Planning Special Events - Part Two - The Master Plan

"The master plan is the plan you create to ensure you have covered your bases when planning your event. Doing so will increase your chances of having a wildly successful outcome, leading to more referrals, happy clients and more sales." Heidi Richards

"The master plan is the plan you create to ensure you have covered your bases when planning your event. Doing so will increase your chances of having a wildly successful outcome, leading to more referrals, happy clients and more sales." Heidi Richards

1. Create your checklist. A checklist provides an organized roadmap to executing your event. What resources will you need, donations, people, money? - A sample checklist is included below.

2. Create a Timeline! This should be a part of the checklist and is perhaps the most important component of the document that will insure the success of your event. The timeline should include items such as, when programs are printed, when invitations/brochures should be printed and mailed, when to start the media or publicity campaign, when to order decorations. It includes registration deadlines. If it has not already been determined, the timeline also includes the location of the event.

3. Create your budget. This should include all revenue opportunities (registration sales, tickets, donations, sponsorship, concessions). It should also include expenses for printing, lodging, food, supplies, security, speakers, permits, insurance, postage and miscellaneous items yet to be determined.

4. Think about logistics. They include the size of space needed for the event, setup (tables, chairs, parking, signs, port-a-pottys, tents), cleanup, emergency plans, transportation and the services that are provided by police and fire departments.

5. Promote the event. What is the major objective of the publicity? Is it to raise awareness or attendance? Is it to build good community relations? If you do not have a media list, it is never too soon to start creating one. Whom do you know who works for local print, radio and television? Whom do you know who knows someone who does? If it is a local event, drawing on the local community, find out if a local Media Guide or directory is published. Many newspapers have these resources, and so do many libraries. If it is a national event, look for national media directories for assistance. There are several to choose from. Some of the ones I use are: Gebbie Press All-in-One Directory (1-845-255-7560), Bacons Media Catalog (1-800-621-0561), and Bradley Communications (1-800-989-1400). These directories are available on disk or books.

Heres a step-by-step checklist to help you organize your event.

Task:

___ Select members of the planning team. Include leaders of specific events to be completed by (date).

___ Develop the master plan by (date). This may include the theme, location, etc.

___ Choose the date for the event by (date).

___ Select secondary team leaders (subcommittee chairs) for logistics by (date).

___ Recruit or hire team members for logistics by (date).

___ Create your publicity/ media campaign. Alert the media of photo and interview opportunities by (date).

___ Prepare the copy for print materials including program, registration forms, tickets, registration/ identification badges, ribbons, awards, etc. by (date).

___ Plan the decorations by (date).

___ Develop the schedule of events. Distribute to each person on the team. Review assignments.

___ Determine how registration will be handled and by whom.

___ Create an Emergency Plan in case the event has to be cancelled or postponed.

___ Have a dress rehearsal of the event with all responsible parties to review roles and responsibilities of entire team the day before.

___ Have the Event!

___ Mail a copy of the program and thank you letter to sponsors and supporters of the event as soon as possible after the event.

___ Send hand-written thank you notes to your host (employer) and the team you worked with. If possible, include photos.

___ Evaluate the Event

Heidi RichardsHeidi Richards is the author of The PMS Principles, Powerful Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business and 7 other books. She is also the Founder & CEO of the Womens ECommerce Association, International www.WECAI.org (pronounced wee-k+) an Internet organization that Helps Women Do Business on the WEB. Basic Membership is FREE. Ms. Richards can be reached at Heidi@speakingwithspirit.com.

Event Management

Event management is comprised of the study of the complexities of brands, identifying target audience, creating event concepts, and planning the logistics. It also includes coordination of technical aspects before getting down to truly implementing the modalities of the planned event. Event management implies the application of management science to the creation and development of festivals and events.

Event management is one of the strategic advertising and communication tools used by businesses of all sizes. Right from product launches to press conferences, businesses develop promotional events so that they can communicate with clients as well as potential clients. They may target their audience by using the news media, wishing to generate media coverage, which will reach thousands or millions of people. They can also invite their audience to their events and reach them at the actual event.

Event management company services areas include corporate events such as product launches, corporate seminars, and forums. Services also comprise of retail advertising programs such as road shows, training programs, event promotions, television-based events, special events such as concerts, fashion shows and more.

Event managers are the people who plan and execute events. They are involved in the planning, execution, brand building, marketing, and communication strategy of events. Event managers are experts in the creative, technical, and logistical fronts that help an event succeed.

Event management is an industry that is growing quickly, with mega shows and events hosted regularly. Considering the professional side, event management is a glamorous and exciting profession that requires a lot of hard work and enthusiasm.

Only a few universities offer diplomas in event management. The study includes organizational skills, technical understanding, public relations, marketing, advertising, and catering. The course also includes study of logistics, glamour identity, human relations, law and licenses, risk management, and budgeting. Knowledge of related industries such as television, cinema, and other media also form a part of the curriculum.

Event Management provides detailed information on Event Management, Event Management Software, Corporate Event Management, Event Management Companies and more. Event Management is affiliated with Corporate Event Planning.

Cost Effective Events Management

Running events has always been a key marketing activity for many companies. But they are expensive and time consuming. Here are some tips that will result in cost savings and maybe some new ideas.

There are many different types of events. They could be as simple as a tea party for 10 of your best customers to elaborate, international exhibitions and shows. However, there are several key elements that are present in almost all event management scenarios. Two of the most obvious would be the Venue and the Program. Unfortunately, many marketing managers fail to see these as important elements.

Many hours and days are spent mulling over the theme, the objectives and the myriads other details. As any experience event planner will tell you, good venues are hard to find. Really hard. So many companies spend so much time and effort with the planning that they forget to place a booking first. Most places will allow you an opportunity to cancel with no penalties within a given time frame. You should maximise this. Get the venue you think you want locked in as early as possible. Even if you change your mind later and have to pay some penalty, it is better than having the best plans, and no where to run with it.

Another area which deserves more attention than it usually gets is the Program for the Event. Some of you might be scratching your head a little over this statement, as most of the time, the talk is about nothing but the program. True. Yet, not quite. Let's take a simple example. A press conference. Everyone knows what that is, how it is run, and all its little details. But you see, the program is not the one that goes like this:

Guest Arrival Cocktails Welcome Speech Presentation Question & Answer Farewell

Is that your program? Most likely, many will nod, or shake your head. "I don't have a cocktail".

Methinks you are missing the point. This is usually the "program" that most people think about. But as THE organiser, your program looks much different from this. You have a Project Plan for the entire event, right? Well, think of your Program as a branch of your project plan. "Guest Arrival" is good enough for the guests, but what does it tell you about when your staff needs to be in position? Gifts need to arrive? Top Management's arrival time, VIP arrivals and so on?

It's all in the Project Plan. Right. And everyone has a copy of your 50 page Project Plan and will be lugging it around during this posh little Press Conference. I think not. Therefore, you will need to create a separate Program specially for your own staffers so that they will all be "in the know" of the actual going-ons during the entire event.

One last point. This one is more relevant if your event is held in a Hotel or Resort. Keep in mind that the Hotel or Resort will be almost as anxious as you are, for the event to be a success. You should use this to your advantage. Basically, you can leverage off their resources and their experience to help make your planning and execution smoother and more professional. But a caution here. YOU should still be in charge. Some managers/executives make the mistake of relying so much on this assistance, that in the end, they come out looking like incompetent bunglers who need to lean on the "professionals" to get things done.

Calvin is a veteran product marketing professional with experiences at several multi-national companies including Philips, Nokia and others. He has created global products and have brought successful products to launch in China, USA, Europe and Asia. He continues working and blogs about his marketing ideas today at http://www.calvinwarr.com

He also contributes articles to http://www.versacreations.net

Corporate Event Management

Finding a venue for a corporate event can be an arduous task for any business. Investing the time and resources that will be needed to organize the event can also prove to be a challenging prospect, especially if the event has to be organized within closing deadline.

Furthermore, you might also have to consider things like accommodations, equipment, and catering services. By employing the services of a specialist corporate event organizer or venue finding services, companies can be guaranteed that their corporate events requirements will be met whilst they can focus their time and energy on other aspects of their business.

The good news is that the market for specialist conference or venue finding services has become a rather competitive one. This means that there are many companies to choose from, most of which will be able to provide you with a fully customized service. It is important to patronize only those corporate events specialists who offer a free service. These firms are funded by hotels and conference venues; hence, they will be able to provide their services on a free-of-charge basis. This of course will ensure that you save both time and money when it comes to organizing your corporate event.

As part of the process of finding a free corporate event organiser, you should be familiar with the term, "rate cards." Rate cards are a group of hotels that support conference venues which have no on-site accommodation facilities.

Regardless of how many of your delegates that would be attending the event, your equipment needs, and time schedule requirements, such services have the specialist expertise and contacts that would enable them to meet all your corporate event specifications. However, it is also important that you approach free venue finding services which have a good track record and reputation within the industry. This will safeguard you from receiving a sub-standard service and from falling prey to any potential scams on the market.

A good way of ensuring this is to look out for testimonials and recommendations on the site of prospective companies. One of the key benefits of patronizing a corporate event organizer that offers a free service is that you are guaranteed that they will be able to negotiate the best possible rate on your behalf. Their team of professional and experienced staff would be well-versed in providing you with top-notch consultation and negotiation services.

You should also ensure that your prospective venue finders are registered with the Hotel Booking Agents Association, which is the industry specialist for hotel and conference bookings in the UK. HBAA membership requires that all corporate event organisers adhere to a strict code of conduct whilst rendering their services. This ensures that client companies receive a high standard of service. The affiliations and contacts which they form with hotels and conference venues will ensure that you get a competitive and affordable quote.

The best free corporate event organisers will also be able to provide venue sourcing, negotiation, and booking services for not only UK venues, but also international locations, as well. Another key advantage that you could enjoy from such venue finding services is the fact that you only need to deal with one point of contact throughout the process. This removes many of the bottlenecks and pitfalls involved with organizing a corporate event.

You can also receive other services like complete management information on all your corporate expenditure and support for budgeting your major corporate events. A few specialist venue finders also provide peripheral services such as car hire, transfers, trains, and flights.

In general, finding a free venue finding service to organize your corporate event is not a difficult task. Visiting a reputable search engine and typing in the relevant keywords will present you presented with an assortment of services and websites to select from. The best venue finder sites will have user-friendly sites which offer visitors the opportunity to contact them via a number of means such online enquiry forms, live chats, by phone and email. Some sites also provide a rate card search service. In order to enable new clients to have a more in-depth understanding about the conference and venue finding industry in general, some sites have a collection of articles which keep track of the latest news and developments within the industry.

In the light of all this, it is really no surprise that an increasing number of companies and even private individuals are choosing to patronize free venue finders. This scenario is not likely to change any time in the near future, since the growth of the industry has been sustained consistently over the last few years. As more prestigious hotels join rate cards, client companies will have even more venue choices and will also enjoy more competitive rates both in the UK and overseas.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Free Venue Finding Service UK & Worldwidevisit http://www.jigsawconferences.co.uk+ 44 (0)8700 490000 FREE call back serviceFree Hotel Accommodation Booking Service UK & Worldwidevisit http://www.jigsawconferences.com+ 44 (0)8707 520433 FREE call back service

Understanding Business Development Ideas For Event Management Industry

What is Event Management?

Event management refers to methods of outsourcing business occasions, social occasions, or a combination of both. There is no limit to the business development ideas for an event management business. It is possible to organize every kind of event ranging from wedding to a political rally. An event management team can be retained for any type of business meeting.

500 Billion Dollar Industry:

Last 15 years have witnessed a tremendous growth in the field of event management. If we add the amount of money spent on event management all over the world in one year it comes to a whopping 500 billion dollars. Gone are the days when we could do with hiring only a small catering team that supplies the food for a business event. If you wish to make an impression on your potential clients today, hiring a meeting management company is a necessity.

Events of Any Range Can Be Managed:

If you wish to start an event management business and you are looking for business development ideas for it then you will be happy to know that you can start this business for any range. It is possible to manage an event for only a small group of people. On the other hand, you can manage mega events for five thousand people and more.

People prefer to choose an event management team that is known for its expertise in this field. When you plan an event, it not only consumes your valuable time but also produces much stress. Event management business owners have contacts in this field and they can offer you the best possible services at the most competitive prices.

Manage Accommodation and Entertainment:

As an event management business, when you organize an event involving five thousand people for a whole day, you should not assume that catering is the most difficult thing to manage. Accommodation and entertainment are also very important for managing such large events. You also require sufficient and efficient staff for the event. Moreover, you also have to plan about the size of the room, seating arrangements, and the total budget of the event. If you do not have enough expertise to deal with all of these factors, you may face difficulties in running event management business successfully.

External Factors Affecting Event Management Business:

Several external factors also affect the growth of the event management industry. Some of these factors are the rate of the growth of economy, lifestyle, and changing characteristics of the people living in the area. Tourism and branding activities like festivals and corporate activities such as conferences, product launches, award ceremonies, and gala dinners are under the scope of event management business. Key factors for the success of an event management business are reputation, network, service promotion, links with the suppliers, and high quality managerial skills.

Alexander Gordon is a writer for http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com - The Small Business Consulting Community. Sign-up for the free success steps newsletter and get our booklet valued at $24.95 for free as a special bonus. The newsletter provides daily strategies on starting and significantly growing a business.

Business Owners all across the country are joining "The Community of Small Business Owners? to receive and provide strategies, insight, tips, support and more on starting, managing, growing, and selling their businesses. As a member, you will have access to true Millionaire Business Owners who will provide strategies and tips from their real-life experiences.

Event Management Reaches New Heights

October 2006 saw the launch of the brand new Knights Templar Events website.

Following another successful year of staging murder mystery events, fun casino fundraisers and themed events, we felt it was high time we gave our online presence a makeover.

Of course December is a busy time for people like us in the event management business, with a host of Christmas Murder Mystery Dinners to plan and organise. Details of our public events can be found on our shared parties page.

The new website features 27 pages of information designed to help prospective clients choose the right type of event for their occasion.

We have added a comprehensive price guide which has been compiled to give as much information as possible about how our events are priced and to give you the information you need to book your corporate or private event.

In addition to our existing murder mystery and fun casino information guides, we now also have dedicated sections on our website for Weddings, Team Building, Themed Events, Corporate Entertainment, Conferences & Hospitality, Tributes & Cabaret Artistes, Musicians & Bands, Product Launches & Showrooms, Lookalikes, Family Fundays & Inflatables, Speciality Acts, and Room Theming & Table Decoration.

Another new feature is the launch of our Venue Search. Choosing the right venue for your event is probably the single most important factor in ensuring its' success - we can take that burden off your shoulders by lending you the benefit of our experience and helping you to find the right venue to make your event a truly special occasion.

In fact we have been adding so many new acts and events to our portfolio that the new website will soon have to be expanded even further!

Our Themed Events page not only includes the usual events such as Fun Casino, James Bond Themed Parties, Austin Powers themed events, Moulin Rouge, Viva Las Vegas, The Blues Brothers, The Rat Pack, Gangsters & Molls and Hollywood Themed Nights, but also our new Medieval Banquets, during which you can spend the evening as a medieval King or Queen.

The Tributes & Cabaret Artistes page is similarly growing fast. Our tributes to Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, The Rat Pack, Sammy Davis Jr, Vera Lynn, Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, Glenn Miller, James Bond and Abba, have been joined by our latest addition, the Anthony Newley Story. This is a wonderful musical journey through the life and times of this actor, singer, pop star, composer and cultural icon. The show is presented and performed by Newley's biographer and friend, who is an International actor and singer. He is joined by his remarkable jazz pianist and her musicians, most recently seen on the sell-out tour with Helen Shapiro. Visit our Tributes & Cabaret Artistes page for more details.

There are plenty of great photos on the site as well, including some fantastic shots from our James Bond 007 Themed Events and also a gallery of some of our lookalikes, including Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Basil Fawlty, Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, and Laurel & Hardy.

And if that wasn't enough, we also have our very own Winston Churchill!

So please feel free to visit our new event management website and see if we can help you to make your event a magical one to remember.

Knights Templar Events offer a Total Event Management Service to both Private and Corporate Clients alike.

Seven Event Management Tips for Fundraisers

Staging a special event is a reliable method for fundraising and a good way to publicize your organization and your cause. This article contains some practical advice for event planning, promotion and management.

1. Decide on the Right Type of Special Event

There are several types of special events. Each has its own purpose and can be very effective if used for that purpose. Confusing the type of event can result in disaster. There are fundraising events, in other words, events that are run to make a profit for the organization. People pay to attend, buy something at the event, or gather pledges and then participate in the event. Similar to these types of events are what is often called third party events. These events are staged by someone or some organization other than the charity for the benefit of a charity. Another form of event is used for cultivation of prospects, recognition of donors or volunteers and to make announcements, such as the launch of a campaign. The purpose of this type of event is not to raise money at the event but to publicize the charity and inform potential donors about something new, with the intention that they will follow-up with a donation.

2. Make Appropriate Decisions Based on Type of Event

If you are running a fundraising event, you need to decide how you will make money with the event. This may seem obvious, but it is sometimes overlooked. Ask yourself if the funds will come from admission tickets, sponsors, sales of items in additional to the admission cost, a silent or live auction, door prizes, and so on. For third party events take these things into consideration. If you are working on the charity side, make sure that you have an understanding of what your role will be. It is easy to get asked to do more than your organization may have the resources to do. If you are the third party, understand how exactly how your event will benefit the charity. If the main purpose of your event is to make announcements and cultivate prospects, you will make more if you offer something for free and make the request for a donation later. Pay attention to how the media are managed at the event

3. Planning the Event

Cover the basics first ? secure the venue, have enough food and drinks, book entertainment or speakers, look after details like parking, coat check, security, and washrooms. Prepare a budget based on these basics then adjust as more things are added or sponsors are secured. Prepare a detailed checklist of everything you will need ? invitations, RSVP, who orders what and do it well in advance. Make a timeline working back from the day of the event and mark the deadlines for getting invitations out, placing ads in media, payments of deposits, to suppliers and entertainers, and when the RSVP must be received. Walk through the venue and imagine how people will move as they come to the event. Anticipate people?s needs and if at all possible, don?t have people waiting in lines at any time, get them a drink ASAP, and get them seated or involved. Double check everything.

4. Promoting Your Event

Brand your event. Even if it is a relatively small event, a unique name, slogan and logo can help to sell the event. Consider building a special website for the event, with a link from your organization?s website. A unique URL can help to brand the event and this can also make tracking registrations easier. If you are sending invitations to your mailing list, usually about six weeks to a month is an appropriate time to mail invitations. Use email lists and email invitations and have people register for the event on your website. If the event is open to the public, advertise in the media, using the media that will target your audience. As an example, if your event is upscale, advertise in business media or if your event is family oriented, advertise in community newsletters. Issue press releases when the date of the event is set, about a week before the event and just after the event.

5. The Day of the Event

Rehearse the program ? time speakers and make sure they know where to stand and what to say. Test the audio visual equipment and have backup systems in place. If you are doing something that requires some technical skill, like a video presentation or sound feeds for media, hire a technician to be on standby. Always have a contingency plan for bad weather, late speakers, and emergencies.

6. If You Are in Charge of the Event

Never forget that you are working. It can be easy to relax with a few drinks and get into the mood of the event, especially if things are going well. Never forget that you are working. Be prepared to deal with the unexpected. Keep review your check list. Remember that key people - celebrity guests, speakers, entertainers - want to be taken care of and told what to do. Never leave them alone or ask them to decide something. Meet people where they arrive, assign someone to be with them at all times and respond to whatever they request. The most common breakdowns at an event are poor venue (too small, inadequate parking, not enough washrooms), poor food service, a/v breakdowns, and key people who don?t show up or show up late. Try to anticipate these problems and solve them if they occur.

7. Wrap ? up

Do a final accounting for the event as soon as possible. If a fundraising event, take all costs and revenue into account but also all take other benefits into account, such as an assessment of the value of the publicity you gained, new people you met and so on. If the event is for an announcement or donor cultivation, make sure you have follow-up planned ? follow-up calls and letters to participants and to media. Get thank-you letters out to sponsors, suppliers and volunteers as soon as possible.

Ron Strand is a college instructor and a marketing, communications and fundraising consultant. He has accumulated hundreds of fundraising ideas, including ideas for events and how to plan events, on his website http://www.ronsfundraisingideas.com

How To Prevent Eczema Through Stress Management

Stress can lead to an eczema outbreak. There is an increased tendency to itch whenever you feel pressurized or unable to cope with the situation at hand. Over a period of time, you can find that your eczema becomes increasingly uncontrollable as you cannot stop the itch. Thus, you can prevent eczema through stress management.

Yet, it will be impractical for me to advise you to avoid stress and hence prevent eczema from happening altogether. We cannot escape stress from our environment today. All of us face stress in one situation or another, almost every other day. Stress is not all the bad. There is good stress, which motivates you. Bad stress is those that cause an overload to your body systems and give rise to a host of health problems. Here is what stress can lead to: mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression.

It is obvious that if you can learn how to manage stress and cope better, you can prevent eczema. Here are some easy ways for you to take action:

- Consider what are the factors that trigger stress for you? Is it work related? Exam related? Are you feeling overwhelmed because you feel that you have too much to do? Then, it is important that you prioritize. Break your tasks into smaller manageable ones. Work out a schedule to reach your goals.

- Have a good laugh. Watch a comedy, read a funny book, listen or tell a joke or describe a hilarious moment to a family member or friend. Laughter is not only a good outlet for stress but it also has a number of health benefits. Laughter activates the immune system, it lower blood pressure, and it triggers the release of the natural painkillers, endorphins, in your body. Laughter also reduces stress hormones, helps reduce pain, allows muscles to relax and is very helpful for the breathing process as frequent bouts of laughter empties air from the lungs.

- Take time out to relax and put your worries aside. It may be getting together with friends, watching a movie or playing a game of tennis. You can also distract yourself with artistic pursuits such as painting, pottery or writing poetry. Finding ways to de-stress can help decrease your flare-ups tremendously, not to mention also improving your quality of life.

- Learn relaxation techniques such as meditation or breathing exercises. This helps you to feel calm and peaceful and not over react unnecessarily to external events. Practice these techniques in the mornings or at night every day.

It is important that you learn how to make peace with stress and keep things in perspective, since you cannot completely escape stress. Prevent eczema by getting less tense. When you feel less tense, you are less likely to have a body reaction including an uncontrollable urge to scratch yourself.

Evelyn Lim tests and rates natural eczema treatment methods and products through her online journal. To read on her quest to find an eczema treatment, click here http://www.eczemaskintreatment.com .

How To Prevent Eczema Through Stress Management

Stress can lead to an eczema outbreak. There is an increased tendency to itch whenever you feel pressurized or unable to cope with the situation at hand. Over a period of time, you can find that your eczema becomes increasingly uncontrollable as you cannot stop the itch. Thus, you can prevent eczema through stress management.

Yet, it will be impractical for me to advise you to avoid stress and hence prevent eczema from happening altogether. We cannot escape stress from our environment today. All of us face stress in one situation or another, almost every other day. Stress is not all the bad. There is good stress, which motivates you. Bad stress is those that cause an overload to your body systems and give rise to a host of health problems. Here is what stress can lead to: mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression.

It is obvious that if you can learn how to manage stress and cope better, you can prevent eczema. Here are some easy ways for you to take action:

- Consider what are the factors that trigger stress for you? Is it work related? Exam related? Are you feeling overwhelmed because you feel that you have too much to do? Then, it is important that you prioritize. Break your tasks into smaller manageable ones. Work out a schedule to reach your goals.

- Have a good laugh. Watch a comedy, read a funny book, listen or tell a joke or describe a hilarious moment to a family member or friend. Laughter is not only a good outlet for stress but it also has a number of health benefits. Laughter activates the immune system, it lower blood pressure, and it triggers the release of the natural painkillers, endorphins, in your body. Laughter also reduces stress hormones, helps reduce pain, allows muscles to relax and is very helpful for the breathing process as frequent bouts of laughter empties air from the lungs.

- Take time out to relax and put your worries aside. It may be getting together with friends, watching a movie or playing a game of tennis. You can also distract yourself with artistic pursuits such as painting, pottery or writing poetry. Finding ways to de-stress can help decrease your flare-ups tremendously, not to mention also improving your quality of life.

- Learn relaxation techniques such as meditation or breathing exercises. This helps you to feel calm and peaceful and not over react unnecessarily to external events. Practice these techniques in the mornings or at night every day.

It is important that you learn how to make peace with stress and keep things in perspective, since you cannot completely escape stress. Prevent eczema by getting less tense. When you feel less tense, you are less likely to have a body reaction including an uncontrollable urge to scratch yourself.

Evelyn Lim tests and rates natural eczema treatment methods and products through her online journal. To read on her quest to find an eczema treatment, click here http://www.eczemaskintreatment.com .

Intrusion Prevention - IT Risk Management

Intrusion Prevention solutions detect and eliminate content-based threats from email, viruses, worms, intrusions, etc. in real time without degrading network performance. They detect and eliminate the most damaging, content-based threats from email and Web traffic such as viruses, worms, intrusions, inappropriate Web content and more in real time - without degrading network performance.

Today's global information infrastructure faces possible huge financial losses caused by ineffective Intrusion Prevention. Among the most vulnerable technologies are Providers of VoIP, video teleconferencing and data over cellular networks. While these providers have integrated into their products, the need for new Intrusion Prevention solutions is constant. Here are some of the area in which Intrusion Prevention offers effective solutions.

Instant Messaging - Intrusion Prevention The real-time, interactive nature of Instant Messaging makes it a valuable tool for business partners, customers and fellow employees. The breach of security opportunities created by the use of IM must be managed for given its postion as a widely accepted business communications tool.

Real Time Vulnerability - Intrusion Prevention Real Time Vulnerability Protection Suite breaks away from the reactive method of chasing attacks after they happen to eliminating and protecting vulnerabilities on your systems. By protecting against known and unknown vulnerabilities, you can ensure data reliablity and sercurity.

Network Infrastructure - Intrusion Prevention Intrusion Prevention protect the network infrastructure to carry on your business without disruption. Enterprise level solutions offer effectevie network intrusion prevention solutions (IPS) within the context of your company's comprehensive security policy.

Email - Intrusion Prevention Financial Companies, manufactures, retailers, etc. use intrusion prevention to scan messages and attachments for viruses. Together with "preemptive" email security approach, effective intrusion prevention offers the best protection from spam and virus attacks.

Application Level Attacks - Intrusion Prevention A successful denial of service attack can put a corporate website off line for hours or more. Intrusion Prevention products offer the best protection against application level attacks and secure all networked applications, users and server resources.

Large Enterprises - Intrusion Prevention Large Enterprises with widely dispersed Carrier & Data Center Networks need specially built high-performance security gateway Intrusion Prevention with proven firewall and IPSec VPN to deliver scalable network and application level security. Intrusion prevention protects the enterprise against the seemingly insignificant worm, virus, trojan, etc. that can topple its network.

Radware is the global leader in integrated intrusion prevention solutions delivering full availability, maximum performance and complete security of all business critical networked applications. Radware's intrusion prevention dramatically reduces operating and scaling costs. For more information, read Radware's intrusion prevention brochure.

Security Information and Event Management Vendor Selection Tips

The security information management (SIM) market is crowded, and it can be difficult to readily differentiate between solutions. Read these tips to help guide you through your process.

The security information management (SIM) market is crowded, and it can be difficult to readily differentiate between solutions. Read these tips to help guide you through your process.

http://www.openservice.com/resources/security-white-papers.jsp

Phil Hollows is responsible for marketing at OpenService.

 

Top 10 Do Nots When Working With Meeting Planners

1. Don?t Be Demanding - Remember planners are only going to book speakers who they like, this is pretty basic but true, if you?re too demanding and they don?t like you or they don?t feel there?s a connection they won?t hire you. So don?t be so demanding that you?ve talked yourself right out of a great opportunity. Be willing to work with them in negotiating your requests and be easy to work with. Remember the meeting industry is well networked and word of mouth travels fast?

2. Don?t Put Them on Hold - Big mistake, if you have set up a phone meeting with a planner make sure you give them your undivided attention! Nothing bothers a busy planner more then when you have just put them on hold to answer another call. Turn your voicemail on, turn off the TV/radio or any background noise, put the dog outside, a sign on the door, etc?no distractions.

3. Not Prepared for Phone Meeting - Out of the blue you get an email or letter from a planner who wants to set up a phone interview. Do you know what this phone interview is for? Yes, to hear you?to get a ?feel? for who you are?to see if there is a connection. When you get on the phone for goodness sakes make sure you?re prepared, I can?t stress this enough, you have to realize this initial phone call is not something to brush off, take it seriously because it can make or break a very important booking for you and any additional chances with this meeting planner?be the professional that you are and make a good first impression!

4. Lack of Confidence - Speak with confidence; let the planner know you are the best fit for this event. Firmly state what you can do for their audience and what the end results will be, how you will solve their problem or make them feel. All speakers must speak with confidence as this represents you as being a professional and an expert in your field. If you cannot speak with confidence to a meeting planner they will feel you will not speak effectively in front of their audience. Example: Don?t use the words, ?I don?t know?, or ?Uh, I?m not sure? or ?Um?, etc. in other words don?t stutter over your words or what your trying to relay to the planner?once again be prepared and have notes in front of you if this will help.

5. Don?t Send Them on an Goose Chase ? If a planner asks for your web address make sure your prepared to have all the necessary information easily accessible on your site for the planner to review, if you don?t I wouldn?t bother sending them there as it certainly can be frustrating for them when they can?t find the information they seek on your site. If you do not have a page specifically set up for planners I would think about adding one to your site, it doesn?t have to be fancy, but just a simple and easy to navigate page with all the information they will need. Not sure what to add to your planner page? Anything that you would send a planner through the mail can be added to this page. If you?re unsure of what goes into a meeting planner page please let me know.

6. Don?t Be Late - Please don?t be late as this will definitely not get you any re-bookings with the planner. Come early, mingle a bit with the audience (they really like when speakers make the extra effort to do this) also take the time to mingle after the event, not only will the planner love that you have stayed to answer questions but it also opens doors of opportunity for you with the audience members. Remember to plan for back up in all areas such as travel, contingency speaker, etc. and be prepared for anything that could possibly go wrong!

7. Promoting Your Products ? Do not promote your products while giving a presentation unless you first get permission to do so. You want to work this out with the planner during your negotiating period and before they hire you. Do not misunderstand them and simply ask if it is okay for you to promote or mention your product/service towards the end of the presentation. If you don?t know be sure and ask don?t just assume as this can damage your chances of being re-booked.

8. Slow Response ? Slow responses can end up in no bookings. Be quick to respond to any planner or speaking lead that you get. Typically a speaking lead can go out and be booked within a couple of days, if one speaker is quicker to respond then another and they both have made that ?connection? with the planner then more times then not the planner will book the speaker who responds to them quickly. If you have access to your email during the day I would make it a point to check it at least twice a day so you can try and respond the SAME day.

9. Ambiguous contract ? Make sure you present a clear and concise contract. You don?t have to make it 10 pages long, just a simple contract that is complete and clearly states times, dates, rates, contact information, cancellations, etc.

10. Unscrupulous Business Practices ? Work with integrity and always deliver what you promised, this goes even for a meeting, if you have set up a meeting be 5 minutes early, if you promised the meeting planner handouts for the audience have them sent to the planner ahead of time, if you agreed no platform selling don?t try and sneak a sell into your presentation? believe me it won?t go unnoticed. Just be honest and do what you promised?remember once again word of mouth travels fast especially in the meeting industry.

These are just a few tips on working with meeting planners. I feel the most important thing to remember is to make an immediate connection with the planner and make them feel at ease and confident that you will be the perfect speaker for their audience, respond to them quickly, work with integrity and be easy to work with.

Being a creative and resourceful business growth expert for 23 years Wendi McNeill coaches, encourages, and teaches speakers, coaches and authors how to take the essential baby steps, while completely focusing on one step at a time so they can advance to the next level in their speaking business. Wendi offers valuable tips and advice on marketing and growth strategies while providing speaking leads, speaker services, and resources that help boost their business both online and off which cuts their learning process in half saving them money, time and energy. To learn more about Wendi visit her online at http://www.CharliJaneSpeakers.com and http://www.CharliJane.com

Atlanta Meeting Planning-Conference Center Search

 

"We?re planning a conference in Atlanta," he tells me, "so get right on it." When is this conference for, Boss? A week from Friday (this being Wednesday)? NO problem. I work miracles (that you get the glory for) all the time! How many people?! What, only a hundred and fifty, flying in from all over the country? No problem! I?ve heard all about how you pulled off the feeding of five thousand people with just a couple loaves of bread and a few fish, so I should be able to handle this. I?ll get right on finding Atlanta Meeting Facilities.

There are a number of worthy venues in Atlanta for meetings and conferences. How you select the right one depends, in part, upon the nature and duration of that conference. If it?s just a one-day event that needs a Marietta Banquet Rooms for a hours long event, then proximity to the airport may be your only real concern (assuming people are flying in. But if the attendees are going to be there a while, then proximity to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport may not be as important as qualities of the convention environment.

The focus of the group may be business, but they?re expecting to enjoy the stay in other ways as well. For some, that may be the opportunity to enjoy a bit of luxury away from home. For others, it may be the chance to play 18 holes of golf. Is it summer or winter? That can be a consideration as well, especially if some of the attendees live in areas of extreme temperatures. In the winter, visitors from colder climates may want to bask in the relative warmth and take some time for the aforementioned golf or other activities. If it?s the height of summer, many may be looking for relief from that heat. Atlanta may not be as exhausting as Phoenix, but you may still be looking for a complex that has everything under one roof, so they don?t have to go out. What will the quality of the catering be? Will the attendees want to take in some local nightlife? What about availability? Longstanding reservations for other gatherings may preclude a particular venue. It?s crucial to find out about that before investing a lot of time planning for a convention based upon a particular location.

If you do a great job, he?ll look great and get the bulk of the credit for having been smart enough to hire you. That might tempt you to do less than your best. A bit of self-preservation is in ordeer here. Remember, if there are hitches in the giddyup, hiccups or problems, he?s going to step back and graciously let you be broiled, so even though he may take the lion?s share of the credit, you?ll still want to make the best choices possible.

How do you know about the quality of a facility? Start off with previous experiences, independent testimonials and verifiable reviews. You may not be able to trust everything their public relations department puts forward, no matter how often they may swear it?s the Gospel truth. To some extent, you?re going to have to go by Star ratings, but it?s a safe rule of thumb to deduct one star from all but the most reliable of hotel chains with ratings under 4 stars. Then when Murphy?s Law applies, you?ll still come out of it alright.

Planning a conference really can be a lot of fun. You?ll know you?re talking to the right venues when they?re making an effort to make your job easier, offering to handle details and arrange for catering, assuring you that adding an extra 10 people will not be a problem, that sort of thing. If you encounter a very rigid establishment, it may be wise to keep on moving on down the list.

Make a point of putting on your best Happy face before you pick up the phone to contact the venues, take a minute to relax with your favorite non-alcoholic beverage, make a list of essential requirements, no-nos, and options. Be sure, for example, to provide vegetarian, Muslim and kosher meal choices and to ask the attendees their preferences. Do a little homework and find out what well-respected public golf courses maybe in the area, if the attendees are interested in the game. Make sure the conference center has AV equipment available. If they don?t, you?ll want to arrange for equipment rental and a backup supplier in case that one proves unreliable. But with a little planning, some investigation and a few days? footwork, you?ll have your boss walking on water in no time! Atlanta has plenty of facilities to choose from. Now all you have to do is consult that list and find out which of them is best for you!

Atlanta Meeting Facilities

Marietta Banquet Rooms

Georgia Meeting Facilities

San Francisco Meetings - Planning a Meeting in the Bay Area

 

Planning a San Francisco Meeting?

San Francisco is unique amongst cities in the U.S. Facets of the East Coast combine with the history of the 60?s and the technology of today to make for one of the most fascinating cities in the nation. Her associations with Silicon Valley?s major companies make San Francisco a frequent meeting place and convention locale. There?s a certain charm about the place that has brought many to agree with Tony Bennett, who sang the famous "I Left My Heart In San Francisco," so many years ago.

So you?ve got a meeting to plan for in Shaky Town? That?s good news! With just a bit of help, you?ll be on your way to a great meeting, and you?ll have a blast setting it up!

Though it?s all loosely referred to as San Francisco, the Bay Area sprawls, with the San Francisco Bay itself as a natural barrier. Even though it has an excellent reputation for public transportation, rather than counting on everyone being able to figure out how to use the BART system, it?d probably be best to determine what part of the city suits the needs of the majority. Allow for that those who live in San Fran already will either have the BART system wired or have their own cars. If need be, a van can be rented to chauffeur the attendees around. Of course, many hotels offer free shuttle service to and from the airport as well.

One consideration will be the duration of the conference. If you?re only meeting for a day or two and people are coming in from outside the Bay area, it?d probably be best to accommodate the visitors by scheduling the meetings at one of the many hotels with facilities. This is the most common approach, but may not be the most memorable.

Is it strictly business, or do you have some creative latitude? Is it important that the attendees have a good time? Are you hoping to convince potential employees, clients or execs to come aboard? That changes everything.

If your company is based in San Francisco and you?re hoping to lure talent there, you?ll need to convince them that they?ll enjoy living in the City By The Bay. That may include some scheduled R&R activities, sightseeing, catering from local specialty restaurants, perhaps even an excursion out of the heart of the city to show your guests some of the natural wonders that are only a short distance away. If the season is cooperative, you might want to rent a vessel and conduct a casual meeting aboard or around that trip. San Francisco is full of memorable places to see and things to do. Let your imagination run wild a bit, and you?ll be sure to come up with itinerary events that will impress.

Even if it?s a straightforward business meeting full of stodgy facts and figures, there?s no reason the event can?t be memorable. Creativity is really your only limit. Even on a budget, you can make that event special by taking a little time to plan something different. First pick a venue which suits your group?s needs. Then elaborate upon the schedule. Approach it as though you were romancing someone you?re interested in, trying to make a good impression. What sorts of surprises would you prepare for such an occasion if that were the case? Bring those great ideas with you when you plan. An inexpensive souvenir, a guest bag, these can make all the difference if they?re well thought out. Remember, it?s not the existence of that guest bag that matters, but that you bothered to invest some time in making it unique and personal. When you think of your guests that much, they?ll be sure to think of you and appreciate your efforts both during the conference and in the years to come.

San Francisco is a wonderful town and a great place for your next meeting, conference or convention. Take the time to make a special event of it, and your guests will be leaving a bit of their heart there, too!

San Francisco Meeting

San Ramon Conference Centers - San Ramon Valley Conference Center

San Jose Banquet Rooms - Maggiano's Little Italy

Event, Conference and Meeting Planning Guidelines: 10 Steps to Success

 

Every event whether it?s a meeting, party, seminar, conference, charity event, or your high school reunion will have common threads regardless of what it is, where it?s held, when or why it is happening. The following common threads are found in every organized event. Make sure you plan each of the following steps thoroughly and you are guaranteed success.

1. Plan Your Vision: Your vision is the main reason and focus for having the event? It is a combination of your goals and objectives.

2. Set the Goals and Objectives: A goal is the general purpose of the event that provides a road map for the planning process. An objective is a measurable, attainable target that contributes to the accomplishment of the goal. An event can have one or multiple goals and objectives.

3. Select a Site: Location, location, location! Every event needs a site! Pick the location to match and support your vision, goals and objectives.

4. Create Promotion/Marketing Materials: You must get your message out. You need to get the basic information to the right people in the right amount of time so they know when to show up, where to go, and what to do when they get there. The message could be as simple as the date, time, and location via the telephone or as complicated as a multi page brochure for a multi-day conference with numerous events combined in one event. Or perhaps some major TV advertising and sophisticated website design for online registration.

5. Identify Your Participants/ Guests: Without them, you would not have an event. Whether they are invited guests, paying participants or required attendees, people will be coming to your event. Know your audience and target them carefully.

6. Create the Agenda/Timeline: Whether it is written down or planned, every event has a timeline. There is always a starting point and a finishing point. This is detail outline of the activities. What is happening from hours before the participants arrive to the follow-up when the event is complete. And it is the schedule of what is actually happening throughout the event. The agenda can be two types. The one the participant receives and follows and the one that the people working the event receive and follow. This tells people where to go, or what to do when you get there.

7. Establish a Budget: Money comes in and goes out. With some events no obvious money will be coming in, such as a wedding or company social. Create a budget nonetheless to make sure not too much money goes out. For larger events, budgets are a must especially when profit is one of you objectives. Without a budget it is hard to set guidelines and measure results.

8. Select the Food and Beverage: It may be a pitcher of water and mints at a one day seminar, a sit down dinner for 10,000, an all day concert where vendors will be brought in to serve the public, coffee and doughnuts at the morning sales meeting and/or soda, cookies in the afternoon for an all day conference, or appetizers served during a 3 hour cocktail party for 700 people. This is a wide and general segment of an event and will vary widely depending on the vision, goals, and objectives and of course, money.

9. Arrange for Transportation: You may need to transport 800 people from 10 hotels to the meeting site twice a day or it could be just getting yourself to the site on time. You may need to arrange the travel needs for the entertainment, speakers, and VIP?s, including picking them up at the airport. Or this may include contracting with an airline for discount airfare or negotiating with rental car companies for special rates to offer to your participants.

10. Hire Staff/Volunteers: This could range from checking in your participants for your workshop, or 100?s of volunteers at a conference or sporting event. It could be the caterers, musicians, florists, cleanup crew, equipment setup, valets, ticket takers, MC?s, speakers, or the balloon lady. It almost always takes more than one person to successfully coordinate an event.

With 25 year experience in the event planning industry Shannon Kilkenny has proved that with the guidelines outlined in her book "The Complete Guide to Successful Event Planning" anyone can plan or coordinate an event. Her book is for the novice and experienced planner alike. Visit her site http://www.successfuleventplanning.com

"We include all meals and we try to meet any request the client might make,"

Winter Clove Inn meeting spaceThe center itself offers four bright and comfortable meeting rooms in a restored 19th century carriage house to provide for the individual size requirements, from five to 120. The main room holds about 120 people in a theater-style setting. A large gathering room features a pot-belly stove, a glass-enclosed sunroom and large living room with fireplace that easily seats up to 25, perfect for small breakout groups -- unique and refreshing surroundings for a most successful and productive experience. "Another plus is that most groups are able to reserve the inn and all the facilities for their exclusive use," say Bud and Lenore Whitcomb. "You're not a number, or just one meeting among several. Your group has full concentration of the inn's staff, and you have full concentration of your group." The inn runs on wirelss Internet, and state-of-the-art meeting equipment is available through local vendors of the inn. The Winter Clove Inn accomplishes that goal through flexibility in both its full conference center -- which is ideal for workshops, conferences or seminars -- and its conference planning. "We specialize in working with our clients' meeting planners to create the individual experience each one wants, in order to insure a most successful meeting," innkeepers Bud and Lenore Whitcomb say. "And best of all, we have an unconventionally flexible staff that can make your next meeting both easy and productive."

The Northern Catskill Mountains provide a refreshing and unique backdrop for productivity, according the Whitcombs. The Winter Clove Inn is located in the heart of the magnificent "Forever Wild" Catskill Forest Preserve. The inn itself has 300 acres of fields, streams, waterfalls and forests, and the way the resort blends w Winter Clove Inn offers non-traditional meeting spacesith its surroundings helps promote a stress-free meeting and relaxes and opens attendees' minds. "Many presenters choose to move the meeting venue to one of our outdoor locations," say the Whitcombs, "which makes the very best of our natural locale." Presenters might choose to hold the meeting on a spacious front porch, under on shade tree on Adirondack chairs, or at a special spot by waterfalls. The idea is to unlock the group's creative potential.

For more than 150 years the Whitcomb family has operated the inn. In an environment like Winter Clove, a planner may look at its heritage and values as a major interest and will work it into the meeting plans. Unique or historical locations can be used to tie into a meeting's goals. The Winter Clove Inn combines its family-owned history and natural location with a wide array of activities that all can enjoy.

The innkeepers at Winter Clove work with companies and meeting planners to be sure everything is right for an incoming group. "We include all meals and we try to meet any request the client might make," say the Whitcombs.

The space includes 49 guestrooms, all with private baths and each individually decorated to insure an exclusive experience for each member of each group. A restaurant presents three delicious country meals each day, with home-baked breads and desserts, a chef that uses the freshest ingredients and produce from local farms. The inn also has a full liquor license, with bar set-ups available after meeting hours.

Searching for the Perfect Venue You may be searching for the perfect place for your conference and you have to know what you are searching for. The best bets are fitness centers, indoor or outdoor pools, restaurant, and possibly a spa. Most resorts can tell you what's happening around the area and local sights to see, if your conference has a break or two during the schedule. The Winter Clove Inn is a complete resort fa Amenities on and off-site: Meeting at the Winter Clove Inncility, offering a heated indoor pool and solar heated outdoor pool, tennis court, a nine-hole executive golf course, six certified Brunswick bowling lanes, volleyball, and expansive views from overlooks along the miles of hiking trails. Cross-country skiing equipment is available during the winter, and a game room with pool table is also on the premises. If the group should plan an activity off-site, the Whitcombs can plan outdoor luncheons, barbecues, bonfires with marshmallows under the stars, or a hayride.

When looking for a resort for your next conference, it never hurts to ask the innkeepers or resort staff lots of questions. They either know the answer or will find the answers for you. Amenities, location, and the staff play a big part in planning a conference and making it successful for your company. So, remember: Plan for your company; work with a meeting planner to ensure your goals for the meeting will be met, and pick a place for your meeting that will help to refresh the minds and bodies of your attendees. http://www.resortsandlodges.com/travel-magazine/2006-09-01/conferencecenter/index.html

Jill Olson is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a B.A. in English/ Professional Writing. Besides writing of all types, she enjoys reading anything she can get her hands on, and of course, traveling. She can be reached at: jolson@resortsandlodges.com