It’s Food Trucks.

You know what I’m talking about.  They are trucks that sell, well, food.  They are all the rage here in Nashville, and they’ve become a culinary delight and movement on four wheels.  These food trucks have grown in popularity so much that several of them have formed an association.

These Food Trucks can be a tremendous asset to your event.  How?  Well, let me share with you four ideas on how to use the Food Trucks:

1. Optional meal choice.  One night instead of the regular cafeteria food, you could work in some food trucks to vary up what people are eating.  This meal time could also be a great time of fellowship and mingling as people discuss and debate their choice of Food Truck.
2. Celebration.  There is a huge fascination with Food Trucks.  For some reason people really like buying food out of a truck.  I haven’t quite figured it out, but it’s a big deal around good ole Nashville.  Working these trucks into your event, could be a way to celebrate a big achievement your company has completed.
3. Advertisement for your event.  Churches in the Nashville area have started hosting a Food Truck night as an outreach event for the community.  Is there a place you could host a Food Truck night to help spread the word about your event?
4. Fun factor.  Imagine the attendees at your event coming out for dinner or a break and seeing these trucks all lined up.  Seeing those faces is almost like seeing my 2 year old on Christmas morning.

Why not have Food Trucks at your event?  Those trucks love the publicity, to make money and will come to you.  Most of these Food Trucks are active in social media, and post where they are, which is more great publicity for your event.

1. Accept registration online
2. Process payments
3. Manage room and roommate assignments
4. Track supplies and ordering
5. Manage event budget
6. Create surveys and reports
7. Create personalized emails to event attendees
8. Interface with social media

There are many companies who offer event planning software including:

• cvent www.cvent.com
• RegOnline www.regonline.com
• EventProPlanner www.eventproplanner.com
• Thriva www.thriva.com

This list is a place to start.  Before you look at any websites, or speak with their customer service representatives, make a list of your needs and challenges.  Think through what you do, and what you would like to start doing.  Then you can see if a specific event planning software is a good fit for your needs.  It’s easy to be overwhelmed by everything a software package can offer, only to discover that while it can do lots of things, it doesn’t actually help you do what you need to.

If you find yourself interested in a software package, move forward slowly.  Attend an information session, talk to current customers and try a free trial.  Several of the companies listed above offer informational sessions in cities all over the US on a rotating basis, or will send a representative to talk with you.  If you are still interested after receiving more information, ask for a list of people who are current customers.  When you call them up, ask them what they like, what they don’t like, if there was a large learning curve, and what challenges they met when switching over to the software.  Having a few ten minute conversations with current users is instructional and enlightening.  If you decide to move forward, insist on a trial period.  It’s imperative that you try the software out before committing to pay a year-long membership fee.  Don’t expect everything to go smoothly the first week, but commit to giving the software a real test of use and implementation.

Systems that centralize planning and reporting can be incredibly helpful, so do some research if you think you might benefit.  But be sure the software you choose meets your needs.  Do you use an event planning software?  Why did you chose it and how is it helping you?

1. Learn something new. Take a floral design class at a community college, subscribe to a food magazine, tour other event facilities in your area. Designate a spiral binder or even a folder on your phone or computer and collect photos you think you could use later. A rush of new ideas can feed you for months.
2. Something borrowed. When I was a newly graduated college student, working as a discipleship assistant in my church, we planned several retreats each year. Always on a rather tight budget. Once the food and location were paid for, we rarely had any money left for “frills” and this is when I learned the art of borrowing. I had close connections to a high school theater group, and they allowed us to use all sorts of props, from pillars to entire sets. As long as we picked them up and returned them in good working order they were ours for the taking. These added tasteful interest to stages and meeting rooms. We also borrowed plants, from a local garden center. We knew the owner and promised to replace anything we damaged. For one womenʼs retreat we borrowed thirty ferns and several large blooming plants. These gave the stage a lush appearance, and filled the room with a light but sweet scent.  We also placed a small couch, an end table and a lamp on the stage, taken right out of someoneʼs living room. Women couldnʼt stop commenting on the beauty and uniqueness of the stage and it hadnʼt cost us anything but a few man hours and some gas for the truck. What might you borrow to enhance your next event?
3. Donʼt forget lights. Lighting can make or ruin a stage. Consider the difference between a candle-lit dinner, and one eaten under the harsh glare of a halogen bulb. What types of lighting do you have access to at the facility? Will you use different effects for different portions of the group meeting? Large groups of candles have become more popular in worship settings in the last ten years. They can add an air of intimacy and worship, but can also bring risks and sometimes the need for regulation. Check with the facility to see what their policies are on open flames.

Consider and plan lighting ahead of time so that it works with your goals. Creating an aesthetic atmosphere in your large group meetings that supports your goals takes planning and creativity. What can you do this week to invest in this area of your role as an event planner?

Consider event pooling. Event pooling is when two or more organizations join together to plan, staff and fund an event. Who in your circle of ministry or business acquaintances might have similar goals for an event in 2013? Does the church across town also plan a yearly men’s retreat? Would their goals, be in line with yours? Before you contact others regarding your event, be sure to have some specifics ready. “Would you be interested in joining our church in putting on a one night men’s retreat that focuses on integrity in the workplace?”, is much more likely to get an answer than “Want to put on a men’s retreat together?”. Decide if you are willing to take input on theme, planning and location, or if you are simply inviting others to attend your completely planned event. These are two very different scenarios.

Event sponsorship. Another option used to defray costs is event sponsorship. Is there a business in your area that would love the chance to be a premier sponsor and take on a large role in funding the event? If you were planning a men’s retreat, perhaps a local golf club would benefit from getting their name in front of 200 local men. What if you held your retreat at their club; this would provide a location for you gratis, as well as give them a chance to showcase their facility.  Decide ahead of time what you can offer a sponsor. Let them know how many people will be attending, if they will be given announcement time, booth space, etc, and what kind of financial commitment you will expect from them. Sometimes these discussions are better had over lunch, and be sure to lead with the opportunity, not the cost.

If staffing, planning time or financial resources are stopping you from committing to an event, consider whom you might invite to come alongside you before you scrap your event! Event pooling and sponsorship do take cooperation, but can create and foster new relationships within your community, as well as provide the resources you need.

Marketing/Promotion

• How to make your guests go WOW! http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/wow-factor
• 50 tips on using social media for a non-profit event…there may be a few that surprise you! http://www.eventarc.com/posts/2012/01/31/50-ways-to-use-social-media-for-your-non-profit-event/
• Are you thinking of inviting bloggers to your event? Read this first! http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/media-pr
• Don’t make these 10 mistakes when planning your event! http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/event-mistakes
• 25 ideas you must use to make your event successful http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/slides
• Do you ever think about promoting your event offline? Here are some ways how! http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/offline-event-promotion
• Are you using Google+ to promote your event? Here are 6 ways to perfectly use that site! http://www.eventarc.com/posts/2012/03/06/6-ways-to-promote-your-event-with-google/

Site Selection

• Awesome infographic on how technology changes event http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/event-technology-infographic
• Have you ever wanted to livestream your event…on YouTube? Find out how in this article! http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/livestream-events-youtube
• What is the most important part of your event, that could make or break it for attendees? http://blog.cvent.com/blog/meeting-planning-innovation/cruella-de-vil-is-hurting-your-event-first-impression-moment
• What do you do if your event gets hit with a natural disaster? http://blog.cvent.com/blog/new-york-meetings-and-events/planner-smarts-3-disaster-planning-tips
• How to design your event to cater to all different types of learners. Must read! http://blog.cvent.com/blog/executiveoasis/catering-to-analytical-and-structured-learners

Retreats/Meetings

• Don’t miss these great event opportunities to draw attendees closer! http://jeffhurtblog.com/2012/11/26/drawing-your-best-attendees-closer-or-repelling-them/
• You can never have too many tips on saving money for food and beverage costs at a conference. http://blog.cvent.com/blog/food-for-thought/food-for-thought-saving-on-fandb-part-one
• Apple is clearly doing something right. Here are a few tips to learn from their conferences! http://jeffhurtblog.com/2012/12/03/conference-lessons-can-learn-from-apple/
• 7 awesome Christmas activities for youth! (Hello, retreat ideas!) http://youthworkinit.com/2012/11/28/7-christmas-youth-group-activities-and-bonus/

Meeting Planners

• How to easily add a fundraising component to your non-profit event http://www.event360.com/blog/maximizing-your-holiday-event-revenue/
• Don’t stress out at your event. Read these tips on how! http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/relieve-event-planning-stress
• Create an effective learning space at your event by reading this blog. http://jeffhurtblog.com/2012/11/15/developing-conference-education-that-provides-solutions-customers-needs/
• Is your conference focused on your attendees or your speakers?.http://jeffhurtblog.com/2012/10/29/your-conference-primarily-focused-on-speakers-or-attendees/

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.

Gift baskets can also be used as prizes in competitions or games that occur during an event. At one event I attended participants were given a special bingo card as they entered. As they located different items on the card “the name of tonight’s speaker”, “the signature of one person from out of town” they slowly approached the goal of five diagonal or horizontal spaces filled. The first three guests to complete “bingo” were given a gift basket.

So, while you are doing some of your Christmas shopping, keep future events in mind and grab some gift baskets you will appreciate later!

Having multiple sites has lead to meetings being conducted virtually.  And the best thing about that is the technology has caught up as well.

Why would you have a virtual meeting?

1. Different locations.  The great part is you don’t have to leave that coffee shop to meet with your co-workers.
2. Stay connected to co-workers.  Meetings can be painful; but, with all these locations, staying connected to the work that needs to be done is necessary.  Virtual meetings can solve that.
3. Get more work done.  The inverse is true of the above point as well.  Virtual meetings make you stay on point which helps you stay focused on getting more work done.

While all of these points are nice, there are a couple of downsides to virtual meetings.

1.  With a virtual meeting, attendees can get distracted.  This holds true with any meeting, but it’s easy to type an email or finish some blog reading during a virtual meeting because on camera it just looks like you’re “taking notes.”
2. Lack of creative energy.  There is just something about a full team being all together in one room that spurs creativity.  The creativity generated in a virtual setting can be different than when you are seeing everybody face-to-face.

We’ve talked about pros and cons with virtual meetings.  Now, let’s talk about the technology that is available for these.  I love Apple, but their FaceTime app on any Mac only allows for a conversation with one person…and the other person has to have an Apple product.  If you have those two variables, I think it’s better than the other apps we’ll discuss.

Skype is great for big meetings.  It’s a trusted technology that is free (unless you’re calling internationally) and works across Mac and Windows platforms.

GoToMeeting.com is a very robust system and is great for larger groups.  The biggest difference between these and the apps listed above is that there is a cost.  But remember that old adage: you get what you pay for.

When your organization does virtual meetings, what do you use?  How has it worked for your team?

• What can event planners learn from the presidential debate? http://www.busyevent.com/blog/?p=723
• 6 tips to prevent event mishaps http://www.busyevent.com/blog/?p=707
• How to create a landing page (on your website) for your event in 5 minutes! http://www.busyevent.com/blog/?p=695
• 9 quick tips on creating name tags for event guests http://www.bonjourevents.com/thefreshtips/2012/5/28/name-tags-made-simple.html
• You can never have too many money saving tips! http://www.bonjourevents.com/thefreshtips/2009/4/17/more-simple-conference-budget-savers.html
• How can you figure out seating arrangements easily? With this seating capacity tool, of course! http://www.bonjourevents.com/thefreshtips/2011/4/18/how-many-people-can-we-squeeze-in-here.html
• How to maximize networking at your next conference http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/conference-networking
• Do you have a mobile event app? If so, read this. http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/event-apps-info
• So many (15 to be exact) free event planning ebooks! http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/15-free-ebooks-about-event-planning
• An awesome ten minute video on youth group event planning http://www.studentministry.org/9-tips-for-planning-youth-group-events-and-trips/
• Do you have these 5 event fears? http://blog.verticalresponse.com/verticalresponse_blog/2012/02/5-biggest-event-planning-fears-and-how-to-face-them.html
• What can a baseball game teach you about event planning? http://www.busyevent.com/blog/?p=755
• 9 reasons mobile needs to be incorporated into your event planning http://www.busyevent.com/blog/?p=692
• What attendees really care about, and what your event is really about http://www.busyevent.com/blog/?paged=2
• Branding is extremely important, so don’t forget to integrate it into your event!  http://www.experientialmarketing20.com/page/3/

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

Marketing/Promotion

• Even more unique event marketing tips http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/guest-post/10-event-marketing-tips
• Don’t make these 10 comment marketing mistakes! http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/tips/event-mistakes
• Promote your nonprofit event in 8 quick steps http://themarketingspot.com/2011/07/how-to-promote-a-non-profit-event-2.html
• Can you save money using social media? Yup! http://www.conferencecenterblog.com/2011/01/03/7-ways-to-save-money-at-your-conference-by-using-social-media/

Site Selection

• Don’t compromise at all when picking a conference venue. http://www.conferencecenterblog.com/2011/03/14/location-not-compromising-meetings-annual-conferences/
• An in depth article featuring 8 different conference formats http://www.meetings-conventions.com/articles/creative-conference-formats/a49560.aspx?page=2

Retreats/Meetings

• Make your event popular right now! http://img.constantcontact.com/docs/pdf/make-the-most-of-event-marketing-for-your-nonprofit-constant-contact.pdf
• There are so many event ideas for kids and adults…but here are 3 tips for teens! http://www.teensundayschool.com/82/tips-for-leaders/outreach-event-ideas.php
• Youth (including teen) event activity ideas for summer! http://www.studentministry.org/top-5-summer-youth-events-that-cost-under-5-total/
• 3 reasons why your event could completely fail http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/event-startups/success

Meeting Planners

• Three solutions to a meeting planner’s biggest frustrations. http://www.conferencecenterblog.com/2010/10/14/3-frustations-of-a-meeting-planner-with-goals-solutions/
• Some amazing benefits of a retreat http://www.helium.com/items/2143096-christian-retreat-benefits

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.

First of all, everyone understands that phone apps will have more features than a few pieces of paper. Event phone apps offer multiple different details, such as electronic ways to connect with people (such as message boards and even emailing options), surveys to help the planner, and possibly links to other related sites. Printable itineraries wouldn’t have this information.

But, the printed packets, schedules, booklets, etc, should have most of the same information as the app. Event and company information, conference center information, directions, speaker and activity schedule, local transportation contact information, activities and restaurants in the area, conference and meal information, and even city news and facts should all be in the app as well as in a printable version online. Some people will rarely look at this information, but some people will live off of it for the whole weekend.

Should you offer any of this information already printed for your guests, or should they print it at home? My suggestion is to have schedules printed for your guests, but that’s it. Most people will bring a computer and many venues have a printing station, so your guests can print whatever information they want so you don’t waste time and paper.

Still confused about what to put on your website versus on the app…or on both? Poll your potential attendees to see what facts are most important to them. Your attendees happiness is a main goal of your event, so listen to their ideas.