Right Side or Left?

There are so many little details in the meeting and event industry that can simply make your head spin. Let’s take name badges for instance.  Who would have thought there would be conversation around where to wear them.  But there is.  In a networking environment, many place name badges on the upper left side.  However, they should actually go on the upper right.  When shaking hands, a person’s eyes naturally travel up the extended arm of the recipient.  So wearing the badge on the right side would be in alignment with the handshake.  Next time you’re at a networking event, try it and see for yourself!

Top 11 things to be thankful for in the event industry

The event industry has certainly evolved over the years, and given this 2011 season of Thanksgiving, we thought we'd capture the Top 11 ways along with why we're thankful for it:

1. Having a Seat at the Table. As events have become more important to an organization's marketing approach, the role of event planners has become more strategic in helping to reach organizational objectives.

2. Online Registration. Yes, there were indeed days when the yellow pad was the main method for capturing who's coming. Automating the process has made it much more efficient.

3. Email. Even though it can be cumbersome at times, it still offers a good record of summary and communication.

4. Virtual Tours. There used to be a time when hotel sales kits and brochures were it. It's great to be able to see a space in the comfort of your own computer (so long as the tour is true to scale!).

5. Social Media. While still maturing (in use and adoption), social media platforms have transformed the communication, interaction and promotion of meetings and events.

6. Recognition of Certifications. There are designations such as "CMP", a.k.a. Certified Meeting Professional or "CGMP", a.k.a. Certified Government Meeting Professional, among others, that have raised the bar in professionalizing the industry.

7. Perception. Many people now recognize the event industry as just that, an industry with professionals, certifications, expertise and power. It makes us want to say -- "You like me, you really like me!"

8. Free Spending Days are Over. While some planners may not consider this a benefit, we do as it relies on the planner's expertise to negotiate and remain an integral part in meeting the organization's strategic objectives. Gone are the days of just hosting an event for the sake of...

9. More than Just a Lecture. Some meetings used to be heavily based on lecturing. But given attention spans have shortened, and technology has increased, a larger focus has been placed on interactivity and engagement of the audience making for a much more productive, and interesting learning program.

10. Wider Acceptance of Second Tier Cities. We all like to visit the top cities such as Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and the like. But sometimes the second tier cities such as Charlotte or Nashville can offer just as great of an experience at a lower cost.

11. Food Tastings. While not necessarily new or transformational (except to our palate), they are always appreciated in being able to sample the fare before it hits the plates.

The power of online registration

Our previous posting mentioned that we've started a new webinar series. We're very excited about it as there are so many aspects to consider when producing effective meetings and events.

The topic of our webinar is How to Use Online Registration, and will take place on December 1, 2011 at 11:00a.m.

On a side note, just in case you're not familiar with the power of online registration, click here for a video case study.

Online Registration Webinar Series Announced!

At The Event Planning Group, LLC we're launching a new webinar series on topical meeting and event strategies and tools. We invite you to join us on December 1, 2011 to learn how to use online registration to power the brand of your organization.

Click Here to Join Us!

Sizing up your space

Ever try fitting a square peg into a round hole? If so, you know it doesn't fit. The same can be said for some event spaces in relation to your overall meeting specifications. We come across this fairly frequently at The Event Planning Group, LLC where clients may have secured a venue but it doesn't quite work well for their event.

For instance, if a building is a secure building where people are restricted to bring in food and beverage, or they can only access the building at certain times, or they do not have a full suite of needed equipment, then that most likely will not be the right space for you. But for various reasons, we've seen these type of spaces booked for select programs.

If it doesn't fit, then please omit. This way, your meeting or event won't be impacted by such restrictions. Some questions to consider when looking for your next venue:

• How much is the rental fee?
• What time will you have access to the building?
• Are there any restrictions on bringing in equipment or other materials?
• Who will be the main contact from the venue?
• What is the overall room capacity?
• What type of room setups will be possible?
• What is the process on catering?
• What are the building's security procedures?
• What is the process on shipping materials to the venue?
• Can signage be placed inside the building? If so, where are the approved places?
• Where do shuttle buses or other ground transport drop attendees?

These questions are by no means an exhaustive list. There will be many more questions that arise from the answers to these. But the key is to probe to ensure the venue will work for you instead of trying to fit that square peg into a round hole.