Expert Advice

Running Your Business

Five Proven Ways to Retain Your Best Employees
07/5/11
All managers have received the dreaded two-week notice given by a star employee. The door opens and a nervous voice asks, "Do you have a minute?" Your mind races as you listen to someone you've valued inform you that they are leaving the company. The...
How to Rent a Tent for Your Outdoor Event
07/5/11
"What's the cost?" That's the question commonly asked by consumers purchasing or renting everything from cars to DVDs. Event tents are no different, according to Tom Koebel, co-owner with wife Kathleen of Affordable Party Tent Rentals Inc., in St....
Increasing Email Efficiency
07/5/11
I recently asked two disparate groups of meeting professionals about their e-mail habits and found a disturbing indication about how many of us manage our e-mail. These groups (110 meeting managers at a trade show in Barcelona and 90 trade show...
Meeting and Events Insiders Sound Off on Site Inspections
07/5/11
Everyone loves surprises. Except when they involve the venue you've chosen for an important meeting or event. That's why it's so important to make the most of the site inspection. This in-person, kick-the-tires evaluation ensures that a venue has...

Event Trends/New Ideas

20 Tips to Increase Technology Efficiency
07/5/11
We are going through technology adolescence. This awkward "pimply" time is difficult as we cling to old (paper-based) methods of managing our tasks while transitioning to more efficient digital methods. It can be very frustrating trying to keep one's...

Suppliers Speak

Communicating with Your Linens Provider
07/5/11
Linens might not be the first thing on your mind when planning an event, but choosing the right linens can really enhance an event's total look. We sat down with Lanie Hartman, regional account executive of BBJ Linen, the nationally recognized linen...
How to Get Picture Perfect Event Photos
07/5/11
Event planners typically start the search for a photographer to cover their meeting or event by delegating an assistant to call around and check prices. However, this may not be the best way to choose a photographer, or even the best way to get the...
Everything You Always Wanted to Know about LEDs (But Were Afraid to Ask)
07/5/11
As a planner, your life is already a sea of abbreviations-CMP, CMM, BEO, RFP, ROI, to name a few. It's time to add another acronym to the list: LED. This technology is revolutionizing the way we light special events. And, as with any emerging...

Open Forum

Seven Tips for Keeping Bumps Out of Your Transportation
07/5/11
Attendees expect seamless movement, whether they're riding in a sedan from the airport or in a coach from a convention center. Succeed, and they probably won't even appreciate it. But fail, and it may color their perception of the entire event. Here...

Getting Started

Determining How to Bill Clients
07/5/11
Finding out how much to charge for planning services is a bit like joining Cirque de Soleil: Good balance gives you better job security. For independent planners, this means striking a happy medium between how much one needs to earn-and how much...