One of the challenges I love when working with clients is how to help them weave a cohesive theme throughout their meeting. For a recent Board of Directors retreat, my client wanted to focus on bringing a new team together while accomplishing required agenda items. When discussing a group activity, the venue offered up tickets […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.Most people in my profession cringe when asked: “what do you do?” Why? Because the ‘easy’ answer, “I’m a meeting planner” gets the response – “oh, a party planner, what fun!” The more complicated answer “I’m an experience curator” or “I’m a connection facilitator” or “I’m an event professional” get blank stares. How to best […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.Have you ever attended a meeting/workshop that sounded great and yet when the speakers started talking you wondered why you were there? Well, that was me recently – I had signed up for a seminar about the new tax code and it was marketed to “small business, entrepreneurs and enterprises …” As a small business […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.When you think of awards ceremonies, what comes to mind? Long speeches, an endless procession of winners, interrupting your meal, same old same old? While most of us don’t have the budget for big splashy productions, we can use our creativity to add some unexpected elements to make it fun! Here are examples from […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.As meeting planners we always ask our attendees to complete evaluations. We ask them how the content was, how they liked the speakers, the food, the venue. That feedback – that data – is important in a strive for continuous improvement. Using Plus/Delta Charts Equally important is to ask your team to evaluate the meeting. Do you […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.This summer I got to spend a week in one of my favorite vacation spots – Newport, RI. In our many years visiting the city, I’ve always enjoyed its welcoming spirit and sense of hospitality. In walking around, you can’t help but notice pineapples – as décor inside and outside buildings, on flags, house signs […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.Recently, I attended two conferences (seems like I say that a lot, but it’s true). Both were in the hospitality industry and both used a meeting app. In my non-technical opinion (as an attendee and a user of both apps), one was infinitely more successful and engaging. I won’t tell you what platforms were used […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.Last week I had the opportunity to participate in a new conference – Connect New England. This conference was a great representation of a partnership between the planner and the venue. This resulted in a multifaceted display of the planner’s vision to showcase the destination and its local food and heritage throughout the conference. The […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.This time of year I love to snuggle on the couch with my family (yes, teenagers still do that!) and watch holiday movies. The other evening I was watching The Santa Clause 2 (one of my modern favorites!). One of my favorite scenes in the movie is during the staff Christmas party when Scott Calvin […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.Imagine if you will, the following call from your boss or client: “We need you to plan a 2-day meeting for our largest customers in April.” Armed with that information, you immediately start sourcing venues, planning menus and researching activities – right? Hardly. This is barely enough information to begin. To do your job more […]
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