21 May 10 Planning and Executing Special Events
While a large portion of a meeting planners job is to actually plan special events and other types of occasions, ensuring the event is executed properly is a vital part of a meeting planner's work. Special events need to be just that – special. They need to be memorable, and they will hopefully leave guests talking about the event for days.
The flawless execution of a special event often requires more effort than does planning. While plans and agendas may look good on paper, translating this plan into an actual event is a bit more complicated. However, when the event goes off without a hitch, everyone will want to know the mastermind behind the event of the season.
Meeting planners may be asked to provide services for special events such as award ceremonies, VIP customer events, motivational speakers, and philanthropic or non-profit events. Meeting planners must be dedicated and committed to designing, producing, and managing various special events.
By providing customers with exceptional service and meticulous planning, meeting planners can expect to have repeat customers. Again, meeting planners should keep in mind that creative and expert planning is not enough. Perfect execution of the plan is what will keep customers coming back for more.
Tags: Agendas, Award Ceremonies, Creative, Customer Events, Events Planners, Exceptional Service, Expert, Flawless Execution, Job, Large Portion, Mastermind, Meeting Planner, Meeting Planners, Motivational Speakers, Non Profit, Occasions, Profit Events, Vip
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
30 Nov 09 Increase ROI on Meetings & Events
Most meeting planners have probably already read about how companies want more value than ever before from their conferences. While this can create more work for you, there are some things you can do to work out the kinks long before they happen.
Think Replacement
If you need to help the company keep expenses at a minimum, replace these meeting parts:
- Replace the reception with a working lunch — this will let people meet and network, as well as enjoy a meal together.
- Replace the open bar idea with team building exercises or mind storming training–these programs have a much better chance of improving the ROI than a bunch of drunk employees blowing off steam.
- Replace entertainment with a spa wellness trip. You will have more refreshed folks ready to work.
- Replace land based venues with a cruise meeting, and save as much as 40%. Cruising is all-inclusive, so planners may be surprised to know that meeting rooms, meals, A/V equipment and luxury accommodations are all included in one low price.
Think Reduction
What if the customer says, "Okay, these cost savings are great, let's get rid of the reception, evening entertainment, and and welcome reception open bar meet-and-greet! So what do we do on the last day, then?"
Get rid of it. Tell your client that not only will she not need to make the usual expenditures that don't improve ROI on the cost of the meeting, she can eliminate the last night's hotel bill as well.
By just replacing the non-ROI generating activities and events, you have already increased the value of the meeting. Your client will be grateful for that for a long time. And happy, satisfied clients translate to more meeting planning business for you in the future. So, it pays to find every way to cut out unnecessary expenses and increase meeting ROI for your clients.
Explode meeting ROI with a cruise event. Cruising offers a savings of as much as 40% of the cost of hotelvenues, since a cruise is all inclusive. Go to Seasite.com to use the state-of-the-art cruise meeting planner, and make your next company event a cruise event!
Tags: Amp, Better Chance, Blowing Off Steam, Conferences, Cruis, Cruise, Evening Entertainment, Events Planners, Expenditures, Hotel Bill, Kinks, Long Time, Luxury Accommodations, Meeting Planners, Meeting Planning, Meeting Rooms, Quot, Roi, Spa, Team Building Exercises, Unnecessary Expenses, Welcome Reception, Working Lunch
01 Jul 09 Latest Trends in Event Planning
The event planning industry is a great place to work in. Even in times of economic crisis, the business of event planning never really slows down. Individuals always want to get together and discuss business or celebrate personal events. An event-planning career is in high demand in the contemporary corporate scenario.
Considering the high demand of event planners, it only becomes natural that competition gets fierce among fellow event planners. This means newer methods of conducting events, which again implies the use of advanced tools and technology.
Today’s corporate market expects much more from event planners and it’s not just a few pamphlets and a simple slide show that will do the trick. Corporate groups expect high standards of presentation when it comes to events, and event planners need to constantly stay updated about the latest event planning tools available in the market. (more…)
Tags: Advanced Tools, Attendees, Corporate Groups, Detailed Map, Economic Crisis, Event Management, Event Planner, Event Planners, Event Planning Career, Event Planning Company, Events Planners, Ice Breaking Games, Informal Chats, Interactive Sessions, Latest Trends, Management Technology, Market Technology, Pamphlets, Personal Events, Planning Tools
15 Jun 09 Innovative Ideas For New Age Event Planning
Time is money, and the meeting and event planning industry applies this rule as any other. Everyone is hard pressed for time, and clients expect more work from less time. How do you, as an event planner, handle this time-work dilemma and come out victorious?
The idea is to create and innovate, and come up with revolutionary ideas to achieve high quality work within a given time frame.
As it is not easy to work within a given deadline, event planners need to think of alternative methods to organize successful events.
Event planners tend to have a hectic time while on the job- vacationing and holidaying becoming almost an impossibility. What with time constrains and deadlines to meet, event planners are almost like surgeons on call- they need to be on site whenever needed. (more…)
Tags: Alternative Methods, Event Management, Event Planner, Event Planners, Event Planning, Events Planners, Hectic Time, Impossibility, Innovative Ideas, Invitation Cards, Management Tools, Mind And Body, New Solutions, Physical Addresses, Precious Time, Quality Work, Revolutionary Ideas, Term Dedication, Time Is Money, Time Work
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