Convention Insider (Conventions.net)

Editor:  The following is a post that I received as an email from one of our employees at Conventions.net.  I had to post it because it is a classic example of what cool stuff happens between companies and their employees.

I don’t usually write reviews but I want everyone to know how happy I am with Quality Logo Products! I’m getting married soon and I knew I wanted to have some wine glasses personalized with our wedding date and names, so I spent some time researching different promotional products stores. Most of the websites I went to had glasses but they all seemed overpriced or their setup charges were cost prohibitive. I was honestly about to give up when I stumbled upon a coupon code for Quality Logo Products and decided to check them out.
I found some wine glasses I liked right away and got excited when I saw they were in my price range. While I was trying to estimate how much 200 glasses would cost me with shipping, I noticed there was a button that said “Live Help” under the picture of the glasses. I clicked on it because I figured it would be easier for me to just talk to someone from Quality Logo Products, and I’m SO glad I did! My rep, Anthony, was so friendly and he helped me estimate my shipping costs within a couple of minutes. He also gave me other favor suggestions based on the budget I gave him, which was very helpful because that’s how I found the bride and groom stress balls I ended up ordering with the glasses. I saved about $20 with the coupon I found, which also helped! Anthony made me feel at ease with the whole transaction and there was never a point when I was kept out of the loop. He let me see electronic proofs to make sure my wedding info was the way I wanted it, he sent me email updates to let me know when my favors shipped and to let me know my tracking number, and he always emailed me back if I had a question. I can’t imagine what my experience would have been like if I hadn’t found Quality Logo Products!
I just know that our wine glasses and cute stress balls are going to be a huge hit at the reception. The quality is amazing. Much to my surprise, thanks to the special packaging Quality Logo Products uses, not a single wine glass arrived broken – they were all still intact. I can’t wait to give them out! I couldn’t even tell you how many other online stores I searched for wedding favor ideas before I found Quality Logo Products, but I know I’ll never go anywhere else again. I’ve already recommended them to everyone I know and I will continue to do so. Don’t bother with the other promotional products sites: go to QualityLogoProducts.com right now if you know what’s good for you!

I was reading through an article by Rachel Wimberly over at TSNN.com about a Denver convention of teachers and their use of Wifi.  The event I am speaking of is at the Colorado Convention Center in my part of the world.  The convention is the International Society for Technology In Education or ISTE.  The article references Smart City a company that we have featured on here before and a company that is well known in the Wifi space for conventions and trade shows. I think that what we see in a convention like ITSE is going to be the wave of the future for conferences.  What TSNN writes is:

Of the 18,000 attendees who showed up for the event, 16,500 of them were online at any given time. Donella Evoniuk, ISTE’s senior director of conference services, said the event has offered free Wi-Fi since 2001, and they have worked with Smart City for several years to ensure the attendees’ demand to be online is met.

I am in the world of social media so it may be that the events that I mostly attend and the ones I am invited to speak at may be more technically minded and may involve more attendees online, but I do think this is a trend that will continue in all conferences and trade shows.  The article goes on to state:

Smart City has worked with ISTE on several shows, but Evoniuk said when a preshow survey indicated more than 80 percent of attendees intended to bring their laptops to the show, as well as 50 percent planned to bring both a cell phone and a laptop to the event, they knew demand was going to be unusually high. On top of that, ISTE promoted active back channel communications through live Twitter feeds and the ISTE 2010 Blog Roll, she added.

This is only going to be more of the norm.  I am constantly wondering what the “connectivity” is going to be like when I attend events.  With the new social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook having the success that they are and the participation we are seeing in the realm of those social sites, we can assume that everyone wants to be connected.  There are plenty of new technologies that are being developed for conference and convention attendees in mind that are integrating connectivity in the wifi space that we will see become more prevalent at conventions as well.  The article seems to make it sound as if this is a new idea, but in reality, this is slowly becoming the norm.

It seems these days that everyone is trying to help the planet and benefits are being planned all over to help the victims in Haiti, to help save the planet from the BP oil spill in the gulf. Last night was no different as I spent the evening at the Fox Theater in Boulder, Colorado, listening to music at a planned benefit to help the people in the Gulf area at an event called The Gulf Coast Benefit.  The event is to help the those hurt by the oil spill in the gulf.  The organizers tell us their goal:

The organizers have created an ambitious goal: Gather music venues around the country to donate ticket sales on July 1st and create an online giving platform that encourages donations to the relief efforts. The fundraising goal is set to $100,000, which will be directed to our nonprofit partner the Gulf Restoration Network, (http://www.healthygulf.org), which provides assistance to the people, wildlife and wetlands affected as well as advocacy work throughout the Gulf Coast.

This is a drop in the bucket for the amounts needed to help that we will hear about for the area.  Many people are traveling to the gulf coast now to see the problems there and to see how they can help.  I suggest you give to the people at the Gulf Coast Benefit to help those victims of the terrible accident.

If you are planning on your own benefit, here are some quick tips to help your event be a success.

1. Community: Get your community of friends involved.  We all, have a larger community these days with our friends on Facebook and our followers on Twitter.  Get them to help you with your event.
2. Businesses: Many businesses are themselves seeking some help in this economy but they do have ways of helping you with services or products they sale and they can provide you with what they can.  Look to local businesses that might want to ass some “cause marketing” to their efforts.
3. Venues: Many venues are looking for ways to get their message out and to get people to notice them.  Many of them will donate their facility to get the exposure and to make a difference.  Find a facility that might want to partner with your benefit.
4. Advertise: If nobody knows of your event you need to get the word out.  Many businesses will help you with this and in addition leverage your community as I mentioned above.  Get the word out and your event will raise money and be a success.
5. Fun: This is an opportunity for you to have some fun doing what you do well, planning events.  Take this opportunity to have some fun and to show everyone how well you can plan.  This might be out of your normal planning process so try some things you wouldn’t normally try on your own or for a client.

There is a non-profit organization out there that wants and needs help.  Many of them have no way that they can plan events on their own and need the help of meeting planners and event planners.  Help an organization today!

With the recent crisis occurring in the Gulf of Mexico with the BP oil spill disaster, it is tough to make it through an entire conversation without that becoming a topic of interest to most anyone that is up on the news.  This made me think of what trade shows and conventions think of the spill and what they are doing when someone asks them about their water conservation.  It made me think back to the Tools of the TRADEshow newsletter and a tips and tricks article on how to conserve water.  I tend to keep everything and the newsletter is a great source of info.

The newsletter article mentioned a tip that resonated with me being from Colorado and how we sometimes get into conditions of drought.  We often go into a plan B way of dealing with water conservation here, like lawn watering conservation and landscaping tactics to conserve water.  Businesses also get into the swing with conserving water by doing things a little different.  Is your trade show conserving water?  Here is a tip that I saw in the newsletter that I thought was a simple way to contribute to water conservation.

Serve water at meals only by request, rather than pre-filling hundreds of glasses. Meeting Strategies Worldwide estimates that if you avoid pre-filling water glasses at banquet lunches for 2,200 people for three days, you can save 520 gallons of water!

That sounds like not a lot of water but it can mean a small contribution to the water supply, and if we all did a little something to help conserve water, we would be doing our part for the environment and the event industry!  If you want to get more tips like this from the Conventions.net newsletter, I suggest you go to the Conventions.net site and enter your info in the eNewsletter signup to receive it via email.  It takes only a short time and you can get many tips and articles about how your can make your event or trade show and convention a better experience for all.

Conventions and Trade Shows by their very nature is one of the most wasteful industries on record.  They tend to throw away quite a bit of paper and of course, food.  There has been a way to combat the waste, and we are seeing technologies that are making that more simple from a paper standpoint, but we have always had a problem with that leftover food.  You know the food I am speaking of, those trays of cheese and fruit and the many dinners not eaten, or the buffet that was not well attended.  All of that is wasted unless of course you are more proactive in what should be done with that food.

I was reading yesterday about The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act which limits the liability of those wanting to donate food items to their local food bank or perhaps a shelter.  In many cases events are required to purchase minimum food and beverage amounts and if their event is not quite large enough to meet the burden, they tend to lost that money.  The article refers to that issue and makes a good tip of going forward with the minimum amount of the food and beverage purchase, using that food for the event and then donating the excess food to charity and taking a write off for tax purposes of the amount donated.  This is definitely a win-win for the organization having the event and the one getting the donation.

In fact I would go a step further and publicize the fact that you will be donating the food excess so that you can also get some cause marketing out of the donation.  Many people like to hear these kinds of stories when they go to an event that is being mindful of its community.  With a write off and some good will, as well as benefiting someone in need of a meal, you are getting some great karma for your event!  Meeting planners pay attention to this tip and when planning your event, add a column for doing some good with your event.

[Photo via Rogarrido]

There has been a number of people that have chimed in on Twitter, Facebook and other parts of the social mediasphere about the payment of speakers at events and conferences.  I chimed in myself and wrote about the idea of paying or not paying speakers.  I suppose it depends on which camp you are in as to which side of the debate you fall on and in my case I guess I walk that line pretty carefully being a person on both sides.  I do know that whether you pay or not pay your speakers does not eliminate the need to treat them like the experts and VIP they are when speaking at your event.

Many conferences I attend have areas for the speakers.  It is like a velvet rope where speakers can get away to prepare and relax before their presentation.  This allows for them to shake off the stress of presenting, to get some time to think and go over their presentation and in some cases provide them a place to do those last minute rehearsals.  The speaker ready room I have heard it called, or the green room of even the VIP ambassador room.  In spite of the name you give the area for your speakers, it is nice as a speaker to be treated like a VIP.  It shows me that the organizers believe me to be the expert, and that they believe I am bringing value and that they appreciate all that I have done for them.  Treating your speakers as a VIP may later make it easier to negotiate payment and provide the best talent for your attendees.

I have been at the heart of this debate for quite some time.  I have been on the organizer side, and on the side of being one of the speakers looking to be paid. Scott Stratten recently voiced his opinion about the topic of paid speaking on his blog UnMarketing.  In this instance Scott was given the terms by which you can speak at the event, a speakers conference ironically.  In that instance the speaker had to register for the event and pay the fee to attend if they were chosen to speak.  I know that this is a way to keep the ticket prices for the event low and that if you speak at the event, the pay is actually the prestige and the honor it portrays.  As I have said, I understand both sides of this argument.

From an organizer standpoint, the real issue is whether the speaker can help them sell tickets and whether that value that the speakers are bringing to the event will make the organizer money.  Plain and simple it is a matter of economics in that regard.  Many speakers on the other side of the coin believe in their message and how well they do their job and with that comes the idea that they can sell out Yankee Stadium if they were to speak on their passionate topic.  Many times that is not nearly the case.  Both have merit and there should be a compromise somewhere in the middle.

As organizers we look to speakers to pay their way in and help us make money by adding that value.  Speakers that help sell tickets or promote the event through their networks are the best value for an organizer and many organizers that see that can and will compensate the speaker for that purpose.  If a speaker adds no other value than their message, it some times looks like a bad investment.   Why should I pay you you speak at my event if you don’t bring value.

As a speaker, I am taking my time to make sure that value is there by making sure the message is such that it fits their audience.  I am making sure I provide them an expert in the field which I know they are using to market the event.  If I can help them by promoting the event through my network to help put butts in the seat then I am happy to do that as well.  I could make money in other areas, and speaking is only as small component of my business, but I also realize that if you speak at events, you do get that recognition and exposure.  I factor in a small part of my speaking as a way to market me and my business.

Both sides benefit from this relationship.  It seems that where it gets lost is when one side cannot see the other side’s point of view.  What is your position?  Should speakers be paid?  Should speakers pay to be a part of an event? Is the going rate for speakers too high or too low?  I would bet your argument is slanted somewhat in your own economic position.

[photo via Photos8.com]

As you can see from our last couple of months we have been showcasing many of the convention centers around the country and letting you know their offerings and how they might fit into your convention plan. No matter if you are planning a large event or a smaller conference, we want to be seen as the place to come for information. You can find all of the information on any city or center just by looking at the categories we have here, or perhaps making sure to visit Conventions.net for the latest information on any of our locations we have featured there.

I wanted to get back to some of the nuts and bolts of actually going through the planning of a convention, trade show or conference. I have been busy with a few of my own shows, one in Las Vegas in 2009 at BlogWorld & New Media Expo, followed very quickly by the Social Media Business Summit in Hawaii at the [re]Think Hawaii event, and most recently I have been working on the Modern Media Man Summit in Atlanta which will take place in September, 2010.  It seems I have a few plates in the air and have been doing many jobs over the last couple of years.  I am sure this will continue as I think it is a great way to gain experience doing a number of different jobs in different locations.

This week I am going to start talking about some of the things that go on behind the doors or events.  These are the things that might not be the glamorous things that occur and it might not be the things that we like to showcase as owners of events or conference directors or exhibit booth salespersons.  I have met a number of interesting people along the way and want to talk about a few of those as well so stay tuned while I start my brain dump of all the things that go into what I see as convention planning!

[photo via Retronaut]

The fabulous Gaylord Opryland Resort & C0nvention Center, in Nashville, Tennessee, might be down but it’s far from out!

This spring’s catastrophic floods might put conferences and conventions on a delayed schedule, but officials at the venue are confident that before long, the building will be ready for conferences again.  Waters ten feet above room level are no laughing matter, and several newspapers have predicted that it might be several months before this resort, and others, can reopen.

Most conferences that had reserved space at the venue are taking a “wait-and-see” attitude.  For example, the Romance Writers of America, with a conference scheduled in three months, has officially stated that “RWA is contractually obligated to hold its conference at the Gaylord Opryland over the dates stipulated in the contract.  It is up to Gaylord to notify RWA if it cannot uphold its end of the contract. . . .” Most organizations have been most understanding, and it’s also interesting to note that the Gaylord is such a fine venue, the majority of reserved conferences are taking this same “wait and see” attitude.  Good vibes.  When there is open and honest communication, things will almost always work out fine.

In a grand example of social media at its best, Gaylord officials sent an email to individuals with reservations at the venue that said, in part, that “. . . we are disappointed that we will be unable to welcome you at this time.  We will be refunding deposits and payments for all reservations scheduled for arrival over the next 90 days.  We greatly appreciate your patience and request that you allow several weeks for processing.  We are also working with the organizers of all meetings scheduled to be held at Gaylord Opryland to possibly reschedule the meeting at another of our Gaylord Hotel properties.  Please check with your meeting organizer regarding the status of your meeting. . . .”

Another message sent by Gaylord Opryland to its customers stated that “. . . We are continuing to monitor the flood situation in Nashville, and will assess any hotel damage with the appropriate teams.  When there is new information regarding the hotel’s condition, we will poast the news on our website at http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-opryland/. . . .”

The Gaylord Opryland Resort and Conference Center is not taking any incoming reservations at this time.  The hotel evacuated all of its guests to a shelter and provided them with food, drinks, and bedding.  These guests will have their luggage shipped to them by Gaylord as soon as possible.

In my opinion, this venue is handling this unfortunate situation with great skill, tact, and understanding of the frantic guests and drastically changed plans of conference planners, caterers, vendors, suppliers, and corporations.

Jekyll Island is one of the best-kept secrets of the southern coast!  So beautiful that these islands are called The Golden Isles, your e, convention, trade show, corporate retreat, meeting, reception, or any other kind of gather imaginable will be well-attended and always remembered.  I would also bet that most of your attendees will return to Jekyll Island on their own as soon as they possibly can.

Located at 1 North Beachview Dr., Jekyll Island, GA 31527, the convention center is easy to find; the drive itself is one of the most memorable and beautiful things your people will ever do, in fact.

Planning your gathering is easy here; there are 55,000 square feet of space within a complex of buildings. All in all, there are three large convention halls, thirteen breakout rooms, all in one way or another connected. Don’t worry about your attendees having to go out into the rain to get from one building to another, either; the buildings are all connected or adjoined.

As for food, the Jekyll Island Convention Center has whatever you want.  If you want a simple fare, they’ve got burgers and beach barbecues.  If you want a black tie, eight course dinner, they’ve got that, too, and everything in between!

There are fantastic hotels on the islands, but the convention center itself has 1,500 guest rooms, which will surely take care of most of your attendees.

Why not call now, and reserve a spot for your convention?  (888) 413-9127