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.Events is here, but is anyone taking notice?

September 29, 2014 by Christy Lamagna, CMP, CMM, CTSM, Leave a Comment

Let’s get some traction and let the world know we’ve got a domain of our own.

Filed Under: Social media Tagged With: domain names, Events, meeting planners, meetings and events, social media, technology

New York City, Event Alley and PYM LIVE, oh my!

August 7, 2014 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

PYM LIVE hits the Big Apple Aug. 7. See what your peers are digging and sharing and view a post-event recap here.

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: educational events for meeting planners, event technology for meeting planners, Events, new york, pym live

2001 called and it wants its spuds back

January 27, 2014 by Claire R. Gould Leave a Comment

Our Monthly Morsel column shares tales from the dark side, what catering managers can do to make sure they book an event and some of the major turnoffs.

Filed Under: Food and beverage Tagged With: catering, catering advice, catering managers, catering relationships, Events, f&b

Wise words for hosting holiday events at home

December 9, 2013 by Claire R. Gould Leave a Comment

Since the holiday season is upon us, I thought I’d write about entertaining at home. Some people look forward to this all year long; others dread it. Which are you?

Filed Under: Food and beverage Tagged With: catering, Events, f&b, holidays, hosting

Federal shutdown grounds Tampa conference

October 15, 2013 by Plan Your Meetings Leave a Comment

Hello, government shutdown. Goodbye, conference business. A four-day gathering at the Tampa Convention Center was postponed this week because of the federal government shutdown, reportedly taking with it more than 7,000 hotel-room nights and about $5 million in revenue. The GEOINT 2013 Symposium expected more than 4,000 intelligence, defense and homeland security professionals and 265 […]

Filed Under: Meeting industry news Tagged With: ahla, Events, federal shutdown, group travel, hotel occupancy, meetings andflyersrights

If your awards events are a snooze …

September 20, 2013 by Plan Your Meetings Leave a Comment

Technology is here to stay in the world of event planning. Why not use it to your fullest advantage? Here’s one idea: If half your audience expects a traditional awards ceremony but the other half feels it’s too stuffy, why not create simultaneous experiences that are formal and casual? We know of one clever organization […]

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: awards ceremony, Events, meeting planning, spice up awards, Spotlight

PYM brings print to life with first augmented reality-enabled magazine for meeting, event planners

July 18, 2013 by Plan Your Meetings Leave a Comment

Imagine flipping through a magazine, seeing an ad for a hotel and being able to download meeting room schematics, tour the facility and book rooms without having to visit a website or turn the page. Plan Your Meetings, a meetings media company, has made that and more possible with the industry’s first-ever augmented reality publication: […]

Filed Under: Meeting industry news Tagged With: advertise, augmented reality, Events, innovative marketing ideas, meeting planners, reach corporate market

Don’t get burned when booking a caterer (enter our contest)

July 15, 2013 by Claire R. Gould Leave a Comment

What’s wrong with this picture? Read this month’s morsel on “Hiring an outside caterer” and, if you can answer the red flag question, you’ll qualify to win a Starbucks gift card.

Filed Under: Food and beverage Tagged With: catering, Events, f&b, food & beverage, meeting planning, planning 101, pym contest

The view from the ballroom chair, Part 3: The expo

May 14, 2013 by Amanda Taylor Brooks Leave a Comment

Everyone knows the model is outdated but that fixing it is complicated.

Filed Under: Engagement strategies, Meeting and event design Tagged With: advice for meeting planners, best practices, conferences, Events, meetings, the expo, the view from the ballroom chair

Trying new things in Chicago

April 11, 2013 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

Well, things are always interesting around Plan Your Meetings and today is no exception. The PYM LIVE team is in multiple places, which means today’s event is happening simultaneously in Chicago; Columbia, S.C.; the Netherlands; several regions of California; and Atlanta. Because some of our panelists have to join via mobile devices, we won’t have […]

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: chicago, education, Events, meeting planner, pym live

Case study: Installing temporary Internet for meetings and events

March 11, 2013 by Kristi Casey Sanders 2 Comments

When our venue lost Internet days before our event, it required MacGyver-like action.

Filed Under: Event technology, Social media Tagged With: bandwidth, Case Study, Events, internet, meetings, portable, solutions, temporary

Catering association takes new name

August 3, 2012 by Plan Your Meetings Leave a Comment

NACE, formerly the National Association of Catering Executives, has changed its name — but not its acronym. It’s now the National Association for Catering and Events, a move made to more accurately reflect its 4,000-plus members. Today’s catering and event professionals must be trained and knowledgeable in all aspects of event planning, design and executive, […]

Filed Under: Meeting industry news Tagged With: catering, catering and events, Events, meeting professionals, NACE

PYM Live Chicago 2012 recap

July 31, 2012 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

How to increase leverage during contract negotiations and augment events with virtual meeting technology were the key educational points discussed at PYM LIVE Chicago, which took place at the Dana Hotel on July 25. Here’s a Storify recap of the social media conversation surrounding this event and its #yaypym hashtag.

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: chicago, dana hotel, education, Events, hybrid events, meeting planner, pym live, revenue management

Learning about revenue management and hybrid event planning in Denver

June 22, 2012 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

We had a blast in Denver at the Brown Palace.But don’t just take our word for it: Read all about it, in the words and images of our attendees, sponsors, exhibitors and event team.

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: denver, education for meeting planners, Events, hybrid events, networking event, pym live, zentila

Say you want a revolution? 12 things you can do today

April 3, 2012 by Keith Johnston

The No. 1 thing that has to change is … us. Here are 12 action items that you can start (or stop) doing today that will make a huge difference.

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: Advice & Best Practices, change, different, Events, how to, innovation, innovative meeting ideas, plan meeting, revolution

Savannah convention center bumps up green strategies

March 30, 2012 by Plan Your Meetings Leave a Comment

You’ll be seeing even more green than usual the next time you visit Savannah, the Georgia city known for its tree-lined streets and annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. The 33,000-sq. ft. Savannah International Trade & Convention Center, which recycled 32 tons of materials in 2011, has stepped up its green-friendly strategies with a comprehensive plan […]

Filed Under: Meeting industry news Tagged With: eco conscious, eco-friendly, Events, green, green facilities, meetings and conventions

Building essential skills in Atlanta

March 6, 2012 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

If you weren’t able to join us in Atlanta for the March 1 PYM LIVE Event at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead, you missed a couple of incredible sessions on essential planning skills. Luckily we didn’t forget you, so we archived half of it, and the other educational session will be available as a […]

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: Atlanta, buckhead, education, event marketing, Events, grand hyatt, meeting planner, pym events, pym live, rfps

Drinking the Kool-Aid at 2012 PYM LIVE Tampa

January 20, 2012 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

The first PYM LIVE Event of the year (#yaypym!) kicked off in Tampa at the Wyndham Tampa Westshore. In addition to an educational session led by Erica Prewett, there were roundtable discussions on the trade-show floor — including one that gave planners insight into how hotel sales staff values their business. (Support PYM partners. Click here to […]

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: education, Events, meeting planner, networking, PYM, pym live, tampa

Visas and visibility: The dual missions of the US Travel Association

January 5, 2012 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

In 1994, nearly one of every 10 people traveling worldwide were headed to the United States. By 2000, the U.S. share of inbound travel had dropped from 9 percent to 7 percent; 10 years later, it was at barely 6 percent. So why has America lost 30 percent of the worldwide travel market in less […]

Filed Under: Meeting industry news Tagged With: airlines, conventions, customer service, Events, meetings, travel, travel trouble, us travel association, usta, visa

Best practices for planning international events

November 16, 2011 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

Unless you work for a small local business, chances are that at some point you will have to plan an event overseas. When you do, there are a few things you should bear in mind.  1. Educate yourself about cultural sensitivities “The best way to prepare yourself for the cultural expectations of a destination is to […]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: conference, Events, how to plan, international, meeting, multicultural, overseas

Best practices for organizing customer/employee appreciation events

October 2, 2011 by Kimberly D. Roberts, CMP, CSEP Leave a Comment

You’re sitting at your desk, decompressing from the last event and your boss walks in with your next assignment: an appreciation event for customers and/or employees. Sound exciting or scary? Maybe a little of both, but let’s get you to a place of comfort, excitement and success! Appreciation events cater to the attendee. This event will be used […]

Filed Under: Meeting and event design, PYM Blog Tagged With: corporate meetings and events, customer appreciation, employee appreciation, Events, how to plan

Artistic accommodations

February 22, 2011 by Plan Your Meetings Leave a Comment

Looking to add some culture to your itinerary, but short on time? For the second consecutive year, Condé Nast Traveler readers voted the 21c Museum Hotel in Louisville, Ky., as the No. 1 hotel in the U.S., and the No. 6 hotel in the world in the 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards. The 90-room hotel integrates […]

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: art, Events, Louisville, meetings, readers' choice

The coast is clear

November 7, 2010 by Ashley Brazzel Leave a Comment

It’s been more than six months since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill raised questions about whether Gulf of Mexico destinations from Texas to Florida would be able to maintain their blue waters, white-sand beaches and fresh seafood production. But by all accounts, businesses and beaches are open and welcoming all meetings and events. Here are some destination updates …

Filed Under: Meeting industry news Tagged With: alabama, beaches, cleanup, Events, fishing, florida, gulf coast, louisiana, mississippi, oil spill, plan meetings, recovery, seafood, texas, updates

Say goodbye to ho-hum meetings

November 6, 2010 by Ashley Brazzel Leave a Comment

If you want to create memorable meetings and events, there are many ways to do so. All you need is a little ingenuity and inspiration. Plan Your Meetings spoke with meeting planners across the country to find out what advice they had for livening things up and engaging attendees …

Filed Under: Engagement strategies, Meeting and event design Tagged With: Advice & Best Practices, creativity, Events, exciting, fun event ideas, ho hum, innovative, inspiration, meetings, original, planners, planning, planning meetings, themes, trends

Raising the bar with event marketing

September 14, 2010 by Claire R. Gould 1 Comment

As the event industry continues to evolve, one thing is clear: Not only are planners expected to give their clients more for their money, they are required to prove return on investment for each event they participate. It is important that planners have a clear understanding of what event marketing is and how to maximized their […]

Filed Under: Event marketing and PR Tagged With: Advice & Best Practices, best practices, branding, Case Study, conferences, event marketing, Events, marketing strategy, strategy

Why you should meet in Gulf Coast states now

August 5, 2010 by Kathy Janich Leave a Comment

Yes, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has sullied some of America’s favorite beaches and messed mightily with the meetings and event industry, but smart planners see opportunities beyond the tar patties. From Florida to Texas, the main message from travel and tourism officials is that it’s business as usual. Most attractions, hotels, restaurants, exhibits, […]

Filed Under: Meeting industry news Tagged With: alabama, bp, Events, florida, gulf coast, meet, mississippi, northwest florida, oil spill, panhandle, plan meetings, texas

The biggest contract trap of all

July 8, 2010 by Kevin R. Johnston, CMP 1 Comment

In all my writings, speeches and rants at meetings, I am often asked what’s the best tip or greatest “gotcha.” Recently, after concluding the filming of PYM’s “Contract tips and traps” Knowledge Series video, I was reflecting on the input provided and the value of what was shared. Then it occurred to me that one […]

Filed Under: Budgets and contracts, PYM Blog Tagged With: agreements, clients, contracts, details, Events, hotels, negotiations, plan meetings, proposals

Knee high by July: July 2010 morsel

July 7, 2010 by Claire R. Gould Leave a Comment

As I am spending the month in Kittanning, Pa., working my father’s estate, I can’t help but drift back to the roots of this small town: farming. Since it is July and we are in the midst of “corn growing season,” I thought it would be appropriate to give you some insight on how to […]

Filed Under: Food and beverage, PYM Blog Tagged With: Advice & Best Practices, banquet, catering, claire gould, culinary, Events, monthly morsel, plan meetings

Ground transportation: Getting from point A to B

June 3, 2010 by Claire R. Gould 2 Comments

Ground transportation is a very tricky part of the event planning industry because if done right no one really thinks to thank you. How hard is it to order a car/bus and driver? Here is the answer: harder than you think. If ground transportation isn’t done correctly — for example, a shuttle bus hits a […]

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: Advice & Best Practices, best practices, Events, ground transportation, group transportation, how to, meeting logistics, meetings, plan meetings, Transportation

What’s your social media policy?

April 22, 2010 by David Nour - Author, "Relationship Economics" Leave a Comment

In my last several prospective client meetings, a consistent conversation has centered on the need for a social media policy. Whether you work for a progressive organization or a conservative, risk-adverse one, it seems that everyone has an opinion on the best approach. Here are some prevailing camps: 1. The ostrich look-alikes “I’m on Facebook […]

Filed Under: PYM Blog, Social media Tagged With: Advice & Best Practices, building communities, corporate policy, david nour, Events, how to, marketing, social media, social networking

Event paparazzi

February 18, 2010 by Ashley Brazzel Leave a Comment

Looking for tried and true event photography? Consider the award-winning Northlight Photography Inc. Backed by veteran-photographer Ross DeLoach, the Atlanta-based company specializes in creative logistics and has captured diverse corporate and social events for the past 17 years.

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: corporate, Events, northlight photography, photography, russ deloach

Up-close and personal city tours

February 8, 2010 by Ashley Brazzel Leave a Comment

The Kessler Collection hotels (Bohemian Hotel Savannah Riverfront and the Mansion on Forsyth Park) in Savannah, Ga., put a new twist on traditional group tours. Meeting attendees staying at either property can get up-close-and-personal with historic downtown Savannah via self-guided iPod Touch tours. The tours have been customized to give visitors access to insider information, […]

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: Events, Georgia, groups, kessler collection, savannah, tours

How ‘Lost’ are your attendees?

February 3, 2010 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

After years of ignoring the hit TV show “Lost,” I decided to tune in for the series premiere last night. It was interesting, but I felt utterly adrift. Evidently, it was filled with all sorts of people and bits of information that I would have gotten had I been plugged into the TV show over […]

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: association meetings, Events, first-timers, lost, meeting planning advice

Simplified promotions

January 25, 2010 by Ashley Brazzel 2 Comments

Looking for an easy way to promote your event on multiple social networks? EveryMeeting.com is a membership-based site where planners can post meetings and events, including speaker information and a link to a contact person. Meetings posted on the site can be promoted across 150+ social media outlets, and are publicly searchable by location and […]

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: Events, every meeting, marketing, meeting planning, promotions, social networks

The first event of the year

January 7, 2010 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

So we’re kicking off our 2010 series of PYM LIVE Events today. New format, new whitepapers, new destinations and exhibitors. Atlanta’s Jan. 7 show promises to be very exciting, and not just because it may end with some snowfall. Here’s a transcript of what we were up to (start at the bottom and read up […]

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: Atlanta, Events, live events, plan your meetings, PYM

What augmented reality could add to meetings

December 17, 2009 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

Thanks to @samueljsmith for bringing this to my attention. Look what you can do with the printed page: Now think about what this could do to trade show and conference materials. What applications can you think of for meetings and events? Check Samuel’s blog for more…

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: augmented reality, esquire magazine, Events, print, trade shows, tradeshows

You want me to pay what?! Part I

December 8, 2009 by Serenity J. Knutson Leave a Comment

A first-time exhibitor recently arrived on-site at a major meetings industry trade show with company check in hand and instructions from her boss in mind: rent a few furniture items for the booth. No problem, right? Upon speaking with show services providers, the exhibitor was floored to learn that she would have to pay $500+ […]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: booth, budget, cost, Events, exhibiting, expense, meetings, trade show

Top 5 reasons to meet now

August 13, 2009 by Ashley Brazzel Leave a Comment

Meetings fulfill many legitimate business purposes, but how do planners overcome resistance with clients or bosses who are wary of meeting in this economic climate? Mike Mason, senior vice president of group sales at Gaylord Hotels, offers these top reasons to meet in a down economy…

Filed Under: Event marketing and PR, PYM Blog Tagged With: down economy, Events, gaylord hotels, meetings, mike mason, reasons to meet

What’s going on at the WEC?

July 12, 2009 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

MPI’s big annual World Education Congress has already kicked off in Salt Lake City, Utah. Monday morning, I head out to join them. I’m presenting two sessions there, “The Irreplaceable You: Prove Your Worth” and “Change Begins With You: Meeting Responsibly.” I’ll be tweeting when I can from my @PYMLive handle. And I won’t be […]

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: Events, mpi, salt lake city, social networking, twitter, wec

New Treasury rules for TARP recipients

June 17, 2009 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

The U.S. Treasury issued new regulation guidelines for companies that have received taxpayer assistance on June 10. After 90 days of public commenting and review, the rules will be finalized. Industry leaders do not predict the final regulations will differ much from those proposed by the Treasury Department, which call for companies receiving taxpayer assistance […]

Filed Under: Meeting industry news Tagged With: Events, excessive or luxury, Incentive Travel, meetings, meetings mean business, tarp, treasury rules

Straight talk about sustainability with Visit Denver’s Rachel Benedick

June 7, 2009 by Lindsay Smith Leave a Comment

In our final interview with green meeting industry leaders, we talk with Rachel Benedick, vice president of sales and services for Visit Denver, the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). CVBs are often the first contact planners have when choosing a site for their meeting or event. In recent years, because of the increase in requests […]

Filed Under: Meeting sustainably, PYM Blog, PYM profiles Tagged With: Advice & Best Practices, Events, going green, green meeting, Rachel Benedick, sustainability, sustainable meetings, Visit Denver

Washington: Meetings, incentives and events are ‘legitimate business practices’

April 19, 2009 by Ashley Brazzel Leave a Comment

During an April 1 colloquy on executive compensation for TARP recipients, Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) asked Financial Services Committee Chair Barney Frank (D-Mass.) to clarify whether or not TARP recipients would be allowed to spend money on meetings, events and incentive travel programs. “During the past few months, legitimate business travel for meeting, incentive and […]

Filed Under: Meeting industry news Tagged With: barney frank, business travel, Events, finance committee, house of representatives, incentives, las vegas, meetings, representative berkley, tarp

Meeting guidelines defined by industry

February 23, 2009 by Ashley Brazzel Leave a Comment

Days after the U.S. Department of the Treasury made it a requirement for companies receiving assets from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to define and make public a company-wide policy on expenditures (including entertainment, holiday parties, conferences and events), a coalition of meeting, event and incentive travel organizations released a set of guidelines for […]

Filed Under: Meeting industry news Tagged With: CEO, Events, Federal assistance, Government, Incentive Travel, meetings, regulation, rules, Sarbane-Oxley, tarp

Keep America meeting

February 16, 2009 by Ashley Brazzel Leave a Comment

A campaign is afoot to keep America meeting. More than 5,000 people have already signed an online petition at KeepAmericaMeeting.org, and many more signatures are needed to help raise awareness of the importance of corporate meetings. The petition is endorsed by a non-partisan coalition of industry leaders, meetings media and associations, and will be delivered […]

Filed Under: Meeting industry news Tagged With: congress, Events, Fortune 200, Keep America Meeting, Lobby, meetings, Petition, Signatures, tarp, washington, white house

Industry challenges and solutions: Report from PYM LIVE 2009 Atlanta

January 29, 2009 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of conducting a brainstorming session with meeting planners about the challenges they’re facing right now and what some of the solutions are. Whether you attended or not, I think everyone can benefit from some of the advice your peers have on dealing with toxic bosses, contract negotiations, dealing with attrition, […]

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: challenges, Events, industry, meeting, planners, planning, PYM, solutions

Green meetings step No. 3: Establishing and tracking metrics

January 4, 2009 by Lindsay Smith Leave a Comment

Congratulations, you have committed to planning your meetings and events in a more sustainable way! You have gained support from your executives and board members, and communicated your goals and expectations with vendors and attendees, implementing sustainable practices. What is next you may ask? Metrics! Metrics are the method of measuring an event’s impact on […]

Filed Under: Meeting sustainably, PYM Blog Tagged With: Advice & Best Practices, Events, green, meeting, plan, tips

The Retreat of Dunwoody

October 26, 2008 by pym Leave a Comment

The contemporary and spacious Retreat of Dunwoody can host up to 1,200 people. Ideal for corporate meetings, holiday parties, social receptions and team building, the Retreat has a terrace, gardens and flexible event space that have a futuristic vibe. — Taylor Dahl The Retreat of Dunwoody at PYM’s Resource Directory

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Events, meetings, retreat of dunwoody, venue

Make it interactive!

October 16, 2008 by pym Leave a Comment

The average attendee has a lethally short attention span. Keep attendees engaged, by generating real-life metrics and audience demographics through your speaker’s PowerPoint presentation with The Extreme Group Inc., which creates interactive meeting environments using hand-held audience response systems.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Events, interactive, meetings, powerpoint, the extreme group

What does service charge mean to you?

October 7, 2008 by Claire R. Gould Leave a Comment

Working on-site at an event in Florida this week, one question has occurred to me repeatedly: When does the “service” in service charge begin, and where does it end? Because a portion of that 22 percent usually goes to the Conference Services Manager (CSM), I have high expectations for the level of service I get […]

Filed Under: Food and beverage, PYM Blog Tagged With: Events, service charges

e-Tools

June 7, 2008 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

LaQuinta Resort & Club in LaQuinta, Calif., has an arsenal of new online tools for meeting planners, including an e-Event booking engine for small groups that bundles room, F&B and A/V reservations, and a personalized online group page.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: booking, california, conventions, Events, LaQuinta, meetings, online, tools

Changing the flag

June 2, 2008 by Monica Compton, CMP Leave a Comment

What planners need to know when hotels are renovated or change brands

Recently, while coordinating a meeting in Palm Springs, Calif., I became concerned when my breakfast set-up was not complete 15 minutes before guests were due. “We still have some kinks to work out due to the management change,” the hotel salesperson informed me. The hotel had recently changed brands and management companies, which was reflected in the service for this particular function. Ultimately, the hotel provided seamless service, and the guests did not notice anything amiss.

In many cases, though, a change in hotel brands or management companies can present challenges for planners.

Filed Under: Budgets and contracts Tagged With: brands, contracts, Events, hotels, law, management, meetings, negotiation, protection, reflagging

Continuing education with PYM LIVE events

March 18, 2008 by pym Leave a Comment

PYM LIVE Events are held annually in Houston, Dallas, Atlanta and Orlando. Other locations are being added this year, so keep watching our events page for more information. Educational seminars offer meeting tips, creative shortcuts and information on the newest industry trends, as well as Continuing Education Units (CEUs). You’ll get a chance to meet […]

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: education, entertainment, Events, Houston, industry, learning, live, meetings, offerings, seminars, texas, tips, trends

Miami NASCAR Racing Weekend

February 15, 2008 by pym Leave a Comment

Assignment: South Florida event company ME Productions was hired to create several events taking place during the NASCAR race weekend in Homestead, Fla. Challenge: Emphasize the brand of each sponsor in each venue. Solution: ME Productions’ creative team created props, furnishings and décor that playfully displayed company logos and insignias while transforming each Miami venue […]

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: Events, florida, nascar

2008: Green, lean, immediate and demanding…

January 9, 2008 by Christine Born Leave a Comment

The future is here, along with more technology, more networking opportunities, more budget demands… in fact, more demands for everything, including your time. 2008 may be more of 2007, but pick up the tips from our planners and you’ll be ready for a (somewhat) fresh start.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: airlines, beverage, catering, conventions, entertainment, Events, food, forecast, green, hotels, predictions, travel, trends

Where can I find event planning answers?

December 5, 2007 by Jackie Thornton, M.S., CMP Leave a Comment

Many people begin planning events without the benefit of taking an event planning class or having the opportunity to study the hospitality industry. You can learn all of the industry standards seasoned professionals know by getting the same books they study. When seasoned event planners cannot recall a specific detail, they often pull one of these books from their bookshelves. Hospitality professionals also use these books to study for the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) exam.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: answers, book, Events, meetings, planning, resource

Beer here: October 2007 Monthly Morsel

October 3, 2007 by Claire R. Gould Leave a Comment

Working an event recently, I did my usual schtick and said I wanted to do the bar inventory by counting beer caps. The property said they would make these arrangements … and then didn’t. What did they do? They served the beer in cans instead of bottles. What didn’t I like about this? A lot […]

Filed Under: Food and beverage, PYM Blog Tagged With: Advice & Best Practices, banquet, beer, catering, Events, fandb, meetings, planners

Taking meetings from ordinary to extraordinary

October 3, 2007 by Kristi Casey Sanders 4 Comments

More than 400 meeting planners and exhibitors learned cutting-edge techniques and essential skills to make the most of their meetings, their profession and each other at the 2007 Plan Your Meetings (PYM) Atlanta Expo, held Sept. 27 at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta-Ravinia.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Atlanta, Events, meetings, planners, planning, PYM

Using music at public events

October 2, 2007 by Jackie Thornton, M.S., CMP Leave a Comment

Do you know there are federal laws event planners should be aware of if they want to use music at a public event? Most people think because they buy their favorite artist’s CD, they have the right to play that CD anywhere they want to, including at an event. However, Federal laws protect all recorded music. Read the legalese on the CD: “Unauthorized copying, lending, public performance and broadcasting prohibited.” That means you. Recording companies, musicians, and songwriters own the copyright, and are entitled to royalties every time the music is performed or played in public.

Filed Under: Meeting and event design, PYM Blog Tagged With: Advice & Best Practices, ascap, bmi, Events, fees, legal, licensing, meetings, music, planning, securing, sesac, using

Viral marketing

August 27, 2007 by Jackie Thornton, M.S., CMP 1 Comment

One event marketing strategy that won’t cost you any money, but could help you meet and exceed your attendance goals is viral, or “buzz,” marketing. Viral marketing is a strategy that encourages individuals to pass on marketing messages to others. Here are some simple ways to incorporate it.

Filed Under: Event marketing and PR, PYM Blog Tagged With: Advice & Best Practices, buzz, Events, marketing, strategy, tips, viral

Develop an event marketing strategy

July 27, 2007 by Jackie Thornton, M.S., CMP 3 Comments

The best-planned event will not be considered a success if attendance is low. Therefore, event marketing strategy is a key part of success. Unfortunately, there is no set formula that always works. Marketing strategies may include print ads, television ads, electronic brochures, Web sites, billboards, Internet ads, radio ads, public service announcements, direct mail, e-mail, formal invitations, electronic invitations, blogs and other new media. Before you determine your plan, here are some important questions to consider:

Filed Under: Event marketing and PR, PYM Blog Tagged With: Events, marketing strategy, metrics, plan, track, viral

Puppets with pizzazz

July 9, 2007 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

In Europe, puppetry has long been revered as an art form. Houston-based Puppet Pizzazz provides custom entertainment and puppetry workshops for receptions, social gatherings and other special events using larger-than-life-sized puppets. The company also can create corporate living logos, mascots, customized puppets and costumes.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: entertainment, Events, Houston, puppet, texas

Twenty-first century bulletin board

June 29, 2007 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

Networking is a big deal during conferences and conventions, but short coffee breaks and evening activities don’t always allow for enough time, or exchange of information. Jot Event Messaging Systems can turn any computer on-site into an instant messaging service, allowing attendees to search for contacts by name, company, organization, church or school. Organizers also […]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: brand, email, Events, jot, message, onsite, sponsor

Ethics in action

June 12, 2007 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

When international events company MotivAction made the decision to go green, it wasn’t just paying lip-service to a hot trend.

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: carbon neutral, corporate, ethics, Events, exxon, green meetings, meetings, motivaction, repsonsibility, social

White linen marketing

June 5, 2007 by pym Leave a Comment

Morton’s The Steakhouse and Velocity Broadcasting have partnered to offer satellite network Velocity HD Suites, housed in Morton’s private boardrooms.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: communication, conferences, Events, mortons steakhouse, projection system, remote, velocity marketing

Tips on tipping

May 31, 2007 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

How much should you tip after an event?

Filed Under: PYM Blog Tagged With: Events, hotels, management, planning, tipping, tips

Life’s a crêpe

May 30, 2007 by Kristi Casey Sanders Leave a Comment

Let attendees get French with La Crêpe Party.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Events, ideas, party, planning, tips

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