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What’s green and what’s not? Tell us what you think…
…For example, attendees snap up bottled water at conventions because it’s healthy, but it creates plastic waste.
Are strategically placed water coolers with paper cups just as good?
Check out these meeting technology must-haves to make your meetings relevant and appealing to 21st century meeting attendees:
Web 2.0 Tools
• Social networking sites: facilitate networking and disseminate peer-to-peer knowledge.
• Establish a wiki: feature links to conference information & to replay conference speakers, tips on getting more out of the event, conference pictures, and links to conference blogs Wikis allow attendees to post information - so content discussions and networking start before the conference.
PDAs
• Create, send and manage announcements for events and exhibit and speaker information can be downloaded to attendees’ PDAs
• Replace your conference binder with PDA based-information from providers like Near Space and VisionTree
• Use Vindigo City Guide to download information on restaurants, movies, shopping, ATM locations and more
These tips are courtesy of Sue Tinnish of SEAL Inc., a popular facilitator, speaker, teambuilder, and trainer. Sue Tinnish publishes a monthly newsletter, “Tips for Innovative Meetings and Events.” Check out more great tips at www.suetinnish.com.
Cool new feature for planners!
If you need to locate meeting planning services quickly, the new and improved Service Provider search on ConventionPlanit.com is what you’re missing…
Companies providing a wide variety of meeting services are located in easy-to-find categories.
In this area, you can submit an RFP for everything you’ll need to make sure no detail slips through the cracks…from General Service Contractors, to Audio Visual and even Lead Retrieval companies.
Go ahead…search away!
Question of the Week…
Are current hotel ratings systems outdated? Some of the new avant-garde properties and chains offer décor and style that may not match traditional ratings (like 4 or 5 AAA Diamond/Mobil Star), yet they are clearly high-end properties.
What do today’s travelers want from hotels? Send us the top 3 things you want from your hotel. Also tell us what’s not important.
Do you really care about the bed ruffle and someone knocking on your door at 9 p.m. for “turndown service?”
Here’s some news that’s good to know -
New event management courses are now available at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA).
Meeting classes have been added to the Hospitality Management Program, which already includes courses on hotel management. Faculty members are active industry professionals.
Available Courses:
• Introduction to Meeting Planning
• Principles of Event Planning & Management
• Meeting & Exhibition Law & Ethics
• Federal Government Event Planning Strategies
Check out the full article on NOVA’s newest industry classes to learn more.
Just a weeks ago, Indianapolis’ newest hotel - the Renaissance Indianapolis North Hotel - officially opened…
Hotel Highlights:
- Local community feel and flavor: located near the Arts and Design District
- 263 guest rooms & 4 executive suites: 32″ LCD HD TV’s, wireless internet, iPod jacks standard
- 15,000 sq ft of meeting space: use the Plum Perfect event planning program for the smoothest-run meeting
Check out the ConventionPlanit.com Newest Members page for a list of our most recent members and newest hotel openings.
What’s eating away at you? Have you seen something on the news that you want to blog about?
Here’s your chance - tell us what issues you want to discuss!
Our blog is an open forum for discussion, so let’s get some provocative ideas and conversations flowing!
My new favorite latest planning tool is the ConventionPlanit.com Toolbar…
It only makes sense to have all of your favorite planning tools right on your web browser.
Some highlights:
• Google search field: search the web from your browser
• Meeting Search: accesses the database of ConventionPlanit.com meeting destinations, properties, and service providers
• RFP Valet: opens a basic template to submit an RFP for selected dates. RFPs go directly to ConventionPlanit.com executives for immediate follow-up…and the next time you use the template, your info will already be filled in - just change your dates.
Download the toolbar here…you won’t believe how easy it is to use, and how much time you’ll save. (And it even auto-formats for Internet Explorer, Mozilla, or Macs)
Technology has certainly helped to improve meetings, but does technology also have the ability to hurt face-to-face meetings?
Carolyn Burns Bass’ comment from our “Meeting Attendance Costs on the Rise” discussion brings this issue to light. She said…
“Social media has made great inroads into corporate communications. Blogs, discussion forums, webinars, etc., are great tools for ongoing projects, planning, and performance boosters. Still, as great as these tools can be, they can’t replace the in-the-skin experience of an on-site meeting, convention, or incentive trip.”
…What do you think? With all of the rising costs facing meetings we’ve discussed, are online meetings such as webinars going to increase, or replace face-to-face meetings? Through podcasts, webinar participants can even simultaneously watch the same lectures…without any travel costs.
The added bonus for this? The podcast can be uploaded onto iTunes, for example, and used for future reference. Not only are similar web-based alternatives more cost efficient, but they eliminate the hassle of travel and conserve the environment.
How can online meetings hurt a company? What do you think the future holds for the industry?
Airfares are soaring, checking baggage is costing money, and it even costs more to drive to the airport!
How will this affect meeting attendance this coming year? Will people stay home? Or, do you think more corporate meetings will be held in-house? Are companies holding more Webinars (for large groups) and/or conference calls (for small groups)?