Event Management Course - Learn the Art of Presentation

Delivering presentations to clients and the company board members is a challenge that many of us regularly face as a daily part of our job. Presentation skills are not just limited to typing up speeches on the Power point but also how you communicate your message across to your audience. When you have to manage an event professionally, you have to know how to host a live show or presentation. You have to know how to present the rooms or gardens where you are holding your event. These skills cannot be learnt out of the blue, the usual way to learn these either through the hard way, that is by learning through your mistakes, or the easier way would be to take an Event Management Course which won't take too much of your time and will benefit you for a life time.

Presentation skills are now considered the most important skills to be equipped with in the twenty-first century, be it a market campaign, a dinner party or just a social get-together; your social skills and your presentation skills matter everywhere. Especially when seeking out new employment, employers first judge the level of presentation skills the person has. These skills also add up as positive points in your personality as it also grooms a person. This helps you in displaying better communication skills, better personal presentation skills and also helps develop much better management skills.

The secret of success behind every presentation is to make sure that you get your point across in a well-defined manner and you make an impression on your targeted group of people.

Opting to go for an event management course you will learn the art of presentation in simple steps.

Keep it simple is the first key to a good presentation. If you are suppose giving a presentation to your boss, keep it to the point, technical vocabulary is important but then make sure that your audience is familiar with the words.

Create a professional image, practice what you have to say in case of a business presentation, and if it is an event presentation make sure that you organize the accessories beforehand, to make sure the entrance, the stage the lighting is perfect and would not need last minute urgent adjustments. Practice makes a man perfect. This is the key rule that is being followed here.

Stay on track. Focus on what you are required to do and fix everything accordingly to the event, for example a stage fit for a wedding will not be appropriate to introduce the Board of Directors at the General Shareholders meeting.

By taking a course in Event Management, you will gain more confidence in tackling situation and of course you will learn the art of presentations of all sorts.

Top 5 Tips for Planning an Elopement in Paris

As a wedding planner in Paris, I must get at least 3- 5 emails a week from couples who want to elope in Paris. There are tons of reasons why people choose to elope: to save money, to save time, to save their sanity! Couples that contact me about eloping in Paris also typically display a very strong romantic streak. Since I find myself answering a lot of the same questions week after week, I've decided to compile The American Wedding Planner in Paris' Top Five Tips for Planning an Elopement in Paris

1. Start Planning Early

Gone are the days of dropping into town at midnight and waking the village parson to marry you (his wife, with her wrinkled overcoat pulled over her dressing gown, acting as pianist-slash-witness). As nostalgic and romantic as it sounds, it's just not realistic in this day and age. There aren't very many English-speaking celebrants available in Paris, and most of them work full-time at their own churches. They also have families, hobbies and other commitments, which leaves a limited amount of time to officiate weddings for couples coming from overseas. They, of course, try to be as accommodating as possible, but to be fair, you should plan on contracting your officiant at least 2 - 3 months in advance of your ceremony (longer if you're planning on eloping during the high season).

2. Hire a good wedding planner

Well... this one is pretty simple. People tend to think that wedding planners are for big, elaborate weddings. That's not true at all. A destination wedding is a destination wedding- whether it's just you two or 200 of your closest friends! Do you know where to get a hand-tied bouquet of cafe au lait-colored peonies with a matching boutonniere in Paris? A wedding planner would. Do you know the name of an awesome, reputable, English-speaking Parisian photographer? A wedding planner does! I could go on for another 2 paragraphs, but you get the gist. Besides having access to top-notch local vendors, hiring a wedding planner based in the destination that you're planning your elopement takes the pressure off of you and your honey, and gives you time to concentrate on planning your honeymoon. As when you're hiring your officiant, keep in mind that most wedding planners need at least 2 - 3 months notice to plan a unique, personalized elopement ceremony correctly.

3. Try not to plan too much

So, my first pointer was to start planning early, but that's not to say to plan every single second of your event! I've said it before and I'll say it again- France is not America. France runs at it's own pace, and to most Americans, that's about 3.5 paces behind the U.S! Everyone is familiar with the stereotype of the American tourist in a Parisian restaurant, waiting... and waiting... and waiting for "l'addition" (all the while growing more red-faced and furious at the waiter for "ignoring" his table). I've had elopement clients send me their itineraries timed to the quarter hour, "Car Pick-Up at Hotel: 12:45. Arrive at Eiffel Tower: 1:05. Waiter brings 1st glass of champagne: 2:17, etc. etc..." If you learn nothing else from this article, learn this: You can pay a deposit, fax an excel spreadsheet, confirm, re-confirm, and re-RE-confirm an order, but it won't really confirm anything. In Paris, "on time" typically means between 15 and 35 minutes "late" (by American standards). So, if you're expecting a car to pick you up at 1:00 to get you to the Eiffel Tower for your ceremony to start at 1:30, just know that the car will probably arrive at 1:15, but it's no problem because the ceremony probably won't start until 1:50 anyway! It all works out in the end, and the wedding ceremony will be just as lovely 20 minutes "later" than you had planned.

4. You can not get married on top of the Eiffel Tower

Let me just say that once again for the girls at the back: You Can NOT get married on top of the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower is a national monument which occasionally rents the top out for corporate functions, but not to private individuals. If you want to host your wedding at the Eiffel Tower, you'll be encouraged to rent rooms at one of the two restaurants in the tower . BTW, you also can't get married at Notre Dame Cathedral or at Sacre Coeur, unless you have some pretty strong pull in some VERY high places in France. For starters, in order to have a church wedding at all in France, you will first need to have a civil wedding here. That comes with a whole slew of rules and regulations, which is why most foreigners who come to Paris to get married choose to have a religious blessing or a symbolic ceremony instead. With symbolic ceremonies, you have a lot more flexibility- so while you still can't get marriedon top of the Eiffel Tower, you can have a very simple symbolic ceremony in front of it.

5. Think off the Beaten Path

If you've already decided to elope to Paris, chances are you're a pretty non-traditional couple. So why settle for the same ole same ole once you've arrived in Paris? Sure, you can get married beneath the Eiffel Tower. It's gorgeous, historical, romantic- everything that you could ask from a wedding in Paris. But wouldn't it be really cool to exchange your vows on top of the Buttes Chaumont, with its amazing panoramic view of the city spread out at your feet? Or beneath the echo-y vaulted ceilings of the Place des Vosges? Or even at sundown in the dramatic shadows of the Pyramide de Louvre. Since you're creating your own, unique elopement ceremony, the world (or at least Paris) is your oyster! Elopement ceremonies tend to be fairly short, so if you're mindful of the legalities of your intended venue (no standing on the grass, for example, if you're not permitted to do so), and respectful of your environment (i.e.: don't hire an accordionist to serenade you in a busy restaurant), your elopement in Paris should go off without a hitch!

Corporate Events - What is a Corporate Event?

Corporate events are essential in today's world. It is a part of any business nowadays to have the ability to plan events which can help strengthen companies from the inside while educating and informing people about the place and purpose of their company inside an industry. A highly effective way to do this would be by hosting corporate events.

Ideally, corporate events deal with planning conferences, activities and community projects, which all focus on accomplishing the organization's overall goals. Several events that would fall under the wide range of corporate events concentrate on internal functions and needs. For example, companies that have numerous locations might opt for semi-annual or annual conferences for key managers and offices, offering forums for education and to share information about company goals and upcoming events.

One other example would involve the participation in business conferences and expositions where companies and their product lines get the opportunity to attract attention from brand new clients. Third variations of these corporate programs deal with company involvement and the need of the community to know the location of the business facility or company.

No matter what kinds of corporate events are involved, several important aspects exist, which need to be addressed to make these corporate events succeed. One great place you could start would be by defining the event's mission and purpose. Arriving at clear understandings of the event's overall reasons would make things much easier for corporate planning perspectives.

If an upcoming event which has to be planned involves a weekend getaway for top company customers, the focus should be on the clients' overall travel arrangements. This would include hotel accommodations, airfare, and ground transportation. From there, adding in arrangements for entertainment and meals, like golf, concerts, or cocktail parties would be acceptable. If the company wants to recognize these particular clients in a formal manner, a testimonial dinner has to be planned out, as well.

On the flip side, if the planning of a corporate event is more geared toward internal training conferences, the focus would be a bit more different. Internal conferences would involve agenda planning, arrangements for sessions of facilitators and speakers, exhibit determination, hotel room and meal planning and registration process set-ups. While putting together weekend events for several important clients might merely take several months, planning bigger conferences might take a minimum of eight months to fully process.

Numerous Benefits of Entering Into Live Event Video Streaming

There is much more to do than watching video streaming online that had been on the internet as a pre-recorded video. Now, a new era has entered the world of technology, i.e. live event video streaming. Through streaming live videos, people can watch the event on a real-time basis through live videos. This has been possible because its signals can be switched to compressed signals. These signals are transferred through unique web servers.

Businesses as well as individuals can benefit a lot from the presence of live streaming video events. Some of its advantages are mentioned below.

Convenience for Viewers
Many people still use video streaming mainly because they do not have a lot of exposure to live video streaming. However, some really do and enjoy the most from it. One of the reasons behind this is that they do not need to waste time in terms of waiting for the video till it is fully downloaded. You just have to visit the relevant website and start watching live streaming without any fluctuations.

Low Cost
Streaming live events online does not mean that you have to incur a lot of expenses. The cost of streaming a live event depends on various factors. Some examples of such factors are the event's duration, number of viewers, etc. Therefore, you can estimate the costs by contacting the provider of live event streaming service.

Real-Time Streaming
It can be an ideal channel for promoting businesses. Since it is all about real-time streaming, you can easily broadcast any business event to your target audience on a real-time basis. Furthermore, it has an indirect effect on the increase in your company's sales. In order to broadcast any corporate event, you can use your webcam.

Increased Media Exposure
Live event streaming helps you increase media exposure to your selected target audience. This indicates that the chances of increasing your customer base are high.

Educational Communication
Besides sports and entertainment, it has educational benefits as well. If your business deals with educational services such as, higher education consultancy, tutoring, online coaching, web-based learning or specialist training, then live video streaming can be utilized effectively. No matter how distant the trainees are located, you can provide them education through your live videos.

Personal Uses
A lot of people have personal events that they want to share with others who are physically not there. Live event streaming serves the purpose well. A wedding event or a sports event can be shared online through live video streaming services.

Live video event streaming not only gives viewers the opportunity to enjoy the event in live but also helps businesses achieve their financial goals through reaching their target audience.

10 Tips for Booking Entertainment for a Corporate Event

Finding entertainment for a corporate convention, holiday party or conference can seem like a overwhelming task. There are literally thousands of excellent, good, and down right horrible corporate entertainers available. This list will give you some advice on how to narrow down your search and find entertainment that will help make your event a success!

#10 - PLAN EARLY. The most popular corporate entertainers book up very quickly for popular dates. During the corporate holiday party season (Nov-Jan), entertainers can begin to book up over a year in advance. Avoid disappointment and start looking for entertainment as soon as you know the date of your corporate event.

#9 - KNOW WHAT YOU WANT (AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT YOUR AUDIENCE WANTS). You can make your search for an entertainer easier if you have an idea of the type of entertainment that would work well for your group. Popular corporate entertainment includes:

COMEDY - Comedy acts can be a great way to get your group laughing together. Comedy acts don't have to be just stand-up comedians. Many corporate comedy acts blend magic, juggling, or other variety performances into their comedy show. This variety helps insure that there is something for everyone in the performance.

No matter what type of comedy act your choose, be sure that the comedy is going to be appropriate for your group. Many comedians have different ideas on what "clean comedy" is, so be sure to ask for a demo video to preview the show (see #1 below!)

MUSIC - Many headline singers and bands are available for corporate events.

MAGIC - There are many different styles of corporate magicians and corporate magic shows. Some magicians offer strolling magic (going table to table at your event), some perform large illusion show with special effects and a cast of dancers, others specialize in comedy magic that gets your audience laughing in involved. Whatever styles of corporate entertainment you are looking for, be sure to find a magician who specializes in only that style. There are magicians you will tell you that they do everything - illusions, comedy, strolling, but that is because they are not proficient at any specific style, so all their shows are usually only mediocre. For the best possible show, hire a professional corporate magician who specializes in one style of magic. These performers will be the best in their field in illusion, comedy, or sleight-of-hand because that is all they do.

HYPNOSIS - Hypnotists can be great for the right group. Hypnotist shows are very interactive and require a very outgoing and uninhibited group to really be successful.

#8 - BOOK DIRECTLY WITH THE ENTERTAINER TO SAVE MONEY AND HEADACHES. If you book your corporate entertainment directly through the entertainer, you will save money on entertainment. Most corporate entertainment agencies add an additional 15-35% to an entertainer's fee. By booking a corporate entertainer direct, you also have the convenience of being able to talk with the entertainer (or their office staff) about any questions or concerns. Most corporate entertainment agencies will not let you talk with the entertainer until the day of the show. By booking direct, you can be guaranteed that there are no miscommunications about the performance. You can find direct contact information for entertainers by doing an internet search for "corporate entertainers", "california comedian", etc.

#7 - PLAN A REALISTIC BUDGET. The old adage, "you get what you pay for", applies to entertainment as well. The entertainment is not a place to save a few dollars. You would never cut corners on the food you would feed your guests, and should never cut corners on the entertainment. Bad entertainment can ruin an event just as quickly as bad food. You are not going to be able to get a GOOD quality corporate entertainer to do a show for $400. Fees for a TOP QUALITY, professional corporate entertainer will range from $1500 - $100,000 + depending on the size of the show and the performer's experience and reputation.

#6 - KNOW THE PERFORMER'S EXPERIENCE. You want a corporate entertainer who primarily entertainers for corporate audiences. Don't be afraid to ask questions... Is the performer a full-time entertainer? Have they performed at events like yours in the past? Do they have letters of recommendation and reviews from past clients for you to read?

#5 - IF YOU HAVE A SPECIAL REQUEST....ASK! Many entertainers are happy to customize part of their performance for your event. If you have a special request in mind, be sure to discuss this with the performer at the time of booking.

#4 - DISCUSS SET-UP REQUIREMENTS BEFORE BOOKING. Set-up need for entertainers vary greatly. Some can perform in the corner of a room with just a microphone, some need a minimum stage area and special sound and lighting equipment. Be sure that your venue will be able to meet your entertainer's set-up needs prior to booking.

#3 - LEAVE YOUR GUESTS WANTING MORE. 90 minutes of entertainment may sound like a great idea when you are planning your corporate event, but most audiences do not want to sit through a 90 minute show. A longer show does NOT equal better show. Even the TOP comedians and entertainers in the WORLD (Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, etc) only perform 60-75 minute shows. Professional entertainers and corporate event planners agree that a good length for most corporate live entertainment is 35-50 minutes. It is always better to leave your audience excited and wanting more...rather than having them get tired and start looking at the watch.

#2- KNOW WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE FEE. There are travel expenses associated with hiring national entertainers for your corporate party. Many entertainers include the travel expenses into their performance fee and for some travel will be an additional expense. Be sure to know what is included in the fee you are quoted to avoid any unexpected (and potentially expensive!) surprises.

#1 - MOST IMPORTANTLY - ALWAYS ASK TO SEE A DEMO VIDEO. A demo video is the only way you can truly judge whether a corporate entertainer will be right for your company party. The demo video should be short highlights of the segments of an entertainer's show. The video should be filmed in front of a live audience so you can see how a real audience reacts to the show. If an entertainer's video is nothing but split-second clips and flashy graphics set to music, then they are probably trying to cover for an inadequate performance - or worse, it could mean that they have NEVER even performed in front of a real audience.

How to Plan the Menu for Your Corporate Events

When you are tasked with organizing a corporate event, it is understandable that you feel initially daunted and frazzled. When company bigwigs come together after all, nothing short of perfection is expected from coming up with the programme to the food to be served. You as the organizer need to make sure everything runs smoothly or you may just find yourself scouring the want ads for a new job.

It always makes your job easier if the venue you choose has their own catering company they work with but most of the time, you may be required to host the event within company premises or at some swanky location that is more likely not going to have their own catering staff. When this happens, you need to be able to have a backup plan but first you need to have at least some initial plans on hand.

Knowing what type of guests to expect for your corporate events is a surefire way to make your menu planning easier. In corporate circles, when business people attend events that serve the same fare over and over again, they disparagingly describe these monotonous dinners are running the "rubber chicken circuit." To keep your event from being described this way, you need to consider several factors like the professional level of your guests, the number of time they attend these types of formal dinners, where your guests reside and their ethnic backgrounds.

When you take the time to profile your guests, you will be able to explain this to your chosen caterers who in turn, will be able to come up appropriate menu selections. Other factors you may consider can include the age group of your guests, which means that the older they are the milder the food choices should be. You should also consider any dietary preferences or specifications due to any medical conditions they may have or if you are expecting a younger crowd, fusion cuisines may be best since they are usually more adventurous and willing to try anything new. Also, remember that guests usually eat with their eyes and nose first so you must make sure that as they approach the buffet table, the food looks and smells great as otherwise, you could be looking at a still full table at the end of the party.

Another thing to remember is that your guests should be offered a variety of choices. You can offer at least two or three entrees, three or more salad dressings, serve all your condiments to the side and as far as dessert is concerned, you can offer one that is indulgent and one on the healthy side. Also, since the season in which you decide to hold your event also plays a huge factor, try to include seasonal items in your main entr矇e or desserts and also consider as well the region or location of the event so you can incorporate the famous cuisines that region is known for in your menu.

A popular food trend seen among catering services these days is fusion cuisine, which is basically combining the best that the world's regions have to offer. A common combination would be Asian/Chinese/Japanese cuisine or Mediterranean-Asian. Ethnic combinations appeal to most guests because it reminds them of their roots and offers a sense of comfort that enables them to relax and enjoy the party even more.

Time is also of the essence when it comes to planning the perfect menu for your corporate event. If you opted for boxed lunches, serve the food within 30 minutes of the guests' arrival or if you opted for plated meals, allow at least an hour and half for preparation before serving. Buffets usually require an hour at the most and cocktail receptions are usually held an hour before dinner will be served. Remember that it is most likely that guests will not have eaten anything before coming to your event so you should not keep them waiting.

Cover Bands and Live Music From Corporate Events to Weddings

A cover band is a tribute act that would usually be booked to play a line up of cover songs (other musicians' songs) which are popular with the crowd expected at your event. Most people think about a band when planning entertainment for corporate events, balls, functions, festivals and of course if they want a wedding band to perform live music.

Having a cover band play at your event is a superb way to get your guests involved and you can often choose a themed cover band to play for instance you may have a 1960's themed wedding then your chosen wedding band will specialise in 60's themed music or you may choose a band that will play indie music, rock, guitar, jazz - or simply popular tracks that a range of people will enjoy.

A good point to make if you are seeking an agency to provide your live music and entertainment is to find out how much experience the cover band has, ask to listen to a recording or preferably a quick live performance if possible - this way you will be able to judge their stage presence, however this is not always possible and not forgetting a performance in an office in the day time will perhaps not reflect how the performance will go with the correct lighting and good atmosphere at an evening event!

A cover band should always be booked with a good DJ that can play during intervals and before the act performs. Bands generally will not play for the whole duration of the event so the DJ will be rostered to play high energy music and dance floor fillers at the end of the live music performance.

A fine entertainment agency will have superb connections and a good list of acts to make for a fantastic event that keeps your guests entertained, the cover bands and your DJ will be able to discuss with you a playlist covering your chosen music be it golden oldies, pop or dance etc and the cover band will normally provide all the equipment, PA's and lighting.

Once booked you should normally expect to pay a deposit and the price will often cover travel expenses. Once a deposit is paid, you can expect the cover band and wedding DJ to travel to your event location and provide the perfect entertainment for your party or corporate event.

Become an Event Planner - Planning That First Meeting

Do you really need to go out and buy an all inclusive meeting planning guide? The answer depends upon your situation. Yes, it would be nice to have something to reference that will give you all or most of the answers. But, do you have time to read a three or four hundred page manual before that first meeting?

Most first time or novice planners do not need in depth training. What they need are meeting planning basics. Where do I start? Who do I call? What space do I need? What questions will I be asked from the hotel side? How do I negotiate and how will I know if I got a good deal?

So, what is needed is a quick overview to get a feel of the land. Get a primer, or as in school, get a quick study guide for meeting planning. It will get you going and give you the overview needed to get comfortable with the process.

Primers will answer the questions you have, so you can move quickly through the planning process. They are usually light, easy to read, informative and they speed up the learning curve.

Checklists guide you through the planning process, budget spreadsheets make record keeping simple and you are able to save time, effort, stress and money.

Some meeting planning guides even have cartoons that will help you understand how the communication process works. See how the characters react to questions asked by planners and hotel staff in cartoons portraying real situations. Find out what the hotel sales staff is really thinking when you start the negotiation process.

Now, the original question was about an all inclusive meeting planning guide. Yes, this will be useful at some point because planners can never learn enough. So, get a meeting planning primer to start your learning process and add an all inclusive event planning guide to your list later, when you need to answer more detailed questions or when you want to study for the Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) exam.

Top 3 Ways to Promote Your Events Online

The advent of the internet has given organizations across the globe a golden opportunity to promote their products and services via various online modes. In addition to using the print media for marketing purposes, they can always take the help of the 'World Wide Web' and mobile devices to reach out to a large number of people all over the world in no time. However, before you start using any of the online promotional tools; it is necessary to know about the best ways to promote your products, services, and events online.

Social Networking

Social networking has gained worldwide popularity because it helps every individual stay connected with their friends and family, 24 hours a day. You can utilize sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus, MySpace, and others to publicize your events and activities to every account holder.

The first thing you should do to publicize your event among the social media users is by opening an account on Facebook. Create an events page on this site to attract the users to come and view the information. They can also share your event and class details with their friends and family. Make sure to add the links of your event website and the registration page on Facebook for easy access and signing up.

You can start tweeting about your functions and upcoming academic courses on Twitter. This popular micro-blogging website accepts sentences with maximum 140 characters. Hence, you need to make the updates short, crisp, and appealing to the potential attendees. Don't forget to include the links of your online event registration page as well as the online ticketing portal to allow instant ticket booking facilities for the event. Try using one or more hashtags while tweeting to help your tweet rank high in the Twitter search and attract maximum visitors.

Professional networking websites like LinkedIn allow you to share all your news and similar relevant content with your LinkedIn friends and followers. You can also join different groups there to start discussing on your conference, seminar, or business gathering. Send invitations to potential contacts to join your group and check your uploaded links on LinkedIn.

Private Community

Another great way of interacting and sharing everyday news about your functions is by building a private community. You can easily create an online community with the help of the web-based private community management solution. It lets you set up, connect, and share event or class-related news with the community members.

Blogs

In addition to maintaining your business website, you can also set up a blog to add important content covering your events and training programs. Upload the best images from your past events to make the blog posts attractive. Do add the link of your business site, together with that of the ticketing page, to enable people to view and buy tickets of your next set of events quickly.

12 Top Qualities of a Successful Project Manager - How Many Do You Have?

What qualities differentiate the mediocre manager from the exceptional?

Behind every great team is a great manager. But being a great project manager is more than just knowledge of methodologies and meeting milestones. It's a fine balance between energy and keeping a cool head, and being both a strategist and a tactician.

Here, we look at some of the key qualities that project managers need in order to optimise the chances of project success and build an effective team:

1. Set the vision

Project managers need to set a clear vision up front and have confidence in that vision. Furthermore, they need to be able to articulate the vision and inspire their team to fully embrace their shared goal.

2. Set inspirational standards

Enthusiasm is contagious and can be a major motivator, helping to mould individuals into a cohesive team. Inspired team members are more likely to go the extra mile to ensure the project's goals are achieved and delivered on time, on budget and to the right quality.

3. Delegate - and then let go

Leadership does not mean micro-managing every aspect of the project. Delegating effectively demonstrates trust in your teams, setting parameters, providing guidance and targets, and handing responsibility over to designated team members. Regular project meetings provide a supportive forum for sharing information and raising any issues.

4. Communicate clearly

Timely, accurate and meaningful communication to both the team and the client is critical to maintaining a cohesive team environment and achieving project success. Encourage a no-blame culture and regularly communicate the goals at each stage of the project to ensure any emerging concerns are voiced.

5. Take a creative approach to problem-solving

Rarely do projects go exactly to plan. You need to deal with changing scenarios, identify new opportunities and create solutions to instil confidence in your team and the client. Does the client have a complaint? A good project manager recognises that handling a complaint promptly and effectively can actually increase client satisfaction.

6. Keep calm under pressure

Events will inevitably crop up during any project that will change its course or affect its momentum. Being able to deal with this quickly, efficiently and in a controlled calm manner is crucial in order to turn the situation around and maintain the enthusiasm of your team.

7. Champion your team

Each member of your team will bring a different set of skills and experience. Understand and celebrate the value each member of your team brings to the project and, if necessary, adopt a slightly different approach to getting the best out of each of them.

8. Make sound decisions

To move a project on to completion, make timely decisions based on a consideration of facts, rather than making hasty split-second decisions. Show commitment to the decision but do not be afraid to change course later should a more appropriate course of action become apparent.

9. Use technology to apply good working practices

Project managers should be confident in handling the various tools and project management software that are at their disposal. The effective deployment of the latest technology will help manage all the team's time to best effect and keep the project budget on track.

10. Help the team to gel

You're only as strong as your weakest member and setting up a cohesive team is a crucial foundation for success. Consider the group dynamics in forming a team and be aware of everyone's strengths and weaknesses. Who will interact well and work effectively together?

11. Build consensus

Manage differing opinions before they escalate into conflict and ensure team members feel their opinions do count. Gain consensus across departments and negotiate over workloads, resources and finance where feasible, but do not be afraid to use your casting vote in order to protect the health and profit figure of the project.

12. See the big picture

Good project managers understand the role their project and team have in the wider business and its long-term strategy. They know the context in which decisions are made further up the hierarchy and any business politics, protecting their teams from unnecessary red tape.

Amazing Services Offered By Event Planners

Planning an event or conference should be an enjoyable and amazing experience for both the hosts as well as visitors. An event and conference is said to be successful when people get the knowledge what they are looking for and enjoy the overall event at the same time. To make an event successful and innovative, event management companies offer extensive services and make it exciting involving all the members and visitors simultaneously. They plan and organize events deliberately and provide innovative ideas for flawless and peerless execution.

Some of the most amazing services offered are:

Corporate Events Planning:

Corporate events are the most important functions and need to be as impeccable as possible. In fact, it is more than just a gathering and intended to communicate company objective and clear cut goal. Event managers of event management firms work with you to understand your requirements and tailor their plans to meet those particular objectives. They arrange everything from meeting/event venue to audio visual system arrangements for the flawless experience.

Whether you want to entertain your global clients/corporate partners/associates/share holders at a function or inform them at a conference, they have a wide range of packages available to suit all specific requirements.

Wedding:

The success of wedding depends upon the satisfaction of the visitors. Primarily, wedding planning experts help in venue selection, theme development, catering and food services, music & entertainment, d矇cor and lighting & audiovisual. They offer supplier information and explanation of charges, and accompany you to meetings with your shortlisted suppliers as required.

They effort to make your memories everlasting and cherished! They ensure that you, your family and friends can relax and enjoy every moment of your incredible day.

Fundraising:

Many non-profit organizations need superior events and programs so that they can collect funds through them. It has its own prominence for the non-profit organizations. Event managers understand its need and prepare an absolute plan for the event.

In essence, event management firms offer a great range of planning and organizing services. They also provide creative themes and ideas in order to save money and time. They act according to the principles of honesty, integrity, reliability, serviceability and fairness so that their clients can see the difference.

They offer a vast variety of planning and organizing services to their clients, including, but not limited to, venue finding, corporate, private & nonprofit events, wedding protocol, business meetings, galas & award ceremonies and booking facility, catering, decorations, and every possible detail in between!

Online Event Planning Schools

Event planning career has been taken seriously nowadays because people have realized the value of hosting the guests in a proper manner and providing them with comfort and entertainment in any event. For choosing this as a career you need to have an aptitude for this profession and determination for the career.

Some people do not prefer to get proper education and certification for this field but I think it is important to have a professional education to flourish in this career. You can find many event planning campuses around the world offering many curriculums but the problem occurs when you don't have access to go to any event management institution. At times you don't have any institution in your town or you don't have time to go and attend the classes in the campus. But if you have a desire and determination then the best option for you is online event planning schools. Online event planning schools provide you with quality education in a convenient way.

To do online course in this field you need to be good at using computer and you should have a good and fast computer system that can work fast, has enough memory to run software and browser smoothly. Student should be technical enough to do uploading, opening and accessing the files during the course from online event planning school.

These schools give you the same training but in a different way. You don't need to go out or rush for the campus with the fear of getting late or miss the class.

There are some schools which give you all the information online and you can get them any where you are, but some online school that offer hybrid programs. In hybrid programs students have to spend some time in the campus, students enrolled in hybrid program get most of their course online but they can also get the opportunity of hands-on training during special events. This will benefit them in the professional life

Like other campuses online event planning schools also have different time frames according to their curriculum, mostly they are in 1 to 2 years of duration. There are some courses that are completed in a few months; it all depends on the curriculum. These online event planning schools might cost a little more because of their convenience; usually they start from $500 to $2000 depending on the duration. To take a course online you just need to investigate about the school and its reputation to have a good career.

How to Use Twitter for Successful Events

Planning a successful event starts months in advance. It involves a great deal of work, such as preparing a guest list, sending invitations, making arrangements for logistics, refreshments, and so on. However, the most daunting task of the event management phase is to promote it to the target audience in an effective way. As a result, event organizers always look for productive ways to market their events and social media marketing is gradually becoming their best possible means to do the same.

Here, we have come up with a few tips that can help you promote your events through Twitter.

Create Your Event Account in Twitter

Before you start using Twitter for promoting your event, you have to create an account with it. While creating an account make sure that you use a short name. However, if your event is happening every year, avoid registering a year specific account. Use hashtags to differentiate event editions. You should provide enough information about the event and its benefits, so that your target audience can get directly to the point. According to industry experts, you must start your event account in Twitter at least 6 months before the event takes place.

Selling Event Tickets via Twitter

If you are looking for registrations in volume, then Twitter Ads can be an extremely powerful tool. With tweets, it will take years to achieve the desired results, but Twitter Ads will deliver the same in a matter of weeks. Twitter Ad is an amazing tool that assists you to attain the preferred outcome within a shorter span of time and with minimalistic effort.

Extensively Use Hashtags

Hashtags offer you an official way to talk about specific events on Twitter. In recent years, Twitter has made hashtags clickable, which has opened up new opportunities for event planners. It also enables users to refer to events that are displayed on Twitter walls set up by the organizers. With hashtags, you can even do live tweeting. Thus, sending multiple tweets in a very short amount of time is no more a hassle.

Choose Hashtags Appropriately

Choosing appropriate hashtags is extremely important. Keep in mind that using hashtag is the only way to analyze the level of buzz generated by your event. Your hashtag should be short, yet catchy. For example, you are hosting an exhibition for dog owners called "Dog Expo 2012″. For this particular event, your hashtags variations can be #dogexpo #dogexpo12 #expodog #expodog12 #dgex12.

Promoting Hashtags is the Key to Success

Twitter has now introduced hashtags buttons for making comprehensive promotions of hashtags. Using this you can easily set hashtags buttons on the event website. Apart from this, your event hashtags should be clearly stated on all communication materials. You can even promote your event hashtags through twitter ads.

Try using twitter more effectively the next time when you promote your event through social media.

5 Great Reasons Why First Class Corporate Hospitality Is Vital for Your Marketing Strategy

As we're all currently experiencing, business can be tough in these modern times of austerity. However, come boom or bust, the drive and ambition to generate new leads and appease your customers and client base remains as strong as ever. Essentially, we need to satisfy our clients - to work with them through superb communication and good understanding to help strengthen and build upon our relationships. We need to show them that we strongly value their business and expertise, and a hospitality event - an exclusive and memorable occasion - is a fantastic way of achieving this.

Experience tells us that corporate hospitality is a fantastic tool to help forge and develop business connections. Outlined below are 5 reasons to consider when deciding how, when and why to use corporate hospitality as a key part of your marketing strategy:

1. Improving relationships

Utilising the corporate facilities at a special event is an ideal way to share quality time with a respected client and highlight to them just how much you value their business. Taking the time and effort to do this will leave a long lasting impression and help to strengthen your future relationships.

2. Network, network, network!

Often day-to-day meetings are restricted in time and opportunity to build relationships, and a corporate event creates a situation where you can find this time. You'll discover all sorts of new information about the people you work with and for, and you will have the chance to meet other companies and consolidate business contacts.

3. Rewards and incentives

Hospitality events are a fantastic motivational tool for employees and can work well as a way of attracting exceptional new individuals into your business. Your best performing employees can even be provided with exclusive use of the hospitality facilities at a sporting event of their choice.

4. Out competing your competitors

When taking your clients to a prestigious public occasion, you can present them with something above and beyond what your competitors may be considering. In these premium environments and locations you will also find plenty of opportunity to meet new clients and garner quality referrals from existing ones.

5. Launch of a new product or service

Corporate hospitality events are a great way to launch a new service or product. Events can be stylised and designed to perfection, generating waves of excitement and fully engaging your guests. When planned the right way, an event like this will create a strong impact and help consolidate your press interest.

Corporate entertainment like this is significantly important in many ways for your business and offers great benefits. You can create an enduring positive impression for your clients, help ensure that your business stands out from your competitors and even gain new clients along the way. For any serious business, it's vital that corporate hospitality is fully integrated into your marketing strategy and utilised effectively to help your business to grow and grow.

For more information about first class corporate hospitality please visit: http://www.thenationalsportingclub.co.uk

Soccer Theme Party Ideas for Your Little Player's Birthday Party

Soccer is one of the most popular sports played across the globe. Both adults as well as kids are crazy about this game. If you have a young child who is suffering from soccer fever and aspires to become Freddy Adu or Jerzy Altidore, a soccer theme party will be the best way to celebrate his special day. Here are some useful ideas to plan a sports theme party.

Invitations

• This is a very popular party theme; therefore, you can easily get themed invitation cards at any party supplies store or buy them online.


• Buy some inflatable soccer balls, inflate them, and write your party details using a permanent marker pen. Once you have written all the details including the RSVP, deflate it and pack it in a transparent pouch. Include a note inside it, asking the invitees to blow-up the ball. The football fans will be glad to get an invitation for their favorite theme party along with a soccer ball to play.


• Request the guests to come dressed up in their uniforms.

Party decoration:

• Sports parties demand an outside venue. Plan your party at a soccer field or an open park. If you don't want to rent those places, organize the party in your backyard.


• Make every effort to convert your venue into a soccer field. Set up soccer goals at either end of the party area.


• At the entrance, place a large soccer player cutout to greet the guests as well as increase their excitement level.


• Arrange a face painting activity for them so that they can get more involved in the theme.


• Soccer birthday party supplies such as tableware, table cover, balloons, party hats, blowouts, etc. will help you set the party mood.


• Find out if your nearby bakery can bake a theme cake for your party; or else, get a green colored cake and decorate it with soccer theme candles.

Party food:

• You can have hot dogs, nachos, pizzas, chips, popcorn, chicken nuggets, and anything that is usually available at a stadium.


• Give each dish a creative name or an appealing introduction such as 'the breakaway cupcakes' or 'get energy from these cupcakes for heading the ball'.


• Decorate round sugar cookies with black and white frosting to resemble soccer balls.

Party games:

• Make goals in your backyard or the venue you have rented by using cones. Line up the kids in front of it and let them score their best.


• Ask the kids to keep the ball in the air as long as they can, using their heads, feet, knees, etc.


• If your guests are too young to have such difficult games, have some simple activities such as a soccer theme pull string pi簽ata, coloring a ball, etc.

Party favors:

For small kids, you can use candies, mini soccer balls, stickers, theme pencils, etc. to fill the loot bags. Whistles, soccer themed key chains, sports headbands, soccer logo printed t-shirts, etc. are good options for kids above 5 years.

Set the kids loose so that they can have a great time at your child's soccer party.

Taking Advantage of Corporate Event Planning

When it involves the corporate atmosphere there are many aspects which will assist a corporation in increasing their odds of success. Keeping investors satisfied assists an organization by making certain that the funds available to them still grow and facilitate determine new potential investors.

Keeping your associates happy help to boost company morale and increase associate productivity. Helping to satisfy the demands of management ensures that loyalty is maintained and that your business continues to sail smoothly. Company are often a certain resolution to achieving all of those goals and this is often why thus many corporations participate in the practice.

A blunder that is found with several firms though is with their reluctance to utilize corporate event planning and use the many opportunities during this solution. Company designing provides a corporation with the advantage that each business is looking for in their assets, experience.

You do not rent an associate if they're not experienced in the position you are trying to fill so why seek corporate event designing that does not have experience with proven success. Trying to get your own company event planning will only cause failure and also the institution of an unsuccessful experience.

It is important that with any event that your company is looking to plan you ask for the professional services of company event planning. With skilled corporate event coming up with you are serving to to assure that your vital event provides the success in relation to the objectives you're making an attempt to achieve. With company you'll satisfy current and new investors helping to secure your monetary future. Through company event designing you'll gain that boost in morale to increase associate productivity and pamper your management to keep your business running efficiently.

In addition, the added advantages of company event coming up with are found in the resources that become obtainable to you. The corporate event atmosphere is continually changing with the subsequent evolutions of event designing and when you ask for the professional services of corporate event designing you'll be able to utilize these evolutionary advancements.

Company event designing has modified from filling a room filled with people to pay attention to a speaker whereas being fed. Technology and medical science have advanced the sphere of corporate event designing and utilizing professionals will ensure that you may receive the most recent techniques.

Top Event Ideas

Event ideas are helpful, but only you will know what will be right for your situation and what resources are available to you to create a well rounded event for your participants.

Never be intimidated by any situation because there's nothing a little smoke and mirrors can't fix. If on the day of the event you find out the live band couldn't make it for some reason beyond their control, then substituting an awesome sound system with an amazing disc jockey is perfectly reasonable.

Such a substitution could actually end up costing you more than a live band. Some real famous disc jockeys can get as expensive as $30 to $40K per appearance, believe it or not. But the point is, remain flexible and have a back-up plan should something not go smoothly.

Business Event Ideas

Some Business Events are aimed at diverting attention from the pressure of current agendas and seek to lighten up the atmosphere or completely dispel the existing cloud of unproductiveness.

In this situation, your goal is to take the focus off of day to day business and simulate a vacation without the time and expense of taking one.

So, as many companies do, having a company outing is a splendid idea with activities like summer camps have. How about a softball game or a bowling tournament? If something competitive is not appropriate under the circumstances, then some other enjoyable activities to consider might be a rented fishing boat excursion or perhaps some mountain biking. This would be a good change of scenery.

All of the above can be rewarded at the end with a sizzling barbeque which most people love, but of course make sure you have some different salads and rolls or crackers so no one goes hungry.

Fundraising Event Ideas

Raffles can be exhilarating and fun. Some trendy raffle award ideas are: travel packages, dinner for two, cars, electronic equipment, gift certificates, etc.

If person has a serious chance of winning something valuable, like a new iphone, they are more willing to donate, especially if it is a cause close to their heart. To raffle off a iphone, for instance, you could sell 300-400 tickets for $5.00 each.

Fundraising is not solely realized by selling, raffling, or auctioning products.

Saving money is akin to making money. Financial needs can often be met through sponsorship, such as a company providing discounts, freebies, or extras like office supplies that have their company logo and message imprinted on them, etc.

Charity Events Ideas

A charity event does not have to be centered on monetary exchange. Many companies have valuable ways to give back to the community, such as donating time and resources for habitat improvement, giving a helping hand to a segment of the economy (like public clean up), wildlife preservation, and so on.

Sometimes the resources to put on a grand charity event dinner are not available, but spreading the manpower among the existing soup kitchens can accomplish a great deal.

Corporate Event Ideas

There are many retail establishments where their place of business is geared toward multi-faceted events for businesses and corporations. They can frequently be found on your local chamber of commerce list of vendors. They are often very affordable and you can choose to use all or part of their establishment and they usually offer a vast selection of menu options.

Convention Ideas

A Convention is usually associated with trade industries gathering for the purpose of presenting their goods and services and promoting by educating their potential customers.

Naturally, they take advantage of the networing oppotunities that only a hub of industry professionals like this could provide. Using established resources, like taking out an ad in a known magazine produced exclusively for these trade professionals, is an excellent place to direct your marketing efforts.

The more effective your publicity, the greater your attendance will be. When you have some idea of what the level of participation will be, the next step will be to inspect suitable venues to host your convention. So, if you are producing a convention for the stone and marble industry (for example), you would need a spacious area where vendors could display products such as stone and marble, accessories such as care products and application tools, etc.

This type of crowd would require sufficient loading dock areas for equipment, catering and dining areas, conference rooms for presentations on trends, designs and industry issues.

Convention centers of this type are usually strategically located near mass transit, hotels, and airports. If the specialty trade your are producing a convention for is not so product intensive, like the Writers Guild or something, then perhaps a an attractive retreat boasting conference rooms equipped with multi-media capabilities would be a sensible choice.

Conference Ideas

A conference can be a gathering of clergy, an association of athletic teams, a meeting of various committees, or a new organization. It could be just a conference between students and advisers. As with all types of events, a conference is no different when advertising and preparing your prospective attendees to participate is concerned.

Inevitably, you will have to have a website to be publicized, and flyers or handouts need to be distributed, mailed, or emailed.

Once registration is flowing, you can gauge what type of amenities you need to provide, like if there will there be children present. If yes, children's programs replete with certified counselors and appropriate activities will be required.

Perhaps a fitness room for the adults is appropriate. What form of educational sessions will there be, and what supplies will be necessary?

The number of people and duration of the conference will determine what type of audio/visual and lighting props would be needed and the electical power to support it.

What culinary fare will be suitable? If having the conference in a resort hotel, a pool-side lunch or beach-front grill with some volleyball may relax and refresh attendees for their next session.

Of course, you don't want to forget your gracious sponsors, and at the same time leave a lasting impression on your participants. So, distribute parting gifts from your sponsors.

Festival Event Ideas

Festivals are often characterised by feasting, rides, inaugurations and entertainment, commemorating or celebrating an anniversary, cultural event, or just good old-fashioned revelry.

If it's a do-it-yourself festival and geared more towards singles, there are many clubs and restaurants that can supply appropriate food and beverages along with entertainment, both live or recorded to liven up your festival.

If your festival is on a big scale open to the general public, like a music or art festival, your venue would be best if outdoors, such as a local park, field, or city square, if appropriate.

National corporations, like beverage companies, may support TV or radio spots to promote the festival. Inviting noted artists to perform or exhibit will bring crowds in droves.

Furnish a broad array of delecacies from many local food businesses to satisfy the many ethnic tastes which may attend.

Of course, a festival of this sort needs to be coordinated with local government to assist with traffic, crowd control and parking, safety and clean up. If preparations are adequately addressed, a festival can be an excellent economy booster for everyone involved.

There are many events ideas you can consider when planning, designing and marketing your next event, large or small. The possibilities are vast. So, in order not to overwhelm yourself, just stick to a manageable number of ideas which fit your budget.

Team Building Events Build Leadership and Responsibility

Leadership and responsibility are two very important aspects of a team within the workplace. Employees tend to respond to the work situation better when they are given specific responsibilities rather than wonder what they are going to do next or if they are going to constantly be under the thumb of someone else.

Another thing that is important to an employee is leadership. When given some sort of leadership responsibility, they feel more like an important part of the company rather than one amongst many just doing a job.

One way to really instill leadership and responsibility into employees is through team building events that can be arranged by other companies. These corporate events use certain activities to make your employees feel more like a family. Thus they are able to improve their communication skills, the way they see each other, and how they trust one another.

A team building event has the following attributes:

Set team standards
Make a plan for success
Increase overall productivity
Improve judgment
The ability to respond effectively and efficiently to change

When the entire team is able to acquire these attributes together, they become a force to be reckoned with. And with responsibility and leadership, the employees are given some sort of ownership within the business. When they feel like they have ownership, they are more likely to care about what they are doing. Their job becomes more than just a way to acquire a paycheck.

Basically, team members are better able to work together when they have certain standards to go by and when they feel like co-owners in what it is they are working to achieve. They are more likely to help one another. For instance, when a team member sees that another team member is having a problem, they are more likely to offer help. The competition within a team is non-existent, which is something else that can be achieved through team building events. A completely different mindset is achieved.

As for how these company events are effective, they use effective activities and techniques to teach employees the best ways to work together. For instance, you can arrange for your employees to have a day out together. You can do fun outdoor activities while also learning about teamwork, instilling motivation, and learning about how to motivate. The employees learn a lot about each other through these activities. They are able to be themselves, which is something that is important when working in a team. Many individuals will hold back because they have a certain work persona, but they could actually let loose and be more imaginative if they were just themselves.

So team building events are very important, especially in these tough economic times, in helping your employees feel secure about their job and feel needed within the company. With some responsibility and some leadership placed on each team member, production will increase dramatically, as will their enthusiasm to do the job and do it well. A team working on a project is much more effective than an individual doing it alone.

Event Organisers for Weddings or Corporate Events

Event organisers are professionals who handle the details for events such as weddings and receptions. There are also company organisers who handle company-related events such as conferences, open houses, and awards dinners. Whether a particular organiser deals with personal or business gatherings, both require a number of different skills. Excellent communication skills are crucial, as well as the ability to effectively negotiate. Organisers must be able to listen carefully to the needs of their clients, and then be able to translate their desires into a spectacular event that they'll be pleased with.

If you don't want to organise your own special day, there are organisers for weddings. Some people have their mothers organise their wedding, but it is easier and less stressful if you hire a professional to take care of all the logistics. These details include dealing with the florist, the person who's making the wedding cake and the bridal shop who has ordered the wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses, and tuxedo rentals. There is also the reception venue to deal with, and sometimes hotel rooms or arrangements for guests. For the reception, there are meals to choose and whether to have an open bar or not. Music may entail a live group or a DJ, and then there is the photographer to deal with. To say the least, receptions require a good deal of choreography.

Organisers can handle all the details of your wedding and reception for you. These professionals have experience dealing with all aspects of a wedding day. They know all about the contracts and the pitfalls to look out for. Most people will have only one or two times in their life that they will be dealing with wedding issues, but these experts routinely deal with it. Most event organisers not only organise weddings, but also other events such as parties.

Corporate event organisers usually market, organise, and execute events for business. They often plan parties, including booking entertainment in the form of specific performers for corporate events. For conferences, they can help a business get their message out there and also inspire the people who attend. Corporate event organisers can make a company event more efficient. They can negotiate with suppliers and vendors on behalf of the company, freeing up company management to deal with more important issues related to their business.

Some colleges or universities have a person on staffs who is a conference services director. This person organises any conferences that the host organization sponsors. They may also plan college events such as an annual awards dinner. They would handle the invitations, the venue, picking the menu, and dealing with the company that is supplying the awards. Event organisers have to be effective in getting along with a lot of different personalities and also have great attention to detail. They need to be able to handle many matters all at once, and be able to pull them all together seamlessly.

If a company or individual has an upcoming event that they don't feel able to organise on their own, they should consider making use of the services of someone who plans events regularly. An organiser has the expertise and contacts that will make that event a success.

Innovative Party Ideas From Event Planners

If you are looking for thunderous entertaining outdoors, then prior planning is necessary. Whether you want a formal party of an informal one, all you need is perfect planning from guest's list to the menu items. Sometimes, it becomes difficult to arrange everything on the party date. People often have low knowledge and skills to plan and arrange swiftly. They sometimes forget vital things, which results in mess and bad impression as well. Guests always expect new, creative and dazzling party ideas in order to enjoy it to the fullest. This is the reason people select party planners to make their party stunning and memorable.

Whether it's a summer time or winter, you are living in metropolitan or rural area, you can afford high budget party or low, event planners can manage everything in style. They make the party entertaining that can last longer in the memories of guests.

They also offer you innovative party ideas like:

Inclusion of cushioned seats for your guests at either one long table or square table for more convenience and style! This idea is the best when you want different seating arrangement for your party. It will not only give a stunning look, but also give a fresh feel to the guests.

Placing of candles on the table is the nicest option in order to include a sense of intimacy, affection and inner passion. In this way, you can have eco-friendly party with low carbon emission and high rate of cool and pleasing atmosphere.

If you have a pool, then you can use it as integral part of your party decor. You can use trees around and tables all around it. This can add a rejuvenating and placid touch to your party and make it worthwhile. Whether it's a birthday party or corporate party you can use your pool for either purpose.

You can give chocolates or muffins to your guests instead of a card. It can add personal touch to your party and make people feel good and delighted. They can enjoy gifts and its delicious flavor. In fact, kids love chocolates at such moments.

If you want something extra or that can add value to your party, you can take the help of party planners. They can help you at every step and provide innovative ideas to the people. They charge very low for the exclusive parties and make the best possible recommendations for the people to act upon.

How to Buy Wholesale Flowers Easily

Wholesale flowers play an important role in decorating the wedding event, birthday parties, valentine's parties and many other events. Buying flowers wholesale have become a common practice in current days and similarly the price range of these flowers has increased a lot too. Wholesale flowers give you the opportunity to buy the flowers at low price and in bulk quantity. The businessmen of wholesale flowers usually establish long-term relationships with the customers and most florists buy large quantities of flowers from them. But there are times, when customers approach the wholesale dealer on own and buy the blooms at reasonable prices. Some of the clients and customers of the wholesale dealer includes: wedding planners, caterers, event planners, florists, funeral parlors and corporations. Thus there are numerous buyers of flowers from wholesalers.

The wholesalers provide you with different types of flowers like fresh-cut flowers, plants and floral accessories at low prices. Well some of the florists also sell the flowers to general public in certain hours at low prices. From such shops, even if you don't get the wholesale rate, you can get discounts. Such flower shops are useful when you have to buy the flowers in bulk quantities. If you have a party or wedding ceremony, then you can buy from such markets and can save money. Well there are some people who are not aware of buying tips. There are some instructions which you need to follow for buying flowers from wholesalers. The first thing you must do is to look up in the yellow pages for finding the florists. Moreover you can have internet facilities which can open numerous websites in front of you. You just have to conduct thorough web search and find the wholesalers. On the other hand, you can find wholesale florists in your local area. The next step is to contact your friends and ask if any of them contains wholesale prices.

One of the important tips for you people when you have to buy the flowers is to get up early in the morning as fresh flowers get sold quickly. You need to conduct the survey of the entire market in order to know the prices of flowers. You must be aware of the market rate of the flowers before buying them. Well you must know that vendors who are closest to the entrance charge high prices because if you buy through them, you do not need to enter into the market. Mostly people who are in hurry buy from the entrance vendors. You must check out before buying the flowers that their stems are neatly cut down and the buds and leaves are dense. Avoid buying from the shopkeeper who is having brown flowers and withered flowers in the mix. Try to not to switch the vendor every time, as if you buy from one vendor again and again it would increase the chances of price negotiation with him / her. You should contain sellers badge in order to save tax cost. If you won't be having the discount coupon, you would not be able to get rid of taxation payments. One of the healthy tips for making your flowers clean is you need to fill up your bathtub with few inches of cold water and put the flowers in it, in this way the newspaper wrappings will get removed off. You must make cuts to the stems before arranging them in a bouquet. If you are having roses, you must cut its stems underwater. By following these few instructions, one would be able to buy wholesale flowers easily.

Fun Ideas for Corporate Events

There are many reasons that an organization or business chooses to host a fun corporate event. It may be a team building exercise for the staff, a customer appreciation function, or a holiday celebration. No matter what the event, planning is crucial to creating a meaningful event that meets your goals and expectations. Event planners will work with your business or organization to plan fun events that will be enjoyed by all of your guests.

Many times, there are many different activities planned for a corporate event or conference. While some of the day must be spent learning and discussing important matters for your business, fun activities should be planned as well. Your guests will appreciate the time to socialize and relax with co-workers and their families. Integrating serious activities with opportunities for fun will make your overall event more pleasurable for all of your guests.

Golf Tournament: The game of golf attracts people from all different backgrounds. Even if you are not one to play the game, watching others participate can be a fun and relaxing way to spend the day. Sponsoring a golf tournament is a good way to get your staff, clients, and vendors together to have some fun outside. It is also a good way to raise money for a charity or cause in your community.

Picnics: Corporate picnics are a fun family event for all of your business associates. Interacting outside of the office in a relaxed atmosphere helps to build relationships and promote unity among your staff. This type of event can be quite affordable and appropriate for businesses and organizations of all sizes.

Holiday Parties: The holidays are a good time to thank your staff for all of their hard work and to let your customers know how much they are appreciated. Holiday parties may be for adults only or a family-friendly event. While Christmas parties are the most common, Halloween parties are a lot of fun as well. Parties are an opportunity to let loose and have some fun with your colleagues outside of the work environment.

Casino Night: Create the feel of a Las Vegas casino close to home by sponsoring a casino night. Your guests get to play casino-like games without the worry of losing their paycheck. This type of get together is ideal for fundraising as well as just for fun.

Sporting Events: A little friendly competition among your staff can be fun. Consider hosting a volleyball game or paintball tournament in which various departments compete against each other. This type of event can generate excitement and teamwork among your staff.

Awards Ceremony: Everyone likes to receive recognition for a job well done. Why not host an awards ceremony for your employees? Trophies can be given to the top producers in your organization. You may even create funny or unique awards to be given out as well. This type of event can be motivating for your entire staff.

Planning and hosting any type of an event can be time consuming and overwhelming. Be sure to enlist the assistance of a professional event planning organization to help you with all of the planning and event management. You will appreciate the guidance and alleviate the stress of event planning from your staff.

Event Planning Training - How To Get A Job In Event Planning

If you have interest in event planning and you know a little bit about this job then you can groom yourself in this medium and can get a job in event planning. If you have done an event planning training then you have a bright chance in this field if you follow some points.

• First of all you need to get information about event planning through books or inter net. Search for a good institution for event planning training so you can learn the basics of the event management and its planning.


• Explore your talent and skills, find out that what kind of event you can plan better or what are your interests so you can focus on the specific point and determine yourself. Try to bring creativity in every work.


• Observe all the events you ever visit, see how the work has been done. Get the ideas and think how you could have brought a pleasant change into that if you were given a chance. Observe every tiny thing from reception to end. See what food was served and what kind of music was arranged etc. This will help you to arrange your own event.


• Explore the market for good venders; see the market's rates and create your own contacts with dealers for example a good catering service, music band, decorators etc.


• Make your portfolio for the job. Arrange an event of your own, or try to volunteering to work for an event planner and get the experience through the event and take the pictures of that event. Write all details about the event step by step and add them in your profile. Mention the institution from where you have done your event planning training along with the certificate.


• Find out which company is hiring new event planners through the news papers or inter net. Read the classified page for job advertisement, contact them and show them your portfolio.


• Be well prepared for the job interview. Before going for the interview, get information about the related work. Get proper knowledge about different events and the arrangements of the events. Keep yourself prepared to answer correctly. Tell about where you have taken your event planning training. Show your creativity and taste by your dressing and body language.


• You can start off your own business of event planning if you have confidence in abilities. You just advertise yourself and try to find clients by offering them your service in cheaper rates initially, to get into the world of event management.

If you have talent and determination for the job you can achieve your goal by updating yourself and being in touch with the latest information about this field.

Weddings Require a Lot of Planning

When planning weddings, people often begin by purchasing a book to use. A book like this will have everything in it that a person needs to know to accomplish planning a successful day. There are hundreds of different things that need to be thought of, and if you are not good at this, you could always hire a planner for the event. Event planners are professionals at doing this, and they will take all of the worries out of your hands. People often do not hire planners though because they are expensive. If you can get by without hiring one, you will save money but you will have more work to do on your own.

Some of the first steps in planning weddings are choosing the date and the location. If you are part of a church, you can talk to the church about having the ceremony there. If the church is available on that day, they will schedule your ceremony. This is one of the first steps and it is important to do this as early as possible so that you can make sure you have a place for the ceremony to take place. The second part is choosing a place for the reception. You will want to make sure that the reception is located relatively near the place where the ceremony took place. As long as it is within 20 to 30 minutes away, it is usually alright. The reception will be the fun part of your day, and you will want to choose a place that will accommodate all of your guests. You will also want to make sure that it is elegant, if that is the type of reception you are hoping for.

The catering of the reception is another huge part. Most halls offer on-site catering services. When you book your hall, this is one of the first things you should ask. You will also have to make sure you put a down payment on the hall to guarantee that your party will have that room on the night of your wedding.

In addition to these main things, there are many little things that you should begin thinking about. All weddings have beautiful gowns for the bride and tuxedos for the men. This is something that a bride will spend a lot of time picking out, and that is because it is an important part of the day. Flowers are also an important part of weddings. You should choose a florist that specializes in this particular type of flower arrangements, and find one that offers delivery services.

Planning a honeymoon is probably one of the greatest parts of the planning efforts. This will be a time for a bride and groom to get away and spend time alone together. Honeymoons can take place anywhere, and they can be as few or as many days as the couple chooses. Weddings are exciting, but they take a lot of work to plan.

10 Tips For the Perfect Corporate Hospitality Event

If you're thinking of entertaining clients, then perhaps you've already got something in mind, and know that it will impress your clients, and encourage them to do more business with you. If you don't know what you should look for, then here are some tips to help with your corporate event.

1. You'll need to plan ahead so that you can get the date and location you want. Some places and events will naturally attract a lot of visitors, so if you want a particular sporting event, then you'll have to act quickly.

2. Choose an event that will appeal to all. Just because you like a certain sport, or location, doesn't mean that everyone else will. Remember that it's for their benefit rather than yours, so you'll want something with widespread appeal.

3. Don't forget that the invitations will need to explain what people will need to wear, and what to bring. It might be obvious that you wouldn't expect your guests to wear a tux for paintballing, but will they know what to wear for a day at the races, or for a Cup Final, or an international cricket or rugby match?

4. The idea of a corporate hospitality event is to get more business from your existing clients. You'll have to be able to combine business with pleasure during the day, but don't be too obvious about it. Allow your guests to relax and have a good time, rather than constantly bombarding them with questions regarding their plans and budgets, or talking about your products.

5. You'll want to treat all your clients as equals, and so you'll need to pick an event or location that doesn't favour the big companies, or the wealthy businesspeople you know. Don't forget to introduce your clients to each other. There may be opportunities for them to do business together too. You might want to think of how you can get your clients talking to each other, or discover some common interests.

6. It's important not to neglect your guests, so don't spend all your time with your colleagues, or your favourite or most important clients. Perhaps some of your guests won't have been to an event like this before, or don't know much about the sport, or entertainment you've chosen, and so will need a bit of help.

7. When choosing a corporate hospitality event, don't choose on cost alone. You'll want to make sure that everyone has a good time, and so won't want to restrict what they can have to eat and drink, or where they can sit. You don't want to be remembered for being "stingy".

8. Remember that you want to impress your clients, and so the more that you can provide for them, and treat them, the more they'll think of you, and the more likely they are to think of you when they need your products or services in the future.

9. You can use a corporate event to reward your staff too. Instead of looking for new business, why not reward your hardworking staff with a day out of the office, or a weekend away somewhere?

10. The most important thing to remember is that you should all have fun. If you're constantly worrying about whether everyone is having a good time, or whether your clients are going to up their spend, then you'll look nervous and appear desperate, which won't go down well. Even if you don't manage to get any new business, you'll still have spent time with your clients, and they'll be more likely to do business with you in the future.

Now you know more about how to have to perfect corporate outing, why not organise your next corporate hospitality event today?

Protect Outdoor Party Equipment With a Fabric Structure

An outdoor party can require all different types of equipment to ensure the event goes over well. Regardless if you are sponsoring an award show, hosting a conference or any other outdoor event, a fabric structure will provide you with first class shelter to motivate, inspire and excite all of your guests.

Events held outdoors can pose a number of unique challenges, including adverse weather conditions, water, uneven ground and harsh temperatures. However, with the right fabric structure, your outdoor event can pull of a spectacular outdoor event without a hitch. No matter if your event is for a residential or corporate event, you will have the shelter that you need to protect all of your outdoor party equipment and produce a successful event.

Depending on the type of event that you are hosting, you may be using an outdoor stage. There are a number of different stage systems available for outdoor events that will be ideal for your party. With a fabric structure, you can provide shelter over your outdoor stage to keep all of the instruments, sound equipment and performers safe and dry.

Power distribution is also something that you will need to take into consideration if you are hosting an outdoor party. Generators and other heavy power supplies will be safe from the element under the cover of a quality built fabric structure.

Outdoor projection technology is becoming more and more popular for brand imagery, personal messages and advertising at outdoor parties. From simple text to elaborate 3D images, you can enhance your outdoor party with projection technology. Outdoor projection is another piece of party equipment that you do not want to leave out in the weather. An industrial tent is the ideal shelter to keep your equipment and your audience safe and comfortable.

Lighting of various types may also be used at your outdoor party to enhance the appearance of the event site. Using outdoor lighting properly under a fabric shelter will ensure that your guests have an experience that is unique and memorable.

Finally, there is the food. A party just is not a party without a wide variety of tasty food dishes, from finger sandwiches to barbeque ribs. Nothing is more disastrous than tablecloths and napkins flying all about while insects of all sorts taste the h'orderves. Under a fabric enclosure, you will be able to keep everything from flying away while your guests dine and the bugs will not be invited.

With the right kind of shelter, you can host your party come rain or shine. Even when the weather is not favorable outside, your guests will be having the time or their lives inside. A fabric structure is pre-engineered and made from only the finest materials on the market. They are easy to assemble and ideal for both long term and short term use. These all-weather enclosures are made with a durable aluminum frame and a vertically tensioned fabric membrane. They will stand up to winds as high as eighty miles an hour and support a wide array of accessories to make your party one that everyone will enjoy.

Using Twitter Tools To Announce Events

Whether it's a birthday party for the wife, a grand opening, or a new product roll out, Twitter is rapidly becoming the way to announce and invite. You could simply send out 140 characters to announce your event, or you could do so much more. Here are five tools that can help you learn how to use Twitter to announce your events.

TaWidget lets you create a customized widget announcing your events, and provides the code you need to add the button to your website or blog. TaWidget integrates with the events calendar Taweet, which publishes your Twitter posts including a description and the starting date and time.

DailyMile is a social training log for athletes. One of its many features is an events page. You can search for functions to participate in, categorized by running, triathlon, or cycling. If you are planning an event, add it to the page including a location. DailyMile is supported by Google Maps, so you can pinpoint the locale and publish the route in advance of the meet.

BigMapple is dedicated to the 5 boroughs of New York City. Add an event to show other New Yorkers what is happening in your neighborhood. Once the party starts, people can add tweets and photos. Search by address to check out the action in the area you're in. This is a boon to the NYC community.

PlanCast is where people and plans come together. This social calendar is easy to use and easy to search. Adding an event is a snap; just answer what, when and where. You can even invite some of your friends to attend. If you're looking for things to do, you can explore by category and location.

Hooopla is an Android application for planning gatherings on the spur of the moment. Just create, share, and enjoy. After all, you're not always sitting at home waiting for an invite. The newsfeed range can be set to global, or zero in on a 5 mile radius.

Upcoming events can be as frivolous as a pillow fight, or as newsworthy as a major press conference. Getting the word out is an important part of the success of any gathering. Once you learn how to use Twitter to announce your events, you can relax, knowing your event planning is right on track.

Catering Companies for Large Events

There are many special occasions that can be celebrated in a person's life. Birthdays, graduations, and Christmas a few examples of the common special occasions that families choose to celebrate. Getting ready for these types of party situations is not daunting, especially if you have the assistance of your friends and family members. But, what happens when it comes to planning a formal event, where you will be mandated to serve fifty to one hundred guests at a time?

It would be silly to think that you can prepare all of the food that is needed for these types of large gatherings. This is where catering companies can assist you. These companies are trained to cater to larger groups of people, thus eliminating the stress of having to do all of the food preparations on your own.

Doing all of the food preparations for a large gathering can be extremely stressful. Also, if you are supposed to plan the entire party, there are other things aside from food that you will be forced to focus your attention on. Catering companies specialize in delivering high class parties that will accommodate your budget, while producing remarkable reviews from your guests. This is attributed to the fact that catering companies hire qualified individuals when it comes to planning every aspect of your party.

There are a lot of people that choose not to hire catering services because they believe that hiring one of these companies will be too costly for their tight budgets. However, when you compare and contrast the cost of personally planning a party versus hiring a company that specializes in party planning, the prices do not deviate that far from one another.

In fact, there are a lot of catering companies that aside from preparing lavish and delicious tasting meals will also decorate the venue where your party will be held at. This will help you alleviate two headaches, you will not have to prepare all of the food for the event yourself, and you will not have to decorate the venue either. The only thing that you will still need to do is invite the people who will be attending the event, ensure that they RSVP to the event, and inform the catering service that you hire how many people will be attending the get together.

When you choose to hire catering companies for your parties or large events, you can be confident that the service that they provide will be well worth the expense. When employing a catering company, you will need to be careful when choosing the food to serve at your event. Make sure that all of the foods that are being served are going to satisfy the needs of your guests.

When it comes to choosing catering companies, always choose a company that has earned a reputable name in the industry. Reputation is everything when it comes to this competitive industry, also only hire a service that accommodates your budget, it is silly to attempt to hire a service that you cannot afford. Also, which is the most important thing to consider, only hire a service that provides high standard foods.

Event Management Companies

Event management companies offer expert and skillful managing and organizing of various events. Theses companies combine organizational skills and experience to provide expert services in organizing any event. They offer cost-effective solutions for your event management requirements.

A common event management company handles all sorts of events from small to large, including fundraisers, galas, weddings, conferences, conventions, exhibitions, expositions, seminar, and trade shows. They also provide event concept development, sponsorship, sponsorship consultation, marketing, budget reconciliation and advertising and public relations. They have a team of experienced planners whose have knowledge in every aspect of event management from budgets to acknowledgements.

Event management companies do all of the planning and footwork necessary for any type of function. They should consult with you about your needs and wishes regarding the event or events you would like to see occur. Through the course of conversations with them, they should be able to discern exactly what is necessary to pull your project together, to a high degree of success. This way, you can focus your attention more on the business at hand, rather than waste your energy on a subject that you are not familiar with.

A number of professional event management companies offer a free venue finding service. You can save the time of searching for venues. The companies are able to do this by simply browsing through their records. Most companies keep detailed records of event locations including surveys of audience opinions.

If you spend enough time looking for the right event management company, you will thank yourself for the time investment. It will save you time in the long run.

Techniques Used by Nonprofits for Fundraising

Every organization needs funds and there are different techniques that can be used. With the first technique the nature of the nonprofit organization matters and one can create awareness for events. There are nonprofits that can have weekly events for example gathering of members or seminar and the goal is creating awareness in regard to certain topics that are relevant socially. Some participation fee or entry fee can then be collected from the members.

Sponsorship is also one of the techniques used by nonprofits. Corporate are expected to give back to the society through social responsibilities and many of the corporate are taking part in such activities. Consequently the non profits can offer the necessary help in that. The corporate can then offer sponsorship in different ways. For example it may be on the basis of per event or per month. Some corporate will meet certain expenditures. This meant that depending on the kind of help that is needed, the best corporate to approach is one that is in a relevant field. A good example is when a nonprofit is in need of stationery and then it seeks for help from manufacturer or dealer in stationery.

One the techniques used by nonprofits is branding of the organization. Non profits fall under the social sector therefore they can act as ambassadors for a brand of the organization that offers partnership or sponsorship. For instance, depending on the amount that a corporate sponsors you with, you can generate some posters for it. Having massive posters is recommendable when a corporate or organization sponsors your event fully. A further step can be taken whereby you a session during a seminar can be dedicated to promoting the sponsoring organization.

To create and sell some products is one of the techniques used by non profits to raise funds and to brand. Bags and t-shirts can be made for a particular event. For instance, during the season for world cup, good t-shirts that support your country can be made. On its sleeve or its bottom right corner, you can put a small logo belonging to your organization. Generally, you will have some surplus after selling these items. You can promote the sale of your products through websites for social networking or through blogs. The advantage is that you will not have incurred any costs in terms of investment.

The fifth technique is appropriate for nonprofit that offer services. Some of the services that you can provide for corporate include event management, to promote campaign planning or even data entry. The best way when using this technique to raise funds is charging a fee that is not equal to that of the market. The members of the nonprofit gain valuable experience through this technique as they raise some funds for the organization. To plan and to implement Product promotion requires some strategic planning.

Note that to raise funds is an art when you are creative, are zealous and passionate, you will not experience difficulties and the ideal benefits are reaped.

Corporate Catering - Ideas for Your Next Company Gathering

Corporate catering can be a big influence in the success of your company's regular meeting or lavish annual event. To make it a sure success is no easy feat. If you keep in mind, though, certain elements of the event before deciding on the menu and the overall setting, it will make your planning a lot easier. You can simply remind yourself about the what, who, when, where, how and why of the event.

What the gathering is all about - Of course, you need to know the occasion for the meeting or the event. You need to know what will happen in the event. For a conference or a sit-down meeting that entails a lot of presentation and discussion, you might want to serve sandwiches and other finger foods that are definitely not messy, so there will be no danger of having sauces on the spreadsheets or notebooks.

Who will attend the meeting or event - Let us face it. All meetings and events in a company have something to do with ranks and responsibilities. Your corporate catering should address this, too. Pizzas and burgers can perk up regular team meetings, but a directors' conference would usually call for gourmet sandwiches or a whole lineup of lunch courses from appetizer to dessert. You might also have to consider the nationalities or cultures of the attendees for their diet limitations and preferences. Some guests might require vegetarian dishes.

When will the gathering take place - The season, the day, the time and the length of meeting should all be considered in the planning. Summer company get-togethers can be a barbecue on the rooftop of your building or a nearby marina. If it is a monthly wrap-up on a Friday, you can plan a short and smart cocktail. Breakfast meetings would have coffee and breads, most probably. A one-hour marketing update would be okay with biscuits and a refreshing drink.

Where the event will be held - A small board room meeting will be fine with a couple of drink choices and platters of sandwiches or crackers, depending on the length and time of meeting. Of course, banquet halls and other such huge venues can have the options of buffet, sit-down or cocktails.

Why will you hold the event - The reason for holding the event can give you an idea where you could anchor your theme or menu. If it is an awarding ceremony or a fete for someone special to the company, maybe you can have a cake that honors the awardee or the guest. Mini celebrations for closing monthly sales and hitting customer service targets are good reasons for you to have some sparkling drinks, not necessarily champagnes, and fun food like mini tacos, chicken fingers and/or cheese puffs.

How will the event be organized - This involves the budget and logistics of the event. Will you be hiring a full-service caterer or will you just be ordering cater pans from restaurants? How much budget are you working on for food? How much is your company willing to spend on other services for the event? Many corporate catering companies these days, though, are more flexible with their packages.

These are just some of the basic tips that can come in handy when you plan your company's event. Keep them in mind and you will surely have an easier start to your event planning.