May 27, 2013 by Melissa Bailey
A h e r o i s s o m e o n e w h o h a s g i v e n h i s o r h e r l i f e t o s o m e t h i n g b i g g e r t h a n o n e s e l f . - J o s e p h C a m p b e l l T h a n k y o u t o t h e b r a v e m e n a n d w o m e n , p a s t a n d p r e s e n t . & n b s p ;

May 24, 2013 by DeDe Mulligan
Technology -- if used correctly --- should provide positive impact to every area of your event from registration to feedback. It is meant to save time, resources and amplify content. Yet, many planners still are not using it because they don't want to change the status quo, are uncomfortable with technology or are unsure of what they need.  Let's take a look at some of the old and new ways of running a typical meeting and the benefits the right technology can offer to you. ...

May 22, 2013 by DeDe Mulligan
I don't think most meeting planners equate their words as power statements -- but they are. Because you often are the "go-to" person for attendees, sponsors, venues and exhibitors, it is important that the following words be banned and replaced with more positive statements in order to keep your meetings thriving and growing.  Here are the words, what they mean to the recipient and the replacement statements that can work in your favor. "Never."  W...

May 20, 2013 by DeDe Mulligan
The Millennial Generation, or commonly referred to as "Gen Y" consists of individuals born between 1980 - 1995 (ages 18 to 33 years old). This is the group of individuals most business organizations are focused on because they will be running our corporations, government entities and meetings in a few years.  PwC, in conjunction with the University of Southern California and London Business School, conducted a global generational study of 1,000 Millennials from 18 gl...

May 17, 2013 by DeDe Mulligan
As the summer heats up, an employee appreciation event is a great way to get everyone together in a social, casual setting. Whether you host a company picnic on your grounds or you have a networking reception at a local restaurant, getting employees together in a non-work setting, shows them your organization cares and is willing to go the extra mile.  Appreciation events have been shown to improve employee loyalty, reduce attrition and create or maintain a positive work environ...

May 15, 2013 by DeDe Mulligan
  Whether your organization has one large national convention per year or several smaller meetings throughout the year, the purpose of bringing sales professionals together is to train, motivate and reward them for their hard work. However, due to the nature of sales theses days (larger territories, quotas and remote support staff), many sales meetings are suffering from dwindling attendance. The key to a successful sales meeting is to create an agenda and environment where reps WANT ...

May 13, 2013 by DeDe Mulligan
  In corporations and government agencies across the country, it is pretty much mainstay for employees to be issued on their first day of work the following items: A uniform cell phone with a homogeneous talk/text/data plan; A desktop with an operating system and apps the IT department supports and; A laptop for those individuals who travel or are part of the C-Suite. Usually the employee's monthly cell bill is paid for by the organization and when the employee departs, the...

May 10, 2013 by DeDe Mulligan
Even though the technology landscape has changed much since the introduction of the PC in 1981, have you ever considered the rapidity of this change and how it might evolve in the meetings industry? Here's a quick look at the last 30 years of technology used at meetings and events: 1983. Most presentations were carried out in a dark room with an overhead projector and transparencies which were typed or handwritten. To change out the slide, someone (usually the speaker) had to take the curr...

May 08, 2013 by DeDe Mulligan
When was the last time you inquired about "the why" of your event or trade show? Sure, sure there are the basic responses such as education and networking. But with more virtual opportunities available to meet, your stakeholders are going to focus on bottom-line revenue and quantifiable opportunities associated with your face-to-face meeting.  Here are 7 sequential steps that will help keep your team engaged, attendees happy and sponsorship dollars flowing: Super Step #1:...

May 06, 2013 by DeDe Mulligan
Millard “Mickey” Drexler brought a debt-drowning J. Crew back to profitability last year. He did so by implementing the following: Took the company off the stock market in 2011 via a $3 billion private equity buyout Cleaned house in the C-suite and  Retooled the brand’s merchandise by moving it upscale. The results? In the second quarter of 2012, J. Crew reported net income topping $22 million compared with a $10.5 million loss in the same quarter of the ...