have excellent communication skills, with the ability to interact and deal with a very wide range of people, quite professionally, and a complete awareness of organisational techniques and strategies.

1. Professional conference organisers can deal with everything from your paper to your professional responsibilities and give you parameters on what to keep, what to change, and when to take action. Their main responsibilities include managing events of all sorts, and other special services like rate negotiations, venue booking, and corporate travel arrangements.

2. These professionals are a leader in developing high-quality, innovative storage and organisation solutions, with vast experience and knowledge in planning meetings, thus making it really convenient for you. They may even assist you in making both lodging and travel arrangements for your attendees. With the assistance of these skilled professionals, it's quite easy for you to keep the costs in line for your corporate event.

3. Professional conference organisers companies specialise in conference organisation and administration, to enhance the lives of clients and educate the public on organising solutions and the resulting benefits. They have a number of knowledgeable, experienced, and professional staff, who can help you to reap the great benefits of using a conference organiser or event planner without any additional expense to your company.

4. Whether it's a large multi-day professional conference or any other time of the year, these specialists can assist you with any number of the early stages of planning a major event.

5. These experts can do some terribly challenging and difficult tasks for you, especially during a busy time of year, which can be really hectic and difficult. With their experience and knowledge, they can help you narrow your selection of possible venues, and reduce the amount of time needed to choose a venue that meets your requirements. They might also be able to assist you with selecting the most centralised and convenient location for your corporate event.

Professional conference organisers can give your organising business a level of unattainable credibility everywhere. They are well prepared to cope with pressure and tight deadlines and are always on hand, during the event, to ensure everything runs smoothly and can deal with any problems that may arise. These organisers always ensure that the time-consuming and complex elements, such as budget management and event planning, are taken care of. They can also allow you to save valuable company time and resources and always make sure that your event is managed well from start to finish.

Teenage Topics For Keynote Speakers

So you have been invited to be the next keynote speaker at a school conference and you don't know what to tell the audience of teenagers. The following are topics to choose from when speaking to a teenage group.

Relationships - If you stick to this topic you will be loved by the audience because all of them at one point in time will relate to your message. Plus students like to laugh at wise cracks made about teenage relationships. If the entire message is about relationships be sure to have a serious side to your speech or else the event planner will consider you a comedian rather than a keynote speaker.

Leadership - Many conferences for students are built on this one word. You can create a speech about how students are to lead at school and in their community. Be sure to not sound dry by only quoting past leaders people can read about in history books. Give current examples of people taking leadership and how they can take a lead when they leave the conference.

Drug and Alcohol Prevention - This topic is a hard one to tackle, especially if you don't have prior knowledge to illegal drugs. Yes, everything about this topic can be learned but it's best not to speak about a topic you are not passionate about when it comes to teens because they can read body language and if you are uncomfortable, the audience will also be uncomfortable with the information you are sharing.

It's okay not to take every speaking engagement that comes your way simply because it's a paid speaking gig. Stick to topics you are an expert in and do your best, you will be referred to others. If all else fails, speak about relationships and use humor and all will fall into place.

Corporate Gifts: Enhance Your Market Visibility

In today's stiff market competition, business owners are leaving no stone unturned to attract their potential customers and familiarizing people with their brand. Correct marketing is the key element to any business. You will find several options in the list when it comes to marketing. Though, the Web emerged as the one-stop shop for enhancing your product, material promotions still holds importance. If you are attending a tradeshow or corporate event and wish to familiarize your brand in the field and amongst your niche audience, then corporate gifts are the ideal option. It is one of the most effective marketing strategies utilized by people since decades to enhance their brand among people. You will find numerous companies who design and offer business literature services. Make sure you find a reliable company printing brand names at the most economical rates.

With the improvement in society, various innovative marketing techniques emerged. However, the concept of distributing promotional gifts among people is still preferred by all. It is one of the smartest and cost-effective solutions to market your business effectively within a short span of time. The results are instant. These corporate gifts carry your company name and logo to a varied audience. Various items are used for promotional purposes like cups, pens, bags, shirts, caps, and more. Many manufacturers and business owners have applauded the fact that business gifts certainly prove to be the best promotional strategy ever. Distributing gifts with your company name highlighted among people and business persons will undoubtedly create a brand name amidst your competitors. Prints are done on various materials and you need to make sure that the ink does not smudge while printing. In addition, consider the budget as well.

The most important reason that contributes to the popularity of corporate gifts is the cost effectiveness. You do not need to spend fortunes to market your product; it can be done within the budget. Your company is bound to receive the desired publicity most conveniently. This concept is widely accepted by various business owners across the globe. Corporate gifts can be assumed to be an effective tool for instant promotions. You can distribute products at events with your company name inscribed.

The increasing need and demand for corporate gifts elevated the need of printing companies in the market. You will find various companies providing printing services to the public. However, researching well is essential to stay away from cheats. The Web also made life easier for people looking for printing services. Make use of the Internet to locate a reputed name in printing and forget your problems forever. An extensive research will prove to be beneficial. Experience the wonder of marketing with corporate gifts at affordable prices. A reliable firm will ensure best printing service at most competitive prices. So do not wait and utilize this promotional strategy to witness your business visibility improving in your target audience. This option is worth giving a try. Hire a professional firm and rest assured.

Event Checklist - How to Organize a Successful Business Event

An event checklist is a must have if you are planning on organizing a successful business event. Event planning involves a myriad of minute details that need to be expedited properly in order for everything to function smoothly. For instance, if the wine is not properly chilled then the canapes might be a disaster. If the keynote speaker at your event is not given the proper time for his address, then you might be left red-faced and scrambling to trouble shoot. Therefore, if you have a business meeting to organise or are tasked with event planning every big social your company holds, you will need an event checklist to help keep you on track.

An event checklist can be as elaborate or as minimal as you wish. However, the more detailed the event checklist, the easier your job will be as a planner. A business event has its own intricacies that need to be ironed out. Most of the time a business event, while having a social aspect is, essentially, a networking opportunity for business leaders, sales people and marketing managers to meet and work out solutions to various challenges that they are facing. It can also be an opportunity to help seal deals and to strengthen business ties. Therefore, when organizing a business event, you need to really pay attention to every detail.

Your event checklist should definitely contain all of the elements needed to pull-off whatever theme your event will bear. Whether it is a golf tournament, a holiday celebration or a summer social, you will need to make sure that there is proper catering, a good venue, music and door prizes and gift bags. If speeches will be made, then you will have to make sure that there is a good sound system in place so that everyone will be able to hear what is being said. If there will be a presentation of some sort, then the proper screens and audio/visual equipment will have to be in place. To make sure that you do not forget any element of the event, you should create an event checklist on which you can write down everything you need to do. Even if you were to hire an event planner to organize your event, that person will automatically create an event checklist to follow. In fact, the most successful event planners are those who use an event checklist to keep all of their tasks organized and in under control.

Regardless of the event that you have to organize, as long as you have a good checklist to follow, your business meeting should be a success. If you are unsure of how to create your own event checklist, you can always go online and find a good list that you can download. Even if it does not entirely reflect your needs, you can always alter the checklist to better suit the kind of event that you have to organize.

Unique Corporate Events - A Day of Racing Fun For Everyone!

Do you want a corporate event that relieves stress and builds healthy competitiveness within your company? It is proven that successful teams are made up of happy employees and happy employees are far more productive. Why not increase energy in the office by holding a corporate go kart racing event?

There are a surprising amount of go karting venues to choose from in most large cities but not all are appropriate for larger corporate events and team building exercises. You need to be looking for various attributes to make sure your unique event will be a success.

You need the perfect place to hold company picnics during the day or corporate events at night and client parties year round no matter what the weather conditions are. You need a central location so that employees don't have too far to go from wither home or work and the right ingredients for a fun atmosphere that will work for your company.

Think about the facilities that are needed, not just the track. You want private rooms and meeting rooms that are primed and ready for an event that will impress clients, reinvigorate employees, and create an exciting day for all. Toilets should be well maintained and there should be ample room for the number of people who will be attending.

For more casual daytime corporate events, look for facilities that will allow you to enjoy a sunny day outside such as a big barbeque and benches, a good place to watch the go kart racing from and outdoor toilets. You may also need a small private room to conduct meetings or team building exercises in between the racing fun.

If you are planning a more formal event, you must look to the venue operators and what they are capable of. Are they able to provide staff to serve food and drinks? Can you have a sit down event with equipment provided by the venue? Are they actually able to cater the whole event for you so you can focus on your guests' needs and the fun of the night?

It is always best to opt for a venue that is owned and operated by the one company or owner. Sometimes you can have the track owned by one body and the cafe/restaurant owned by another. This can lead to difficulties in the smooth running of your event and will often end up being more expensive and time consuming as you are dealing with two different entities.

Now let us not forget the most important element; the go karting! Unique activities such as this can really make the difference, your employees will be excited about the fun and it is a different way to encourage bonding, celebration and team building in your company.

When looking for the most appropriate tracks there are a few things to consider. Remember that you are organising an event for adults, go karting can be fun for young and old but make sure the track is well maintained and will accommodate fast racing and a bit of difficulty so employees don't get too bored with it. The track should be wide to accommodate overtaking and side-by-side racing, there should be sharp corners, S curves and long straights so that racers are challenged but can also go fast.

Make sure the go karts provided are well made and completely safe. One thing to check is that they can fast; employees will quickly lose interest putting along at 40-50 km/hour. Tyr and find a track that has go karts that will reach speeds of up to 75km/hour. The venue should also provide all necessary safety gear and equipment such as jumpsuit and helmut, without the correct safety measures in place, you should not even consider the venue.

Now what would a corporate event be without some drinks? Just like out on the roads, your go karting venue should enforce a strict no drinking then driving policy, it is dangerous, irresponsible and in fact, illegal to allow it. What is a real find in a go karting venue however is facilities and a license that allows you to enjoy some drinks after the racing part is over. It is a perfect way to unwind after the race and a great opportunity to have a casual chat and laugh with work colleagues. Many venues will not have a license for alcohol so do your research before you commit.

Races are usually short and quick increasing opportunities participation and to keep the interest high but longer events can be scheduled for the endurance minded company with knock out racing and team racing being popular ways to motivate your employees. Whatever style of corporate event you choose to go with, go karting is a great day/night of incredible racing, fun, good food and bonding. Choose something different this year that your employees will love and always remember fondly.

Events Planning: Tips on Making an Event a Success

In any event, planning is very crucial to its success. That is why most people decide to hire the services of event planners or event managers to do the job for them. Although hiring event planners are not necessary, you can choose to the events planning yourself if you have the time. It is not an impossible task but it may require patience from you.

So how do you start doing some events planning? You need to start by knowing what the event is all about and start from there. Start to list down all the ideas that come to your mind for the event. Making a checklist will be very helpful and you can put the things you need to hire and purchase. Also indicate the people you will need to talk. Include your deadlines as well. And as you go along with your events planning, you can always refer to your checklist if you have missed something.

Second is to determine the goal of the event you are planning. If the event you need to plan will require that you have a bigger turnout this year then you must clearly think of ways on how to achieve this goal. These types of events are not as simple as planning a birthday party, you will need to think creatively of your marketing schemes and how to get more people to come.

Third is to set the budget for the event. You will need to know how much you or the company is willing to spend for the event. If this event is supposed to be profitable, you may also want to talk to the company about their plans on how to get revenue from the event. Profitable events will require entrance fees to earn a little and reunions will have registration fees to cover up the expenses.

Now that you know the goals for the event and how much the budget is, you can now pick the location for the event. If you have a place in mind, you need to check for its availability immediately. Ask your client what the target date is and if it's still movable, this way there are more options to choose from. Your venue's capacity should be able to hold your maximum target turnout. You will need to visit the place to check out if there is adequate parking space, if the venue is spacious and comfortable, does it have phone or Internet access or whatever your event will need to have.

Lastly, you will need to decide on the food you will be serving. If this is a profitable event that you are planning, you will need to get some food stalls in there. However, if you are just planning for a reunion that will need to have a bigger turnout, you will need to find an affordable caterer to service the event. It will really depend on what the event should be so your events planning should already be detailed from the start.

Party Planning Software Makes Organizing Your Party a Breeze!

Planning a party can be exciting, but the many tasks involved can also be stressful and confusing. One very good way to simplify the process and help you plan your party like a professional is for you to make use of party planning software. Such computer software can help you get organized and successfully coordinate the many varied details of party planning.

To give it a try, just do a search in Google and you will find a variety of party planning software programs available for immediate download. Costs vary from about $30 - $100. However, some are free, though they may have fewer features. If you desire more features, usually you can pay for the full-featured upgrade. (You may find the free programs are all you need.) Others are offered as trial programs for a limited number of days.

To give you an idea of how this software can help here are some features you will find in them:

Task organizer

Handling the many details of party planning can be challenging, especially for a large party with many segments involved. Party planning software programs will help you with this by breaking down all the details into various categories, and then allowing you to organize them based on your priorities. Categories include booking a venue, sending invitations, obtaining supplies, menu planning, decorations, party favors, party activities, music, and more. The task organizer even allows you to plan several parties at a time, a big hit with professional party planners.

Budget management program

These programs usually have accounting ledgers and budget control features, letting planners easily adjust the event to their personal budget while keeping accounting records. Integrated calculators sum up the costs into category subtotals and grand totals, allowing you to see at a glance if you're right on budget or if your expenses are already running wild. There is no need to add or re-add costs; the software does it for you.

To-do list and timetable

Planning a party becomes more manageable if you know what to do and when to do it. Party organizing software with its to-do list feature improves your task management skills, helping you do things in the right order and at the right time. By letting you create a timetable it helps you schedule tasks days, weeks or months ahead. To pace the work flow to your preference, you enter the corresponding duration and deadline for each task.

Friendly reminders

There are so many things to do when organizing a party that even professionals sometimes overlook some important task; that is, if they aren't using party planner software. The software will help you remember each and every item in your to-do list - from meeting appointments to buying garbage bags. By setting the alarm feature for each entry, you will receive email notifications when a task is near its due date, a task has not been completed, and when a new task has to be started. With the program constantly bugging you, what are your chances of forgetting the duties? Zero.

Stationery program

Are you unsure as to how you want your invitation to look? Let your creative ideas flow and experiment with different looks. Many party planner software programs come with a stationery program that lets you design and print invitations, reception cards, table cards, envelopes, labels, etc.

Lay-out manager

Many programs also help you lay-out seating arrangements for your event in addition to setting up table placements.

Record Keeping

Most programs include a feature which allows you to keep on file all correspondence regarding the event, emails, letters, inquiries, quotes, etc.

Supplier database

Some programs even come with a database of suppliers, complete with addresses, phone numbers, email and website information.

User-friendly

You don't need to be a techie to be able to use the software. With user-friendly interfaces, these programs enable you to easily create an effective work flow, and quickly care for your many party planning duties.

Party organizing software programs can help remove many of the headaches that come with party planning. They save both time and effort and are far more efficient than the best lined notebooks. With the success that comes from good planning this software can help you earn a reputation of being an A-grade party planner!

Cirque Du Soleil Not Clowning Around With Corporate Events

Are you in charge of planning your corporate conference or convention, but are stumped about booking the entertainment? Creating value in the minds of your employees is key - but keeping the costs down will keep the bean counters off your back. So, what will you do?

Cirque du Soleil's new Events Program might be your solution. They can arrange a short performance (of seven to ten minutes) with a single performer, or a full-length show with a team of performers. It all depends upon your company's budget, the amount of time required for the show, and the type of facility being used. The talent, for instance, required for a 30-40 minute show would run your company around $80,000. However, the perceived value by your employees would be much greater than that. They'll think you spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the show. So, you'll get a high emotional return from your employees for a fee your corporation can live with.

Additionally, Cirque du Soleil can customize the show to complement the theme of your event. So, rather than making no real connection to your employees (other than to entertain), the performance will incorporate your theme into their act so you'll have a consistent message running like a thread throughout your event.

And, yes, while there are many Cirque du Soleil-styled performers, your employees will come away with a much higher value for the event if you book the real thing. There's a reason so many acts are mimicking the artistry of Cirque du Soleil - because it has a high value. Only things with high value are copied. So, if you book the authentic performers, your employees will view your corporation as a real frontrunner in your industry - not an up and coming corporation that can only afford to hire copycat acts.

5 Benefits of Hiring a Buffet Catering Service for Your Event

Are you planning a big event? Maybe it is a party, wedding, or another big gathering? No matter what you are planning, you certainly want your guests to enjoy their time at your event. If you want to run the best event possible and draw the biggest crowd, you should consider hiring a buffet catering service. Buffet catering is a nearly magical word on an event invitation. It adds a draw factor and gets people excited to come to your event. A buffet offers a wide variety of selections, so you can avoid the potential hassles of a set course meal that everyone may not like. Here are 5 benefits of hiring a buffet catering service for your event:

1. Your Guests Will Have More Options

Buffet catering gives your guests more options. With plated catering, your guests can only choose the main dish, and in most cases, have only one of that main dish. No seconds! With a buffet, your guests can take only what they like. This usually leads to less food consumption as well as less waste. Your guests will also not be stuck with side dishes they do not enjoy. Instead, they can pick a little of everything and leave the event feeling satisfied!

2. Makes Your Event More Social

With buffet catering, your guests will be up and moving around. They will not be stuck at a table waiting for their plated meal. Instead, they can hop in line, move around, and socialize with the other guests. This will give your event a fun and social vibe and help it to be more successful.

3. They can Help Plan Your Event

Some buffet catering services can take over the majority of event-planning for you. They have a team of trusted services that can collaborate to make your event a success. They offer a variety of event themes, transportation, flowers, beverages, invitations, photographers, videographers, and more. If your event is a wedding, they can even help you hire a great wedding singer!

4. Less Expensive

Buffet catering is a great option if you are on a budget. You can provide all the food that your guests need in a cost effective manner. By working with the caterer, you can figure out what dishes are best for your event while creating a great spread,

5. Your Guests Will Not Go Hungry

With more options and the chance to get more food, your guests will have eaten plenty! You can choose different types of dishes to suit different dietary needs. If there is a vegan or vegetarian at the event, you can be sure to have a part of the buffet that caters to their needs. Everybody will have something they can eat.

There are many benefits of hiring a buffet catering service for your event. You can stay within your budget while meeting the needs of all of your guests. You can also ensure that your event has a fun and social vibe throughout its duration!

Broad Range of Services Offered By Event Planning Companies

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

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

Broad Range of Services Offered By Event Planning Companies:

Conference Planning and Organizing:

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

Consumer Events Organizing:

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

Wedding Planning:

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

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

How Will You Promote Your Events Using a Smartphone?

Event organizers and public relation companies have started using Smartphone to increase interactivity with their customers. Smartphone offers all businesses ample opportunities to stay connected with the clients. Smartphones, such as Google's Android and Apple's iPhone and iPad, contain electronic diaries, contact lists, and automatic reminder tools. Event planning organizations can use such phones to take notes, edit and update all contacts and appointments, and perform other tasks, both easily and fast.

These user-friendly mobile devices are embedded with many applications for enterprises to use for different purposes. One of the most important features of a Smartphone is its ability to send news and updates to a large number of people within a few seconds. For instance, prior to a meeting or a conference, you can send a reminder or a text message to all your registrants, requesting them to be present at the event.

Marketing of events and fundraising campaigns has also become easier with the introduction of Smartphones. An increasing number of corporate houses are using these high-tech gadgets to provide all event-related details, right on the mobile phone of their visitors.

Many online event management solutions are also offering mobile application tools to maximize event attendance rates and generate high revenues. These tools help users to access complete information about your events in just seconds, from wherever and whenever they wish. All they need for this is a data connection on mobile. Using the modern, integrated mobile tools, users can easily view your events, and your organization's members can stay in touch with each other and with your activities.

Registrants can easily access all kinds of event-related information on their Smartphone. It offers enhanced communication with your clients and also enables quick access to the internet. For example, people can view your event's web page anytime and anywhere using their smartphones. Moreover, the device makes it easier to access e-mails and view any notification from the internet.

Event organizers can use Smartphone applications to:
- Enable your potential attendees to search and view your events calendar
- Provide easy event registration
- Offer the opportunity of participating in instant polls
- Enable easy posting of your event details in Facebook and Twitter
- Send and receive messages to and from other attendees or members
- Receive bulletins and announcements from event planners, anywhere and at anytime

Thus, the mobile phone application has emerged as a very powerful tool to easily connect to, share, and remind people about any seminar, trade show, or workshops.

What is the Purpose Behind Team Building Events?

Team building events are becoming a hot commodity all over the world, especially as the economy has a lot of employees guessing whether or not they will have a job in the coming months. Even positive quarterly results in some companies do not keep the concerns of the employees at bay.

Currently in the UK, the unemployment rate hit a high of 6.5 percent as of March 18, 2009. This rate is 0.5 percent higher than the previous quarter. There have been companies all over the world that have told their employees not to worry about their jobs, to say at the end of the quarter that they may have to let employees go in order to survive.

All of this uncertainty is the reason why companies are turning to corporate events that focus on team building. Employees need some reassurance because their doubts can lead to reduced performance within the company.

These company events contain several attributes, such as:

Promoting continual process improvement

Optimising the team's talent

Recognising the impact of being a high performing team

Setting certain standards for the team

Experiencing the power of excellent leadership

And the list doesn't stop there. There are many more attributes in regard to communication, empowerment, and overall teamwork that can be achieved through company team building events.

Here is what happens at a team building event:

Employees learn more about one another

The team members are able to have fun

The team learns about how to effectively execute a project

Those in leadership roles learn to manage and motivate

Because a business can be quite busy with customer service tasks and administrative tasks, it is easy for department team building or company team building to be put on the backburner. In all reality, properly building and teaching the team is crucial for the development of the company. But when the manpower isn't there, it just isn't there. That is why companies specialising in team building are hired to put on the events. Everyone within the company is able to take a time out and focus on the heart of the business...which is the employee.

As for what happens after a team building activity, the team is able to return to work feeling more valued, motivated, and more responsible than what they did going in. This is what is contributing to the growth of team building events throughout the UK and the world. Everyone will find that they are on the same page and the team will be able to self-regulate itself, meaning that there is no need for micromanagement by the management staff within a business. That also contributes to employee satisfaction. They do not like to feel as if someone is looking over their shoulders at all times.

The end result is quite obvious from the first day the employees return to the job. Their overall demeanour and their level of production will be filled with excitement. Any time employees are presented with something new, such as new ways to get things done, they are quite excited about it.