Get 150 corporate meeting planners in a room, ask them what their average booking window is, and they’ll tell you 36 days. And that may not change any time soon. A recent study conducted with planners who averaged a total of 15 annual off-site meetings found that last-minute meetings have become the norm, with 60 […]
Six ways to make your awards show rock
Let’s face it Sunshine, your awards banquet has seen better days. Basically, it sucks and everyone knows it. You have been pedaling the same boring food, the same crappy venue, the same suckity, suck-fest for years and quietly, even you would rather go grocery shopping than sit at that table up front, sipping that crap […]
Tips for planning an executive retreat on a tight budget
Most people would argue that best seat on a Boeing 757 is not 19-C, and that any seat in first class would be better. But what do those seats offer that seat 19-C does not? Free drinks? If I am flying out at 10 a.m., do I really need a cocktail? More leg room, you […]
Say ‘I do’ to these wedding planning tips
This month I want everyone to hold on to your bouquets because I am doing a … wedding! The lucky couple are getting married in Los Angeles,Calif. They are having a midday wedding/lunch and a party that evening at the groom’s second home, so this has turned into a destination wedding. So what I have learned from planning this event (other […]
2009 PYM Town Hall Atlanta: Table Two Notes
Questions discussed at this table were: What can you do to distinguish yourself and rise above the competition? and How can you get creative with small budgets without selling your services short?
Warning: Shameless self-promotion
I am so excited. Mike McAllen just posted this podcast interview he did with me earlier this week. So if you’ve ever wondered about how Plan Your Meetings got started, why we do the things we do, what we have coming up and why Cirque du Soliel wouldn’t hire me, listen to this podcast and […]
Green meetings step No. 3: Establishing and tracking metrics
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 […]
Simple steps to green your next meeting
Want to reduce the carbon footprint of future meetings and events? Create an environmental policy statement you can share with suppliers, attendees and other participants. Consider:
The new rules for hotel negotiations
By Kristi Casey Sanders
“Demand in the hotel industry stopped growing in 2006, and as people in the industry are catching on, hotels are becoming more variable in negotiations than they were,” says Bjorn Hanson, a lodging and hospitality analyst for PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Develop an event marketing strategy
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:
Transform a sports dome into something special
How often do you think about using sports venues for off-site meal functions? Events Specialists took a simple banquet, and by placing it inside New Orleans’ Superdome, created a very special event.
