Planning a Company Picnic - A Comprehensive Guide

Are you planning a company picnic? Would you like an easy to follow guide that will make your planning a little easier? I have helped plan company picnics for the past 10+ years, and I've begun to get a sense of the most important objectives to meet when planning a company picnic.

Follow this guide when planning your event and you'll be on your pathway to a successful company picnic!

Know your Budget

First, get to know your budget. Your budget is your parameter in which you can operate for your company picnic. It lets you know how much you can spend on entertainment, food, and park or area rental (we'll get to that).

Decide on Date of Company Picnic

Begin to get a general sense for the date of your company picnic. Choose a date where most people will likely be around and not away on vacation.

Find space to hold party

This goes hand-in-hand with deciding on entertainment. You will need plenty of space for all your employees and their families, as well as any activities, games, or entertainment options you decide upon. You can usually find great spaces at local parks.

Decide on Entertainment/Activities/Games

What will you and your employees do? What will be fun and exciting for them and their families? You need things for them that will be compelling enough for them to come and have a good time. In my experience, carnival rides, inflatables rentals and other high-tech games have proved to be a guaranteed success.

Will you be serving Food/Beverages?

Besides fun activities, having a meal option is a great option for employees and their families and it's something that will keep them sticking around. It is a picnic after-all!

You don't have to pull out a full-course steak dinner, but you do want to give them something good. Popular options are pizza, hot dogs, burgers and barbeque sandwiches. You can serve lemonade, soda, juice and water for beverages.

Reserve Space on Chosen Date

Lock-in your date at the place you'll be holding your company picnic. Do this sooner rather than later to guarantee your spot for that date.

Book entertainment

Book your entertainment for your company picnic sooner rather than later. As with reserving your space, if you wait too long, someone else might swoop in and get their business before you do.

Get the word out about your event

Spread out the word and utilize any channels of communication you have available to let your employees know when, where and why they should come to this year's company picnic.

Have a back-up plan for rain (if it's outside)

If you're holding your picnic outside, it's a good idea to have a back-up plan in case the day of your event is overtaken by poor weather like rain.

There you have a smart guide to planning a company picnic. Follow these main pillars and you'll be on your pathway to an outstanding event!

Ideas for Business Events

If you know that you want to hold a business event but just aren't sure where to start on the whole thing, here are some event ideas that might lead you in the right direction.

Event ideas can be as diverse as the companies and businesses that hold the events themselves. The first thing to think about when choosing what sort of company event to hold is what your reason for having the event is. Depending on the type of information you want to get out - a new business venture, a new product, a promotion - you can decide what sort of event will get your information out in the best way possible.

One of the best company event ideas out there is to hire a company event planner. While planning an event yourself might seem easy at first, the logistics of making sure everything will go off without a hitch can often be more than just one person can handle. A company event planner can make sure that you get the right location, food, entertainment and more for your event without having to go and shop around for all of these things by yourself. They can often give you great ideas of what will work for your event and what will not, and whether or not an idea that you have is feasible.

Other ideas can come from looking at previous company events. Take a look at the other events held by competing companies or businesses, and see how well they worked. Take the good ideas from these events, and avoid anything that seemed to be too complicated or unfriendly for the audience. Remember that you don't want to exactly copy any other company's event, but you can definitely take ideas from events that are already passed. Also look back at your company and their own events, and make sure you don't repeat what has already been done.

Finally, company event ideas can be had in many places that are great resources for all event planners - such as books, magazines and the Internet. Look around, there are ideas everywhere. Themes can evolve around the core message of your event, or they can be totally separate and wacky. You can choose to stick to ideas that are tried and true, such as sit down dinners and classic parties, or you can start your own event traditions with picnics and concerts. Many planners get their inspiration from tons of different sources.

Business event ideas are all around - and there are many good themes and ideas to choose from. Picking one for your next event should be a piece of cake, if you take the time to carefully think about the event.

How Event Software Can Benefit Your Delegates

Event management software can be a fantastic tool for event planners - helping them to manage more successful, efficient events. But there are other benefits, other than the time and cost savings; delegates will often benefit directly from attending events that are managed using event software.

Website Integration: Event management software lets you publicise and promote your event on your own website. With 8 out of 10 people researching events online, it's vital that prospect delegates can find information they need on websites. When the solution is integrated into the corporate website, it means that information regarding the event can be promoted with the same 'look and feel' and on the same domain, providing a sense of trust to the delegate.

Online Registration: Once the prospect delegate has found an event on the Internet, giving them the ability to register online is a great benefit. People are increasingly used to being able to carry out activities and transactions online and letting them register there and then is not only convenient for delegates, but will also increase registration rates.

Letting delegates register online also reduces errors with regards to delegate details - things like name, address and contact information are more likely to be entered correctly if provided by the delegate themselves. This reduces problems later on down the line.

Online Payment: As the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) stated in July 2010: "E-commerce is having a huge impact on the way we do business. It can lead to dramatic growth in trade, increase markets, improve efficiency and effectiveness and can transform business processes." So the benefits of taking online payments is clear - both to the event holders and the delegates. For delegates, paying online is a fast and easy way to secure their position at the event. Event software offers a facility which allows delegates to choose their preferred method of payment using a variety of leading online payment engines, such as' Worldpay, Protix, Google pay, Paypal etc, via a secure website. Using event software will also provide a level of trust to delegates, as it will not record or retain any sensitive payment details.

For the event manager, taking payments online reduces paper work and helps to improve cash flow. It eliminates any late payments and reduces admin as invoices and other documents do not need to be manually created and sent out. After taking payment online, the software can automatically update the finance system and issue a receipt to the delegate.

Improved Communication: Event software will come with various methods of communication that event planners can use to contact delegates. At the point of registration, delegates can select the method that they would most prefer to be contacted by; email, post, telephone, SMS, social media etc. Good quality event management software solutions will come with fully integrated communication tools to enable a variety of options to be used:

• Email: Integrated email tools means that event managers can send out targeted emails to specific groups of delegates. These email tools let event managers split delegates into groups based on various criteria so that communication is as focused as possible. Full reporting tools ensure you can track email opens, click and overall success rate


• SMS: Planners can use their event management software to send out text messages to delegates, easily and efficiently. If this is the chosen method of communication of delegates, this can be managed and tracked with ease via the software


• Social Media: Event software can be integrated with a host of social media networks. Managing your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn account from one central platform makes it easy to communicate with delegates - keeping them instantly abreast of all event news and updates.

Fewer Errors: Managing an event with event software makes it far less likely that errors will occur on the day. Event software will include a 'Resource Module' or something similar that will help you track all the elements of an event - from the suppliers, delegate numbers, badge printing, presenters and more. Many of the elements that previously were manual and time consuming can be automated via the software - activities like the printing of delegate badges. Although a small part of an event, if a delegate arrives and there is no badge printed for them, it can cause issues for both the delegate and you. Having a smooth running event will increase delegate satisfaction and will result in an improved level of feedback and repeat attendance.

Supplier Management: Most events will work with suppliers at some point - whether it's the venue, catering, transport or material production. It's important that suppliers are managed tightly and that communication between delegates, event mangers and supplier is smooth. For example, during the registration process, delegates can state if they have any dietary requirements. Using the event software, catering suppliers can be given their own logon, giving them direct access to all delegate numbers and all their dietary requirements. Eliminating the event manger from this stage not frees up the event manger to focus on more productive tasks, but also reduces the risk of errors being made as the communication is passed down the line.

Access to Data: Event software can be hosted online, which means you can gain access to all the information regarding the event at any time and from any place (internet access required). On the day of the event, if there are any issues or problems, you can easily resolve these, since they can access all the data relating to the event.

Investing in event management software is an effective way of running professional, successful events, where both you and your delegates can benefit from improved communication and an improved event experience.

Hire an Event Planner and Hair and Makeup Artist For Better Photos

That's right. You want amazing pictures on your wedding day, hire a great photographer. You want even BETTER and more amazing photos on your wedding day, hire a great photographer, event planner and hair and makeup artist! Believe it or not, these other two experts are almost as important to your photos as the photographer you choose (as much as I hate to admit it).

As photographers, we can only do so much. We certainly wish we could do it all for you, but the reality is that we're limited to taking amazing shots with creative angles, showing your best side and capturing all the excitement and joy that you and your fiance share on your wedding day. We can't eliminate the stress that goes along with worrying about all the little details, and we certainly can't create an amazing hairstyle or do your makeup. But we can tell you from experience that if you're feeling stressed out because you're worrying about all the little details, your makeup is melting away and/or your hair is frizzing, that's what you're going to notice in your pictures. And unfortunately, those tend to be the things that catch your attention in the pictures after-the-fact. That is why I recommend these other two experts that CAN eliminate those distractions. Need a few more reasons?

• A professional hair and makeup artist is trained not only to ensure you look your best, but understands classic looks versus the trends, and can help you balance the two. The result is a timeless elegance so years from now you don't look back at your pictures and think "what was I thinking - I look like got married in 2010!"

• Professional makeup artists are experts at applying product to show up in photos without making you look overly done. You won't get the cake-like feeling and you'll look flawless (in person and in your images). Many do-it-yourself brides don't wear enough makeup and look washed out once that white dress goes on.

• Hair artists will work with you to style your mane in a way that's comfortable and lasting. You can decide whether you want to have your photos taken before or after your ceremony without worrying if your hairstyle will hold up until later.

• Event planners are trained to work with your photographer to keep you on a timeline that allows ample time to hit multiple locations and get in all the important people and shots that you want.

• Despite the best-laid plans, things inevitably come up. Experienced event planners have seen it all and can "fix-it-all."Pollen stain on your dress from your flowers? No problem - your event planner can help you clean it up, eliminating both the stain and the worry lines on your forehead. Stress is visible and shows up in pictures but if you have nothing to stress about, you'll simply be enjoying yourself and that will shine through.

• Locating and keeping tabs on all the important people you want in photos takes time, and event planners are also great at corralling wayward family, friends and guests to ensure they are ready to go when needed. Think about it - you're spending thousands of dollars on your wedding (and probably spending a chunk of the budget on your photos). Since the images are the only thing you'll have after the day is over, consider the extra money spent on an event planner and hair and makeup artists as an investment in your photography.

Your Main Purpose As a Wedding Planner

Ever wonder what a wedding planner REALLY does?

Most people rely on movies like "The Wedding Planner" to form their definition of a typical wedding planner. For the most part, J.Lo as a headset wearing ''star of the show'' is fantasy when it comes to being a wedding planner. Unlike Matthew and Bridget's unlimited budget, you will be hired for your budgeting skills. But your bride will be stressed and this is where you DO shine. You will be called upon and hired or not hired based on your abilities to perform under pressure, like there is no pressure. Learning your role in brides' and grooms' weddings is the first piece of the wedding planning puzzle. Below is a list of the 3 most recognized service selections your clients have to choose from. We refer to these as ''packages.'' However, I am here to tell you, if you want to excel past the cookie cutter wedding planner, then it is up to YOU to define these packages by adding your own pizazz to your unique services.

Wedding Planner - def (n)

A person who creates magic, pulls answers out of hat, and performs a flawless wedding (without sweating).

There are many services a wedding planner can provide to a bride. Depending on the bride's needs and personality, it is up to the wedding planner to service her client's needs. Not only is it important to meet the client's expectations, but exceeding their expectations will enhance your referrals to help you find your next client.

Full Service Planner

A full service planner is able to really help the bride from literally the beginning to the end of her planning. From the moment the groom pops the question the bride comes into the planner's office to begin the journey. This bride is often new to the area, gets overwhelmed easily, doesn't like to make decisions, or is very busy in her career or education. A planner's main responsibility is to be the representative for the family and keep communication lines open amongst all parties involved. Becoming the mediator is often a crucial role in this phase of the planning process.

Main Responsibilities of a Full Service Planner:

oSet budget (stay on budget throughout the planning process)

oFind reception/ceremony location

oBook vendors (photographer, videographer, florist, entertainment)

oNegotiate pricing for all vendors involved

oCreate personal d矇cor style for bride/groom

oCreate vendor timeline/bridal party timeline

oAttend all meetings

oOrchestrate the rehearsal and wedding day

oPersonal assistant to family

oFollow up with miscellaneous tasks post-wedding

Partial Planner

This is the most popular program wedding planners can offer to their clients. Brides will come into the appointment with some of the choices already made, but would like professional guidance in the midst of the planning process. Brides think they can do it all themselves only to find frustration and an endless list of things to do hence, why they turn it over to a planner. This type of bride likes to have the final say in the decision making process, but wants a professional opinion each step of the way.

Main Responsibilities of a Partial Planner:

oCollect all information/contracts from client

oEvaluate the budget

oMeet all family members involved in the planning process

oCreate road map/set goals for each month with client

oBook remainder vendors

oNegotiate pricing when available

oPersonal D矇cor (upgrade program)

oCreate vendor timeline/bridal party timeline

oAttend final catering meeting

oOrchestrate the rehearsal and wedding day

oPersonal assistant to family

oFollow up with miscellaneous tasks post-wedding

Day of Planner

A Day Of Planner is someone who comes in and picks up all the pieces (often referred to as the personal assistant to the family or the manager of the overall wedding). The main responsibility of a day of planner is to ensure the plan the bride and her family has created runs smoothly according to their expectations. Reception d矇cor and ceremony timing is crucial the day of the wedding. The most important piece of the puzzle is to make sure the vendors are directed in the right place at the right time along with the bridal party. The timeline is the heart of the event. Without a solid timeline, people will not know where to go and when they are to report. A day of planner is only as good as her timeline. 5 minutes off the time of the wedding day, means tough filet mignon in the hotbox. This is often referred to as "Game Day."

Main responsibilities of a Day of Planner:

oCreate timeline

oCall all vendors to check arrival time and location

oPunch out meeting with bride and groom (collect personal items)

oGet help

oAssign staff with bride (assist in getting dressed)

oAssign staff for reception d矇cor (implement plan)

oOverall manager for family

oOrchestrate rehearsal and wedding day

oFollow up with miscellaneous tasks post-wedding

There are three main services a wedding planner can provide: full service, partial, or day of planner. Knowing which type of service the client is seeking will help define the type of program to sell her. Each client is unique and some programs might have to be customized to fit her needs. Remember, the bride is the client you are the director. It is up to the director to guide the client into the right program to suit her needs.

Tips to Spice Up Your Corporate Events

Are you looking for some fun and interesting ways to liven up your company entertainment? Maybe you want to impress a new customer or want to create something a little different for your staff. There are businesses you can visit who specialise in just this. These companies provide the best quality business entertainment; they will be your brand ambassadors.

From professional dancers, podium dancers and models to waitresses, drinks girls and cocktail bar staff. They only employee the sexiest, most interesting people because it's important that your corporate event goes off with a bang! As your brand ambassadors they will sort everything from venue choice, drinks, food and fantastic entertainment. It's their job to ensure it all goes to plan so that your corporate event will be remembered.

If your event is screaming for some up-to-date, funky entertainment then think about hiring in a tribute band. You could have the Pussy Cat Dolls, Girls Aloud, Britney Spears or Christine Aguilera at your business event. Or if you decide on something completely unique you can sit down with an events company and work out a fantastic show which fits your budget. Promotions companies are masters at creating an event that's special and unique without it costing a fortune.

There's no better way to mould that special bond with your customers than to do it with a cool drink in a swanky location. It's a great way to ensure they don't forget your business. What about thanking loyal customers by escorting them to a secret venue to see an exclusive band. Or take the boys out for an evening of saucy entertainment and male bonding. Look after your staff and they will take care of your company!

Find Out How to Become an Event Planner

Do people tell you that you throw the best parties? You can possibly turn this skill into a lucrative profession as an event planner. You can branch out in the type of event you feel you are best at, whether it be weddings, corporate events, or other type parties. If this is a career that interests you, you may be wondering how to become an even planner. Below are a few steps you can take.

Gain a little bit of education by attending some classes. If you plan on operating your own business, then some classes in accounting, marketing, and sales may be necessary. Many community colleges and online schools also offer classes specifically in event planning that will help you with negotiation and organizing all of the different aspects of an event. This includes everything from catering to entertainment.

Start marketing yourself. Hand out business cards and ask business to display flyers. You can develop a website that details the services you provide. Once you have a few events under your belt, you can display pictures on your website to give customers a sense of the type of work you do. You can also register for a booth at some bridal expos and other corporate type expos.

The hardest thing on becoming an event planner is getting that first successful event completed. Once you are over that hurdle, you will likely find that you are more confident and your business will pick up with word of mouth referrals. With determination and attention to detail, you can succeed in this industry.

Choosing a Limo Service for Special Events

If you like traditions, hire a limousine for your prom. For many folks traveling in a limousine is not a regular event, making prom night feel unique. You may never go wrong with a black stretch limousine pulling up your prom location.

The best thing of hiring a limousine is that it normally suit around eight people. It means that you can not only enjoy driving to prom with the friends, you also can share the expense eight ways. Don't forget to make booking in advance since you are not alone who want a limo for prom.

The problem to rent a limo is that you would probably pay per hour. It means you will pay for the limo the whole time you're in the prom, even though you may not be utilizing the vehicle at that time. Furthermore, the chauffeur expects you to leave the prom at a decided time period.

If you desire the journey to the prom to be really traditional, consider a classic car. A number of the same companies that rent out limousines also provide old-fashioned vehicles provided with a chauffeur. Hiring a classic car works out the same manner as booking a limo, but you will not be able to travel with all of your mates.

If you're looking for a more economical choice than hiring a limousine, or a more recent approach than a classic car, think about going for a sports car to the prom. As you will not require hiring a chauffeur, it will probably cost you less to get your hands on one. However, the majority of car rental providers would not rent to somebody under age 25, therefore you must be creative.

Have an elderly sibling or a parent hire the vehicle for you and act as driver, as only somebody old enough to meet the criteria for the rental can travel it without fine. On the plus side, both you and your date can chill in the back seat of the extremely awesome sports car and comment on how exciting the prom is going to be.

Another choice is to inquire around among friends who may have heard somebody with an excellent sports car who would assist you to rent it for the night. You will need to guarantee to take proper care of the car and confirm that you're insured to drive other's vehicles. And always make sure returning the vehicle with a full tank of fuel.

Convention Event Planning Services

This is your first time to attend a corporate or business convention. You are quite amazed at how everything goes so smoothly and efficiently. You just cannot imagine how many people come and go about the place, and yet everything appears to be in order without anything out of place. You notice that there are no people running back and forth to make sure that the guests in this part of the hall are okay while trying to oversee if the group at the other end is having a good time.

One good thing about business and corporate conventions is that these companies and business groups have the resources to plan conventions with hired help. And who are these hired helpers? For sure, they are not people who are also from the same company that is holding that convention. Don't you dare imagine these corporate people trying to plan and prepare for a convention in advance while at the same time trying to run their huge companies and firms!

Convention and event planning services are offered by several companies for those people who are too busy or too wracked up to plan and prepare for a huge event. These services employ a relatively huge amount of manpower so as to guarantee an orderly yet remarkable event, such as a convention or meeting.

Companies offering convention event planning services take care of all the important details entailed by their clients for their events. The responsibility for many things and details are left in their hands: venue, decorations, invitations, publicity, food and drinks, reception, giveaways, souvenirs, music, and a whole lot more. And even during the day of the event itself, these convention event planning service people are in place so as to oversee that everything is working smoothly and as planned.

A Lot of Advantages of Corporate Event Planning

In the business surroundings there are several areas that take on the focus of business management. Making sure that your company is creating high and growing income is often the main focus in the business environment. Assuring that you have the appropriate investments in order to meet your present expense demands and pave the road for expansion in the future is an extra focus.

Even guaranteeing your employee team is properly staffed and trained so as to maximize your revenue and consumer service potential demands a great deal of focus. All of these focuses of the business environment often take away from other important business features such as event planning for worker and investor appreciation. This is where you could take advantage of hiring a professional event planner.

With a well trained event planner your company gains the chance to utilize an experienced person that can aid you in many events which businesses plan all through the year. With the services of an event planner you could keep your focus on the fundamentals of the business environment and permit them to handle the necessary events needed for a business to stay operational. Many companies question the need for corporate event planning; viewing them as a business expenditure that provides no real return on investment. However, with this a business helps in creating long-term return on the money invested that could boost your opportunities in gaining revenue and future investments.

When you include this around the investor you take an active step to exhibit your appreciation for the people investing in your company. This show of appreciation helps an investor feel incorporated with the business which normally inspires an investor to remain loyal to your company. This loyalty assists your business in securing future investments from this individual and spark interest from other potential investors when they discover this investor faithfulness. Normally the corporate event planning around investors incorporates one or two banquets every year, a small investment which delivers and incredible financial impact.

With corporate event planning surrounding the associate, you're looking for your return on investment with an increase in profit or a steady stream of continuous revenue. Several firms make the mistake that the salary they pay their associates is all the appreciation they are required to show. If your company is high above the norm in regards to salary then this may be true.

But, if you are like several firms trying to keep payroll expenses low then corporate event planning could go a long way to boost your financial opportunities. When you show your appreciation with this you could increase productivity through employee satisfaction, aiding to increase revenue.

Are Your Fundraisers Exciting?

Fundraisers for schools and other organizations are incredibly important. For schools, fundraisers raise money for important special events to benefit the children. A fundraiser is a great way to raise money for your organization or cause, but it can be difficult to decide what type of fundraiser to organize. It is important to come up with new ideas to keep people excited about raising money.

If you have children in school, you are probably familiar with fundraisers. You have probably been asked to help raise money for your school PTO by selling chocolate, magazine subscriptions, wrapping paper or other items. The problem with this type of fundraiser is that parents and children are required to ask friends, family and neighbors to buy items they most likely do not need. Parents may not wish to sell to friends and family and they may have limited time to solicit sales, collect the money and deliver the items. This type of fundraiser gets old and can be especially troubling for families with several children in school. Many families want to support the school or organization, but experience fundraiser fatigue and simply tune-out and no longer support these programs. If this is happening at you school or organization, it is time to make a change to a new style of fundraising. Outdoor movies events are a great alternative fundraising idea.

Outdoor movie events make for great fundraisers for several reasons. First, outdoor movies appeal to children and adults of all ages. You can tailor your event to specific audiences through your movie selection. At an elementary school, for example, choose a popular movie that is appropriate for children and families. Second, outdoor movie event fundraisers can be stress-free to organize with the assistance of outdoor movie equipment providers who offer full turn-key productions. Next, this type of event can easily be promoted within your organization. Hang posters and utilize social media if your organization maintains a presence. For a school, send information about the event home in student's backpacks. Finally, you will be able to raise valuable dollars for your organization or cause while enjoying a fun event.

Fundraisers shouldn't give parents or supporters of your organization a bad feeling. Fresh, fun fundraising ideas that do not require selling are a great way to beat fundraising fatigue and gather more support for your organization or cause. Plan an exciting outdoor movie event fundraiser and have fun raising the money your organization needs.

Implement Onsite Online Registration To Eliminate Check-In Hassles

Ensuring smooth running of all check-in processes every time a guest arrives at the event venue is very important to make an onsite event successful. Many companies avail of event management solutions which offer online registration facilities from before, but tend to overlook the necessity of providing similar facility on site. Instead, they go in for complicated check-in procedures which take up a huge amount of time adding to the major dissatifaction of the guests. If you are planning to organize an event for a certain cause, do implement onsite online registration facility to do away with all the hassles of on-site check-in procedures.

One does not need to go in for any extra software or hardware installation related investments if there is a comprehensive online event management solution at hand. To provide onsite registration facility, the only thing an organizer needs to make sure is that there is a computer with internet connectivity at the kios. The online event registration form which can be customized to look like an integral element of the company's own website functions as a self-service, on-site tool by accessing which attendees can easily register while making an entry. This adds to the attendees' satisfaction as they do not have to worry about attending an event without having been able to register for it from beforehand. No doubt, this also increases the attendee footfall thereby improving the busines prospects of an event.

How to manage an event with better on-site check-in facilities?

繚 Variety of onsite event management solutions are available which cater to the real-time on-site support related needs of an event organizer. Following are some of the facilities:

繚 Live check-in facility made possible by your pro-active staff at the kiosk

繚 Implementation of on-site, self-registration kiosks via which a walk-in or a proper registrant could check-in, make requiste payments, and produce a bar-coded name badge

繚 Printing facilities for attendee lists, name badges and on-site event sign-in data sheets

繚 Assigning a unique bar codes to each name badge is very important to track on-site attendance and for future lead retrieval

繚 On-site e-commerce facilities by enabling collection and processing of live credit card payments via a secured gateway

繚 Distribution of invoices and other attandee profile related data

繚 Modification of registration details on site for real-time report generation

繚 Marking of no-shows folowed by immediate email messaging to encourage them to attend other forthcoming events

繚 Accessing real-time survey reports on site

繚 Deploying pro-active on-site project managers to listen to all issues faced by the atendees

All these facilities help to maximise atendance at a particular event, ensures ROI in the least possible time, improves prospects of all future events to be organized by the same company, and promote the brand name of the organizing company by proving its credibility in front of a large number of attendees hailing from different parts of the world.

Keeping a live pulse always does a great value-addition for your event. So, next time you plan an event, do remember to keep comprehensive on-site registration and check-in facilities in place.

Organizing a Memorable Wine Tasting Event

Wine tasting events are a good way to do some fundraising and have become very popular with people working in the field of non profit event planning. A wine tasting fundraiser is a strategic event, and you have to be very judicious while planning the details of such an event. You have to be extremely meticulous, have a strong workforce, and well-laid fundraising plan to get success in any such event. These days, wine tasting has also become common among the corporate houses as a team building event; merging conferences, announcements and other such events along with the wine tasting schedule.

There are plenty of things you have to keep in mind if you want to host successful wine tasting events. Here're a few pointer that might be a good direction to take when you're planning to organize such an event.

- First up you should form a committee to plan and organize the event and you should do it well in advance (read six months to one years). Assign this team the task of contacting wine vendors and conducting promotional activities, design wine tasting cards, chalk out logistics (like parking) for the day of the event etc. Next you should do some research on local wineries to decide who would participate in the event and make sure you have a wide sample of wines during the event.

Go through your available choices of venues for the event unless of course a vendor has agreed to provide a space. Remember that wine tasting festivals are memorable events and the venue should reflect the stature of the event. Decide on the date and time of the event well in advance, and also draw up an estimation of the costs you would incur.

- If you were holding the event in a wine region, it would be a good idea to include tours of wineries and brief ups on the heritage of the region. Wine tasting events celebrate the power of our senses over logic and uphold the tranquility of life, and you should keep this theme in mind-never deviate from this mood during the event.

- Aromas form a very important part of what makes good wine-so arranging for an educative workshop on the different kinds of aromas in wines is a very good idea. Also you can think of 'blind tasting' exercises.

- If you're thinking of what music to incorporate, of course you probably know that the best idea would be to arrange for a piano player, symphonies, or opera music. The idea is to stick to the classical and cultivate the vintage atmosphere. Staging enjoyable play/drama performances is also a very good idea during wine tasting events.

- Tasting events always end with dinner and toasts over a choice of delectable wines. You should prepare for this event well in advance, writing out the speeches and in fact an entire script that includes the toasts, the costume, etc.

Of course, if you need help with the planning there are a number of professional event management companies out there who have just the expertise to make sure the event goes the way it should. There are many software applications available online that helps you manage and organize the event with event registration, management, and payment services.

Corporate Events Venue - Get a Variety of Theme Parties Organized

Many corporate events are organized in order to get work done and they are therefore very professional in nature. However, corporates do get to have a lot of fun as well as companies organize a variety of theme parties and fun events as well, especially when team building or motivational sessions are underway. If this is your requirement then you will have to select a corporate events venue based upon its ability to manage such an event with a great degree of expertise.

It is not very easy to organize a really great theme party because there are plenty of small details that have to be looked into. The d矇cor, food and entertainment should all match perfectly so that the actual event is a great deal of fun. You need to select a corporate events venue that can host theme parties well because people have a lot of expectations these days, having been to plenty of these events. There is almost no limit to the themes you could ask for and the people managing the venue should have the ability to deliver what you are expecting. Mardi Gras, Hollywood (or even Bollywood), Casino and Arabian Nights themes are just some examples of what you can organize for your big event.

The people managing the party venue should be able to offer you the exact kind of seating arrangements you require. The venue should be large enough to accommodate your group easily and also the theme settings and buffet station, bar, dance floor and the like. The place should also have a really good sound system because the party will not be a success without good music. There should also be space for live entertainment in case you wish to organize that. The employees at this place should also be competent, friendly and dedicated because this will reflect on the quality of service they provide.

Make sure that you spend some time to select the best possible corporate events venue for your theme parties so that you are completely happy with all the arrangements. Once you select a particular venue you should make your booking immediately so that you don't face a problem with lack of availability later on. If the place you like is really good then there are bound to be many more people who like it as well! Don't leave anything to chance when organizing your events in order to give your guests the best possible time.

Party Series: Kids Birthday Parties

Kid's birthday parties will be more fun and filled with happiness. If you want to celebrate your kid's birthday party in a best way, then there are several things that you have to consider. Planning in advance is very important for any event, so that you could ensure that nothing goes wrong. There are some people who don't find time planning for the birthday parties; therefore, they hire even management companies. These companies would help you planning for the parties and events in a perfect way. They do all the decorations, hiring catering, conducting games for kids, ordering cakes, arranging avenue for the guests, party supplies, and several other services. All that you have to do is to find a reputed event management company which provide birthday parties services.

Most of the companies are specialized in Birthday party packs, plates, cups, invitations, photo of your child and arranging a party according to your child's party theme. They make products according to your requirements and budget; therefore you don't have to worry about moving from one shop to another in order to buy decorative items or ordering cakes or arranging catering services. All the things which are necessary for the parties will be provided by the company itself. All you have to do is to find a reputable event management company and contact them and tell your requirements for the birthday party in advance.

Once if you hire them, they would all the necessary preparations and planning and on your kid's birthday, they would ensure that everything goes fine and perfect. No matter whether it is a small party or big event, they would provide you the perfect solution. You just have to sit and enjoy the party along with your kid's and guests who have arrived to your kid's party.

Understanding the Functions of a Relationship Manager

Relationship managers work as links between different groups of people in order to facilitate communication, deal with complaints, settle complaints, coordinate planning, among others. They are very useful in exploiting outstanding communication and analysis skills in coordinating composite and co-dependent activities.

Usually, there are of five major types and their names depict their functions; business, client, vendor, customer and community relationship managers. Their importance to a company's success can never be over-emphasized as you shall later discover.

A business relationship manager acts as a link among different departments in a company. For instance, the I.T department can employ one to liaise with other departments in the company in order to explain I.T functions to them. He facilitates meetings and other events to enhance communication in the company since departments do not use the same terminology.

A client relationship manager deals with individuals outside the company giving details of the company's policies and procedures to clients who are currently receiving an incomplete service. He can also be in charge of supervising legal and contractual commitments in order to ensure that they are properly executed.

A vendor relationship manager works out and supervises service level agreements of a company providing products or services to other companies. He holds vendors answerable for conforming with and surpassing the conditions of the contract.

A customer relationship manager also deals with outsiders, paying attention to understanding customers' needs. He acts in response to complaints, respond to issues practically and search for opportunities to market more products to potential and current customers. He makes use of the right software to achieve an optimum result.

A community relationship manager works with officials and volunteers in the company's area of operation to settle disputes and act in response to issues. He can be in charge of raising funds for the community, recruiting volunteers and training them.

Moreover, they develop robust alliance among different groups that may not normally see face-to-face. They are professionals in the culture of the organizations they work for and by building confidence in systems, they become trusted partners to major stakeholders in all functions.

However, pursuing a career in this field requires obtaining a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience. Some positions may require an additional technical background including verbal, written, presentation and significant thinking skills. Job opportunities in management is expected to rise as fast as other jobs while salary levels vary in accordance with experience, industry, location and company size.

Company Party Planning - Benefits Of Hiring Party Planners

Corporate picnics and outdoor parties have become a trend these days with many companies arranging different types of picnics and parties. These kinds of activities make a different impact on the performance of the firm and create a stronger bonding between the employees and company. Thus, it is necessary that these events and picnics are planned in the right manner so that everyone enjoys it. Company party planning and picnics can be arranged in the best way with the help of an event planning company. These companies organize many activities which help in team building which improves the performance of the company and the communication skills.

It is better to hire an event management company for all these events so that everyone can enjoy the party or event without any problems or responsibilities. Many times the employees' families are also invited for these company parties or picnics which makes the atmosphere even more interesting. The event planning companies provide all the services that are required to make the event successful. It is a misconception that hiring an event management company for company party planning can prove to be quite expensive. There are many advantages associated with it. If you are planning for a BBQ party then it becomes very difficult to find the right kind of venue. However, a party planning company will find the right kind of venue for the party and also make sure that you are allowed to make the necessary arrangements like music, inflatables and the place is big enough to accommodate all the guests. BBQ catering San Francisco provides the best catering service.

You don't have to worry about the menu or food transportation if you hire an event management company. you can also ask them to prepare some delicious BBQ treats which can be prepared at the venue itself and served hot. The event management companies also provide transportation services in case of company picnics. The transportation rates are quite low and affordable. Entertainment is the key factor which will enhance the whole event and make an everlasting impression in the minds of the guests. The party planning companies offer different types of entertainment services like personal performers, games and face painting. It is better to let the event planner decide what kinds of activities will be enjoyed by the people like there can be a different set of activities for the kids. Thus, these were some of the benefits of hiring an event planning company for company party planning and picnics. You can find many companies online which provide good company party planning service and assistance.

CeBIT IT Fair - 2011 Holds Future Corporate Success Keys

Since it is coming to existence as a single entity, way back in 1986, CeBIT has covered a long distance to become world's largest ICT expo. It is a massive international trade platform both for the private and public organizations to organize product and service promotions, exhibitions, interactive lectures, corporate events and so on. Till some years ago, CeBIT was an exclusive event for corporate players. Now, with the booming world economy, end-users are also turning up here in large numbers.

Every year CeBIT adopts a theme to promote IT sector. This year also, there is no exception. "Work and Life with the Cloud" is the driving theme of CeBIT 2011. With the mobile subscriber base breaking new records, mobile net browsing is set to become the future of wireless Internet. Moreover, social networking has become the buzzword for modern generation. Networking sites enable to hook up with like-minded groups, share photos, videos and documents. It has virtually closed the gap between communities of different continents. Looking from this angle, one can safely interpret that cloud computing has enough potentiality to drive the future IT industry. By the year 2014, it is expected to touch a whopping USD 148.8 billion.

This gala 'ITES' meet is a grand opportunity to easily find out prospective business partners for future growth. The exhibitors post their online profile on the important pages on CeBIT website. This helps establishing initial contacts with the target clientele. At the fair stands, this initial communication leads to future business associations. This website also contains a comprehensive fair planner that enables prioritizing specific counters and scheduling interactive sessions with the exhibitors.

CeBIT 2010 witnessed a total 10 billion Euros for the projects taken up there. With around 3,50000 professional visitors from all over the globe, it beat the recession gloom prevailing at that time. With global economy returning back on the right track, this year's event is expected to draw more footfalls. The presence of thousands of media persons will ensure highlighting the exhibitors' services and offerings to the global market. Moreover, this trade show is an excellent platform to launch focused and powerful business strategies irrespective of the company turnover.

CeBIT has also become a lucrative option for the relatively new companies of upcoming IT power houses like India. The previous edition attracted 30 Indian participants. Indian IT sector has shaded its identity as a cheap services provider. Now, it is the destination for global clientele who want to stay ahead in the competition with latest technology with reasonable investment. International trade fairs naturally boost the dreams of Indian IT Consulting companies. Turkey is another attractive, emerging market for high-tech enterprises. This year, Turkey is the partner country of the mega show. That shows the rise of the new IT markets. CeBIT 2011 will no doubt prove to be a major junction for the global IT bandwagon.

A Day in the Life of a Plan Ahead Events Franchisee

The Situation

Imagine the Director of Development for a mid-sized corporation. One day, after a regular monthly meeting, the Executive Director approaches him with an idea for throwing an appreciation dinner for the company's clientele. At first it sounds to the Development Director like a great idea that he's capable of tending to. However, after a few weeks of really looking at everything it will entail to find a location, plan the evening's events, hire some kind of entertainer, develop an advertising strategy, and cater for 300 clients (all while attending to his regular job) he realizes that although the event sounds like a brilliant business move, he has neither the time nor the resources to make it all happen. The only way out of the mess is to call an event planner.

This is the standard scenario that Plan Ahead Events franchisees find themselves cast into every day. However, unlike the company executive who has neither the time nor the previous experience to adequately prepare his event; regardless of what the client needs done, what kind of event needs to be planned, or how big the night is supposed to be, the Plan Ahead Events people make it happen.

The Industry

In recent years, professional event planning has become a far more prominent business than it ever was before. Particularly in a wealthy country like the United States, the need for businesses, organizations, and clubs to throw well-planned and entertaining events that wow current and potential members and clients is becoming a very important part of success. In fact, high quality parties have become so prevalent that today event planning as an industry grosses $500bil worldwide. Clearly, the opportunities for anyone who can orchestrate a large-scale event are rampant.

The Franchise Opportunity

Of course, the ready entrepreneur always has the choice to break into a market by simple force of will, starting up a brand new business. However, considering how many more franchises survive the first few years of operation, as opposed to their independent business counterparts, joining an existing event planning organization as a franchisee is definitely a better way to go.

One of the few franchised business opportunities in this particular field is Plan Ahead Events, who have successfully established a completely turnkey operation that gets entrepreneurs into the market for themselves for far less of an investment than one might expect. For only $26-$33,000 up front, a wise businessperson can purchase a tried and true home based business that comes with all the necessary tools; two weeks of training; the wisdom that comes with 15 years of experience in the industry; and most importantly, a name that people recognize and associate with successful events.

The Daily Experience

Meetings, conventions, trade shows, corporate parties, conferences, grand openings, event galas, and a wide variety of other events all become possible sources of work and income for Plan Ahead Events franchisees. Depending on the specific franchisee's methods of advertising and networking, even personal events like birthdays and weddings are accessible business routes as well.

No matter what the event or who the client, these work from home franchisees can count on the work being fairly similar from day to day. The majority of which is advertising to potential clients, building business relationships with other companies that work in various fields related to event organization, and planning client events. Whether event planning veterans or newcomers to the market, Plan Ahead Events ensures that all franchisees are given extensive training in every aspect of the business, including initial training prior to the franchise launch and ongoing support whenever the franchisee has questions or concerns. This ensures that the new business owner comes to each project with the necessary character and skills to build any kind of party from the ground up.

A better franchise opportunity for a natural manager than for someone who likes to get his hands dirty doing the work, this franchise is all about delegating responsibility and managing a half-dozen subcontractors who are each responsible for a specific facet of the night's events. Entertainers, caterers, venues, and advertisers with whom the Plan Ahead Events franchisee has built standing relationships with are all called upon as events necessitate. This dispersion of responsibilities to trusted business partners allows the franchisee to quickly and effectively get every aspect of the event in the works simultaneously and eventually pull them all together for a beautifully memorable evening.

According to one Plan Ahead Events franchisee, it's actually that aspect of the work that may be the hardest. Tampa, Florida franchise owner Thelma Ramsey says, "learning to delegate and testing your mettle" is the most challenging part of the business. But in many fields it proves true that the most essential work can often also be the most trying. In the case of an event planner, it's only when the event has grown too big for whoever was responsible for it that it gets passed on, and that is where the planner is expected to give his best performance to make up the difference.

The Bottom Line

Regardless of difficulty, though, party planning with Plan Ahead Events is designed to be put in the hands of people who love the thrill of having their management mettle tested. These people want bigger, better, more intricate jobs, and every time the ante is upped, they rise to the occasion. If that sounds like you, take a closer look at Plan Ahead Events: they'll be more than willing to challenge your mettle as well.

Tips on Hiring Event Management Services

Hiring an event management company gives you legitimate rights to transfer all your tension and anxiety to whoever takes up the managerial work. However, is the company worth taking your entire burden? There are herds of companies out there. How will you choose the company that will deliver the perfect results? To decide that here are few tips you may follow.

What is the event about - Categorize your event

Not all events have the same needs. There are event managers who specialize in certain types of events, such as weddings, fund raisers, gala events, stage performances, etc. hence, categories your event and contact a service provider who has expertise in that kind of events.

A wedding requires coordination of the bride's arrival, the photographers, the caterers and the commencement of ceremony, a fundraiser requires games and stuffs in which people can spend money thereby raising fund the fun way. Therefore, every event has special needs and thus the need for specialist event management services.

Hiring a specialist would ensure that all the problems and needs of the events are correctly addressed. This way you can be rest assured about the event going well.

Fix the budget

One thing most people overlook is budget. In search for the best service, they often forget that the best come at a bulky price. However, that doesn't mean that your event should be compromised. There are services that provide good quality at reasonable rates. Be sensible while making this decision. Even though the event management service is taking care of all the arrangements, one mistake and you will be the first person at whom your bosses and peers would point a finger.

Hire the best service provider in that category

After you have shortlisted the specialist who fit your budget, further zero the candidate based on years of experience, size and diversity of events managed, quality of work delivered (ask previous employers), ambiance of the event organized, troubleshooting caliber and ability to address minute details.

Apart from personal abilities, choose a management service that has the best contacts in the town. Having direct contact means, no intermediary is involved. Which indirectly means you will not be paying extra money for the flowers and decorations or entertainments.

You might wonder how to find a team who has all of these. However, to your surprise you will find many who fit this description, for these are the main characters for a successful event organizing team.

What is your part in the actual event organizing?

Describe the exact result you want. Nobody wants to pay for half done job or ill-managed works. Hence, it is your duty to convey your ideas properly so that the event managers can recreate the same and mange it to their best abilities.

With these tips in mind, hire the best corporate event managers who can carry the event smoothly and thereby making you proud.

Two Secrets to Get More People to Attend Your Business Networking Events

As the Membership Director for a large west coast chamber of commerce, I have attended over 2,000 networking events in the last 7 years. Of those 2,000 event, I was the organizer of more than half those events. When the success of your business meeting depends on getting people to show up, it's important to figure out very quickly how to get them to show up. It's a scary feeling to be standing in the doorway of your venue, looking at an empty room on one hand and the clock on the other. Here are my two secret weapons that have helped me nearly double the average attendance of the business events I run.

The secret ingredients to get people to attend are bribery and nagging. Sounds like the method your mom used to get you to clean your room when you were young? Well, I call it that for the fun and shock value of the words to help you remember the two pillars of getting people to attend your events.

Bribery is how you answer the age-old, vital question that we all have of "What's in it for me?" As event organizers and business event planners, we get caught up in the process and forget that the luncheon, mixer or meeting is NEVER for our own benefit. It must be for the benefit of the people who are attending. You must have a compelling reason for them to be there. And then you must communicate that benefit to them when you market the event.

Food is a great bribe, but you want to think carefully if that is the main attraction will it bring the people you want to have there. Do you want to have a trade show with 1,000 "lookie-loos" or 300 dedicated buyers and prospects? There are liability issues if adult beverages are the main attraction and would you only want to attract the "cocktail crowd?" For my chamber of commerce, one of the best bribes was the quality of people who were attending.

Nagging is making sure that you reach your target market in as many ways, as many times and in as many different forms as possible. Hopefully you've got a great list of people who you want to attract. Use multiple outlets for your announcements and reminders.

The combination of bribery and nagging are the secret to help you get more people to attend your events. I've doubled the attendance at mine and you can too.

5 Ways to Get Practical Experience While Still in Event Planning Courses

You have one year of event planning courses under your belt and you're frothing at the bit to try planning a real-life event. Well, why not? Here are some ideas to get you started.

1. Organize a fundraiser for your favourite charity

Most charities encourage members of the public to organize their own fundraising events. Who is better qualified to do such a thing than you and your fellow classmates in your event planning courses?

Better yet, why not kill two birds with one stone by organizing a fundraiser for extra credit? Help a local charity, advance your own knowledge, and impress the teachers of your event planning courses - now that's smart thinking!

2. Volunteer to organize a graduation party (or two or three)

Most business colleges offer more than just event planning courses. Why not offer to organize the end-of-the-year parties for the students in the other programs? It will give you a chance to put your skills to the test and perhaps even establish connections with people in other professions that may serve you well after graduation.

3. Organize your next family event

Is your cousin getting married? Is your mother's side of the family gathering at the cottage for a long awaited reunion? Make sure that everyone knows that you've been taking event planning courses and that you are looking for events to practice on.

4. Volunteer to organize a holiday party for a local hospital

Learn the fine art of hosting a seasonal event by offering to organize a party for free for a local healthcare facility. It can be for patients, staff, family - just so long as it gives you a chance to try your hand at lessons learned in your event planning courses!

5. For cash - organize children's birthday parties

Organizing a birthday party may seem like child's play to you as a student enrolled in event planning courses, but I'll tell you a secret: many parents find it extremely stressful. You may find a ready market in the form of parents anxious to offload party planning responsibilities for a small fee.

One advantage of starting with a young clientele? Very young children are usually unable to lie. You will know right away whether or not your event planning courses have been successful, whether or not they:

• liked the food


• enjoyed the entertainment


• appreciated the music


• loved the venue, including the decorations


• liked the party favours

You can even ask them what they thought of the invitations: they'll tell you.

As your organize each event, don't forget to add it to a spreadsheet, so that when the time comes to interview with potential employers or clients that you will be able to tell them exactly how much real-life experience your have, in spite of being a new graduate of event planning courses. That's being action-oriented!

What You Can Learn From Innovative Trade Show Displays

Every year, thousands of exhibitions and corporate events are held across Canada and the United States. From fairs and exhibitions that showcase business opportunities, both major and smaller cities are hosting events with trade show displays that increase the visibility of local businesses. From smaller exhibits to those with much larger budgets, there is something to learn from each and every expo in your community. Here are a few of Canada's interesting and innovative annual events, each with something to offer businesses looking to set themselves apart.

Calgary Wedding Fair Features Innovative Trade Show Booth Ideas

At a recent wedding fair in Calgary, creativity and innovation marked the city's modern take on weddings, and an interesting approach to trade show displays. One company created a large chiffon tent of drapery with a table top display that mimicked a place setting for guests at a wedding reception -- drawing people into a contained atmosphere with soft lighting that created a memorable experience for anyone who entered. A tall, elegant stand held a shelf of colorful flowers, and the entire display served the company's purpose perfectly; the quality of their elegant design, exquisite taste, and professionalism were demonstrated in the details. Few exhibitors would so cleverly appropriate a prop normally set up for brochures, business cards, and a business card draw -- a simple table -- to integrate with their display or bannerstand.

Montreal Board Of Trade Events Showcase Arts And Culture

Known as a city with a deep appreciation of arts and culture, it is no surprise that the 7,000 strong Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal encourages the marriage of business and culture in its mission and its events. The organization has paired up with Conseil des arts de Montr矇al to create the Prix Arts-Affaires de Montr矇al awards, which recognize the efforts of local businesspeople to support the city's arts and culture. Attend an event and the commitment to the arts is very evident in the business community; events often integrate business and the arts, featuring the work of artists and culture makers, whose efforts to maintain Montreal's reputation as a cultural hotspot are well recognized. Events often incorporate the work of artists, and even live performance at many events.

One Of Toronto's Longest Running Shows Foregoes The Banner And Bannerstand

Toronto's No Frills Trade Show is simple in its mission: to offer a one-day show to companies in the construction industry with an emphasis on "knowledge and networking." Successfully running for nearly 35 years, the popular show has grown in size over the years and now takes place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. But don't expect the convention centre to be cluttered with large displays, or competitions over the best trade show booth ideas; exhibitors are welcome to set up a table but the emphasis is on people and learning. Industry professionals attend the show for the professional development and networking opportunities; a lecture series is a key part of the event, as well as the chance to meet people in the same industry from across Canada.

If you are planning to participate in a show, these very different events and the approaches of the organizers may have something to offer other business owners. Whether innovative trade booth ideas are your goal, or you're keeping it simple with a focus on people, these and other trade show displays are learning opportunities. At the next event, take time to walk around and see the various approaches businesses and organizations take; perhaps you will find an idea or two that you can use for your next event.

Event Planning Jobs: Where Can You Find Clients?

Event planning is a popular business to start. There are a variety of events you can plan, and you can have a full calendar of work year-round. Planning these festive and social activities can be fun and rewarding - but finding clients may be the most challenging part of event planning jobs. Below are three effective and low-cost ways to get a consistent flow of new customers to your business.

1. Get Involved

A big chunk of business for event planners comes from word-of-mouth marketing and referrals. If you want this free form of advertising to work in your favor, get involved in your community. Join your local Chamber of Commerce. Become a member of social groups in your neighborhood. Volunteer in your community and socialize with the people you meet.

You do not have to "sell" yourself, but inevitably people will ask what you do for a living. The more people you meet who find out you are an event planner, the more potential clients and referrals you have to draw from. You never know where a casual conversation will lead to - as the saying goes, people tend to do business with people they like. You never know where your next customer will come from, so it is a good idea to stay active and visible.

2. Do Charity Work

Although you do not want to work for free, you can basically advertise your business for free by volunteering your event planning services for local charity functions. This is an easy way to demonstrate your skills to people who generally have lots of connections. You will be appreciated for your efforts and looked upon favorably by those who can refer you to others or even hire you for paid event planning jobs in the future.

3. Host a Free Workshop

Show that you are the "go-to" person when it comes to event planning by hosting a workshop on how to plan parties, create invitations, make low-cost decorations or some other topic related to event planning. Your workshop does not have to involve a big presentation. In fact, those who do not enjoy public speaking find that putting on a hands-on workshop to a small group or service organization much less intimidating.

With each of these three marketing tactics, you get to demonstrate your skills and knowledge up front to potential clients. People can meet you in a no-pressure environment and can see you more as a friend rather than a salesperson. In addition, these strategies are virtually free to use and can be very effective at getting new customers - sometimes even more than a paid ad.

Corporate Event Security

The kind of event security required depends on the type of event. Managers of corporate events should keep the following things in mind.

If the planners do not make it known that they recognise the importance of making special arrangements for key corporate personnel, it is likely that the event will not be well attended. High profile corporate guests are potential targets for kidnappers and hostage takers. And in today's world, well-known corporate leaders are targeted by terrorists too. If companies are not satisfied with arrangements, they may not be willing to send the people who have the power to take important decisions.

The confidence of the attendees can be improved in the following ways:

1. Guests feel more secure if the security team has members who have been in the military or law enforcement departments.

2. Consulting a reputed expert in the field will also be a good idea. This will enable planners to take the right precautionary measures according to the risk assessment of the expert. The attendees will also feel more confident about attending a meeting where arrangements are supervised by an expert.

3. The expert will also be able to foresee the impact of emergency situations such as fire or a natural disaster on a particular venue.

Usually, event security personnel supervise the evacuation of buildings to prevent stampedes. Thus it is important that the personnel are given adequate instructions about how to deal with emergency situations. Planners must ensure that they have adequate arrangements for first aid and well chalked out plans for the transportation of people who need medical attention.

Since ID badges are issued to the attendees of most corporate events, it may be a good idea to incorporate security clearance devices in the badge itself. This will enable the guests to use the badge as a ticket for admittance.

Most of the time it is not be possible or feasible to have personnel posted in every corner of the venue. But it may be important to monitor all entrances and exits and also places like parking lots. In such a case, one person can keep an eye on a number of locations through a CCTV (Close Circuit Television) system.

Nowadays, wireless cameras that can transmit the footage through the internet to remote devices are available. These cameras are called IP cameras as they use internet protocol to transfer data. The latest models can transmit footage to hand held devices like mobile phones. The advantage of using IP cameras is that the footage can be stored at a different location. Thus the chances of it being destroyed by people who breach the security of a certain venue are reduced. Moreover, these cameras can be programmed to detect certain kinds of motion and send alerts via SMS or email.

Familiarity with the venue and the surrounding areas is a major factor that determines the efficiency of event security personnel.

Each event manager should keep these things in mind while making arrangements for large corporate meetings.

Wedding Planning Certification - Things To Include In Your Checklist

Wedding is the most important event in a couple's life; everyone would want to celebrate this event in a perfect way. So when you plan a wedding event you should start working on it a year and a half before that. You can prove your hidden skills through wedding planning certification; you might have arranged many home events but to get recognition in the professional world, you can opt for wedding planning certification. Whether you have done any course in event planning or not, you must be aware of check list to make, before setting any event; this helps you to make an event go smoothly.

There are certain things you should consult with your client before working on the event; it is better to book the event a year and a half before the wedding. Do not for get to include these things in your check list. When you go for wedding planner certification, you might be asked to make a perfect checklist for wedding in a specific time frame.

Date; if you know the exact date you can proceed to your work accordingly; ask about the date from you client; you can suggest a date that suits you.

Guest list; ask your client to create a guest list; it is important for you to know how many people are coming; you are going to arrange seats, food and printing invitation cards. Collect their postal addresses and confirm their phone numbers.

Budget; budget is one of the most important issues for arranging any kind of event. You can plan further by having a certain budget in mind.

Venue; confirm the venue for the ceremony and the reception to think about the decor; you can estimate the time and distance of the venue from church and plan accordingly.

Theme; plan a theme to make the wedding more memorable; it would help you to decide the decor, food and music.

Print Invitation cards; make sure you get the invitation cards timely; send them on time as well.

Book the florist, band and photographer; arrange meeting with them and discuss the event; ask them to coordinate with each other to make the wedding ceremony go smooth.

Caterers; book the caterers at least 8 months before the event.

Wedding dress; select a perfect wedding dress and place order for that.

Wedding cake, wedding favors, and flowers should be considered on time.

These things should be included in your checklist when you plan a wedding; you can become a good wedding planner by keeping these things in mind and managing them properly. Before going for wedding planning certification, you must note down these points to get certified.

Organizing Bowling Parties and Corporate Events

Companies have parties every now and then, and sometimes planning the event can be troublesome. Many companies simply organize corporate bowling parties, which are fairly easy to plan. Such parties tend to be more entertaining than formal or conventional events. They encourage more interaction, socialization, and camaraderie. Companies of all sizes can plan bowling events in place of traditional corporate gatherings and for their employees to create cohesion in the organization.

Reservations of bowling alleys can be made online. Many bowling lanes can provide a variety of food and beverages, depending on the type of party.

Different types of events can be conducted at bowling alleys near your place. Holidays, birthdays, promotions, anniversaries, and other types of parties can be celebrated at these venues. But such events should be planned well to make sure they end up successful. You can hire an event organizer to plan the event properly if you cannot organize it yourself, or if no one in your company can handle it. How you conduct the party depends on the purpose, number of participants and guests. One objective is to make the event memorable.

To save cost, some companies simply assign their own people to organize the party, instead of hiring professional event planners. If you should assign your own employees, make sure they are willing to handle the planning. Big companies may hire people from different departments to handle the event preparation. This will allow people in the company to get to know each other. It is common for employees of huge companies to not be familiar with the other employees. Certain details have to be discussed, like the budget, venue, theme, decorations, food and beverage, and other details.

Corporate bowling parties usually include tournaments played by employees. The aim is to generate healthy competition. The good thing about bowling is that it is an easy sport. Players do not have to be buff to participate in the game, nor have prior experience. Scoring is also very easy. Moreover, bowling is fun and that's the only thing that matters. Prizes are usually displayed to motivate players to go for the win.

Bowling parties are not that difficult to organize, actually. The main part of the event is the tournament. The flow of the event largely depends on the type of gathering. For instance, company owners may throw birthday parties held at bowling alleys, and such parties are usually informal without stiff outfits and lengthy ceremonies.

Controlling the number of guests is important. Company events are usually for people within the organization only. The owner, however, may want to invite friends, family, or associates aside from employees. To ensure budget for the food and services are followed, the number of guests should be planned from the beginning. The cost of the party largely rests on the number of people who will attend. It is recommended, though, that the budget for the party has an allowance for possible number of added guests and visitors not part of the original list.

Event Planning Should Be Well Organized to Ensure an RSVP Quest

In most Event planning you will see "respondez s'il vous plait" but you only see the abbreviation RSVP that means the seats are reserved and you have to confirm if you are coming or not. This is a very important way to invite guest for your party because this four letter word will actually give you a full estimation of the number of guess you will have.

RSVP should be done accordingly. When you host a party which you want to control the number of guest then you must do your invitation properly with these important words. The guest should be able to inform you if they are coming or not so you can give slots to others if necessary.

Making sure that your guest are informed of your RSVP

As a part of event planning, this will give a good estimate for food and drink, making sure that your party will not run out of food or drink due to overflowing guests that you cannot control. So you must make sure that you did your invitation properly and put the RSVP word in a visible location on your invitation. Most of the time, number of guests per invitation are placed as well.

Avoid using methods that you think will not reach your guest will. Your main goal is for the invitation to reach your guest and let them know that it is a RSVP party or else they might invite other people that you might know or they might bring dates or people that are not counted to your RSVP. As an addition to your event planning, you can personally give the invitation to the guest which is a good gesture, or call them to confirm their invitation to make sure that you are in control of your RSVP party.

What You Need to Know About Event Rental Companies

There are many different circumstances which can lead you to need to make a quality presentation in Atlanta. Being the largest city in the Southeast and one of the largest cities in the nation means there are plenty of conventions which are held there each year. On top of conventions some of the largest and most well-known corporations have chosen Atlanta as the location for their headquarters. This means that whether you are from Atlanta or not you are likely to find yourself in Atlanta giving a presentation.

The last thing you want to do when giving a presentation is to have to worry about your presentation equipment. This may lead you to seeking out the best Atlanta event rental companies. The question then becomes what makes a good event rental company? The answer lies in a few easy to pinpoint characteristics you should look for when seeking the equipment you will rent for your next presentation. If you find these qualities, you will have found the best of the Atlanta event rental companies to suit your needs.

Expert Advice

You are an expert on what you do, but you do not have the time to find out everything there is to know about presentation equipment. This is why you have turned to seek the best Atlanta event rental companies. You need someone that will help to guide you as to what equipment will work best for your presentation and where you will be giving your presentation at. Companies like Presentation Rentals have experts in audio-visual presentation equipment on staff that can walk you through the best equipment for your needs and even make some suggestions you did not think about to take your presentation to the next level.

Latest Technology

When giving a presentation you want to give the impression that your company is innovative. You want for people to understand that you are the best choice for them. You may just want for people to listen to what you are saying rather than wondering why you are using outdated technology. This is possible when you call the right Atlanta event rental companies. Companies like Presentation Rentals will be able to provide you with the most up to date technology like the eye popping display available through large flat screen LCD television monitors. You can even use high quality projectors to make a presentation right from your computer.

Expert Installation

On the day of your presentation you will want to be able to concentrate on making a final run through of the presentation to make sure you are completely prepared. You do not have time to set up your own equipment. This is why you need the best Atlanta event rental companies on your side. They will be able to set up your equipment for you and tune it so that everyone in your audience will be able to see and hear the presentation. To get everything you need from your next presentation in Atlanta, give Presentation Rentals a call.

Corporate Event Ideas

The possibilities for corporate event ideas are as wide as the imagination, and the benefits offered by a well-planned event are innumerable. Corporate events may include fun activities to break up the monotony of long meetings, act as icebreakers for team members who don't know one another well, or unify and rejuvenate a company of any size. With the daily business of work providing little opportunity for social interaction, events you attend as a company should maximize the chance to foster good relationships and offer a break from the usual.

Corporate event activities could include any number of team building exercises designed to promote interaction, creative thinking, problem solving, relaxation, and so on. There are many fun ways to encourage individuals to participate in a group project that requires everyone's contribution in order to be truly successful. Some methods of demonstrating this may use music and movement, team sports, or other challenges that require many hands or minds to address. Group activities can help promote trust and teamwork, help overcome personality based issues, work towards creating better communication, and much more.

There are many business consultants today specializing in organizational development, team building and so on, who can help customize activities for your next corporate function. Bringing in an expert from outside the company can help provide an unbiased, objective approach to improving your team's productivity, as long as they are well-informed ahead of time in terms of what you hope to accomplish, the general corporate culture they will be dealing with, as well as any underlying issues, and so on.

Corporate events can be as simple or elaborate as you see fit, and may incorporate humor, creativity, and physical activity as part of an effort to lighten up the everyday atmosphere, keep people engaged and entertained, and encourage the open exchange of ideas. Helping people enjoy their work and attain an ongoing sense of satisfaction and fulfillment is an important means of maintaining productivity, reducing staff turnover and burnout, and making the workplace a more enjoyable environment for everyone. Each of these elements is enhanced by well-chosen corporate activities that help team members appreciate one another, and remind them of the unique roles they each play towards a unified purpose.

There are many ideas for corporate events available online, through consultants, and a number of very popular books and programs. In a highly competitive and often stressful corporate world, it is becoming increasingly common for companies to utilize these tools in order to maintain harmonious work environments, retain valued staff, and make the most of their resources. Boosting productivity requires more than just a group of qualified individuals - it sometimes takes additional time and effort to make those individuals into a team. Make the necessary investments to ensure ongoing success for everyone.

Guide to Run a Successful Company Event

Running successful company events has proved elusive for many companies over the years. The truth is that it does not matter how small or big you want the business event to be, as it is possible to run such an event successfully. However, it is important to note that a lot of planning is required if you are to run a successful event. Here is a guide on how to run a successful business event;

1. Try to involve the employees in organizing the event. You can do this by getting employees to give ideas on the venue as well as the activities that they would like incorporated into the business event. This will go a long way in ensuring that they all have a great time. Also, you should identify the agenda of the company event. There is always an agenda behind every event that is held.

2. Prepare the budget - You should never organize any company event without budgeting for the same as doing this will only make it flop. Budgeting will enable you determine what to include in the program. For example, you should not plan to have employees stay overnight if there is no money to cater for their accommodation.

3. Be sure to make reservations especially if the company event is being held off-side. This will prevent disappointments that may arise once you realize that you cannot secure a venue of your choice because it is fully booked.

4. If there is a provision to have the members feed during the company event, then you should get in touch with a caterer to ensure that this happens without a hitch.

5. Plan on how employees will get to the venue. This calls for you to organize for transport prior to the actual date of the company event. This is why it is important that you choose a venue that can easily be accessed.

6. Come up with activities that members will be involved in during the company event. You should for example decide whether presentations will be made and by whom. If you expect to have presentations, then you should try to choose speakers that are compelling and respected.

It is possible to run a successful business event if you plan properly. Such planning should be done in good time to avoid a last minute rush that may leave members all too tired to do much on the actual day of the company event.

Why Is a Theme Essential for Fundraising Event?

Choosing the right theme is for a fundraiser is fundamental to its success. Although, it is the fundraising ideas and activities you do during the event that essentially brings in the money, yet a properly themed event has more potential to draw long-term and sustainable donors. Thus, having a good theme for your next fundraiser can make it a whole lot easier. Many a times, organizers try to create a theme, which is very similar to that of corporate gala or cocktail party. However, such themes are good for decorating the venue, but won't be enough to raise funds.

According to experts, the theme of an event is the key marketing tool, which helps in promoting it to the target audience. A well thought-out theme helps you in the following ways:

1. With a right theme, you can attract donors, who are most appropriate to support your cause on a long-term basis.

2. Moreover, attractive themes help you to write stronger and compelling promotional pieces for your upcoming fundraiser. It includes website content, flyers, invitations, fundraising letters, signage and other promotional pieces. The better your promotion, the better will be the participation in your fundraising event.

3. The theme of the fundraising helps in speaking directly to your target audience. An effective theme reflects the interest of your audience correctly.

Choosing a perfect theme

Trying to come up with the perfect theme is extremely difficult. You need to invest a lot of time in conducting research to find a suitable theme. While choosing a theme, make sure that its helps you to get the right message across to the right people. Your theme should appropriately reflect the purpose of your event. Thus, it helps in building awareness and increasing community support.

Experts believe, that raising more money is guaranteed if you can choose the right theme. However, to choose a perfect theme, you need to keep the following pointers in mind:

• You target audience


• The interest and preference of your target audience


• What kind of benefits will they get, if they participate or donate in your fundraising endeavor

According to industry veterans, choosing a seasonal theme is a wise idea when it comes to a fundraiser. For example, you can select from themes like Leap year, Earth Day, spring solstice, April Fool's Day, first day of daylight savings, the gardening season, depending on the purpose and the event you are organizing to raise funds.

Tips For Smooth Trade Show Booth Set-Up And Removal

Any time you attend a new venue or need to have your trade show booth set up in a location you aren't familiar with, it's best to work carefully with the venue managers/event planners every step of the way so that you can take advantage of their expertise. These days, most venues request or require that all of the vendors use the same Install and Dismantle company. Communicating clearly with the I&D team is critical to the proper set-up of any custom trade show stands, but you can't simply send them a set of instructions and expect them to flawlessly install your trade show banner stands, table top displays and modular units. Here are a few tips for making sure that everything is done correctly the first time and that your company and the installation and dismantle team work seamlessly together.

Details: Paperwork And Lots Of It

Be sure before shipping your custom trade show displays to various venues that you have a complete, detailed inventory of the contents of every box shipped. Boxes can become separated during shipment or damaged. You need to let the team on the receiving end of your shipment have a complete manifest detailing how many crates and skids they should be expecting and what is in each and every container, right down to the number of screws. Don't forget to itemize elements such as company brochures, tablets, signage and giveaways as well. The more detailed your paperwork, the easier it will be for the I&D team to keep track of everything. It will also make it simpler for them to let you know what's missing if a container doesn't arrive. Bring copies of all this paperwork with you as well so that you can quickly refer to it when you arrive to give your booth a pre-event checkup. Without a detailed inventory, it can be easy for installers to overlook banner stands and other elements of your display that didn't arrive at the right place at the right time.

Instructions That Leave Nothing To Chance

Once again, detail is critical. There is no such thing as set-up instructions that are too detailed. Be sure the I&D team receives a copy of the installation and dismantle instructions about a week before you arrive for the actual event. Keep in mind that the team will probably be setting up numerous displays. If your instructions and your shipment arrive early, you're less likely to be the last, rushed job they do right before the trade show floor is open for business.

Understand The Venue When Installing Custom Trade Show Displays

Be sure you understand the limitations of the venue as well as any special considerations you'll need to address when your trade show booth installers are setting up. If you don't know whether the electrical power is supplied by drop-down cords from above or floor runs, you could end up without power because you didn't bring the appropriate extension cords or power strips. If you aren't familiar with the venue floor and where your booth will be within that area, you could end up sitting between trade show banner stands that can't be seen clearly because the set-up is all wrong or you simply didn't provide appropriate lighting.

Don't Forget About Tear-Down Instructions

It's easy to forget about what happens after the trade show is over. Don't assume that the same I&D team that set your booth up will also be dismantling it. There should be detailed, precise directions for the dismantle that also outlines how to properly pack, crate and ship everything to the next location or back to your company. Double check the shipping address and make sure any needed shipping paperwork is properly filled out so that your custom displays aren't lost or damaged in shipping after the event is over.

By carefully outlining and detailing every aspect of shipping, installing and dismantling your custom displays, you can ensure there are no unpleasant trade show booth surprises to deal with and no damage to any of the elements of your display from trade show banner stands to giveaways.

What to Look For In an Off Premise Events Space

Whether you are planning a training seminar or a business conference, hosting a presentation for potential investors or unveiling new marketing strategies for important clients, choosing the right venue for your event is critical to the success of your gathering. Off premise venues offer more flexibility and greater services than can be found at most business headquarters. Finding the right venue will help you to send a positive message to employees and clients alike. Namely, that yours is a company intent on professionalism and geared for success.

Matching the Venue to the Event

First it is necessary to determine the type of event you are planning. This will help you decide on the kind of event space you will need. Business conferences and training seminars require a structured environment, preferably with multiple rooms or partitioned areas that can be used to isolate smaller groups for workshops and discussion groups. If you are courting potential investors or clients, you will want a more attractive venue that is comfortable and elegant. Presentations for clients and investors should be held in an environment that is clean, inviting and decorative, offering ample space for mingling, networking and enjoying refreshments.

Setting a Date for Your Event

Before booking any venue it is also important to have the dates and times for your event set and finalized. Having this information at your fingertips will make auditioning possible venues much easier. Availability is a large factor in booking any off premise event space. During peak times it may be harder to find the venue you require, so set your dates, and plan ahead to secure the space that will best suit your needs.

What Can the Venue Offer You

As you consider different venues for your event, it is important inquire as to what the prospective event space has to offer. In some respects, size does matter, and you will want to be sure that any venue you are considering can comfortably accommodate all of your guests. It is also important to match the size of the space to the size of the group. You want to avoid booking large gatherings into cramped quarters, as this leads to restlessness amongst your group. Equally, smaller groups gathered in overly large spaces tend to leave guests fidgety and uncomfortable. When auditioning any event space, be sure that it adequately suits the size of your group.

Before booking any venue, you will need to know what facilities are available. Look for the event space that can provide the necessary A/V equipment needed for any presentations, including sound systems and video capabilities. Also, don't overlook the mundane when auditioning prospective venues. Take note of the rest room facilities, available parking and ease of access for all of your guests, including those that may have disabilities or mobility issues.

Decor considerations will largely depend on the type of event you are planning, and a good event coordinating service should be able to offer room dressings to match any contingency. If you are hosting a presentation for investors you may want a more refined decor for your venue, with matching tablecloths and tableware, and accompanying room decorations. Training seminars, on the other hand, will demand a sparser environment. A good event space should be able to provide both, depending on your needs.

Consider Your Catering Needs

Whatever manner of event you are planning, you may want to consider offering some level of refreshment as the day progresses. Once again, the type of refreshment will largely depend on the kind of event you are hosting. All day training sessions benefit from a few breaks during the day, and offering a catered lunch helps to keep your employees on site, and serves to keep the momentum going. Full scale presentations for clients and investors also benefit from offering refreshments, and catered meals or an attractive buffet helps to make potential clients feel relaxed and welcome. When considering an event space, find out what they can offer in the way of catering services. If they can not supply the level of refreshment choices you need, it may be time to consider another venue.

Reputation is Everything

Finally, before making any final decisions regarding a venue, you should investigate the event service itself. Find out what their reputation is in the business community. Ask their representative about their experience in the field, and find out how long they have been in operation. Remember, a poorly run event hosting service will ultimately reflect poorly on you. Potential clients, investors or employees will remember this as your event, not the hosting company's.

Following these simple steps can help you to find the perfect venue for any event. Remember, an event hosting service that can offer a high level of professionalism will reflect well on your business, and that is the first step to a successful event.