14 Jul 10 Is Your Business Ready to Plan Its First Event?
If your business seems like it is on the verge of making it big but needs something to carry it over a hurdle, then consider planning a major event. Events can include various departments, partners, suppliers, customers, or even a combination of elements of these different groups. Here are a few key signs that you need to start planning an event:
• Squeezing efficiency out of departments is becoming harder – It might be that the departments are on the verge of losing their self-motivation to perform at their best. Threatening to downsize or outsource only creates a workforce that is willing to work just enough to not lose their jobs. A nice company picnic event at the park might not cost much and it could inspire loyalty that is impossible to put a price on.
• Getting new customers to commit seems difficult – A tour complete with local business meetings, brunches, and seminars could inspire potential customers to take the leap and buy.
• Suppliers are becoming less reliable – In down economic times it pays to not only track companies surreptitiously via D&B and other services, but it pays to plan meetings and look the other party square in the eye. Never underestimate the value of a gut feeling when looking suppliers and partners in the eye.
Tags: Amp, Brunches, Business Meetings, Business Plan, Company Picnic, Economic Times, Efficiency, Elements, Gut Feeling, Hurdle, Jobs, Leap, Loyalty, Nice Company, Outsource, Self Motivation, Seminars, Signs, Verge, Workforce
16 Apr 10 After the Meeting is Over
Everyone enjoys and needs positive feedback. Negative feedback can be very hard to take, especially if it is not constructive. For example, we are all quick to tell our supplier if the order is wrong yet seldom send our compliments when things run smoothly. Do you seek feedback and if so, from whom?
Have you ever included a customer satisfaction survey in an event packet or asked guests to fill out a feedback form before they went home? This can be a good way to get a fix on what worked for meeting participants and what did not. You can’t please everyone but when several people complain about the same thing, it indicates a problem that needs to be addressed.
Do you check in with vendors and convention centers that you have used? A courtesy call after the even can strengthen your relationship with vendors and make the next planning period go more smoothly. Feedback from a hotel or convention center helps a meeting planner tweak the next event, perhaps in small ways, to make it a positive experience for everyone.
Don’t forget to give feedback as well. Even in the most nightmarish situation, someone did something right. Never allow your frustration with glitches to overshadow your appreciation for jobs well done.
Tags: Compliments, Courtesy Call, Customer Satisfaction Survey, Frustration, Glitches, Jobs, Meeting Planner, Negative Feedback, Nightmarish Situation, Participants, People, Positive Feedback, Relationship, Rsquo, Tweak
04 Jan 10 7 Simple Steps to Get More Out of Your Day
Let's face it – time is probably our greatest resource, especially for meeting planners. We never seem to have enough of it and it seems to pass so quickly. Well we won't get any more of it and we can't slow it down.
What we can do is make the most of the time we have. Here are some simple steps you can take to get the most out of your day.
1. Plan your day the night before – At the end of each day write out all the things you need to do the following day to achieve your goals. Pull together all the information you'll need, phone numbers and relevant paperwork.
2. Prioritise the list – Number each item and do the nasty jobs first. There's always the temptation to do the easy jobs first. However, think how the thought of doing the nasty jobs hangs over you as you do the easy stuff. Think how good you'll feel when the nasties are out of the way and how motivated you'll feel.
3. Stick to your list – Tick off each item as you go and don't let yourself be distracted. The temptation is to handle the telephone and e-mails as they come in. The phone is hard to ignore but you could always pull out the plug and let it go to voice mail and switch off the email program. Make an agreement with yourself to check for messages every two hours or so.
4. Remember the Three "D's" – Do it, Delegate it or Dump it. Handle each piece of paper only once. Either do something about it now, delegate it to someone else or chuck it in the trash. And remember – "Only do it if only you can do it." 5. Don't procrastinate – Procrastination really is the "Thief of Time" It's so easy to put things off till another time or till "I've had time to think about it." DO IT NOW!
6. Plan your leisure time – Take up activities that need you to be at a certain place at a certain time. Instead of just "going to the gym," book a fitness class or an appointment with a personal trainer.
7. Be honest with yourself – Keep asking – "Is what I'm doing now getting me to where I want to get to?" if the answer is "no," change what you're doing.
This is the easiest way to more out of your day and more out of your life.
Tags: Jobs, Leisure Time, Meeting Planners, Nasties, Nasty, Nbsp, Phone Numbers, Piece Of Paper, Procrastination, Quot, Relevant Paperwork, Simple Steps, Temptation, Thief Of Time, Trash, Voice Mail
27 Jul 09 “Eh…So What?” – How to Counter Public Criticism for Meetings
This is the response that some companies are giving to the idea of public criticism for their meetings. So why aren’t their head honchos worried about business, and what people will think? Because they are more concerned about what their employees think.
Leaders Being Leaders
If the executives of companies that are doing poorly go ahead and change meeting plans to accommodate public scrutiny, it may be for the best. But what about companies that are doing well? What about the ones who didn’t need a single penny of help from the government and have actually flourished in these hard times?
All companies should not be judged with the same jaundiced eye the public has gotten over the last year. In fact, they should be praised–they held themselves to high standards and should be permitted to continue along their successful route with no interference. This includes meetings. (more…)
Tags: Business People, Conflict, Interference, Jaundiced Eye, Jobs, Money, Public Criticism, Public Scrutiny, Reputation, Send Message, Successful Company, White Flag
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