Stretch Your Budget by Saving on Airfare

Aug 03

Ashley SpitzerTips for Meeting Planners air travel, economy, meeting ideas No Comments

While some airlines have dropped out of the meetings business, others haven’t. Those that remain – including American, Delta, and Continental – each have special offers.

Become familiar with these group programs, which can save a significant portion of your budget:

American Airlines
Groups of 10 or more traveling to the same destination can take advantage of special discounts. If travel dates are confirmed, the airline can guarantee a fare up to 11 months in advance, block the space, assign seats, and delay ticketing requirements. American also guarantees competitive fares from different geographic originations to one destination.

American Airlines destinations include more than 250 cities in 40 countries where American, American Eagle® and AmericanConnection® fly across the country and around the globe. The airline is also a member of the oneworld® Global Alliance and can arrange group travel discounts to more than 700 destinations in the oneworld network.

Groups can also receive reduced rates for Avis® car rentals. Click here for more information.

Delta Air Lines
Through its Delta Meeting Network®, this airline offers discounts off published fares and competitive Zone Fares for groups of 10 or more on all Delta, KLM/AirFrance and Alitalia “Delta coded flights”, Delta Connection Carriers and “Delta coded” code-share partners AT/OK/UH. Discount rates can be used three days before/after a meeting for events in the United States and Canada and up to seven days before/after a meeting in all other countries.

Discounts can be based on single events or multi-meeting agreements. Delta also awards one free ticket for every 40 tickets purchased. Zone Fares offer flexible rules and make it simple to manage airline costs.

With its unsurpassed global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 369 destinations in 67 countries on six continents. Click here for more information.

Continental Airlines

Continental’s GroupWorks program offers special benefits for groups of 10 or more passengers traveling together. GroupWorks provides a flat rate for the group, priority check-in, priority boarding, and priority baggage service.

Continental’s MeetingWorks program offers special discounts to attendees of conferences, meetings, or events with 20 or more passengers traveling from multiple origins to one destination. MeetingWorks provides percentage discounts off airfares and credits redeemable for travel certificates, upgrades, and more.

Continental Airlines is the world’s fifth largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 2,600 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 132 domestic and 137 international destinations. Continental is a member of Star Alliance, which overall offers more than 21,200 daily flights to 1,172 airports in 181 countries through its 28 member airlines. With more than 40,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with its regional partners, carries approximately 63 million passengers per year.

Continental consistently earns awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture. For nine consecutive years, FORTUNE magazine has ranked Continental as the top U.S. airline on its “World’s Most Admired Companies” airline industry list. For more information, click here.

IMEX Posts Show Seminars & Webcasts Online

Jul 22

Ashley SpitzerTips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows advisory council, imex, meeting ideas, overseas meetings No Comments

If you were unable to travel to Frankfurt in May for IMEX, it’s not too late to beef up your industry knowledge!

Show organizers have made 53 presentations available for free download on the IMEX website, including all of the German language seminars (organized by the German Convention Bureau).

Several presentations are available via webcast, including:

Meet Healthy for Attendees

Jul 15

Ashley SpitzerTips for Meeting Planners attendee interaction, meeting ideas No Comments

There is a lot of talk in the industry about green meetings that are good for the environment. But how about healthy meetings that are good for your attendees?

Many meeting professionals are paying more attention to this area. They recognize that a little exercise is not only healthy for attendees, but also keeps them awake by oxygenating the brain as well as muscles.

Planners shared their best ideas for healthy meetings in the Stellar Tips section of ConventionPlanit.com.

Scott Ludwigsen with Phoenix Marketing International suggests scheduling a walk around the hotel/conference center into meeting breaks. “For those attendees that actually take the walk, reward them by handing out tickets at the far end of the building,” he says.

“Prior to the next health break, draw a ticket for a prize and you will see the number of walkers increase dramatically during each subsequent break. Net effect: people come back from their breaks ready to listen, look, and learn!”

Another exercise incentive suggested by Al Rickard of Association Vision is to have a quick scavenger hunt during breaks that forces people to walk around a certain area.

“Put attendees in teams of three or four so they can meet new people in the process,” he explains. “Give away some small prizes for completing it. Then set up a table with prizes displayed for those who complete the hunt and a big sign that says “Free Prizes.” Prizes can be small gift certificates for local shops, local trinkets, hotel certificates for a free massage at the spa, or a free breakfast.

Alicia Dahill with Oliver Wyman offers this idea for squeezing exercise into meetings: “Hire the hotel’s fitness trainer to come in for the first five minutes of your morning and afternoon break to provide attendees quick stretches and movement with the focus on things attendees can do in their own office. This will help attendees feel more energized and awake during the meeting, and they will appreciate your efforts to incorporate fitness into the meeting.”

Use your imagination to go beyond walking and stretching. For example, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) & The Center for Association Leadership placed stationary bikes in the main gathering area during its Annual Meeting in San Diego two years ago. Rickard also suggests making large exercise balls available.

Meeting attendees, presenters, exhibitors, meeting staff, and others also spend a lot of time standing or walking, especially at large meetings with trade shows.

Eleanor with Symantec Corporation recommends having acupressure foot masseuses on hand.

“Even 10-minute sessions can relieve feet tired of walking long distances to get to and from different meeting rooms, not to mention presenters who stand for hours doing their sessions,” she says. “Foot massages are also good to boost energy.”

There are also other novel approaches to staying healthier by relieving both the physical and mental stress of meetings. Sybil L. Simons with Group Travel Advisors recommends a program called “jokesercise.”

She explains, “’High-Powered Howard,’ a comedian and personal trainer, offers half an hour of exercise punctuated with comedy. Attendees will love it! My groups do.”

Of course, providing healthy alternatives to meeting attendees extends beyond what they can do with their bodies to what they can put in their bodies.

“Keep your attendees hydrated and energized by providing a variety of unique soft drinks such as pomegranate-flavored soda, green apple iced tea, peach iced tea… something different in addition to water and coffee to add an unexpected gourmet twist to your meeting refreshments,” recommends Sharon Naylor with Sharon Naylor Wedding Books.

Kathleen Zwart with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida offers a tip with a double benefit — better health and a cost savings. “For an all-day meeting with lunch and an afternoon break, I hold back the dessert from the luncheon and serve it during the afternoon break,” she says.

“Your attendees aren’t tempted with two sweets in a short timeframe and you save money by not ordering a separate item for the break. You can include something non-sweet also, like fruit, nuts, or popcorn.”

For more advice that can help you in all areas of meeting planning, visit the Stellar Tips section of ConventionPlanit.com.

Summer Meeting Deals for Last Minute Meetings

Jul 07

Ashley SpitzerMember News, Places to Stay hotels, meeting ideas No Comments

Most of us expect to pay top dollar when it’s last minute. Yet, you can find special offers for any season you choose on ConventionPlanit.com — It’s simple!

Hotels and convention centers needing to fill certain timeframes are extending great deals for your meeting – a virtual win-win! Check out some Divine Deal samplings below with special offerings for this summer:

Swissotel Chicago, Illinois

Creative PR Ideas for Conventions & Tradeshows

Jun 28

Ashley SpitzerTips for Meeting Planners ASAE & the Center, meeting experiences, meeting ideas, Trade Shows No Comments

Need some creative ideas for public relations at your next convention or tradeshow? The ASAE Greater Washington Network recently held a PR Idea Swap at ASAE headquarters in Washington, DC, with content and planning provided by the ASAE Communication Section Council.

One of the table discussions during the event focused on convention and tradeshow public relations. Here are some of the ideas that participants offered:

• An association of builders held a live building competition on its tradeshow floor as a way to generate interest from the media. Held over several days and complete with awards for the best design, the building competition was a draw to the show floor and allowed the association to highlight the art of the profession.

• A special exhibit sponsored by the host association can generate interest in a tradeshow. For example, the association of builders arranged to borrow a well-known exhibit that had appeared in the National Building Museum for display in its exhibit hall.

• Special displays can help attract media attention. For example, SNAXPO, the tradeshow of the Snack Food Association, featured a display of the newest and most innovative snack foods, which is always a popular draw for members of the media. The display helps reporters by showcasing the latest trends in the snack food industry.

• Another creative way to generate publicity around a convention is to utilize a captivating theme for the convention as it relates to the organization. For example, an association of funeral homes built its convention theme one year around “Survivor.”

• A national association of museums generates PR by partnering with local museums in the cities in which it holds its annual convention. The local museums often have already developed relationships with the local media, and the national convention gives the local museums a chance to hook in reporters to a broader conversation about museums, while drawing positive attention to their own museums.

• Create something unusual and attention-getting on the exhibit floor – The American Industrial Hygiene Association built a “mock meth lab” in its tradeshow to demonstrate the health and safety hazards associated with meth labs and the role of industrial hygienists in dealing with these dangers after the labs are shut down. It attracted lots of media attention. On another occasion AIHA got CNN to feature a “mold dog” from one of its exhibitors, since industrial hygienists diagnose mold problems. The dog actually searched out mold in a television studio live on CNN.

What are some of your own creative PR ideas?

Empire Hotel featured in Sex and the City 2!

Jun 17

Ashley SpitzerPlaces to Stay Amsterdam Hotels, hotel reviews, meeting ideas, new york city hotel meetings No Comments

The Empire Hotel is paying homage to the infamous NYC ladies as one of the scenes was shot at the hotel!

The Empire Hotel, along with cocktail consultant Somer Perez, have created SATC 2 cocktails named after the cast of the movie and that reflect the “personalities” we’ve all learned to love and sometimes hate!

They are being served at the hotel’s glamorous Lobby Bar.

These cocktails are super creative and delicious and are 100% the SATC characters in beverage form! They taste just as good as they look. And yes, there is a drink for everyone on this menu, with ingredients including Bourbon, Champagne, Strawberry Marmalade and even edible ‘bling’!

Here’s a look at the cocktail menu:

Carrie Me: Flirty and fresh with a gingery wit and sparkly accessories. This pretty peach stands out from the rest.

Zyr Vodka
White Peach Puree
Ginger Syrup
BLING

Charlotte’s Twin-Set: A surprisingly adventurous twist belies the preppy-perfect exterior.

Montecristo White Rum
St-Germain
Strawberry Marmalade
Champagne

Samantha’s Oral Pleasure: Dangerously delicious, this one is absolutely adults-only.

Don Julio Silver Tequila
Blood Orange Puree
Pear Eau de Vie
Blood Orange Bitters

Miranda’s Brooklyn Bridge: Two distinctly different worlds layered together, looks a little stormy but somehow it works perfectly.

Bluecoat Gin
Lillet Blanc
Lemon Puree
Red Wine

John James Preston: Powerful yet unexpectedly sweet, definitely a BIG deal.

Bulleit Bourbon
Sour Cherries
Clover Honey
“BIG” Ice

Cosmo “Redux”: The original’s much hotter little sister.

Belvedere Cytrus Vodka
Orchard Cherry Liqueur
Red Grapefruit
Cherry Bitters

These tasty treats are just too good to keep to ourselves. The next time you are holding a meeting in NYC, be sure to think of the Empire Hotel!

Creative Meeting Ideas

Feb 19

Ashley SpitzerTips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows attendee interaction, meeting attendance, meeting ideas No Comments

Redefining value has become more important than ever before. What worked last year or the year before may be out the window, especially with a rapidly changing economic landscape and competitors scrambling for market position.

Here are some creative marketing ideas to help build meeting attendance:

Go Viral – Forget the swine flu! We’re talking about viral exposure in the social media. Come up with unusual – even outrageous – ideas for your meeting that will start tongues wagging and tweeters tweeting. Get your executive director to volunteer to sing a song onstage at the Opening General Session if the meeting attendance sets a record (be sure to post a video of him/her singing a few lyrics on YouTube as a sneak preview). Then have your Board members, convention planning committee members, and other leaders start tweeting about this and posting links to the YouTube video and your meeting website.

Talent Search – Everyone has talent, right? (OK, maybe some people are more talented than others.) Have a “Talent and Great Ideas Show” at your next meeting. Use your e-newsletter, online convention promotions, and the social media to recruit members to participate. Each person needs to demonstrate their talent for a minute or so (do a card trick, play a musical instrument, sing, dance, juggle, do an impersonation, etc.) and then deliver one industry-related great idea that attendees can take home and use in their business. Record a couple short videos with willing members to show how it works and post these on YouTube as examples. The show will add fun and value to your next meeting, and create powerful social media marketing leading up to the meeting to promote attendance.

Jeopardy – Think of an important topic in your industry and imagine how that might play out in a Jeopardy-style game. (Remember, answers must be phrased in the form of a question!) Creativity is the bottom line, of course – think about how the game can be built into into a PowerPoint presentation, for example.

What are you waiting for? Step out of your comfort zone, toss ideas around with colleagues, and think about the wow factor!

Save Time and Money on Food and Beverage

Feb 09

Ashley SpitzerContests, Tips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows economy, environmental-friendly, food and beverage, meeting ideas No Comments

If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to save time and money, meeting planners have a lot of suggestions to cut food and beverage costs.

Each of the planners mentioned below shared their advice in the “Stellar Tips” section of ConventionPlanit.com.

Food and beverage charges are always a major cost center. Customizing menus can allow for greater variety, fresher ingredients, and cut costs.

“When working with a limited budget for a full day of meals, I provide my total dollar amount to the chef or catering manager and request that they customize menus for me, keeping in mind any specific requirements I have for each event,” says Kathleen Zwart of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida.

“This allows them to use seasonal or local specials, piggyback onto other events being held that day, take advantage of specials offered by their food suppliers, and offer smaller, healthier portions. I stay within my budget, my attendees are offered healthier options, and the chef is able to use some creativity instead of the same old banquet menus. It’s a win-win for all.”

Even simple changes in how food is presented at meal functions can save money.

“If you’re having a reception, pass/butler the more expensive items,” says Debbie DeJacques of GMA Washington.

“You’ll be able to make them last longer and save money. Don’t set plates on the display table – use only napkins (this will ensure your attendees get to sample all the offerings but won’t walk away from the display station with a mound of food) and stick with beer and wine at the bar.”

Laura Johnson of Market*Access International recommends asking the caterer to slice bagels, croissants and muffins in half. Attendees will take smaller portions – leaving more food to go around and wasting less while stretching your breakfast budget.

Stacey Petersen with MHA Ventures, Inc., eliminates canned soda:

“I have found that canned soda costs a lot of money to provide at our conventions. To save on money, and save on the waste of half cans of soda being thrown away and people taking two or three cans ‘for the road,’ two years ago I moved to using a self-service soda fountain station. These stations are conveniently placed near break areas, and are serve-yourself.

All the venue has to worry about is ice, 6-ounce disposable cups, and replacing the canisters once a day (instead of counting and recounting soda cans). It’s a win-win situation – it’s saved me on my budget, members are happy, the hotel staff is happy to not have to count cans anymore, and the waste is significantly decreased!”

Claire Modarelli of Moffitt Cancer Center, replaces bottles of water with water coolers and pitchers. It saved her $1,000 last year!

Stray from a traditional break time – offer variety and cut costs with a voucher program.

“We worked with a hotel to provide vouchers for breaks instead of serving an expensive break time. Each participant was given vouchers to go to the snack shop located in the hotel lobby.

Each voucher was worth $3. For each item the participant chose, they turned in a voucher. The vouchers were then counted and charged to the master account. This wound up costing considerably less than paying for breaks,” shares Kathy Craig of the Ecumenical Stewardship Center in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Closely monitoring a beverage manager can also pay off, as Stacy Wald of Orthopaedic Associates explains,

“When I do my banquet event orders I let the manager know at that time that I would like to be with the beverage manager when they tally the bars and empties. Liquor is counted by tenths of a bottle and then billed accordingly.

If I disagree with a count and the measurement is changed it could be the equivalent to 10-12 drinks. It also keeps the beverage manager on his toes! I have saved hundreds of dollars just by checking the bars before the totals are finalized.”

What is your cost saving tip? Share your ideas by commenting on this post!

PCMA 2010 Green Initiatives Preview

Jan 06

Ashley SpitzerTips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows cvbs, environmental-friendly, green meetings, meeting ideas, pcma No Comments

Are you attending the PCMA Annual Conference in Dallas later this month? If so, here’s the inside scoop on how the conference is working hard to go green:

Getting Started: Choosing a Green Location

Make a difference from every aspect of your conference by choosing a green city. For example, 40% of the energy used in Dallas is renewable. Dallas was also one of the first cities to implement green building guidelines, and is committed to city-wide green programs including park construction.

Green-friendly destinations are eager to work with you to meet your green requirements and implement your ideas at the convention center. PCMA Vice President of Meetings & Events Kelly Peacy said she worked closely with the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau to infuse green elements into all areas of the conference, including area, including the destination, accommodations, food and beverage, communications, and operations.

Implementation: Make a Difference

This year’s conference supports local organically grown food as much as possible – quite a feat with the thousands of expected attendees! Leftover food will be donated to a local food bank and other unused food will be composted.

PCMA partnered with green hotels for conference housing, like the Hyatt Regency Dallas, who donates leftover soap to a recycling effort to provide people in developing nations with soap.

Words of Encouragement:

“You don’t just go out and suddenly become a green organization,” Peacy said. “You have to build on it. You need to decide how high green ranks on your list of organizational strategic objectives. We asked that question and determined that it was very important, so we put significant resources toward it. At PCMA it is half of one person’s job. Every year we build new objectives. If PCMA can be recognized as an industry leader to educate our members about green that would be a success.”

If you’re attending the conference, be sure to tell us what you think of the green efforts!

Peer to Peer Meeting Ideas

Dec 21

Damion RutherfordTips for Meeting Planners meeting experiences, meeting ideas, meeting industry, meeting planner help No Comments

Meeting professionals know that the best ideas often come from their peers, who are usually more than willing to share them with people who show an interest. In 2010, planners are talking about adding value to their meetings to attract attendees.

Maureen Thompson of ASBO International taps the knowledge of the hotel staff by hiring some of them to put in extra hours staffing the meeting registration desk instead of hiring temps to do this. “The person’s knowledge of the venue, location and even access to the ‘behind the scenes’ places of the hotel is invaluable,” she says.

For more great meeting ideas, check out the Stellar Tip Archive, and search through a variety of tips and advice submitted by other meeting professionals.

What are some ideas you will be implementing? Let us know, and share the information with your peers. It’s the most effective way to learn!