Choosing the Best Event Manager for a Company Function

Different types of events require thorough planning and organizational management. A corporate event for example may entail preparations on a large scale, thus making it necessary to hire people who specialize in this type of production, or what is usually called an event manager. An event organizer is a qualified expert in these types of gatherings and has the necessary staff and resources to make sure that everything goes well when the big day arrives.

Companies who are hosting a variety of events both formal and informal for their employees prefer to have an event manager prepare everything that will be needed. Food, music, lights, and even the seating arrangements are services that an event management team can offer to their clients. If you are planning to host a party or a gathering for your employees, it is a must to choose the best event planner that you can hire if you want it to be successful and productive at the same time.

When dealing with an event manager, come up with a list of what you really want to achieve as a result of the event. It may also be good to discuss the amount that you are willing to spend in hosting the event as this will give the event planner an idea of what materials may be used or how much of the amount may be allotted to food, drinks, and rentals. An excellent event organizer can work well with minimal funding and can still manage to make an event quite successful.

Another thing to look for in an event manager is the number of staff that can handle the said event. Some event planners can dedicate a whole team to come up with great results, while others have a couple of people to help them with the preparations. No matter how big or small the events management team is though, it is important to note the time frame in which they can complete their tasks and set a permanent date for the event.

Another thing that you can do to make sure that you hire the best event manager for your event is to check out their customer reviews and success rate. This is worth taking the time to browse through the internet and reading up on customer reviews and ratings. By doing this, you are able to make an impression of what type of company you want to deal with and be able to make a decision based on that impression.

Another criterion that you might want to add to your list is the ability of the event manager to consult with you about every stage of the planning process. This assures you that your opinion is valued and that the event will definitely be organized according to the expectation that you have set during the first meeting. An event planner who keeps you in the dark about what he or she is doing is certainly not the person you want to do business with. Keep in mind that it is your event, and that an event manager should be able to successfully pull it off with your ideas.

How to Develop a Good Succession Plan

The reality of business today is that many key executives and talented professionals are coming up to their retirement. In addition, because of the recent economic pressures many organisations have had to reorganise and re-size themselves, the consequences of which mean that the talent pool that would have been ready to step up into key roles are either not ready or no longer there. All of this represents serious implications for the business.

This issue doesn't just affect large organisations either. A survey conducted by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), found that 30 per cent of small-business closures take place because of the lack of an effective succession plan, as many owners do not make sufficient arrangements in the event of their retirement.

To address this issue, companies need to integrate succession planning with their strategic business plans and view it as a long-term, continuous process.

The following highlights the key steps to successful succession planning.

1. Think strategically
Succession planning requires a strategic perspective. What are the things that might impact your organisation in the future? Will it grow and acquire other businesses, or is the market shrinking and therefore a different leadership approach may be needed? What 'type' of managers and business leaders will be needed in the future?

2. Understand key roles
Which roles in the organisation drive the majority of the business's value? Think broadly, and not just about traditional leadership roles, but consider specialist technical roles such as product or service development as they may be as equally important. Once this is complete it is a straightforward task to examine the age profiles of those currently in the key roles. How many of these will be retiring in the next 5 years? How many roles have 'ready now' successors? Answering these questions will give a view to the size of the task ahead.

3. Identify the requirements of the key roles
The requirements for the key roles need to be agreed. What are the key skills and capabilities needed for the roles? What specific experience will be needed, such as international or project experience. All key roles should have the necessary components for success clearly defined. These requirements can then be used to assess people into the role. either internally via a promotion or perhaps externally via recruitment.

4. Identify who your talent and potentials are
The mechanisms to identify and determine talent can range from subjective views of managers to objective means of assessment where candidates are assessed against the clearly defined criteria identified above. Whichever method is chosen it is important to understand who your potential business leaders of the future are.

5. Agree your succession strategy
Once the organisation knows:

- who is planned to retire when
- who are 'at risk' and may potentially leave the business and...
- who the potential talent is

Objective decisions can be made about how the key roles will be filled in the future. For example, does the business need to actively recruit and bring in new blood or can all the key roles be filled from within? Should the strategy be a balance of recruiting externally as well as promoting internally?

6. Define career paths for internal promotions
Once your succession strategy is clear, establishing career paths and the ability to describe the requirements for pursuing the path becomes easier. Creating effective career paths requires two components, knowing the requirements for the next level and creating clear plan of how to gain the necessary skills, behaviours and experience.

7. Manage successors through the performance management process
Succession planning should become a part of the organisation's performance management and career development processes. Regular performance discussions are important to collect evidence of how potential successors have demonstrated the performance expectations needed by the key positions. These discussions also provide the opportunity for managers to coach talent to ensure ongoing development and readiness.

8. Provide ongoing development
Managers should identify the development outcomes and actions that potential successors need. What are the specific learning expectations, new skills or behaviours that will be demonstrated as a result of their development? What actions need to be taken? Should the individual attend a course, undertake an assignment or new role or be coached? Focusing on developing specific skills can help shorten the learning curve necessary for success.

9. Monitor readiness and prepare the plan
Senior managers should meet at least annually to initially agree who the potential successors are for the key roles and to subsequently monitor their progress. Who is ready now to move to their next role? Is their evidence to suggest that any of the successors will not 'make the grade'? If not what needs to be done?

10. Ensure proper ownership
Succession planning needs to be owned by line managers and needs to be actively led by the Chief Executive or owner of the business for it to be successful. However, HR has a vital role in raising awareness, supporting and facilitating the process. This can range from compiling all the relevant information on potential candidates, keeping records of development and career progression and providing independent assessment techniques to identify potential.

None of the above steps needs to be made overly complex and most can be integrated across existing Human Resource systems. If your business does not focus on succession planning then the availability of talent for your key roles will be left to the fickle finger of fate. Surely the future success of your organisation is too important for that?

The Contents of an Event Planners Tool Kit

There have been many articles written on what a wedding planner has in her Emergency Kit or what a bride should have in her wedding day kit, but there hasn't been as many written on what an event planner has in their kit. Do they even have a kit? Of course they do. No self-respecting event planner or organiser would attend an event without their trusty tool kit.

Every planner is different and will have their own style, choice and brands that they use, but fundamentally most of us will have a very similar list. When I am organising an event I usually have my practical kit and my event bible. Today we are looking at the practical kit. Now it doesn't have to be anything fancy, infact I would advise popping down to your local Bunnings and picking up one of the small workmans tool boxes and using that as they have plenty of compartments. Another good idea is to use one of the scrap booking tool boxes, they also have many handy compartments for storing the types of things I am about to suggest.

Now you need to try and think ahead of time and anticipate all the little things you might need when you are onsite at an event. To help I usually split my list up into categories; essentials, tools, admin & extras. Now remember the list below is not exhaustive one but it will certainly cover all your basic requirements:

Essentials

• Notepad
• Pens
• Nurofen or Panadol
• Highlighters
• Blue Tac
• Drawing Pins
• Glue/Adhesive
• Rubber Bands
• Tissues
• Business Cards
• Small Umbrella
• Hand Fan
• Matches or Lighter

Tools

• Torch/Flashlight
• Screw Driver - flat head and Phillips
• Small Hammer
• Tape Measure
• Batteries
• Waiters Friend
• Pocket Knife
• Extension Lead
• Double Adaptor Plug
• Power Cord
• Electrical Tape

Admin

• Envelopes
• Stapler & Staples
• Ruler
• Calculator
• USB Stick
• Blank CD's
• Post It Notes
• Paper Clips
• Sticky Tape

Extras

• Mints/Gum
• Bottle of Water
• Deodorant
• Band Aids
• Sewing Kit

What Can Hotel Management Training Do for You?

Are you a natural born leader? Do you enjoy a sense of responsibility? Do you love meeting people from different cultures? Are you tired of your boring, unfulfilling job? A career in hotel management may be a exactly what you're looking for.

Despite global economic troubles, tourism continues to be the world's fastest growing industry and job market. This growth looks set to continue for the foreseeable future, with 75% of new jobs being created in hotels and restaurants all around the world. At the same time, the cruise line industry has seen tremendous development in the last decade and is predicted to continue growing. What this means is that there are countless fantastic career opportunities for highly trained and experienced hotel managers, resort managers and restaurant managers. Clearly, now is an incredible time to get started with a hotel management career training program. But what exactly can you expect from such a program? Is it worth your time? In short, yes, yes it is.

Tourism management courses, but particularly hotel management training, can provide you with valuable industry experience, which is the most important thing to have when trying to break into tourism and travel.

The best hotel management diploma programs are designed to help students find employment in the international world of hotels and resorts, event planning, attractions and cruise ships, which means that this sort of training provides numerous opportunities for overseas travel and living. Because there is such a wide variety of tourism management positions, training programs in this sector are often very comprehensive and flexible, with many colleges and schools offering different forms of online and distance learning training, ensuring that students can learn at their own pace.

While the fundamentals of hotel management are at the forefront of most career training programs, curriculums are often very extensive, covering a vast array of tourism management topics and field, including:

• Managing the Front Desk and Bookings

• Housekeeping Management

• Hotel Restaurant Management

• Food and Beverage Operations

• General Hotel Operations

• Managing Casinos

• Resort Management

• Event Planning

• Conventions and Special Events

• And More

This sort of comprehensive training approach introduces and covers the hospitality industry as a whole and helps students develop the sort of confidence and professional image that tourism employers seek. What's more, if coupled with a mix of theoretical learning and hands-on training, graduates will have the necessary experience needed to jump directly into the workforce. What can Hotel Management Training do for you? The answer is get you a long-lasting, fulfilling hotel management career!

Venue Hire: The Search and Selection Process

As anyone who has ever planned a company event, award dinner, wedding or even a summer picnic will tell you; the key to a perfect event is in large part down to finding the perfect venue. Inviting your guests to a location that has been carefully chosen and prepared to create the environment your event was intended to convey is a big step towards making them walk away happy. Experienced hosts will also readily tell you that this part of planning an event can easily be the most time-consuming and frustrating part of the process. This article contains a few quick-tips to help you save time, energy and money during your search for that all-important venue. Let someone else do the hard part!

Using a professional venue finding service or event planning agency is the surest and easiest way to find the right venue for your event and DOESN'T have to cost the earth. In fact, if you know where to look, there are readily available free search tools such as online venue finders, compiled by event agencies that have reviewed and recommended venues suitable for various types of events. Be sure to only use websites that work directly with the venues they are advertising. Genuine agencies will allow you to search venues, see detailed profiles and even make inquiries for free.

London venue hire is a particularly competitive market and a professional agency may be able to help you find information about best availability and pricing options quicker than you spending hours or even days trawling through lots of irrelevant and outdated online information. Remember that event agencies do this for a living and spend a huge part of their time gathering updated information and working directly with the venues in their portfolio so will be able to help you with any queries you may have and will often be happy to hand out free advice over the phone or email.

Location

Location is one of the most important considerations when looking for a venue. Unless you are planning a once in a lifetime occasion, most of your guests won't be prepared to travel more than a 45 minute journey to get to your event. For example if your event is outside of Central London and takes place on a weekday, many people have to consider their commute time from work and also their journey home afterwards so public transport, and appropriate timing is key. Knowing your audience and their travel requirements is essential.

Many things have to be taken into account when choosing the location of your event. Do you need outdoor space? Do you need a wedding licence? Will there be much setting up and deliveries that need special parking permits and loading bays? Is there disabled access? Does the venue have an alcohol licence? What about onsite catering or will you need a dedicated area for contract caterers to work? Is the venue a heritage site, which you won't be able to alter or decorate? Does the venue have public liability insurance?

As before, the answers to many of these questions can be found by looking at online venue finding agencies or even better, working directly with an event manager who has first-hand experience of the venues in question.

Interior vs Exterior

Unless you are specifically planning an outdoor event (which brings it's own set of considerations) your guests will be spending the majority of their time inside your chosen venue. Therefore whilst some venues may be visually stunning from the outside, you have to carefully review the interiors in order to make sure the wow factor is continued inside the building. Remember to carefully inspect the more functional aspects of a venue as well as the nicer parts too. The washroom facilities, catering areas and fire exits are just as important as the lighting behind the bar or the impressive entrance hall.

Budget

Balancing the budget for your event is a time-consuming art form. Whilst the location is one of the most important factors, it is vital to ensure you have left enough budget for the many other components your event will require such as:

Catering / Technical production / Event theme / design / Invite printing / Security / Entertainment / Decoration / Venue Dressing / Floristry / Goody Bags / Banners / Branding / Transport / Waiting staff / Insurance / Photographer

And that's just the initial checklist! There will be a hundred other small details, each important to create the right environment for your event. To talk to a professional Event Planner about planning your event visit London Event Planning Agency To help with your budget, make sure you hire a venue that isn't too big for your intended number of guests. Apart from being a waste of money, your event will look less than successful if the venue is half empty. (So keeping on top of those RSVP's well in advance is crucial)

Always negotiate with the venue you are inquiring about. Depending on the time of year, the economic climate, the duration and even the purpose of your event, you may be able to get a better rate than publicly advertised. For instance some venues will give you a healthy discount if your event is for a registered charity.

Event Planner - The Benefits of Hiring One

An event planner who helps brides and grooms plan their special day is called a wedding consultant, wedding planner, wedding coordinator or a bridal consultant. This planner specializes in planning weddings professionally.

Using a wedding consultant to plan your wedding day had always been viewed as a luxury that only the rich and famous enjoyed. This is not so much the case anymore and the number of people using wedding planners continues to rise every day.

Planning a wedding can be like a full time job if a bride decides to go it alone. This type of event involves a lot of time with so much to learn and do and often not enough time to do it all. This event planner has to be highly organized and always knows what to do if things go wrong. He/she knows exactly who to contact when the need arises.

A professional wedding planner has to be extremely creative by nature. He or she also needs to have a very good sense of style and know what trends are current and which ones are outdated. The event planner also needs to have a personality that connects well with clients in order to understand them and to have a clear picture of their personal and specific needs for their special day.

A good event planner has lots of connections with the best vendors and works at getting his/her client the best value for their money. There is usually a budget to maintain and endless details tailored to the bride and groom. A wedding planner can also save the bride and groom a lot of money as well as time. This is because they usually know which vendors are reasonably prized and the quality of work involved. The event planner is usually in a better position to negotiate and get discounts from vendors they have worked with before.

Event planners will help their clients avoid disasters at their functions because they oversee all of the operations of the day to the last detail. Should there be an emergency at the event, the planner is usually better prepared to deal with the crisis rather than having the client try to figure out what to do.

The costs involved in hiring such a professional may be surprisingly affordable given the amount of details they have to work with. Planners also tailor their cost according to the client's budget and help them to stay within their budget.

Without a wedding planner on hand, many brides and grooms run themselves ragged as the wedding day approaches. Some couples have even complained of not enjoying their wedding day because of the stress. An event planner comes in handy at this point because the couple has nothing to worry about since all the details are taken care of. The end result of having an event planner or a wedding consultant, in this case, is well worth it. The clients end up with a stress free day and they are able to enjoy every moment of their special occasion.

Event Management - A Remarkable Career Opportunity

Event management service is a service that includes proper planning and organizing an event for an organization.

The events are organized on the basis of the audiences and for that a brief idea about the result as well as the type of audience invited has to be kept in front of the result management group.

Event Management has two basic segments:

1. Logistics management, which involves organizing the venue, celebrities, umpires, spectators, promotions, etc.

2. Marketing, that requires getting sponsorships for event and promoting the result through various media.

The result management service includes executing their plans right from visualizing concepts to planning & budgeting and then finally organizing and executing the events in a fruitful manner.

These events may include seminars based on corporate values, sports events, theme parties, fashion shows, musical concerts, exhibitions, product launching etc. Today, the event management service is also finding its demand for organizing personal events like wedding and birthday parties etc.

Companies approach result managers and provide them with the type of event they want to organize. After the settlement of the budget and the presumed date for organizing of the event, the event manager takes up the entire responsibility for the event. It is then entirely up to the event management group to look into those numerous details that go into making an event successful. Everything, right from the warm welcome of the guests, to the quality of programs to the refreshment part as well as light, sound, decoration and the security part are taken care of by the result Management Services.

Event management has become a big industry today. Certain result management companies have come up to organize various categories of events. These companies organize different categories of events. One can go and visit the respective websites to check out the categories and the price.

With the concept of result Management getting increasingly popular even in smaller towns, the demand for professionals has increased. It is a career option that is open to all educational streams (science, arts, commerce) and offers a lot of independence and flexibility.

Due to this fact, result Management has turned out to be a remarkable career opportunity. So if you are ready to work for long hours with an incredible passion to achieve success and if you are ready to mange stressful situation with ease., then step forward without any hesitation to choose it as a career. In India, National Institute of Event Management (Mumbai, Pune) is considered the best result Management training Institute.