Corporate Event Planning|Event Management|Event Planner

Employees of the larger corporations, due to their massive size, rarely have the opportunity to mingle within the confines of corporate walls on any social level. The heads of corporations have discovered social gatherings are beneficial by the way of personnel meeting and mingling in a relaxed atmosphere actually improves company moral and productivity. Planning a luncheon or year-end office party is a relatively easy task, performed by only a few people who can prepare a menu, arrange for a catering service or simply arrange for a banquet dinner held at a local establishment. However, an event such as a company picnic, on a grand scale, requires the skills of a professional events planner.

A professional events planner will meet with you, and obtain as much information as possible about your staff and event ideas. For instance, a company picnic may include family members of employees. Therefore, children of various ages will require activities which will be appropriate. The finer details of possible locations, entertainment, food, activities, seating arrangements, possibly even transportation arrangements will be required. Every detail will be taken care of by the event planner, within the confines of your budget. Event planners often charge up to $250.00 per hour. The industry leading event planners include any consultation fees in the event package and do not charge by the hour.

With the goal of providing the ultimate experience for your company picnic, from the initial consultation, to the very end of your event. There a park areas, private and public facilities to serve as the perfect location for company picnics Orlando style. Reservations are usually required for large groups. The large grassy areas will provide ample space for relay races, volleyball, maybe even pony rides or face painting for the kids. A DJ for background music outdoors is a plus. Your event planner will arrange every detail for you from reservations, to ensuring there is enough comfortable seating for everyone. Not only will the top companies arrange for your BBQ, they will work with you in menu planning, provide the food, all of the necessary equipment for preparations and serving, including any needed picnic tables. There staff will cook an all you can eat, outdoor banquet comprised of fresh food on site. If you would like to end the day with a trip to a water park, or family fun park, the necessary arrangements will be made by your events planner as well.

Some companies will even provide a detailed event plan for you, and attend to every detail of your event, or only those events, you choose for them to attend to.

ADDITIONAL SKILLS NECESSARY FOR AN EXCEPTIONAL CATERER
 
According to Webster's dictionary, to cater is to serve food or to supply whatever is required or desired. Catering to someone's needs can be many things. Finding your niche, what you're really good at, is key to being a good caterer. Food isn't always necessary to fill a need for someone's party. Sometimes, the caterer can function as more of an event organizer.
 
I've found that the more events you attend, the more ideas and networking you achieve. One birthday party for a 10 year old was just going to be cake and ice cream. I was not asked to make the cake, but to supply the paper products, music, presentation of food, cutting and serving and clean-up. Not a bad job, actually. This took minimal knowledge of where to find paper products and to organize a DJ.
 
When you speak to the client, verify all aspects of the event that may  be needed: tables/chairs, wastebaskets, drinks, bartending, posters, easels, games, etc. Sometimes, helping out from an organizational stand point brings more client satisfaction than the food. That's why wedding planners are in demand. This type of organizational assistance can apply to any type of gathering. A professional meeting may only be for 20 people, but, audiovisual equipment is needed along with note paper and pens. Any way that you can help out your client makes your service unique and valuable.
 
As variable as client requests can be, make sure to organize all your networking names and numbers for easy access. Several years may go by before a similar request comes again; give yourself more than one of every vendor type in case one is unavailable or goes out of business. Any time you experience a quality vendor, get their information. The worst thing is using some vendor you know nothing about and having upset clients.
 
Always think of different ways to serve your client because the best marketing is word of mouth. The more memorable you are, the more your name will be mentioned. Please visit my blog at www.homebasedcatering.blogspot.com

There are a lot of options in the financial planning career. Financial planning deals with the management of finances of various clients like individuals and companies. Financial planners help these clients to make the smart choice for advantageous investments.

For this they have to do a great deal of analysis and research. They also need to have a good communicative base and should understand investments and taxes thoroughly. Financial planning has a lot of branches- these include financial consultants or advisors, analysts and they might be even self-employed or company employed.

Planners

The main job of the financial planner is to plan the financial future of the clients. They are in charge of making clever investments on behalf of the clients. Looking for high return investments are a major feature of the job. Education, real estate and even retirement are some of the topics on which financial planners advise their clients.

They help people to make the best investments based on their financial status. Another area in which financial planners have to be knowledgeable about is the law. If there are any legal restrictions associated with insurance, retirement plans, tax shelters and trusts, then he has to know that and advise his client accordingly. This might be one of the reasons why a lot of financial planners come from law.

Analysts

The job of a financial analyst is to evaluate and judge economic outlooks of different financial sectors and industries. This is done for client companies and agencies. The main work is the use of statistical software and spreadsheets. These tools are used to assess data, then identify patterns and develop predictions used to advocate for or against purchasing or selling specific investments and securities.

Securities analysts can find employment with different companies such as pension and mutual funds, insurance companies, banks and securities firms.

Advisors they are mostly personal financial advisors also known as consultants or planners generally work with different people and advise them on how to handle their finances this is done by advising investment options along client help achieve goals for retirement asset protection estate planning job usually individually sitting each determining patiently the that suit his status best.

Before you begin to make arrangements for food, entertainment and transportation for your event, it is important that you take time to speak with your event planners about your ideas and goals for the day. Client vision meetings are an opportunity for the client and planners to sit down together and discuss what the expectations are for the day, as well as ideas on how to accomplish those goals. This meeting helps the planners generate a framework and design for the upcoming event.

If you have ever planned a corporate meeting or event, you know what a big task it can be. There are so many details to take care of that often, people can lose sight of what the true purpose of the event is. This is why it is so important to take time with your event planner to discuss what your vision for the day is and identify the goals you hope to accomplish with your event. A clear understanding of what you hope to accomplish and what the main purpose of the gathering is will allow your event planner to create a dynamic function that will meet or exceed your expectations.

Unlike social gatherings or parties, corporate events are typically held for a specific reason. Many events have the single purpose to educate a group of people about news and innovations in their industry. Conferences and seminars are often held for an educational purpose. Many times, the group will meet as a whole and then break off into smaller groups for more in depth training. Facilitating this type of event takes organization and a lot of planning to make sure that all of your guests are where they need to be and all aspects of the day run smoothly and efficiently.

Another reason that corporations sponsor events may be to promote camaraderie and teamwork among their staff. Team building activities are quite popular as managers and staff work together to become more of a cohesive group. These events are often informational as well as enjoyable for the entire staff. Planning and coordinating meaningful activities can be a big job.

Businesses will often host events as a means for promoting goodwill to their customers. Customer appreciation events allow corporations the opportunity to thank all of their customers for the support they have received over the years. Businesses need to plan activities and entertainment that will delight their customers and show how much they value their loyalty.

No matter what type of event you want to host, take time to identify the specific goals that you want to achieve. With this guidance, your event planners can design a meaningful gathering that will meet those goals. After all, if you are going to devote time, money and manpower to a corporate meeting or function, you want to make sure that it will be beneficial to your business as a whole. You also want to be sure that it will be a worthwhile experience for all of your guests. Client vision meetings are a good opportunity to determine what needs to be done to meet your goals and expectations.

The various marketing tools employed to promote a meeting/class play an important role in shaping its success. Companies spend millions of dollars on hiring experts to market their products and services properly. However, recently we are finding a number of organizations using email marketing software as a major way of promoting their events and activities online. And believe me; they are quite satisfied with this software's performance.

Let's find out, how far this email marketing software can really be helpful in marketing your events and festivals.

Cost-effective Tool for Event Planners and Class Coordinators

You can reduce your overhead costs to a significant extent once you start using an email marketing tool. For example, the cost of hiring a marketing expert is saved, as you can now market your activities online via emails and social networking sites. Hence, you can also save money on postage stamp and courier by adhering to emails.

Customize Event/Class Emails

Event organizers can change the email format as and when they need to. Often, you may feel like adding a new template to match in with your brand. You can not only customize it and make the necessary change, but also save that email template for future use.

Send Any Number of Mails in a Day

You can send any number of mails you like on a single day, depending on your business requirements. Moreover, you don't have to write a mail for every attendee, as you can send a number of mails to specific interest groups simultaneously.

You Can Send Automated Invitations

Email marketing software offers you the scope of sending automated invitations, reminders, confirmations, and thank you mails before, during, and after an event or training program. You can schedule the time of sending these beforehand to automate the process.

Receive Instant Confirmation

Using the online process helps you to send instant mails and receive immediate confirmations when they reach the recipients. Hence, the online email marketing software eliminates the need of waiting for hours to get confirmation through post.

Send Back Links of Your Business/Institute Website

You can add your company or institute website link with each email that is ready to be sent. It is indeed a smart way of drawing the attention of your target audience toward the link. There is a chance of at least a half of the recipients clicking on the website link to check your event/class-related news and updates.

Track the Status of Your Events and Classes

You can easily track the registration and payment status of every event or class by using the email marketing software. You can also track the confirmation status for everyone on your invitation list and send follow-up emails accordingly.

Write Engaging Emails Conveniently

You can conveniently script emails using the in-built HTML editor that comes integrated with the email marketing software.The Software Complies with the Federal CAN SPAM Law.This email software complies with the Federal CAN SPAM law to reduce your email liability. Hence, you don't have to worry about delivering spam mails or being caught in spam filters.

PTO Today offers publications and resources for PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) groups a public and parochial schools across the Unites States. One of PTO Today's most popular resources is their annual PTO Today Expo events that are held at select cities every spring.

The PTO Today Expos provide PTO officers, members, and fund raising committees and assembly/ enrichment planners and opportunity to network with businesses that provide products and services specifically for PTO groups. The PTO Today Expos are designed to be both fun and informative, but for the first time attendee, the experience can be a little overwhelming if you are not prepared. This article offers tips and planning advice to help first time PTO Today Expo attendees (as well as Expo regulars) get the most out of their visit to the PTO Today Expo.

The PTO Today Expos are usually held in the same cities every year. 2011 cities and dates include Philadelphia (March 2nd), Atlanta (March 10th), Houston (April 6th), and Chicago (May 3rd). Additionally, in 2011, the PTO Today Expo is expanding to reach PTO planners in Michigan with a new event on April 26th in Novi, Michigan.

Register Early and Save Money

There is a nominal charge for PTO members to attend the PTO Today Expo. Attendees who register early at the PTO Today website can often take advantage of "early bird" registration discounts. The Expo also often offer 2 for 1 registrations and discounts for multiple PTO members that attend from the same school and register at the same time. Therefore, your PTO group should begin promoting the Expo at meetings early in the school year to judge interest and compile a list of members who are interested in registering.

Typically, PTO groups ask general members to pay for the registration for the event out of pocket, but often Expo registrations for school PTO president, vice president, etc are paid for by the groups PTO general funds.

Planning Before The Expo

There are usually 60-100 vendors at a PTO Today Expo. Vendors include providers of school assemblies, companies that offer classroom supplies, spirit wear, parenting magazines, and fundraising companies that offer everything from tie-dyed shoelaces to homemade cookies.

You can get the most out of your PTO Today Expo experience, by planning ahead and decide what types of information your PTO group would like to collect. If you need fundraising ideas, then you will want to make the fund raising booths your priority. But, if you already have your fundraising ideas for this year, you may want to concentrate on some of the other vendors.

A good strategy is to assign different attendees from your PTO group with gathering information from different types of vendors. One group could collect school fund raising ideas, one group could information on school assemblies, and one group could collect classroom and spirit wear ideas. You can then all meet up and discuss what interested you, and revisit select vendor booths as a group.

Sometime Being Late Is Good

Unlike in school, it is okay to be "tardy" to the PTO Today Expo. A majority of the attendees arrive when the Expo opens and the first hour of the vendor hall is packed with people. During this time, it can be hard to get an opportunity to really talk with the

The last 2-3 hours of the Expo are usually the slowest. Arriving during this time will give you an opportunity to browse the vendors more leisurely and talk with the representatives one on one. You will also not have to fight your way through crowds in the trade show aisles.

As a bonus for arriving towards the end of the Expo, many vendors have extra product samples that they do not want to take home with them. This means that instead of getting a sample of a cookie, you might just get a whole box of cookies to take home, or instead of just a wrapping paper brochure, you may get a full roll of wrapping paper.

If you arrive too late, however, many vendors begin packing up during the last half hour of the event because the attendance is so slow. If you are going to arrive late, be sure to arrive a minimum of 2 hours before the scheduled close of the vendor hall.

It is Okay To Say "No Thank You"

Every vendor booth you stop at will want to give you their sales pitch and brochure. They are there for the sole purpose of generating sales leads and making connections with schools. If a vendor has a product or service that you know your school would not be interested in, it is okay to tell the representative you are not interested.

Taking brochures from companies that you have no interest in will make sorting information after the Expo more difficult and will waste your time.

Sign Up For Mailing Lists

When you pick up your registration badge the day of the Expo, you will be given a sheet of pre-printed stickers with your address and email contact information. This allows you to quickly provide your contact information to vendors that interest you.

Signing up for information is also a good way to limit the number of brochures that you have to carry around, as you can ask the vendor to mail you information.

A word of caution! Only sign up with the companies that you are truly interested in, because each vendor you sign up with will be following up with you by mail and email after the Expo. If you sign-up with every booth you stop at, you will soon become overwhelmed with emails and mail. This will quickly become frustrating, and may cause you to overlook an email or information that you were truly interested in.

Have a Follow-up Meeting

Shortly after the Expo, you should plan to meet with everyone in your PTO who attended the event. This will allow you to share notes and discuss products and services that you found interesting. It is at this meeting that you can also decide if you would like to request more detailed information from any of the companies. The sooner you schedule the meeting, the fresher the information will be in everyone's minds.

You can then decide which vendors you want to follow up to get quotes, and other planning information.

In the late 1980's, when large companies began to feel the heat of fierce competition, they started looking for ways to increase productivity of their workforce. They soon found out that while individual excellence was the key to success in the past, team excellence was the way of the future. They began to organize time away from the workplace for teams to participate in events that were specially planned, designed and executed to promote team spirit. Thus, team building events were born.

Team building events are recreational and entertaining, but they are more than fun activities. They are held to meet certain fundamental objectives. In order to meet these objectives, team building events must be planned carefully and conducted professionally. That is why businesses often partner with successful team building and corporate event companies to meet and fulfill event requirements. However, if you are hosting a team building event, here are a few tips to help you make it effective and successful.

There are thousands of activities to choose from. Team building events could be held indoors or outdoors; they could be mental or physical; they could be simple or complex. The kind of activity you choose plays an important role in the success of the event. The right activity is one in which every member can contribute equally. No one should be reduced to the role of the spectator. You could take your team to the cinemas or you could all go river rafting. The activity must be chosen keeping the following in mind:

- Cost

- Goal of the event

- Physical condition of team members

- Location of the activity

- Size of the team.

Determine the budget allotted for the team building event. This is vital because everything - from the kind of activity to its location - depends on how much spending money you have. If you decide to take the team to a far away location, you have to factor in expenses such as food and accommodation too. This might be a costly proposition and your budget may not always allow such an event. That said, it must be remembered that great team building events are almost always held away from the workplace because employees feel more relaxed away from campus.

If possible, do not organize the team building event on the weekend or during holidays. It is essential that the company runs these events 'on the house', so to speak. Employees should not be forced to participate in team building events on their time off. Instead, try to involve team members. The best way to give teams the activity they love is to ask them what they want. A survey can help you pick the best activities, ideal location and games. When the members of the team contribute towards organizing the event, there is a greater sense of commitment and common purpose. Also, there is a palpable sense of excitement within the team.

Chosen activities must align themselves with the values and principles of the company because members need to come back and reinforce what they have learnt by putting it into practice at the workplace. Activities must not be too hard to too competitive. This could be counterproductive.

Mix people from different functional groups. The event should ideally offer an opportunity to mingle with and build relationships with everyone, even those outside the primary team. This introduces an element of diversity and prevents the formation of buddy gangs within the company. It also destroys prototypes and improves understanding between teams within the same organization.

Team building events typically consist of a number of activities and games, starting off with an ice-breaker and moving on to more complex activities. Examples of some activities you can include are quiz activities, mystery events, treasure hunting events, tour events and gourmet events.

Canadian Outback Adventures & Events provides successful and soon-to-be-successful companies with a unique suite of innovative corporate team building events, group activities, training and education programs, all designed to build camaraderie, boost morale, and enhance productivity. Our events are executed throughout Canada and North America and are designed and implemented with extraordinary attention to detail.

A great way for you, as a wedding planner, to meet brides and give them an opportunity to learn about you and your expertise is to teach seminars or workshops on wedding planning. You can give a short, free presentation at a bridal show, sign up to teach a class at a community center, or host your own half or full day workshop in which you charge a fee.

Here are 8 tips for successful seminars:

1. Define your target audience

Before you can create your presentation, you need to think about the brides who will be attending. These are most likely the brides in your niche. Since you have already done research and know something about them, you should easily be able to identify their problems and select a topic for your presentation.

2. Start your presentation by establishing your credibility

Create an introduction that describes your business and establishes you as an expert. Ideally, someone else will give the introduction. However, if you are speaking to a small group, you might do it yourself. In this case, welcome everyone and tell them about your training, experience and qualifications as a wedding planner.

3. Structure your presentation to make a sale but don't give a sales pitch

Brides are not interested in attending a sales presentation, they want information. Select a problem to address or, if you are doing a half or full day workshop, you might want to address several problems. Some titles might be, "What Brides Need to Know About Finding the Perfect Wedding Venue and Vendors," "How to Choose Your Wedding Theme," "How to Create a Wedding Budget," or "How to Create a Wedding Timeline," each addresses a problem. As you address the problems in your presentations, share examples and successful solutions that you used with your brides. This way, brides will see how well your ideas work.

4. Present yourself in a professional manner

Make sure your presentation is well-organized and you know your material well, so you don't have to read it. If you have access to audio/visual equipment and know how to use it, you can have a presentation with photos from your events on your laptop and show them on a screen. If A/V is not available, you can print handouts of your presentation so the audience can follow along. Make sure your visuals and handouts are of professional quality and contain your contact information.

5. End by accepting questions

Ask your audience to hold questions until the end of your presentation or you might get bogged down and not get all of your information across. Don't spend too much time on any one question. Have the bride make an appointment with you for a consultation.

6. Plan to follow-up

Make sure you get the name and contact information of everyone who attends your event so you can thank them for attending and continue to market to them. You can do this by having an assistant help you register brides as they enter or you can have brides fill out forms and drop them in a box for a raffle at the end of your presentation. The raffle prize can be one of your consultation services.

7. Consider inviting other wedding professionals to join you

If you are willing to share your podium to get a larger audience with more potential clients, ask other wedding vendors to give presentations in their areas of expertise and invite the brides on their contact lists.

8. Spend time marketing

Even if your presentation is part of a larger event, such as a bridal show, you'll want to get the word out that you will be speaking. If you have collected address information from brides at other events, send out email and postcard invitations. And, of course, you'll want to announce it on your blog, website and ezine.

If you are hosting the event, check to see if you can get it listed in the events section of your local newspaper or the bulletin of your place of worship. Ask brides to call or email you to sign up or have a registration form on your website or blog and connect it to a shopping cart that can take payment information, if you are charging a fee.

Today, social media is an exceptional communication channel. However, for event planners, it has a special significance; it helps them to execute their marketing plans to reach out to prospects in the shortest possible time. If you are planning to organize a trade show shortly, consider including social networking platforms for promotions in your marketing toolkit.

Trade shows offer a great platform for face-to-face marketing, networking, and selling, thus helps in building relationships. Integrating social media in your marketing strategy can definitely give your trade shows a significant boost in terms of attendee participation. Work on pre-show promotions and post-show follow-up strategies, to make your trade show the success story of the year.

Here are a few tips that can help you to explore social network at its best during your trade show promotions.

1. Create an interesting message on Social Media

Do you know what sets your company apart from the lot? What is going to be the theme of your show? Focus on these points while posting any update on the social media sites. Let people know the 'x' factor of your trade show. In this way, you can engage and connect with prospective clients.

A great way is to participate in a BoothTag at your next trade show or provide a QR code that links to a landing page of a contest. You can spread your message before the show, through popular social media channels like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube. Thus, encourage your followers to participate in your show through innovative marketing tactics. Keep it simple, interesting, and have a little fun with it.

2. Try to be relevant

The message you create for the social media campaign should be relevant to your brand, theme and other trade show initiatives. It is likely to convert your attendees into qualified leads. For example, a software integration firm mostly offers people a free assessment of their systems software. However, it is difficult to entice people by this activity as it is a common industry practice. So what can you do instead? Create a persuasive message and offer a free assessment via a fun contest. To engage people you can even offer a favorable chance to win an iPad. Thus, a perfect promotion in social networks can help you get more sign-ups for your event in a limited time period.

3. Maintain your individuality

Maintaining your individuality is a great way to make the most of your social media promotions. Being informal in your communication with your social media followers can be of great help. Keep in mind, social media is actually not a promotional platform; instead, it offers people an opportunity to connect with lucrative prospects. Social networking helps you share news and updates, which are exclusively your own. Thus, you need to learn how to maintain it, if you want to attract the right crowd.

Social media is a communication channel and a tool for marketing. Once you know how to use sit, it can add a positive value to your trade show promotions.

Organizations that support research and fundraising for causes such as breast cancer, leukemia, prostate cancer and other initiatives use events such as walks and runs to raise awareness and funds. Usually working on a limited budget, event planners are forced to scrutinize every dollar spent. Between venue costs, insurance and public relations, the budget can be strapped when it comes to distributing thank you gifts to participants and awareness reminders to attendees. Custom printed promotional products allow planners to maximize their budgets, making the most out of the allocated resources. The value of promotional products is based on a number of factors; sponsor advertising, viral marketing and donor reward.

Sponsor Advertising - Promotional items used for cancer awareness events can be custom printed with slogans, logos and most important of all, sponsor advertisements. Organizers can supplement the purchase of items such as t-shirts, tote bags and other large format promotions by selling off portions of the imprint area to sponsors. The revenue generated may even surpass the cost of the promotional giveaways, creating additional budget for the event or enhance the contribution from the donors.

Create Billboards - Custom promotional products can carry a design that can elevate them into trendy accessories. Themes such as cancer awareness ribbons and slogans such as "Fight Like a Girl" are popular visuals in popular culture, making a simple promotional gift into a well used item. These "billboards" can become viral, piquing the interest of others who see them and inspiring them to inquire as to where they can get them. The popularity of items such as fashion tote bags, t-shirts and umbrellas featuring an awareness organization logo can find its way into celebrity events, red carpet interviews and other public appearances, resulting in the cause gaining viral mobility.

Reward Donors & Volunteers - Event though the participants and donors contribute to a cause for philanthropic reasons, it is a nice gesture for organizations to say thanks with a small gift of appreciation. This gift can be a low cost promotional product that becomes a cherished souvenir of the awareness event. Custom printed jackets, polo shirts and key tags will live on long after the event as a constant reminder of their generosity and good will. Although these volunteers and contributors do not look for anything in return for their efforts, a budget friendly promotional giveaway will be appreciated with pride.

Investing in promotional products may seem to an organization as a needless expense, but when the positive impact of these giveaways is weighed into the equation, they far surpass the cost. Custom printing an awareness ribbon or logo design on a giveaway creates a far reaching impact that will make the event even more effective, spreading the message and inspiring others to get involved.

Event management software can be a fantastic tool for event planners - helping them to manage more successful, efficient events. But there are other benefits, other than the time and cost savings; delegates will often benefit directly from attending events that are managed using event software.

Website Integration: Event management software lets you publicise and promote your event on your own website. With 8 out of 10 people researching events online, it's vital that prospect delegates can find information they need on websites. When the solution is integrated into the corporate website, it means that information regarding the event can be promoted with the same 'look and feel' and on the same domain, providing a sense of trust to the delegate.

Online Registration: Once the prospect delegate has found an event on the Internet, giving them the ability to register online is a great benefit. People are increasingly used to being able to carry out activities and transactions online and letting them register there and then is not only convenient for delegates, but will also increase registration rates.

Letting delegates register online also reduces errors with regards to delegate details - things like name, address and contact information are more likely to be entered correctly if provided by the delegate themselves. This reduces problems later on down the line.

Online Payment: As the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) stated in July 2010: "E-commerce is having a huge impact on the way we do business. It can lead to dramatic growth in trade, increase markets, improve efficiency and effectiveness and can transform business processes." So the benefits of taking online payments is clear - both to the event holders and the delegates. For delegates, paying online is a fast and easy way to secure their position at the event. Event software offers a facility which allows delegates to choose their preferred method of payment using a variety of leading online payment engines, such as' Worldpay, Protix, Google pay, Paypal etc, via a secure website. Using event software will also provide a level of trust to delegates, as it will not record or retain any sensitive payment details.

For the event manager, taking payments online reduces paper work and helps to improve cash flow. It eliminates any late payments and reduces admin as invoices and other documents do not need to be manually created and sent out. After taking payment online, the software can automatically update the finance system and issue a receipt to the delegate.

Improved Communication: Event software will come with various methods of communication that event planners can use to contact delegates. At the point of registration, delegates can select the method that they would most prefer to be contacted by; email, post, telephone, SMS, social media etc. Good quality event management software solutions will come with fully integrated communication tools to enable a variety of options to be used:

• Email: Integrated email tools means that event managers can send out targeted emails to specific groups of delegates. These email tools let event managers split delegates into groups based on various criteria so that communication is as focused as possible. Full reporting tools ensure you can track email opens, click and overall success rate


• SMS: Planners can use their event management software to send out text messages to delegates, easily and efficiently. If this is the chosen method of communication of delegates, this can be managed and tracked with ease via the software


• Social Media: Event software can be integrated with a host of social media networks. Managing your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn account from one central platform makes it easy to communicate with delegates - keeping them instantly abreast of all event news and updates.

Fewer Errors: Managing an event with event software makes it far less likely that errors will occur on the day. Event software will include a 'Resource Module' or something similar that will help you track all the elements of an event - from the suppliers, delegate numbers, badge printing, presenters and more. Many of the elements that previously were manual and time consuming can be automated via the software - activities like the printing of delegate badges. Although a small part of an event, if a delegate arrives and there is no badge printed for them, it can cause issues for both the delegate and you. Having a smooth running event will increase delegate satisfaction and will result in an improved level of feedback and repeat attendance.

Supplier Management: Most events will work with suppliers at some point - whether it's the venue, catering, transport or material production. It's important that suppliers are managed tightly and that communication between delegates, event mangers and supplier is smooth. For example, during the registration process, delegates can state if they have any dietary requirements. Using the event software, catering suppliers can be given their own logon, giving them direct access to all delegate numbers and all their dietary requirements. Eliminating the event manger from this stage not frees up the event manger to focus on more productive tasks, but also reduces the risk of errors being made as the communication is passed down the line.

Access to Data: Event software can be hosted online, which means you can gain access to all the information regarding the event at any time and from any place (internet access required). On the day of the event, if there are any issues or problems, you can easily resolve these, since they can access all the data relating to the event.

Investing in event management software is an effective way of running professional, successful events, where both you and your delegates can benefit from improved communication and an improved event experience.

If you have been looking for a way to add more pizazz to your party and you want to make it an event that no one will forget, you need to hire a catering company. You want to have the kind of food that will leave your guests breathless and speechless in a good way. You may be a chef in your kitchen, but it will be much easier for you to hire a great catering company instead.

If you can, try to cater to the tastes of your guests. Be mindful of food allergies, especially those concerning shellfish and nuts. This means that you should make sure that any company you hire cooks things separately and does not cross contaminate the foods. This may result in you having to go with the higher end catering companies, but your guests' health will thank you and make it so that they are willing to come to any event you plan to have in the future.

Some companies will simply prepare the food and drop it off, others have a staff that they employ to provide a more polished touch and serve it to your guests. Decide which type of company you want to use. If your event is a classy and elegant affair, you may want to go with the company that provides serving staff. Make sure that before your event is scheduled to happen, you discuss any wardrobe or uniform requirements to keep everything looking professional.

Take into consideration what type of foods you want to provide at your event. Depending on the complexity of the dish, you may be looking at a higher cost. Make sure that before you contract with any catering company, you know all of the ins and outs of what their limitations are and what their prices are. This will help you to plan the perfect menu for your party.

No one has to know what lengths you went to for the perfect company. By the time your party takes place, you want everything to appear as if it were happening flawlessly and as if it didn't take much for you to put together. As long as you keep your cool during the whole planning process, you don't have to worry about looking frazzled or being a control freak by the time the execution of your plans comes to fruition.

Don't rush when you are putting together the perfect social event get together. You need to keep a level head and have a backup plan in place just in case your primary ones fall through. The key to having a great event is to plan it so that all of your guests enjoy themselves. This means that you shouldn't plan everything according to what you would want to happen at a party, you need to have a variety and selection of entertainment and amenities that caters to the majority of your guests interests. Start with catering, and things should fall in place from there.

A top-notch event planner is a talented illusionist, transforming months of planning and stressful heat-of-the-moment decision-making into what seems like a seamless and effortless event. The right motivational speaker is a magician of sorts, too, casting a lasting spell over audience members and making them see the world--and their capacity to change it--with new eyes.

The end result may be magic, but the steps to get there are pretty practical, says Rich Libner, president of MCP Speakers. Having spent more than 20 years arranging appearances of motivational speakers across Canada and the U.S., Libner knows from experience that the key to creating a magical event is careful planning, expert guidance and clear communication.

Looking to make some magic at your next motivational speaker event? Cast your own spell with these eight steps.

1) Start early
The sooner you start your motivational speaker search, the more likely you are to find a speaker who is available and fits your bill, both in terms of quality and price. Ideally, you should start your planning 12 to 18 months before the big day, but successful events can be run with six months of lead time. Depending on the size and structure of your organization, you may need to allocate time to internal approval of your speaker choice--make sure you build this step into your timeline.

2) Do your homework
Before starting your search for a speaker, make sure you lay the groundwork for success. Assemble a knowledgeable team. Establish clear goals for the event. Ensure you have buy-in from the top levels of your organization. Know your budget. And identify the qualities you're looking for in a motivational speaker. MCP Speakers, for example, represents adversity speakers, creativity and innovation speakers, goals and achievement speakers, success speakers, life balance speakers and more. Use a consultative approach that will result in concrete expectations for the event as a whole and the role of your motivational speaker in particular.

3) Seek expert advice
A speakers bureau is a key partner for event planners, says Libner. "We both want the same outcome--a standing ovation."

Look for a speakers bureau with years of experience and a diverse selection of speakers who specialize in motivating audiences. MCP Speakers, for example, represents two-time Olympian and four-time Paralympian Jeff Adams, who tailors his message about overcoming adversity in sports to audiences ranging from business executives to youth. Libner also represents Susan Ershler, motivational speaker and co-author of Together on Top of the World: The Remarkable Story of the First Couple to Climb the Fabled Seven Summits. Ershler inspires audiences with her success as an executive at Fortune 500 companies and as a mountain climber who trained on her lunch hours by climbing stairs with a 40-pound pack on her back.

A speakers bureau will help you select an appropriate speaker based on your desired outcomes and within your budget. You will have access to speaker bios, reviews and videos of performances, as well as the bureau's direct experience of working with different performers.

No event planner likes surprises. The bureau becomes an important part of your event planning team, providing support once the speaker has been booked--including travel and audio-visual requirements--and even on the day of the event, if a speaker is forced to cancel due to illness or travel delays. According to Libner, a good speakers bureau always has a backup plan.

4) Communicate directly with the speaker
A credible speakers bureau will facilitate your early interactions with your motivational speaker. Tell your speaker about your expectations and goals. What do you want the motivational speaker to contribute? What are the key messages you want emphasized? What do you know of the audience? What else is happening at the event and how does the motivational speaker fit into the plan?

5) Get it in writing
Make sure everyone is literally on the same page--confirm your understandings with the executive team of your organization, the speakers bureau and the speaker in written form. Summarize important points, dates, deadlines and other information. Get confirmation that everyone has seen the document and agrees with its contents. This is where a speakers bureau can help, adds Libner. MCP Speakers, for example, gets all parties to sign a formal contract.

6) Treat your speaker well
A happy speaker is a helpful speaker, so treat your motivational speaker with respect and kindness. No one likes to feel like a hot potato so identify someone from your event planning team early in your process to be your speaker liaison, responsible for communicating with the speaker and greeting her when she arrives.

Keep your speaker in the loop about any changes to the event program or venue. Let her proof her bio and synopsis if you've altered it. Little touches can make a big difference. For example, leave a small gift and all the details about the event in the speaker's hotel room if she will be arriving a day early. Arrange for the speaker's transportation to the venue or provide detailed instructions and a designated place to park. Ask well in advance about the speaker's expectations and requirements for the venue. Is a "green room" required? If so, what amenities are needed? At a minimum there should be refreshments, a mirror and a copy of the event program.

7) Be prepared
Generate a checklist of phone numbers, including your speakers bureau, and circulate it to all members of the event team ahead of time. Ensure you have functioning A/V equipment and a technician. Arrive early at the event to troubleshoot any issues that may arise.

8) Evaluate the outcomes
There's always something valuable to learn from an event, so make sure you do some form of post-event evaluation. You can speak informally with key people who were involved, including your motivational speaker, to determine what went well and what could be improved in the future. You can also create a formal speaker evaluation sheet which you collect from the audience following the event. Compile the results of your evaluation in a report so that you or another event planner can access the recommendations in the future. After all, you want to ensure the magic happens next time around, too.

Gatherings like weddings, anniversaries, and birthdays are common events for the typical person, and while these events are celebrations of life, love, and a lot of fun, for those with the job of planning and organizing these events, there is an intricate web of details that can have a domino effect if any one particular aspect goes awry. The disastrous wedding fiasco or birthday celebration may be funny to watch on television, in real life, no one wants their gathering remembered in such a way.

Fortunately, with some careful planning and some research online, most of the common problems can be avoided by using tips from others that have been through the same experiences. The power and reach of the world wide web enables anyone to use the expertise and advice from professional event planners to private individuals with their own unique ideas. Religious and cultural themes are easy to incorporate into just about any event, with many retailers now specializing in particular fashions, decorations, and gift ideas to match almost any belief or background, and not just for weddings. Many online sources are providing more and more options for personal and private life from online Sunday school lessons to dating and finances.

An Hour on the Internet Can Prevent Hours of Disappointment

There are numerous ways to use the Internet to help enhance any celebration from gift ideas to custom greetings and decorations, but the web is also a very useful tool in planning the logistical needs and having a back-up plan for the more common trouble spots like fashions, deliveries, floral arrangements, and even the directions to the event. Shopping a variety of floral options through flower arrangement pictures online can save hours in the selection process alone and often results in finding the most cost effective arrangement as well. Planning services like transportation and catering, which traditionally take up a great deal of time and resources, can be conceived, implemented, and even paid for completely online, freeing up valuable time for other needs.

In addition to abilities like perusing flower arrangement pictures online, the web can be used for an insurance policy against those very same floral arrangements not being delivered, being the wrong kind, or any range of problems that can pop up with many different aspects of a typical gathering. Merely taking a few moments to record the contact information of alternative providers of the common services, like floral arrangements for example, can be an insurance policy against Murphy's Law. Directions are also a common problem with any event, and ideas like including them on the invitations themselves, as well as having alternative routes, is as simple as using one of the free design programs online for greetings.

Attendees and Guests Can Make an Impression With Custom Gifts and Greetings

Regardless of whether one's role is an attendee or a planner, using some of the free alternatives now available online can save time, money, and a great deal of frustration when it comes to gifts, greetings, or decor, and taking something as simple as an initial or a first name and incorporating it into a gift is enough to add more meaning than if it were made of gold.

The most meaningful and moving gifts or messages are those that are the most personal to the recipient, and now finding the perfect way to express those sentiments is just a few mouse clicks away.

So you have decided to host your own event. It could be a workshop, a training intensive boot camp or even a multi speaker summit. After you have established your vision, objective and strategy, the next item to plan is your location. Here are some helpful tips for the site selection process.

The first thing to narrow down in the site selection process is the area. This will mainly depend on where the attendees are. If you are planning a local workshop, it is easy. You will want to stay in the town your customers are in, or close to it. If you are in a major metropolitan area and you want to draw from different areas of the city, you may want to do a series of workshops and advertise in the local community papers.

There are a variety of facilities to consider when you are planning a meeting. Each has their own strengths and purpose. Many beginning event planners immediately think of hotels, but there are also conference centers to consider. We will discuss the differences in hotels, conference centers, convention centers and unique venues and the purpose of each.

Hotels
There are many hotels that are geared towards the business and leisure traveler and have limited meeting space. Even with limited meeting space, they may work if you are hosting a small workshop. However, there are many hotels that have catering to business meetings as a large source of their revenue. You can find them in all different sizes and in the metropolitan and suburban areas, as well as near the airports.

Conference Centers
Conference Centers are specifically built for meetings. Many are smaller and are perfect to accommodate meetings for 30-75 people. However, there are some that can handle meetings that are substantially larger than that.

If you consider a conference center, you want to make sure that they are a member of, and accredited by IACC, the International Association of Conference Centers. The accredited centers have to meet stringent standards for business meetings, including dedicated conference rooms, ergonomic swivel chairs with arms, tables with hard writing surfaces and walls that are suitable for tacking up flipchart paper.

Conference centers also offer a Day Meeting Package, which includes your meeting room, standard AV, continuous break stations (snacks and drinks), as well as lunch. A Complete Meeting Package includes all of the above, plus a sleeping room and breakfast and dinner. This makes it easy to budget for your meeting.

Convention Centers
Convention Centers are designed for very large meetings, trade shows and conventions. They are typically owned by the city or by a public/private partnership. Although some also have smaller meeting rooms, you really only want to consider a convention center if you have a very large meeting, need quite a bit of exhibit space or need to have your meeting coincide with a tradeshow or meeting that is already booked at the convention center.

Unique Venues
For workshops you can also use a unique venue. These encompass everything from your local library, to restaurants, to community centers, banquet halls, museums and other event venues. If you have a short workshop and do not want to provide any food and beverages, a venue like a community center or library might do the trick. You do have to check what kind of facilities they have. Do they have enough tables and chairs? What is the environment like?

Remember your vision and your objective and keep your ideal attendee in mind. If you have a vision of comfortable and lush environment, you do not want to set up in the local elementary school cafeteria, no matter how much money you can save.

Today's economy is tough on meeting and event professionals. Keeping attendance numbers high is especially a challenge, as attendees are finding it more and more difficult to factor your tradeshow or conference into their budget. Your resources are limited, too -- there simply isn't enough money to book in the most sought-after destination, source a five-star venue, or employ one of the other tactics you may have used in the past to successfully entice guests.

Don't resign to lower-than-ever registration numbers, yet. It is possible to maintain and even improve attendance without exhausting your budget by taking your event marketing online. No longer does event promotion require long hours dedicated to writing press releases or calling journalists. Nor do you need an ample budget for publicity. In today's digital world, it's fast and easy to reach a large audience of potential attendees at a low cost.

Here are a few ways meeting planners can successfully promote their event without breaking budget:

Start social networking. Social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are quickly becoming the go-to ways to connect to attendees. Such sites foster discussion among potential meeting-goers, who generate word-of-mouth advertising that's more valuable than any newspaper article or press release. Social networking sites create buzz leading up to your event, and in the future can serve as a great reference for attendees who want to see what your event was like last year.

Create an event website. Event websites have become the expectation, not the exception, for all types of meetings. In the past, organizations used websites for little more than posting basic event details and offering online registration. Though these features remain important, event websites today can do so much more to market your events. Post information such as speaker biographies and agenda session descriptions, or upload videos and pictures from last year's event. A clean, professional event website full of relevant content is a great tool for convincing your audience to attend.

Get listed. At event directory listing sites such as Zvents and Eventful, you can list your events and meetings for all to see. Sign up at no cost to start listing your event details, and make sure to provide a link to your event website. Once again, you'll reach a large audience searching for an event just like yours to attend.

Email invitations. Social networking and event directories are great strategies for marketing to a large, varied audience. A successful online event marketing strategy also requires you to directly target your existing set of meeting contacts. Do this effectively and economically by sending event invitations by email, the go-to form of communication for busy invitees. Email invitations can elicit more than double the response rate of paper campaigns, and they don't cut into your time and budget like direct mail does.

Though the economy is down, your event turnout doesn't have to be. Take your event marketing to the next level by going online. A minimal investment of time and money in web resources and technology will yield big results for your meeting attendance.

If you're planning a fundraiser in New York, looking for the perfect venue can be more work than planning the party itself. Raising money is of course no easy task but it certainly helps to have the perfect location and atmosphere to have people breaking out their checkbooks while not breaking the bank. Fortunately New York has some incredible venues that offer just the ambiance you're looking for regardless of the cause. The following should give some insight into the type of event you can hope to hold and make all your financing dreams come true.

OpenHouse prides itself on being what they describe as "an experimental marketing location." The great thing about this retail space turned private event rental is its ability to showcase products. The open space can be utilized for clothing racks, sculpture or novelties like makeovers etc. A great idea for any fundraiser is to showcase art on the walls. This will encourage the artist's friends and relatives to attend and sell additional tickets. The space is 4,500 square feet and has a 300 person capacity. It's equipped with 5 skylights and a staging area. This is an absolutely perfect place to hold a product launch, arts fundraiser and the like.

The Frying Pan is a wonderful and scenic location for a fundraiser. This historic boat is forever docked in Chelsea and hosts all kinds of public and private events. This is a wonderfully unique experience and a large venue complete with a full service bar, DJ booth and kitchen. If you're searching for a rustic maritime theme, you certainly can't beat this.

If a rooftop were more the ambiance you're looking for then Midtown Loft and Terrace would be a dream. This place hosts everything from weddings to fundraisers and fashion shows. Its gorgeous cityscape backdrop will make for some excellent event photos. It's also in a fantastic and convenient location in the heart of the city.

The Guggenheim is not only one of the best museums in the city but a wonderful place to hold a private event. It's futuristic scenery and space age looking mod d矇cor certainly gives a fundraiser a unique and powerful edge. The Wright, which is the restaurant/event space just recently won the coveted James Beard award. The space is 1600 square feet and its architecture is certainly an art piece in itself.

If your event includes a film screening or performance you may want to consider The Helen Mills Event Space and Theatre. They offer all inclusive event packages and a 140 seat theatre onsite (which is rented separately). The sprawling bar and convenient location definitely will create the perfect atmosphere for a gorgeous New York City party.

It's certainly not an easy feat to plan and organize a fundraiser that will not only meet your goals financially but your standards in terms of venue and service. New York has some incredible options to accommodate all your needs and impress your guests. Regardless of the fundraiser it's important to choose your space wisely and make sure all of your contributors consider their donations well spent!

Corporate Team Building Event Planning

Team Building Events consists of several event types such as Meetings, Product Launches, Tradeshows, Conventions, and Reward & Recognition Events. Along with the various corporate event types there are key components to all event planning elements. Here are a few things to consider:

·         When establishing the team building meeting agenda for a conference, event and meeting,  planners need to use the opening general session to have leaders reinforce the objective, recognition and key messages of the program.

·         Incorporate event elements that spark and engage the Five Senses - Taste, Sight, Smell, Touch, and Sound

·         It is important to incorporate corporate entertainment into the convention agenda - - this helps break up formal presentations.

·         Try to incorporate a Trade Show or mini Exhibition Hall into your Corporate Event or Convention. This can help networking for industry professionals and current and potential sponsors to mete and network. In some cases an Expo can help provide revenue for operating for the company organizers.

·         Creating fundraising events can maximize fundraising value if incorporated an element of an annual conference or convention

·         Finally Corporate Events should incorporate a closing evening reception. By adding this event element you allow attendees a chance to network and discuss the event.

2009 will be the Year for TEAMS to GO GREEN

An Grean Team Event is an event that takes into consideration the environmental impacts of the occasion as well as the social effects and bringing associates together for a common cause at the same time.  This includes everything from transportation, marketing material, to catering and travel. Eco-friendly Events helps differentiate a company from the others. It shows your commitment to the improvement of our environment and will make your organization stand out as a leader in your industry.

In order to achieve a Green Event, events should be organized electronically, minimize carbon emissions for travelling key guest speakers, delegates and executives. The goal is to save energy, practice recycling, and adopt environmentally-thoughtful measures wherever practical and possible.

 Some of the design basics for Green Events are as follows:

"Don't Rip it.....Click it"

Provide Online Registration for your guest instead of paper invites and RSVP's - online registration management systems can be totally paperless, preserving our trees and minimizing paper waste. Guest, key speakers, and organizers can receive all communications electronically, from venue location, to directions and maps, to all joining instructions.

"Keep the Scene Green"

Green Decor - For Décor, use rental items to reduce waste and L.E.D. lighting will help reduce energy.  Design arrangements will be more commonly taller and grander, due to the economic challenges people tend to stray away from conforming to the obstacles faced. If a company is going to invest in an event they will ensure they get the best for the dollar. Taller arrangements set a sense of elegance and grandeur. You should also consider utilizing a florist that offers the following:

·         Fair Trade Flowers

·         Organic and Edible Blooms from Eco-conscious Growers

·         Recycled containers

·         Incorporating elements such as fruit and herbs to your centerpieces (Organic Botanicals)

Green Corporate Transportation - With today's Automotive Companies taking a conscious approach to preserving our environment and producing a large number of fuel efficient Hybrid vehicles, there is a large number of luxury hybrid vehicles available for all corporate events.

Corporate Team Gift Bags - The key to a successful Corporate Team Building Event is creating a lasting impression of your company's brand and  associates, and what better way to achieve that but through offering corporate giveaways with your company's brand logo. There are many promotional Eco-friendly gifts that will incorporate a company's logo and still maintain the quality of a non-eco friendly item. These promotional items are made of recycled, bio-degradable, and/or energy efficient products.

Here are some examples:

·         Bamboo USB Drive

·         Solar Powered Garden Lights - These lights include a place for a company logo to be imprinted

·         Recycled Tote Bag

·         Water Power Desk Clock - No batteries required. The user just fills up the holding tank with a small amount of water

·         Note pad and pen made of recycled paper

·         Pen Caddy - A desk item that is not only eco friendly but stylish. It is made of bamboo with a zebra stripe design. The company made a whole line of coordinating desk accessories

·         Bamboo T-Shirt - This is just a sample of the apparel available out of bamboo. Company logos can be done with tradition silk screening or embroidery.

Arranging any kind of event is a huge responsibility. Any event whether it is a birthday party, wedding ceremony or a business meeting can only become a success when a good and suitable ambiance is created. Many people get help from event planners to make their event arrangements look beautiful and to make it successful. People may seek professional event planners and stay out of these worries but it is not possible for everyone especially when you have a small budget.

Some people are very selective and do not like interference from others. Such people always want to arrange the entire event in their own style and with their own ideas. Sometimes people have different ideas to arrange their event to make it unique and they don't need to get help from any professional.

For these reasons event rentals are the best option. You can find plenty of event rentals in your area working to make your event much better. If you are going to arrange any event and want to make it look professionally arranged without spending a lot then this is a very good option for you. You can create a perfect atmosphere and ambiance in your event by hiring equipment from such rental companies and use your own ideas to arrange it.

In any event you need to have different things like furniture, d矇cor, tents, lights; music system and many other things and purchasing such stuff can be very expensive for you and it is not a sensible thing as well. You can get the required stuff for your event and arrange it according to your own style on rent.

If you want to get different ideas you can get them by searching on the internet. There are different websites that provide new and unique ideas. You can get the information on latest trends or unique ideas to make your event memorable. You can get the ideas and information through internet and also find what you need to make the arrangement along with their market prices. You can compare the rates of different event rentals and go further.

You can even visit there store and see their stuff for your satisfaction. Good and reputable event rentals always provide good service so you must find a good and reliable service to keep safe from any trouble at the eleventh hour.

Therefore if you are going to arrange your wedding, your child's birthday party or any type of event you can get new and fresh ideas from a website or magazine and arrange it professionally with the help of event rentals.

After having been involved in nearly every area of event, conference and convention planning, organization and negotiation over the last three plus decades, one of the most overlooked items many seem to make, is insufficient planning for contingencies. While positive thinking, hoping, and good planning should keep the need for this down to a minimum, the reality often is that in many circumstances, something does not go, either partially, or completely as planned. Therefore, planners should always have contingencies ready in case of any issues that may arise.

I have observed all too many conferences and conventions either ruined, nearly ruined, or at the very least "hobbled" because of something going wrong. Professional event planners understand the necessity for effectively planning for any and all eventualities that they can conceive of. One of the most common disruptions occurs because either there was a bookkeeping error, a payment lost in mail, or some other dispute. There is a very fine line as to what an organizing and registration committee can and should say if there is any dispute, to create a balance between assuring proper financial and fiscal constraints, and being careful not to offend an attendee. Organizers must assure that they are on "the same page," and that there is a set procedure created.

It is impossible to be overly prepared for an event of any type. Careful flow sheets, schematics, cost analysis, etc., should be conducted. Organizers should create detailed guidelines, clear instructions, and a welcoming attitude toward all attendees.

Many organizers do not seem to realize that the "tone" for the conference or convention is often set on first contact. If an attendee has a positive first contact, they are in a better frame of mind, and are now looking forward to the event. On the other hand, when the first contact is not as favorable, attendees often develop a negative attitude, and then begin to nit-pick, and look for things to complain about.

Successful conference and convention organizers often must act as "trouble shooters" or facilitators, and be readily available for any question, comment, or concern. A good organizer carefully trains his committees, to assure both quality control, as well as a consistent message. There is generally very little that can cause more difficulties than when a well meaning member of committee, "offers" innacurate information, and then the attendee invariably gets upset when it is corrected.

The success or failure of most events, conferences and conventions lies in the attention to detail.