10 Mar 10 Safety First: A Meeting Planner Reminder
When it is your responsibility to host an important business meeting or conference, it never hurts to double-check your accommodations for working safety exits, up-to-date fire extinguishers, and for current supplies inside of the first aid kits. With all eyes on the planet currently turned towards the news of earthquakes, solar storms, and flooding, your meeting attendees will look at you with renewed admiration if you have taken their personal safety concerns into your own hands before anything bad can happen.
Safety Tips:
- Always know where the emergency exits are for every room that you enter while traveling. In America, the emergency exits are normally well-marked. However, even well-marked exits can be hard to find after a disaster has happened. Take steps to ensure that your guests know where their emergency equipment and exits are located.
- Fire doors at some locations are accidentally locked to prevent intruders from bothering hotel guests or causing damages to the property. If you are at a meeting with locked fire doors, explain your safety concerns to the management and request that the applicable fire doors remain unlocked for the duration of your meeting.
- Before a meeting begins, make sure that you know about possible outside hazards that might disrupt your plans unexpectedly, and make sure that the conference room comes complete with a set of local safety instructions that are available for everybody to read in their native language.
Tags: Admiration, Attendees, Business Meeting, Damages, Earthquakes, Emergency Equipment, Emergency Exits, Fire Doors, Fire Extinguishers, First Aid Kits, Hotel Guests, Intruders, Meeting Planner, Native Language, Personal Safety Concerns, Reminder, Safety First, Safety Instructions, Safety Tips, Solar Storms
08 Mar 10 Archaeology Tours Are Popular Today
Archaeology tours are interesting options for meeting planners to consider when something new and different is required. These tours normally include travel, various types of lodgings, and meals while the tour is in progress and most will cover multiple locations over the course of a few days. Some of these tours are handicapped accessible, and many happen right here inside of the United States.
It is possible for a larger group to contact the tour providers to arrange for a tour that is tailored to the group needs or schedule. As an example, a conference room may be possible at a hotel location during the course of the trip for meetings. Every continent has many wonderful finds from our globes earlier times, so that these tours can be arranged to meet location requirements.
Most of the archaeology tours that are offered do not allow the attendees to participate in active digs. However, this is not true for all tours. It is possible to arrange for your meeting crew to have a hands-on experience with some of the tour providers. For many office workers, the proposition of being outside with something very interesting to see can make the thought of an archaeology tour very appealing.
Tags: Archaeology Tours, Attendees, Continent, Digs, Few Days, Globes, Hands On Experience, Hotel Location, Location Requirements, Lodgings, Meeting Planners, Office Workers, Options, Tour Providers, Tours Travel, United States
05 Mar 10 The Power Of The Pen
For an entertaining and inexpensive meeting idea, why not offer your meeting attendees both ballpoint and rollerball pens?
Here in America, the ballpoint pen is the favored pen that is sold in all of the stores, and in the UK, the rollerball pen rules. Ink pens all originated in the same UK place, and then the American industrial revolution brought them to our country. The ink delivery systems are the same in both the USA ballpoint pen and the UK rollerball pens; however, the ink recipe is different.
Here in America, we went for a thicker ink that dried instantly when it topped the page. Our ballpoint ink does not seep into the paper layers to provide a very long-lasting image that the generation down the road will see. In the UK, the rollerball pen uses a thinner ink formula that is delivered through the same ink delivery system that soaks into the paper and takes a moment before it is dry and free from smearing. Many feel that the old world qualities of the UK ink recipes are superior to the American Bic-style of ballpoint pens.
When the UK inks and the American inks are explained at the beginning of the business meeting, this becomes a fascination. The simple act of taking notes during the meeting becomes an important and noteworthy activity to those who are at the meeting presentation. Rollerballl pens and ballpoint pens cost about the same amount of money. It is easy for all meeting planners to supply a variety of pens with different ink properties to their clients.
Tags: American Industrial Revolution, Amount Of Money, Ballpoint Ink, Ballpoint Pen, Ballpoint Pens, Bic Pens, Business Meeting, Delivery System, Fascination, Ink Delivery, Ink Formula, Ink Pens, Ink Recipes, Inks, Lasting Image, Meeting Planners, Noteworthy Activity, Rollerball Pen, Rollerball Pens, Soaks
03 Mar 10 The July 11, 2010 Solar Eclipse Can Spice Up Your Meeting Plans
On July 11, 2010, Mother Nature has planned a very special solar eclipse event that can harmonize very well with all types of meetings that are being planned for that week. This solar event is being promoted by many of the local areas that will be able to see this natural form of a spectacular light show in their neighborhoods. Special attractions and events are being planned for tourists and business travelers all along this exciting sight-path.
Business meeting planners might want to explore the NASA site page devoted to this larger eclipse event, and then look into the specials and deals that are being offered to tourists at Easter Island, throughout the Cook Islands, and at the tourist hot spots that are located in South America. This extra-long eclipse event can be coupled easily with a business cruise to heighten the perceived value of the trip experience.
With so many people inside of the United States interested in everything that is related to global warming, eco-issues, and the year 2012 predictions, this interesting natural solar event is receiving quite a bit of publicity. Your meeting attendees will hear about this 5-minute event through an increasing display of media promotions before this actual date arrives. This solar-eclipse can be a sure-fire way to make your meeting attendees feel very special about their business meeting location.
Tags: Attendees, Business Meeting, Business Travelers, Cook Islands, Cruise, Easter Island, Global Warming, Hot Spots, Media Promotions, Meeting Planners, Mother Nature, Nasa, Publicity, Solar Eclipse, Solar Event, South America, Tourists, Trip Experience, United States, Year 2012 Predictions
01 Mar 10 Typical Amenities on Cruise Ships
For those planners interested in organizing meetings at sea, you may be interested in learning more about the amenities cruise ships typically offer. Each year many companies host incentive cruises and other types of meetings at sea. If you have never been on a cruise ship before, you may be wondering what activities, facilities, and services can be found onboard. The activities found onboard a cruise ship will vary from ship to ship, but many cruise ships have a number of activities and services in common.
Cruise ships have well equipped meeting room facilities and other large venues to host your meetings and events. The A/V equipment is usually state-of-the-art and sure to meet all of your needs.
Some of the most well-known facilities found on cruise ships are dining rooms, restaurants, and buffets. Large cruise ships may offer a number of onboard dining facilities. It is important to note that many of these dining facilities are considered gourmet restaurants. In addition to a sit-down restaurant, there area usually a number of small eateries located onboard. Elegant dining restaurants are popular among cruisers.
Swimming pools, libraries, video arcades, and movie theaters can often be found on cruise ships. In addition, cruise ships generally have a casino. Popular gambling activities include slots, blackjack, poker, and much more. Many onboard casinos are open for business twenty-four hours a day. Gambling is a popular cruise ship pastime
Almost all cruise ships have onsite fitness centers, fully equipped gyms, and luxurious spas. These gyms are often similar, and sometimes even better, than the gyms found in your hometown. In addition to a fitness center, a large number of cruise ships have jogging tracks.
Tags: Blackjack Poker, Cruise Planners, Cruise Ship, Cruise Ships, Cruisers, Dining Rooms, Elegant Dining, Fitness Center, Gourmet Restaurants, Gyms, Incentive Cruises, Jogging Tracks, Luxurious Spas, Meeting Room, Meetings And Events, Movie Theaters, Pastime, Swimming Pools, Twenty Four Hours, Video Arcades
26 Feb 10 Remember That Old Is New Today
Sometimes, successful business meetings are all about that old phrase: What's in it for me? Young employees and executives often enter into a meeting that is held away from home with a higher-level of expectations about what this magical new experience might deliver.
During the 1980's and 1990's it was rather easy for meeting planners to one-up from the experiences that people had seen before. Today, this is completely another story with the world so small via the Internet. Everything has been seen and done before, even if these younger employees have never physically entered a meeting room before.
With this information in mind, smart meeting planners are backtracking into hosting meeting events with ideas for activities and events that are all pre-Internet in nature. When you have a hard crowd to please, think about treating them to some past memories that their parents or grandparents might have enjoyed. These will be the exciting new experiences for everybody born after 1980 to enjoy.
Coffee can be boiled in old-time coffee makers so that people gain this new experience. A dial phone can be plugged in for the people who need to make telephone calls, and a potluck lunch can be planned where everybody is directed to bring their favorite foods to share so that the people who are making new friends and business acquaintances have something neutral in common.
For exciting new ideas, think old. This is the category theme that many executives and employees are not familiar with today. New and exciting simply means doing something different. Why not have your guest don their poodle skirts and get to work?
Tags: Business Acquaintances, Coffee Makers, Crowd, Dial Phone, Favorite Foods, Grandparents, Meeting Planners, Meeting Room, Memories, New Experience, New Experiences, New Friends, Old Time, Phrase, Poodle, Poodle Skirts, Potluck Lunch, Successful Business Meetings, Telephone Calls, Time Coffee
24 Feb 10 Fun Ways to Break Participants into Work Groups
Many trainings, retreats and meetings require breaking your large group of attendees into smaller working groups for games, task completion, brainstorming or team building activities. While you can always simply assign each attendee a number or break them into groups according to how they are sitting, there are also options that are a bit more fun and will get your participants activated and involved in the process, leading to more productivity and more fun.
Little games that break them into groups also serve to re-energize the room and bring more life to your meetings, and for team building.
One example is the comic strip game. This game is easy to organize and takes minimal preparation. Simply clip comic strips out of a newspaper and separate each frame of each comic. During the meeting, have each participant pick a piece of a comic strip out of a bag or bowl. Once all of your participants each have one comic strip frame, the objective is for them to find the folks who have the rest of the comic strip and to line up in the correct order to piece the comic strip back together.
To add a bit of competition, you can also give a prize to the group that is able to find each other and arrange themselves correctly quickest. Upon completion of the game, you now have small working groups that can get to work on a task of brainstorming session.
Tags: Attendee, Attendees, Brainstorming, Break, Comic Strip, Comic Strips, Fun Games, Large Group, Little Games, Minimal Preparation, Objective, Participant, Participants, Productivity, Retreats, Strip Game, Task Completion, Team Building Activities, Work Groups, Working Groups
22 Feb 10 Preparing Your Attendees for a Successful Meeting
Corporate meeting planners wear many hats, which sometimes includes making sure the attendees are well-prepared. Pre-meeting preparation is an important part of ensuring the meeting is effective and productive, and also allows the attendees to know what to expect and which materials, presentations or notes they may need to bring. Productive meetings that stay on task and on schedule reflect well on the meeting planner, even if the planner is not the one actually conducting business during the meeting.
Here are ways you can help your attendees prepare for a great meeting:
1. Distribute the agenda beforehand – Make sure that all attendees have an accurate agenda prior to attending the meeting. Since you will be including the date, time and location of the meeting on the agenda, this also works as an effective meeting reminder.
2. Make sure attendees have background information – Either distribute materials related to the meeting topic, or let the attendees know where they can find the information they need.
3. Give the attendees pre-meeting homework – Whether it is simply asking them to read the background material or asking them to prepare ideas or a presentation, assign pre-meeting tasks that will help the meeting run smoother and get participants involved in the process.
With a little preparation, your meeting participants will have a more fulfilling meeting experience and will have you to thank for it.
Tags: Attendees, Background Information, Background Material, Business Meeting, Corporate Meeting Planners, Date Time, Effective Meeting, Hats, Homework, Meeting Agenda, Meeting Planner, Participants, Presentation, Productive Meetings, Reminder
19 Feb 10 Balancing Planning Activities for Small and Large Events
Corporate meeting planners who are in charge of planning everything from weekly meetings to annual events constantly have a lot on their plate. Because the larger events and conferences are much more time-consuming and are typically the priority as far as planning resources are concerned, it can be easy to put off planning tasks for the weekly meetings, or to simply run out of time when attempting to pull together the larger events.
If the regularly scheduled meetings are check-ins, committee meetings that stick to specific topics or other meetings that are repetitive in nature, that will make your job a bit easier; however, there is still some planning that needs to take place on an ongoing basis and that cannot simply be put in place in the beginning like scheduling the room and equipment for a year of weekly meetings.
In order to keep these weekly or monthly meetings on track while focusing primarily on your larger responsibilities, setting up as much as you can beforehand and scheduling reminders will assist you in making sure you do not forget the tasks you need to complete for each meeting, such as confirming the room reservation, arranging for room set up, organizing the food and drinks, and sending out meeting reminders to the attendees.
Set up your email program, calendar, PDA or your mobile phone to notify you with reminders and you will be able to keep your smaller meetings just as well-organized as your major annual events.
Tags: Attendees, Committee Meetings, Conferences, Corporate Meeting Planners, Events Planners, Food And Drinks, Ins, Job, Mobile Phone, More Time Consuming, Organizing, Pda, Planning Resources, Priority, Program Calendar, Reminders, Room Reservation, Scheduling
17 Feb 10 Planning Weddings and Commitment Ceremonies on a Cruise Ship
Much like planning meetings and corporate events on cruise ships, planning onboard weddings, commitment ceremonies and vow renewal ceremonies can actually be easier and more cost-effective than their land-based counterparts. Whether your clients opt for a very affordable one- or two-night cruise, or a luxurious two-week cruise for both their nuptials and their honeymoon, cruise ship weddings are sure to be a memorable, fun event for all who attend.
When couples choose a cruise, they no longer have to worry about entertaining out-of-town guests during their entire stay, whether or not there will be enough alcohol at the bar during their reception and whether or not the DJ will show up. They will have the benefit of onboard entertainment, meals and some drinks throughout the cruise being included in the price, utilizing the music and bar services available through the cruise line and having the option of hanging out with their guests or hiding away on their own in the days before and after the ceremony.
As the wedding planner, you will enjoy a simple, convenient planning experience working with a cruise line that is sure to have substantial experience in having weddings onboard. Between your professional services and their well-established protocols, planning your clients’ onboard wedding or ceremony will be a breeze.
Tags: Alcohol, Commitment Ceremonies, Counterparts, Couples, Cruise Line, Cruise Ship Weddings, Cruise Ships, Cruise Weddings, Drinks, Fun Event, Honeymoon Cruise, Night Cruise, Nuptials, Planning Weddings, Professional Services, Protocols, Substantial Experience, Town Guests, Vow Renewal Ceremonies, Wedding Planner
Advertisement
Corporate Meeting Planner Resources
- This Meeting Is Going To The Dogs!Animal lovers are often straddled with high lodging bills for their four-legged companions while they are out-of-town on business trips. Really, is there any good reason why the well-behaved dog should not be allowed to attend your next business meeting or conference if he promises to sit quietly in his carrier? Many of the larger American [...] […]
- Full Body Scanners: The New Airport DilemmaThe latest airport security measures being installed in American airports consist of a full body scanner. These scanners show the traveler's body profile as it appears under the clothing. While we can all understand the need for these see-all devices, there are going to be some people who will simply solve this problem through giving [...] […]
- The Best End-Of-Meeting PrizeEnd-of-meeting gifts or promotional items are always appreciated by the meeting attendees. Company logo printed t-shirts, business bags, or exercise equipment are popular items to order online for giveaway projects. However, there should always be a 'grand prize' available that will be very memorable event for everybody to talk about later. The ver […]