Corporate Event Planning|Event Management|Event Planner

You know the old adage, "A picture is worth a thousand words"? Well, the folks at Pinterest, the word wide web's most recent social addiction, have hit pay dirt with those seven short words. In case you are unfamiliar, Pinterest is best described as an online pinboard-style social sharing photo site where you share the things you love, whatever they are. As a wedding planner, highlight your expertise by creating boards like, Destination Weddings, Simple Invitation Designs, Buffet or Sit-Down That's the Question, and so on... Keep your titles short but use snappy language to pique curiosity... Then again, My Wedding Stuff might work just as well... simple is nice too.

Once you've developed your boards, with every pin you create and share with your followers; the fun begins. In addition to pinning photos, you can pin video, coupons and more. But you're not just sharing photos; you're creating visual content that will help you connect with your customers. Each element you pin is coupled with an area for a description, comment area and an area for a URL link. These areas help you to engage your followers and send traffic back to your website or blog.

So, how is it possible to cultivate wedding planner careers using Pinterest? Well, because it's a no muss, no fuss platform, Pinterest can help you develop relationships and generate buzz about your ability. And, in addition to your website or blog, showcase your portfolio with one fell swoop and every wonderful pin you pin. Here are a few simple ways to make Pinterest work for you:

No More Wedding Binders or Inspiration Boards - Pin It!

Pinterest makes it easy for wedding planners to collect ideas for their bride's big day. From invitations, save-the-date card and bridal party fashion to venue ideas and reception decorations, you can develop your client's overall theme so that they can see how each element works to create the overall look for their event. This strategy allows for real-time input from both you as the planner and your client, the bride.

Remember the Breck Shampoo Commercial?

Yes, that old thing that went something like, "I used Breck and I told two people and they told two people, and they told two people, and so on and so on and so on." Unlike traditional word-of- mouth marketing, Pinterest is a great way to reach and cultivate potential clients by gaining followers, sharing your pins, sharing your follower's pins and your followers sharing your pins - all in one easy-to-use forum. Comment on and "Like" other pins to let users know you think their content is great.

Quick Fact: In the last quarter of 2011 alone Pinterest referred more traffic (to personal and business websites or blogs) than Reddit, YouTube, Google+ and Linked-In combined... And 90% of Pinterest's users are - you guessed it - female and your potential clients!

Now that You're Up and Running - Pay Attention to which of your pins gets re-pinned

Something in that board is worth paying attention to and could signal a budding trend with potential clients. Those serious about using social media as a way to cultivate wedding planner careers will jump on the opportunity to get a pulse on the market in their area.

More Ways to Use Pinterest to Build your Client Base

In addition to creating a simple online portfolio, you can use Pinterest to create wedding planning offers exclusive to your business. Publishing often will help in retaining followers and referring new followers and potential brides.

Use Pinterest to promote bridal events. For example, add a save the date board for the next bridal fair you take part in. Be sure to add a crafty description like "Just engaged? Visit Mari's Weddings at the ABC Wedding Fair this Saturday." Combine this with a special offer that brides can receive at your booth.

Use QR codes and coupons to build awareness of your business. Create a board and pin them to drive potential brides to your website blog where more information is available.

Often, wedding planners are a one-stop-shop. Cross-promoting vendors you regularly work with such as travel agents, florists, wedding photographers and caterers gives brides-to-be one concise area to explore the many facets of planning a wedding.

Much the same way wedding photographers share still photos on their websites with bridal couples and their guests, work with your videographer vendor to create branding videos of your work and post them for your potential clients to view. Feature a new wedding monthly and mention the bride and groom so that they can share with friends on Pinterest - easy potential referrals for you and your vendor!

Pinterest-Effective, Beautiful and Addictive

And... A great way to cultivate wedding planner careers. Of course, a good wedding planner school will have taught you traditional marketing strategies. However, as you begin to build your business contacts and client base, consider including Pinterest as a tool in your traditional and social media content marketing plan. Ready, set, Pin it!

Have you ever been at a fair, festival, company picnic, or other indoor or outdoor gathering of people and seen a huge racetrack that is about the size of a two car garage? Did this racetrack have a huge crowd of people around it screaming their lungs out with excitement? Perhaps this racetrack was under the canopy of a huge inflatable tent with a checkered flag design on top? When you moved in closer to see what the excitement was all about, did you find four to six 1/10th scale Sprint Cup Replica NASCAR cars being driven by remote control from full-sized steering wheels? If so, then what you have witnessed is Micro Reality Racing action. Micro Reality Stock Car Racing is an attraction that has been around for about 15 years and it has quickly swept the nation as one of the most addictive amusements for kids ages 3 to 83. It was invented in Atlantic, Iowa, by three brothers known as the Namanny Brothers. They took a great money-making idea that they invented and decided to mass produce it so that other entrepreneurs could have the opportunity to create a great part-time or full-time income providing racing excitement to patrons at public and private gatherings of lots of people.

There are different formats that a Micro Reality event may have. The three main options are pay-per-play, private event rental, and fundraiser. A pay-per-play event is one where the Micro Reality Racing business operates as a vendor, sets up the track in a public place, and charges each individual racer to pick a car and race for either a set amount of time or a set amount of laps. A typical race would be between 2 and 3 minutes or 12 to 15 laps. A typical charge to race would be between 3 dollars and 5 dollars, depending on the type of event, the region, and the demographics of the crowd. Sometimes vendors will offer multi-race discounts, such as two races for 5 dollars. Typical venues for pay-per-play events are fairs, festivals, shopping malls, car shows and carnivals. The main drawback to this type of event is that the racing revenue is dependent on several factors, such as weather, location, and crowd turnout. Although the potential is there to make a significant amount of income from events lasting anywhere from 2 to 14 days, there is also the possibility of losing money, in the event that the revenue does not exceed the space rental, fuel, lodging, insurance, payments to helpers, food, and other expenses the business will encounter.

A private rental is when the Micro Reality Stock Car Racing track is hired out by a party planner or event coordinator to appear at a specific time and place to offer the patrons of the event unlimited racing for the duration of the event. Instead of being paid per race by the event patrons, the Micro Reality business is paid by the organizers of the event or by the event coordinator to provide unlimited racing for an agreed upon number of hours. This type of arrangement is better for the Micro Reality Racing business owner, as the money is guaranteed and he is usually paid an up-front deposit of 50%, with the balance being paid at the conclusion of the event. With a satisfied event coordinator, the Micro Reality track is guaranteed repeat business for years, if the event is annual. The event planner will also schedule a well-run operation for other functions they have planned throughout the year. There is also a good potential for referrals to other event coordinators. The types of events that private rentals are used for are birthday parties, corporate hospitality events, company picnics, team building retreats and church outings.

A fund-raiser is similar to a pay-per-play event, but there is usually a revenue share between the Micro Reality Stock Car Racing business and the event coordinators. The revenue share will be anywhere from a 90/10 split up to a 50/50 split. At this type of event, sometimes the track owner and event coordinators will agree to use a ticket system so the revenue can be tracked.

A Micro Reality Racing System consists of 18 modular track sections that are similar to folding tables with only two legs. There are twelve 15 degree Curved sections and six straight sections. The track can be configured up to 9 different layouts, anything from a small 10' x 10' circle all the way up to a 25' by 30' Indianapolis Brickyard layout. There are also various oval, superspeedway oval, and asymmetric layouts that can be set up. The cars are adorned with replica NASCAR paint schemes, and usually between four and six cars are raced at one time. The drivers operate the vehicles from behind full-sized steering consoles that are wired with radio controls on the inside. Most successful track owners also track laps with a digital lap counter. Some vendors use a computer and lap counting software which displays race statistics on an LCD monitor.

There are many different ways that a Micro Reality Stock Car Racing system can entertain the crowd at your next event. Although there are many variations in events and venues, the one thing that will be consistent among them all, is the high-level excitement in the crowd and the Micro Reality Racing participants.

"I have to get on the public speaking circuit."

As a professional speaker, I can't tell you how many times I have heard that exact phrase from people who would like to add public speaking as either their main or a supplemental source of income to their business or career.

I have been professionally speaking in many capacities since I began my career in 1992, always in front of audiences for one thing or another.  So people naturally ask me all the time,

"How do I get on the speaking circuit?"

Here's the thing.  It's a big secret we speakers keep to ourselves so we know when we're talking to a fellow speaker or just someone who thinks they may want to be on stage somewhere someday.

There IS NO speaking circuit.

None.

Zippo.

Zilch.

Nada.

So unless you want to look like a total beginner, stop saying you want to get on some type of circuit. Seriously there is none.

Let's look for a moment at the definition of "circuit" according to Dictionary.com:

"a periodical journey from place to place, to perform certain duties, as by judges to hold court, ministers to preach, or salespeople covering a route."

and

"a number of theaters, nightclubs, etc., controlled by the same owner or manager or visited in turn by the same entertainers or acting companies."

Perhaps in the acting or preaching industries there may be a circuit.  And in fact, this could be where some of the confusion around the topic comes from, especially because public speaking can often involve travel "from place to place."  But make no mistake, there are not many professional stages that qualify as a "circuit."

Every speech you are booked for is usually just for that one stage and that one occasion.  And that's it.

To others on the outside of the speaking business it may appear there is some sort of speaking circuit.  That's because in certain niche markets a handful -- say 20-30 of the most popular speakers often appear at various events together or in some combination at the events for that niche market. 

And how do those same speakers get hired time and again? Simple: results. The information they share gets the audience the results they want.  When audiences are happy, event planners are happy.  When event planners and audiences are happy, speakers get a good reputation.  And that's what gets you the next speaking gig.

So don't despair that there isn't really a speaking circuit. Because as you get hired and continue to market yourself and grow as a speaker, the opportunities will flow to you as easily as if there was a public speaking circuit.

Unquestionably, your wedding is the most important day of your life so far. In all likelihood, you will spend the better part of a year planning for the perfect celebration, and just one part of that planning is your wedding limousine. Most professional car companies offer limousine services for weddings and wedding parties, so you probably have a lot of questions. These tips should help you navigate wedding limousine planning so that you get the best service at the right price.

Budget

Speaking of price, many couples will have certain limitations to their wedding and limousine budgets. Depending on the number and type of vehicles you plan to rent, your costs will vary drastically. One of the best ways to save on wedding limousines is to limit service to the wedding party; but even an extravagant wedding with limousine service for family, the wedding party, and special guests can still find great deals.

One thing to keep in mind is that most rental companies will have a minimum rental time, and this is usually around 3 hours. Exotic vehicles tend to be more expensive than standard limousines; for example, a standard white limousine with seating for 8 will cost considerably less than a stretch SUV that seats 12-15 people. When budgeting for your limo service, remember to factor in the type of vehicle, the number of passengers, and the total time required.

Book in Advance

Preparing in advance for your limousine service is incredibly important. You do not want to wait until a few weeks before your wedding, because your options may be much more limited. In general, it is best to start shopping around at least 6 or 8 months before your wedding. You'll have a greater range of choices when it comes to vehicle and price. Alternatively, most professional car services cannot be booked any more than a year in advance.

Consider a Contract

Any time you are booking a service well in advance it is advisable to get a quote and/or contract of services in writing. A contract can help you avoid any problems and will provide easy solutions if the services you require are not delivered. In the rare occasion that legal problems arise, a written and signed contract would be extremely helpful.

Wedding Discounts

Some limo companies may offer discounts for weddings because they are big business. Not only are weddings a great opportunity for the company to attract new business, but weddings are large events and generally a minimum of two limousines will be rented - one for the bridal party and one for the groom's party. Speak to different organizations to see if you can get a discount on your wedding day.

The Best Time for a Wedding

Although your limousine rental is not likely to impact your wedding date, it is helpful to know that spring season tends to be the busiest for car services. Proms and spring wedding make this peak season for limousines and prices tend to be highest.

Most importantly, when booking a limousine take some time to do your research. Compare companies, get recommendations, and check references. A bit of time spent in advance of your wedding day can help make your transportation as perfect as your actual wedding.

Event planners, party throwers and community event coordinators all over have found and understand the importance of using banners and signs for their events, and for good reason. Banners and signs have several important benefits that make them great for multiple events, but it would be impossible to talk about them all. It is however important to know why they are useful in some of the most popular events they are used in, including parties, community events and business sales.

Banners and Signs for Parties

Parties of all kinds are very popular for banners and signs to be used at them. Birthday parties can use both, for example - a banner to advertise the guest of honor and party theme, with smaller signs to be used for games and activities, or even where to put gifts and food. Anniversaries and graduation parties could use banners for a the same purpose or as a timeline to the guest of honor's married or academic lives, and then use signs to point guests in the right direction to the party or drinks and so on. Parties of all kinds can make use of signs and vinyl banners of all kinds, as a general rule.

Community Events

At community events it is important for banners and signs to be carefully planned out, but they can be just as useful as with parties and special occasions. Running events and street fairs are two great examples of community events that incorporate both signs and banners into their workings. Runners will probably follow signs to registration and to find their way throughout the course after starting off under a huge identifying banner. Street fairs may use very long banners to give a timeline of upcoming events and activities while using signs to help locate food, music, craft vendors and kids' rides.

Business Sales

Businesses are perhaps the form of use for banners and signs that are most common, particularly because every business wants as many customers as possible for their product or service. Grocery stores, for example, use signs to advertise particular brands or weekly sales, while using large outdoor banners for bigger sales and street-side sales on occasion. Many charitable businesses or organizations use banners to advertise the different sponsors and organizations that participated in the event and supported it. Other uses related to business sales may be to help locate business sales conferences or conventions that help bring businesses together in marketing strategies.

Selecting a briefcase bag to give away at a promotional event or corporate retreat is not as simple as one would think. There are those event planners that would casually shop on price point or production time, prioritizing project management issues rather than the elements that make an effective custom printed bag giveaway. Modern promotional briefcases feature a selection of key aspects that can make them into valuable tools for all who receive them. From bottle holders to laptop sleeves, these briefs and messenger bags accommodate the necessities of today's commuter. Being sure that the bag used in a giveaway includes these features is critical to ensuring the effectiveness of the promotion.

Laptop Protection - Unlike classic briefcases, a modern messenger bag must accommodate for a laptop computer. Business people today carry their office around with them, bringing a laptop to and from the office. The briefcase that is given away must feature a pocket that creates a suspended nest for these delicate pieces of electronics. Padding and Velcro fastenings help secure the laptop during the commute and while migrating from meeting to meeting.

Accessory Space - Those laptops and tablets that are getting toted around require a selection of accessories that had never been needed till now. Power cords, adapters, Bluetooth keyboards and mice all complement the mobile office allowing proper setup in any location. Briefcases can accommodate these accessories in large gusseted pockets. These pockets provide ample space to store these items, as well as allow easy access when they are needed.

Cups & Bottles - The business professional can now be found with a beverage at their side almost constantly. Bottled water, coffee drinks and tea can be found in every meeting room, conference room and office. By incorporating a pocket to hold travel mugs and sport bottles, the briefcase bag carries the complete compliment of meeting essentials.

Strength - With the transition from paperwork and pens to laptops and drinks, briefcase bags are expected to hold a significant amount of weight. Beyond a simple handle, these briefcase bags need to feature a reinforced grip as well as a strong shoulder strap for easier carrying positioning. The result of a drop or failure of these straps can cost thousands of dollars in damaged computer equipment, creating a need for security while carrying.

A briefcase or messenger bag that features these elements will be much more likely to be appreciated and used by recipients. While other bags may be lower cost or fit a production schedule that allows event planners to procrastinate, the full featured bags will persist after the event, carrying a custom printed logo or message as it is used.

Are you planning a company picnic? Would you like an easy to follow guide that will make your planning a little easier? I have helped plan company picnics for the past 10+ years, and I've begun to get a sense of the most important objectives to meet when planning a company picnic.

Follow this guide when planning your event and you'll be on your pathway to a successful company picnic!

Know your Budget

First, get to know your budget. Your budget is your parameter in which you can operate for your company picnic. It lets you know how much you can spend on entertainment, food, and park or area rental (we'll get to that).

Decide on Date of Company Picnic

Begin to get a general sense for the date of your company picnic. Choose a date where most people will likely be around and not away on vacation.

Find space to hold party

This goes hand-in-hand with deciding on entertainment. You will need plenty of space for all your employees and their families, as well as any activities, games, or entertainment options you decide upon. You can usually find great spaces at local parks.

Decide on Entertainment/Activities/Games

What will you and your employees do? What will be fun and exciting for them and their families? You need things for them that will be compelling enough for them to come and have a good time. In my experience, carnival rides, inflatables rentals and other high-tech games have proved to be a guaranteed success.

Will you be serving Food/Beverages?

Besides fun activities, having a meal option is a great option for employees and their families and it's something that will keep them sticking around. It is a picnic after-all!

You don't have to pull out a full-course steak dinner, but you do want to give them something good. Popular options are pizza, hot dogs, burgers and barbeque sandwiches. You can serve lemonade, soda, juice and water for beverages.

Reserve Space on Chosen Date

Lock-in your date at the place you'll be holding your company picnic. Do this sooner rather than later to guarantee your spot for that date.

Book entertainment

Book your entertainment for your company picnic sooner rather than later. As with reserving your space, if you wait too long, someone else might swoop in and get their business before you do.

Get the word out about your event

Spread out the word and utilize any channels of communication you have available to let your employees know when, where and why they should come to this year's company picnic.

Have a back-up plan for rain (if it's outside)

If you're holding your picnic outside, it's a good idea to have a back-up plan in case the day of your event is overtaken by poor weather like rain.

There you have a smart guide to planning a company picnic. Follow these main pillars and you'll be on your pathway to an outstanding event!

Don't ruin your party with a mistake that could so easily have been avoided! Read on to find out the 5 most common mistakes party planners regularly make and how to avoid them!

1. Unremarkable entertainment
The last thing you want at your party is a dull atmosphere where guests are bored! This can easily happen if you choose the wrong type of entertainment for your party. By choosing something a little different to the norm you can keep your guests amused and having fun, regardless of their age! If budget is a concern, simple suggestions such as a DJ and background music from an Ipod can work perfectly as long as they are tunes that will get everyone up dancing and not Dad's soft rock favourites! Alternatively, a giant Jenga will ensure fun for all ages. If your budget can extend further, consider going all out with human canapé tables, a carousel, living statues, ice sculptures, a contortionist, a comedian, ice cream van/bike, firework show, stilt walkers, a baroque orchestra, or even circus performers...to name but a few!

2. Is there any more champagne?
It's crucial that you have enough food and beverages to satisfy your guests. The last thing you want is to run out of booze or nibbles half way through the night! If you are using a caterer or a party planner, they should be able to advise you on how much you will need, based on the number of guests you are expecting. If you're planning this event yourself, remember it's always best to over estimate rather than get caught out on the night, even if it means leftover party food for lunch and dinner the next day! And make sure you buy sale or return booze to ensure the drinks keep flowing!

3. Where are we?
Choosing a venue for your party will usually be hugely dependent on one thing, budget. But this doesn't mean you have to settle for something that is not right for your party! Consider the number of guests you are inviting, and the type of party you are throwing...can you host it in your home by re-arranging some of your furniture? If your home is not big enough - or you can't cope with the mess - think about venues in your local area. Perhaps there is a local art gallery, or unusual location that could add a bit of excitement to your party? Think out of the box for this one!

4. Cringe-worthy decor
Decorating your venue is usually something that is considered less important than the other factors e.g. catering, venue, entertainment (unless you are throwing a themed party, in which case decor should be at the forefront of your party plans!). However it is one of these elements that can really add to the atmosphere of your party, and a small budget doesn't have to equal tacky decorations! Be clever with your budget and use it for elements that will have the most impact on your guests, for example, maybe all you need is some creative lighting to enhance the venue. Or if you are having dinner, consider some coloured table linen and candlelight table centres that will transform your guests' dining experience!

5. Fantastic night, but where are the memories?
People are often so busy planning the party that they forget about how to capture the essence of the night for long-lasting memories. Hire a good photographer and/or videographer, or appoint a friend as the dedicated 'snapper' of the night. When it's all over you'll want to remember the fun of the night and there's no better way of doing this than through photos and videos!

For couples who love poking around antique malls and paging through old sepia photographs, a vintage style wedding is a perfect fit. Tea-dyed table linens, delicate hand-tatted lace, and dropped-waist dresses are just some of the lovely retro touches that infuse a modern marriage ceremony with old fashioned panache. Contemporary couples planning such an event should consider these lovely but simple ideas for a vintage wedding.

Bridal Attire

Before selecting accoutrements for the bride, groom and wedding party, the couple should decide on a specific era that will integrate their choices into a single theme. Victorian, Turn of the Century, Roaring 20s, and Fab Fifties are some examples. By researching their era of choice, the bride and groom can get a clear vision of the fashions and feel of the time period.

Vintage style wedding clothes set the tone for the ceremony. Many upscale vintage clothing stores stock a selection of lightly used retro wedding gowns and men's dress suits. Several online shops showcase one-of-a-kind vintage wedding attire for sale too. Happily for the bride who prefers something new, contemporary retro designers offer a variety of vintage inspired styles from different eras.

Accessorizing clothing with vintage type touches further reflects the retro wedding theme. For example, for a Roaring 20s affair, the bridesmaids could wear long, knotted strings of pearls and feather hair adornments to accessorize their flapper style dresses.

Invitations

In many cases, the wedding invitation is the first encounter guests will have with the big event. Therefore, the invitation should reflect the ceremony's retro flavor. Ideas for a vintage wedding can be easily translated to stationery. If the event is Victorian, for instance, the invitations could employ elaborate script for the lettering. Scroll work borders adorned with little cupids could provide period flair. Adopting the phrasing from an authentic invitation from the Victorian era would make a lovely introduction to the themed event.

Photographs

Photos can take center stage in a vintage wedding. Using vintage photographs to decorate at the reception recreates an atmosphere of bygone days. If the theme is Turn of the Century, each reception table might have a centerpiece that features a sepia-toned photograph of a different period scene, such as a cyclist on a tall velocipede or couples strolling in their period costumes.

Creative photographers can capture the essence of an era-themed wedding through their use of poses and props. If the retro theme is the 40s Big Band Era, the photographers could use a music stand with a clarinet or trombone as a backdrop. The way the bride and groom interact in their wedding photos could reflect the theme era too. For a Fab Fifties themed photo, for example, they might strike a jitterbug pose.

Music

Selecting appropriate music for the event is not as difficult as other choices, given that each era has its own distinctive musical style. For a Jazz Era wedding, a jazzy version of the wedding march incorporates the theme in a witty and sophisticated way. Of course, the couple's favorite jazz tunes would reign supreme on the dance floor at the reception.

A vintage wedding is a fun project that instills the intrinsic beauty of the ceremony with a personal glow. From designing the invitations to choosing the music, a vintage event conjures the magic of bygone eras.

Organizing an event is a daunting task for organizers. In addition to that, there is this constant stress of deciding the venue, looking for sponsors and other related activities. These activities leave organizers with little time to directly keep track of the attendee registration and payment processes. Many of the organizers are seen to appoint volunteers to take care of these activities. With such sensitive data to manage and take care of, many a time volunteers too, lose track of the information. This can lead to miscommunication and prospective delegates may lose interest in attending your event. Nowadays, various companies have come up with Cloud-based software platforms that help you in effective and systematic streamlining of your data.

Event organizers can have an altogether different event planning experience by resorting to the Cloud computing platform. The interface not only eliminates the hassles of manual registrations but is also flexible, cost effective and user-friendly that adds to your convenience. The best part is that you do not have to install any additional hardware or software plug-ins to use this software. Moreover, by resorting to this service, you can also simplify your registration process. Simple, online automated registration system not only brings in more attendees for your event but also leads to an overall attendee convenience. However, before choosing such a service, you must doubly verify whether it is PCI compliant solution which is SSL certified. These certifications prevent you as well your attendees from falling in trap of any kind of fraudulent activities. It will also give you an assurance that the personal and financial information of your attendees remains totally secure in central data base which is only accessible by ones given permission or access details.

Choosing a secure online service can shorten your event planning process. It reduces your stress level significantly and at the same time gives you the assurance that your registrant's information is safeguarded at the highest possible level. Opting for a well certified online service provider also enhances your company's visibility, value and brand name. You will also be able to gain your attendees' confidence who will no longer fell threatened about sharing their personal information over the web.

Since the introduction of advanced registration services, manual registrations have become a thing of the past. With secure online registrations gaining momentum, an increasing number of attendees nowadays flock to attend such events that provide them with convenient and secure online registrations and payment platforms within a single interface. Like organizers, the attendees must also verify whether the company they are registering for, provides them with the necessary security measures. At the same time organizers should also remember that securing attendee information is crucial to the success of your event.

Opt for one of the advanced and secure Cloud computing platforms for your event and you are bound to make an impression on your attendees.

As a new wedding planner, you'll need to create a portfolio of your wedding planning experiences so you can show potential clients what you have done.

Here are some Do's and Don'ts for putting together your first one:

DO's

• Invest in an attractive, high-quality photo album or binder. Remember this is a representation of your work, make it impressive.


• Make sure you use clear, sharp, high-quality photographs taken with a digital camera, not a cell phone. Cell phone photographs are often too grainy when they are printed.


• Take the time to attractively organize the photographs on each page of your portfolio.


• Let the brides and grooms whose photos you use know they will appear in your portfolio.


• Be ready to talk about the photographs and other information you decide to place in your portfolio; for example, favors you created, worksheets you use for planning, etc. Practice what you'll say and remember to highlight the benefits of working with you.

DON'Ts

• Worry if some of the photos are from weddings you planned for free.


• Use photographs of anything you didn't do yourself. If things you didn't handle are in the photos, for instance, centerpieces that you didn't design, give appropriate credit.


• Include photographs from other types of events that you plan. For instance, don't feature photos from corporate events and children's parties, stay focused on selling the benefits of your wedding planning services.


• Just hand the portfolio to someone to let them look at it themselves. Review pages with them and tell the story behind each picture. If you show your timelines and worksheets, talk about how your clients benefited from your highly-organized system of planning weddings.


• Make up testimonials! (Yes, I've seen this.) Ask former clients, even those whose weddings you did for free, to give you testimonials that you can quote in all of your marketing materials, and ask them if they would be willing to be references.

Remember to bring your portfolio to your first meetings with potential clients and wedding vendors whom you want to add to your network. And don't be afraid to brag a little about the fabulous benefits your clients get when they hire you to plan their weddings.

An event organizer is a person or company in charge of promotional events. The job includes various phases, from the initial planning stage down to its actual execution.

In the planning stage, the organizer might first need to meet with the potential client. The job here is to ask the customer what kind of event he or she wants. Some clients want a party that doubles as an event kick off, while others might want a musical performance.

Once this part is over, the event organizer will now function as a master of logistics. This includes finding the right artists to provide entertainment that is in line with the product or company's image. It also includes hiring reliable receptionists and caterers who will welcome guests and serve food during the party. This individual will also work to find you the right venue. Part of the job also includes finding technical services to ensure that all audio and video equipment is working properly.

During the product or company launch, this individual will need to be on top of the situation. This means coordinating with the clients whenever possible. It also translates to attending to VIP guest requests for food, giveaways, and anything else in between.

What other services can they give?

Yet another part of the job would be to administer or coordinate surveys related to the event. Some organizers carry this out during the event by asking guests what products they liked. Others may send out a full-scale questionnaire that guests and participants will answer.

Will the person analyze costs in every activity?

Yes, the person might analyze costs but the client will still have a final say whether to continue with certain activities or not. Compared to say, accountants, event planners are not number crunchers. Their job has more to do with administration and implementation. If a client finds the costs burdensome, the organizers might suggest alternatives, but not ways to cut down on expenses.

What service types are available?

It depends on the company hired for the job. Some firms specialize in providing services only. What you get in this service is a person or a group of people working to get everything organized. You pay the firm and pay for everything else they hired or bought on your behalf.

A comprehensive package is another service available. In this setup, you hire a company that has essentially everything you need. They have the organizers, equipment, and possible locations covered.

How much will I spend if I hire one?

It depends on expertise and services offered. Popular firms may charge slightly higher than others, since they already have an established reputation. The main benefit, however, is getting experience and fame on your side.

Having a new or relatively new marketing company is another possible choice. The arrangement may cost less since these firms have yet to be famous. The main advantage is cost and services extended. Most startup ventures are eager to please since they want to have more clients.

Hiring an event planner is a great idea, but the process may take some time. If you want to hire one, get referrals from friends and family. Use the Internet if you want to find out about the latest packages and how much these cost.

Operational bathroom facilities are a requirement of any home or building's indoor structure and are expected with any outdoor event. Yet, when a home or office building is undergoing renovation the plumbing may need to be shut down and/or the facilities removed so that the bathroom can be updated. Or, the facilities are non-existent in a home or office that is being built from the ground up. There are also moments when a family or party is having an outdoor event but there are no nearby facilities so the event planners have to lease their own. In order to ensure everyone's comfort, an ample amount of facilities have to be provided according to the number of workers or guest who need them. And they have to be placed a safe distance from other structures and disposed of properly.

Toilet rental is predominately used at a variety of construction sites before the plumbing has been turned on, installed or reinstalled. There are three main types of toilets for whatever purpose it is being used. There are regular portable toilets, handicap access toilets and special event toilets to choose from. The portable toilets come in different models that can be basic for any temporary construction site or deluxe for more graceful event. The handicap units are wheelchair accessible so whether you know you will need one or not it is a good idea to be compliant and make sure that there will be at least one available for your guests. And the special events units can be accompanied by sinks, soap and paper towel dispensers for a more comfortable experience for your guests.

Toilet rental units are portable toilets that are dropped off and picked up by sanitation companies specializing in providing single units all the way up to more comfortable toilet trailer options for a variety of construction oriented, event services or location required jobs like that. These are aspects of sanitation equipment and services that require timely placement of effective inventory and timely removal. They can be rented with portable sinks or as toilet rental trailers that have multiple units inside of each one. Each room is a full service bathroom including the flushable toilet or urinal, toilet paper holders with backup, working sink, soap dispenser, paper towels and small mirror for each users comfort. Toilet rental doesn't have to be this gross idea that comes with the past of a few ignored units at massive events for thousands of people. The number of units, their timely removal and replacement throughout the construction project or event is dependent upon the event organizer, contractor or homeowner for the event and the number of people that will be using it.

So you have been invited to be the next keynote speaker at a school conference and you don't know what to tell the audience of teenagers. The following are topics to choose from when speaking to a teenage group.

Relationships - If you stick to this topic you will be loved by the audience because all of them at one point in time will relate to your message. Plus students like to laugh at wise cracks made about teenage relationships. If the entire message is about relationships be sure to have a serious side to your speech or else the event planner will consider you a comedian rather than a keynote speaker.

Leadership - Many conferences for students are built on this one word. You can create a speech about how students are to lead at school and in their community. Be sure to not sound dry by only quoting past leaders people can read about in history books. Give current examples of people taking leadership and how they can take a lead when they leave the conference.

Drug and Alcohol Prevention - This topic is a hard one to tackle, especially if you don't have prior knowledge to illegal drugs. Yes, everything about this topic can be learned but it's best not to speak about a topic you are not passionate about when it comes to teens because they can read body language and if you are uncomfortable, the audience will also be uncomfortable with the information you are sharing.

It's okay not to take every speaking engagement that comes your way simply because it's a paid speaking gig. Stick to topics you are an expert in and do your best, you will be referred to others. If all else fails, speak about relationships and use humor and all will fall into place.

There is a simple trick that every meeting or event planner can use to avoid their worst nightmare. Imagine your conference, meeting or event begins tomorrow with a tremendous kick-off breakfast. You have brought in a well-known speaker whose book is climbing up the best-seller lists and whose presentation is guaranteed to motivate and inspire the attendees. Their profile and presentation synopsis in the program has everyone at the event buzzing! Your group cannot wait to hear this incredible speaker who is flying in from the east coast for your event.

Around 6PM you get a call from the speaker. He is snowed in, sick or otherwise unable to make it to the host city in time for the morning event. You call the bureau that booked your speaker only to get their office voice mail. They are closed for the evening! You are stuck with several hundred (or thousand!) attendees and no speaker. Not much you can do about it at this point, since it is probably too late to find another speaker and you would not even know where to begin. Even if you had more time, hours on the internet may not net you a qualified, appropriate speaker for tomorrow's kick-off breakfast. Your morning's event starts with apologies and ends under a cloud of disappointment; attendees are even talking about refunds and rebates!

The fabulous start to your amazing event has, in one phone call, been reduced to nothing more than an ordinary breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon. Without a speaker you have no show...no information, no excitement...possibly a disaster that could be remembered for years to come. Okay, it's not YOUR fault that your speaker got snowed in! But you will be at the center of this disappointing event. Your clients will look to you for an explanation of how their event, several months in the making, has somehow come to a screeching halt. It happens all the time. But there is a simple way to avoid ever having to deal with this scenario.

The trick to avoiding MegaDisasters is to use a speakers bureau that is in the same time zone as your host city. This will allow you to avoid any such disaster. Even if your star speaker is unable to get to your event in time, a good bureau will be able to find a comparable speaker and have them arrive at your event with time to spare. Most bureaus have rosters full of speakers and contacts and will know exactly who could get there and how fast. They know which speaker would most likely be able to fill the shoes of the original speaker you had booked. And, while there may be some initial disappointment among attendees upon learning that they won't get to hear the featured speaker, the replacement speaker will more than likely rock the house and satisfy the audience completely.

Having a great speaker is critical to the success of any event. Most bureaus know alternative speakers who live nearby or who can at least get to the event within a few hours notice.

The best part of using a speakers bureau in the same time zone as the event's host city is that you'll avoid the frustration of not being able to get in touch with your bureau in the event of an emergency.

As the Membership Director for a large west coast chamber of commerce, I have attended over 2,000 networking events in the last 7 years. Of those 2,000 event, I was the organizer of more than half those events. When the success of your business meeting depends on getting people to show up, it's important to figure out very quickly how to get them to show up. It's a scary feeling to be standing in the doorway of your venue, looking at an empty room on one hand and the clock on the other. Here are my two secret weapons that have helped me nearly double the average attendance of the business events I run.

The secret ingredients to get people to attend are bribery and nagging. Sounds like the method your mom used to get you to clean your room when you were young? Well, I call it that for the fun and shock value of the words to help you remember the two pillars of getting people to attend your events.

Bribery is how you answer the age-old, vital question that we all have of "What's in it for me?" As event organizers and business event planners, we get caught up in the process and forget that the luncheon, mixer or meeting is NEVER for our own benefit. It must be for the benefit of the people who are attending. You must have a compelling reason for them to be there. And then you must communicate that benefit to them when you market the event.

Food is a great bribe, but you want to think carefully if that is the main attraction will it bring the people you want to have there. Do you want to have a trade show with 1,000 "lookie-loos" or 300 dedicated buyers and prospects? There are liability issues if adult beverages are the main attraction and would you only want to attract the "cocktail crowd?" For my chamber of commerce, one of the best bribes was the quality of people who were attending.

Nagging is making sure that you reach your target market in as many ways, as many times and in as many different forms as possible. Hopefully you've got a great list of people who you want to attract. Use multiple outlets for your announcements and reminders.

The combination of bribery and nagging are the secret to help you get more people to attend your events. I've doubled the attendance at mine and you can too.

I am always surprised when event planners take great care with all the cost centers of an event: hiring the band, hiring the caterer, and booking the venue. These same planners rarely consider hiring the auctioneer for the live auction.

As a professional auctioneer, I typically receive panicked calls a week or days before an auction from many organizations inquiring if I can help them out? A classic mistake many planners and organizations make is not understanding the potential the live auction has in driving revenues. According to the National Association of Auctioneers, approximately, $268.4 billion were sold at live-auction in 2008. Make no mistake, live auctions are viable revenue generators.

So here's a short list of the things to avoid:

1. Treating the live auction like an AFTERTHOUGHT versus a key Revenue Generator.
Waiting until the last minute and hastily planning your live auction component of your event will cost your organization revenue and/or fundraising dollars.

2. Hiring a local celebrity auctioneer versus a professional auctioneer is not the best decision.
Auctioneers should always be HIRED not ACQUIRED. Let's face it, your local meteorologist may be great at predicting the weather-but he, nor she is a professional auctioneer.

Auctioneering is both a profession and a skill set. The 15-30 minutes or more when a Professional Auctioneer takes the stage may look easy. However, the live auction is really intensive selling masked by a dash of entertainment.

Auctioneering requires commanding the attention of a crowd, and selling merchandise or experiences in such an enticing way that the audience is willing to bid top dollar for it. It may look like something the local Anchorperson or Meteorologist can do-but it's not. Your neighbor may be a good cook, but I bet you didn't hire him or her as the caterer of your event.

3. Having poorly crafted, generic descriptions or no information at all on the auction items.
Generic descriptions of items don't drive up bidding or get you the top dollar. A skilled auctioneer will craft enticing descriptions of the items to get them sold. Always arm your auctioneer with the information they need about the items well in advance of your event.

4. Deciding the sequence of what is sold without consulting the professional auctioneer.
Organizations love to create programs and decide the order of what is sold. However, WHEN an item is sold is as important as the item itself. Professional auctioneers can assess the audience and line the auction items up to keep the crowd engaged and bidding.

Depending on the audience, trips and vacations may sell better at the end of the auction. Jewelry and merchandise in some cases, sell better at the beginning of the live auction. The professional auctioneer can read the room and tell you WHEN items should be sequenced for bid. Good auctioneers work the room prior to the event to find out what the crowd is interested in and he or she will open the auction with the item that has the highest interest.

Auctioneers will open bidding with a common item that will appeal to all audience members to include: Boomers, Millennials and Gen Xers.

5. Having too many standard retail items (i.e., TV, Stereo) versus an experience item, like a trip to Italy or a weekend at NASCAR makes it difficult to generate demand and a frenzy of bidding.

Buyers at a live auction rarely come to buy needs, so it is important to package the experience items with great descriptions to drive the bidding up and ultimately the sales price. This is particularly important at benefit auctions where some buyers will buy and bid high knowing that the purchase will also benefit and advance the mission of the organization.

6. Having auction items in the live auction that are better suited for the silent auction can slow the momentum and energy of the live auction.

7. Not allotting enough time for the auction and /or letting it start too late, when the crowd is thinning.

8. Having a bad sound system defeats the purpose of a live auction. Appearing live and sounding dead is not an option.

9. Making the checkout process too long due to inadequate planning or low staffing.
Keep in mind that the checkout is the last impression that attendees will have of your event. Always close out your auctions quickly, efficiently and with ease and people will remember the event positively and gladly return the following year.

If planners or organizations can avoid committing most of the common live auction faux pas above, then you can expect your live auction to be successful, revenue generating and a memorable event.

If you're in charge of luncheons, seminars, trainings, referral groups or leads clubs, you know that getting people to show up is the hard part. Never mind that "showing up is 90% of success." You are competing against family, work, fatigue and the precious leisure time that we're all left with at the end of the day. Your members and audience RSVP with the best of intentions. They even pay in advance and put it on their calendar. But there are so many ways that they can go astray the day of.

After hosting more than 1,200 events over the last 7 years, I've learned a few things about getting people to show up. Here are a number of tried and true strategies that have worked for me:

Charge and Refund
This works well if you've got an event that you want to put on for free, but you need to have a firm idea of how many are coming. Or you've got limited space and you want to make sure the real go-getters get those spots. Charge a small amount that must be paid in advance to secure a seat. Then refund their money when they show up at the door. Call it a "Refundable Seat Deposit" and make sure they understand that they have to attend to get it back. Anyone who doesn't show up forfeits their deposit and you have a little bit to offset expenses.

Reminder Phone Calls
You can sit down and make them yourself, hire a virtual executive assistant, get your mature kids to do it, or even use an automated phone messaging service. However you do it, a personal reminder call will increase your attendance. Emails can be ignored or lost in the shuffle, but a voice on the other end of the phone or in the message queue makes a bigger impact.

Guilt
If you're serving lunch or paying for a room, remind your attendees that you as the organizer get charged whether they show up or not. Nothing like laying a small guilt trip on someone to get them to stay committed. If they have to cancel, at least they can do it with enough time for you to make adjustments. An amendment to this is to let them know that there are no refunds, but they can send someone else in their place. It's always important to have "buns in seats" even if they weren't the original person.

These are a few of the strategies I have used over the years. When you add them to other ideas like building momentum and delivering more than promised, your events will be anticipated and well-attended.

There is a lot of confusion that abounds regarding exactly what the National Speakers Bureau does, or what functions bureaus in general exist to perform. The actual answer is much less confusing or detailed as you may expect, and can be helpful for both professional public speakers and all kinds of groups and organizations who would like to book one for an event.

A speakers bureau exists to perform a couple of functions. To explain what one does, you first must know how they work. Speakers bureaus affiliate themselves with certain speakers, and then recommend these speakers, or even personally book them, for events as is appropriate. Speakers bureaus allow the widespread world of public speaking to have a bit more unity and organization.

If you are looking to hire a public speaker for a get-together, convention or other event, you may find that a speakers bureau can be very helpful for finding an appropriate speaker for said event. The bureau itself will often work closely with you to establish exactly what type of event you are holding, as well as what is important for you to have in the public speaker you hire. By doing this, they will be able to know exactly what qualities you require, and then will be able to match you up with the perfect public speaker for the event. As you can see, using this kind of service is a great way to make sure that you end up with an appropriate speaker for what your event needs.

A bureau is very helpful for getting recognition in the large world of public speaking. If you are simply working on your own, you can set up a website to promote yourself, or hope for good word of mouth to spread the message about what you bring to the table. However, if you affiliate yourself with a speakers bureau, you will undoubtedly get more bookings than you would otherwise receive. This is important, since professionals are only getting paid when they have bookings.

It is easy to see that an organization like the National Speakers Bureau is an important one for both professional public speakers and the event planners that are looking to hire them. By utilizing the services that this organization provides, both speakers and event planners can prosper.

One way of advertising that fits into even the busiest of schedules and smallest of budgets is email marketing for event planners. Between the affordability of email marketing software and the ease with which it can be managed, distributed and customized, an event planner's email marketing program is a must for everyone in the industry.

When executed correctly, email marketing for event planners will create a domino effect. Those who send out these emails aren't just introducing themselves to the recipient-their services are also being offered to all of that person's friends and family. Each of these messages can be forwarded with the simple click of a button.

Think of email marketing as word of mouth for the Internet era-and an essential component for any person operating a business. Let's face it: everyone's attention spans are shorter these days. No matter how well event planners fare, a client may misplace their phone number or contact information when it comes time to recommending them to someone else. With email marketing, satisfied clients can just search their email for the correct message and forward it along.

The ability to share messages with other people is just one of the many interactive features. Within the body of the email the event planner can include photos from and blurbs about previous parties, client testimonials, a link to the company's website (which of course contains more photos, blurbs and testimonials) as well as a calendar listing future events (without naming the people for whom the party is planned, of course-but it can't hurt the planner to subtly point out how busy he or she is!).

Speaking of the website, it can invite visitors who land there via a web search to type in their email address so that they can receive future messages. The initiative doesn't have to begin at the website, though. It can start simply enough with the planner inviting all potential clients to write down their email address on a clipboard during an introductory meeting or at an event. The implementation of the program is quite easy, as well, and can be handled in a short amount of time.

The demands of doing business in the 21st century require anyone who operates a business to be hustling and thinking of his or her next assignment even while in the midst of the current one. Event planners' email marketing allows these tireless professionals the best of both worlds-concentrating on the task at hand while maximizing the amount of time they have to land new gigs!