Corporate Event Planning|Event Management|Event Planner

Sponsorship Can Pay Off, If You're Smart About It

Are you thinking about sponsoring an event, conference, trade show or community fundraiser? Read this first, so you can turn a potential money pit into a real opportunity to build your business.

If I sound harsh, it's because I know all too well that sponsorships CAN be money pits if not handled properly. Just like any other marketing investment, the decision to be a sponsor deserves careful consideration before you commit.

What's in it for You?

First and foremost, know what your goals are for the sponsorship.

There are three main reasons to sign on for a sponsorship opportunity:

1. You are focused on "soft" objectives like increased visibility or building awareness within a targeted market, like a local community of interest or executives in your industry.


2. You have clearly measurable goals like launching a new product or generating demand (and leads) for a service offering.


3. You want to create goodwill within the community so you can be seen as a good corporate citizen or to make it easier to recruit great employees.

Determining which of these goals is most important to you is your first and most important decision. You can't effectively evaluate a sponsorship opportunity without understanding how it fits your goals, so start with what you need, and not what the organizer wants. (Even if it's a cause that is dear to you!)

Are You Hanging with the Right Crowd?

Second, does the audience provided by the sponsorship align with your target prospects? If it's a community event, what percentage of the attendees will be interested in your business? For industry-sponsorships and trade groups, are the people participating the real decision markers or influencers? You must reach the right people to get any financial return from the sponsorship.

Don't hesitate to ask organizers about the job functions or titles of attendees. Before committing, find out how many people are expected to participate (attendees, members, website visitors, etc.) and get demographic information to be sure it matches your target prospects.

If the event is not brand new, this information should be available. For trade shows, you may even be able to get an audited report on prior year participation.

Next, look closely at how the sponsorship will help you meet your objectives. For example, if you want to build awareness for your business, consider how your company be represented, and how much visibility you will get.

Is your company listed on event signage or will you have a website link? Will your sponsorship be mentioned in presentations or printed programs? Can you distribute coupons and flyers to participants? If there are not enough impressions (views of your brand name) then either pass up the opportunity or ask for more.

Document Sponsorship Agreements

Get ALL commitments in writing as part of your sponsorship agreement, especially if you've negotiated something that is not part of the standard package.

Sometimes the sales pitch includes verbal offers like, "We'll give you top billing on the signage," or "You'll be including in at least 3 press releases." Make sure those promises are documented, so you have something to fall back on if those promises are not fulfilled.

You also need to know what will happen if the event is cancelled. Ask these questions in advance to avoid potential problems later. As they say, "Get it writing."

Get Involved

Don't forget about what is required of you to get the most from the sponsorship. If it is an event, are you expected to provide a presence with a table, display or speaker? Can your small business support that? Do you need to submit graphics or other marketing materials that you have not yet created?

You can't just write a check and expect a big payoff from sponsorships, it takes work to leverage the opportunity for maximum return. This work extends beyond the event itself, to follow-up and connect with people who are interested in your business.

Time for a Payoff

Finally, how quickly do you need to see a return from this investment? Building brand awareness is a long process, requiring consistent effort over time.

If you are sponsoring an event with the hope of immediately increasing sales, you need to have a specific offer with a compelling call to action. Define (in advance) how you will track sales back to the event so you can evaluate the ROI. Use QR codes on coupons or flyers to help link inquiries to the sponsorship, or provide a unique web address and landing page for prospects.

Keep it Going

After the event, evaluate the sponsorship and decide if you would do it again. You may get a discount for signing on early for the next year. You may also be able to take advantage of year-round promotions that latecomers won't get.

Continue to leverage the contacts you made from the sponsorship through email marketing and other engagement tools like social media. Use your contact list to reach out to attendees for the next event - even if they haven't bought from you, they can generate referrals or become future customers. Don't let the seeds of the relationship you've planted dry up. Keep nurturing them and your sponsorship investment will grow.

Enlisting sustainable event transportation services is a cost-effective way for companies to illustrate and promote their corporate social responsibility to the environment. It illustrates concern for the planet and a willingness to go the extra mile and do its part in minimizing the company's carbon footprint. On the other hand, it shows that the organization's move towards sustainability does not compromise its ability to make a profit.

Using fuel-efficient hybrids and other eco-friendly vehicles to transport employees, media, and clients to conferences or company-wide seminars can go a long way to improve a corporation's image to the public eye. After all, good publicity from the press can carry just as much weight as a CEO's engaging speech regarding corporate social responsibility.

Hybrid cars and vehicles offer a fair compromise for users by combining an electric motor with a gasoline engine, drastically cutting down on emissions while enabling them to share a similar performance to dedicated gasoline machines. When companies enlist the event transportation services of a capable eco-friendly provider, they're able to enjoy a wide selection of automobiles and vehicles that are just as much about luxury and presence as they are about fuel-efficiency.

For instance, some offices can provide transport options such as the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, a vehicle that comes with an emission-free and all-electric mode, while still retaining an impressive 270 HP gas/electric engine. A company that opts to transport its VIPs to their next investor's meetings in a fleet of sleek, fuel-efficient hybrids also sends another important message-that while they are committed to offsetting their carbon footprint, it doesn't mean they've forgotten how to increase their bottom line.

A company that enlists eco-friendly event transportation services can further drive home this point by making sure each of the company's VIPs are cared for as soon as they arrive. Getting into specifics, this can mean arranging for greeters the minute they step off the airport and arranging suitable accommodations at premium, conveniently located hotels. It can even be as simple as selecting drivers who are trained not to idle their vehicles when they're not on the move.

For any organization that's gradually opening its doors to sustainable energy, the services of a capable transportation services provider can help make their journey more manageable. This is especially true if the transportation provider that was hired has years of experience in advocating the use of eco-friendly vehicles for both corporate and public use.

Every real leader knows that the phrase "There is no 'I' in team" is false. This is referring to the concept that a team member is supposed to put the group's goal and interest ahead of their own. The problem is that there is an "I" for each member of the team and the leader's job is to show each teammate how their individual goals fit into and complement the goals of the team.

I once heard a distinguished motivational speaker use the analogy of a train yard filled with individual train cars, each full of value and with an appointed destination but unable to get there until the locomotive, or leader, made a connection to each car in order to move them forward. This analogy implies a leader who is out of touch with his team will not reach the desired goal or destination and will be met with doubt and mistrust if he tries to move others without making that needed connection first.

Team building exercises are becoming increasingly popular in the corporate world. These activities allow teammates to get better acquainted, build trust and increase communication. Everyone has different skill sets and personality types. Team building exercises help the group mesh these differences together to create a stronger unit. Natural born leaders will emerge, dreamers will concoct creative ideas, and the detail oriented will see that the mission is completed with accuracy.

Team building exercises can range from a quick and cheap activity done in the office to extravagant outings at posh resorts. Both have their place in the corporate world and individual budgets. A common quick and cheap exercise is the "Two Truths and a Lie" game. Each person tells two things about themselves that are true and one thing that is false. The other participants must guess which the lie is. Interesting facts about individuals show up that spark a new perspective about one's co-workers.

A little higher on the budget is the Video Scavenger Hunt, which provides each team with a video camera and a list of things to record with predetermined point values, such as 100 points for a teammate to shake hands with a policeman or 150 points to walk a stranger's dog. There is a round of activity related questions as well as a set recording time limit to determine the winning team.

The most delicious team building idea is one where teams partner with professional chefs that teach them teamwork in cooking. This team building exercise builds relationships and communication skills while having fun. After the cook-off competition is completed, the team gets to eat the product of their efforts. This is definitely a team building exercise that I could sink my teeth into!

Planning for a company or corporate events is always helpful for the company's employees. This can serve as a bonding time for all the employees and their colleagues as well as having fun with their bosses in a much more casual setting. Employees always look for a company party at mid-year or at the end of the year. By being closer to your employees and talking to them directly at parties, this can boost their work morale and appreciate your show of concern for them.

Another good purpose for holding corporate events is when you are trying to get an important client on boards your company or a celebration of a new partnership or joint venture. Your partner company will also greatly appreciate this. But how do you successfully plan for corporate events? You may start by knowing what the nature of the event is about. Is it a summer party, a Christmas party, or a celebration of a successful business contract? Knowing what type of party you will be organizing will help you know what things you will need to be planning for.

Second is to ask your superior about the budget for the company event you are planning for. You cannot really make a move unless the budget has been decided on. Most of the time, if the company is holding a once in a year party, they will be willing to give a higher budget than usual so you won't have a hard time sourcing for suppliers anymore.

Next is to plan the place where you will hold the corporate event. It would be helpful in knowing how many guests you will be having early on just to make sure that the venue will be able to hold all the guests invited. You don't want to cram all your guests in a small place and you don't want to get a very spacious space where everyone will scatter out. Reserving for venues will need to be done several months away to ensure availability.

Fourth is to decide on your caterer. Deciding on the food to be served is critical. If you are having a corporate event to seal a deal, you don't want to be serving your business clients with mediocre tasting food right? So it's very important that you choose the caterer wisely. You will also need to decide if a sit down menu setup or a buffet style menu will be better for the corporate event you are planning for.

Now that the budget, venue and caterers are already done, it is now time to consider the invitations, decorations and corporate giveaways. Since you are holding a company party, you can send an electronic invitation to all their e-mail addresses. This way you can reach everyone in the company in no time. You can arrange to make special invitations for guest outside the company. Corporate giveaways are one of the things employees look forward to and you shouldn't really give out cheap giveaways for all their efforts in your company. Give something functional that they can use every day so they can appreciate it more. Corporate events are not really hard to plan just as long as you follow these simple steps.

When organising corporate presentations for large audiences or hospitality events for the product launches at outdoor shows, it is essential to make the right impression.

You want to make sure that your guests and prospective clients feel welcome, comfortable and that they are visually impressed by the way you have presented your company. They will be expecting a high standard of both your choice of venue and the way in which you organise your corporate event.

Corporate Marquees

Marquee hire is an excellent solution for both corporate and hospitality events alike, as temporary exhibition structure. They offer the professional look you require in terms of creating the right impression or 'wow' factor to new and existing clients. By being relatively large structures, marquees help to portray your company as a much large organisation than it actually is.

Advantages of Corporate Marquee Hire

The benefit of being able to style and layout your corporate event in the way that you want to, rather than being confined to a certain shape or space, is key to the popularity and success of marquee hire. If you run out of space, you can always attach a second or third marquee to your main tent. You could even hold separate parts of your event in individual marquees on the same plot of land, depending upon available space obviously.

Most large corporate shows do just this, choosing to hire a large marquee for the main event and additional, smaller marquees for catering and bar areas.

Expandability is a clear advantage that marquees have over most corporate event venues and exhibition centres. Most indoor venues are fixed in what they can offer in terms of more space or different shaped arenas, simply by the shape and size of the building they are in. They are unable to compete with the expandability of marquee hire.

Individual Corporate Events

Marquees have the added benefit of offering corporate event organisers a flexible internal area to decorate and furnish. With modern marquee design, internal support structures are no longer necessary, so the entire indoor area is available for customisation. Though some other indoor event venues are able to offer this, marquees have the added advantage of usually being located on open ground.

Being located on ground level, allows marquees to accommodate large pre-build exhibition stands, heavy objects such as audio/visual and recording equipment and promotional vehicles such as cars & caravans. Even hospitality porter cabins and catering service vehicles can easily be incorporated into your event inside your marquee, which cuts down setup times and costs.

With such large customisable interiors, marquees are an ideal venue solution for companies who are organising corporate shows and exhibitions which need to be individual and personalised. A marquee can be easily transformed from a otherwise ordinary tent into a visually appealing venue, with drapes, atmospheric lighting, stage sets and multimedia screens.

As marquees are such big structures, the interior space allows lighting rigs and video camera scaffold to be setup. This is great if you require your corporate event to be broadcast on television or streamed over the internet.

Total Corporate Event Management

Many marquee hire companies nowadays offer a tailor made corporate event planning and management service as well as hiring marquees. With some offering corporate event decor design and furniture rental and even catering and mobile bar services.

Additionally with the increase in the popularity of the internet, particularly within the business world, wireless internet access, audio/visual presentation equipment and staging structures are also sometimes offered by marquee hire companies to complete your corporate event.

If you have ever been on a team builder event for work then you'll know they can traditionally be tedious, dull and hardly inspire you to greater things.

But office team building doesn't have to be like that... a series of boring paper exercises, building a bridge out of straws or scribbling keywords on a Nobo whiteboard!!!

NO, NO, NO... BECAUSE TEAM BUILDING CAN ACTUALLY BE SO MUCH FUN - YOU'LL FALL ABOUT LAUGHING.... read on my corporate friends!

Wake Up, Go Crazy with Fun Team Building Programmes

As a person who has been on far too many management team building and corporate team activity days I can say that 90% of the time I came back to the office cynical, manipulated, tired and bored or a mixture of them all. I lost count of the times I said to colleagues "what a waste of time"!! And I heard others say that too!

So if your staff are thinking it - then it's probably true. So please wake up to a new breed of corporate event management and team building that are much more sports in nature. It WILL get the staff laughing, motivated and talking positively for many months to come.... for sure.

Team Activity Programmes Have Changed For Good

Corporate games, team building activities and leadership exercises of old are dead! - People learn much better in a relaxed and fun environment. So all manner of group games and team bonding activities have been designed around crazy antics and fun day events such as "It's A Knockout" games or Outward Bound courses. And I know what I'd rather do... have some fun outdoors!

If you do, you can expect a lot of running around, shouting, laughing, and falling over, getting wet, foamed up, crashes, silly costumes.... and more falling over! But it can have its serious side in that these are team games with a purpose to succeed, show leadership, communication skills and use both physical and mental strength. You'll observe your teams in ways that will not be observed in the workplace and with all that frivolity about you'll see team bonding like no other... it'll be a team love fest and they be begging for more! Honestly.

Making Team Activities Fun

Yes, as the corporate event planner you want to ensure your team day offers a series of interesting team building ice breakers, problem solving games, group activities, motivational games and team bonding activities... but hey, let's make it enjoyable. We are not here to punish the workforce or turn them into robots right? We want to motivate and stimulate them - the rewards of which are well documented - a keener, happier workforce is a more efficient and productive workforce... in essence the whole point of team building programmes.

Say NO MORE to indoor team building exercises in the workplace or office - GET OUTDOORS and you'll see the staff's eyes light up. When did that happen with overhead projector?

Plan Your 'NEW' Corporate Event

If you are a corporate event planner or team leader looking to do something new and fun for your team morale or leadership training then start Googling key phrases like: "teamwork games, corporate event ideas, fun team building activities, corporate fun days or corporate team building activities... there are loads of ideas beyond the 'brainstorm' and PowerPoint lists... As the team organiser if you CANNOT be motivated to do something different then how can you expect your team to be?

Pittsburgh is one of the country's oldest, and best-known cities. The city of steel, as it is sometimes referred to, is also nicknamed the city of bridges because the city is set on a triangle tract of land where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers meet to form the Ohio River. The city has undergone major redevelopment in recent years reclaiming abandoned industrial sites by transforming these Pittsburgh venues into desirable housing, shopping and business office spaces.

Home to many technology, healthcare, fashion, and financial services, Pittsburgh has overcome the struggling economic turmoil it faced in the 1970's when the steel industry that once defined the city began wavering. Riverfront factories and warehouses once filled with factory workers were left vacant when steel manufacturers shut down operations in favor of self preservation.

Party and event planners have long since used Pittsburgh venues like remodeled industrial buildings to host upscale events for private parties and corporate celebrations. The openness of these once manufacturing floors provides the ideal Pittsburgh venue for partiers to enjoy the music and festivities that accompany a well-designed corporate function. Event planning takes preparation and planning but finding a Pittsburgh venue that meets the needs of the sponsor is an easy choice with the aid of an event planner.

Once on the verge of economic collapse, Pittsburgh is now one of the most livable cities in America and is highly ranked as one of the best places for young professional to live. Because abandoned warehouse space lends itself to so many possibilities for decoration and creative environments for events finding an ideal Pittsburgh venue for a corporate event is simple.

Organizing a conference or seminar in present times is extremely crucial for generating the ROI of a business. Hence, corporate houses organize such events frequently, so that they can connect with their prospective clients and reap maximum benefits from their investments. However, for making a seminar successful, ensuring maximum attendance is extremely crucial. Unless you have enough attendees at your event, you cannot attract desired amount of business prospects from it. To streamline all these jobs, event organizers, now-a-days, are turning toward online solutions.

In recent times, a myriad of online solutions are available in the market. Among them, the cloud-based event registration software has carved a niche for itself. This software automates the process of managing corporate events, such as conference and seminars, with maximum efficiency and reduces the workload of the organizers. It eliminates 60% of your back-office workload by automating the entire process of registration, payment processing, and reporting. Take a look here to know how you can simplify your administrative function to make your next seminar a grand success.

Set Up Customized Event Page Online

Using the software, you can build up a customized event page with the convenient features of registration and online payments. It helps your potential attendees to sign up and make payments online right from your event page. Moreover, by accessing the software, you can make a page that perfectly complements the look and feel of your corporate website. It helps you build up your own credibility to your potential attendees.

Customize the Forms in Minutes

The software helps you customize the registration forms, so that you can attract a large number of potential attendees. Unlike paper forms, online sign-up forms are available 24x7 and can be accessed from any location. Moreover, it helps you sign up as a group and that too, without filling up any separate registration forms. The ease of registration helps you grab the attention of your target audience instantly.

Save Data Entry Time Effectively

Using the scalable software helps you save your data entry time considerably. The system automates the entire process as soon as the registrants put the data and make payments. All the relevant data and accounting reports get stored in the database automatically; these can also be retrieved, if required.

Secure Payment Processing

Processing registration fees or donations on time is one of the most challenging jobs of event management. However, the Cloud-based feature allows you to tackle this problem effortlessly by providing multiple payment methods. Using the PCI-compliant platform, users can make payment in the most secure environment and get real-time authorization. Additionally, it helps you prevent all kinds of fraudulent transactions.

Send Confirmation Emails Automatically

The software helps you send automatic confirmation emails and also follow-up mails to the attendees, as soon as they complete the sign up process or make payments. Besides, you can also send email notifications and RSVPs to potential attendees, informing them about your upcoming events just by a click of your mouse.

Promote Your Meetings & Events Effortlessly

The host of built-in marketing tools helps you promote your events just by a click of your mouse. The on-page integration with social media tools help you promote your seminar to a larger audience. Organizers can use social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ for this purpose.

Access the multiple benefits of Event registration software to make your next seminar a grand success.

Corporate sponsorship of sports events is a well-established practice. Tune your television to any auto race, tennis match, or baseball game and you'll see a number of corporate logos. Because sports events invoke excitement and such positive emotional responses in people, sponsoring them can be pivotal factors in building brand recognition. Traditional advertising has become fragmented with people looking for ways to stand out. Sponsorship is more inclusive than traditional advertising because people feel an affinity with a sports personality or team.

In a feature on corporate sponsorship in Wealth, one marketing executive noted, "Fans are passionate about sport. Advances in technology mean they can now follow sport 'live' whenever they want, wherever they are in the world - over the Internet, on mobile devices, on TV, radio, etc - which provides even greater opportunities for sponsors. Sponsorships are now an integral part of the marketing mix, and the industry as a whole looks to have a healthy future."

A recent story in the New York Times revealed that Web.com, which provides Internet services to small- and medium-size businesses, has signed on to sponsor the golf circuit for up and coming players looking to qualify for the elite PGA tour. Web.com will become the tour's umbrella sponsor in a move that combines tour sponsorship, a series of TV commercials, and an official marketing partnership with the PGA tour. "We are about to become bolder," David L. Brown, Web.com's chief executive, told the Times.

Web.com isn't the only company to recognize the value of sponsoring golf tours. Barclays Group gains heightened visibility through its sponsorship of such high-profile sports tournaments as Barclays Scottish Open and Barclays Singapore Open for golf, and Volvo Cars Corporation in Sweden is the title sponsor of Volvo Masters.

According to an interview with Wealth, Johan Bexell, Sponsorship Director of Volvo Cars Corporation, golf sponsorship efforts have many benefits: "Volvo Masters is the final of the European Tour, which makes it the most prestigious tournament on the tour. It is televised worldwide so we get lots of brand exposure. We try to incorporate all the models as much as possible and place them on the golf course. That's the way we build up the brand."

But you don't have to be a giant corporation or sponsor a major tournament to get in on the golf sponsorship game. Even small companies can take advantage of sponsorship opportunities on a smaller level, perhaps by sponsoring a local tournament or participating as a fundraising sponsor for a local charity event. Building your brand in this way at the community level can be just as significant as a major corporation's sponsorship of a major tour event.

When you sponsor a golf event, you're reaching a true cross-section of the public. David L. Brown of Web.com notes that while golf definitely appeals to an older, well-educated, and high-end consumer, it also reaches a wider audience. In the U.S. alone, 19 percent of Americans attended, listened to, or watched a PGA event in the 12-month period between 2011 and 2012.

There are many opportunities for companies large and small to sponsor golf, from sponsoring individual players to sponsoring tournaments to forming marketing partnerships with major golf organizations. A study by the European Journal of Marketing revealed that brand recall from sponsorship of golf is high. Companies whose names appear in relation to golf events are remembered by those who attend, so it is worth considering an investment of your marketing dollars there.

Despite some employees moaning and groaning when a corporate team building event is announced, these events can be terribly beneficial. Despite getting a bad rap from some poorly done events, these can be very advantageous.

If you put on a well-done event, these can actually be a lot of fun with plenty of benefits. An event with great energy and a selection of activities can give a group a lift in attitude, motivation, and success.

Attitude

Corporate team building events can go wrong when they tell employees to be positive. You can't infuse your staff with a great attitude by instructing them to be happy.

With fun and enjoyable activities guided by positive folks with a brilliant outlook, corporate team building events can provide an immediate attitude adjustment. Honestly optimistic leaders have an upbeat attitude that rubs off on your staff.

As the team builds a positive, upbeat approach together, they are likelier to view the event, and the associates they were there with, in a more positive manner. This outlook helps link them even more tightly as a group, helping the attitude continue long after the event is over.

Motivation

A key aim of these events is building motivation. Specifically, team building activities help to create more constructive attitudes, and they can lift morale. A group that has a positive outlook and great morale will be more driven to complete work to the best of their ability.

These activities also aid in motivating the unit by making them really feel like they are part of a group. Once they feel like a cohesive unit, they will be increasingly motivated to do more in an effort to be there for their colleagues.

Guaranteed Success

You want your team to be successful, no matter what your organization does. Team building events do that.

When you have a positive, motivated staff that feels like a team, there is an almost guaranteed chance of success for the end goal, whatever it is. This is because corporate team building events get everyone working together to achieve an end. Everyone in the group puts their mind to completing the same goal, and your team is likelier than before to be a success.

Conclusion

There is a lot you can do to help fill your team with a confident attitude, motivation, and virtually guaranteed success. For maximum results, these events are probably that best path to take. These are ideal occasion for also building loyalty, creating real alliances, and helping your crew to see what immense things they are able to do with teamwork.

The role of the keynote speaker is to make speeches that often will define the theme of the event whether it is a corporate event or a political one. The event may have other speakers also but the keynote speech can be the most important. With his speech he can have a good influence on his audience and people who are natural good speakers can be inspirational and can greatly influence an assembly of people. People giving keynote speeches can also command high fees for the speeches made.

Preparations that a Keynote Speaker Should Do

The preparations made before a keynote speech is done will not be an easy task to do. He has to know what the event is about and what the theme is. If the keynote speaker is a member of the event organization he will not have a hard time on what to talk about but if he is not, then he has to study first on the theme and make preparations for this. The type of speech to be made has to be studied also and one that can excite and inspire the audience will be the one ideal for that occasion. Contents of the speech are important and how the speaker will deliver that speech.

A naturally good speaker can always deliver whatever the kind of theme he is provided and talk about. He will always be naturally good for this and he can always be a good motivational speaker whether he is given only a little time for preparations or informed beforehand. Not all speakers can be a good keynote speaker and this is a skill that he has mastered from his experiences and education. An amateur speaker will not be able to perform like him or captivate his audience the way he does it.

Professional Speakers to Deliver Keynote Speech

For events where a keynote speaker is needed, that person may not be along the same professional line as those organizing the events. He may not be with the same degree of education but what is needed is that he can talk on the theme and be able to captivate his audience. There are many of these good professional speakers who can motivate and inspire people. These people can be top executives in big corporations or they may be consultants in their field.

A good motivational speaker will be paid a bit higher than other speakers, and they deserve this high professional fee because of their exceptional skills. They are not the ordinary speakers you can find around the corner. They learn their trade through years of experience and exposure to speaking engagements. Other good speakers will only ask for the average fee as the other ordinary speakers and they will give the excess fee to a fund pool or a foundation. This may be to fund educational seminars or train potential speakers.

A good keynote speaker can be readily found these days because of the availability of the internet to provide information on where to find one. The video sharing sites can also be a good source of information and you will have the chance to see how they speak, their speech styles, or how good they can inspire and motivate an audience. If you are in the process to find one for your event, you will not have a hard time because you can choose from among the many inspirational speakers you will see in the video sharing sites. From among the many you can choose who among them will fit your event's theme and your budget.

A cover band is a tribute act that would usually be booked to play a line up of cover songs (other musicians' songs) which are popular with the crowd expected at your event. Most people think about a band when planning entertainment for corporate events, balls, functions, festivals and of course if they want a wedding band to perform live music.

Having a cover band play at your event is a superb way to get your guests involved and you can often choose a themed cover band to play for instance you may have a 1960's themed wedding then your chosen wedding band will specialise in 60's themed music or you may choose a band that will play indie music, rock, guitar, jazz - or simply popular tracks that a range of people will enjoy.

A good point to make if you are seeking an agency to provide your live music and entertainment is to find out how much experience the cover band has, ask to listen to a recording or preferably a quick live performance if possible - this way you will be able to judge their stage presence, however this is not always possible and not forgetting a performance in an office in the day time will perhaps not reflect how the performance will go with the correct lighting and good atmosphere at an evening event!

A cover band should always be booked with a good DJ that can play during intervals and before the act performs. Bands generally will not play for the whole duration of the event so the DJ will be rostered to play high energy music and dance floor fillers at the end of the live music performance.

A fine entertainment agency will have superb connections and a good list of acts to make for a fantastic event that keeps your guests entertained, the cover bands and your DJ will be able to discuss with you a playlist covering your chosen music be it golden oldies, pop or dance etc and the cover band will normally provide all the equipment, PA's and lighting.

Once booked you should normally expect to pay a deposit and the price will often cover travel expenses. Once a deposit is paid, you can expect the cover band and wedding DJ to travel to your event location and provide the perfect entertainment for your party or corporate event.

No matter what the occasion, choosing the right entertainment can turn a good evening into a truly memorable event. Despite a glamorous location or delicious food it is usually the entertainment that guests remember. You may choose to organise everything yourself with the help of a party hire company or you can hire an event organiser to handle the details for you. There are many different types of entertainment to choose from, so it is important to pick the right entertainment to suit the type of event.

Weddings

The type of entertainment that is appropriate for a wedding depends on the wedding itself. With couples choosing between formal and more traditional weddings, to holding their ceremony and reception at the beach or in a garden, the atmosphere of their wedding is largely determined by the location. Once a couple has decided where the wedding is to be held all other decisions are generally influenced by this choice. A couple might also have more than one set of entertainment, as they may have musicians at the ceremony as well as at the reception. A more formal day could involve having a string quartet at the church and then a jazz band at the reception. Depending on a couple's budget they may have a soloist at the ceremony and a DJ later on. For a couple to choose entertainment that their guests will remember they should match the type of musicians to suit the style of wedding.

Corporate Events

A corporate event can range from a lunchtime picnic to a formal black tie evening. Not only will the style of event influence the choice of entertainment but also the guests themselves. A formal evening with important clients might not be the place for dancers in skimpy outfits, nor would you choose an evening of classical music for the Christmas party of the teenage staff of a fast food outlet. Entertainers at corporate events don't have to just include musicians. A whole range of entertainment can be hired to impress your guests, from magicians, dancers, ice sculptors, comedians and even acrobats. Find something that will stand out and make the event stand out in your guest's memories. If they don't forget your event they won't forget your company either, and that makes for a successful evening.

Parties and more

Choosing entertainment that is original can be a challenge but the key is to pick something to suit your audience as well as something that will stand out. Fund raisers could have anything, depending on the venue, whether you hired a band, an animal farm or a celebrity MC. After a run of attending friend's twenty-first birthday parties the DJ's may be wearing a little thin, so why not try something like a bush dance or hire a karaoke machine. A clown at a children's party is fairly standard, as is hiring a fairy entertainer for a little girl's birthday, so how about getting the snake handler? The children certainly won't forget that one.

Businesses whatever their size, will always have to promote themselves and get known amongst their local community, nationwide or globally. Corporate Events are an essential part of promoting your company and getting the word out about who you are and what service you provide.

In order to make your business, product or service known, you must promote you event in the best way possible. Here are 3 Top tips for promoting your companies corporate or hospitality event.

Press Releases

Using the media to create some followers. News does indeed travel fast, and a simple press release (PR) to a variety of publications, whether printed or online, can make a massive difference to the awareness of your corporate event or campaign.

Depending on who you are targeting and what the deadlines are, you may need to think about getting your press release out 2-3 months before the event is due to take place. However you can also do last minute press releases as well just weeks, days or hours before the actual target date which can be picked up quickly by local and national media.

Balloons Decoration Specialists

Balloons for events can have a dramatic impact on your companies corporate event. Not only do balloon designs and sculptures look amazing, but they are also a creative and eye-catching way of promoting your companies image, logo or brand.

At conferences and exhibitions, a host of balloons in corporate colours or printed with your strap line will give your business that wow factor to make you stand out from your competitors and make your business stick in their minds. If you are planning to open a new shop or promote a product, then a specially designed balloon sculpture will make a real impact.

You can also go the whole hog and organize an explosive pyrotechnic balloon explosion to open or close your corporate event with a bang and capture peoples attention. Your beautiful balloon creation can be as simple or elaborate as you require, but you can guarantee it'll look spectacular.

Advertising

Make sure you get some advertisements out there to promote your corporate or hospitality function. Depending on your budget, this will vary but it could include adverts in the national or local press according to what sector you aim to attract.

Posters, leaflets and flyers can be distributed depending on the area you are targeting. Not forgetting the medium of TV and Radio which often proves to be a powerful but expensive advertising tool, however local radio or television stations at hospitals, colleges etc... may prove to be useful.

Don't ask, "What kind of an event should we have for our corporate anniversary?"

The right question is, "What series of events can we create and/or sponsor to drive our corporate brand marketing objectives over the course of our yearlong anniversary celebration?"

Your organization's anniversary, whether or not it's a multiple of 25 years, is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to increase the strength of your brand. Anniversaries are about your organization's brand.

Marketing sage, David F. D'Alessandro, entitled his book Brand Warfare, then entitled the first chapter: "Rule One: It's The Brand, Stupid." Marketing starts with your brand. That's where your anniversary planning must begin as well.

Events can drive your brand

So start with an understanding of your brand, and then create or discover events that can help market your brand.

Make this easier by asking two additional questions,

• Whom do we have to reach?


• What do we want to communicate?

In other words, who are my audiences and what is my brand message?

Your multiple audiences could include employees and their families, your sales force, the community or communities in which you are headquartered and have offices, your board of directors, the financial community, the news media, state and federal regulators, suppliers whose businesses are dependent upon yours, and more obviously, customers and clients.

Decide what events are most appropriate for each group. Which groups can be combined? What will be the scale of the events? What funds are available from marketing budgets or elsewhere to drive this strategy?

Person-to-Person is critical

Whenever possible, events should involve face-to-face encounters because events are about building and nurturing relationships. Events can be activities you create yourself as well as activities others create that you sponsor.

I was fortunate to help create some powerful brand building programs for my company around sports sponsorships that increased corporate brand awareness and sales.

As a Major League Baseball sponsor, we provided our top sales people with the opportunity to play fantasy baseball games with former baseball greats such as Rich "Goose" Gossage, Howard Johnson, Jim Rice and Ozzie Smith.

Olympic gold medal figure skater Peggy Fleming provided on the spot commentary as she and our guests watched a live video feed of Olympic ice skating competition.

I literally sat on the coattails of Dr. Henry Kissinger, Former US Secretary of State, as we rode from the airport in a too-small town car. His first undertaking was to call and let his wife Nancy know he had arrived. At our meeting the next day, Dr. Kissinger provided valuable insight into China at a time our company was seeking to expand sales there.

Include employees

Employees met and had their photos taken with Olympians including two-time gold medal winner Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Olympic gold medal gymnast Shannon Miller, Olympic basketball star Rebecca Lobo and others who spoke to employee assemblies.

Each activity was about building the brand and was part of the company's overall brand marketing plan and initiatives.

Both corporate and nonprofit organizations are similarly engaged in brand building initiatives. For its 125th anniversary, The Salvation Army draped an enormous banner over the entrance to its Greater New York Division headquarters in Manhattan and arranged a special lighting of the Empire State Building in The Army's colors.

We helped the College of Nursing at the University of Rhode Island celebrate its 60th anniversary with a yearlong series of events under the theme "Preparing Nursing Leaders for 60 years."

Match your target and your brand

Every year, companies sponsor sporting events and cultural events that match their target audiences with their brand marketing.

Sponsoring events offers a terrific opportunity to collaborate with organizations whose brand is compatible with yours. The leading source for sponsorship information, Sponsorship.com, lists over a dozen common reasons organizations sponsor events. The first three are brand related: increase brand loyalty, create awareness & visibility, change/reinforce image.

You will benefit from developing an event strategy to celebrate your organization's anniversary over an extended period of a year or more because events drive brand. If they don't drive your brand, don't do them. Find or create events that will.

And one last story. As police with bomb-sniffing dogs surveyed the ballroom, former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher posed for photos with our sales people. Then, in that secured ballroom, she held our guests spellbound with her stories as sharpshooters kept guard from the spotlight towers.

Forget about the fancy corporate message that nobody but the top managers can understand...

It's so simple yet deadly effective...

If you want to build the No. 1 team in your organization, especially in a corporate setting, this might be the most important article you are about to read.

I know you might have overlooked one of the most EFFECTIVE methods.

... you do not need a fancy corporate trainer.
... you do not need Franklin Covey manual.

Do you know what it is?

It's POTLUCK!

Do this every week: Every week, set a day when your team gets together and have a potluck. If you cannot afford to do this, try holding the lunch every other week.

Pretty soon, you will see other teams in your organization wishing they belonged to your team. It's the food that brings people together... Everyone could smell and breathe your good food aroma when they walk by your cubicles.

I know you think it's "silly" and beneath some of your dignified, trained approach to conformity. Really? You don't think your employees yawn when they're attending a "workshop"?

Ask yourself this - What's the point of Team Building anyway? It's to bring teammates together and your job as a leader to get people excited assigning different tasks.

Tip: My experience shows Mexican Burrito potluck and Sandwich themes have outranked in popularity.

IF YOU HAVE THE GUTS to do even something bigger, but want to hold it as ONE TIME event for your organization, don't just hold a team potluck, but do department wide or the corporate wide potluck.

Then watch hundreds and thousands of people smile and see how they express their love for food and for the event.

Heck, do yourself a favor and let your local news station know you're inviting their reporter for this fun event to demonstrate how lucky these employees are working for your organization. Let the reporter know she and the crew are invited to join (FREE food!).

Send them an email saying with the title - "XYZ Company Holds A Company Wide, All Employees Involved, 1500 Dish Potluck For Corporate Team Building Event" or something in this fashion.

EVEN BETTER: Tie in a good cause or charity into the event to make it newsworthy and worthwhile spreading.

Do you know why this works? Because it's different - it's not "the usual corporate training" your team is used to having to attend. It breaks the usual pattern of what people expect at team building event and the initiative catches them off guard.

They will talk about this event. How different and fun to have the widely spontaneous "let's do company-wide potluck!" initiative. Talk about something different and that's what's going to give a relief to the often too conformed, overworked employees.

Now go implement. Be different from all other teams or companies. Do something different to show you care about your project and want to make a difference.

Corporate events are the nicest way to make cordial relationships with the employees of a company. It is very much beneficial for the working of a company and its related business activity. These types of events can come in so many different shapes and sizes, level of adventure such as bungee jumping, sailing a boat etc. Mostly, the best form of corporate event is planning a day out with the employees. It proves pivotal and beneficial when the departments and teams sizes are relatively very large and want to formulate an environment to develop the kind of culture that you are looking for your organization.

Importance of Corporate Event:
Indeed, no one can deny the role of corporate events in the lifetime of a business entity. It simply indicates that everyone has to come out of their comfortable zone and put in lots of efforts to make a space that can be shared by all. It is always treated as a positive role for an organization where employees help each other and approach themselves to find concrete solutions for their issues and for the betterment of the whole entity.

Team-building events will allow employees to get in together to find solutions for any problem by building a positive bond. For example, if there is a game of treasure hunt and participants have to make a team and work collectively to find the hidden treasure. In such activity, participants have to combine their understanding, intelligence and team efforts to get the work done right.

Creating a video production for your company's corporate event can seem a little overwhelming. There are a few things you should know first that will help make the job a whole lot easier. From taking time to brainstorm your own ideas and purpose for the video to employing the right audio visual production company to help make your video a success, we've got a great range of tips you won't want to miss:

• Know your target audience- Really consider who this video will be targeting. Once you know the demographic of your audience, you will be able to start thinking of the right ideas to get their attention. Always keep your target audience front of mind. This may seem obvious, but it's so easy to get engrossed in the creative side of things and drift away from the main purpose and target of the video.


• Note all of the important elements you want covered in the video and what you want the video to ultimately achieve- This could be as simple as outlining the event details to making sure that key speakers are mentioned and company logos are displayed appropriately. Once you know what you want covered in the video, start thinking of what you want the video to achieve. For corporate events this can be things like making sure that every attendee has sufficient background knowledge on the theme and real purpose of the event, to showing clients that your company is a leader in its field. Whatever your goals are for this video, make sure you write them down.


• Keep it simple: Videos for corporate events shouldn't be too lengthy but straight to the point covering all important areas and invite/welcome attendees. People lose interest after a while so keeping it simple and fairly short will stop this from happening.


• Get advice from the professionals- It's so important that for large corporate events you get the professionals in to make sure your video is shot well, looks sharp and meets its objectives. A business specialising in providing corporate audio visual services will be able to take your ideas and make them happen. If you want more creative control, there are companies that are able to work very closely with you to get the results you want. It's just a matter of finding the right company to suit your needs. Hiring professionals to help with your video can mean the difference between a good video and an outstanding one.

Creating a video production for a corporate event is a straightforward process if you follow a few simple steps. Once you know who you want to target and what you want to say, it's just a matter of finding the right professionals with the right equipment to help you make it happen. I hope our tips on how to create a video production has given you some useful information for the next time you have the task of creating a visual feast for your company's next corporate event.

Corporate events organisers can offer a bespoke personal service that will be tailored according to your specific needs. They are quite experienced and dedicated to ensure a good event outcome. With the help of their considerable experience and a proven track record in event management, these specialists can organise conferences and exhibitions of all sizes, providing assurance of a well executed event, meeting goals and budget perimeters. They can really help you to focus more on the success of the event instead of worrying about organising things. These organisers can come up with some great fresh ideas, for enticing your prospective buyers or clients, which may allow an unlimited exposure to your brand name and can help you set up a good customer base. This may even help you to build up a good reputation for yourself, and get your business better noticed.

- Whether you want the ultimate party, a nice wedding, or a fabulous dinner celebration, corporate events organisers can deliver a well planned event that everyone will enjoy. They can also offer the best overall value proposition in terms of cost, flexibility, and have experience and a passion for helping others, ensuring customer satisfaction. Whether you are looking for a themed party or magical atmosphere for your special day, they can design and create a great atmosphere for you.

- They can always keep you up to date with changing facilities and technology. These professionals can source the ultimate entertainment for any occasion. If the purpose of the entertainment is to add visual stimulus, to captivate the audience or to mingle with the crowds, then they can help you with everything.

- These corporate events organisers have a vast knowledge about all types of conference facilities. They can always recommend the best venues for pleasant and comfortable atmosphere and the one that would offer outstanding event facilities. If you are looking for a suitable venue for your event then they can source this and help you find the perfect location for your event.

- These organisers guarantee a competitive rate and always ensure to carry out much of the work before an event takes place and deliver the whole event package to the highest standard.

- They may even be able to help you select both your event venue needs and provide accommodation for attendees at your event.

Through their fully comprehensive and a stress-free service, creativity and expertise, these corporate events organisers can help you reap the rewards and benefits of your event. They are quite capable to manage any event or sale and always ensure the utmost in client satisfaction. These professionals can offer superior customer service as well as great business management skills. You can really count on these experts, as they can help with everything to sharpen your image, excite your audience and fit your budget. They offer high quality service giving you the chance to just take it easy and enjoy your event, ensuring that your event is both memorable and successful.

If you're an executive who is trying to decide if you should hire an executive limo service, read this article to learn about the benefits and quality service you should expect to receive as a result of employing a professional corporate transportation service.

The Benefits of Professional Chauffeur Service

Not only will hiring a professional chauffeur service make traveling to corporate events more comfortable; it will also bring a number of additional benefits to your company as well. Some of these benefits include:

• Comfortable Client Travel: If your clients are traveling with you, choosing an experienced corporate transportation service can ensure that they have a positive travel experience from beginning to end, and leave the event impressed with your professionalism.



• Nationwide Transportation: Many companies can provide executives with transportation services nationwide, which makes corporate travel scheduling less daunting and allows you to know what to expect prior to each trip.



• Qualified Chauffeurs: The majority of corporate transportation companies employ only those chauffeurs who are familiar with the area to ensure your travel plans are not ruined as a result of getting lost or being late to an event.



• Specialized Service:Employing an executive limo service that handles transportation to corporate events exclusively - as opposed to an average limo company that also handles party and wedding transportation - ensures that your chauffeur is qualified to meet the unique needs of executive clientele.



• Stellar First Impression:Arriving to corporate events in an executive limo will allow you to make a good impression on the clients with whom you are meeting.

The Qualities of an Excellent Executive Limo Service

After deciding to hire a professional chauffeur service, there are several qualities you can look for to determine if the transportation company you've hired will provide you with the best possible service. These qualities include:

• Availability: The company allows for flexible scheduling in case you encounter a change of plans or have to adjust your schedule.



• Chauffeur Appearance:Your chauffeur is polite, polished, and meets all standards set by the National Safety Council (NSC).



• Courteous Service:When you contact the company the operator addresses your concerns in a knowledgeable and friendly manner.



• Experience:Find a company that has been in business for a while. These companies are going to be more familiar with the area, allowing you to avoid getting lost or being late.



• Promptness:The chauffeur arrives on time and safely transports you to your corporate event in a comfortable and worry-free manner.

Vehicle Appearance:Your executive limo is clean and offers all of the amenities you requested (cellular phone service, elegant upholstery and interiors, etc.).