Planning the Right Menu For an Event

Events and occasions should always provide the best possible sensory pleasures. Sight, sound, touch, smell and taste...each of these should be catered to equally, leaving attendees with a lasting impression of beauty and harmony.

A key part of event planning is the menu. Food to be served at an event depends upon several factors -

1. The time of day - Snacks or full meal? Drinks or not? These are all crucial decisions that can be made based on the timing of an event
2. The time of year - seasonal vegetables can bring down costs by a large margin
3. The specific occasion - for example, one must have wedding cake at weddings, turkey and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, etc.
4. The expected attendees - for example, a seminar on lactose intolerance should have a menu completely devoid of milk and milk products.
5. The budget.

No matter what the occasion, refreshments for the guests must be provided. Tea, coffee and juices are popular refreshments, and drinks - wine, beer, spiked punch or hard alcohol - are also very welcome if the occasion demands it.

For food, the menu is divided into starter items and appetizers, main course and dessert. It may be served in buffet fashion or as a plated meal. Buffets are generally easier to manage, and result in less wasted food at the end of the day. It is also easier to cater to a variety of food preferences in a buffet. However, sometimes a plated dinner is necessary due to space constraints or other reasons.

The meal begins with starters. Starters are appetizer items, usually finger food. They may be vegetarian or non-vegetarian, and are usually baked or fried. These starters may be set up at a counter, or may be passed around among the invitees. Typically, no more than four rounds of starters are served, so that appetites are whetted rather than getting stomachs filled.

After starters, guests can progress to the main course. This will typically consist of salads, meat dishes and their accompaniments. Needless to say, both salads and meats come in infinite variety - from Russian salad to Waldorf, and from grilled salmon to beef vindaloo. Just remember to make provisions for any vegetarians who may land up in your midst! Roasts, sandwiches, canapes and mousses... nothing goes amiss, as long as you don't end up broke as a result.

Finally, dessert. This can be as simple as ice cream with chocolate sauce, and as elaborate as French pastry can get. Alternatively, you can take the healthy/healthier route with a fruit spread, yoghurt, dark chocolate and cheese platters.

The only rule while setting up a menu is this - provide variety, but make sure the items go well together. Make sure that every cuisine featured on the menu - whether European, Lebanese or Japanese - has everything from starter to dessert. If you see an item that doesn't pair with anything else on the menu, strike it off. And if you aren't sure of food planning yourself, request your caterers for a tried and tested menu. Adding in the person-of-the-day's favorite items couldn't hurt, of course.

Red Carpet System - Best in Event Management

In the last few years, as it has been observed, the event management companies are growing very fast. The reason being more and more people and companies are willing to manage their functions professionally than by themselves. The event management companies, through their effort of well organised event can promote a product or identity very well to the media and the corporate worlds. Emmy, Oscar, Grammy etc. award functions are so well managed because they are managed professionally by these companies.

Earlier only corporate houses and companies could afford to use these companies but the companies now are offering services for personal occasions like birthday parties or wedding anniversary celebrations. Also, unlike before, not only under-the roof services are being offered but also open terrace and under-the-sky parties and gatherings are managed by these companies as well. The budget isn't a constraint as companies are now offering service at a very reasonable and competitive rate.

These parties are generally organised to make a lasting mark. Anyone attending these parties should be amazed at the things you have arranged. It may be the exotic food for the guests or the fine interior decoration. This party, if launched for the inauguration of a business can cause immense word-of-mouth popularity for the product or business launched. The media cover these parties almost invariably and thus you can hog your part of limelight easily. Often the arrangers offer photography services. Be sure to opt for it as these photographers, although come at a premium price, are world class and can really take photos which will create lasting memories in the mind of the viewer.

Until recently these options were available in the big cities only. However, as every other business, this business also has flourished in the smaller cities and semi urban places. So, even if you are not from a big metro city, you still can afford yourself this luxury for any grand occasion. Many resorts in remote areas have arrangement with these companies so if you are planning a party in a remote yet scenic place, you can have all the services, offered in any urban area.

There are many companies in every part of the world, especially in the big cities, offering services for these red carpet events. You can afford any of those services for the next occasion you want to celebrate. However, one should consider the budget, the speciality of the organisation, past track records and feedback of past customers before giving the charge of arrangement to any company.

Corporate Event Planning - Organising a Party

Knowing concerning company event planning is most important for the business house owners, whose main goal will be to grow their companies. It has undoubtedly become an important half of an organization's integrated selling campaign. Companies will arrange a massive, fancy event containing over a thousand attendees or a small intimate gathering comprised of board members. These events can be for workers, suppliers, clients or customers, management and investors. No matter the dimensions of the event or the persons involved, corporate events should be goal oriented. They should manufacture a positive result that will take a corporation to another level of success.

Businesses have the option of using internal event management Sydney employees to arrange their events or they'll hire a professional event planner. It's highly important that a company use a certified events organizer who possesses the experience and skills necessary to run a successful event. They have to understand the general purpose and objectives of the event prior to planning. They must know what venue options would be offered for the area needed to hold the quantity of folks expected to attend. The event planner should additionally perceive the terms of the contract between the hirer of the house and their clients and conjointly have professional skills to negotiate acceptable clauses and discounts to learn the client.

So as for businesses to receive positive goal-oriented action from attendees, they need to create customized and unique experiences that engage. It's highly counseled that company event coming up with ensure careful and meticulous detail around catering. If there is one key part of a happening that can't fall short, it's catering. For any size event, there must be ample and quality food for everyone. It is counseled that the planner undertakes tastings prior to the event and guarantee that the venue or external caterer is always kept on their toes with food and beverage quality. At the event, it is key that the timings of meals be disbursed during a timely manner that coheres with the event program.

Applicable themes and entertainment ought to be used to fill the space. The decorations should be primarily based on the theme or purpose of the event. As an example, if the goal is to encourage employees to figure united as a team, the decor and entertainment components should specific that goal. The events organizer could think about organizing an African vogue theme with a drumming session of workers gathered as a cluster however individually enjoying their drums to create one united superb musical performance.

There are a variety of additional key areas to consider with Company Event Designing as well as communications, partnership and sponsorship involvement, engagement of the audience pre-, throughout and post event. Whether or not an interior event management Sydney employee is employed or an occurrence planner is employed, the key call makers of the corporate ought to be concerned in the fundamental areas of corporate event coming up with in specific goal setting and engagement of audience.

No Stress in Planning the Perfect Event

Planning events have become an extremely lucrative business in the Bay Area. In their fast paced lives people do not have the time to plan their own events, much less execute them. It has also become far too tedious to organize and co-ordinate very aspect of any event. More and more people are opting to use party planners to help solve this problem for them.

You can now engage an event organizer to plan any and all kinds of events. Typically an event organizer deals with events like children's birthday parties, sweet sixteens, mitzvah parties, adult birthday parties, wedding showers, baby showers, engagement parties, bachelor parties, exotic themed dinner parties, corporate dinners and picnics, social galas, anniversary parties and retirement parties. They also organize holiday parties for Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and New Year's.

Many times the pressures of entertaining do not permit the hosts of the party to actually enjoy themselves because they are trying to co-ordinate the food, drinks, music, etc. Using an event manager allows the hosts to be part of the party and they do not need to worry about the actual organization of it. The event planners are trained professionals and they work through the event seamlessly making it a resounding success. They satisfy the client, deal with the music and lighting, co-ordinate the catering.

Event planners in the Bay Area have ties ups with a number or caterers and party supply stores. They can always get you the best deals for party rentals as well as the food and drinks. Bay Area Event Planners have the ability to manage any situation that can be potentially disastrous in a way that the guests are totally unawares of the situation. They can also plan events that have different themes and costume and masquerade parties. They have in their cache of various performers like mimes, jugglers, dancers, magicians and many others that they can call on for particular events.

The best thing about using event organizer in the bay area, is that as the client all you have to do is give them a theme and a guest list. And they take care of the rest. Many believe that hiring event organizer can be afforded only by millionaires and corporate big-wigs. But this is not true. There are a number of event planners who are quite affordable and also those who work within a budget. Event planners in the Bay Area have virtually changed the view that you have to dole out money by the bucket to have successful event.

Event Planning Training - How To Name An Event Planning Business

It is commonly said that the title of a book is half of the information about the book, and it is really true in the case of naming a new company. For a businessman, deciding name for the business is like naming a new born baby. Name leaves a great impact on others and it reflects the intensity of the business. You can name your business by having some important points in mind.

Subject: During event planning training you are trained to arrange different kinds of events but there would be some specific events which you can handle nicely so you can name your business according to that. If you are a wedding and party planner then select a name related to the subject that creates a colorful and joyful feeling inside and on the other hand if you are good at conference or business meetings then go for a sophisticated name that shows the grace and commitment of the company.

Different language: this is another interesting way to acquire client's attention. Select a name from any other language which has a good meaning related to your business; it can grab the attention of the client easily. But make sure to select a melodious name. You need to deal foreigner clients as well so in event planning training students are encouraged to learn different foreign languages and this could be a good step to get attention of foreign clients as well.

Simple and short: it is better to select a simple and short name, it dose not mean to select a common or old fashioned name, but make sure that the name you select can easily be pronounced and spelled, so every one can take your company's name with out any obstacle.

Use of puns: in event planning training people are taught to use creativity, and use of puns shows your creativity; it explains your work in dual meaning and makes it interesting. A little bit change in spelling can make it more noticeable for the people for example if you want to name your company ''Cool Parties'' you can write ''Kool Parties''; this might grab the attention of the people.

Logo: Never forget the importance of the logo for your company, so when you choose a name, see if it fits in the logo you design for the company?

Personal name: some people prefer to give their own names to their business, it is fine but still if you want to bring a little change or creativity, you can use the initials in bold for example John Smith (J S).

Make sure to choose an impressive and meaningful name for your business that grabs the attention of the client.

Banquet Halls Are Great for All Parties

Banquet halls are places for rent, and you can find them in any city in this country. Some of them are large, and some are small. The thing they all have in common is that they are ideal for parties and celebrations. You can rent a place like this for any type of event, but there are certain things to consider when you choose one. You can host all types of events at places like this including wedding receptions, birthday parties, corporate events and anniversary parties.

Size

You will want to make sure that you choose one that is the appropriate size for your event. Large banquet halls will cost more money to rent, and there is no point in renting a large one if you are planning a small party. On the other hand, you will not want to rent one that is really small if you are expecting hundreds of guests. This is one of the best questions to ask when you begin looking for one to rent. You can visit them or call them to find out the sizes and how many people will fit.

Catering

The catering offered is another thing you really need to look into before renting a hall. If you are planning on having all of the guests bring food to the party, you will need to make sure that this is even allowed. There are many halls that do not allow this. They have on-site catering services, and they require that you use these services if you rent the room. This could turn into a big mistake if you fail to check on this before renting it.

Elegance

If you are planning a very elegant event, you will want to choose a place that offers an elegant atmosphere. There are banquet halls that are more informal, and there are many that are very formal. Some are in between. You will need to choose the type of atmosphere you are looking for when you choose one for your event. If it is for a child's birthday party, elegance is probably not the top thing you are looking for. You might prefer finding a place that offers a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere. For a wedding reception, a formal place is usually what is desired.

Outdoor Venues

If you would like to have your gathering someplace different from the normal type of venue, you might want to look into outdoor banquet halls. Although an outdoor hall might not really be a hall, it will be a place that offers accommodations for parties. This is a great option during months where the weather is nice. There are places such as flower gardens or butterfly gardens that offer these types of services.

Environmental

Some people are extremely concerned with the environment. A person like this would probably look into the environmental philosophies of the hall. They would look for a place that promotes "green" business ethics and practices, and a business that is involved in reducing waste and recycling.

Event Planning - Corporate Bonding - Creative Venues

What do you do for corporate bonding? Is your team more suited for golf, games or bingo? Well, whatever your team likes, it is important to get out of the box periodically and do some team building. Plan a time and a place to take the whole group or just your immediate team and let loose.

Here's what I recommend. Plan something to include an activity or activities, time for some social bonding and last, but not least, time to have something to eat and drink. Here's one idea that incorporates many options.

The other day I spent some time at indoor sports facility. Some would call it an ice rink, but is more.

Under one roof they have a full size Ice Rink for team competition, training and open public time. Also, they have two Indoor Soccer fields. One is 65 yards long and can be used for soccer, lacrosse or flag football. The second one is a little smaller and is perfect for team members that prefer less running.

What makes this special is the opportunity to give your team a choice and let them have fun.

Packages are offered that will fit any budget. Pick the type of sport you think will fit your team and then select your package. An example is their Turf package designed for Soccer or Flag Football. Sixteen guests get to play for an hour on their small turf field and have a private area nearby for those who get winded. Three large pizzas plus two pitchers of soda are included. Obviously, time of day and the scope of your team might necessitate additional food or beverages. This covers roughly an hour and a half for physical bonding and then another one half hour to wind down, eat and drink.

But if that package is not enough or you need to expand your numbers, or add more food, they are more than willing to accommodate. Lastly, they have a Sports Bar where you can relax and watch all the indoor action. It's right next to their soccer fields for those that want to continue bonding and has three large screen televisions on the wall with plenty of seating for everyone. In fact, the local Chamber of Commerce recently held their networking event in the Sports Bar area.

So, if you are looking for something different and out of the box, think activities, social bonding time, plus food and beverages at a facility like an indoor sports facility. It is all under one large roof and gives you the option to be creative and give your team something they will remember. By the way, take a camera along. I am sure you will get some great pictures of your team.

How to Achieve a Diploma in Event Management

In the present day, organising and planning functions, celebrations and other events appears to be a burden for many people. This has led to the emergence of event planners and organisers who do all the organising work on your behalf. Having someone else do the work allows you to enjoy your event and to participate with the guests you have invited. With the need for such organising increasing day by day, Event Management courses are becoming popular and have become a lucrative career option for many. A Diploma in Event Management, is a course that will help to provide you with many opportunities.

Many institutes and academic establishments are offering these types of diploma courses. Many in the corporate world, consider these courses to be extremely important and view them as a strategic marketing tool. This diploma provides you with the up-to-date modern techniques for organising events and other occasions. You can also learn to create your own events and functions, explore the resources, increase and improve contacts and publicise yourself. The profession is filled with fun and many challenges involving the organisation of certain unique events as well. You can have a bright and successful career if you move forward with right training and dedication.

Event Management is a broad concept in itself and includes varied functions, ranging from attracting clients to marketing, organising, technical nuances, publicity hype, providing the utmost comfort levels to the clients and their guests, the professional touch in your approach combined with exquisite arrangements.

Eligibility:

Anyone who has passed the HSC can apply to enroll for the diploma for the diploma in event management course. The candidate opting for this course must be passionate, ambitious, outspoken with good communication skills, marketing skills and must also have the drive to further hone their skills regularly, for a flourishing career.

A formal education combined with the practical experience gained in this field, will help in reaching greater heights. It will help in achieving certain key attributes that one should have. They are experience in vendor services, marketing skills, time management and so on. Candidates entering this arena have to improve their skills and gain experience by doing ample projects and internships.

A minimum qualification is required for organising non-professional events like weddings, stage shows, parties and so on. An event professional can also organise non-corporate events like meetings, conferences, exhibitions, incentives and so on.

There are both professional and non-professional opportunities for the event management candidates. A good network, dedication, hard work and good communication skills can pave the way for the various and exciting opportunities ahead.

Once you have decided that this is the career for you, you may wish to consider conducting an online course, or you could attend a university or training center that offers the courses you are looking for. There will be fees associated with both, although the advantage of online learning is that is can be conducted during your own time and this will allow you to continue to earn money in another job whilst you are studying for your new career.

Importance of Latest Communication Technology for Event Planners

Event planning is a very busy field requiring a whole lot of time, planning, organization, ideas, creativity, and most importantly a large creative team (depending on how big your business if of course). For most event planning companies, they have different agents or managers as you can call them who take on various clients and assignments at a time. However, all the resources of that company, be it decorations, caterers, venues, partners in clothing, stage design, security, tents, or limousines are shared by all the agents.

Because of this issue, it is very important that all the agents and their workers always stay in touch. They need to have the latest technology in communications. Therefore regular cellphones don't work, smart phones is a must have for everyone so they can check email from clients, send Facebook or Twitter messages to other agents if they are unable to reach them via phone or email and need to discuss some sort of an emergency that needs to be handled urgently. Time sharing is also an option on today's smart phones such as iPhones and BlackBerries for group discussion. When something that requires pre-planning and also a lot of time and energy in the moment like an event management job, all workers involved in the project need to have access with each other for any last minute changes such as a change in the guest list, seats for more people, or other types of duties their clients/ hosts of the event may ask for.

8 Benefits of Maintaining an Online Events and Class Calendar

All the organizations, irrespective of their sizes, plan events for their target audience. Hence, attracting only a handful of attendees at an event is the last thing the organizer wants. You can use the online calendaring tool to do away with the problem of bringing in only a few attendees to your event. The tool can also help you keep your target audience updated about all your upcoming events and activities. This comprehensive online calendaring tool, integrated with the event and class management software, easily informs people about your business meetings, conferences, and classes, all with just a click of the mouse, thus ensuring maximum attendance!

Easily Accessible

Your probable event and class attendees can easily access your events calendar from any part of the world. To view your online events and class schedules and other relevant features covering your events and activities, all they need is a computer connected to the Internet.

Quickly Browse through the Calendar

Anyone interested to attend your function and classes can quickly get the following information, among others, using a single integrated platform:

•Timings
•Date of commencement
•Venue
•Whom to contact
•Registration details

Easy Registration Right from the Calendar

This web-based calendaring tool offers on-spot registration for attending your events and classes. In other words, individuals don't have to search for your events-class registration page, as they can easily find it right on the calendar itself. Hence, it makes a lot easier for interested candidates to instantly sign up for your event, without the need to search for the form elsewhere.

Create Ample Number of Calendars

This online tool will offer you the opportunity to create as many calendars as you need for various organizational activities. In addition to generating a main calendar, you can set up more than one sub-calendar to categorize your events and academic classes.

Easy Moving of Information

You can easily move an event or class information from one calendar to another. For example, you can copy all your fundraising campaign details from a sub-calendar to the main one, as and when required.

Use the Configuration Tool

The Cloud-based calendaring module helps you easily create a color format to give it the look and feel of your business website. Additionally, you can also insert a header and menu to the online calendar with the help of this configuration tool.

Add Photos and Videos to the Calendar

You can add your past event and class photos, videos, speaker's comments, and such related information and course materials (handouts' presentation slides, and so on) for easy viewing by logged-in users.

Easily Categorize Public and Private Events

The online calendar lets you easily segregate events and classes on the basis of public versus private. With this tool, you can easily tag the events as public, for anyone to view the details, as against private, for restricted viewing.

Is It Good to Organise Staff Only Corporate Events

If you're thinking about a staff-only social occasion - particularly during the night with alcoholic beverages, dance, overnight parties, be sure that you draw the proper line of separation between having fun and irresponsible behaviour. To make sure that everything is going on the right path, read on with the following reports that might help you take further steps into creating the "good" corporate entertainment.

- Tensions with in the families and thereby in the office environment

- Issues, mishaps, occurrences originate through alcoholic beverages.

- These may influence the overall efficiency and lead to administration confusion.

- Risks of getting unpopular in the industry.

You can naturally avoid these potential risks if you arrange this social event avoiding the elements including evening time dinners, disco or dancing, too informal dressing, access to alcohol, overnight parties, and show off of the success achieved by the company and of course the major reason, excluding partners from the parties.

You don't have to be a rocket science specialist to speculate the listed scenarios to be risky and dangerous to the corporate environment. Apparently anything over limit can lead to extreme atmosphere resulting in irresponsible behaviour of the employees.

It would be a good idea to conduct the parties that involves creative works, puzzles, building up a craft, a painting oriented funny event or anything that could bring in fun and individual thinking ability in the employees. Always try to invite the whole family to the event rather than just the employees. This will naturally turn up to a family event thereby avoiding any disputes within their families that may lead to disturbances in the office work. Conducting events every now and then not only emphasises the corporate culture but aids in bringing up its popularity among the peers. For instance, organising seasonal parties such as Christmas staff parties will automatically make the team building environment more lively and interesting. Let the employees decide what they want to do on this special occasion. Ask them to put out their Christmas party ideas and give the event some name such "Christmas Staff Party Ideas Event" on a big banner and put it across the street. Look what it does! Seriously! People will start talking about the great event and ideas suggested by the team members. Do not miss even a single event of success and appreciate it coming to the desk in an informal way. This perhaps helps in building the employee-employer relationship rather strong and long lasting.

Its simple! Yet Logical I say. If you start thinking in other man's perspective you will get to know all the secrets of him. Its that simple. You do not have to learn any special scriptures or do magic at all. Just imagine yourself in his shoes, give a thought on how you would want your boss to be, and what do you need to make the working environment interesting enough. You can make out the difference easily on why you get the complaints or why you feel the other way about the team. Communication plays a vital role in man's life. Importantly, in such situations it rather holds a higher level of respect. Informal meetings are really a great way to appreciate small things in life. Walking down to his desk and having a normal conversation along with appreciating his work in front of all others is rather a more radical technique in making the team feel important.

How to Become an Event Planner

Some of you may be wondering why learning How to Become a Party and Event Planner would be of interest to anyone. But, if have always dreamed of owning your own business and having the freedom that comes along with it, then you will definitely be interested in the event planning industry. Worldwide, the annual sales generated in the party, business, and event planning industry exceed $500 billion dollars (Source: International Special Events Society). Anyone entering into this industry has a wide range of options available to them and a huge market to tap into.

Estimated start up costs:
The start-up costs of becoming a party and event planner are relatively low but they will depend upon what services you intend offering. For most, the essential equipment includes: cell phone, laptop, business cards, Yellow Pages ad, and a good organizer of some sort. If you intend on offering catering as one of your event planning jobs, then clearly you will need a fully stocked kitchen but it is possible to outsource this function if you are coordinating the entire event. Bare bones start-up costs including a rough estimate for liability insurance would be less than $2500 if you did your homework and found some deals along the way.

Recommended experience, skills, and training:
Although college degrees are available for an event planner, most of the entrepreneurs within the industry do not have one. The majority of business owners started out in catering or business meeting planning and expanded into event planning. However, many owners have attended classes and attained certification. In addition to education, learning how to become a party and event planner includes experience in the following areas: marketing, accounting, management, and sales.

Marketing tips:
To obtain credibility as a competent event planner, it is imperative that you present a professional image at all times. All of your invoices, e-mails, business cards, and correspondence should bear your company logo and have continuity in visual presentation. You will probably see good results from joining networking groups and the local chamber of commerce. Word-of-mouth will be critical in the early phases while working with the public but you will need a completely professional image and marketing strategy to land the corporate accounts.

Creating a website and filling it with a lot of useful content will land you a high ranking in the search engines and provide you with a powerful marketing tool to help promote your business. Be sure to include a link to this website in all of your e-mails and correspondence as a cheap but effective way of driving traffic to your site. Finally, use direct mail campaigns to local businesses that include some kind of promotion or discount for using your services.

Financing sources:
Learning how to become a party and event planner takes years of experience and a knack for organization but it does not require a lot of start-up capital. This is very fortunate because most banks are not going to loan you the money anyway if you are a brand new business. But, if you already own a catering business and are merely seeking to diversify your services, then your local bank is definitely an option. For everyone else, consider your friends and family if you do not already own a computer or have the cash.

Income Potential:
The income potential of learning for an event planner is only limited by your ability to sell yourself and your services to the clients. With over $500 billion dollars out there up for grabs, there is no reason why you cannot see six figures within the first three years. Like any business, however, you will only be successful if you deliver unparalleled service time and time again. But, if you love planning an event and seeing people happy, then becoming a party and event planner is for you and a way towards financial independence.

Lovely Ideas For A Vintage Wedding Event

For couples who love poking around antique malls and paging through old sepia photographs, a vintage style wedding is a perfect fit. Tea-dyed table linens, delicate hand-tatted lace, and dropped-waist dresses are just some of the lovely retro touches that infuse a modern marriage ceremony with old fashioned panache. Contemporary couples planning such an event should consider these lovely but simple ideas for a vintage wedding.

Bridal Attire

Before selecting accoutrements for the bride, groom and wedding party, the couple should decide on a specific era that will integrate their choices into a single theme. Victorian, Turn of the Century, Roaring 20s, and Fab Fifties are some examples. By researching their era of choice, the bride and groom can get a clear vision of the fashions and feel of the time period.

Vintage style wedding clothes set the tone for the ceremony. Many upscale vintage clothing stores stock a selection of lightly used retro wedding gowns and men's dress suits. Several online shops showcase one-of-a-kind vintage wedding attire for sale too. Happily for the bride who prefers something new, contemporary retro designers offer a variety of vintage inspired styles from different eras.

Accessorizing clothing with vintage type touches further reflects the retro wedding theme. For example, for a Roaring 20s affair, the bridesmaids could wear long, knotted strings of pearls and feather hair adornments to accessorize their flapper style dresses.

Invitations

In many cases, the wedding invitation is the first encounter guests will have with the big event. Therefore, the invitation should reflect the ceremony's retro flavor. Ideas for a vintage wedding can be easily translated to stationery. If the event is Victorian, for instance, the invitations could employ elaborate script for the lettering. Scroll work borders adorned with little cupids could provide period flair. Adopting the phrasing from an authentic invitation from the Victorian era would make a lovely introduction to the themed event.

Photographs

Photos can take center stage in a vintage wedding. Using vintage photographs to decorate at the reception recreates an atmosphere of bygone days. If the theme is Turn of the Century, each reception table might have a centerpiece that features a sepia-toned photograph of a different period scene, such as a cyclist on a tall velocipede or couples strolling in their period costumes.

Creative photographers can capture the essence of an era-themed wedding through their use of poses and props. If the retro theme is the 40s Big Band Era, the photographers could use a music stand with a clarinet or trombone as a backdrop. The way the bride and groom interact in their wedding photos could reflect the theme era too. For a Fab Fifties themed photo, for example, they might strike a jitterbug pose.

Music

Selecting appropriate music for the event is not as difficult as other choices, given that each era has its own distinctive musical style. For a Jazz Era wedding, a jazzy version of the wedding march incorporates the theme in a witty and sophisticated way. Of course, the couple's favorite jazz tunes would reign supreme on the dance floor at the reception.

A vintage wedding is a fun project that instills the intrinsic beauty of the ceremony with a personal glow. From designing the invitations to choosing the music, a vintage event conjures the magic of bygone eras.

Four Ways Event Organizers Can Beat the Economic Crunch

Canceled events. Slashed budgets. Lower attendance. These are the issues that event organizers and planners are facing as they look forward to 2009.

The economic challenges are real, but there are solutions for event planners. We took some time this month to take a look around the industry to see what top event planners are doing to cope with the economic down-turn, and what we discovered was surprisingly optimistic.

"It really comes down to keeping intelligent business practices and having great customer service," said Carol Wilke, owner of Global Meeting Planners.

A survey from the Religious Management Association mirrors Wilke's sentiments, showing that 58% of meeting organizers are pumping up their marketing efforts to attract more attendees and registrants. Another 27% said they would downgrade their catering options. Meanwhile, only 32% said they are eliminating events or programs.

Still, major corporations are canceling events. In fact, AIG recently announced that it was cutting hundreds of events in December. The events that are going on as planned are reporting up to 60% less attendance.

As an event planner, you're faced with two challenges: Increasing attendance and reducing cost.

The question is where do you start?

We asked other event organizers what they were doing during the economic down-turn, and here are the results...

Two Great Ways to Attract More Event Attendees and Registrants.

Send Email: Many event planners are turning to email marketing to boost attendance at their events. If done right, email can out perform direct mail - for a fraction of the cost. Most successful marketers send a series of emails leading up to an event. The frequency that you send emails should be based on the response of your audience, but in general, an email every week for four weeks is a good approach. Try to keep emails personal and relevant. One way to accomplish this is to send different emails to different segments of your audience. For example, you might want to send your members a different version than your non-members, tying the message into something they feel is personal to their member status.

Get Social: The best way to attract people to your events is through word-of-mouth. People are much more likely to respond to someone they know and trust than an advertisement. Plus, word-of-mouth advertising is free. If you want to spread the word for your events look into the event functions on social networking sites like Facebook.com or LinkedIn.com. These sites allow you to connect with thousands of people through networks of people you already know. You can even create a fan page for your event on Facebook to increase your exposure, and it's all free.

Three Great Ways to Cut Costs

Meet Online: Many event organizers are taking internal meetings to the internet, using web conferencing software to bring people together for virtual events. Not only do web-based meetings save you time and money on things like travel, catering and room rentals, but these virtual events make life easier for your attendees as well. Most event technology companies tie in to virtual meeting providers like ReadyTalk and WebEx so you can register and manage your attendees the same way you do today while still holding your event online for a fraction of the cost.

Know What You Eat: Many event planners think cutting the catering budget means cutting quality. That's not always true. Take a deeper look at your catering options. Sometimes things like bulk condiments and buffet food can save you important cash. While most event planners will quickly point out that going with "cheap" food is not a good option, they will tell you that there is wiggle room in every catering budget and small changes can yield big results.

Go Automatic: One of the biggest expenses in any event is the labor hours it takes to register, coordinate and communicate to your attendees. Most event planners [http://www.planning-directory.com/report] spend too much time on things like collecting payments, sending event reminders and conducting registration updates. By fully utilizing an attendee management system, you can reduce workload on these tasks by up to 75%. That reduced workload allows you to take on more projects with less people, dramatically improving performance while slashing a big cost center.

With the economy on the decline, event planners will continue to experience business challenges. That just means your role is more important than ever. Take the initiative now to do things that will make you look like a hero in 2009.

Catering 101 - 10 Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing a Caterer

Planning the menu for your catering event is extremely important. Whether it's an elaborate wedding reception, a casual corporate Christmas party, or a small client appreciation reception, food can turn your event into a smashing success or a total disaster.

Choosing the right catering company for your function is a key element in your event planning process. A knowledgeable and experience caterer can make your life a lot easier, so it's worth the effort finding a catering company with which you can rely on, enjoy working with, and trust.

1. Have a budget

Before you start looking for a caterer, you need to define your budget. As in any other industry, catering companies come in all shapes and forms and cater to different markets. You don't want to waste your time on a catering company that you won't be able to afford. Nor do you want to settle for a neighborhood take-out, if you have the budget for something a bit more sophisticated.

2. Do your research

The catering business is extremely competitive. There are tons of catering companies, each having their own specialty. Take some time to search through the caterers in your area to find the ones that you think might work for your event. Look through their websites, menus, and prices. Usually you can get a feel of what the company is all about. Ask your friends, family members, colleagues - there's a good chance that someone in your social network used a catering company in the past and might have some recommendations for you. There's nothing better than a referral from someone you know and trust.

3. Compare apples to apples

Different catering companies set their prices differently. Some tend to have a basic price displayed and all "bells and whistles" will be extra. Others will operate on a more inclusive basis. When you do your research make sure that you compare apples to apples. Don't be fooled by low prices. If it sounds too good to be true - it usually is. Make sure that you compare the food of the same quality, the same portion sizes and similar inclusions in the price.

4. Schedule a consultation

Any respected catering company should offer you a complimentary consultation to discuss your particular needs and requirements. This is a good opportunity to get an idea of the company and people you will be dealing with. You will get a feeling of the level of knowledge and expertise they provide and how comfortable you are dealing with them.

5. Sample the food

It is sort of obvious - before spending $20,000 on your wedding reception, you want to make sure that the food is exactly what you expect. Different catering companies might have different policies when it comes to food tastings. Some caterers will charge you a nominal fee to eliminate people who are not serious, others will do it for free.

6. Ask for references

There's nothing wrong about asking a catering company for references. It might also be a good idea to read through the customer testimonials - and not just on the company website but in other sources as well. In this day and age, where social media defines the rules of how we conduct business, organizations can't hide anything anymore. So, do you home work, read about the caterer you consider doing business with.

7. Understand terms and conditions

When reviewing a contract, make sure you read and understand terms and conditions. There are 3 main questions you need to ask:

1) Payment schedule. Most catering companies will ask you for a deposit. It might be a fixed amount or a percentage of the total invoice. Sometimes they will charge another portion 2 weeks prior to the event, and the remaining balance right after the function when all the charges are finalized.

2) Cancellation policy. What happens if your need to cancel your event? Will you lose the deposit? What is the cut-off time when you can cancel without any penalties? Be very clear of the cancellation policy and get everything in writing.

3) Changes to the guest count and menu. When is cut-off date for making the changes to the menu and number of guests? Normally a catering company will require all the information 72 hours prior to the event. At that point you'll need to confirm "guaranteed numbers". So if your guaranteed number is 200 people, and 8 hours prior to the event your attendee numbers drop to 180, it will be too late to make the adjustment, and you will have to pay for 200 people.

8. Be aware of extra charges

Having a budget is important. Sticking to your budget is very important. Being aware of the real price for the catering services is extremely important. That's where you can get yourself in trouble. First of all, you need to know about all mandatory fees, such as taxes and gratuities. If you live in the area with 12% tax (like we do, here in Vancouver, BC) and then add the industry standard 15% gratuity - you're looking at an almost additional 30% on top of the food prices. You also need to know what is included in your catering company services. If you are planning a sit down dinner, you will need service staff. Normally, it's not included in the price but that could be your negotiation tool. For big functions you might be able to work out a deal. Does the dinner price include linens, china, cutlery, and glassware or will it be extra charge? There's really no standard - it depends on how a catering company structures the prices. Basic white linens and napkins might be provided but if you need a particular color, most likely you will have to rent them. That leads to the next point...

9. Ask what additional services your catering company can provide

Will your catering company arrange flowers for your event? Will they take care of all rental needs - linens, napkins, chair covers, etc? Keep in mind that it might be cheaper to do it yourself though.

10. Don't assume. Ask questions

You don't want to annoy your catering company by calling them 5 times a day with various questions, but you don't want to assume things either. It's better to ask if china and silverware are included in the price than make that assumption. Diligent, detailed oriented caterers will appreciate you asking the questions, providing them with all the necessary information, and re-confirming everything- it actually makes their job easier.

Whatever your function is, choosing the right caterer is an important and sometimes not an easy task. Do your homework, be prepared. Don't get fooled by cheap prices and shady companies that promise you the world and deliver nothing. Ask the right questions. Be demanding but reasonable and professional.

Do I Need a Party Planner For My Event? 3 Tips to Decide

Hiring a Party Planner is always a question I get from people just wanting to have a fairly simple party, but, quite frankly, there is nothing ever simple about a Party. Now, I am not talking about the family get-together or for a party that you throw together at a friend's house. But the Events that seem to garner even more attention, from a fundraiser to an elaborate party that celebrates a primary life Events, are the ones that need more intention. So what are the determining factors that you must decide on?

Tip 1: The first concern usually centers around a budget and that is something that, at face value, always seems set in stone, or so it may seem. You see a Party/Event Planner will always try to get to the true value you plan to get from your budget. Most of the time, a person who sets out to throw a Party usually tries to tie the hands of the Party Planner by putting various restrictions on the Planner by determining the amounts spent for each area of the Event. Always allow the Planner to help you determine the best use of the budget as they will always get you better value for your dollars.

Tip 2: The second concern usually centers around the loss of input if allowing a Party Planner to have the event. A good Party Planner knows how to organize an event in such a way that saves time and money. One of the biggest problems I have always noted was the inability for an organization to "Let go." You have to be willing to give it over to the Planner and let them do what they do best. They will want your input and you theirs, but, in the end, if you allow them to do their job, it will free you to concern yourself with the other details of the Party that might slip between the cracks if you were trying to do it all.

Tip 3: Will a Party Planner really save me time? I alluded to it in tip #2, but if you allow the Planner to have the event and given them the means to communicate, you will give yourself an abundance of time that you would not have had previously. This usually means a better marketing system that will garner you far better return on investment.

Deciding on using a Party Planner is always a decision that will impact your Event in the positive. Just give yourself the freedom to let go and let them make your Party a success.

Tips on How to Use Social Media for Event Planning

Two of the greatest obstacles to running a successful event today are the economics of the event, and attracting attendees/ sponsors to participate. Many forms of promotion formerly used are either non- affordable today, or have become almost irrelevant. As evidenced by magazine and newspaper circulations, fewer and fewer people today are reading these vehicles, and, many potential advertisers have found the cost of advertising prohibitive. When that is coupled with the escalating costs of mailing and shipping, it becomes clear that event organizers and planners today needed to find and utilize other alternatives if they wanted their events to succeed. Some of these alternatives include web/ internet advertising, email and e- blasts, texts, Blogs, etc. In addition, event planners have discovered that it is often advantageous to take advantageous of Social Media as another tool in their "bag." While I believe that the best promotional technique is to use a combination of all these methods within budgetary limitations, this article will provide a few tips about using social media to promote and enhance events and event planning.

1. There are numerous internet invitation programs that are quite useful in giving the perception of providing personal invitations, as well as tracking, follow through, etc. While in the strictest interpretation of social media these programs are generally not considered, they are certainly useful extensions in the event planning process.

2. In order for social media to have an impact, it is necessary to get a large degree of interest in whatever the event one is promoting or planning. That means that an organization needs a viable method of attracting followers. However, just having followers alone accomplishes little unless the planner creates some sort of buzz about the event. That means that the organization's leadership must commit to making a concerted effort to get the word out, either by using email or texts, but preferably (and the the best results occur when this is done) either over the telephone or face- to- face.

3. Make the social media vehicle fun, informative and participatory. Many organizations run contests or promotions of some sort to hype the interest and get potential attendees and sponsors to pay more attention and follow.

4. Create a dedicated social media site or page for the event. Most of the better known sites offer that availability. For example, Facebook permits an organization to set up a specific page, and Linked In permits groups to set up a Group. Organizations should also utilize social sites such as My Space and U Tube, and create videos that enhance and entice the event. It is essential that all these methods feed into a Registration site, and that there is tracking, oversight and follow up with people who have visited the sites. Without that follow up, results and response will be disappointing. Most importantly, all social media should provide compelling reasons for people to attend and donors to support and sponsor. Event planners must always emphasize perceived value.

5. A very valuable social media site is Twitter. The event should focus on getting followers and attracting people to get more information. Twitter should be used both to whet the appetites as well as feed people to other informational sites and sources. Twitter conferences should also be set up with event specific hash marks so that people know they can get answers to questions and learn more. Twitter is also an effective tool to use during the event for attendees to get up to date information, etc.

Event planners and organizers must understand the benefits of properly using social media as one of their tools. The danger is that some leaders may look for shortcuts and over rely on this media, or use it incorrectly. Organizations should include social media as part of their leadership training and event planning programs.

Putting on a Business Conference

No one ever said putting on a business convention would be easy. In fact, even to the most skilled event planner, putting on a large business convention is hard to plan and even harder to execute. Such an endeavor takes time, money and resources that are always at arms reach. And in order for the event to be successful, it must be relevant- featuring content, exhibits, activities and participants that are conducive to the spread of innovative ideas and information, and ultimately, fostering long-lasting business relationships.

Unless you are a seasoned event planner who knows the ins and outs of putting on a sizable business convention, it might behoove you to contract professionals to handle all the logistics. A plethora of overwhelming details will need to be addressed, make no mistake about that. The kinds of things a business event consultant might handle can include everything from securing a venue to marketing the event to providing hospitality.

Production of a large-scale event will likely require a global-oriented team of personnel with a vast network of resources. A seasoned and well-connected agency might help you by:

- composing an activity agenda that features a variety of networking opportunities, resource booths and seminars on topics of interest to business executives and key decision makers. A successful conference will meet the needs of those looking to educate and spread new information in their field, network and acquire new leads, and drive their competitive edge towards sustainable growth in their industry.
-putting together a conference agenda in which speakers are scheduled purposefully. In a dynamic series of speakers, each speech should pivot right off the one before it in a way that is relevant and meaningful to the audience. The speakers should provide content that is newsworthy to the industry and relevant to event themes. Keynote speakers should compel and inspire and all other speaker slots should echo that excitement.
-finding a venue, acquiring permits/handling paperwork, ordering supplies, arranging equipment rentals, establishing a ticket-purchasing system, etc. These and other major logistical actions should fall into place smoothly and efficiently.

Smaller-scale, but equally critical details typically include:

-handling speaker contracts, transportation reimbursement, per diems/stipends, accommodations, etc.
-arranging for hosts to meet speakers at the airport, help them get settled, etc.
-making sure speakers are aware of time constraints and the need to allow time for questions.
-having a Plan B in case of problems or emergencies like flight delays, illnesses, or the need for a last-minute change of venue.

Depending on the resources you have at hand you might choose to go it alone when planning a business conference. Otherwise, you might opt to minimize stress and risk by working with a company that specializes in the planning and production of large-scale business events. There is so much to be considered in terms of planning, marketing, logistics and provisions that it can be a nearly impossible undertaking for a novice event planner, particularly one who already has their hands full.

Corporate Sports Team Building Events

Historically team building activities have usually been undertaken indoors with the boring old role plays and the traditional case studies. However there are many other unconventional ways to develop team spirit with your colleagues and subordinates. Healthy competition and a little sweat builds comradeship like nothing else. So why not explore the outdoors for your next team building day.

A Beach Olympic day can provide hours of fun. The activities that could be included are beach volleyball, a hundred meter sprint, beach soccer, a water relay or even a kayak league and much more. The teams can be split up into smaller groups and maximum involvement should be encouraged by giving bonus points for group involvement. Ensure that you stay safe in the sun by taking sunscreen, hats, beach umbrellas and drinks to ensure that all stay hydrated.

White water rafting is an adventure packed activity which encourages team building. This activity involves building trust as the teams are reliant on one another in an extreme situation. This sort of team activity suits those who have a love of adventure and adrenalin. It is not for the fearful and squeamish. As there is an element of risk in this sort of executive team building day, the company needs to make sure appropriate precautions are taken to maintain the safety of the staff.

Corporate triathlons are another way to build corporate morale and team spirit. It is an exciting way for those who are competitive to represent their organization against other companies. Staff can set up training groups to prepare and build their fitness and at the same time building rapport with one another. It should be supported by senior management as it allows people from all parts of the company to participate and get to know one another. It also encourages a healthy lifestyle, work life balance and shows that the company has a social responsibility and cares about their employees.

Executive adventure packed weekends complete with activities which include, paintball, clay shooting, mountain biking, skydiving, dirt bike riding, horse riding, hiking and much more are but another way of building team spirit and company morale. These weekends are exciting and give the employees the choice of activities to complete. Maximum participation should be encouraged. These suggested activities are excellent at building trust among staff. The challenges faced can also build strength and help individuals work toward outcomes. Team performance should be monitored feedback provided.

Whilst some of these adventure packed activities are not suitable for all staff of all workplaces, they are exciting, innovative and fun. Unconventional and dynamic, your employees will be experiencing something new and exciting. The last thing you want is for your staff to approach your next corporate team building day with cynicism and boredom. So challenge them with something new and try an outdoor or adventure packed day or weekend you staff won't expect. They will be rejuvenated and inspired and appreciate your innovation.

6 Tips to Plan a Spectacular Holiday Party

Holidays are those times of the year when people intend to spend time with their near and dear ones. To make your holiday a fulfilling experience you must plan it beforehand. A holiday party is mostly for people who like to indulge in various activities and have a good time. Let me now discuss some tips that will help you to plan a spectacular holiday party.

Defining the Goals of the Party:

The first and foremost thing that you need to do is to define why you want to organize this holiday party. By this I mean, whether the party will be organized for thanking employees, rewarding the efforts of certain employees or simply giving a chance to people to celebrate. Understanding the goals will help you to shape events accordingly.

Location and Venue

Deciding on the location and venue of the party is important. This will help you to make proper arrangements for your event. Moreover, since it is a holiday party so the venue and location should be selected in a manner so that it largely appeals your event attendees and allows them to spend a gala time.

Deciding On the Type and Number of Guests:

You first need to decide on who is going to be invited and have an approximate figure on the total number of guests that probably will attend the event. If you are planning to invite employees along with their families, ensure you book a venue that has facilities for children.

Scheduling the Event and Fixing the Budget

Selecting a proper schedule will have an impact on how your events will unfold. Like whether your party will be held in the morning, afternoon or evening or during the weekends will be directly proportional to the number of guests that will attend your party. Moreover, deciding on the budget is also important before carrying out all your activities. A proper budget will help you decide on the preliminaries of the event.

Seeking Sponsors

Does your event need any sponsors? Then you need to hunt for one who will provide you with facilities to absorb the cost of additional activities. You can check that out from the existing list of clients your company already has.

Deciding On Registration

Nearer to the date you need to send out the invites along with the appropriate registration details. It is recommended to have both offline and online registration systems in place. Allow your guests the convenience of registration by means that they are comfortable dealing with.

These simple steps will help you plan your holiday party successfully.

5 Fundraising Ideas for Charity Auction Event Planners

Executing pitch perfect fundraising ideas for your next charity auction event will be about more than just the event itself. You already know, you're going to want every detail to be flawless, but planning an auction fundraiser is about more than simply choosing items and making them look appealing on display. It's about developing a strategy to ensure your organization reaches its maximum fundraising potential. That means planning for a successful fundraiser can be a 365-day-a-year job.

1. Learn from the past. All too often, charity event planners repeat their mistakes and neglect to capitalize on their successes from one year to the next. After every fundraising event you host, deeply evaluate your results. What went well? What didn't go so well? Asking these simple questions will help you gauge what you should do more of and less of at your next auction fundraiser. Set overall goals for your next event, as well as short-term goals, like X invitations accepted each month or Y pickups by local media outlets. Realistic, measurable goals will help keep you focused on the charity event's larger goal long term.

2. Don't procrastinate. Even if your last auction event just happened and you have another year before your next one, now is the time to get your marketing program off the ground. Thank attendees and especially bidders for supporting your cause and being a part of your fundraiser, and be sure to ask them what they'd like to see in the auction next year. Send notes of thanks promoting next year's event, and get a date on the calendar as soon as possible. Talk about your next charity auction in every communication, especially on the homepage of your organization's Web site and via all your social media channels. There's no such thing as promoting your next event too early.

3. Choose the right auction items. Above all else, choosing the right auction items for your event comes down to knowing your audience. But, a lot goes into knowing your audience. They could be more apt to bid on entertainment or music memorabilia than sports memorabilia. They might be looking to take home several low- to mid-priced items, rather than one big-ticket auction item. Variety is important, but you'll also want to think about whether you're planning a live auction, a silent auction, or both. Some items will inevitably garner higher bids in the high-energy live environment, while other fundraising ideas belong in a more casual silent auction.

4. Promote using all available media. Since you'll already have your Web site and social media channels covered, next it's time to plan the rest of your marketing campaign. News of your auction fundraiser should hit your local newspaper, radio broadcasts and TV news. In fact, you should bring a few of the most impressive, flagship fundraising items you'll be auctioning off with you on a few local programs. Let the shows' hosts check out your auction items first hand and pitch your event for you. Also, don't be afraid to target your most affluent donors individually to let them know what auction items you'll have at your event. This will help get those influential donors into the mindset of bringing their checkbooks.

5. Track your progress and adjust accordingly. Setting short-term goals will help you keep your status in perspective and allow you to make adjustments to your plan, as needed. Whether your numbers are coming in too low and you need to increase your efforts, or they're coming in higher than expected and you need to increase your goals, constantly shaping and reshaping your plan will result in a more successful event overall.

Developing and executing a blockbuster charity auction can be an intimidating task, but with the right planning and a year-round focus, success is well within reach. Follow these simple tips, enjoy an epic auction fundraiser and repeat next year.

Event Planning Template - New Budget Spreadsheet For Meetings

If you do not know excel or do not want to spend major amounts of time designing something to fit your budget, what do you do?

The other day I met with a friend to discuss a new Excel Budget Spreadsheet for Meetings.

She was impressed with the spreadsheet and made the following comments. Five years ago she was working for a company and had the responsibility of setting up and running some large meetings. Her major problem was spending so much time late at night trying to design and set up the excel spreadsheets that it caused family problems an she ended up leaving her employer.

She wished this Budget Spreadsheet for Meetings had been available at that time. It would have saved her countless hours.

With the spreadsheet all she had to do was enter the meeting information and the formulas would do the rest.

The spreadsheet is set up with the main Budget Sheet listing all the items needed for the meeting.

Income categories list: Registration Fees, Company Funding, Sponsor Funding, Exhibitor Fees, Advertising and Other Income.

Variable Expense categories include major categories such as: Food Expenses, Beverage Expenses, Exhibition Expenses plus three more.

Fixed Expense categories include twelve areas like: Staff Expenses, Speaker Expenses, Audio-Visual, Printing, plus eight more.

Charts: The final sheets on the spreadsheet are Charts. These charts are automatically generated and show percentages when categories for Income, Fixed and Variable Expenses are completed.

Each category has it's own sheet to enter all items. All the meeting planner needs to do is enter the item and related income or expense numbers onto the specific sheet that covers that item. From that point all numbers are automatically totaled into separate categories and then totaled on the page. The total from the page then is populated onto the main Budget Sheet.

What's nice is that everything is simple. You enter the names and amounts and then the Budget Spreadsheet takes over and does the rest for you. Instantly you know totals to date in income and expenses plus actual profit or loss to date.

You can not make any mistakes because all the formulas are protected and examples are on each sheet showing you how to use the forms. Easy, Easy, Easy.

So, if you do not know excel or do not want to spend major amounts of time designing something to fit your budget, simply get the new Budget Spreadsheet for Meetings and enjoy.

What Is the Key to Keep Your Event Audience Engaged?

Engaging the audience throughout the event is the primary objective of the event organizers. In order to achieve this end, event organizers invest their best efforts in creating power point presentations, and so on. However, attracting your attendees' attention at all times is a difficult task. If order to achieve this goal, you have to do a little more than trying out the old methods repeatedly. In fact, you can spark a good deal of enthusiasm in your audience by resorting to online event registration- a complete solution for events of all size and complexity.

According to experts, effective marketing strategy is the key to keeping the audience engaged. Simultaneously, it best accelerates and deepens relationships with prospective clients and customers. As a result, event organizers are essentially deploying best practices, which are technology driven, to make the most of organizing these events.

Moreover, the growing dependence on technology has encouraged prospective attendees to expect more from you. Therefore, it is imperative to use this technology by the organizers. These days, the audience is reasonably familiar with social media engagement and they hardly find mere power point presentations interesting that leaves no room for peer-to-peer interaction. Additionally, today's audience demand information to be delivered in real time and prefer taking part in ongoing conversations. Thus, using the right kind of event registration software allows you to make your event more interactive thus fulfilling attendee expectations.

Given below is a brief overview of how to maintain audience engagement in your upcoming events.

Promotion is the Key to Success

Keep in mind that a successful event begins long before the actual event takes place. An effective promotional strategy helps in building up enthusiasm amongst the target audience about the event. As a result, they arrive on the scheduled date with full of expectation, prepared to engage and participate in the event. Therefore, you must focus on the fact that your event is providing enough resources to the attendees from which they can learn. In this way, you can win over a potential base of satisfied clients and customers, which may turn out to be profitable in the long run.

One of the best ways to achieve audience engagement is to create teaser campaigns about what the attendees are going to experience at the event. The best platform to do the same is your event website, social media sites and through email campaigns.

Emphasis on Audience Interaction

Audience interaction is one of the main aspects of keeping them engaged throughout the event. In fact, you have to offer both live and virtual attendees the platform to directly interact with the presenter(s). It not only helps in the smooth flowing of the process, but at the same time strengthens co-ordination and communication, which in turn makes your event very effective.

As an organizer, you have to identify, which sessions are going to be the best for audience interactivity. However, some of the best ways to strengthen audience interaction are text chats, question and answer sessions, video sharing and so on.

Therefore, using resources that can help in developing audience interaction and engagement is the key to organizing and hosting a successful event.

Why Maintaining Excellent Relations With Past Attendees Is Imperative to Grow Your Event Business

Many event planners focus their entire attention on adopting strategies to find new attendees for their events while overlooking the importance of building strong relations with their past attendees and registrants. As a result, their marketing strategies remain focused on promoting their events to the new registrants. What most organizers fail to understand is that the success of an event depends not just on their ability to draw more attendees but also on retaining excellent relationships with existing members.

Maintaining good relations with past and existing attendees helps organizers to benefit in several ways. Some of these include the following:

Positive Word of Mouth

In marketing and promotion, nothing works better than a positive word of mouth. This is a highly reliable and effective means to market events. Your happy members spread the good word about your events and influence prospective attendees to sign up. Therefore, it is essential for you to maintain an excellent rapport with existing as well as past attendees at all times.

Ensure a High Turnout for Events

Promoting an event calls for a lot of planning and coordination. Despite undertaking robust marketing measures, you may not achieve the desired turnout. However, maintaining a strong relation with your past attendees makes it easier for you to market them to people who would be interested to attend an event that interests them.

Create Credibility for Your Organization

As an event planner, one of your key responsibilities is to create credibility for your organization. The best way to ensure that your prospective attendees view your organization as a reputed firm is to provide value to your attendees. A credible organization draws more attendees and aids in marketing and promotion.

To enable event organizers to manage better relations with their attendees at all times, comprehensive event management solutions offer several key features to boost attendee relationship management. Some of the top benefits provided by these solutions include the following:

• Seamless data integration enabling the event organizers to understand their attendees in a better way


• Communication tools to interact with prospective as well as existing event attendees


• Powerful and secure online payment management solutions to make it easier for the attendees to sign up for the upcoming events


• Integration with the social media platforms to popularize and promote events


• Strategic support to organizers to create appropriate marketing campaigns for different attendees


• Custom reports to evaluate the success of events and attendee responses

Buoyed by the growing demand among event organizers with different budgets and requirements, a number of feature rich event management solutions have arrived in the market that are transforming the way events are organized and marketed. Event planners have also realized that building and fostering relationships with attendees enhances their brand value and enables them to market their events in a more effective manner. The key therefore lies in choosing the most comprehensive event management solution that strengthens attendee relationship management.

The Importance of the Right Keynote Speaker for Your Events

The role of the keynote speaker is to make speeches that often will define the theme of the event whether it is a corporate event or a political one. The event may have other speakers also but the keynote speech can be the most important. With his speech he can have a good influence on his audience and people who are natural good speakers can be inspirational and can greatly influence an assembly of people. People giving keynote speeches can also command high fees for the speeches made.

Preparations that a Keynote Speaker Should Do

The preparations made before a keynote speech is done will not be an easy task to do. He has to know what the event is about and what the theme is. If the keynote speaker is a member of the event organization he will not have a hard time on what to talk about but if he is not, then he has to study first on the theme and make preparations for this. The type of speech to be made has to be studied also and one that can excite and inspire the audience will be the one ideal for that occasion. Contents of the speech are important and how the speaker will deliver that speech.

A naturally good speaker can always deliver whatever the kind of theme he is provided and talk about. He will always be naturally good for this and he can always be a good motivational speaker whether he is given only a little time for preparations or informed beforehand. Not all speakers can be a good keynote speaker and this is a skill that he has mastered from his experiences and education. An amateur speaker will not be able to perform like him or captivate his audience the way he does it.

Professional Speakers to Deliver Keynote Speech

For events where a keynote speaker is needed, that person may not be along the same professional line as those organizing the events. He may not be with the same degree of education but what is needed is that he can talk on the theme and be able to captivate his audience. There are many of these good professional speakers who can motivate and inspire people. These people can be top executives in big corporations or they may be consultants in their field.

A good motivational speaker will be paid a bit higher than other speakers, and they deserve this high professional fee because of their exceptional skills. They are not the ordinary speakers you can find around the corner. They learn their trade through years of experience and exposure to speaking engagements. Other good speakers will only ask for the average fee as the other ordinary speakers and they will give the excess fee to a fund pool or a foundation. This may be to fund educational seminars or train potential speakers.

A good keynote speaker can be readily found these days because of the availability of the internet to provide information on where to find one. The video sharing sites can also be a good source of information and you will have the chance to see how they speak, their speech styles, or how good they can inspire and motivate an audience. If you are in the process to find one for your event, you will not have a hard time because you can choose from among the many inspirational speakers you will see in the video sharing sites. From among the many you can choose who among them will fit your event's theme and your budget.

SWOT Analysis In Event Planning: Why Research Is Important For Corporate Events

Research is important whenever you are planning to invest on your events. Mainly for corporate event planning, as an event planner, you need to know which products and services your client would like to promote through his events.

So, even before you start planning for your corporate event, find out the answers to the following questions:

1. How does your client enterprise promote their product?


2. How does the enterprise wish to enhance their brand image


3. What is the market value of the corporate and its products?


4. Who buys their product?


5. What are the selling points of their products?


6. How they are ahead of behind of their competitors?

These questions may not be directly connected to your event planning for the corporate client, but the answers to these questions are going to help you tremendously. When and how?

Well, all event planners know that only planning a great event is not enough until you ensure good marketing and promotion for the event. These answers will help you immensely when you will start promoting your event.

When you use online marketing tools such as Email Marketing, Facebook and Twitter, your online event website, word of mouth and so on, start analyzing your research findings following SWOT Analysis method.

S for strengths, W for weaknesses, O for opportunities and T means threats. Now you categorically arrange your findings under suitable headings: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

Following this method, you can find out what aspects of your client and their product can be promoted to get a favorable impact on your prospective attendees.

The same analysis can be followed to find out what are the areas you need to focus more on while planning an event.

Collect brownies on the Strengths of your Event Management Organization:

Examples:

• You have an experienced team with high motivation level


• You use an online event management solution


• You streamline your administrative workload


• You have effective event promotion tools

Areas of Weaknesses you need to overcome or manage:

Examples:

• Lack of funds


• Inexperienced event team


• Lack of media and corporate contacts etc.


• Manual data entry

Factors allowing more Opportunities:

Examples:

• Less competition


• Support from the local authorities,


• Modern infrastructure

Mark your Threats in Red:

Examples:

• Strong competition


• Bad weather


• Backdated infrastructure

After the SWOT analysis, all highly practical information you needed to know before you plan an event will be just in front of you. Now with the results of your analysis, you develop a strategy to maximize the prospective of your strength points and opportunities. And on the other hand you make sure that you reduce the negative impact of the weaknesses and threats. When you have enough time, take a step forward and find out a way to overcome your weaknesses. Start using cloud based event management solutions which are an amazing way to streamline administrative workload, ensure attendee satisfaction, and the success of all your events.

Event Management Teams Are Equipped to Deal With the Complex Logistics of Large-Scale Events

The event management companies have robust systems and processes in place to ensure that their project management teams are fully equipped to deal with the complex logistics that the management of large-scale events requires. While some organisers may charge you for their services, you may however get the benefit, as in many cases the costs of a conference organiser including travel planning and venue booking is absorbed by the various venues and services. They can create events to enable the clients to positively influence their audience, assuring them that they need not worry about anything, as all of the details of the presentation equipment will be taken care of. These companies always make sure first, to understand the reasons why you are staging an event and are always passionate about making your event run extremely smoothly.

1. The event management services demonstrate years of experience preparing, creating and delivering tailored events. They can help with product launches as well as overseas entertainment and give you an expert advice and help for any concerns in choosing the best possible deal for equipment for your event.

2. These professionals are always keen to provide you with a truly memorable occasion with maximum impact and minimum stress. They have qualified technicians, who would offer quality service and provide on-location support when needed. These experts can help you with not only finding the right venue and making travel convenient, but also with staying within your intended event budget.

3. Whether you need budget monitoring, strategy and concept development, event planning, programming and scheduling, event management services are always there to help you with everything. They have good project-management skills, can understand all your requirements and always endeavour to comply with them, offering help and support all the time.

4. They can deal with various things, including logistics and operations, on-site management team, communications and marketing, evaluation, management social programme and add-on events, reporting and post-event analysis. These organisers have clear line of communication internally, ensuring a smooth, seamless experience for their clients.

5. With the help of their technical staff, they can help you setup the equipment thereby leaving you to concentrate on other aspects of your presentation. Whether you need an equipment or technology for a board meeting or business conference or for an exhibition or conference, these specialists can help you out with everything.

The event management companies, who would offer prompt service and quality, ensuring that you receive the service best suited to your needs, which will put your mind at ease for your next event or conference. They can be really cost effective for you and help you keep your overheads low, whilst being able to organise events of any size from small birthday parties, through to large scale festival production and corporate conferences. Their creativity, planning and skills can underpin every event that they manage for many of their valued clients. These companies allow you with the added comfort of knowing that everything is done on time.

Top 4 WordPress Plugins For Event Management Websites

It doesn't matter whether you are a seasoned event manager or planning your first conference, you will always be happy to try out new ways to make the process easier. As we all know, a lot of work goes into planning a conference, including choosing conference venues and, depending on the size, many months of planning are required to pull off a successful event.

From an organisational point of view, interactive websites provide a trusty avenue through which to plan and implement your event. A blog is a great way to keep your potential attendees up-to-date with developments, and to advise them of program details, guest speakers, as well as allowing them to register on line.

WordPress is one of the favourite platforms used by event organisers because of the ease of installation and customisation. Specially developed plug-ins make the task even easier and in this article we will look at a few of the most helpful plug-ins event organisers can use.

• Events Manager. This plug-in is a great solution for event management problems and makes it easy for you to run recurring events with little extra work. Your attendees can RSVP via the website and you can provide them with maps, events lists, calendars and detailed descriptions of every element of the conference. You can even provide RSS feed to keep everyone updated and because it integrates with Google Maps the location of your bed is easy to find and because of the geo-coding every potential participant can quickly determine whether they should attend. The best part is its free!


• Eventify. This extraordinary free plug-in gives you easy to edit widgets and pop ups to make your site look as exciting and interactive as it needs to be. With many other plug-ins using JavaScript there can be conflicts with other scripts contained on the site. With this plug-in however all conflicts have been removed and your site will load easily every time. You can upload event details using a database in the Excel.csv format and easily put videos in place where they will be provide great viewable content. You can use the details from previously held events by backing them up and using them later when you need to.


• Event Brite. If you're looking for an easy way to manage ticket sales and registrations, this plug-in gives you all the management tools you need. You can take advantage of any payment method including PayPal, and the easy to administer interface, including an e-commerce shopping cart makes it easy to gear your page for efficient event registrations.


• Event Calendar 3. Event Calendar gives you a convenient method to add event dates to an individual post and then automatically have that event posted in the appropriate category. This takes full advantage of the categories. Widget and your readers will be able to find particular events easily because every display is in date order and removed automatically when the date has passed.

After you have narrowed down your selection of conference venues, you can start using these plug-ins to make your ongoing planning much easier.

BS 8901 and the New ISO Standard ISO 20121

The events industry has been making moves to be more environmentally friendly. Despite the economic and social benefits of hosting concerts and conferences, there is often considerable waste and other negative environmental impacts that result.

The BS 8901 standard was created specifically for the events industry to help it operate in a more sustainable manner. This standard has been hugely successful around the world and has led to the development in draft form of a new international standard ISO 20121. The ISO 20121 is expected to be finalised in 2012 to coincide with the London Olympics.

The social and economic benefits of hosting conferences, concerts, and festivals are vast. Nonetheless, despite these benefits the events industry also has a responsibility to the environment. The events industry needs to address the considerable waste and other negative social and environmental impacts that result from holding events.

One such organisation which has enjoyed the success of being awarded the coveted BS 8901 certificate is Croke Park stadium in Ireland. Croke Park has become the world's first stadium to receive BS 8901. The certification is audited by the international standards group, SGS Ireland and recognises quality in event management. The stadium was audited under three main categories: Environment, Social and Economic as part of this sustainability management system certification.

BS 8901 was largely prompted by the Olympic games, but it has proven to be successful across the events industry. The BS 8901 standard was first published in November 2007 and was revised and re-issued in September 2009. BS 8901 shares common management system principles and processes with the ISO 9001 standard on Quality Management and the ISO 14001 standard on Environmental Management. The BS 8901 standard defines the requirements for sustainability event management to ensure a long-lasting and balanced approach to economic activity, environmental responsibility and social progress in relation to events. If the organisation has already met either of these standards, they will be in a better position to adopt the BS 8901 certification.

The event industry has given the BS 8901 positive feedback not just in the UK but around the world. The success of this standard has led to it being developed into the draft of ISO 20121. The ISO 20121 is an international standard which will use BS 8901 as its starting point and the 30 countries that are involved in this ISO process will contribute to the development of the standard. This will have the effect of building on what BS 8901 was and create a unique international document around sustainability.

The standard ISO 20121 will take a management systems approach requiring identification of key sustainability issues, such as venue selection, operating procedures, supply chain management, procurement, communications, transport, among others. Like BS 8901, the global standard will be suitable for all sizes and types of events. In addition, implementing the recommended systems will not only help to reduce a company's social and environmental impact, but is also likely to increase business efficiency and cut costs.?

ISO 20121 is expected to be finalised in 2012 to coincide with the London Olympics. All international standards bodies have been invited to be part of the development process and those that choose to be involved will build on BS 8901 to create ISO 20121.

Things to Look For in an Event Management Software Solution

When purchasing an event management software solution what should I look for?There are many solutions on the market, but some are more comprehensive and technically advanced than others. Event managers must ensure that the investment they make is future proof - in other words, the software must be able to grow and adapt as the organisation grows and as technology develops. More specifically, the particular features that make a quality event software solution include:

Integration into back end office systems

Being able to integrate the event software into the solutions used within the business already makes for a more efficient package. Business systems such as CRM solutions, finance packages and HR solutions all contain data that will need to be updated with every event. The customer data on CRM solution will need to be updated with their latest activity, the finance system will need to process any payments and the HR solution will need to update employee records if the event involves staff attendance. Automating this process through integration eliminates any errors and makes the process of updating other platforms far more efficient. Effective event software solutions will have flexible technical architecture, allowing them to integrate with all your current and future systems.

Integrating the event software into the organizations own website, means that not only does the delegate gain the benefits from a familiar website, but the event organizers can retain full control over the content and branding of the registration page. Customizable booking forms should be able to be created with ease. The booking forms will be integrated with the back end office systems, updating the records automatically as soon as a delegate registers for an event.

Event management software can also make it easy to organize repeatable events, by storing booking forms and other event tools as templates, ready to be used over and over again.

Comprehensive Email Marketing Tool

The event management industry now relies heavily on email marketing. Emails are used to:

• Promote events


• Send invitations


• Update delegates on event changes/developments


• Reach delegates for post event surveys

The email marketing tool that comes within the event software must be technical enough to be able to track major KPIs. These include the number of opened emails and click throughs, unopened emails, deleted emails, most popular links etc. This level of measurement helps event managers to constantly improve their emails - helping to increase the level of delegate response with each communication.

However, many email solutions can go one step further. Integrating the email tool with the event software means that the registration process can be further streamlined. Prospective delegates can receive an email invitation, click on the link and be taken to a registration page where their details have already been populated into the booking form - this allows for a two click registration process - one click to arrive at the registration web page and a second click to confirm the information is correct and to register for the event. This capability drastically increases delegate registration numbers which is a key measurement for many events in this current economic climate.

Reporting and Analysis

Improving event quality and attendance can only be achieved through the measurement and analysis of each and every event held. This can be a complex and time consuming effort and is often something that gets pushed aside as the next event is only round the corner!

Event management software makes the analysis and reporting of events easy. Comprehensive OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) can automate the creation of standard reports and should be part of all event software packages. These reports are built upon the individual requirements and needs of each organisation - not all organisation place weight on the same KPIs and results. Understanding what is important and what affects individual event success is key to creating appropriate reports.

As organizations grow and transform, it is important that the event software is able to grow with them. The OLAP reporting functionality makes it easy for event managers to simply create ad hoc reports and new report templates as and when required.

Event software OLAP reporting tools can also measure other event metrics such as:

• Expense to Revenue Ratio (E:R)


• Conversion rate of invites sent vs. delegate registrations


• Delegate registrations vs. Attendance


• Delegate Lead Quality and Quantity


• Sales Cycle and Opportunities

Other key features that event managers should look for in an event management software solution are:

• Website Integration: Seamlessly integrate with your existing website without the need to re-design or re-brand


• Online Registration: Fully customizable online booking form ensuring your online registration process captures the most relevant information from your delegates


• Invitation Management: Comprehensive, easy to use integrated invitation management tool


• Email Marketing Tool: Powerful, integrated and fully functional email marketing tool enabling event managers to send highly targeted email campaigns marketing to the relevant delegate audience


• Badge Creation: Produce personalised delegate badges pre or during the event simply through event management software


• Resource Management Facility: Simply manage and allocate all resources through a comprehensive calendar feature, providing you with total control of all aspects of the event management process


• Secure Online Payments: Allow your delegates to securely pay online with confidence, providing ease of automation


• Integrated Reporting and Analysis Suite: Powerful reporting and analysis suite, enabling you to simply and quickly drill down to the event data in just a matter of seconds


• Survey: Integrated and automated feedback management tool