Seven Ways To Keep The Social Media-Savvy Attendee Happy

August 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment

As a guy who’s been to all manner of meetings I would like to speak on behalf of the person in the seat at your next event. You may well know that attendees have a lot more influence now. Social media tools packed into mobile devices give them broadcast, publishing, recording, and distribution accessibility before you’ve even started the program. Have you considered the ramifications of that?

If your event is great, people are likely talking about it. If your event stinks, I guarantee you they’re talking about it. The social media savvy attendee will either be your biggest advocate or your biggest threat and you may never even meet the person.

Suffice it to say, it’s worth knowing what keeps this kind of person happy. Here are seven ways to keep the social media savvy person at your next event:

Give them some space. Nobody likes to be crowded and it’s especially uncomfortable for a long event. Try to let them have as much room as possible while still accommodating the group as a whole. Can you add an extra table or two so there’s more room per person at each table? Is there room for people to spread out in the venue or should the Fire Marshall be concerned? Giving extra space is valuable the personal space conscious attendees out there.

Give them power. If it’s going to be the kind of meeting where they need to plug in laptops, be sure there are enough power outlets within reach. That may mean power strips around the room or reconfiguring the space into power and non-power zones, but at least make it clear where it is and how to get it.

Give them good wireless Internet. Events are notorious for bad wireless Internet connections. The people most likely to talk about your event are the very people who will be frustrated with a poor connection. Ramp up your wireless signal in anticipation of a group that might use it a lot and don’t even think about charging them for access. You’ll never hear the end of that.

Give them good food. Ben Franklin once said, “A full stomach makes a man happy.” Actually, he never said that but he should have. Food is tricky but they want quality and quantity. If it’s a lunch or dinner please don’t serve that chicken dish with the funny sauce. Get good food and keep it coming. P.S. Nobody eats the radishes in the salads either.

Give them a super-simple schedule. When they arrive at an event make the schedule simple. Time, location, event, done! Let them dig into the details elsewhere. A cheat sheet version of the schedule is really nice to keep them on track. You get bonus points if you create a mobile version of the schedule, a downloadable PDF that’s mobile friendly, or a version they can sync to their calendar.

Give them real-time information. You may not know this but there’s an entire channel of dialog happening behind the scenes whether you want it to or not. You can join this dialog or choose to observe, but either way you should watch the Twitter feed. Try using Twitter search or a tool like CoTweet to monitor conversation. If you provide a hashtag for the event you’ll make monitoring even easier and be appreciated by the attendees also.

Give them a fast pass. Believe it or not, people don’t like to feel like cattle. Herding is rarely appreciated but is still a common aspect to attending events. Have you considered ways to let some people in early? Is there a way to beat the rush? Can an additional entrance be opened? Think about rewarding the people who get there early with early entrance or at the very least do something nice for people while they wait like handing out doughnuts. If they’re going to be cattle at least give them some hay.

Bill Seaver is the founder of MicroExplosion Media and has consulted numerous organizations to help them understand and apply social media into their marketing initiatives.

Filed Under: Budget and Pricing, Leadership Helps, Meeting Set-Up Tagged With: , , , , ,

11 Ideas for F&B Savings

August 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Because ten just wasn’t enough, check out these eleven ideas to enhance your catered event without adding a lot of cost to your catering budget.

1. Ask the venue what they can “throw in” for no cost. From greenery to chargers, to give your event a boost. Like they say, you never know unless you ask.

2. Candlelight makes any event special, votives in decorative glassware. It’s a special effect that doesn’t cost much.

3. Stock lighting gobos are an inexpensive way to give the room a custom feel. From projections of cityscapes to create a penthouse surrounding, to projections of snowflakes to give the room a “winter wonderland” feel, they create a big impact for little extra money.

4. Napkin rings are often overlooked, but are an inexpensive way to customize the table and add a special touch. There are so many great options and varieties that you can tie into the evening’s theme together.

5. Rather than spending big dollars on specialty table linen, consider alternating every other table with the house linen to cut costs.

6. Ask the venue if you can use the house sound system and bring your own iPod or CDs to add background music. Gear the music selection to the type of group and occasion.

7. As an inexpensive alternative to floral centerpieces, fill bowls with seasonal fruit for a fun, fresh twist.

8. Reconfigure guest seating. Try combining hotel banquet tables for family-style or communal experience instead of traditional banquet rounds. It provides a unique layout and dinner setting while using the existing hotel inventory.

9. Think about a family-style menu for dinner service, instead of individually plated dishes, to minimize the cost of service staff.

10. Potted plants as centerpieces can also double as party favors or takeaways for guests at the end of the event.

11. Use greenery around the perimeter of a room to create a more intimate environment and soften the look of a standard ballroom. Or use the plants to create a smaller environment within a large space.

What have you done to keep the cost of your catering down?

Filed Under: Post-Event Follow-up, Pre-Event Planning Tagged With: ,

6 Notes on Security

August 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Rejuvenate Magazine is another great resource for Christian meeting planners and in a recent issue, they published “The all out no holds barred straight forward fundamental carefully chosen feverishly compiled complete list of useful meeting planning advice”,  I know it’s a mouth full but great advice none the less.  I thought I would break it down by area and we’ll take a few months to get thru all of it and maybe even add some of our own.  For those of you who can’t wait,  click here.

Security

  • From the moment we first consider a city, we look at the experiences of other groups in the area, crime statistics, even weather conditions.  - Jerry Mapstone, Life Impact Ministries
  • Make sure the hotel and meeting center has a good paper shredder and find out what security measures are practical.  – Joan Eisenstodt, hospitality consultant and educator
  • A force majeure provision should be included in every contract. It is also important to include a catchall provision such as the following: “or any other cause beyond the parties’ control.”  - Barbara Dunn, hospitality attorney
  • Make sure all exits are clearly visible, and all aisles, walkways and exits are clear of obstructions. Make sure all drapery and scenic material have been fireproofed.  - Scott Reagles, Initial Production Group
  • Tell attendees about emergency plans during housekeeping sessions.  - Joan Eisenstodt, hospitality consultant and educator
  • Partner with law enforcement agencies in the early planning stages for a better understanding of any overall threats, including recent crime information, as well as potential threats directed towards either the event or the facility.  - Bonnie Wallsh, Bonnie Wallsh Associates

What do you think?  Do you have any additional advice on Security you’d like to share?  We would love to hear from you.

Advice reprinted with permission from Collinson Media and Events – http://www.rejuvenatemeetings.com/.

Filed Under: Budget and Pricing, Post-Event Follow-up Tagged With: , , , ,

Blog Resources – July Updates

August 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Here is what we’ve added in July by category:

Budgeting/Cost Saving Ideas
Skipping the Site Visit – As more and more properties provide tools to expedite the booking process, meeting planners are tempted to…

Retreats/Meetings
Rethinking Strategic Planning – Planning-ness is a crowdsourced conference best defined by its philosophical tagline, “Get excited and make things happen.”…

Meeting Planners
Growing demands advance planners’ skills – Qualifications and strategic management skills are major discussion points among industry membership groups lately…

Email Vendettas – If you’re overwhelmed by the demands of email, as I am, read…

MPI Outlines Core Meeting Planner Skills – Welcome to the future of the meeting industry. For decades, we have been asking for a metrics…

I hope you find these helpful and remember we have many more than might interest you  in the Meeting Planner Resources section of the blog.

Filed Under: Budget and Pricing, Meeting Set-Up Tagged With: , , , ,

7 Steps for Building Your Ministry

August 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I just read an article about one of the workshops offered during LifeWay Worship Week at Ridgecrest Conference Center and although the speaker is referencing Worship Ministry I thought the principles could be applied to all ministry.   I hope you find this helpful to you and your ministry.

A lack of cohesiveness and focus is one of the greatest challenges for worship leaders. But following seven steps can help get the ministry on track, according to Lavon Gray, minister of music and worship at First Baptist Church, Jackson, Miss.

1. Have a clear and biblical understanding of your calling. Your calling and how you view it will impact everything about your ministry.

“There’s nothing we can do that qualifies us to be ministers of the gospel,” Gray said. “You have to be called to do this ministry or go do something else.”

2. Develop a lifestyle of worship. Authenticity comes from the worship that spills over from your own personal worship.

“You’ll never be satisfied in your ministry if you don’t ground yourself in the Word,” Gray said. “Devotional readings are all fine, but you need that time of Bible study.”

Gray offered a tip from his own life: He chooses the songs and hymns for the church service well in advance and then each day of the week prior to Sunday, he prays the lyrics of the songs. By Sunday, he has saturated his spirit with the words the people will be singing.

3. Focus on relationships. The key to a successful ministry is developing great relationships.

“If you are struggling with people not liking you, get to know them,” he said. “Visit them in their homes.

“We aren’t in the music business; we’re in the people business,” he said, adding that it’s important to laugh and have fun.

4. Have the courage to empower your team. Be confident enough in your own abilities to empower others to do their own ministries.

“The people’s capacity to achieve is determined by the leader’s ability to empower,” he said.
“Worship ministers are … how do I say this … getting younger,” he said with a laugh. “I have to ask myself how I can stay relevant. The key, I believe, is to be faithful to what God has called me to do. You have to realize you can’t have every skill set that is needed to do the job. Bring in people around you that God has gifted.”

5. Know how to take advantage of momentum. Momentum can be a leader’s best friend. Leaders create momentum and followers catch it.

“It’s important to follow the natural ebb and flow of your ministry,” Gray said. He said that at his church, the annual Christmas pageant is huge. They work on it for more than six months. Knowing this, he chooses to alternate having another large production between Easter and the Fourth of July so this people aren’t worn out. In addition, the entire choir takes off the whole month of July. This gives people a needed break and helps them be ready to come back in August refreshed and ready to go again.

He makes it a point to write personal, handwritten notes and phone calls to his choir members and musicians, thanking them for their commitment, saying he looks forward to seeing them again, or whatever else is timely and appropriate.

6. Have a clearly defined vision for your ministry. No matter how much you learn from the past, it will never tell you all you need to know about the present. See the vision God has given you and go toward it.

Gray quoted Leroy Elms who said, “A leader is one who sees more than others see, who see farther than others see, and who sees before others see.”

He listed some of the major barriers to successful planning toward a vision include fear of change, ignorance, uncertainty about the future and lack of imagination.

7. Lead your ministry to become an Acts 1:8 ministry. This Scripture says: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (HCSB).

“Avoid leading your ministry to be exclusively internally focused,” he said. “Do local service projects as a choir. Go on mission trips together. Find out what God is doing and then, all together, join Him in His work.”

Filed Under: Cost Saving Ideas, Post-Event Follow-up, Pre-Event Planning Tagged With: , , , , , ,