The new “it” social media outlet has more reach than LinkedIn, Google Plus and YouTube COMBINED. What is Pinterest? Pinterest is an online pin board. It’s part vision board–users can pin images of dream outfits, vacations and homes while also being a board of bragging rights—a showcase of things you’ve done, places you’ve been or books you’ve read. While Pinterest has 1.36 million viewers in one day (via mashable.com), the majority of Pinterest users are in the 25-34 age range and a whopping 68% are women. While something funny can almost guarantee a follow or a re-pin…
Event Planning
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Most Topular Stories
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Pinterested in Driving More Traffic to Your Event Planning Site?
The BusyEvent Blog17 Apr 2012 | 10:49 am -
9 ways that Event Planners use Pinterest to Promote their Business and Increase Attendance
The BusyEvent Blog9 May 2012 | 4:16 pmIt’s time for the 2nd installment of our “9 Things…” series of blogs, this month, it’s all about Pinterest with a nice twist at the end. So, here are our ideas on how event planners can use Pinterest to promote their business and increase attendance. Do you have one you want to share? Go on, don’t be shy…leave it in the comments and share the wealth. And then, by all means, be sure to enter our Pinterest #epiceventfail board contest to win the use of gomobile.pro for FREE for an entire year (read below to learn more)! Link all of your photos back… -
Tips for Getting Event Sponsors to say YES.
Fresh Event Tips24 Feb 2012 | 12:01 amGuest Blog from Brink Events, Thanks Aiden... Event planning often brings tight budgets. The ability to stretch these budgets and make the most of financial resources is important. For this reason, sponsors are often sought to alleviate some of the burden and provide additional support. Successful communication and negotiations will ensure long term success with your events. Start slow – Don’t ask for the moon right off the bat. You’re building a long term relationship, so you need to prove yourself first. Getting a sponsor on board is an initial leap of faith on their… -
Event Fun #4: Geeky Conferences
Event Manager Blog12 May 2012 | 4:59 amThanks to Chris Shipton for his Visual Thinking, you can find him on Twitter @chrisshipton. Geeky Conferences Related posts: Event Fun #1: Bieber Event Fun #2: The Goody Bag Event Fun #3: Social Overload © Julius Solaris for Event Manager Blog, 2012. | Follow Event Manager Blog on Twitter | Follow Event Manager Blog on Google+ | -
If I Mess Up, Please Tell Me. Really. I'm Not Just Saying That.
Why I Love This Job1 May 2012 | 12:48 pmI just found myself writing another unusual note, this time to one of Keynote's office vendors. Here it is: Hello (Keynote Vendor). Thank you for calling me back so quickly this morning about the (item we ordered). I do want to give you a bit of feedback. I am disappointed that I did not receive the invoice via email last week, as you had said. Particularly since you asked me for my email address while we were speaking, and I specifically told you that I am not the person who has received invoices before. If I hadn't happened to remember that…
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Event Manager Blog
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Mobile Event Apps: DoubleDutch Flock Takes Events to New Heights
15 May 2012 | 5:00 amThis is a sponsored post by DoubleDutch Flock. For information about sponsored posts click here. There’s a lot of talk in the event industry about mobile apps. DoubleDutch Flock is an award-winning interactive mobile app that is a truly innovative addition to any event, conference, or tradeshow. Flock engages attendees with event content through social features and game mechanics, unlike any other event app on the market. DoubleDutch Flock: Mobile Event App from DoubleDutch on Vimeo. Liberate Content from Pamphlets Paper guides are just thrown away. A mobile app allows you to elevate the… -
All The Best Practices of NFC in One Event [Case Study]
14 May 2012 | 10:13 amNo secret I am a big fan of NFC. I first mentioned it on the blog more than a year ago. Here is how one event has made the best use of this technology to date. The event in question is The Manhattan Cocktail Classic, hat tip to Techcrunch. The protagonist is Tagstand. A company I already covered and that is making waves in the event industry. Tagstand together with Tasting Tables and the agency ClearHart Digital set up a system of readers and bracelets to interact offline with bits and pieces of the event. You sync your bracelet with your Twitter or Facebook profile and voila, you’re… -
Event Fun #4: Geeky Conferences
12 May 2012 | 4:59 amThanks to Chris Shipton for his Visual Thinking, you can find him on Twitter @chrisshipton. Geeky Conferences Related posts: Event Fun #1: Bieber Event Fun #2: The Goody Bag Event Fun #3: Social Overload © Julius Solaris for Event Manager Blog, 2012. | Follow Event Manager Blog on Twitter | Follow Event Manager Blog on Google+ | -
See You at #IMEX12
11 May 2012 | 9:30 amI have made plans for IMEX 2012. I will be happy to see you there. I don’t often visit industry trade shows. If you read this blog since its early days, you know how I feel about them. This year I decided to make it to IMEX (22/24 May 2012, Frankfurt, Germany) for a number of reasons: - I wanted to meet a lot of friends I never met in person - I am a fan of Miguel’s work - I wanted to meet you, readers My Plans On Monday 21st, I will be running a blogging workshop for the guys at ShareToday. This will be an in-depth session on the effectiveness of blogging. You can learn more… -
Sync Slides and Talks with Presentme
9 May 2012 | 12:04 pmPresentme is a new tool to sync and show video with slides. It looks awesome and it is easy to use. Not sure if you experienced that, but finding a tool to integrate video with slides is a pain in the neck. Either you are a master of Final Cut or you are, well, cut out. While tweeting I spotted Presentme, a nifty little tool that has the only mission to make this painful integration work. What Is It? Import your presentation to Presentme, record with your Webcam or upload a video then share it to the world. As simple as that. Whenever I started to think about creating a video/slides mash up,…
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Fresh Event Tips
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Clever Mint Julep Recipes
23 Apr 2012 | 9:57 pmThe first Saturday in May is always a favorite "holiday" for me, the Kentucky Derby. If you're lucky enough to watch the best horse race at Churchill Downs itself, cheers to you. If you're having your own celebration below are a few very creative versions of the classic Mint Julep Derby Drink, courtesy of "Southern Living" - does anyone know the South better? You can view the full recipe and other cocktails at this Bonjour Events page: Aperitifs. Place mint leaves and syrup in a chilled julep cup, and muddle. Pack cup tightly with crushed ice; add bourbon and mint… -
Selecting Your Next Venue
21 Mar 2012 | 5:55 pmA guest post submitted from our friends in the UK: One of the biggest headaches in organizing corporate events is finding a suitable venue. But it needn’t be complicated; there are plenty of venues out there, but before you start searching it’s worth narrowing down what you’re looking for by thinking what you really need for a particular event. Depending on your budget, you can take a lot of the legwork out of the task by using a venue finding service. However, it’s easy to find venues for yourself online or through your own networks. Here are some useful things to… -
Brides: Wedding Website Source
14 Mar 2012 | 10:03 pmWe've always been fans of Tiny Prints and their wonderful wedding line, Wedding Paper Divas. To complete their offerings to brides, Wedding Paper Divas has just launched a wedding website tool with so many bells and whistles while keeping the sophisticated designs their paper invitations are known for. Your guests can RSVP online and it is free for one year. Gorgeous Diva Designs - Fashionable templates that match your stationery. Choose from dozens of the best-selling paper designs. How nice to match your site with the paper invitation. Drag-n-Drop Editing - WYSIWYG (What… -
Linked In Group: 60,000 members!
29 Feb 2012 | 11:46 amCongratulations to the Event Planning & Mgt. Linked In Group which hit 60,000 members today, on it's 4th birthday. And a big shout out to Julius Solaris for starting this group just 4 years ago. If you are not a member yet, this group is well moderated so there are no spam postings, which is a feat in itself. Below is infographic created by Chris Shipton for the most popular thread, "You know you're an event planner when..." - great laughs, and the thread is still going if you want to add more.... Click image to enlarge, or this link… -
Tips for Getting Event Sponsors to say YES.
24 Feb 2012 | 12:01 amGuest Blog from Brink Events, Thanks Aiden... Event planning often brings tight budgets. The ability to stretch these budgets and make the most of financial resources is important. For this reason, sponsors are often sought to alleviate some of the burden and provide additional support. Successful communication and negotiations will ensure long term success with your events. Start slow – Don’t ask for the moon right off the bat. You’re building a long term relationship, so you need to prove yourself first. Getting a sponsor on board is an initial leap of faith on their…
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Why I Love This Job
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If I Mess Up, Please Tell Me. Really. I'm Not Just Saying That.
1 May 2012 | 12:48 pmI just found myself writing another unusual note, this time to one of Keynote's office vendors. Here it is: Hello (Keynote Vendor). Thank you for calling me back so quickly this morning about the (item we ordered). I do want to give you a bit of feedback. I am disappointed that I did not receive the invoice via email last week, as you had said. Particularly since you asked me for my email address while we were speaking, and I specifically told you that I am not the person who has received invoices before. If I hadn't happened to remember that… -
Not Getting Left Behind
10 Apr 2012 | 4:34 pmI have the honor, and pleasure, and duty, of serving on the Board of Governors for the trade association for my industry category. Yes, Virginia, there is an association for everything. So among my duties as a Governor (how often will I get to be called Governor, in my life? Probably never again. So I have to enjoy it while it lasts.) I contribute an article for the Association's newsletter. Our annual convention is coming up soon, so this newsletter's article was about our event theme, centered on not getting left behind in our changing business… -
The Loss of Jeffrey Zaslow, and the Art of Storytelling
15 Feb 2012 | 7:09 pmThis past week saw the sudden and unexpected loss of author, speaker, and journalist Jeffrey Zaslow. I never met Jeffrey in person, but I would have had the opportunity in April 2012. I had just gotten mutual agreement to book him for an event which I personally would be attending, and I was looking forward to hearing him on stage. Such fascinating stories, such high-profile lives he's touched, such a gift for description, emotion, and most of all, storytelling. One of the real roots of this industry of guest speakers, public speakers, professional speakers - however you… -
There's Nothing Old-Fashioned About Having Good Manners
19 Jan 2012 | 7:16 pmSometimes I'm amazed at what people will say in an email. Things that they'd never say if they were standing in front of me. Sometimes it's a poorly worded joke, but often it's just someone being a little quick on the draw when deciding whether to write down some angry, insulting, or critical words. I suppose after all these years of increasingly text-based communications, I shouldn't be surprised anymore. Shameless optimist that I am. So I continue to be amazed that some folks find it so easy to be rude, mean, angry, or disrespectful,… -
More, More, More!
28 Jun 2011 | 5:44 pmWow, it's been a while since I had a second to post something! We are on fire over here at Keynote, and are currently interviewing for at least three open positions. Yay, I love opportunities for new ideas, fresh faces, and a chance to grow in a positive direction! Between needing more qualified personnel, and lots and lots of bookings, the annual IASB Convention (congrats to myself, I was just elected a Governor of IASB, the International Association of Speakers Bureaus!) held in San Diego this year, the phenomenal popularity of some of Keynote's speakers (Guy Kawasaki…
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READY2SPARK
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How do you decide what to bill for your time?
19 Apr 2012 | 8:25 amRecently I was asked the question: How do I decide what to bill for my time? This is a question that plagues many consultants who have no idea what to charge for their services. Here’s what I recommend: What is your vision for your business? The first place to start is to understand what you want your business to look like: Do you want to be a premium service provider (i.e. you have a value differentiator in the market) or do you want to be the lowest cost provider? It’s very difficult, and not sustainable, to charge a premium price if you don’t have unique value to offer… -
READY2SPARK ideas, news & tools
16 Apr 2012 | 10:03 amYes, it’s been 2 weeks since my last post. I feel it would only be fitting if I was in a confessional right now. But, alas, I’m not – I’m sitting at my desk desperately trying to catch up on all of my work. So, instead of my normal post, I thought I’d share some ideas and news with you until I get back on track next week. Not to worry, dear reader, I promise to give you some interesting content to nosh on until we meet here again. My favorite new task management tool: Like me, maybe you’ve been looking for a great task management system. Until… -
How to sell in an idea (even when everyone else thinks it’s a fad)
21 Mar 2012 | 4:24 pmMuch of what I write about on my blog is idea-based. Once I share a concept, my job ends and yours begins. Your job is to take what applies to you, sell it in to your organization and put it into practice. But alas, most great ideas die on the vine – before they can ever be harvested. The following article, originally written for MPI Toronto, will give you more fodder to help you sell in that great idea. So enjoy! You have a brilliant idea. The problem is that no one else in the organization shares your wild enthusiasm. They think it’s a fad, so they don’t want to invest time or… -
My blog is up for an award
13 Mar 2012 | 11:28 amI was very honored to hear that someone nominated my blog for the Canadian Event Industry Award’s Best Blog. If you’ve ever read a post and found it useful, meaningful or enjoyable, I would appreciate your support by voting for READY2SPARK here. Please also take the time to vote for some other great Canadian talent, if you can. (image via bjmccray) Hire Lara to Build Your Business Hire Lara to Speak Subscribe to our Newsletter The best way to get in touch with me is hello@ready2spark.com -
The astounding key to attracting your ideal customers (free worksheet included)
7 Mar 2012 | 9:40 amThis article originally appeared in my Event Solutions ‘Sparks of Attraction’ column. Most businesses want more customers. Let me tell you why that can be a BIG mistake. More customers is not the same as the right customers. So while you’re wasting time busily trying to keep someone happy who doesn’t value you and never will, your ideal match could be walking right on by. Your customers can make or break your business. They can motivate you, bring out your best work, rave about you to others like them, delight your employees and make you ‘cha-ching’ more profitable. Or…
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Meetings Podcast
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Did the Meetings Industry Cause the GSA Scandal? -Joan Eisenstodt -Show 215
3 May 2012 | 10:10 pmDid the Meetings Industry Cause the GSA Scandal? -Joan Eisenstodt -Show 215 (listen below) We revisit the GSA Scandal show from last week to see what the fall out has been and how our industry needs to fight back and make the world understand what meetings are really about. Our gues is Joan L. Eisenstodt from Eisenstodt Associates, LLC – Meetings & Hospitality Consultant,Facilitator & Trainer Things you can do today to help our industry: Petition to change the GSA Congressional Amendment PCMA, ASAE, MPI, IAEE, CIC, and U.S. Travel Join forces… -
What Happened at the GSA Scandal in Las Vegas? Show 214
26 Apr 2012 | 4:29 pmJon Trask and Mike McAllen discus what happened at the GSA scandal in Las Vegas MResort in Las Vegas. Links: So since we recorded this podcast the GSA Scandal Mushroomed, Almost $1 Million in Meeting Cancellations GSA scandal prompts limits on federal conferences Chairman likes M Resort publicity in GSA scandal Who was involved- General Services Administration 2010 What- GSA’s Public Buildings Service spent $822,000 on the biennial Western Regions Conference in Las Vegas for only 300 employees, according to an inspector general’s report. The expenses included $147,000 for airfare… -
Bringing Tupac back from death using Hologram Technology at Coachella
16 Apr 2012 | 5:03 pmWorking with a company called AVConcepts on a budget today for a show in San Diego for Wells Fargo. It pales in comparison for the cool elements they added at Coachella for audience engagement. Bringing back the dead. Those of you who listen to our podcast know we have already talked about the innovative event that Coachella is turning out to be. Jon is headed to the concert next weekend but something happened this weekend which was pretty amazing. AVConcepts brought the famous rapper Tupac Shakur back to life using high defition technology and a lifelike hologram for the 1000,000 fans that… -
Presentation Magic to Engage Audiences
9 Apr 2012 | 1:05 pm -
When to Outsource Social Media & Meeting Production Show 213
4 Apr 2012 | 4:38 pmElizabeth Glau from Social Media Building Blocks and Mike McAllen from Grass Shack Events & Media discuss outsourcing in social media and meeting production. How does a client know when they need a production company vs. an AV company? How does a client know when they need to outsource their social media? How do clients find you? Word of mouth? Website? Industry involvement? Do you ask them about their goals and objectives? Have you ever had a situation where the internal planners were worried about you stepping on their toes? Do a proposal that lays out the entire program, which they can…
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Unique Venues
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Let your imagination run wild — by choosing the AMA New York Conference Center in Times Square for your next event!
20 Apr 2012 | 3:22 pmWouldn’t you like to hold your meeting in the number one tourist destination in the world? Times Square. Imagine the flurry of traffic and tourists hustling below while you meet above it all at the AMA New York Conference Center. Imagine how quickly your guests can become a part of this pedestrian-friendly zone when the meeting is over each day. They will have great restaurants, shopping and Broadways shows at their fingertips. This is the experience the AMA New York Conference Center can offer the guests at your next meeting. And that’s in addition to all of the benefits… -
Looking for the ideal intimate waterfront venue for a wedding?
19 Apr 2012 | 8:53 amHow refreshing would it be to have a venue tell you upfront, “We’re not for everyone….We’re not even a venue for most weddings.” You may be surprised to learn that’s the premise behind Osprey Point Retreat & Conference Center’s new Wedding Package. Osprey Point openly acknowledges that it is not a venue for “most” weddings. However, if “the” wedding of your dreams is an intimate gathering with a close group of family and friends at a small – yet spectacular — waterfront destination, then Osprey Point’s new wedding package can make those dreams come true! -
A Million Dollar Renovation Project
28 Mar 2012 | 10:24 amThe AMA Atlanta Executive Conference Center has a new look. A million dollar renovation project, completed March 8,2012, features new honey maple wood wall panels, polished black ceramic tile, tangiers basket weave wall coverings and new carpeting throughout. The new design concept creates a welcoming environment for any meeting. AMA Executive Conference Centers understand the aesthetics as well as the functionality of a great meeting. The amenities at the newly renovated AMA Atlanta Center can’t be beat. The AMA Atlanta Center has new easy to use Crestron touch screen AV controls… -
If Business Brings You to Chicago…
22 Mar 2012 | 9:45 amChitown. The Windy City. The Second City. No matter what you call it, Chicago is a happening place for business these days. The third largest city in the United States, Chicago still manages to feel small, even among its 2.8 million residents. If business brings you to Chicago, we hope you’re spending some time at the AMA Chicago Executive Conference Center. With 19 comfortable meeting rooms that range in size from 400 to 3000 square feet, there’s hardly a group that their unique venue can’t accommodate. If you’re flying into Chitown, simplify your logistics. A free shuttle… -
10 Useful Sites for Meeting Planners- uniquevenues.com named as one
12 Mar 2012 | 3:30 pmA special thanks goes out to CollaborateMeetings.com, who highlighted us as one of 10 Useful Sites for meeting planners, saying, “uniquevenues.com: If a planner wants to go beyond the standard hotel or convention center, this website lists a number of sites and conference center off the beaten path, including camps and retreat centers, colleges and universities, and culture venues. We truly enjoy representing the unique in the meetings marketplace and pairing planners with meeting spaces that turn tradition on its head. Click here to read the full story. Share this on del.icio.us…
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Velvet Chainsaw | Midcourse Corrections
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Creating Planned Serendipity For Your Conference Success
15 May 2012 | 5:00 amNetworking: there’s more to it than business professionals speed handshaking while exchanging business cards. It’s an opportunity to connect and link with others as you share information, services and ideas with each other. Attendee Networking Expectations Increase There is no doubt about it. Conference attendee networking expectations are on the rise! Your conference is often your stakeholders’ best opportunity to connect in person with thought leaders and colleagues. While we intuitively know this, networking at most conferences continues to be a random, luck-of-the-draw… -
Using Content Marketing To Grow Conference Attendance
14 May 2012 | 5:00 amJoe Pulizzi shares how he uses content marketing to grow attendance at the Content Marketing World Conference. Here’s a rundown of his video if you want to fast forward to a specific area. 00:10 – Who Is Joe Pulizzi & What Is The Content Marketing World Conference 01:00 – What Is Content Marketing? 02:07 – How To Use Content Marketing To Grow Conference Attendance 03:39 – Tips For Creating Content For Your Conference Marketing 06:59 – For More Information On Content Marketing Video edited from PCMA’s Convening Leaders 2012 Learning Lounge Live Chat Room video clip. -
Are Business Travelers Too Addicted To Technology? [Infographic]
11 May 2012 | 8:38 amAccording to PC Housing stats, smartphones and tablets are slowly placing themselves in between water and food as top necessities for business travelers. It makes sense. Being on the road is simply made easier and more manageable by these tools that allow us to stay connected. Yet are these mobile devices taking up too much of our time? Check out PC Housing’s infographic below to see how dependent you are in comparison to other road warriors! Browse more Travel infographics. Business Traveler’s Mobile Dependence Infographic created by PC Housing What’s the most unusual… -
Creating Buzz Groups To Add Audience Participation To Traditional Lectures
10 May 2012 | 1:13 pmLectures are good for sharing information. They are not good for learning and getting listeners to think! Nor are the good for getting listeners to remember and apply the information they hear. Audience discussion methods are more effective for learning than the lecture. Lectures are the equivalent of distributing a report and asking people to read it. The scientific research about the ineffectiveness of lectures for education and learning abounds. Yet it is still the primary method used in most education programs. If the goal of a lecture is audience learning and retention, then the lecture… -
Foster These New Participant Attitudes For Your Next Conference Experience
9 May 2012 | 9:56 amI’m feelin’ good from my head to my shoes Know where I’m goin’ and I know what to do I tidied up my point of view I got a new attitude! Patti LaBelle, New Attitude As a conference organizer, when was the last time that you had a new attitude about your participants’ conference experience? Or are you, “Running hot, running cold…running into overload” as you plan your next event. Shaping Attitudes Our attitudes steer our decisions. They build momentum in everything we do. Or they can become the barriers that keep us from achieving our best. A…
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MeetingsNet | Meeting and Event Planning News
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CMS Pushes Sunshine Act Data Collection Deadline to 2013
15 May 2012 | 3:51 pmThe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced earlier this month that it was pushing back the deadline by which pharmaceutical companies must begin collecting data on the amount of money they spend on individual physicians to January 1, 2013. -
With a Master Services Agreement, Contract Negotiation is “One and Done!”
15 May 2012 | 12:51 pmMSAs save time and effort by getting legal terms agreed upon between your company and suppliers you use often. -
FICP Profile Interview: Colleen Brzozowski of Grand Traverse Resort & Spa
15 May 2012 | 12:32 pm -
FICP Profile Interview: Melissa McCarroll of Aviva USA
15 May 2012 | 11:11 am -
White House Issues Memo on Meeting Limits
15 May 2012 | 9:59 amIn a May 11 memo to the heads of executive departments and agencies, Jeffrey Zients, acting director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, outlined new government restrictions on federal meetings and travel.
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Exhibitor News Network
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PeopleVisionFX Creates 'Worldwide Store' for US Army Sustainment Command
9 May 2012 | 7:00 pmPeopleVisionFX created a unique trade show exhibit for the U.S. Army Sustainment Command (ASC) for the Association of the United States Army annual me... -
Cyclonix Advances Communications Telepresence Capabilities
9 May 2012 | 7:00 pmCyclonix Inc., a creator of brand architecture, has acquired and implemented global HD video conferencing capabilities. Vidyo technology will enable t... -
Tasty Catering Announces New Sales Director Tony Sansone
9 May 2012 | 7:00 pmTasty Catering, corporate catering and event planning services company and recipient of the Achievement in Catering Excellence (ACE) award, is proud t... -
Brenda A. Brown Completes Certified Trade Show Marketer (CTSM) Program
9 May 2012 | 7:00 pmBrenda A. Brown has joined the ranks of the trade show industry's top talent by completing EXHIBITOR's Certified Trade Show Marketer (CTSM) accreditat... -
NexxtShow Introduces NextWall Hard Wall System
9 May 2012 | 7:00 pmNexxtShow announced the launch of NextWall™, a new modular European-style hard wall system designed to replace pipe and drape as the industry standard...
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Special Events
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Calling Big DMCs, Blog to win Brides, Speak at The Special Event 2013
15 May 2012 | 5:00 pmCalling Big DMCs, Blog to win Brides, Speak at The Special Event 2013 -
Special Events Business News for May 16, 2012
15 May 2012 | 4:27 pmSpecial Events Business News for May 16, 2012 -
New Chairbacks, Upgraded Rental Software, Mini Table Lamps
15 May 2012 | 2:50 pmNew Chairbacks, Upgraded Rental Software, Mini Table Lamps -
ISES Announces Eventworld 2012 Educational Sessions
9 May 2012 | 1:08 amISES Announces Eventworld 2012 Educational Sessions -
Goldman Sachs Small-business Program Helps Event Planner Grow her Company
8 May 2012 | 5:58 pmGoldman Sachs Small-business Program Helps Event Planner Grow her Company
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SWEET Online Fundraising Blog
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Current list of Payment Gateways compatible with SWEET Peer to Peer Fundraising Software.
14 May 2012 | 2:41 pmSWEET works with any of the following providers. We're adding more all time so ask if you're gateway is not here. Paypal http://www.paypal.com Google Checkout http://checkout.google.com Authorize.net www.authorize.net Sage Payments http://www.sagepayments.com/ IATS http://www.iatspayments.com/ Acceptiva http://www.acceptiva.com BluePay http://www.bluepay.com Cybersource http://www.cybersource.com VANCO... -
Myra Biblowit discusses Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector
4 Apr 2012 | 9:07 amMyra Biblowit, President of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, discusses Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector There are so many challenges facing the sector today. Increased demand for services, steep cuts in government funding, fewer and fewer corporate funders, the list... -
Online Giving Benchmark Study Confirms The Obvious but is Interesting Nonetheless
3 Apr 2012 | 11:53 amHere are some of the key findings in the study: 1. Online fundraising continues to grow robustly 2. Online represents a strong donor acquisition channel 3. Online giving continues to grow fastest for small organizations Some other info can be... -
For Nonprofits Mobile Web is better than Apps
11 Jan 2012 | 4:11 pmHere's a short list of reasons why nonprofits should focus more on making making their websites mobile friendly and less on App development. Creating and Maintaining an App is expensive. Making your existing website mobile-friendly is easy and not so... -
Mobile Version of SWEET Pledge Fundraising Website Shows Great Promise
6 Jan 2012 | 2:05 pmIn the online fundraising world, "great promise" means donations. In the 1st week after we launched the mobile verison of http://hope.cupidsundierun.com, 60 donations came through from Iphones, Ipads, or Android devices. Most orgs don't see 60 donations from mobile users...
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event-planning « WordPress.com Tag Feed
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Behind the Scenes: Fashion Week
7 May 2012 | 8:42 amT: Toi Et MoiM: Whitney PortB: Star Lounge Entrance of “the Hub” at MBFWA I apologize for the long wait, but after a very eventful, sleepless and time consuming week on-site, I had to sit down and do uni work. After trying to play catch up with uni over the weekend, the last thing I wanted to do was sit and write more! I’m sorry. Though I’m still not fully caught up, I knew I had to say something about Fashion Week because too many of you have questioned how it went! Well, to say the least, it was everything and more it was cracked up to be, but now I can’t… -
The #Wedding Edition
6 May 2012 | 8:56 pmWhy hello there! I know it’s been quite a while since I posted something “meaty”. And by that I mean a post with lots and lots of fabulous clothes! A little late but keeping my promise to you that I would share my wedding outfits in detail- here I am! I did post a sneak preview (click here to view) of what I wore to my brother’s wedding but I thought I would post it in more detail here so you can get some inspiration and just enjoy the colours. Weddings are never out of season. They happen come rain, snow or sun shine and there will always be a need for more wedding/party clothes. So… -
Nora Roberts...The Bride Quartet Series
6 May 2012 | 2:36 pmNora Roberts is synonymous with romance novels. I have read a few of her books, but not many. She grabbed my attention with her BRIDE QUARTET SERIES. What girl doesn’t dream of her wedding from early childhood? That is the premise of this series of books. They are based on four friends that as children , would gather to play and pretend that they were in each other’s wedding, taking turns at being the bride. When they reached adulthood, the childhood role-playing became their livelihood as they partnered together to form “Vows“, a wedding event… -
And I'm off to the races...
6 May 2012 | 2:12 pmFinally running with the rest of the internet community on a more organized level of who I am and what I do. All the fine print dirty details can be found in my “About” section of my site, for now I’ll just state the facts and need to knows. ♥ If you need something done in the arts department I offer a number a services, having a background in Journalism, Drawing, Photography, Graphics & Web Design. Art is one of my deepest passions & talents. ♥ Planning a Special Event but too busy or have no desire for all the stress & work that goes into it? Perhaps you… -
Beautiful Planning
6 May 2012 | 12:05 pmThe key to a successful event is planning. Although miracles happen and some people can put together an event in the drop of a hat, there is still planning involved: just at super speed. The bigger the event the more planning needed. 1. Break everything down into components. Think back to middle school English class when we had to outlines or webs to construct a story. You finally get to put those to use! a. Write down you main objectives b. Write down your Events (for a wedding: ceremony, cocktails, reception) c. Break down each sub-event and write what you want included in it. 2. Research…
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Nashville Wedding Planner | A Delightful Day Event Planning Blog
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Kelly Plans a Wedding: The Food
15 May 2012 | 3:23 pmThroughout my recaps of our wedding planning written for this blog, I really haven't had anything negative to say up to this point. Sure -- working with a limited budget has been stressful, finding a date seemed near-impossible for so long, and finding the perfect dress to fit my 6 bridesmaids was less than a cakewalk. But I haven't had a completely negative experience in this process until this point in time. Ultimately, I think I set myself up for failure in the area of food & beverage. Drew and I wrote out a priorities list back whenever we started planning and have since… -
Kelly Plans a Wedding: The Wedding Website
15 May 2012 | 10:01 amOne of my favorite things to do is scour through wedding websites. I love reading the story behind the to-be-wedded couple, the bios of all the bridal party members, details about the upcoming wedding, and flipping through pictures from all stages of their lives. When Drew and I got engaged, I knew I wanted to create a wedding website that was a little unusual, totally customizable, and pretty but informative. I've had a personal tumblr blog for a little over a year and love the formatting, so when it came to making decisions, I chose to make our wedding website via tumblr. I… -
Kelly Plans a Wedding: The Rentals
10 May 2012 | 10:01 amYou could probably accurately call me a "picky bride." Working in this industry has made me very particular about my wedding demands, and the more I get into planning my own wedding, the more decisive I get. My non-negotiable list goes something like this: Quality photographer & videographer At least seven-night-long honeymoon in tropical location A PLANNER! Gorgeous florals A DJ that will keep people dancing Live ceremony music A seriously delicious cake Professional hair & makeup Flattering lighting The most important dress of my life A Prince Charming groom, of course! A… -
Kelly Plans a Wedding: The Floral Designer
8 May 2012 | 10:00 amIf you follow my Pinterest board, you've probably noticed that 65% of the pictures I pin involve one common element... flowers. I am a flower addict. Let's just say while I had a strong feeling Drew was the one from the moment I met him, he sealed the deal when he brought me a gorgeous bouquet of yellow lilies to the play I was in freshman year. I also routinely take trash bags full of leftover "trashed" flowers home with me after weddings I work. It just makes me cringe to think of so much beauty getting thrown away, and brides' families often don't want to keep… -
Kelly Plans a Wedding: The Honeymoon
3 May 2012 | 4:46 pmOnce Drew and I had been engaged for almost four months {time flies!!!!} and have done the vast majority of BIG wedding plans {determining budget, allocating money, deciding on a date, securing logistics, hiring vendors, putting down deposits, coming up with tentative details (and then changing them...), tasting food and cake, purchasing dresses and accessories and underthings, Pinning like a madwoman, etc}... I think it's fair to say we found the MOST enjoyable part of the entire wedding planning process: THE HONEYMOON. {Excellence Punta Cana} Maybe it's because there's…
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HotelChatter -
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Beverly Hills: Inside £10, The Secret Upstairs Bar at Montage Beverly Hills
15 May 2012 | 6:05 pmLast week, we tested your hotel knowledge with this snapshot and congrats are in order for Willfojo who correctly guessed that the barrel of Macallan Whisky can be found at The Montage Beverly Hills' secret bar, £10.Tucked away in a separate room above the Montage's Scarpetta restaurant, £10 is not your average hotel bar. For starters, you can't just pop by whenever you want as reservations are required. You can't even find the place without someone who works there showing you the way. This isn't a 24-7 kind of place either as £10 is only open from 5pm to 1am from Tuesday-Saturday. The… -
Miami Beach: The James Hotel in Miami Will Open on October 1 at $299 a Night
15 May 2012 | 6:05 pmThe James Royal Palm Miami isn't opening until later this fall but to all your eager hotel beavers out there (you know who you are), we've just got word that reservations for the hotel are now open!Hopping onto the hotel's website we found a special pre-opening rate of $299 a night for October 1. That rate gets you a 275-sq.ft. room with a king bed, views of the Miami cityscape and Biscayne Bay, a cocktail and snack bar (hopefully like the ones they have at James Chicago), a 42-inch plasma TV, gloriously free WiFi, a private work/dining niche, nightly turndown, custom robes and slippers and… -
New York: A Sneak Peek at The Algonquin's Brand New Barrymore Suite
15 May 2012 | 5:25 pmIt's a very early peek. Big news! While the historical Algonquin Hotel works to complete a near total renovation, they're slipping in a brand new suite, and it'll be quite the unique one for a Manhattan hotel. The Barrymore Suite, named for the actor John Barrymore (who himself was a frequent guest at The Algonquin's bar), will be a second-floor suite, looking directly out to the street. Furthermore it'll be two levels, with the living area sunken near the windows for optimum people-watching. It's ideal for guests who maybe love suites, but don't love being up towards the top of a high-rise… -
Do You Book Your Hotel Stay Based on The Hotel's Gym?
15 May 2012 | 3:42 pmRecently, an acquaintance was badgering pumping us about hotel recommendations for Hong Kong. After mentioning a few that we recently checked out, said friend asked us, "But which one has the best gym?" Uhh....See, we're not really the fitness-oriented type when it comes to our hotel stays. Indeed our first reaction to the announcement of IHG's new fitness-oriented hotel brand, Even Hotels, was wondering if we would be judged for carrying fast-food take-out back to our room. We'd rather book our room based on the following criteria--newness, cheapness and in some special cases, design. But… -
A Hotel in Manhattan With a New Look for Under $200 a Night (And Other Worthy Hotel Deals)
15 May 2012 | 3:03 pmDeals: you want 'em, and surprisingly, everyone has 'em. Take a look at some of the latest hotel deals going around the internet today from booking sites, social media sites, flash sale sites and more. Don't forget to scroll down to see the HotelChatter-approved deal either. Who knows? You might just find what you're looking for. (But don't forget to tell us about your stay!) DEALS, DEALS, DEALS* · Tablet Hotels: This week's Private Sale offers up the Dream Downtown starting at $228 a night for a bronze room (down from $389.) We even found rooms for Memorial Day Weekend around $275 a…
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Marriott on the Move
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China's "Nobility of Nature" - Bees, Honey & Clean Water
15 May 2012 | 6:04 pmA Sustainable Way of Life I want to take you on a trip via video to China’s Sichuan Province and introduce you to two young girls who live in the village of Guanba. They know how important it is to protect their local rivers and streams. One of the girls is 13-year old Dan Liu and the other is her sister Ying, who is 9. Their village is part of an innovative project called “Nobility of Nature.” Two years ago this month, Marriott International and Conservation International partnered with the local provincial Chinese government. The program promotes… -
Awards of Excellence
9 May 2012 | 9:31 pmMy father often said “take good care of the associates and they’ll take good care of the customers.” That’s at the heart of how we do things at Marriott every day. Our associates around the world put people first - whether it's inside the hotels or outside in the communities they serve. Every associate has a commitment to teamwork, excellence and the Spirit to Serve. But there are always a special few who really shine. To recognize their terrific dedication, once a year we invite them to Headquarters and put on a special awards ceremony in their… -
What's an Executive Chairman?
30 Apr 2012 | 9:03 amI don’t have an opportunity to hand out many business cards, but my new card says “Executive Chairman.” You don't see that job title popping up on careerbuilder.com. You might be wondering what my new job is all about. I guess you need 40 years of experience as CEO. It doesn’t hurt to have your name above the door. In applying for the job, I told our board of directors I’m ideally suited for the position. They never asked for my resume'. But if they had, here it is: I worked in the accounting office when I was 14 sorting invoices and doing… -
This Isn't Your Dad's Courtyard Anymore
23 Apr 2012 | 3:22 pmIf you haven’t been to a Courtyard hotel lately, check out the slide show of photos below. As one magazine described it, “This isn’t your dad’s Courtyard.” A few years ago, we started our “refreshing business” project. Now, we’ve reached a milestone of five hundred hotels with a new look and feel. Ben Franklin once said, “When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.” Courtyard didn’t just change in one area. It took on a total redefinition of its lobby space to meet the changing needs of business travelers and it continues to… -
Cleaning up the Red Sea One Dive at a Time
22 Apr 2012 | 3:25 pmIN CELEBRATION OF EARTH DAY The Sharm El Sheikh Marriott Red Sea Resort sent me a video of their recent community service project. The hotel associates cleaned up the beach, but didn’t stop at the water’s edge. They strapped on scuba tanks, dove into the sea and hunted for buried garbage. Sharm El Sheikh is a beautiful resort destination located in south Sinai Egypt. The beaches are golden and the water clear. It’s like swimming in an aquarium and now it’s a cleaner aquarium. The yearly beach and underwater cleanup project brings the entire…
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The Webinar Blog
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Come See Me At The Presentation Summit
14 May 2012 | 3:58 pmGet your tickets now! It’s a long time to October, but you can save $100 if you register this month for the annual Presentation Summit in Scottsdale, Arizona. From October 7-10, you have the opportunity to learn and refine presentation skills, led by a bevy of experts sharing practical advice. I was honored to accept an invitation to present twice during the conference. I’m not entirely sure, but this may be the first time they have included sessions devoted to presenting to remote audiences as opposed to general presentation skills for in-room presenters. The extra focus on web… -
omNovia Adds Webinar Features
10 May 2012 | 6:36 pmomNovia doesn’t put out formal software releases with version numbers. Instead, they just slip new features into production every so often, which means I always seem to be playing catch-up with new functionality. They announced three new enhancements this week. AV Remote Control gives a webinar moderator control over the webcam and microphone of other presenters. The moderator can adjust video quality or microphone volume, and can instantly kill the video or audio feed from a given presenter. I like this for two reasons. The more dramatic and entertaining scenario is the classic one where a… -
Active vs Passive Webinars
9 May 2012 | 4:10 pmYou can make your webinar descriptions, invitations, and presentations more effective. Engage your audience with active terminology. Don’t run away yet… I am not going to turn this post into a rehash of that long-ago grammar class in school that made you permanently hate the English language in general and writing in particular. You can look up detailed descriptions of transitive vs. intransitive verbs somewhere else. In fact, some of what I will recommend doesn’t match up with formal definitions of active vs. passive sentence construction at all. So you grammar jocks can put away your… -
Should Webinar Presenters Split Up?
2 May 2012 | 5:00 pmLet’s examine a common scenario… You plan to give a webinar presentation with another person, each of you taking some time as co-presenters. Is it better to be in the same room or in separate physical locations? My preference is for the latter. But I recognize and want to go over the arguments for both approaches. Presenters who prefer to stay with each other in a room typically like the following aspects: You can run the presentation from a single computer. There is no fumbling around as you try to pass presentation control back and forth from one person to another. It is easier to… -
Making Your Presentation Understandable
1 May 2012 | 12:28 am“Everybody will know what I mean.” Five of the most dangerous words a presenter can use. Whenever you find yourself saying this sentence to yourself or to another, chances are very good that you are wrong. Webinar presentations are even more susceptible to the problem of communication assumptions because of their limitless global reach. Anybody, anywhere may watch your content. You can’t look out at a roomful of faces and make a snap decision that most are from a cultural, professional, and generational background that matches your own (not that you’d be right about that anyway). This…
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ConventionPlanit.com Meeting & Events Blog
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Springtime Expo 2012
8 May 2012 | 1:38 pmLast Thursday, the CP gang headed into DC for the annual ASAE Springtime Expo. It is a show we look forward to every year – the Education Sessions are informative and there is always an interesting Keynote Speaker, but most of all, we have the chance to say hello to many of our member properties and show meeting planners how easy ConventionPlanit.com is to use! ConventionPlanit.com staff in our booth at the Springtime show. There was not a dull moment all day! (From L to R: Ashley Chalmers, Katherine Markham, CHME, David Markham, Illusionist Benjamin Corey, Sandy Lavery, Maureen… -
An Internet Minute
23 Apr 2012 | 2:43 pmA colleague shared this image with me today and I could not help but pass it along to our readers! It’s quite amazing to look at how widespread technology has become, especially within our own industry. What information from this graphic caught your attention the most? Related Posts:Safe Hotel Internet Connections2012 Convening Leaders Kicks OffAdd To -
Visit Anchorage Planner Reception
9 Apr 2012 | 2:29 pmYour intrepid ConventionPlanit.com Blogger came out of hibernation for the annual Visit Anchorage events in Colorado this past week. As reliable as Spring, the Anchorage team of Jim Henderson, V.P. of Convention Sales and Marlene Geils, Convention Sales Manager traveled to Boulder and Denver to sponsor 2 luncheons and a reception for area planners. This year they were joined by Alexander Wong, Corporate Sales Manager for the Hotel Captain Cook…Anchorage’s Preferred Hotel. A longtime marketing collaborator and supplier member of ConventionPlanit.com, Visit Anchorage partnered with… -
Sustainable Industry Standards Now Available
26 Mar 2012 | 1:44 pmProfessionals in the meeting industry have access to the very first green meetings and event standards in the areas of Audio-Visual, Communication & Marketing Materials, Destinations, Exhibits, Food & Beverage, On-Site Office, and Transportation. The American Society for Testing and Materials International (ASTM) has published seven of nine sustainable meeting standards. The standards, produced as a partnership between the Convention Industry Council’s Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) and ASTM, were initially conceptualized by the Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC) in… -
Special Meeting Savings
6 Mar 2012 | 12:44 pmDid you know ConventionPlanit.com members offer special meeting savings for planners who use the website? Head over to Divine Deals and see for yourself! You can even find deals by searching for the month of your meeting. New deals are posted often, so make sure you check for updates. Check out the Divine Deals on ConventionPlanit.com. Related Posts:Savings for Meeting PlannersSummer Meeting Deals for Last Minute MeetingsAdd To
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Face2Face
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Tips for going international with your meeting
15 May 2012 | 6:26 pmIf you are considering taking one or more of your meetings outside of the U.S., this article has some great tips on how to get started: 7 Tips for Planning International Meetings, written by our weekly guest blogger Andy McNeill, president and CEO of American Meetings, Inc. FYI, If you’re looking for more on international meetings, we have some exhaustive resources on MeetingsNet.com as well, from international destination updates to tips, trends, and how-tos; cost-saving strategies; legal advice; research and white papers; holiday, currency and time-zone resources; and customs and… -
Does A/B testing have a place in meetings?
9 May 2012 | 3:01 pmI was reading an article about how A/B testing is dominating Web design and generally changing how businesses evolve in Wired magazine last night, and it made me wonder if some version of it isn’t what we already do in meetings. What A/B testing is, according to Wired: “Using A/B, new ideas can be essentially focus-group tested in real time: Without being told, a fraction of users are diverted to a slightly different version of a given web page and their behavior compared against the mass of users on the standard site. If the new version proves superior—gaining more clicks,… -
Strange but fun promotional video of the day
9 May 2012 | 11:37 amI think I spent most of the minute and a half or so of this promotional video for The Star Sydney with my head cocked quizzically in a “what are they trying to say about the place?” way. But it made me laugh out loud at the end, thereby earning the dubious distinction of being the official face2face strange-but-fun video du jour. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrtJyKOMGU0 -
Reducing waste at conferences: Handy video tip
8 May 2012 | 5:05 pmI wonder if anyone would be willing to show this video during the walk-in time pre-general session to help reduce the number of paper towels people use to dry their hands at conferences? If they’re like me, your attendees are washing their hands a lot to cut down on the possibility of exchanging more than a handshake with all those greetings, and we could probably save a lot of paper. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FMBSblpcrc -
Daniel Pink’s travel tips
8 May 2012 | 4:56 pmAuthor and speaker Daniel Pink travels a lot for his speaking gigs—and like most frequent travelers, it looks like he’s gathered some tips along the way. Here are 12 of them, including the one thing you should never do in a hotel room and a controversial (from the comments anyway) idea about how to keep from getting sick. What’s your favorite travel tip?
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The BusyEvent Blog
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9 ways that Event Planners use Pinterest to Promote their Business and Increase Attendance
9 May 2012 | 4:16 pmIt’s time for the 2nd installment of our “9 Things…” series of blogs, this month, it’s all about Pinterest with a nice twist at the end. So, here are our ideas on how event planners can use Pinterest to promote their business and increase attendance. Do you have one you want to share? Go on, don’t be shy…leave it in the comments and share the wealth. And then, by all means, be sure to enter our Pinterest #epiceventfail board contest to win the use of gomobile.pro for FREE for an entire year (read below to learn more)! Link all of your photos back… -
Who’s Fixing the Trade Show and Events Industry?
27 Apr 2012 | 10:50 amLines, Lines everywhere there’s line…(but what about leads?) Recently, a quote from a blog I frequent caught my eye: “Institutions will try to preserve the problem for which they are the solution.” Of course, this can apply to any institution and any field of work; yes, even the tradeshow industry (GASP!). While the current tradeshow model is widely believed to be obsolete, the desire to meet people, exchange information and learn certainly is not. . . . so where do we go from here; to adapt, to stay relevant to stay productive? Well, don’t look at large event vendors… -
Pinterested in Driving More Traffic to Your Event Planning Site?
17 Apr 2012 | 10:49 amThe new “it” social media outlet has more reach than LinkedIn, Google Plus and YouTube COMBINED. What is Pinterest? Pinterest is an online pin board. It’s part vision board–users can pin images of dream outfits, vacations and homes while also being a board of bragging rights—a showcase of things you’ve done, places you’ve been or books you’ve read. While Pinterest has 1.36 million viewers in one day (via mashable.com), the majority of Pinterest users are in the 25-34 age range and a whopping 68% are women. While something funny can almost guarantee a follow or a re-pin… -
48 hours, 117 investors and gomobile.pro – Hello world!
6 Apr 2012 | 10:47 amBusyEvent introduces gomobilepro to the world – and the world of qualified investors!. 2 Days 3 Press Articles 117 Qualified Investors A Bushel full of fun and opportunity! That’s how you could describe our last 48 hours as we introduced gomobilepro to the world at two investor events: Capital Innovators Demo Day (#ciDD12) and The Missouri Venture Forum’s Invest Midwest (#investmidwest) BusyEvent CEO David Schenberg introduces gomobilepro at Capital Innovators Demo Day Investor events are always fun especially since we get to see what our baby looks like, in the eyes of… -
9 Things You Didn’t Know About gomobile.pro
3 Apr 2012 | 1:28 pmTired of reaching only those people who approach your booth? How about the attendees that may be a great lead but never come to the trade show floor? gomobilepro helps you ‘break the chord’ . . . don’t have your lead management system anchor you to your booth, go on . . . be free and find great leads wherever they occur from anywhere at the show! Not generating enough (or any) profit from your event? gomobilepro reverses the flow of money back into the event producers pocket! gomobilepro can work on any internet enabled device without the need for a persistent internet…
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Free Meetings & Travel Magazines and Downloads from alltop.tradepub.com
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Travel & Expense Management Benchmarking
20 Apr 2012 | 2:20 pmThis report profiles the use of expense management automation solutions at US based enterprises. It provides an in-depth look at both the benefits and challenges faced in Travel and Expense Management (TEM) and highlights current TEM practices. Some of the key issues addressed in this report:Changes in T&E spend over the last three yearsChallenges associated with the T&E processImpact of automation on processing costsAnd more!Request Free! -
The Best-in-Class Pillars of Next-Generation Expense Management
16 Apr 2012 | 11:20 amModern management of expenses related to Travel & Entertainment (T&E) has undergone an evolution from traditional back-office function to strategic internal set of processes. The next-generation T&E expense management program is built on the Best-in-Class pillars of modern expense management, including analytical, mobile, cloud and integrated capabilities and processes, and has proven to drive tremendous value from a complex spend category that is necessary for driving corporate business value.Request Free! -
3D Products - Virtually Everywhere!
13 Apr 2012 | 2:00 amEven when products are accessible, communicating hidden features and benefits at trade shows and sales meetings can be tricky. Access this on-demand webcast now to learn how CMOs are overcoming such issues with virtual 3D product models.Request Free! -
Virtual Marketing Tools that Transform Your Trade Show Booth
13 Apr 2012 | 2:00 amVirtual marketing technologies engage booth prospects and enable them to show virtual products in an interactive way. Access this on-demand webcast now to see how virtual 3D product demonstrations are being used to WOW booth prospects and eliminate product-shipping and drayage costs.Request Free! -
The Top 3 Ways a Postage Meter Can Save Your Business Money
4 Apr 2012 | 8:20 pmWhether it's saving time, cutting back on gas expenses or simply not overpaying for day-to-day office expenses, postage meters help improve business performance, accuracy, accountability and image. Gain valuable savings on Priority Mail® and Express Mail®. Stop guessing weights and overpaying on postage.Eliminate costly, time-consuming trips to the post office. Gain better control of your postage--and better tracking of usage. An in-house postage meter can help even the smallest business save both time and money, increase efficiency, and help make the most of every dollar. Learn why postage…
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Party Ideas Blog
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May 15, Teen Party Ideas
15 May 2012 | 11:48 amTeen Party Ideas includes themes, ideas and fun for the best teenage parties! -
May 15, Candy Theme Sweet Sixteen
15 May 2012 | 10:22 amCandy Theme Sweet Sixteen party ideas for your sweet, sweet 16th birthday party. -
May 15, Cahootie
15 May 2012 | 10:20 amCahootie game review by tweens and product information. -
May 15, Group Games
15 May 2012 | 9:13 amGroup games, perfect for a youth group or anytime you need multiplayer games. -
May 15, Teen Party Games
15 May 2012 | 9:09 amTeen Party Games for your most discriminating teenager!
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Elite Meetings Blog
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Save the Date: HSMAI’s MEET West
7 May 2012 | 5:39 pmDon’t miss this year’s HSMAI MEET West show, which takes place May 30-31, 2012, at the Anaheim Marriott Hotel (in Anaheim, CA). You’ll join an estimated 1,200 fellow meeting planners, along with 250 exhibitors who will promote their hotels, resorts, inns, convention and visitors bureaus, tech suppliers, and food and equipment providers. If you can’t attend in person, you can still benefit from HSMAI’s MEET On, which will air select educational sessions and interviews with exhibitors and presenters. But if you can attend, you’re in for a treat. Make plans to attend Wednesday’s… -
Karen Cahill Named EMI’s COO
23 Apr 2012 | 4:09 pmRead all about it here or scroll down and read below. We are so happy and honored that Karen has come to Elite. She brings a wealth of knowledge and an attitude that can’t be beat. WELCOME TO THE TEAM KAREN! Elite Meetings International (EMI) Appoints Karen Cahill Chief Operating Officer The appointment of Cahill is part of Elite’s plans for significant growth this year. Santa Barbara, CA (PRWEB) April 23, 2012 Elite Meetings International, Inc. (EMI), announced that it has hired Karen Cahill as Chief Operating Officer. Cahill brings to the company more than two decades of senior… -
Tuesday, 4/24 Daily Digest
23 Apr 2012 | 3:58 pmHello Elite Meetings Alliance-ers! We hope you had a productive and inspiring day yesterday. If you missed any of the speaker sessions, you can find them online. Did you know that the speakers were broadcasted live to viewers at home? Pretty neat little feature if I do say so myself. Big thank you to SonicFoundry for making that possible. I won’t go too deep in the speaker sessions but we were lucky enough to have John Pollard, Betsy Bondurant, Daren Martin and Shawn Seipler educate us on ways to be the best industry professional (whatever industry you’re in). The… -
Renovations, Outreach, and More Wi-Fi, Please…
23 Apr 2012 | 3:11 pmNewsy Bits from the Industry… A $50 Million Reveal: Meeting planners spoke and the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center listened—to the tune of $50 million. Meeting planners will now discover additional venues, like the Coquina Lawn (pictured), where groups can dine under the stars, sip brandy by three fire pits, or watch movies in a park-like setting. Also new: two comfy meeting planner offices just steps from the ballrooms, plus fully updated guest rooms, an adults-only South Beach-style pool, and a bi-level Wreckers Sports Bar, which can be customized for groups… Can You… -
Monday 4/23 – Daily Digest
22 Apr 2012 | 10:11 amWelcome to the Elite Meeting’s Alliance everyone! My name is Alina and if we have yet to meet, stop by the hospitably desk to say hello. I’ll be taking you through recaps of the days ahead through the Daily Digest posts which can be found on your QuickMobile app and also on the EliteMeetings.com blog page. I hope you have as much fun reading these as I do writing them. Without further ado, let’s begin. Yesterday marked the beginning of another journey through the Elite Meetings Alliance. This Spring’s event is hosted by the Omni Dallas Hotel — which only opened…
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Inside The Costume Box
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Win Lady Gaga Tickets - Sydney Born This Way Ball
30 Apr 2012 | 9:21 pm -
Star Wars Day: May the 4th Be With You!
27 Apr 2012 | 1:59 amWhen Margaret Thatcher was elected as the first female Prime Minister of Britain, her party took out an ad in the London Evening News to congratulate her. The date was May 4th, 1979. The ad read: "May the Fourth Be With You, Maggie. Congratulations." The phrase obviously taken from the pop movie hit of the time, Star Wars, was a reference to the Jedi greeting: "May the Force Be With You." The idea stuck, and ever since May the 4th has been known... no, not as the day Maggie became Prime Minister (well, in some circles, maybe)... but as Star Wars Day! So what does Star Wars Day… -
Dark Shadows Movie Trailer
16 Apr 2012 | 9:26 pmJohnny Depp and Tim Burton team up (yet again!) to remake the TV horror-drama Dark Shadows, which ran from 1966-1971. The new incarnation has a comic twist to it, combining a vampire drama with a touch of Beetlejuice style humour and Tim Burton's usual quirky artistic flair. The main character, played by Depp, is Barnabas Collins, a seasoned vampire who returns to his 1972 roots and discovers a dysfunctional family in need of saving. What ensues looks highly entertaining! Check out the Trailer here: -
Snow White Movies 2012 and Costume Ideas.
15 Apr 2012 | 9:45 pmYear2012SnowWhiteInfluenced Movies andCostumeIdeas. Mirror Mirror. Snow white and the Huntsman. Costume Ideas: Snow White Womens Costume: Voted fairest in the land, this sweet costume will help you channel your inner Snow White. Fairytale Snow White Womens Costume: You'll be the fairest of them all! This Fairy Tale Snow White dress has a bit of a sexy edge to it.With colourful blue puff sleeves and a raised hemline in the front, this one looks great with a bright petticoat underneath. The hair ribbon is attached to a headband, so stands up easily and looks… -
Foul Fashion Hits Australia: A Take On Fancy Dress
11 Apr 2012 | 1:12 amFrom the makers of The Morphsuit comes a brave new fancy dress trend sure to be a hit with the blokes. While The Morphsuit is a colourful one-piece 'body' suit often a hit at music festivals or cricket matches, Foul Fashion is a brash twist on the 'business' suit. But don't be fooled, there's nothing serious about getting suited up in this outfit! Using off-cut fabrics, each Foul Fashion garment features a variety of clashing patterns on each panel. This often bright and eclectic mix makes for one loud outfit - especially when you combine them for full…
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Inside The Costume Box
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Win Lady Gaga Tickets - Sydney Born This Way Ball
30 Apr 2012 | 9:21 pm -
Star Wars Day: May the 4th Be With You!
27 Apr 2012 | 1:59 amWhen Margaret Thatcher was elected as the first female Prime Minister of Britain, her party took out an ad in the London Evening News to congratulate her. The date was May 4th, 1979. The ad read: "May the Fourth Be With You, Maggie. Congratulations." The phrase obviously taken from the pop movie hit of the time, Star Wars, was a reference to the Jedi greeting: "May the Force Be With You." The idea stuck, and ever since May the 4th has been known... no, not as the day Maggie became Prime Minister (well, in some circles, maybe)... but as Star Wars Day! So what does Star Wars Day… -
Dark Shadows Movie Trailer
16 Apr 2012 | 9:26 pmJohnny Depp and Tim Burton team up (yet again!) to remake the TV horror-drama Dark Shadows, which ran from 1966-1971. The new incarnation has a comic twist to it, combining a vampire drama with a touch of Beetlejuice style humour and Tim Burton's usual quirky artistic flair. The main character, played by Depp, is Barnabas Collins, a seasoned vampire who returns to his 1972 roots and discovers a dysfunctional family in need of saving. What ensues looks highly entertaining! Check out the Trailer here: -
Snow White Movies 2012 and Costume Ideas.
15 Apr 2012 | 9:45 pmYear2012SnowWhiteInfluenced Movies andCostumeIdeas. Mirror Mirror. Snow white and the Huntsman. Costume Ideas: Snow White Womens Costume: Voted fairest in the land, this sweet costume will help you channel your inner Snow White. Fairytale Snow White Womens Costume: You'll be the fairest of them all! This Fairy Tale Snow White dress has a bit of a sexy edge to it.With colourful blue puff sleeves and a raised hemline in the front, this one looks great with a bright petticoat underneath. The hair ribbon is attached to a headband, so stands up easily and looks… -
Foul Fashion Hits Australia: A Take On Fancy Dress
11 Apr 2012 | 1:12 amFrom the makers of The Morphsuit comes a brave new fancy dress trend sure to be a hit with the blokes. While The Morphsuit is a colourful one-piece 'body' suit often a hit at music festivals or cricket matches, Foul Fashion is a brash twist on the 'business' suit. But don't be fooled, there's nothing serious about getting suited up in this outfit! Using off-cut fabrics, each Foul Fashion garment features a variety of clashing patterns on each panel. This often bright and eclectic mix makes for one loud outfit - especially when you combine them for full…
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ZipSetGo.com
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Tweets from Last Night - Travel Nightmares
11 May 2012 | 11:23 amWe’ve all been there; delayed flights, flat tires, pick pockets and bad hotels. Travel nightmares strike every traveler, when they are least expecting it. This week Travelers Night In was all about the disasters of travelers around the globe, most of them turned out to be pretty comical stories. Read on to for nightmare hotels, airports, and stories. Don’t forget to tell us yours in the comments! read more -
5 Cool Train Treks for Incredible Sights
9 May 2012 | 8:15 amThis summer I am traveling back to Europe, and of course taking quite a few trains during my adventure. I love taking trains, not only for the scenery, but for the soak everything in, and prepare and dream about the next destination. Ready for your own train journey? Shin from Hostel Bookers has shared the most scenic train voyages and how to win European Rail passes! read more -
Destination Expert: Oregon
7 May 2012 | 12:38 pmThis week's destination expert, Kelsey is from Oregon, and has a passion for the Northwestern State. From old growth forests, beautiful hiking, farm to table eats to local brews and wines, Oregon is an off the beaten trail treasure. Adventure and nature enthusiasts will love Oregon's beautiful outdoors, so read on to hear about the very best of the state! What makes you an expert on Oregon? read more -
Tweets from Last Night - Small Town USA
4 May 2012 | 10:24 amLast night travelers on twitter went back, way back, to talk about their hometowns and small town USA. Have you ever been inspired to get in the car and drive? You are in luck! Globetrotters shared the most beautiful, most patriotic, friendliest, best food and most fun small towns in the U.S. and around the world. If we missed your hometown let us know in the commets below! Q1. Where's your hometown & what do you love about it? #BestoftheRoad read more -
Paradise Found: St. John, USVI
2 May 2012 | 10:14 amParadise is closer than you think no need to escape to Bali or plan an elaborate trip to Fiji – real paradise is in the U. S. Virgin Islands! Have you ever seen water so perfectly clear and blue? read more
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Go Big Event
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How to attract sponsors to your event!
3 May 2012 | 10:55 amThere are several things that an event needs to be successful: Great venue, fantastic speakers, agenda for all different kinds of people and the list goes on. One of the toughest things to do is gain sponsorship for an event. Whether it is a financial donation to help the event run, a prize donation for a golf tournament or a donation of a person’s time to speak at an event, all sponsorships are helpful and will only assist in making your event a success. Below are some ideas to attract sponsors to your event to make it the best event it can be: · The first and most important thing… -
Top 7 Event Venues in Edmonton
2 Apr 2012 | 5:17 pmWith winter behind us and the busy season for event planners ahead of us, here are the top 7 event venues in Edmonton: The Fairmont Hotel MacDonald The Fairmont Hotel MacDonald’s state-of-the-art meeting facilities, along with on-the-spot office amenities, make it easy to conduct business. Every detail has been carefully considered to make meetings virtually effortless. Convention facilities can accommodate groups from 10 to 350 people. Discover beautiful meeting or conference rooms for events - more than 13,000-sq. ft. of versatile function and exhibit space. Shaw Conference Centre … -
Letting Technology Help in your Day-to-Day Work Life!
1 Mar 2012 | 2:11 pmThree months ago, I tossed away my paper notebooks, stopped printing emails and starting using an iPad, in their place, at work. Weighing plenty of options and deciding to make this transition was a no brainer, technology is there for us to use and take advantage of. At first, it felt very strange not having that pen or pencil in my hand to write down notes from meetings and phone calls. Getting used to the tap typing functionality that a tablet brings was no easy task. The app that did help the most with learning this method of typing was TapTyping. -
How to Increase Networking at Your Event
1 Feb 2012 | 1:02 pmWe’ve all been there. We attend a networking event by ourselves and come to find out that everyone is already in their own tightly knit groups. This makes it difficult for somebody new to meet other people. As an event planner, this is something you want to avoid happening at your networking events. Rather than setting strict rules and guidelines for your attendees to follow, you want the interactions to be natural and not forced. Here is a list of tips for an event planner to facilitate networking: Before the event starts, create an event hashtag for your event to get your attendees… -
8 Places to Advertise Your Events
17 Jan 2012 | 6:33 pmAdvertising future events can seem like a daunting task to some event planners. Here are 8 suggestions to get the word out about your events. 1.) One of the most functional ways to advertise your event can be through an Online Registration Site. Pick a site that is easy to use and can capture all the information you would like for share about your event. The great thing about online registration sites is that they can display information pertaining to the event as well as take the registration and payment information from participants. This is an all in one solution that can make an event…
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Viktorix
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5 Tips to Improve Audience Engagement During a Virtual Event [VIDEO]
30 Apr 2012 | 6:53 amMy key focus when producing an event is always the audience. What should the audience think, feel and do as a result of seeing the event? What are the key messages and what is the take away – what actions should the audience take after attending the event?There are loads of "Virtual Event" offerings on the market. Some offer a good audience experience, but generally I think many of these products haven’t been created with the audience in mind. Now, I know many of them have multiple bells and whistles that allow viewers to do all manner of things, but ultimately shouldn’t a Virtual… -
The Job of the Speaker is More Than Being a School Teacher
23 Apr 2012 | 4:00 amBrent Burns, professional business speaker and "Book Yourself Solid" Coach, speaks at the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce in Crystal Lake, Illinois, for their Business Builders Breakfast on March 6, 2009.I’ve been going at this speaking business for seven years now. To say “I have learned a lot” would be the understatement of the decade. One of the biggest things I’ve learned is also one of the most basic: What does the job of “speaker” mean?The most common answer is to define the task as being similar to a school teacher. After all, for most of us that’s more or… -
“Intensive” Education, from the Dance World
17 Apr 2012 | 10:20 amWe live in a culture that places tremendous emphasis on classroom education. And, for the most part, a “class” lasts for somewhere between 45 minutes to an hour, at which point the bell rings and you trundle off to another class.The system has its advantages, but it also has disadvantages as there are some things that just don’t fit into a 60-minute time slot. You just can’t get very deep in that amount of time.So for your next conference or weekend event, here’s a little different take, stolen completely from the swing dance world.Once or twice each month, the swing dancers of… -
16 Tips to Plan a Successful Outdoor Event
3 Apr 2012 | 3:13 amImagine RIT is an annual spring festival that showcases innovative and creative work of students, faculty, and staff. The campus-wide festival attracts over 30,000 people in one day. May 7, 2011.As warm weather comes around, more outdoor events are planned. These can be lovely, but be forewarned — outdoor events are sometimes much more difficult to organize than indoor events.Here are some tips on how to plan an outdoor event and to minimize stress:1. Get a permitDo this as soon as you’ve finalized where and when you'll have your outdoor event. Do this first. The fastest way to shut down… -
Is Your Event a Class or a Show?
29 Mar 2012 | 5:01 amEvery event is a performance, it's alive.When I was a little kid, my mother worked as a freelance church organist. She hired herself out to the highest bidder each year. So now when people ask me about my religious background, I say Methodist. I also say Baptist, Presbyterian, and Congregationalist, and for two weekends every year I even attended Temple.Anyway, regardless of the denomination of her current employer, my mother had this unique way of speaking about her work. She never referred to it as playing a church “service.” She always talked about Sunday morning church services as…
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RegOnline Product Blog
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10 Apps The Busy Meeting Professional Can’t Live Without
10 May 2012 | 11:00 amBy: Eric Olson, General Manager Active Network, Business Solutions About a year ago I stopped carrying a laptop on short trips. It was a big — and slightly stressful moment — when I boarded a plane for a conference in San Jose with only an iPad and a presentation on iWork Keynote. But, something quickly dawned on me. Apps were made for the conference goer. Event professionals need information on the go. And with the app market now worth over $10 billion with a staggering year-on-year growth rate of 100%, there is an app for just about every element of the business meeting experience… -
The Value of Technology on Experiential – the Ex Awards
3 May 2012 | 12:07 pmBy: Cece Salomon-Lee, Director of Marketing Active Network Business Solutions On April 30, 2012, the Ex Awards honored the best in innovations related to pop-up retail, digital and physical convergence and integrated event-based B2B marketing at the Event Marketing Summit in Chicago. It was only a few years ago (I believe in 2009 or 2010) that the Hybrid or Live+Digital category was added to these awards. Then, the discussion was around the impact that virtual or hybrid events would have on physical events. As we’ve discovered since, technology – whether social, mobile or virtual – can… -
7 Things Planners Can Learn from Expo Magazines Event Technology Survey
5 Apr 2012 | 12:33 pmBy: Eric Olson, General Manager Active Network | Business Solutions Ok, let’s be real here. Event planners and technology haven’t always got along. When I was putting on events ten years ago, our technology was like boys to a group of third grade girls. My planners were forced to interact with it, but they generally thought it was, well, icky. But just like third grade boys grow up, so has event technology. Suddenly, the much-maligned nuisance is becoming an important part of a planner’s daily life. And some tech tools are becoming downright sexy. So, when EXPO magazine… -
Meet the Active Network Team at ACCED-i in Denver, March 25-28
22 Mar 2012 | 12:50 pmActive Network’s RegOnline team will be at the ACCED-i 32nd Annual Conference in Denver, Colorado, March 25th-28th. Stop by the Active Network booth #19 if you’re attending or click here to make an appointment with the RegOnline team, who will be happy to offer information and advice on all the latest in event technology. Active Network’s very own social media guru, Justin Ramers will also be presenting an educational session on ‘Making Sense of Social Media’ during the conference. This is a session not to be missed as Justin goes beyond the basics of social media to provide real… -
Active Network Expands Event Technology Footprint into Asia-Pacific
21 Feb 2012 | 11:20 amIn addition to Sam Renouf’s post regarding our presence at AIME , here is our press release regarding our expansion into the Asia-Pacific region. Active Network Powers Professional Events Industry with Expanded Footprint in Asia-Pacific Experienced Staff in Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney Help Global Customers Manage Events and Source Venues in Region MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – February 21, 2012 –Active Network (NYSE: ACTV) announced today at the Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meeting Expo (AIME) that it is expanding its presence in Asia-Pacific with offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and…
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Sound n' Sight
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25 Post Ideas for Your Event Blog
14 May 2012 | 11:12 pmSound n' SightTo build relationships with attendees and/or brand ambassadors for your event, it's important that you share information that is relevant, interesting and useful to them. Blogging is one of the best ways to do this while at the same time showcasing your event."But what do I write about?" is what most people ask. It may be hard to believe now, but once you start to write on a regular basis, you will find there are an infinite number of event blog topics and the more you write, the easier they will be to find. Below are 25 ideas to get you started on your event blog.1. Solicit… -
Beyond Collaboration: Social Media, F2F Meetings & Human Evolution
10 May 2012 | 12:12 pmSound n' SightWhat if your family extended all over the world? What if your professional life was much more than "just business" and connected you to something greater than yourself? What if these seemingly unattainable goals are now within humanity's grasp and being facilitated in no small part by event professionals? Thanks to the internet, everyday people are meeting and collaborating with others who would never have been in their field of influence before. They are traveling and meeting these people face to face at events and they are forming bonds as a result that go beyond… -
Why You Should Be Teaching Your Attendees About Social Media
1 May 2012 | 9:19 amSound n' SightMany event professionals understand how powerful social media can be for the marketing of events. Well before an event takes place, social media can be used to draw together or identify groups who are likely attendees. At the event, it can be used for networking and sharing content. Finally, after the event, the conversation and connections that occurred on site can continue with the help of social media. But what about groups that don't get social media? Instead of writing these folks off, consider making a social media concerge available to them. Many attendees merely require… -
Face to Face Games At #GMIC
21 Apr 2012 | 10:57 amSound n' SightTomorrow I fly to Montreal to attend the Green Meetings Industry Council's Sustainable Meetings Conference and to facilitate a few activities there. It will be my second year at GMIC. Last year I led an opening session on using improv concepts for better team work. You can see a bit of what I did here (thanks to John Chen for the video). This year, I will be facilitating two games and adding an improv-inspired activity to a session called Conference Weavers that features volunteers linking concepts between different speakers, while putting their thoughts and… -
Event Pros: It's Not What You Do, It's WHY You Do It
19 Apr 2012 | 4:54 pmSound n' SightDuring the recent online debate within the #eventprofs community over what constitutes on influencer, one of my Facebook friends, Karen Vizer, posted a 2009 Tedx presentation by Simon Sinek, author of the book Start With Why. I found it riveting and, for me, it explained clearly why some people inspire me to take an action while others don't. People Don't Buy What You Do, They Buy Why You Do It In this presentation (and the fact that he makes his point so well using only a flip chart and a hand-held microphone only emphasizes it) Sinek says that every organization…
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Corporate Event Planning & Incentive Travel
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Incentive Travel: Spotlight on Kleinburg, Ontario
15 May 2012 | 9:45 amFrom time to time, I have been profiling picturesque towns that are within easy driving distance of Toronto. These hidden gems are known to Greater Toronto Area (GTA) residents but may go unnoticed by visitors to the area. Today, we'll shine a spotlight on Kleinburg. Kleinburg is located northwest of Toronto, where Highway 7 and Islington Avenue meet. It is a historical town with roots in the 17th century. Today, although Kleinburg is part of the City of Vaughan, it retains the feeling of a small village. Kleinburg is the perfect spot to get a break from the city. The Kleinburg Business… -
2012 Indicators of Job Outlook for Meeting and Event Planners
14 May 2012 | 9:45 amIn an ongoing feature, Special Events magazine expresses optimism about growth prospects for event planners based on the increase in demand from temporary agencies. The Economy and the Special Event Industry What are some other indicators of prospects for event planners? Job Outlook for US Event Planners US Department of Labor April job numbers are a mixed bag. While jobs are still being added, the rate of job growth appears to be slowing down. There have also been reports that many unemployed workers have stopped looking. What are the implications for event planners and other event industry… -
Commemorative Events: War of 1812
11 May 2012 | 9:45 amA few days ago, someone reminded me that this is the bicentenary of The War of 1812, which spanned the years from 1812 - 1815. On June 1, 1812, after a speech by U.S. President James Madison, Congress voted to support the declaration of war. Commemorative events are taking place on both sides of the U.S./Canada border. It's an ideal time to plan business meetings and conferences as there will already be special events to which you can take groups. You can access the full calendar events on: The Official War of 1812 Bicentennial Website War of 1812 Reenactments Here are some highlights:… -
Destination Marketing: Marvellous Marketing Ideas from Tourist Boards
10 May 2012 | 9:45 amIn a recovering but still challenging global economy, event planning and travel businesses must pull out all the creative stops to have an impact and reinforce brand presence. Tourist Boards have, for a long time, had websites that role model Internet marketing best practices. More recently, they have mounted some of the most creative and effective campaigns integrating social media with the use of traditional marketing channels. For many Tourism Boards, social media penetration in this sector has surpassed other organizational categories. Event planners can find inspiration from some of… -
Corporate Event Venues: 6 Gorgeous Glass Houses
9 May 2012 | 9:45 amWhen event planners are on the lookout for stunning event venues, glass houses are guaranteed to add the wow factor. Glass houses have all or most of their walls made of glass so that guests can enjoy the beauty of the surroundings. They come in all shapes and sizes. Some are garden settings with lush vegetation inside and out. They all offer spectacular views. …
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PlannerWire
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Your Social Media Evil Twin is Hurting Your Event
15 May 2012 | 1:29 pmNot too long ago, your boss had a really awesome idea. Fire up the social media machine and start a social media campaign to share information out about your conference or event. They would come in... Read the rest at PlannerWire -
Eliminate Splash Pages for a Better Event Website
10 May 2012 | 11:31 amYou drove into work this morning and stumbled onto this post or perhaps you are reading this in the evening after just getting home. Either way, if you live near a metropolitan area, you probably had... Read the rest at PlannerWire -
The Social Media Black Hole is Killing Your Event
7 May 2012 | 9:15 amThe Social Media Universe is Filled with Wonder and is More Important to Meetings and Events than Any Other Marketing Platform. There, I said it. Social Media is so important that if you do not use... Read the rest at PlannerWire -
Meeting Planner Music Club – Special Edition – MCA
4 May 2012 | 12:41 pmAt a young 47, A true music legend has passed away. MCA (Adam Yauch), one of the three founding members of the Beastie Boys lost his battle with cancer today. The world will sadly be a much quieter... Read the rest at PlannerWire -
Meetings Technology Expo DC 2012
3 May 2012 | 9:10 amQuick update! Here is some video goodness about the expo, check it out and then read the post below! I am running with the press release on this one because Dahlia has done a great job of packing a... Read the rest at PlannerWire
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Event Philosopher
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The importance of events in pre-commerce
10 May 2012 | 7:01 pmWhen you put yourself in the customers shoes and begin your dialog from there, an immediate connection develops that stems beyond basic commerce and encourages loyalty. - Steve Maraboli I had the pleasure of attending the Word of Mouth Crash Course yesterday in Austin, Texas, and enjoyed every single session I went to… Truly rare at a conference! While some of the conference logistics could be improved, the content was well curated to provide really sharp speakers with really interesting case studies and points of view. The content primarily centered on word of mouth… -
Why offsites are imperative
2 Apr 2012 | 3:37 pmFun is good. - Dr. Seuss It takes a certain type of person to love event marketing. You have to thrive on tight deadlines, chaos, ambiguity, and late nights. You have to have a family who can support your travel, your need to be connected at weird times and in weird places. You have to want to be a workaholic. And it takes a certain type of company to invest in these kinds of people. I’m not talking about salaries or massages or even vacation time. I’m talking about offsites. And again, I don’t mean scavenger hunts or movies with the team. I mean real, meaningful time… -
Top 5 event things I'm ready to see evolve
12 Mar 2012 | 10:02 amAll evolution in thought and conduct must at first appear as heresy and misconduct. - George Bernard Shaw 5) Registration websites: you know me, you know my company. Why do I have to fill out the same information again? 4) Registration lines: They are the first impression of a conference. Why are they so hard to get right? Why do I have to wait so long, only to get something I then have to go into a corner alone to read and figure out what to do next next? 3) Plates and cups and not enough places to put them: The conference grab-and-go breakfast; the evening reception with… -
Why Social helps remote attendees
11 Mar 2012 | 11:59 am"Events are the original Social Media." - Liz Lathan It's my mantra. :-) And on days like yesterday and today, I'm really living by it! South by Southwest 2012 (know as SXSW) is taking place in Austin, Texas, and my husband is attending live and in person. I, however, am home with our 4-year-old and our dogs who just had surgery. I'll get to join in the fun tomorrow, but in the meantime, I'm keeping up with the scene via Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and the various live blogs going on. The social pipe from SXSW is insane. Every refresh of my social tool Hootsuite brings up like 400… -
Leaders of the future
11 Jan 2012 | 12:33 pmIf your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. - John Quincy Adams I’m in a leadership class through the employee resource groups at my corporation and we’re studying a great book called “Leaders of the Future 2.” My team recently taught a chapter on leading through crisis and complexity. One of the sections talked about nonprofit leadership, another on Army leadership, and another on corporate leadership. I was completely fascinated by the differences among the three, and the subsequent threads that can be woven…
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EventIQ Blog
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Just a Hunch — Poor Posture While Using Laptop can be a Pain
15 May 2012 | 4:18 pmI used to think office ergonomics was for wimps — as long as I had a desk, phone and chair I would get right to work. Worrying about the distance between your laptop screen and your eyes or what angle your back is when leaning over your portable devicve seemed trivial. I held this belief until one day the Human Resources department at my previous job insisted I use an ergonomically friendly chair. I honestly didn’t understand how a new chair would help me do better at my job, but I was given no choice. So I opened the box and pulled out all the parts. While bending over to… -
Aim High with Your Plans
14 May 2012 | 5:41 pmMake no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work. – Daniel Hudson Burnham -
Upping the antics on asking sweetie to prom
10 May 2012 | 4:16 pmThousands of Grade 12 students are probably standing in front of a mirror practicing how they will deliver the traditional prom invitation. Gone are the days when a guy would nervously go up to a girl, when her friends aren’t around, and meekly ask her out. We’ve even (thankfully) moved on from popping the question via text message. That doesn’t mean there’s any less pressure though. In fact grads are upping the ante — or maybe it’s the antics — when it comes to delivering the invite. Teens are now taking their cue from elaborate wedding proposals and… -
Hard to vote for two peas in a pod
10 May 2012 | 11:03 am“An election cannot give a country a firm sense of direction if it has two or more national parties which merely have different names but are as alike in their principles and aims as two peas in the same pod” - Franklin D. Roosevelt -
Shake and Fold
9 May 2012 | 9:56 amHow many sheets of paper towels do you use daily? You use paper towels almost every day to dry your hands off but does it ever cross your mind how much paper you’re wasting? Joe Smith demonstrates the perfect technique of drying your hands with only one sheet. We can conserve 571 million pounds of paper each year if we all just kept to one sheet. Two simple words. “Shake” and “Fold”.
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ABCey Events » Blog
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Startup Monday: Vayable
30 Apr 2012 | 2:00 pmHave you been on a vacation where your friend, a local, shows you all the hottest spots? It is always better to get the lay of the land from someone who knows it. Vayable, a recent startup, is trying to provide these experiences for more people. They offer a platform for passionate individuals to share experiences with others. Their service is great for travelers, but it is also a great way to discover parts of your own city! Here’s how it works: Search your desired city for all sorts of adventures, book the event easily, and guides will get back to you within 24 hours. Your… -
Top 20 Blogs for Tech, Events, and Social Media
27 Apr 2012 | 2:21 pmThere are way too many tech blogs out there, and it can be very overwhelming. At ABCey, we do our best to stay up on all things tech, media, events, and marketing. These are our go-to sites, so we thought we’d share! 1. Mashable- Well this one is obvious, but it doesn’t get much better than this site when it comes to social media 2. TechCrunch- Lots of news on startups, Silicon Valley, and events. There are great videos on a variety of topics 3. Venture Beat- The best coverage of startups, innovation, and cool products coming in the tech world. 4. Brit- We can’t get enough… -
TV Tuesday: Adobe Creative Cloud
24 Apr 2012 | 1:23 pmThe Adobe Creative Cloud has arrived! This digital hub lets you download and install applications from Creative Suite 6 (Photoshop, Dreamweaver, InDesign, Illustrator, etc) that can be accessed online anywhere! You’ll be able to pick up where you left off on a project wherever you are! Along with the Suite, Adobe Acrobat and Touch apps are included for creativity on the go! Also, this service makes it simple to collaborate without constantly uploading to Dropbox. And the 20GB of storage should keep you busy for awhile. If you already have a version of the Adobe Creative Suite,… -
Startup Monday: Prezi Presentations
23 Apr 2012 | 10:05 amPower Points have been begging to be reinvented for years now. Well the wait is finally over! We are loving the sleek cloud-based presentation software that Prezi offers. They are free, easy to make, and engaging for the audience. Prezi is based on a zoomable canvas, which makes it a combination of a whiteboard and slide presentation. The finished products are visually captivating and entertaining. It is easy to add text, videos, images, and other media. Since the software is online, it is simple to collaborate with people around the world or across the room. After you’ve finished… -
Something Tech for Every Kinda Mom: 10 Gift Ideas
20 Apr 2012 | 9:34 amEvery year when I see the first Mother’s Day commercial on TV, I panic. I think that I somehow missed all of the earlier ones and have three days to get something together. Thankfully they start showing these commercials in March, so I’m usually good. Well don’t panic because you have a few weeks to find a gift that truly shows your appreciation for that lovely woman in your life. We’ve curated a list of 10 tech gift ideas that cover every sort of mother. 1. Sentimental: Blow up one of her favorite pics using ixxi. You can also create collages that hang easily on…
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Science Meetings
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Remember and Review – Traveling with Smart Devices
29 Apr 2012 | 2:41 pmAs part of Strategic Results’ commitment to service, we have come across two articles that – especially in this day and age of travelers with smartphones, tablets, and e-readers – we think will aid you in your travel arrangements. The Wall Street Journal’s Scott McCartney has recently written about traveling with smart devices – or rather, two big things that travelers forget. One is the fact that roaming charges, especially on data plans and with automatically updating devices, can send your mobile service bill into the stratosphere (as “Stuck with a… -
Wi-Fi in the Sky
23 Mar 2012 | 11:09 amYou’ve probably come to expect Wi-Fi in your coffee shops, your bookstores, maybe even your hotels—it’s near ubiquitous. But on your transcontinental flight, 30,000 feet above the closest Starbucks? Well, according to Scott McCartney of the Wall Street Journal, you might just expect that, too. More and more planes are starting to provide Wi-Fi service, and more passengers are taking advantage of it. Virgin America and AirTran now offer access across their entire fleets, and other airlines like Delta, U.S. Airways, and Southwest are catching up. Already, 8% of passengers use the service,… -
Playing the Luggage Game
4 Mar 2012 | 11:05 pmIf you fly often, you’ve probably had to struggle for overhead space more than a couple times. Scott Mccarthy of the Wall Street Journal recently detailed the increasingly infuriating phenomenon he’s called “The Luggage Game”. It’s gotten worse in the past few years thanks to the introduction of baggage fees; everyone is trying to fit all their belongings in a carry-on. As a result, according to McCarthy, “more domestic customers now are carrying on the biggest bags that carry-on rules allow.” You might scoff, but it’s a serious problem—heavy arguments and delays have… -
Applying Science to Science Meetings, Part 2
21 Feb 2012 | 3:54 pmIf we didn’t make it clear with our last update, scientific research is beginning to feed into meeting design more than ever before. Last year’s International Association of Conference Centers brought psychologists and brain scientists on a panel together with planners, architects, and accountants to discuss the future of meeting creation. This MeetingsNet article by Sue Pelletier and Alison Hall cites Andrea Sullivan, president of BrainStrength Systems, as saying “Our biological state has a huge impact on everything that goes on around learning and meetings… We need different… -
Applying Science to Science Meetings
17 Feb 2012 | 3:53 pmWe don’t tend to think of meeting planning as a particularly scientific endeavor, but Dave Kovaleski at MeetingsNet has put together a very interesting list of science-tested tricks that can stimulate your attendees’ attention. You can tell these tips are the real deal: they came straight from Jonathan Bradshaw of the Meetology Research Institute, an organization founded specifically to “study… the sciences affecting human behavior and performance at meetings.” Take a look! Play – Reduce stress, raise energy levels, and get people talking at the same time. Diet – Eat (and…
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RI Magician Kids Party Ventriloquist Steve Zany
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Kids birthday party ideas – how long should the party be?
21 Apr 2012 | 9:44 pmKids birthday party ideas – how long should the party be? - RI Magician Kids Party Ventriloquist Steve ZanyI am often asked by parents when it comes to kids birthday party ideas – how long should a kids party be? My recommendation is to keep your child’s birthday party tightly scheduled. Two hours for a kids party works out very well and provides many advantages. If you’ll be having kids party entertainment, schedule the magician or children’s entertainer for either the first or second hour of the party. Consider spending the other hour providing cake and ice cream followed by the… -
10 Reasons for Sending Thank Yous After a Kids Birthday Party
11 Apr 2012 | 2:16 am10 Reasons for Sending Thank Yous After a Kids Birthday Party - RI Magician Kids Party Ventriloquist Steve ZanyKids Birthday Party Practices – 10 Reasons for Sending Thank You Notes So, you’re planning a kids birthday party or just hosted one? What’s the proper etiquette or protocol for handling thank yous after your child’s big celebration? Are such thoughtful expressions a lost art? Has technology and instant communications made it more difficult to write an old fashioned thank you note? Is saying thank you to the gift giver at the kids party enough? Whatever the… -
How long should your kids birthday party be?
13 Dec 2011 | 9:30 pmHow long should your kids birthday party be? - RI Magician Kids Party Ventriloquist Steve ZanyHow long should my kids birthday party be? This is a frequently asked question that I receive. My best advice is to make sure you feel your kid’s birthday party is manageable in two ways: Limit the number of children. While it may feel necessary to invite your child’s whole class, this can be a recipe you may regret. There’s various rules of thumb. Some children’s party planners suggest inviting the same number of children to the birthday party as your child’s age. I… -
Successful Kids Birthday Party Formula
28 Nov 2011 | 2:40 pmSuccessful Kids Birthday Party Formula - RI Magician Kids Party Ventriloquist Steve ZanyAs a kids party magician in Rhode Island for nearly 25 years, parents often ask me for a successful kids birthday party formula to make their child’s party the best ever. Well today I performed at two birthday parties. One parent took my advice. The other did not. At each kids party both birthday children were five year olds. I gave both moms who hired me the same advice at the time they scheduled my magic show: Take their child’s age, multiply it by two and that would provide them with the ideal… -
Go with your gut – Kids birthday party planning on your own terms
13 Oct 2011 | 8:23 pmGo with your gut – Kids birthday party planning on your own terms - RI Magician Kids Party Ventriloquist Steve ZanyThe latest insights from RI kids party magician ventriloquist Steve Zany: Enough is enough say some parents when it comes to making their kids birthday party overly elaborate or hosting it at a commercial venue. Ironically, I fell victim to the trap last weekend. At my wife’s insistence we held our son’s party last weekend outside the home at the local YMCA. Of course, being a kids party magician, I would have loved to have had a magic show themed party for my…
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Plan Your Meetings
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Start at the end, and you will end up on top
15 May 2012 | 9:15 amSetting goals — creating excitement for a new product launch or helping the sales force deal with change, for example — should be what drives you. Your theme and message should support the goal. -
Chicago Exhibitors/Partners
14 May 2012 | 3:49 pmThe exhibitors at PYM LIVE Events are Plan Your Meetings partners. Our partners help fund our programs, and they are the reason we are able to deliver free and affordable resources to you. We encourage you to support our partners. Click here to return to Chicago Event information and registration -
PYM LIVE Chicago 2012 Location Information
14 May 2012 | 2:13 pmVenue Information: Dana Hotel and Spa 660 North State Street Chicago, IL 60654 Phone: 312-202-6003 View map Directions Parking Parking info coming soon! Hotel Information Room block and special rate for out of town attendees coming soon! -
Chicago LIVE 2012 Schedule
14 May 2012 | 2:07 pmShow Schedule 3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Planner registration/networking 3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Interactive roundtable discussion for planners and suppliers: What’s your meeting worth?, Presented by Zentila 3:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Networking trade show with concurrent cocktail reception; silent drawings for door prizes 5:15 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Educational Breakout Session: Hybrid meeting how-to, Presented by Kristi Casey Sanders -
Chicago
14 May 2012 | 2:04 pm[ July 25, 2012; 12:00 am; ] Date: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 (Click here for event schedule) Time: 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. Location: Dana Hotel and Spa (Click here for venue, directions and parking information) Planner Registration Cost: $30.00 PLANNER REGISTRATION COMING SOON Note: Only meeting and event planners may use the above registration links. Interested in exhibiting? Please contact Eileen Gilbert, 404-459-4956. Coming soon! PYM Partners [...]
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Plan Your Meetings
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Start at the end, and you will end up on top
15 May 2012 | 9:15 amSetting goals — creating excitement for a new product launch or helping the sales force deal with change, for example — should be what drives you. Your theme and message should support the goal. -
Chicago Exhibitors/Partners
14 May 2012 | 3:49 pmThe exhibitors at PYM LIVE Events are Plan Your Meetings partners. Our partners help fund our programs, and they are the reason we are able to deliver free and affordable resources to you. We encourage you to support our partners. Click here to return to Chicago Event information and registration -
PYM LIVE Chicago 2012 Location Information
14 May 2012 | 2:13 pmVenue Information: Dana Hotel and Spa 660 North State Street Chicago, IL 60654 Phone: 312-202-6003 View map Directions Parking Parking info coming soon! Hotel Information Room block and special rate for out of town attendees coming soon! -
Chicago LIVE 2012 Schedule
14 May 2012 | 2:07 pmShow Schedule 3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Planner registration/networking 3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Interactive roundtable discussion for planners and suppliers: What’s your meeting worth?, Presented by Zentila 3:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Networking trade show with concurrent cocktail reception; silent drawings for door prizes 5:15 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Educational Breakout Session: Hybrid meeting how-to, Presented by Kristi Casey Sanders -
Chicago
14 May 2012 | 2:04 pm[ July 25, 2012; 12:00 am; ] Date: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 (Click here for event schedule) Time: 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. Location: Dana Hotel and Spa (Click here for venue, directions and parking information) Planner Registration Cost: $30.00 PLANNER REGISTRATION COMING SOON Note: Only meeting and event planners may use the above registration links. Interested in exhibiting? Please contact Eileen Gilbert, 404-459-4956. Coming soon! PYM Partners [...]
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Thoughtfully Simple
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Teacher Appreciation Day
7 May 2012 | 4:17 pmTeacher Appreciation Day (or week for some schools!) provides the perfect chance to get your kiddo involved in doing something nice for their teachers. With a little thought and some DIY inspiration, you can help them put a gift together that their teacher will love. It’s all about making the teacher feel special and appreciated. Here are few ideas I’ve pinned on Pinterest. We’re going to do these three, plus one original gift idea I’ll be sharing in a couple days! Strawberry basket Thanks a latte Creative Juices What are you making for teacher appreciation day? -
Muffins & Mimosas for Mom
2 May 2012 | 12:23 amI love mimosas, and so does my mom (actually… every mother probably does, right?) … so I wanted to put a simple gift idea together that would appeal to moms of all ages, styles, and with varying interests. Hence, the Muffins & Mimosas gift box was born. I love that this gift took me just 15 minutes to put together and consists of entirely store bought items yet it really feels thoughtful (and looks amazing too). Bring a bunch of fresh flowers and this muffins & mimosas gift box to any special woman in your life, and you are sure to make her smile. To make: -Place mini… -
Party Sandwiches + GIVEAWAY
1 May 2012 | 1:10 pmI love entertaining in the summer because typical summer get-togethers are mellow, laid back, and simple (just how I really like it). One of my go-to party foods in the summer are sandwiches. That’s right, simple sandwiches. I love how versatile they can be. From a simple kid-pleasing platter of pb&j sandwiches to something more grown-up like a new panini recipe — there are so many variations yet they are all still pretty easy to pull off. I’ve been gathering some of my favorite recipes and ideas on this sandwich Pinterest board. Another trick is to order your sandwiches… -
Nutella Cookies (made with love)
27 Apr 2012 | 3:10 pmI baked yesterday. Nutella Cookies. They ate them and the world rejoiced. Okay, maybe not exactly :) Some people bake because it’s their passion, others bake for special occasions or when they’re entertaining. Personally, I do bake for birthdays and holidays but not really for entertaining. Perhaps I’m not a big baker because I worked in a bakery for many years ( sometimes the smell of buttercream or proofing dough haunts me). I love to entertain but I’m not one for a dessert course and if I serve it — I rather make homemade ice cream. I do however bake… -
How to make tissue paper pom poms
20 Apr 2012 | 5:26 pmI’m a big fan of using tissue paper pom poms in my party decor. What I love about them is that they are inexpensive and can be used in a wide variety of events. I’ve used them for birthday parties (like this candy party) and baby shower (like this spring shower) + many other events. I often get asked how I make them — so today, I thought I would share my tips for making and also for buying tissue pom poms. How to make tissue paper pom poms. They aren’t difficult to make, but I’ll be honest and say they are time consuming. If you have a couple nights to…
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Austin Social Planner
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Lifeworks White Party 2012
15 May 2012 | 1:06 pmIn Austin, it’s difficult to say when one season ends and one begins. For us, the Lifeworks White Party is the mark to say goodbye to spring and hello to summer. It’s the perfect transition – with all the glamour of the spring gala circuit, but with the sensuous, fashionable air of summer. If you’ve never been to the event, let us set the stage for you. The party sits on the Long Center for the Performing Arts City Terrace – a 30,000 square foot space overlooking the Austin city skyline. The terrace is lined with white cabanas filled with swanky lounge vignettes and bottle service… -
STRUT 512 2012
8 May 2012 | 12:09 pmPhoto by Peter Tung Even when Austin does add the new 737 area code, we will always be a city that embraces the 512. This weekend, we celebrate all that the 512 has to offer with the second annual STRUT 512. Food, philanthropy, music, art, fashion … the party is a fusion of them all. Local fashion stylist Leonardo D’Almagro will fill the runway with pieces from 81 Poppies, Linda Asaf Designs, St. Thomas, and more. Aerial performers will add a dash or art while the Culinary DJ mixes both eats and beats in his catered DJ set. All funds from the evening will support CapCityKids – a… -
EVENT RECAP: ZACH Theatre Red, Hot and Soul 2012
1 May 2012 | 9:23 amThere are a small handful of fundraisers that can hit every high note and turn the whole evening into pure magic. This year’s Xanadu-themed Red, Hot and Soul for ZACH Theatre was that and more. It was my first venture to this annual event, but I had heard praises of the evening for years. Bobbi Topfer and Larry Connelly were chairs this year, and you just can’t go wrong with that. From the moment you walked into the ballroom at the Hilton Austin, you were immediately thrust into a world of disco beats, satin jumpsuits and dazzling shirts of glitter and sparkles. People took this theme… -
Red Cross Fire and Ice Sponsor Party
24 Apr 2012 | 9:01 amA tradition for many non-profits is to host intimate parties prior to their annual galas, where they invite sponsors, honorees, staff and committees to gather weeks before the big event. These events are often a ‘thank you’ to those involved and focus on the mission of the organization. Last week, the American Red Cross of Central Texas hosted their Sponsor Party for their upcoming May 3rd Fire and Ice Gala in the home of event chairs, Jo and Jon Ivester. This year’s gala will celebrate the heroes of the Central Texas wildfires at Malaga Tapas & Bar on 2nd Street. The annual… -
Perfectly Pink Party
23 Apr 2012 | 10:50 amThe Austin Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure is known for their annual Race for the Cure, but this year they are putting on their dancing shoes for the new Perfectly Pink Party. Part gala but mostly party, the May 5th event is a celebration of all Komen Austin Affiliate does for Central Texas. “We wanted to do something a little different,” says Development Director Tania Leskovar-Owens. Part of the evening will incude the new Pink Diamond Awards, honoring individuals and partners who have given their time and contributions to the organization. “It’s the first…
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TreeHouse Party
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How to Make Rainbow Cakes (Face Painting)
15 May 2012 | 3:40 pmThe first video here shows how you can make your own rainbow colors with Diamond FX colors used in most of the videos here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IguUM3OrCxw -
A Healthy and Yet Fun Way of Celebrating Birthday Party
11 May 2012 | 2:50 pmBirthday Candy may well be both sweet without being unhealthy. You can fill small goody bags or paper-cones with goodies like dried fruits, fresh fruit and popcorn or set pieces of fruits on long skewers - it is both festive, delicious and tempting! Place small bowls of fresh fruit at the birthday table and arrange the fruit on a platter, so it looks like a happy face. Birthday fruit salad Serve fruit salad into serving glass – banana – grapes – orange – melon – berries Festive fruit on skewers Washed and peeled… -
Making a Girl Muffin Cake
7 May 2012 | 12:24 amFor a birthday party, one must of course have a cake, but why go out and buy an expensive cake, which is probably filled with just sugar and color when you can easily do it and with just a small content of sugar. I found this recipe for a cake made from buns at a danish website. We have used it once or twice, and the buns are super good. It takes approx. two hours make because the buns will rise 2 times of 20 min. and bake for 20 minutes. For the ingredients you need: 225 g butter 4 ½ cups of milk 1 ½ tbsp 1 ½ tsp salt 75 g yeast 650 g plain flour In… -
New Birthday Invitation for Prince and Princess Party in Fantasy Land
3 May 2012 | 6:29 amI have made a new free birthday invitation that you can download and print out to invite to all the kids for the birthday party. This time it’s with a prince and princess and a castle in the background and some fantasy trees. the invitation text is designed so that it can be used to invite both the prince and princess. You can download it in a large size to print out full-size birthday invitation on A4 sheets here: and also available is easy to print out with 2 invitations to each paper like this: -
Cool Party Bags for Kid’s Birthday
29 Apr 2012 | 7:05 amI surfed around a bit the other day on the ”World Wide Web” of ideas for kids birthday and came across a post on a blog called westmose where she had made some really cool candy bags. Click for larger image The interesting thing is that they were made from milk cartons … As you can see, the theme they made is Harry Potter what they did was paint some milk cartons after cutting the top part and pasted some images from Harry Potter on the sides. With this kind of idea, you can see that the possibilities are endless to the amount of…
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eventjuice
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The 5 Important P’s – Part 1
15 May 2012 | 1:32 amPlanning prevents piss poor performance Of course it would seem logical to plan well in order to avoid disaster but it is astounding how many events take place that are either poorly attended because a concise marketing strategy was never properly implemented or the event is utter chaos because somewhere along the line, someone dropped -
Licensable activities: What do I need a license for?
10 May 2012 | 2:01 amThe Licensing Act 2003 is the act which governs licensable activities within the UK. The aim of the act is to provide a comprehensive framework which covers all licensable activities, which includes regulating the sale and supply of alcohol, the provision of entertainment, and the provision of late night refreshment. It also covers offences relating -
Get your foot in the door with an Internship
9 May 2012 | 1:30 amWhy apply for an internship? Our global economy has seen better days, and it’s no surprise that unemployment numbers are soaring all across the globe. Professionals with years of experience are competing for jobs along side with recently graduated students. Swimming in the unemployment pool with such competition doesn’t bode well for those with little -
Last Minute Madness: The Little Things So Easily Overlooked
8 May 2012 | 3:02 amArranging an event requires a significant amount of patience, a calm demeanour and a series of check sheets to ensure nothing has been forgotten. There does however, appear to be a significant trend where the following ideas, more often than not, seem to escape the “to do” lists. The Tiny Tots Working with children can -
Fairy tale magic of a Disney Event
3 May 2012 | 1:45 amOne of the most popular destinations for weddings and family events is Walt Disney World. With fairy tale weddings and enchanting family memories, who wouldn’t want to host an event there? But what exactly makes these events so memorable that make people from around the world flock to the sandy shores of Florida for their
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eventjuice
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The 5 Important P’s – Part 1
15 May 2012 | 1:32 amPlanning prevents piss poor performance Of course it would seem logical to plan well in order to avoid disaster but it is astounding how many events take place that are either poorly attended because a concise marketing strategy was never properly implemented or the event is utter chaos because somewhere along the line, someone dropped -
Licensable activities: What do I need a license for?
10 May 2012 | 2:01 amThe Licensing Act 2003 is the act which governs licensable activities within the UK. The aim of the act is to provide a comprehensive framework which covers all licensable activities, which includes regulating the sale and supply of alcohol, the provision of entertainment, and the provision of late night refreshment. It also covers offences relating -
Get your foot in the door with an Internship
9 May 2012 | 1:30 amWhy apply for an internship? Our global economy has seen better days, and it’s no surprise that unemployment numbers are soaring all across the globe. Professionals with years of experience are competing for jobs along side with recently graduated students. Swimming in the unemployment pool with such competition doesn’t bode well for those with little -
Last Minute Madness: The Little Things So Easily Overlooked
8 May 2012 | 3:02 amArranging an event requires a significant amount of patience, a calm demeanour and a series of check sheets to ensure nothing has been forgotten. There does however, appear to be a significant trend where the following ideas, more often than not, seem to escape the “to do” lists. The Tiny Tots Working with children can -
Fairy tale magic of a Disney Event
3 May 2012 | 1:45 amOne of the most popular destinations for weddings and family events is Walt Disney World. With fairy tale weddings and enchanting family memories, who wouldn’t want to host an event there? But what exactly makes these events so memorable that make people from around the world flock to the sandy shores of Florida for their
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My Meeting Professional
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Creating planned serendipity for your conference success
16 May 2012 | 3:44 amNetworking: there’s more to it than business professionals speed handshaking while exchanging business cards. It’s an opportunity to connect and link with others as you share information, services and ideas with each other. Read more -
Meliá Hotels predicts strong 2012 performance in UK
16 May 2012 | 3:42 amMeliá Hotels International has predicted it will experience a ‘strong’ performance in the UK in the third quarter of the year driven by the Olympics and the opening of ME London as the Spain-based operator reported increased profits and revenue per available room (RevPAR). Read more -
Using content marketing to grow conference attendance
15 May 2012 | 3:15 amJoe Pulizzi shares how he uses content marketing to grow attendance at the Content Marketing World Conference. Watch here -
BHA restructures in bid to raise hospitality industry’s influence on Goverment
15 May 2012 | 3:12 amThe British Hospitality Association (BHA) has restructured its organisation, with the creation of a Board of Directors to replace the former BHA Council and National Executive. Read more -
Are business travellers too addicted to technology?
14 May 2012 | 3:35 amAccording to PC Housing stats, smartphones and tablets are slowly placing themselves in between water and food as top necessities for business travelers. It makes sense. Being on the road is simply made easier and more manageable by these tools that allow us to stay connected. Yet are these mobile devices taking up too much of our time? Read more
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Sure Shot NYC Events
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Wedding Song: Common – The Light
24 Apr 2012 | 5:29 pmThis past weekend I had the pleasure of djing Stephon & Katie’s wedding in Brooklyn and this was the song of the night. I was contacted a few weeks before the wedding by one of the bridesmaids with the idea of them performing the song during their speech to the newlywed couple. It seems that this was the couple’s “song” and they wanted to perform it, with rewritten lyrics, customized for the couple. I was all for it, but honestly wasn’t sure of what to expect the day of. They sent me the instrumental version of the track and the day of the wedding I was ready… -
Madonna’s Super Bowl Halftime Performance
6 Feb 2012 | 6:18 pmLike most of America I caught Madonna’s Super Bowl halftime performance and I have to say, she KILLED it! I’m not too crazy about the new record but the overall show was crazy! I’ll definitely be breaking out a few Madonna classics at upcoming events. -
New Mix: NuDiscoFunkyMusic
1 Dec 2011 | 3:26 pmI recently dropped this mix on soundcloud of a few nu-disco/dance tunes I’ve been playing out around town. The mix is a cool alternative to the Top 40 dance your used to. Check it out and let me know what you think! Download free! Tracklisting: James Brown – Dead On It (U-Tern Disco Edit) Martin Brodin & Dumb Dan – Blood Stud (Ray Mang Remix) NSFW – Coconut (Cosmonauts Remix) Locussolus – I Want It (Lindstrom & Prins Thomas Remix) Gigamesh – When You’re Dancing (Feat. Induce) (Cassian Remix) Juan Soto – Dance & Claps Holy Ghost… -
Welcome to DJ Sure Shot NYC Events
29 Nov 2011 | 1:24 pmHey! Thanks for checking out my site. This is the first blog post, and there are many more to come. Make sure you check out my DJ servies for corporate events, weddings and more. I’ll leave you with one of my favorite jams. Enjoy!
