Apr 30, 2012 by DeDe Mulligan
When event planners book a hotel or conference center, they are often told that they are required or encouraged to use their in-house AV company for the meeting. The pitch goes something like this: "We would like you to use XYZ Company for your event because they have all their equipment onsite, their pricing is available to you right now, and they are very familiar with our venue."  Sounds good, right? Maybe yes and maybe no. Here are 6 things to consider when engaging w...

Apr 25, 2012 by DeDe Mulligan
Feeling overwhelmed by your technology options when planning a meeting or event? You are not alone! With the ever-changing pace of technological choices and applications, it can leave the most experienced planner perplexed about their options. Below are a few apps that Julius Solaris, Editor of Event Manager Blog, feels are good ones to help organize, promote, and allow for maximum interaction with your attendees. EVENT COLLABORATION Gantto Create an online Gantt Chart in just a few ...

Apr 23, 2012 by DeDe Mulligan
After much consideration, you have made the decision to purchase booth space at an upcoming trade show in a few months. It is a costly proposition, both in time and money, and your decision was not made without thorough analysis. Now, as the date of the show becomes more of a reality, you are wrestling with the idea of how to get attendees to your booth and gain qualified leads. Utilizing an iPad is a creative and stimulating way to do just that.  Here are 4 reasons how iPads can help m...

Apr 20, 2012 by DeDe Mulligan
What is the purpose of a meeting or event, anyway? Well that depends on your point of view, but most  people agree it is to disseminate information about a product, service, policy, or provide some level of professional education. In addition, it could be to reinforce your brand, set sales objectives, team-build, or get your group of members together for the annual meeting.  Some meetings and events are terrific while others are..well...lackluster. Most event meeting services in...

Apr 18, 2012 by DeDe Mulligan
As a meeting professional, we are often overwhelmed with all the to-do's associated with our meeting or conference, so the last thing we want to do is focus on all the technology advancements associated with AV. But let's get real for a moment, audio visual equipment can "make or break" our meeting, and we know it. From sound and lighting rentals to the Wi-Fi array to working with a reputable AV company and negotiating a "win-win" contract, it all boils...

Apr 16, 2012 by DeDe Mulligan
With Earth Day approaching in a few weeks, many event planners are thinking of ways to green their meetings without breaking the budget. American Express recently polled meeting planners and suppliers and found that 53% of the planners polled are coordinating local meetings which will reduce their carbon footprint, 47% have green requests or requirements for their meetings, and 73% indicated their organizations are showing an increasing interest in green measures.  Bel...

Apr 13, 2012 by DeDe Mulligan
Even though the economy is on the upswing and most event planners are seeing a slight increase in meeting attendance and the number of meetings, the U.S. Travel Association has come out with a "Keep America Meeting" campaign to continue to shine a spotlight on the importance of meetings to the economic vibrancy of our country's economy. Below is a synopsis of their report.  According the U.S. Travel Association, a meeting has 3 key components: It has a minimum leng...

Apr 11, 2012 by DeDe Mulligan
If you have never caught the TV show Mad Men, you owe it to yourself to check it out at least once. It is about a posh Manhattan advertising agency set in the 1960's. Don Draper, the leading man in the series, constantly reminds his team that the ads they present to their clients need to focus on benefits, not features of the product or service they are trying to sell. Here is the trailer for Mad Men, which in itself is selling the benefits of the show.   Contrast the video bel...

Apr 06, 2012 by Melissa Bailey
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Apr 04, 2012 by DeDe Mulligan
What do shows like Oprah, Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray and organizations like Harvard Medical School, Humana, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, American Express, Walt Disney World, and Bristol-Myers Squibb have in common? They have all have used wireless audience response systems! Gone are the days of using paper handwritten response forms which are unwieldy and took several hours to compile the data. In addition, someone had to interpret poorly written responses.  ARS units o...