If the banquet menu price of a cup of coffee is $3, what does it really cost? In a downtown Toronto hotel with an 18% service charge (often referred to as a gratuity) it will end-up costing $4. How does that happen? In the case of Ontario, HST is [...]
Are you an event manager? If so, have a glance through your emails and take notice of how much of your inbox traffic consists of messages from the hotel conference service manager at the hotel where you are planning your next conference or event. In a perfect world, these [...]
Too often, the obvious questions are the ones that are never asked. When planning a new event or starting the planning cycle for an annual one it is important to start by asking some key questions. Some baseline information is needed to provide a framework for making decisions during [...]
What would be your answer if someone offered to save you time and money in the planning of your conference/event? “YES, please!” Destination Marketing Organizations (DMO’s) can do just that. What is a DMO? The Destination Marketing Association International defines it as: Organizations charged with representing a specific destination [...]
One of the most important elements of a signature event is that it tells an organization’s story in a way that is compelling to current and potential donors or stakeholders. The greatest and most commonly missed opportunity of signature events is that they focus only on fundraising and miss [...]
Most associations or small organizations are given a limited budget to work with when planning their conferences but you should never let this financial constraint limit your conference’s WOW factor. Instead, be creative and find ways to cut costs in your budget while still delivering a high quality experience [...]
I am guilty of creating an opinion about a company or event based on the quality of their website. Are you? My initial reaction and experience on the home page of a website could make or break whether I choose to hire a company, work with a supplier, or [...]
Some events are held at the same venue year after year, and others, such as national association conferences, move to a different city each year. You may have great speakers, a great program and high attendance, but your chosen hotel or convention centre will always play a big role [...]
If you are the lead person overseeing an event it’s important to recognize that room set up can make or break your event. And the place to start in order to ensure a successful set up is with solid communication. Solid communication requires great listening skills, lots of note [...]
It is easier to keep exhibitors than to bring in new ones. Most organizations only have the budget to exhibit at a select few tradeshows each year and obviously you’d prefer that they attend yours. If an exhibitor has to pick and choose, why would they choose your conference [...]