Corporate Event Planning|Event Management|Event Planner

To event or not to event in a down market, that is the question on the minds of many corporate executives. Is it better to invest $500,000 in a meeting that could generate $2M in sales or ditch it in a fit of cautionary economizing? Corporate event planners are finding that small and large businesses alike are canceling or postponing events in reaction to a downturn in the economy. Actions speak louder than words and in a tough economy, a canceled event is the perceptual equivalent of a hole in a sinking ship.

Meetings, conferences, seminars and events are a critical part of a business communication strategy. Events say, "We are doing business, and we are confident in our business position." When reviewing your marketing budget, look at events as investments, not expenditures. Don't give events the boot, tighten your belt and give them the squeeze. Don't bail on your events; plan them smarter.

How can you make your events smarter? First, plan them strategically. Events are tools. They are planned in response to a need for face-to-face communication. Why are you having the event? What do you expect from the event? Who is coming to the event? Research these factors extensively. Then use the data to determine how to deliver the richest amount of content to the targeted audience in the shortest amount of time.

Next, plan them professionally. Does your staff have the time, skills and resources needed to effectively plan implement and staff an event, while continuing to do their own jobs? Event planners do. They manage thousands of logistical details and provide resources for professional contract negotiation, content development, speakers and specialized vendors. In addition, event planners know the elements that are essential to a successful event. We tell our clients that the success of their conference will be based on the content, not on the chicken.

Here are some belt-tighteners for anyone planning an event, meeting or conference:

1. Do your research first. The greatest cost saver for any event is knowledge.


2. Hire professionals. Hotel, entertainment, food/beverage and travel/transportation contracts are complex, high-ticket items. Mistakes can be costly. The fee for an event planner or other professional to negotiate on your behalf is cost effective. Professionals have the resources and often have established relationships with vendors they know and trust. They are familiar with standard hotel, venue, and food and beverage contracts and can help you negotiate.


3. Hire professional speakers. Professional speakers or trainers make sure the message of the event is delivered. If your company doesn't have a great speaker to deliver meeting content, hire one. If your material is industry specific, hire a presentation expert.


4. Don't be afraid to reveal your budget. Create a realistic budget for your event. Event professionals and vendors expect to work within a budget.


5. Tighten up presentations and shorten the length of the conference. If your four-day conference for 100 people costs an average of $450/day/person for hotel room, meeting space and materials, food and beverage and audio/visual equipment, you could save up to $45,000 simply by eliminating one day.


6. Plan ahead. Time is a valuable cost cutter. You can shop for a less expensive printer; avoid rush charges for goods and services, and save money by booking travel arrangements in advance. A Silicon Valley high tech company spent $12,000 in copy charges at the conference site because presentations were not completed by the deadlines.


7. Evaluate costs before canceling current events. Hotel and catering contracts have strict cancellation policies. Canceling an event three to six months out can cost as much as it would to actually have the event. Two years ago, a client wanted to pull the plug on a high-tech partners conference we had spent months planning. With just 45 days until the event, it would have cost $80,000 to cancel it and $90,000 to have it. We convinced him to go ahead with it, and he signed a lucrative contract at the conference.


8. Understand your negotiating power. Understand your negotiating power before you sign any contracts. Flexibility of dates, addition of sleeping rooms, food and beverage commitments and use of other hotel services bring to a venue, the greater the negotiating power you have. Flex your negotiating power by combining other event efforts within the company.


9. Reduce "no-shows" and watch guarantees. Hotels routinely charge for rooms not used and not cancelled, and they have a prorated charge for potential business lost on food and beverage. Try telemarketing and e-marketing to insure that attendees keep your event in mind and to minimize "no-shows". Some "no-shows" are inevitable, so pay attention to meal guarantees, hotel room counts, and transportation needs when negotiating contracts.


10. Consider back-end expenses. Awkward signage, demo equipment, heavy meeting materials and cumbersome guest gifts all have to be shipped home. These costs can add up.

To event or not to event? The answer is "To event". In a world of e-mail and e-commerce, events are the real deal. They are an experience. They can stimulate confidence, promote networking, increase sales and encourage problem solving in a face-to-face format. So pull it in a notch or kick it down a peg but don't cancel your event. Events say, "We are here to stay.

If you're searching the internet for Party Rentals in Long Island New York, New York City or other parts of the Eastern Seaboard, you probably want to get some items for your next event that will really WOW your guests! Each year fun new items show up for entertainment....but what's HOT for party rentals in New York this year?

And of course, once you find the hottest games....where do you find them? Because to be honest...not all the newest items reach area's of the country at the same time. For instance, Oxygen Bars arrived here in New York about 2 years earlier than the rest of the country. Ok, with the exception of Los Angeles! They made it to Los Angeles about six months sooner than NY!

You'll probably be amazed at all the great things you can offer for your party or event. Most people don't realize how many unique attractions have been developed in the past few years. Some of them were available at one time only at amusement parks or huge malls but now many items are available for home parties, colleges and corporate events.

There are a few things you need to think about before making your party rental decision:

• The age of the participants


• The amount of space available


• Power availability


• Water availability (also, will your guests want to be wet)


• Budget

Once you've answered those questions, you can really start to make your plans. Here are just a few of the items you might want to consider for your event this year. Most are brand new although there are a number of "Old standards" that stay on our hot list year after year.

Unique Photo Ideas:

Crystal Photos (have your guests photos embedded in crystal)

Edible Chocolate Photos (custom printed with your guests photos at the event)

Pop Noggins (a new green screen technology that super imposes a person's head onto dancing animated bodies.) This item is really hot and is only just now becoming available in some parts of the country,

Photo Illusions (Imagine yourself on a magazine cover, posing with your favorite celebrity)

And these are just a few. There are dozens of great unique photo possibilities.

Video Games and Simulators:

Just like the ones in best arcades. How about a full sized DDR that your guests can enjoy without the public watching? Or how about a golf simulator for your favorite golfer? You can even get an alpine race simulator, a wave runner simulator or a skateboard simulator!

Virtual Reality Game

Virtual Reality games are HUGE this year! Put yourself and your guests in the virtual world of motorcycle racing or set them in a flight simulator. You can also try virtual reality surfboarding, golfing, tennis and kayaking. Although VR has been around for awhile, these new games are just now becoming available.

Casino Night

A casino night is a terrific way to turn an ordinary evening into an extraordinary event. And you can find everything you need for the BEST casino event as you're searching for party rentals Long Island New York. Whether you want blackjack games, craps, poker, roulette, slots or even a money machine. They're all available for your special event. Since Texas Hold'em became popular, casino themed parties are HOT!

Other hot party rental ideas for Long Island New York & other parts of the state...

Of course these are just a few suggestions. Inflatable Games are great for kids of all ages. There are moonbounces, giant slides, water rides, interactive games like the gladiator joust and & sumo wrestling and even inflatables for toddlers.

And don't forget food concessions like cotton candy, popcorn and snow cones.

Of course if you really want a party atmosphere, consider looking for some great carnival ideas for your New York Event. You can find old fashioned carnival games, newer water splash games, and even old fashioned striped tents to add to the atmosphere.

All in all, you will find that planning the perfect event is easy when you're looking for party rentals Long Island New York. You just have to take the time to look!

Any time you attend a new venue or need to have your trade show booth set up in a location you aren't familiar with, it's best to work carefully with the venue managers/event planners every step of the way so that you can take advantage of their expertise. These days, most venues request or require that all of the vendors use the same Install and Dismantle company. Communicating clearly with the I&D team is critical to the proper set-up of any custom trade show stands, but you can't simply send them a set of instructions and expect them to flawlessly install your trade show banner stands, table top displays and modular units. Here are a few tips for making sure that everything is done correctly the first time and that your company and the installation and dismantle team work seamlessly together.

Details: Paperwork And Lots Of It

Be sure before shipping your custom trade show displays to various venues that you have a complete, detailed inventory of the contents of every box shipped. Boxes can become separated during shipment or damaged. You need to let the team on the receiving end of your shipment have a complete manifest detailing how many crates and skids they should be expecting and what is in each and every container, right down to the number of screws. Don't forget to itemize elements such as company brochures, tablets, signage and giveaways as well. The more detailed your paperwork, the easier it will be for the I&D team to keep track of everything. It will also make it simpler for them to let you know what's missing if a container doesn't arrive. Bring copies of all this paperwork with you as well so that you can quickly refer to it when you arrive to give your booth a pre-event checkup. Without a detailed inventory, it can be easy for installers to overlook banner stands and other elements of your display that didn't arrive at the right place at the right time.

Instructions That Leave Nothing To Chance

Once again, detail is critical. There is no such thing as set-up instructions that are too detailed. Be sure the I&D team receives a copy of the installation and dismantle instructions about a week before you arrive for the actual event. Keep in mind that the team will probably be setting up numerous displays. If your instructions and your shipment arrive early, you're less likely to be the last, rushed job they do right before the trade show floor is open for business.

Understand The Venue When Installing Custom Trade Show Displays

Be sure you understand the limitations of the venue as well as any special considerations you'll need to address when your trade show booth installers are setting up. If you don't know whether the electrical power is supplied by drop-down cords from above or floor runs, you could end up without power because you didn't bring the appropriate extension cords or power strips. If you aren't familiar with the venue floor and where your booth will be within that area, you could end up sitting between trade show banner stands that can't be seen clearly because the set-up is all wrong or you simply didn't provide appropriate lighting.

Don't Forget About Tear-Down Instructions

It's easy to forget about what happens after the trade show is over. Don't assume that the same I&D team that set your booth up will also be dismantling it. There should be detailed, precise directions for the dismantle that also outlines how to properly pack, crate and ship everything to the next location or back to your company. Double check the shipping address and make sure any needed shipping paperwork is properly filled out so that your custom displays aren't lost or damaged in shipping after the event is over.

By carefully outlining and detailing every aspect of shipping, installing and dismantling your custom displays, you can ensure there are no unpleasant trade show booth surprises to deal with and no damage to any of the elements of your display from trade show banner stands to giveaways.

Corporate function event planners can help ensure that your corporate functions go off smoothly and without any problems, but there are still probably a few areas that you will want to be involved with. Leave the booking of the venue, corporate entertainment bookings, and catering to the professionals but make sure they have what they need and that your guests know all about this great function yourself.

Outsourcing Event Planners

When it comes to outsourcing event planners you want to make sure that there is good communication - that your corporate function event planners know how many people are coming for catering purposes, that you tell your people what entertainment the event planners have booked, etc. One great way to do this is by means of a Web 2.0 web page that gives all the details as well as acting as a communication tool between the different people involved in or coming to the function.

Set up a free web page at Events Listed and you will be able to use task manager and budget manager tools, as well as many other applications to co-ordinate the planning of your event. All guests will be able to view this page and your event planners will also be able to access it.

Add photos, videos and audio clips that will show your guests what the event planners have organized. Allow your guests to RSVP online and in this way your corporate function event planners will be able to see at all times who is coming, who is not coming and how many people they need to cater for.

Polls and comment walls can also help to get guests involved in the function planning and encourage them to share their views with the event planners. You may have a poll on decisions your event planners have asked you to make or simply leave room for people to comment on what has been planned and advertised.

Event Marketing

Once your corporate function event planners have given you the details of what they have organized and you have set up your web page with these details then it is time to make sure that everyone necessary has been invited. You need to let people know that your event website is up and that they can go there for more details or to reply so send out email invitations.

When your guests get these invitations they will be able to click through to your web page and respond. Other guests, your event planners and, of course, yourself will be able to see who is coming, who is not coming and who still has to respond. This makes the event easier to organize as well, as you and your corporate function event planners will know exactly how many people they are catering for (and you can chase up those who have not answered).

After the event (or even during the event) go back and add video, photos, audio or anything else that will remind people of the event afterwards or keep those informed who were unable to make it.

All you need to do to assist your corporate function event planners in this manner is to go and register a free account with Events Listed and start creating the web page with the multimedia applications available to you.

The hectic timetable of business organizations often proves to be very tedious and employees often need more than just a Sunday to keep their spirits up. Corporate events usually help people to bond outside their usual work environment. These events often lead to long lasting friendships and relationships. They also serve to ease the relationship between subordinates and superiors.

Corporate events are a mixture of business and pleasure. But some events should stand out from the norm. For example, when companies celebrate landmark accomplishments or significant anniversaries, they might want to go above and beyond what they normally do. Going out and evening party have become as old as corporate events. Here we have some interesting event ideas-

• Music: Music can be an excellent idea for corporate events. Established professional artists and live bands may add an extra level to the party. A rock concert can revive the spirits of the employees. One can even have a theme party side by side.


• Dance: a dance group is another good idea for a corporate party. It can be modified according to formality and occasion of the party. Break dancing group, Ballet Company or professional ballroom dancers may prove to be good options.


• Team Building activities: one can conduct many team building activities throughout the year. Small games such as brain games, one minute games etc are great stress relievers.


• Artists: Hiring local artists can be a unique entertainment idea. They can be ice or marble sculptures or painters and actually create a piece during the party. This works best for the events where there is a lot of socializing and guests moving around frequently.


• Cooking Day: In a cooking day the employees can show their skill. It is certain to give the employees a very good vent to their culinary activities.


• Comedians: standup comedy can be a good idea for entertainment. But one should preview the act and select a 'clean' routine that is appreciated to a business setting.


• Magic Show: Magic show is a less common option and may attract a large variety of people.

One can take help of the professional party planners and they may make tremendous differences in their client's functions.

One of the most delightful but challenging parts of planning baby showers is selecting the ideal keepsakes for the event. Far too many people underestimate the thought and effort that goes into selecting baby shower party favors. As many events planners and organizers know, sometimes, it is the smallest details that can color a guest's impression of a celebration, be it at first glance or in retrospect.

The most effective baby shower party favors often serve as more than just gaudy, disposable trinkets. One must bear in mind that these are not just simple giveaways: they are tokens of gratitude intended to thank the guest for lending his or her support to the expectant mother on her and her baby's special day. If the baby shower is a smashing success, the party favor may also double as a souvenir to honor the happy memories gathered from the event.

These days, a growing number of hosts and celebrants will not just settle for cutesy porcelain figures that one can get in every other shower. More practical-minded planners are now opting for baby shower party favors that are either elegant or functional. With the wide selection of trinkets available today, the baby shower host is guaranteed to find that perfect memento to reflect either the event's theme or the guest of honor's personal preferences.

Classic and elegant-looking baby shower party favors have been a longtime favorite of party planners. These souvenirs are made recognizable by their subtle and timeless designs, making them a joy to cherish and display. Plain, traditional shapes like teddy bears, cherubs and baby bottles are not uncommon. Stuffed animals and crystal figurines in shapes like carousel horses, pacifiers and pea pods for twin babies are also becoming easy to find.

With the growing demand for souvenirs made not just for show, practical and functional giveaways can now be readily ordered via most trusted party supply channels. Choosing the right functional keepsakes most often depend on your baby shower's theme. Personalized seed packets can be given away at garden-themed showers, while gingerbread cookie cutters and egg timers are great for people who love to bake. Mint tins and old-fashioned glass jars are also major crowd-pleasers. Other party favors available in this vein include custom key chains, candles, soaps, picture frames, notepads, candy dispensers, shot glasses, bowls, lotions, mugs and playing card decks.

Edible favors are also growing in demand. Many bakeries and party suppliers now offer souvenir packages that include customized cookies, cupcakes, lollipops, chocolate bars, jam preserves and even miniature fondant cakes. Edible mementos are becoming the preference of more attentive shower hosts who know how much guests dislike clutter accumulating in their homes.

One ingenious suggestion gaining popularity today is giving out invitations that double as baby shower party favors. In addition to conserving funds and resources, party favor invites are also a time-saving way to guarantee that no guests will come home empty-handed. This can also provide a unique answer to the problem of prompt RSVPs.

Cut flowers are one of the most profitable plants for small growers all across North America, with sales of up to $30,000 per acre. Most growers start part-time, selling flowers at local outlets like the Farmer's market, florists and restaurants.

Cut flowers are a perfect cash crop, because they are easy to grow, produce quickly and can supply a good income throughout the growing season. Also, startup costs are low, as most gardeners already have the basic gardening tools needed, and only have to buy seeds to get started.

Local Farmer's or Saturday markets are the best place for the beginning flower grower to get started. As most are one or two days a week, you'll have more time to devote to growing flowers. Instead of setting up your own booth, consider sharing a booth with another grower selling compatible items, such as vegetables or herbs.

It's best to stick to proven cut flower varieties when starting out, so you have a better chance of selling out on market days. According to seasoned flower growing pros, the best flower choices to insure profits include:

1. Ageratum. Clusters of long-lasting flowers in red, white and blue add color to bouquets. With successive plantings, ageratum can produce continuous blooms from early summer to frost.

2. Scabiosa. Also called the pincushion flower, scabiosa is excellent for cutting and comes in a wide variety of colors, from white to dark. As with most cut flowers, plant every 2-3 weeks until mid-summer for extended bloom harvest.

3. Larkspur. This relative of the buttercup has complex flowers and comes in a wide range of colors. Most seed suppliers offer color assortments so you'll have a rainbow of blooms to harvest and mix into bouquets.

4. Snapdragon. Best to start indoors and transplant. Snapdragons take 120 days to mature. Most growers plant a mix of 8-10 colors for variety.

5. Peony. With hundreds of varieties of this popular perennial, the hardest decision may be which ones to plant! The large fragrant flowers are always a hit at the Saturday market.

6. Zinnias. Nothing fills out a bouquet quite like zinnias, with their brilliant colors, shapes and sizes. The giant varieties are bestsellers at the market.

7. Sunflowers. The early-blooming varieties - at under 60 days to harvest - are popular market sellers. Some growers prefer to sell individual stems at $4-$6 each.

8. Verbena bonariensis. This popular flower produces lilac colored flowers on long, thin stems.

9. Salvia. Produces an abundance of flowers on it's elongated stems. Many variety choices for a wide choice of colors, from scarlet to white.

10. Yarrow. Also called Achillea millefolium, this popular annual comes in a variety of colors. It can be direct seeded or transplanted, and is ready to harvest in around 90 days.

Mixed bouquets are the best, as they allow you to blend in a variety of cut flowers so you don't end up at the end of the day with too many unsold stems of individual varieties. Most growers use gypsophila (baby's breath) as a bouquet filler, as it's easy to grow and blends well with other flower varieties. Gypsophila is so widely used by florists, they've nicknamed it "florist's hamburger helper."

Be sure to time your plantings so your cut flowers are ready to harvest when prices are highest, as your customers celebrate the holidays - Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day and Christmas. In addition to selling your cut flowers at your local Saturday market, consider these seven other selling venues for your harvest:

1. Restaurants and Hotels. Upscale restaurants and hotels use lots of cut flower arrangements to decorate tables, rooms, lobbies and for special occasions such as banquets or special events.

2. Florists. They are most likely to buy flower varieties that are hard to find through their wholesale suppliers, such as the old fashioned flower varieties.

3. Grocery Stores. Chain stores, such as Safeway or Kroger are hard to sell, as they usually have to buy through central purchasing or company approved vendors. Local independent grocers are your best bet. The easiest way to sell to grocers is to stock cut flowers or bouquets on a consignment basis. Growers report 90 percent of consigned flowers are sold within four days.

4. U-Cut Flower Patch. U-pick flowers have grown in popularity because customers can create their own flower or color blends and be assured the flowers are fresh picked. A roadside stand with already-picked flowers is another option if you prefer to keep customers out of your growing area.

5. Subscription Sales. This is a great way to create a steady income from flowers. Anyone who works in an office is a prospect for regularly scheduled - typically once a week - delivery of a fresh bouquet of flowers to brighten an office, cubicle or reception area. One enterprising grower, located in an area with an abundance of office buildings, built her floral subscription business to over $500,000 yearly!

6. Weddings and Events. This can be a very profitable, but time-consuming, business. To find customers, contact local wedding planners and event planners and let them know what you offer.

7. Edible Flowers. Prominent chefs have used everything from geraniums to roses to create new and exciting garnishes for a special meal. At top restaurants, it's quite common to use specially grown flowers to enhance the taste and visual appeal of a fine meal. To explore this niche market further, read "Edible Flowers: From Garden to Palate" by Cathy Wilkinson Barash, or "The Edible Flower Garden" by Rosalind Creasy.

Amongst the clutter and craziness of the social media explosion, Pinterest has experienced exponential growth over the past few years. With Pinterest, you can "pin" your favorite things onto separate "boards", which is a productive strategy for large-scale promotions. The visual appeal of Pinterest coupled with its collaborative nature presents an interactive platform that event organizers may utilize to initiate brand communication for events.

With possibilities galore, this massive social media forum has now become a steadfast platform to create and maintain a relationship with the audience. Here, we have shared key tips to help use Pinterest for your event's success.

1. Create an account of your brand and event

While promoting your event through Pinterest, keep the company's brand image in mind. You need to separate your personal Pinterest account from your company account. Making your company a brand in its own right is definitely easy with a stimulating platform like this. Present the dynamics of your brand to its prospective customers and create a personality that will resonate with the users. For your upcoming event, you can create a separate board with a corporate theme that matches your company or brand. It helps to attract people and get themselves engaged in discussions on the event. Thus, you access a convenient way to make your event popular long before the actual occasion takes place.

2. Maintain relevance in your Pinterest activity

By just merely being active on Pinterest will not reap the fruits of success, unless your activities do not comply with the mission and vision of your event. Post, like, and repin things which are in line with your event or your company's operation, products and services.

For example, if your upcoming event is a concert or a rock-music gig, you have to post pictures related to the artist, music genres or the venue of the show. Simultaneously create boards, which are appropriately relevant with the event or your company's brand.

3. Research about the target audience

It is true that the majority of social media users belong to the age group of 18 to 30 years. Many a times, they are not the target audience of your event, unless it's a rock-music show or a similar kind of concert. Thus, identifying your target demographics is crucial. Once you know who is talking about you and wants to attend your event, it would be easier for you to determine the kind of posts that will attract them. In other words, you must know how to cater to your audience and their diverse behaviors.

4. Create pins that your followers will share

Pinterestis all about creating a buzz in a virtual world. Moreover, it is visual and collaborative by nature. Thus, when you are promoting your event through this platform, make sure that your actions speak for themselves. You need to create colorful photos and posts, so that people find them interesting enough to share. Thus, you can get your event promoted in a fun and interactive way.

5. Attract followers with catchy phrases

Pinterest is not only about images; catchy tags and interesting titles have a lot to do with it. You will be more likely to draw followers if you use clever, witty and short phrases along with the picture you pin.

Thousands of users are using Pinterest as a promotional platform. Thus, it is extremely difficult for you to stand out amongst the millions of other boards unless you are offering something unique.

Most event organizers and planners find it hard to make their services known to the public who they wish to target. It is always important to reach the wider majority if one is to reach the goals of his business or organization. Without the right marketing tools and the right marketing strategy, an organization could end up suffering and be left to languish without many people knowing that it exists.

There are various marketing companies and organizers that are dedicated and committed in helping event planners advertise their services and events. A good company will handle your ideas with interest and keenness and give its best to make it prosper. You should hire a company that knows the right media in which to advertise your message and one that has a marketing strategy that will work for you and your company.

When you choose to market your services, go for an agency that will deliver your services and goods to the target market directly and effectively thus bringing you good results. In this sense, the marketing, branding, media acquisition, public relations and even communication methods such as visual demonstrations are essential in ensuring your services are well received. A good marketing company should be able to give you positive results and continue to maintain giving you all the value you are looking for through the entire process.

Marketing activities can be great driving forces in making your services and goods known to the public and therefore it is only fair that you go for a marketing agency that offers the very best activities which are sure to reap the very best results. The agency should be there from the initial stages of your campaign and still stand with you long after the campaign has finished in order to evaluate how the market reacts and whether the marketing strategies put into use really did work to your advantage.

If you are an event organizer or planner and deal with events like conferences, festivals, conventions and expos among others, you need the right direction in dealing with such to make the public aware and what other better way to do this than to hire the services of a marketing agency? There is no single organizer who would want his event to lack attendees or, worse still, lack any sponsors. A good marketing agency should be in a position to help you reach the wide majority making your event a success

Lots of wedding planners get stuck when it comes to marketing. Here's how to grow a successful bridal business.
 
The quickest way to land a wedding client is by personally connecting with a motivated buyer. The more sales conversations you have with people who urgently want and need to hire a wedding planner, the greater your chances of success. If you can come across as a trustworthy professional who fully understands their needs you will almost certainly land the business. The trick is finding ways to have more of these conversations.
 
So how do you connect with highly motivated wedding shoppers?
 
It all depends upon your goals. If you are only looking to land one or two wedding planning clients this year you can probably do that by effectively networking with your circle of friends and family, but it's hard to scale this approach. If you need to make a full-time income from wedding planning you need a scalable marketing solution.
 
The very best marketing plans are not complicated. There seems to be a great temptation amongst MBA's to make the process of marketing convoluted and difficult. If you're marketing budget is in the millions of a dollars you will need fairly complex systems. But you don't need anything near that for the average wedding planning business.
 
First, get very clear about the type of clients that you want to work with. I see too many wedding planners try to be everything to everyone, and ultimately, they fail. The market values expertise and specialization.
 
Keep your target audience in minds at all times. Keep all your marketing "on message," on clear value proposition. If you happen to do general event planning, don't confuse your potential customers by advertising corporate event planning or any other extraneous services. The bride-to-be ones to work with an expert who is perfectly matched to her needs. Send brides to a weddings only site.
 
Next, discover what your ideal clients really want. Don't assume. Simply asking around can be helpful, but don't be misled. Often times people will tell you one thing and do another. Identify your ideal client type and carefully watch exactly what they are actually spending money on.
 
Don't forget what the bride is ultimately buying from you. She's not buying flowers, food, music or transportation. She' buying the fulfillment of a dream. Remember to engage your customers on an emotional level. Not in a manipulative way but in a way that honors their intentions. Work hard to truly understand the wants, desires, and years that your potential customer habits. Honestly address their concerns and always look for ways you can better serve them.
 
Wedding planning is a wonderful business. There's plenty of opportunity for creative, ambitious and organized individuals who want to make a difference. Don't let your lack of marketing skills stop you from living your dreams. It's possible to build a thriving wedding planning business when you start with a solid marketing plan.

We all have events in our lives that standout. We want to make these events special and memorable. One way to do this is to rent a Limousine. Arriving at a Prom, Birthday, Wedding or other special event in a luxurious Limousine would make those events even more special. When booking a Limousine service there are several useful tips you can follow that will save you money and ensure you hire a quality service.

Hire a Company that can Provide the Right Car

When hiring a Limousine service you want to hire one that has a large selection of different luxury vehicles. Depending on the event you are attending you may want different types of cars. For instance, you might prefer a luxury SUV for a bachelor's party, then a Rolls-Royce for the wedding day. If you are throwing a sweet sixteen party for your daughter you might prefer to rent a stretch Limo. You also need a company that can provide a wide selection of Limos to ensure they have one that will accommodate all of the people in your party.

Modern Cars

Cars, even Limos, have advanced a lot over the last few years. Make sure the company you hire has updated cars. Their cars should feature all of the most modern conveniences such as satellite radio, DVD players, and HD stereo systems to name a few things the cars should have. Another thing you need to do is ensure that you and your guests have control of all of the entertainment systems. Do not depend on the taste of the driver. With many Limo rentals only the driver can control the CD player, DVD player, and other entertainment devices. You do not want to listen to another person's music for an entire trip, make sure you can listen to the music you want to hear.

Pre-Plan your Rental

One of the key things you should do when renting a limousine for a special occasion is book your Limo as far ahead of schedule as possible. This will allow to get the best deal and ensure that you get the car you want for your event. Planning ahead will also give you more options when talking to the rental company. You can plan the route you want to take to your destination, the beverages you want served during the trip, and any stops you would like to make along the route. There will also be other plans you can make, renting your Limousine at the last minute could limit your choices.

Hire a Quality Service

Possibly the most important consideration when hiring a Limousine service is to hire a company with a good reputation. You have to consider that their driver will literally have your life, and the lives of your party members in their hands. Before you hire any company or sign any contracts ask the Limo company to show you proof of their licenses, insurance, and other paperwork. If any rental company declines to show you this proof you should walk out the door and find another rental company to work with.

Different companies hire strategic planners internally or as consultants to guide them towards profitability. These strategic planners do thorough research using the company's SWOT or Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats analyses. They use these kinds of information to be able to predict how to react to future problems or obstacles.

Having a strong and effective strategic plan is like having a strong weapon in achieving success in your business. However, strategic planners are facing some issues these days that might hinder them in coming up with a successful plan for the future of the company. To be able to understand more, here are some of the issues that strategic planners are facing today:

1. Lack of information - Researched information is basically the bread and butter of strategic planners. They usually get information from the competitors to have a comparison but most of the times these competitors are protecting their business so they do not reveal much information.


2. Fear of losing a job - Another way for strategic planners to create a successful plan that will help the organization dodge bullets or storms for that matter is by asking current employees with some questions that will make the case study stronger. Of course, the voices of employers shall be heard too but most of the times, these employees are afraid to tell the truth because they are afraid that they might lose their jobs. How are you going to develop a plan when employees are picking the good words to say about the company? This problem is indeed one of the major headaches that strategic planners go through.


3. Predicting the future -Another issue that strategic planners is facing is the ever-changing trend in the market. This problem becomes worse because of the presence of new technology that can easily improve a man's way of living.

These are the challenges or issues facing strategic planners today. It would be best to get as much and as accurate information that you can get to be able to create an effective and strategic plans. Since you are now aware of the problems that might hinder in the development of an accurate plan then it is best to act on these problems. Here are some examples:

1. If you find it difficult to gather accurate information about the competitors then you might want to consider doing another approach like hiring another person to get this information for you.


2. If you were having trouble because some of the employees do not want to reveal the truth because they fear losing employment, then you must explain to them that you are conducting this research to help them secure their employment.


3. If the competitors were being proactive planner then be sure to distinguish a campaign that is worth your time - i. e. the campaign that will help you determine their actions towards the future. You need not chase them all throughout. Planning based on potential threats could be more reactive than strategic planning so you need to be selective with the information that you get too.


4. Well you cannot do much about predicting an accurate forecast because if you are just basing your research from potential strength, possible weaknesses, opportunities and threats then you will not really produce a plan with 100% accuracy.

You are not a leader simply because you hold some title or position, or ascend to some position of power and authority. True leaders always plan ahead and determine needs, not only in the present, but in the future as well. They realize that their actions, or lack of taking actions ultimately have ramifications, and they are prepared for these by anticipate needs and necessities, and doing so before there is a crisis or are forced to take action. They participate and anticipate proactively. The hockey legend, the great Wayne Gretzky worded it this way, "Skate to where the puck is going, not where it is." When this is adapted for leadership, it is important not only to anticipate where things are going instead of where they are, but even more so to not become overly fixated by where they may have been in the past.

1. Things change, and when someone in leadership is unwilling or unable to adapt, or in some cases to even understand that change is to be expected, welcomed and planned for, an organization will ultimately suffer often dire circumstances. Every leader not only needs a dream directed, vision led, set of goals and priorities, but he needs an action plan. This plan must not be simply one way to do something, but must examine alternatives, set priorities and preferences, understand how to evaluate progress made, never be intimidated by the inevitable road blocks and obstacles, and create a series of plans. These plans should be prioritized and all should aim toward the same goals and results, and not be satisfied with under- achievement. While it is both acceptable and logical that a leader would have a prioritized and preferred course of action, her must always have back- up or contingency plans. Leaders must commit to accept the Boy Scouts, "Be prepared," philosophy, and never be overwhelmed by an obstacle or challenge that may come up. Planning is a process and only through commitment to that process, can someone be ready regardless of circumstances.

2. In addition to having consulted and trained leaders for over thirty years, I have also been intimately involved in the preparation and planning of hundreds of events during that over three decade period. Often, the difference between a great event and a mediocre, run of the mill (or worse) one, is the level and degree of planning. When it comes to planning and organizing events, event planners must not only have back up plans, but contingencies for the contingencies. I have so stressed that issue, that a hotel food and beverage/ group department gave me an engraved flask, that read, "The Ultimate Back- up Plan."

True leaders proactively plan and anticipate. They look positively and hope for the best results, but are prepared to use different methods or approaches to achieve the ultimate goal (effectiveness and greatness) by always anticipating, so as to dramatically reduce the negative impact of any scenario that may come forth.

Upon first viewing the bail-out rate an event professional new to web analytics might be quite shocked by the figure, but the truth is that some amount of bail-out is natural. Any website that does business online needs to recognize that comparison shopping, the need to approve expenses, questions on how much to order, or plain-old lack of attention-span due to the amount of information available on the web all contribute to customers walking away from their virtual shopping carts. So some amount of bail-out is a necessary part of the internet sales process.

However, experienced internet merchants will also tell you that you can always improve your process too. So what should you look at in the bail-out information to help you decide what to do first?

The first thing you need to address is the overall bail-out rate. If 100 visitors come to your registration page, and 80 of them bail-out it is most likely a strong indication that your form needs some work. One of the most common issues in this case is that your potential registrants are not well enough informed about your event to make the decision to register final. For instance, if you don't tell registrants the price up front, when they see the price, they may balk and leave your form. This also applies to questions they will need to answer about their registration, for instance: flight information, group member registration, or payment methods (maybe they want to pay with AMEX but you only accept Visa).

Once you have addressed the overarching issues regarding the bail-out rate you now need to investigate where in the process your potential registrants are leaving the form. Are they bailing out on the pricing page? Maybe the price is too high, or not explained clearly enough. Are they leaving from the additional options page? Maybe the options are too complicated. Are they leaving at the payment stage? Maybe you should consider offering additional payment options. Finding out where the most visitors bail-out in your funnel allows you to take a critical look at each stage of your process to help streamline the entire funnel.

So how do you find the bail-out rates on your form? A few select online registration systems have begun offering integrated analytics programs as part of their standard service. But what if your current software doesn't offer this functionality? You can add a free stat monitoring program to any form which allows customization. In this case, you will need to compile the stats yourself by finding the total number of visitors to the first page of registration, and then the total number to each successive page. This will give you an idea of how your funnel is working.

What does this person do?

Event organizers are either a person or company that takes care of promotional events. This job is made up of a number of tasks. It starts from the planning stage all the way to the actual execution of the event.

In the planning stage, the organizer will meet with you. He or she will discuss your event down to the last detail. You will have to work around your budget and figure out how much you are willing to spend. You can hold your event in a number of ways. Some companies like to hold parties while others might want to have a musical performance.

Once you figure out what you want, event organizers turn into logistic experts. They have so many contacts that they can find the right artist to fit your company's image. After all, you want to avoid alienating your audience. Do not hire a rock band when the average guest age is around 50. Hire a smooth jazz band instead. This is something you have to think about carefully when planning the entertainment portion of your party.

Aside from entertainment, event organizers can help you find the right caterer for your function. You cannot call it a party if you do not have food to serve. For an organizer, this is not a problem. They can find you a reliable caterer and wait staff for your party. It is important to keep the food and drink flowing throughout the proceedings. If you have prepared an Audio-Visual Presentation (AVP), part of their job is to find you a technical crew. It is important to have electronic technicians around. You have to make sure all your AV equipment are hooked up and working properly.

Event organizers have to be one step ahead of everyone else. Look for this skill when hiring a person or company for your product launch or party. Certain clients have specific needs or requests. Make sure you meet these so your guests can relax and enjoy themselves.

What other services do they offer?

During your party, you will see event organizers passing around questionnaires. Product launches make use of this response form, especially if a client wants feedback right away. Sometimes, the survey forms are just left on the table for guests to fill out. Once the party is over, the team of your event organizer will collect them.

Who has the final say?

As a client, you have the final say whether to push through with certain activities. For example, the band you hire will only perform four songs. In case you want them to sing more, it will cost you. You need to let your organizer know in advance. Unlike accountants, events planners are not concerned with costs. What they do is more along the lines of task administration and implementation. If you find some costs unreasonable, an organizer will suggest alternatives but not necessarily ways on cutting down expenses.

How much will it cost?

It really boils down to whom you hire for the job. If you go with a popular firm, expect to pay more. Experienced event organizers charge higher because of an established reputation. The benefit you get is their expertise and professionalism during your party.

For those who want to save, go with untested events planners. Since they are trying to break into the industry, expect to pay a lower price for their services. A lot of these new groups are eager to please since they want to increase their client contact list.

A memorable product launch or party is not complete without the right event organizers. Make sure you do research before hiring one. The Internet is a great resource if you want the latest packages. You can also ask family and friends as well. They might have worked with a good one before.

Are you planning a wedding or are you a special event planner? What a great way to dress up the occasion by providing your guests with hand painted dessert plates. Maybe even hand painted center pieces for each table, that matches the theme and colors for your event.

You may even find that something painted such as a wine glass can be used for the event and taken home as a reminder of the occasion. What a neat gift for people attending your wedding! If you prefer something else as a party favor or gift, other suggestions can be made.

This is a wonderful way to make your event stand out from the rest. It does not have to be expensive to provide this little extra touch either. It will be worth the little extra spent to make the gathering more memorable for you guests. If you are a wedding or event planner this could even assist you with getting more events to organize.

By allowing a decorative painter to assist with your plans you are allowing a little art to be a part of the gathering. It also makes for a pleasant and appealing atmosphere, while adding a color to the surroundings. Colors can have an affect on our moods and can play a big part in how we feel. Adding color to the decor is a wonderful way to encourage a happy and fun filled experience. Is this not what you clients are looking for?

Why not give it a try? It is free to check it out!

Phone Skills That Book More Events

I got this question from a new marketing client of mine who founded of a new catering and event company after years of working for someone else.

I'm finally getting leads from the website! This week I got more job inquiries than I ever did before. Now my problem is selling them once they call me. How do you handle an incoming call from a prospective client who is thinking about hiring you? Thanks, L.T.   Here are a few tips I passed on to L.T. He reported back that he's much more relaxed and so far he's booked a $9,000 job using these ideas. I hope you have the same luck!

First and foremost you want to build rapport quickly. You want the caller to get a good feeling about you and your business. No, this isn't about "brown-nosing" or "sucking up" or "schmoozing." It's about attitude.

Some thoughts to consider before you pick up that phone ....

Attitude of Gratitude. Be happy that somebody is giving you the opportunity to serve them in a way that allows you to use your gifts and talents and make a profit. Don't act grateful ... BE grateful.

Attitude of Service. Be ready to help the caller in whatever way you can - even if that means sending the caller to your competition.

Attitude of Enthusiasm. When I coached L.T. we recorded some of his phone conversations (you can record your side of the call without getting permission) and he was shocked. He was trying to sound like a "business professional." He sounded as enthusiastic as a Department of Motor Vehicles employee on a Friday afternoon.

Unless you only cater at funerals and bankruptcy hearings most customers are enthusiastic about the event they're planning. They want to deal with a relaxed, confident and happy event professional.

The Most Important Person in the World.

Dale Carnegie taught us to "Make other people feel important - and do it sincerely." How do you do that? Ask questions that you really want the answers to and listen carefully to the answers. When was the last time you spoke to someone who really cared about your opinion? Didn't that make you feel great? Really try to understand what the client is saying - so few people do.

Care. Don't ask about a client's fishing trophy if you really don't care. That's cheap, insincere and transparent. My style of selling is strictly business - I don't talk about sports, the weather or how nice your tie is. When I meet you as a prospective client I always get right down to business - not my business - your business.

Prepare. I go into every meeting prepared - I don't ask questions that a professional should already know. If I'm trying to get a trade show account I know everything I can about the industry, the company, competition and their latest products. If I'm pursuing a sales incentive meeting I know the names and territories of the Sales Managers, the size of the sales force and the demographics of the attendees before I approach the buyer. Knowing what you're talking about goes much further than unctuous glad-handing.

How do you prepare for an unexpected telephone inquiry? Stop winging it!

Intake Form. Type up an intake form to capture all the information you'll need ... and include questions that your competition isn't asking.

High Value Questions. Make a list of smart questions that increase your understanding and improve your professional image. List questions that make the client say, "Wow, I'm so glad you asked me that - I didn't think of that!"

Major Sales Tip! Always ask the caller if they've ever hired or experienced a service like yours before. Then ask, "What did you like about it?" and "What didn't you like about it." Get the answers to these two questions and your callers will have told you exactly how to sell to them.

When L.T. asked a client what she didn't like about a previous caterer, the client said she didn't like the servers - they didn't look professional. L.T. emailed over photos and testimonials about of his wait staff . He got the job!

Objections. Start keeping track of all the objections you get on the phone ... and then prepare a presentation that preempts them. The best way to handle an objection is to structure your presentation so that they never become an issue - but be careful about preventing clients from voicing their legitimate concerns.

L.T. thought that by saying to callers, "Our prices aren't cheap - because we don't do cheap work and our clients only want the best," eliminated the price objection. It didn't - it made the caller feel too embarrassed from sharing price concerns - and made L.T. sound like a jerk!

Sales Script. No, you never want to read a sales script to a caller and end up sounding like a phony telemarketer ... but you do want to make sure you give the caller a great sounding presentation.

Here's how to write a great telephone sales script: Don't write it - speak it.

Record and transcribe yourself talking to clients. Listen to your recording with a colleague or coach and pick out the parts you feel do a great job selling your services. Transcribe those phrases - exactly as you spoke them - and create your "pitch." It will sound like you - but your best you!

Perhaps the first reality of leadership is that a leader is never able to please everyone. Tied for first place, however, should also be that a true leader must understand that he shouldn't even try to. Leadership is about taking actions that drive one's vision, and in doing so, a true leader must prioritize motivating others to follow and help take needed and timely actions in order to reach important goals. Great leaders realize that they must not concern themselves unduly about their personal popularity, but rather about doing what they feel needs to be done for the best of the organizations, and its membership in general. Leaders must view things from short- term, intermediate- term and long- term perspectives, and take all things into consideration when taking decisive, well thought out, timely action. Human nature and the dynamics of any group are such that one can never please everyone. Bill Cosby wrote, "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."

1. Let's take for example the decisions that need to be made by an event or conference coordinator. When certain events are run on a regular and/ or repeat/ cyclical basis, while the objective of the event and indeed the need for the event may remain nearly the same, certain change is often necessitated because of changing times, evolving needs, group dynamics, demographics, competitive forces, financial considerations, etc.

A true leader must understand the need to prioritize and to think outside the box, and maintain the integrity of the event, while making certain tweaks or alterations to enhance the event's attractiveness or possibility for success. Invariably, when this occurs, certain "regulars" to these events end up comparing it the "good old days," and it is impossible to please these individuals. A plan is generally ineffective if you pick and choose details rather than thoroughly plan all aspects and details based on needs, goals, objectives, finances, and the organization's present day needs and realities.

2. Organizers of fund raising events often find certain events extremely risky based on factors such as economic reality. Effective not- for- profit fund raising professionals and event planners must analyze things on a risk/ reward basis, and see what can be done to maximize their results and eventually get the greatest success. This often upsets certain individuals, who may have liked some of the features that needed to be changed. That factor, however, does not mean that the changes are not essential to make!

3. Event planners must manage their budgets carefully, and make sure that they get the most bang for the buck, and provide maximum perceived value. That means that certain changes might be needed, based on priorities, because tweaking often creates enhanced value. Obviously, some people will resist these changes.

4. Leaders of organizations need to periodically review their mission, and assure that it is evolved to reflect today's world. Organizations that lose relevancy generally cease to exist. Obviously, there are always some that resist any sort of change.

Organizations and their leaders must make often difficult decisions regarding how they operate, budget, communicate, etc. Effective leaders always understand they will not always be popular, but they must take essential timely decisions.

Canceled events. Slashed budgets. Lower attendance. These are the issues that event organizers and planners are facing as they look forward to 2009.

The economic challenges are real, but there are solutions for event planners. We took some time this month to take a look around the industry to see what top event planners are doing to cope with the economic down-turn, and what we discovered was surprisingly optimistic.

"It really comes down to keeping intelligent business practices and having great customer service," said Carol Wilke, owner of Global Meeting Planners.

A survey from the Religious Management Association mirrors Wilke's sentiments, showing that 58% of meeting organizers are pumping up their marketing efforts to attract more attendees and registrants. Another 27% said they would downgrade their catering options. Meanwhile, only 32% said they are eliminating events or programs.

Still, major corporations are canceling events. In fact, AIG recently announced that it was cutting hundreds of events in December. The events that are going on as planned are reporting up to 60% less attendance.

As an event planner, you're faced with two challenges: Increasing attendance and reducing cost.

The question is where do you start?

We asked other event organizers what they were doing during the economic down-turn, and here are the results...

Two Great Ways to Attract More Event Attendees and Registrants.

Send Email: Many event planners are turning to email marketing to boost attendance at their events. If done right, email can out perform direct mail - for a fraction of the cost. Most successful marketers send a series of emails leading up to an event. The frequency that you send emails should be based on the response of your audience, but in general, an email every week for four weeks is a good approach. Try to keep emails personal and relevant. One way to accomplish this is to send different emails to different segments of your audience. For example, you might want to send your members a different version than your non-members, tying the message into something they feel is personal to their member status.

Get Social: The best way to attract people to your events is through word-of-mouth. People are much more likely to respond to someone they know and trust than an advertisement. Plus, word-of-mouth advertising is free. If you want to spread the word for your events look into the event functions on social networking sites like Facebook.com or LinkedIn.com. These sites allow you to connect with thousands of people through networks of people you already know. You can even create a fan page for your event on Facebook to increase your exposure, and it's all free.

Three Great Ways to Cut Costs

Meet Online: Many event organizers are taking internal meetings to the internet, using web conferencing software to bring people together for virtual events. Not only do web-based meetings save you time and money on things like travel, catering and room rentals, but these virtual events make life easier for your attendees as well. Most event technology companies tie in to virtual meeting providers like ReadyTalk and WebEx so you can register and manage your attendees the same way you do today while still holding your event online for a fraction of the cost.

Know What You Eat: Many event planners think cutting the catering budget means cutting quality. That's not always true. Take a deeper look at your catering options. Sometimes things like bulk condiments and buffet food can save you important cash. While most event planners will quickly point out that going with "cheap" food is not a good option, they will tell you that there is wiggle room in every catering budget and small changes can yield big results.

Go Automatic: One of the biggest expenses in any event is the labor hours it takes to register, coordinate and communicate to your attendees. Most event planners [http://www.planning-directory.com/report] spend too much time on things like collecting payments, sending event reminders and conducting registration updates. By fully utilizing an attendee management system, you can reduce workload on these tasks by up to 75%. That reduced workload allows you to take on more projects with less people, dramatically improving performance while slashing a big cost center.

With the economy on the decline, event planners will continue to experience business challenges. That just means your role is more important than ever. Take the initiative now to do things that will make you look like a hero in 2009.

Public speaking is one of the most powerful forms of marketing your business. In fact, if you don't have a speech ready to present on a moment's notice you could be missing out on golden opportunities to market your business to audiences filled with your ideal target market. Don't miss out! Create what I call a Signature Speech and you'll be positioned for success.

1. Other Speakers Cancel: Speakers are people, too. They have lives and sometimes have emergencies and need to pull out of speaking engagements at the last minute. If event planners in your target market know you have a Signature Speech ready to present on a moment's notice, your phone will be the first to ring and you'll get the opportunity to speak to that audience.

2. Event Planners Procrastinate: Event planners are people, too. They are busy with lots of tasks to handle. Often event planners for the types of groups who need regular speakers are volunteers. It can be easy to let a volunteer duty fall by the wayside. You'll be a hero if you can be available to speak with just a few days' notice.

3. You Get a Call from a Decision Maker: The last thing you want to do when an event planner/decision maker invites you to speak is to hesitate and have to "get back" to that person, even with plenty of notice. While you're trying to decide if your speech is ready, someone else is saying yes to the spot and you'll be, as the old saying goes, "a day late and a dollar short."

4. Use it at Networking Events: Often at networking events, attendees are invited to stand up and say a few words about their businesses. You can use a few of the details from your Signature Speech to give the other attendees a taste of what your speech is about and tell them you're available to deliver it to their groups.

5. Use it in Your 30-Second Intro: Do you panic when someone asks, "What do you do?" When you have a Signature Speech ready, you can confidently answer, "I deliver speeches to audiences of [insert your target market here] about [insert the topic of your speech]." That will get the conversation started-- and possibly get you invited to speak!

Having your Signature Speech prepared can help you achieve your goals faster by giving you more credibility, getting you more clients, and providing you more cash flow from public speaking.