01 Jun 10 Top 3 Reasons Why Businesses Need Meeting Planners
Anyone who has ever heard of meeting planners may have questioned the value of having dedicated personnel handling some or all of the aspects of planning a cruise meeting. After all, could these same plans not simply be conducted by other personnel? The answer is both yes and no, and here are the top three reasons why:
1. It is possible for other employees to handle even planning, but they will probably be far less efficient than an event planner. Their own tasks and chores will suffer as a result of having to multitask more than normal.
2. Anyone who is dedicated to a certain task is likely to perform it better than someone who is only doing that task because nobody else can. This holds true for event planning and coordinating meetings as well.
3. Contacts and associations are valuable tools that can be leveraged. Those workers who do not spend time coordinating meetings are unlikely to build these relationships or develop to the point where they can be leveraged effectively.
In short, it is easy to see why businesses need meeting planners, even if they are not full-time employees. For those businesses with modest planning needs, consider a part-time or freelance meeting planner.
Tags: Chores, Contacts, Cruise, Event Planner, Freelance, Full Time, Meeting Planner, Meeting Planners, Part Time, Relationships, Time Employees, Valuable Tools
28 May 10 Four Tools Every Meeting Planner Must Have
Four basic tools every meeting and event planner must have
While meeting planners and event planners both need to be organized and accurate, it sometimes helps to have a little help. Here is a list of the four best investments a meeting and/or event planner can make to help their career along:
A book on Feng Shui – Feng Shui offers many ideas on how to organize everything from seating to room arrangement, and many of the ideas behind Feng Shui have stood the test of time very well.
A smartphone – There are many smartphones to choose from, but a smartphone that can handle a professional calendar capable of synchronizing with a laptop and/or desktop is essential. E-mail and SMS features are also vital, especially to a meeting planner on the go.
A netbook or small laptop – Working on the road or in various offices is important, as is the ability to take notes virtually anywhere. A smartphone can only perform this task so well, and it simply will not do to be using anything but a full-fledged word processor for taking detailed notes for meeting schedules, participant contact info, or even ideas.
A good online backup solution – with so much reliance on electronics, be prepared for the inevitable crash, data loss, or theft. An online backup solution is essential for keeping meeting/event/conference records safe.
Tags: Backup Solution, Basic Tools, Crash Data, E Mail, Event Planner, Event Planners, Feng Shui, Four Tools, Inevitable Crash, Meeting Planner, Meeting Planners, Meeting Schedules, Participant, Professional Calendar, Room Arrangement, Smartphones, Sms Features, Synchronizing, Test Of Time, Word Processor
26 May 10 Two Critical Skills of a Cruise Meeting Planner
Two critical skills of a cruise meeting or event planner, and how to build them at your current job
Planning cruise meetings and cruise events can be a rewarding carrier, but it takes a certain kind of personality to be successful. Luckily, most of the skills involved in planning cruise meetings and events can be cultivated. Here are the two most basic skills required, and ways to cultivate them at your current job:
Planning backwards – events are often scheduled at specific dates and times, regardless of the planning necessary. This means that time management skills and thinking in a reverse-linear fashion are required. Starting with the event itself, what would have to be prepared? Booking of rooms, suites, conference centers, equipment, and travel arrangements. Starting with the most critical things first, a smart travel planner will plan his or her way back to today. For example, one could start by booking the rooms and conference center on a cruise liner before booking speakers and their flights and communicating dietary needs. Try project planning whenever possible to build this skill.
Planning around complaints – It is not possible to make everyone happy, but a successful cruise planner will ensure that they have prepared plenty of alternatives and options to overcome objections of participants. Speakers and performers are notoriously difficult to deal with, so be prepared to offer cabin upgrades and alternative meals before calling their representatives. To build this particular skill, try practicing dealing with difficult customers if possible.
Tags: Booking Speakers, Critical Skills, Cruise Events, Cruise Liner, Cruise Planner, Current, Dealing With Difficult Customers, Event Planner, Flights, Linear Fashion, Meeting Planner, Meetings And Events, Objections, Participants, Personality, Project Planning, Smart Travel, Time Management Skills, Travel Arrangements, Travel Planner
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 May 10 How to Build Customer Trust
As a meeting planner, it is essential for your customers to know that your services can be trusted. Many customers are wary of placing important details and information into the hands of a meeting planner. This is especially true if the customer is accustomed to taking charge of situations and being in control.
However, circumstances often arise in which planning a meeting becomes something beyond their control. That is when a customer will turn to a meeting planner for assistance. There are a few ways you can ensure your client has complete trust in you, and this trust will build repeat business.
Open communication is an important aspect of meeting planning. Customers should feel that they have a rapport with their meeting planner and should feel free to check the status of the upcoming event within reason. Communications with customers should be clear, focused, and concise.
Transparency will help put the customer at ease and provide them with a sense of much needed security. Meeting planners should remember that customers not only entrust their event to the meeting planner, but their financial resources as well. Once trust has been established between a meeting planner and customer, the customer is more likely to use their services again in the future.
Tags: Circumstances, Complete Trust, Customer Trust, Event Planner, Financial Resources, Meeting Planner, Meeting Planners, Meeting Planning, Open Communication, Repeat Business, Transparency
14 May 10 Doing More with Less
One of the obstacles that planners with corporations and organizations face with event planning is being asked to do more with less. That is a common phrase heard among meeting planners, and many times these individuals feel that their hands are tied. They have to be creative within a budget, and sometimes they are unsure of how to plan a memorable meeting while saving the company money. An incentive cruise may be an excellent option when event planning requires a strict budget. Cruise meetings are an ideal way to motivate and reward top-quality employees without breaking the bank.
Meetings at sea provide employees and customers with a break from the norm. Instead of the hustle and bustle of big cities, groups can enjoy the quiet and beauty of the seas. They can experience exotic locations, enjoy the sun and breezes, and refresh their senses. Cruise meetings provide much needed relaxation, which often helps employees think outside the box and come up with fresh, innovative ideas. Cruise meetings are not simply about fun and entertainment. From meeting space to entertainment, everything is inclusive with meetings at sea. A meeting planner will find that meetings at sea will come in below budget and provide the company or organization with all its meeting needs and more.
Tags: Break, Breaking The Bank, Breezes, Budget Cruise, Bustle, Common Phrase, Company Money, Corporations, Event Planning, Incentive Cruise, Innovative Ideas, Meeting Planner, Meeting Planners, Norm, Obstacles, Quality Employees, Relaxation, Senses, Strict Budget, Top Quality
12 May 10 Cruise Meetings Encourage Active Participation
Organizations sometimes become stuck in a rut, and they feel that long-practiced traditional methods are as effective today as they were yesterday. However, this is not always the case as traditional methods sometimes stifle creativity and do not allow employees to express fresh, new ideas with their contemporaries. Instead of planning a meeting at the typical hotel venue in a bustling metropolitan city, consider a cruise meeting. Meetings at sea are an excellent venue in which to encourage active participation in meetings. Employers may be surprised to find just how productive meetings can be when employees are encouraged to participate and feel their ideas are valued.
Event planning is often a hassle as employees are not excited about the meeting and logistics of the meeting are often a nightmare. Employers may speak with a meeting planner than can help them find an incentive cruise that will be right for their organization. An incentive cruise may motivate employee performance and enhance the desire of employees to attend organizational meetings. Meetings at sea provide employees with a relaxing and inviting environment in which to share their ideas. Employers that choose a cruise meeting may find their employees are more willing to actively participate in the meetings and the outcome of the meetings more productive.
Tags: Contemporaries, Creativity, Desire, Employee Performance, Event Planning, Hassle, Hotel Venue, Incentive Cruise, Logistics, Meeting Planner, Metropolitan City, Nightmare, Organization, Organizational Meetings, Participation, Productive Meetings, Typical Hotel
03 May 10 Positive Body Language
How important is body language in communicating with clients? Emails, texting, twittering, and phone conversations make up a great deal of client interaction, but how important is your body language when you meet face to face or through a video conference? According to a research psychologist at UCLA words make up just 7% of your communication with others. Body language weighs in at a hefty 55% of your interpersonal communication. The third component, tonality, is responsible for 38% of your communication skills. Remember when your mother told you “don’t take that tone with me?” She was right on the money.
Positive body language puts clients at ease and increases their confidence in you as a meeting planner. Good eye contact without staring is one example of positive body language. Uncrossed arms and legs convey an open attitude. Daintily locked ankles hint at resistance to an idea. Relax your shoulders and allow your arms and legs to fall naturally. Smile and nod occasionally when the other person is speaking. Nodding in this context communicates that you are listening, not necessarily agreeing.
Mirroring the other person’s body language can build rapport. Unconsciously, both parties believe they are on mutual ground and feel safer. This usually happens without notice and should not be forced. How and what your body communicates builds the memory clients retain about any meeting. Make sure it is a positive one.
Tags: Ankles, Arms And Legs, Body Language, Client Interaction, Communication Skills, Communication With Others, Confidence, Eye Contact, Good Eye, Interpersonal Communication, Meeting Planner, Open Attitude, Phone Conversations, Research Psychologist, Resistance, Rsquo, Shoulders, Tonality, Ucla, Video Conference
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
26 Mar 10 Do You Tweet? Part 2
Promoting an upcoming event is a critical skill for a meeting and event planner. Social networking applications, such as Twitter, can make the promotion process faster and more exciting. Most people agree that once you catch on the joy of the tweet, there is no going back.
Twitter users can send a tweet to an individual, a group, or make a public tweet that is available to anyone. Confidential information must be kept private, so tweet thoughtfully and with care. Once you’ve opened your Twitter account and sent out a few experimental tweets, the next step is keeping track of incoming responses. Many people find Tweetdeck a useful tool.
Tweetdeck is an application compatible with PCs and iPhones that allows users to sign in, check their tweets, and organize followers into groups. Twitter doesn’t allow sorting followers into groups, one of the main advantages of a Tweetdeck account. It allows users to separate messages to business clients from those sent to friends or family members.
Become a follower. More and more people are joining Twitter; your clients, vendors, and professional organizations may be among them. Stay professional and use complete words at least when texting clients. Your sister might understand “How r u?” but texting abbreviations could leave your clients unimpressed.
Tags: Abbreviations, Business Clients, Confidential Information, Critical Skill, Event Planner, Family Members, Follower, Followers, Friends, Iphones, Meeting Planner, Networking Applications, Professional Organizations, Rsquo, Social Networking, That Allows Users, Tweet, Tweets
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