7 Useful Technologies for Organizing Events in 2012

According to experts, the year 2012 will see the usage of many new trends and technologies that will help event organizers streamline their event needs in the coming years. Millions of event organizers across the world are taking the help of advanced Cloud computing, mobile applications such as LTE and WI-Fi, and social media tools to enhance their brand image and create a repeat attendance.

Cloud Computing

It is one of the most highly used technologies of 2011, and its demand will increase all the more in 2012. Cloud computing refers to freely sharing of products and services over the Internet. Event planning organizations can adopt this technology to offer registration and payment management solutions to the global audience.

Social Media Tools

An increase number of individuals will start using social media tools in 2012. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google+ already has millions of users and the number of new members is rising with each passing day.

Free HD Video Conference Tools

Many organizations hold events across multiple locations throughout the year. Now, it is impossible for the same person to be present at different conference or meeting venues at the same time. Skype and Google Hangout helps you easily interact and share valuable event-specific information with your members and customers over the Internet. The tools help you attend the meeting or seminar without being physically present at the location.

Free Collaboration Tools

Collaboration tools such as Google Docs helps you share documents and other resources almost instantly with your customers. You can also store documents on your computer desktop and allow your team members or customers to view and share the document as and when necessary.

Mobile Applications - LTE and Wi-Fi

LTE (3GPP Long Term Evolution) accelerate the process of data transfer over wireless devices. LTE uses the new latest DSP (Digital Signal Processing) method to offer customizable high-speed bandwidth across numerous networks. Tablets, Smartphone, and video game console are based on the Wi-Fi technology. It allows you to connect a mobile device to the Internet via a wireless plug point.

Use of Hybrid Events

A hybrid event helps you host a product launch party or conference on the Cloud. You can chat with your attendees, share important documents, and exchange ideas without being actually present at the event. To sum up, a hybrid event means holding a meeting in a virtual environment.

Increased Use of Social Publishing Tools

You can use YouTube to freely upload your event videos for quick viewing by your target audience. Event organizers can also use WordPress to write and post interesting articles about your events and festivals. Finally, Flickr.com can be used to share event photos with your present as well as new customers.

How to Choose a Career As an Event Planner

Following your passion is the most rewarding career move one could make. It is the outcome of each success that makes it so satisfying. Event planning is the best career choice for people who are creative, service oriented, and detailed.

In event planning, there are many different directions one could take. There are corporate event planners, destination management, and wedding planners just to mention a few. This opens up a lot of areas in which to find your niche in event planning. Which one is best for you? You have to know what your passion is. We will look at the three examples that were given.

1. The Corporate Event Planner: The corporate event planner works for a particular "company." They assist with planning annual conferences, sales training; train the trainer meetings, holiday parties and all of the planned activities for their company.

In this capacity, you will create a budget, work within the budget and ensure that the return on the investment (ROI) is one that will be in favor of the company. This is also an opportunity to show creativity and assist with boosting the moral of your colleagues.

2. Destination Management: Destination management companies (DMC's) are third party planners for the corporate event planner. Destination management companies are the "experts" of their particular city and have established excellent relationships with local vendors, venues and transportation companies to be able to provide the corporate event planner with the most cost effective pricing, creative event planning and the best available in the local market.

3. Wedding Planners: As the title suggests, wedding planners plan weddings and all aspects of the upcoming nuptial celebrations. Planning a wedding is more than putting flowers on tables and a wedding dress for the bride. Every little detail has to be carefully and creatively thought out to maintain the budget of the bride.

You also have to know what type of personality your bride has in order to create the wedding for her and the groom that fits them. Sometimes you become a mediator for difficult family situations that can happen during weddings.

Of course, there are many other options for one to become an event planner. Research and passion is the key to the success of one's choices. When you follow your heart and know what path is right for you then you will be successful in the event planning career choice for you.

Organising A Team Building Event? Make A Decision

"We would quite like to be outside but don't mind being indoors. We want to be fairly active, but if we have to be more relaxed then that's fine". A client actually said this to me when making an enquiry into a team building event.

There is a huge variety of team building event concepts available. They include Treasure Hunts in a variety of themes and locations, participation sports, team challenges, cooking and even hustling a casino. A team building organiser needs guidance; how many people in a group, a profile of those people, where the event is to be held, when and, the most useful piece of the jigsaw of all, whether there is a budget.

All of this information helps the event company to filter down to the perfect event for that team. If the organiser gives none of that information it can make it very difficult to go through this process. The key is for the person making the enquiry to make decisions.

One of the challenges is that it all looks so good. People don't want to make final decisions because they want to try everything. However, if you have a specific event this time you can always have another on a future occasion.

The other challenge is that organisers want to please all of the people in their group. That can be very difficult and you have to sometimes accept the old adage that 'you can't please all of the people all of the time'. Something people need to just be told what they are doing.

So, before you make an enquiry into a team building event try to make as many decisions as possible so you can lead the team building event company in the right direction.

If in doubt recall the wonderful opening words of Rudyard Kipling's poem, The Elephant's Child;

"I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who."

How An Event Planner Defines Her Meta-Talent

I had a delicious conversation yesterday with Salem, Mass. based event planner Jennifer Saphier. I learned something very cool about how she came to her life's work.

She pointed out to me that she was always volunteering for stuff, even in high school, and this continued through college. Although she worked as an event planner for others upon graduating, a change in circumstance found her doing her first solo gig. One short-term assignment led to another, and she was launched doing what she already knew to be something she loved.

All this is wonderful information. But I dug for MORE. "What is the overall skill, the thing that you love doing that makes this the right fit for you? How can someone see themselves in your story? How might they come to know their thing, too?"

She thought for a bit, then answered that what truly makes her right for this work is that she LOVES seeing things through to the end. She loves all the pre-planning, which is the greater part of the job.

"A lot of people love planning parties, but after a few months of it, they hate it - all the work, all the stuff that you do beforehand. I love that part of it" she said.

Voila, y, c'est ca.

That's my frenchiness for what Jennifer did that others don't yet know to do: She was able to define it through just a little more thoroughly to what the meta-talent was in her life's work - the joy of all the pre-planning and seeing a project through from beginning to end. "It's really project management" said Jen.

Think you've done all the work you should on defining your passion? Can you take it just one step further and define your meta-talent? Don't worry a shred about how you can make money with this talent, or what you will DO with this talent. Just define it. Write it down. I can help you with the rest. A book could help you with the rest. But do this one thing for yourself.

Let me know what you find.

12 Top Tips to Help Organize Your Corporate Event

Are you planning a corporate event? Worried you might overspend of forget something? What sort of hospitality will fit with your event? Read our helpful hints and tips here.

1. What are your objectives for your event and what outcomes do you perceive. Clearly defining this at the start of your planning, print this up and put it in a noticeable place. This will help you keep on track and concentrate on the most important aspects during the planning process

2. Identify possible dates for your event, speak to important groups to see how these dates will suit them but remember that you will never be able to satisfy everyone on the timing of the event

3. Create a guest list and an event agenda. This will help narrow down your venue options and help with your budgeting.

4. Select a venue - where possible have a site visit to get a feel for the place.

5. Create a Schedule and/or Event Plan and send to potential suppliers. Many suppliers will have existing relationships with other suppliers and may be able to help or recommend other companies to look after different areas of your event.

6. Talk to other companies who have held similar events or used the suppliers you have earmarked. Ask for any key they have learnt and have found out about during and after their event.

7. Create a calendar with deadlines. Make sure these targets are reached on time. This will help keep your event planning on track.

8. Delegate and/or create a committee. Identify motivated people to help take some of the workload off you. Let them get on with their tasks and arrange regular meetings for updates on their progress. Professional consultants can be worth their weight in gold, identify areas where you will need this extra help to add value to your event.

9. Set your budget. Keep a close eye on costs as it can easily spiral out of control. Shop around for quotes from several suppliers. Always ask if there are any hidden extra costs and get all our quotes in writing. Ask them if there are any other services they would recommend to help a smooth running event - use their expertise and experience.

10. Identify a supplier for food and beverages, look for one who has experience of corporate hospitality services. Many good caterers also look after the drinks and the bar and with the economies of scale this can keep your costs down.

11. On the day of the event arrive early and have a thorough walk through to make sure all aspects are in place and ready to run

12. Identify key areas of responsibility for your team of helpers. Make sure they know and understand their responsibilities. Organize a meeting on the morning of the event, this can be for information as well as motivation. Allocate as much work away from yourself. There are always and million and one extra things that will need to be attended to so leave your time to look after any of these unforeseen happenings.

We hope these tips will help you enjoy a smooth running event.

10 Tips For Choosing a Corporate Hospitality Venue

If you're looking for a corporate hospitality venue, then perhaps you've already got somewhere in mind, and know exactly what you want. Alternative, you might not know what sort of venue you want, or what to look for.

Here are some ideas to make sure everything goes to plan.

1. You'll want to decide whereabouts you want to hold your corporate event. Will it be near your work, or somewhere central so that it's nearer for all guests to get to? If you've got an idea in mind, such as horse racing hospitality, or other sporting event, then you'll have to decide which event you want to attend.

2. Knowing how many guests you're expecting can also help you to decide on the perfect corporate venue for your event. You don't want to be lost in a large room if there are only a few guests.

3. The sort of guests you invite can also make a difference to what sort of corporate hospitality venue you decide on. You won't want to choose something that your guests do for a living, or do regularly. Why not think of the corporate events you've been to and see if you can think of something appropriate. Will your guests be impressed if you spend a fortune, or will they think you're charging too much?

4. Once you've decided on your venue, you'll want to make sure that it's available when you want it. Alternatively, you might want to choose a different date, or a different venue.

5. What sort of entertainment is on offer for you and your guests? Will it be appropriate and the sort of things your guests will expect?

6. The next thing is to determine how you and your guest will get there. Will you be laying on transport, or will you expect your guest to make their own arrangements. You might want to provide taxi or minibus details to make it easier. Why not see if you can arrange overnight accommodation too?

7. Meals and refreshments are another consideration, and you'll want to make sure that they are all included, so that your guests are not expected to pay for anything during the day.

8. Check that other extras are included, or can be added if necessary. Perhaps you'll want an expert in the even to help you, or you might want to advertise at the event, or you might want to stay overnight.

9. Remember that it's important not to choose a location or event solely on cost. You don't want to forget anything important like meals, and you also don't want your guests to think that you're working to a tight budget. It might be better not to host an event than to do it on the cheap. You don't want your reputation to be spoilt.

10. Above all, it needs to be a fun day out for all involved. Whilst you might be looking for new business, it will be a chance to spend time with your clients, and so you'll want it to be a relaxed atmosphere. If the venue you're considering is very formal, and you're a relaxed company, it might not be the right place for your corporate event.

Now you know more about how to choose a corporate hospitality venue, where will you hold your corporate event?

Wedding Planning Course - Making The Perfect Wedding Invitation

There are plenty of institutions that offer wedding planning course; wedding planning is a part of event planning industry. Event planning covers many areas and it has become a very popular industry; it has taken the responsibility of planning weddings for those who do not have time to spare to arrange their events or who think they are not capable or creative enough to arrange the event properly and at the same time it has become the source of income for many. This is the reason more people are inclined towards this field and getting their skills polished through taking wedding planning courses.

Wedding planning includes many things for example deciding the date, location, dress, d矇cor, catering, reception, guests list and the cards.

Invitation card is a very important thing while planning the wedding; you need to put all information about the program in a small yet a sophisticated way. Invitation card has a very emotional value for people especially for the bride and the groom so it has to be a perfect one.

During wedding planning courses students are taught a few important things about invitations; how to invite the guest; what should be written; what kind of language should be used and how to express all the feelings and information in a short brief note.

If you have a particular theme for your wedding, then choose the card and its material according to the theme. It is not necessary to spend a lot of money on the cards; you can match the color of the card with the theme.

Many people use their talent and aesthetic sense and use DIY method; you can make the invitation cards your self and save your money; this is a way to get more involved into the event and keep your wedding more memorable; the more you put your effort the more you have a memorable wedding; you can get different ideas on the internet for making nice and elegant invitation cards.

Take nice material for invitation cards in bulk from the market; you can find discount shops from where you can get different materials for making invitation cards. You can use different colored papers and decorate them with ribbons or use butter paper and make prints with different stamps on it. You can collect big thick leaves of plants and preserve them in books and then write the details with golden marker, coat with mixture of water and glue; this is a simple but a very unique idea. Take a piece of thick paper and cut into a nice shape; write the details with bold marker then place a piece of golden net on it; use this as an invitation card.

You can learn about different techniques and etiquettes about making and sending the invitation cards in wedding planning course which can help you in your professional career.