Many groups, mainly the entertainment industry, support the bills. The MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) backs SOPA and PIPA citing that it would put an end to piracy around the world. Many claim that they are blaming the internet for decreases in film revenues that may or may not occur when unauthorized downloading occurs. For example, a new film release is leaked out on the internet before it even comes out into theaters, thus allowing consumers to watch it for free in their own homes. Any website along with their companies who are suspected or accused of leaking or linking to that website will have their IP address blocked so that it cannot be accessed by the public. As a result that company would then be prosecuted for copyright infringement. Many companies, including Google and Wikipedia, took part in yesterday’s protest by blacking out all or a large part of their website. They maintain that the Acts will censor the websites, and in turn cause serious damage to the free and open internet that we have all relied on for quite some time.

How did the blackout affect your day? Did your company participate in it? Better yet, what are your thoughts on SOPA and PIPA?

I think a lot of people forget how good it feels to participate in something that has such a large impact in the community. How has your organization chosen to give back this year?

*For more information on Senior Connections please visit www.srconn.org/

Many years ago, I attended a meeting where it was rumored that the sponsorship sales had not gone as well as expected.  Boxed lunches were served at lunchtime, and from the presentation and food selection, it left me wondering what exactly they were trying to achieve.  Instead of serving the lunches in plain white boxes, they had the boxes branded with the meeting logo on 2 sides and in 4 colors. Inside the box, I found a vegetarian sandwich, a sandwich with meat, a seafood salad, a fruit salad, a pudding cup and a candy bar. Canned soft drinks were served on the side.

Here are some interesting points about this “cost saving” measure”:

1. Boxed lunches are often no less expensive than a modified buffet lunch. They are labor intensive, so venues end up charging a bit more to make up for this.
2. Branding a box is expensive (Especially when printing in 4-color on glossy white paper).
3. Combining the vegetarian and meat selections in each box certainly does not seem to be cost effective. A better cost cutting method would be to separate the items and simply label the boxes, or place a label on the table in front of each selection, denoting what is in the boxes.
4. The items included in a box lunch need to be well thought out. Remember, boxed lunches are usually put out in advance of the meal time, and can be left sitting without refrigeration for the duration of the lunch hour. Foods that should be kept cold can become a health hazard when left at room temperature. Inevitably, some of the delegates complained of upset stomachs after lunch. Could it have been the “warm seafood salad”?

For the rest of the afternoon, most discussions ended with mention of the terrible luncheon that everyone had suffered through. Needless to say, there was so much food wasted and the beautiful logoed boxes lined clear plastic trash bags throughout the hall.

It should be fairly obvious that the food and beverage service at a meeting is important. Attendees are also demanding more special requests to satisfy special diets (i.e., vegetarian, low salt, vegan, kosher, halal, etc.).  Despite tight budgets, we must always try to accommodate our audience.  Cost-saving measures should still be carefully considered, but be creative.  Here are some tips to consider the next time that you find your food and beverage budget is lacking:

• Eliminate breakfast and ask the venue to ensure the food shops are open, or if you have an exhibition area allow them to sell coffee and breakfast foods there
• Negotiate room rates that provide a full or limited breakfast for the delegates in the restaurant
• Reduce the timing of cocktail receptions
• In lieu of a welcome reception, provide vouchers for a meal in the bar/lounge area, and encourage your delegates to attend a “meet and greet” in this area after check-in
• Always modify and negotiate banquet menus
• Solicit local restaurants to provide discounts for attendees, and provide ample time for delegates to get out and enjoy the local flavors

If a boxed lunch is the only solution, try these tips for happier meeting attendees:

• Remember to select foods that keep well, such as whole fruit instead of fruit salad, and please no seafood!
• You can reduce the “per box” cost by going with a plain box
• Separate dietary options and label the boxes, or place a sign on the table that denotes what is in each box

Thoughtful food and beverage selection at a meeting makes the delegates feel special. Your food and beverage set up should create an atmosphere that encourages networking opportunities for new connections or even reconnection with old friends, not provide a platform for them to discuss how terrible lunch was. As planners, we are always looking for creative ideas to keep food and beverage costs in line with the budget, while still maintaining quality.  Let’s hear some of your ideas.

**Special thanks to Lynne Pryor, Senior Conference Manager at Integress, for her significant contribution to this post.

While many studies have been conducted in an attempt to reduce the amount of time it takes to board a plane, Steffen’s is the first real-world tested theory that has been demonstrated to cut boarding time in half!

While most airlines today board using the ‘back to front’ method, Dr Steffen’s method goes a little something like this: First to board are passengers with window seats in alternating rows on the right side of the plane. Then, the same thing is done for the left side of the plane, alternating rows and window seats only.  This pattern is then continued for the middle and aisle seats until everyone is on board. The video below will probably make it a bit clearer…

Using the Steffen method, passengers are able to put their luggage in the overhead compartments without holding up everyone else. Also, no one has to move from their seat in order to let you get to yours (unless they ‘accidentally’ sit in the wrong seat), and you don’t have to wait in a long line for the crowded aisles to clear, making for a much faster and pleasant way to start your travels.

Steffen’s findings were first published in 2008. Here we are almost 5 years later, and the majority of airlines are still using the traditional boarding method? Why is it that airlines haven’t adopted this strategy? Do you think that this real-world test will open some eyes?

We all know that travelling can be stressful. Whether it’s caused by the job or the actual travelling, stress can negatively affect you in many ways. Researchers at Columbia University reviewed data from 13,000 people who participated in a corporate wellness program. They found that 80% of participants travelled for work at least 1 night a month, while 1% travelled for work at least 20 nights per month. Shockingly, obesity was 92% more common in those who travelled more often.

Now, as well all know, it’s easy to throw your daily routine out the window when you travel so much. With a mixture of altered eating habits, a serious lack of sleep, increased stress and decreased activity, it’s inevitable that your body will take a hit.

Even though you are working onsite, you still need to think about yourself. Do yourself a favor…try to sneak in a visit to your hotel’s gym. Exercise can be helpful. Not only is it a stress reliever, but it will also help you catch up on some much need sleep time and help to burn off those extra calories that you may have consumed by eating those chips from the minibar.

Speaking of your appetite, many hotels offer smart choices on their room service menus. Consider ordering that smoked salmon plate with a fruit parfait rather than the double cheeseburger and fries. One tip that some travelers find helpful is not to request a key to the minibar. That way, even if you do have a craving, you won’t have access to the candy bars and potato chips.

What kind of measures do you take to stay healthy on the road? Are you able to find the time to exercise when you are onsite? What about your diet? Do you find yourself snacking on foods that you wouldn’t normally eat at home?

Domestic:

• Check your destination’s weather – there is nothing worse than not packing appropriately

• Look up taxi companies before you leave so that you don’t stress about getting from point A to point B

• If arranging for a rental car, make sure it has GPS. Getting lost in an unfamiliar city can be very unnerving

• Mark your bags with bright luggage tags or ribbons (use the same color on all of them) so that they are easily identifiable when coming off the carousel

• Include a business card, on or in every piece of your luggage. In the event that it gets lost, airport security has a way to contact you

• Keep a list of your confirmation numbers (airline and hotel) handy – try noting them on a slip of paper in your pocket, or email them to yourself so they can be quickly accessed

• Allow for plenty of time to get to your gate at the airport. Security in some airports can take an hour or longer to get through

• Text or email your airport parking location to yourself

• Download an airline application (Delta, Southwest, Continental, etc.) for your smart phone. These handy apps offer features such as electronic check in, airport maps and electronic boarding passes

International (In addition to the above suggestions):

• Double check the expiration date on your passport 2-3 months prior to your departure

• Call your cell phone carrier to check up on your phone’s international capabilities (coming home to a $900 phone bill, due to roaming, will definitely stress you out)

• Purchase maps prior to your departure

• Read up on airport customs so you don’t get held up in the airport

• Notify your credit card companies that you will be traveling out of the country so that your purchases do not get flagged

• Arrive with local currency in-hand to be prepared in case your cards aren’t accepted]

• Consider bringing a language dictionary, or downloading an application to your smart phone that will assist you with the local language

What do you find helps avoid, or even relieve travel stress when you’re on the road?

One of the biggest moves in making female clientele feel more comfortable during their stay is the creation of women-only floors. Hotels like the Crowne Plaza in Washington, DC have such floors available Sunday through Thursday. Don’t worry, if a colleague of the opposite sex needs to stop by your room to access the intranet via company laptop, they are allowed. Additionally, if the hotel is sold out, they have no choice but to open these floors to all travellers.

We always manage to leave something behind when we go out of town. Amy Mehta, Account Manager at Meditech Media™ doesn’t like to go onsite without her favorite face wash and moisturizer; however, sometimes she’s running late to the airport and forgets to pack them. Some properties are able to provide name brand spa products, such as Bliss® or Bath and Body Works®, in situations where the guest forgets their own. While these brands might not be her preference, they may still suit her better than the normal skincare products offered at many hotels. Kimpton® hotels adopted a program especially for instances such as this. They call it “Forgot it? We’ve Got it!”. This service provides most of the common items that might have been left behind by a traveller. From sunscreen to hairspray, and even heating pads to sooth the aches and pains of a busy day, it is nice to know that they try to cover all the bases. The idea behind these floors is to make women feel more comfortable, knowing that all of their needs are being met.

Also, in the interest of catering to women, more hotels are providing things like manicure sets, salon-grade hair dryers, makeup mirrors with lighting and magnification and lighter room service menu options.

What are some of the other trends you’ve noticed? Leave a comment and let us know!

To clarify, per the CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business there are three basic types of emails:

1. Commercial: Advertisements or promotional messages regarding a product or service

2. Transactional: Established relations content relaying information as follow up to an agreement communication

3. Other: Content not promoting a product or service and not containing information as follow up to a previous conversation

Regardless of the email type, you should avoid these potentially costly errors:

• Use of false or misleading information in your message header
• Use of deceptive subject lines
• Failure to identify message as a promotion or advertisement
• Omission of sender’s contact information to include physical address, PO Box, or private mailbox
• Omission of “opt-out” option for recipient to decline receipt of future emails
• Prompt removal of “opt-out” recipients from future distribution lists
• Improper management of vendors used for mass email distribution to insure adherence to CAN-SPAM regulations

As the old adage goes, it is better to be safe than sorry; therefore, we suggest using a do-it-yourself email content publisher, such as MailChimp, for any marketing pieces that you intend to send out. Not only is it easy to use, but it also reminds you to “keep it relevant” when it comes to your subject line and requires you to include your physical address and phone number before allowing you to send out a campaign. It also includes an easy to find, one-click “opt-out” button for those on your list who do not want to hear from you anymore.

So, in a world of KISS (keep it short and sweet), it is advisable that you err on the side of caution and maintain total transparency in your email communications. This will help you to avoid stiff penalties, being black-listed as a spammer, and/or tarnishing your professional reputation with current and future clientele.

**Special thanks to @cheyennejack and Matt Fuller for educating our team on appropriate email marketing practices as well as to Brenda Wilson, Conferencing Marketing Director at Integress, who was a significant contributor to this post.

Many people are under the impression that the best place to hide their personal belongings during a conference is under a registration table. This, however, is one of the biggest no-no’s when it comes to protecting yourself from thievery. Never leave your valuables unattended, even if you think they are in a safe hiding place. Someone could be watching you and waiting for you walk away. The next thing you know, your purse is much lighter than it used to be. Your wallet is gone along with your cash, credit cards and photo ID. Now, instead of being able to focus on the job, you are worried about how much financial damage is going to take place as well as the fact that you have just been personally violated. It’s a scary feeling.

Here are some important tips on how you can help avoid becoming a victim of theft when working onsite:

• Utilize your badge holder for something other than just the badge. Lock your valuables up in your in-room safe and put your room key in your badge holder.
• If you require more than will fit in your badge holder, consider carrying a fanny pack or small backpack. Your wallet and any other valuable items will be strapped to you at all times so there will be no worry about someone else picking them up.
• If you can’t live without your purse, do not – under any circumstance – leave it unattended.

If you do find that you’ve become a victim of theft and your wallet is gone, here are the steps that you should take to protect yourself from identity theft:

• Call the police – file a report with hotel security
• Call all of your credit & debit card issuers to cancel your cards
• Report your missing ID card
• Call the 3 major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and Trans Union) to request a fraud alert
• If you had checks in your purse contact the major check Verification Services
• Pull a credit report about 3 months later

Anyone can make a QR code using various free generators online. Such sites include, Kaywa, Qurify and Delivr. Check out the one that we created…go ahead, scan it and see where it takes you:

The QR code can contain contact information, or link to a website containing presentation slides, coupons or session summaries. These codes can be put on a number of items like business cards, flyers, TV commercials, emails and websites. Their placement and uses are limited only by your imagination.

A colleague shared the article “A Better Conference Experience” with our team last week. It provides an excellent scenario as to how QR codes enable conference organizers, sponsors and attendees to share enormous amounts of valuable information while onsite.

How would you use QR codes to further your attendees’ conference experience? Do you think your sponsors would be on-board with such a unique way of sharing information? What are some other apps that you’ve used while on-site?

This raises a concerning question about pet friendly establishments. Who keeps them in check when it comes to health codes and regulations, and how do we know if they are compliant?

Currently, there are no federal regulations that state whether or not your pet can dine with you. Local ordinances are the rule makers here. In 2006, Florida
adopted a “Doggie Dining Law”. This law states that cities can establish ordinances that allow the family dog (and ONLY a dog) onto restaurant patios (only if they do not have to travel through the restaurant to get there). Below are some of the conditions.

• Food service employees must not touch, pet or handle dogs while serving food or beverages
• Food service employees must wash their hands promptly after touching, petting or handling dogs
• Patrons must be advised to wash their hands before eating, and waterless hand sanitizer must be provided at each table

Dogs are considered man’s best friend, and some owners literally take them along everywhere. Hotels are catering to owners by opening their doors to travelers and their pets. Doing so increases the amount of time a guest stays in the hotel, and in turn increases revenue; however, the question that remains is who makes and enforces the rules?

A website for one hotel chain displays Terms and Conditions of staying with a pet in their hotels. Among those guidelines are rules including the requirement that pets must be on a leash when in public areas and are not allowed in areas where food or beverages are served. In addition, owners must pay for any pet-related cleaning expenses, and hang a “Pet in Room” sign which must remain on the door for the duration of their stay. After the guest’s departure, the hotel goes to great lengths to ensure that the room is allergen free. All bedding is dry-cleaned, the mattress protector is replaced and the carpet is heavily shampooed and vacuumed.

As meeting planners, we must step carefully when considering pet-friendly establishments. If you know that one of your clients has a pet allergy, it is important to contact your venue beforehand to find out their pet policies. While we give the chains credit for taking pet-related measures, how can we be sure that these steps are really being taken?

How do you feel about pet friendly hotels and restaurants? Do you consider booking pet friendly hotels or restaurants for meetings? If so, do you discuss the pet policies with the venue before signing a contract?

The Pickle, photo courtesy of www.ultimateculinary.com

Pickle, and don’t forget dessert from Yum Yum Cupcakes. This revolution is mostly with thanks to the Atlanta Street Food Coalition, who are trying to popularize and re-brand food trucks in the metro area.

Even in slightly smaller cities like Fort Worth, Texas, food trucks continue to rise in popularity with choices ranging beyond your standard taco truck to Holy Smokes BBQ (where they smoke all their meat onsite and provide homemade pickles with every order), and Il Cane Rosso, where you can get authentic Neopolitan pizzas.

Perhaps some of the most exciting things about food trucks aren’t just the lower prices and the ability to eat on the go from somewhere other than a drive-through. It’s about community and authenticity.

Neopolitan pizza from Il Cane Rosso

Restaurants are expensive to open and run, but food trucks provide a happy go-between for innovative cooks with delicacies to share. If you’re a germ-a-phobe, don’t despair. These new food trucks aren’t the Mexican taco stands you may associate with mobile food. Take a chance on entrepreneurship (and go off of recommendations).

photo courtesy of www.chicagoilluminatingcompany.com

We couldn’t agree more, even though so often budgets and regulations prohibit the exploration of creative venues. Three places we’ve previously reviewed as beyond unique are listed below.

East Coast: Old Edwards Inn
West Coast: Cavallo Point
Somewhere In Between: Blackberry Farm

Other venues we’ve come across in the last year are the Chicago Illuminating Company, exuding a modern, urban loft feel for your large one-night event, and the Inn at Lake Granbury for a retreat option with tons of amenities that can host a small to medium sized meeting.

We love a reliable Westin, but sometimes you want to break out of the box and feel a sense of place beyond a brand.

Google's Brainstorming Room

Even within office spaces, we love to see companies who make coming to work fun. Google’s Brainstorming Room is a great example of using space design to foster personal creativity, as is Gap’s Rubik’s Cube Room.

Have you had the opportunity to take a meeting or event somewhere particularly unique this year?

Gap's Rubik's Cube Room

As if flying isn’t complicated enough, now you have to remember to look beyond the simple airline flight number listed on your itinerary in case you might be flying on a code share.

‘Code share’ indicates when one airline sells seats on a partner airline flight and puts their own flight number on it. There are benefits with code share flights such as lower fares and the ability to acquire frequent flyer points with the airline it was sold as, but there’s also the risk of confusion. The biggest confusion for a traveler is which airline to actually check in with.

Airlines will want you to check in with the carrier actually operating the flight. The easiest way to identify who operates the flight is by looking on your itinerary or e-ticket for the words ‘operated by.’

Examples:
Itinerary shows AA1234 operated by United – check in with United (even though the flight number indicates American Airlines).
Itinerary shows DL2234 operated by Air France – check in with Air France (even though the flight number indicates Delta).
Itinerary shows US3345 operated by Continental – check in with Continental (even though the flight number indicates US Air).

Another way to know if you’re on a code share is to take a look at your flight number. If a flight number has four digits following the two letter airline code, it is usually a code share operated by a different airline. Airlines tend to use only three digits in their own flight numbers.

Code shares can cause confusion beyond just knowing which desk to go to. What happens if your flight is cancelled or there is a problem en route? Do you turn to the ticketing airline or the one you actually were flying on?

Technically, the airline that checks you in is responsible to get you to your final destination, regardless of whether the flight is a code share. Sometimes this becomes a challenge between the two carriers and leaves you stuck in the middle while the two airlines try to work it out.

Code share: Yet another great reason to book your flights through your travel agency!

*A special thanks to Michelle Reese, one of our in-house travel agents, who contributed this post.

Our company has blessed its employees with flexibility but are all things equal when telecommuting? We’ve put together a pros/cons list from those of us who do telecommute.

Pros

• Flexibility: Whether it’s throwing in a load of laundry while you’re waiting for an email, or being able to exercise since you’re not spending that time commuting, everyone agrees that telecommuting’s biggest asset is the flexibility.
• Financial: Have you seen the gas prices lately? And it’s not just gas; it’s the wear and tear on your car, the not going out to eat with friends every day, and the reduced need for so many suits and skirts. Your wallet, no doubt, benefits from the telecommute.
• Going Green: Commuting is talked up as one of the top contributors to air pollution, as more and more people join the work force and spend hours on the road. If you’ve ever rolled down your window while sitting in traffic on the highway, you can’t help but agree. There’s a reason people go camping–it’s the fresh air.
• Productivity: Most telecommuters would agree that without the constant distractions of a traditional office environment, they are actually MORE productive when left to their own devices, and find that they accomplish more in shorter time frames.
• Peace of Mind: Whether it’s to be at home when your kids get off the bus, or just the relief of not wasting two hours a day in traffic, your day is likely a little calmer than the average commuter.

Cons

• Flexibility: If you are a routine-type person, the flexibility of telecommuting may actually be an adjustment. Personally, I make myself get dressed instead of sitting in my pajamas, and had to settle into my own version of a routine, even if it didn’t involve getting in the car to go to the office. And if you are a Type B person, telecommuting may provide too much flexibility which translates into less productivity.
• Social: Telecommuting, no doubt, does take a specific type of person. You have to be content with the lack of daily face-to-face interaction with your colleagues. No, there aren’t spontaneous donuts waiting in the breakroom, and no miscellaneous chats at the water cooler.
• On-Call: Just as we list productivity as a pro, telecommuting also means it’s ten times more difficult to leave work at work and commit to normal hours. (But hey, maybe that’s a bonus for your boss!) A former supervisor always used to say, “The flight of stairs downstairs isn’t enough of a transition from work Amy to mom Amy.”
• Technically Speaking: You can’t walk down the hall to the IT department asking why your email archive folder is missing, or join the rest of the office in a coffee break when your internet goes down. No, you are on the phone with the internet provider or your IT rep begging for a solution.

When it comes down to it, you probably aren’t choosing to telecommute unless you have an arsenal of reasons that make it worth it, but what are your thoughts? Would you be well-suited to telecommute or do you prefer the traditional office environment?

• Know the timing. The Act doesn’t take effect until January 2012, and BillCooney’s article expresses the importance of using the next few months to prepare; we are already implementing systems for internal purposes (some of our clients already require compliance) that will serve as practice until next year when it’s mandatory.
• Transparency. I hate to tell you this in case it’s a shock, but it’s not just about compliance anymore. Because PPSA is a public, searchable database, as meeting planners we must work on creating both an accurate and positive reflection of client spending. Now is the time you may want to consider making changes to how you do business and how you advise your clients. Sunshine is not about regulating spending; it’s about managing public image.
• Create a disclosure policy. Not for your clients so much as your client’s clients: the physicians. They’re busy people, so some may need to be updated on changes in legislation or otherwise that directly affects them and their reputation. Even if you experience resistance from some, it’s better to deal with it head on than let them find out on their own later on.

As planners, we juggle plenty, and unfortunately the reality for most agencies is that keeping up with trends and legislation concerning our client industries is just one more thing.

A commemorative exhibit train will be touring the country and showcase rail travel over the decades, displaying memorabilia including vintage advertising, past menus and dinnerware, period uniforms and photographs. Amtrak will unveil the free exhibit at Washington’s Union Station May 7, with other programs and activities planned in cities throughout the country, including Chicago, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.

The exhibit will mainly focus in the Northeast, so if you live or plan on traveling to the area, check out the exhibit schedule.

1. Ability to provide the best options and prices. It is not just about price. Consumers should look to travel agents to provide the best overall solution to their individual travel needs.

2. Saving money. Value is what everyone is looking for, and this is where the travel agent can provide a discernible difference. By properly qualifying customers upfront, your agent can recommend relevant offerings and also provide cost saving strategies.

3. Product knowledge. This is the most important attribute next to the offering of pricing and product options. Travel agents can position themselves to be travel experts when they have the proper training and knowledge to back it up.

4. Ability to answer questions about safety/security. Travel agents can provide a terrific service to their customers by providing this information on a timely basis. Many sources are available; some good examples are: www.cdc.gov, www.asirt.org, http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html, http://travel.state.gov/

5. Saving time. The value of a travel agent is the ability to provide a personalized travel experience at the right quality and price and most importantly, saving time and energy for their customer.

So before you start surfing the internet for that great travel deal, consider all the benefits of using a travel agent.

[A big thank you to Cookie Jenkins, one of our Integress travel agents, who contributed this post.]

Lynne Pryor, our senior conference planner, shared her thoughts on how to be prepared for the unexpected.

EMERGENCY CHECKLIST:

• Start early, pay attention and monitor weather reports.
• Discuss the potential for emergency with your venue and review your force majeure clause; obtain venue’s emergency procedures in case the bad weather occurs during the meeting; distribute this to attendees so they can familiarize themselves.
• Maintain communication with airlines to obtain status of flights.
• Obtain local hospital and emergency medical facilities contact information.

Natural and sometimes even man made disasters are unavoidable, and one new organization that has come to our attention is helping individual families  find self-sufficiency in the wake of loss.

photo courtesy of Shelter Box USA

Shelter Box USA is a non-profit that provides an actual box of items that can help individuals and families sustain themselves during and after disasters. According to their website, the box contains supplies to aid an extended family of 10. While the contents are tailored to the type of disaster and to fit a region’s needs you will typically find the following:

• A tent: Fits up to 10 people in the event a group/family finds themselves displaced or homeless. The tent can withstand high winds, heavy rainfall and even has partitions that can be used to provide more privacy
• A smile: Coloring books and art supplies are provided for children who have lost everything.
• Warmth and Protection: Thermal blankets and water purification systems are provided to assist in the quality of living.
• Self Sufficiency: Basic tools are provided to assist in the improvement of their immediate environment. (Chopping a tree for firewood or building/repairing new structures)
• Key Items: Either a wood burning stove or a multi-level (can burn anything from paint to oil) is provided to boil water and cook food. Pans, water storage, utensils, cups, plates and bowls are also provided.

To help or contribute, visit the Shelter Box USA website to learn more.

How do you prepare for disasters at home or when planning a meeting?

Think about it: If you work at home for your own internet business with no employees and no boss other than yourself,  you sell your services to the clients that would hire you to provide internet services.  If you are a meeting planner in charge of the onsite execution of events, you sell your expertise to the customer so that they will continue to do business with your company.  From the CFO to the receptionist, everyone has a responsibility to sell.

From the accurate reconciliation of financial accounts to the friendly, proficient distribution of incoming calls, all require you to sell yourself and your company to the internal and external customers of your company.  So even though you may not have the actual title of a sales person, we all have a responsibility to sell in hopes of garnering new business for our company.

How do you sell within your particular job title?

[Special thanks to Brenda Wilson, Conferencing Marketing Director at Integress, who was a significant contributor to this post.]

That’s not to say we don’t occasionally dream about just buying a pre-built EMS that, while we wouldn’t necessarily have the flexibility to change things we don’t like about it, we would have it now, and we would have the peace of mind knowing it was built specifically by meetings planners for meeting planners.

There are many EMS options out there, including the big names like cvent, regonline and Constant Contact, as well as smaller companies that may be local to you, like SignUp4 is to us.

Do you use an in-house system or have you purchased one? What do you see as the pros and cons (if any) of the system you use?

Morning Birds are at their best from 7:00am – 1:00pm; Hummingbirds from 11:00am – 5:00pm and Night Owls from 2:00 -8:00pm. If you are a Morning Bird, don’t schedule an important client meeting for dinner; instead try for breakfast.  Schedule your most important tasks for your most productive time frame and recognize that your staff may include Morning Birds, Night Owls and Hummingbirds. We, at Integress, have two of each type on staff (and a couple who fall under several). In this case, a lunch time frame is best for everyone.

Which bird are you? Do you think utilizing this theory could help increase efficiency and productivity in your office?

[Special thanks to Trish Semones, Senior Conference Manager, who significantly contributed to the content of this post.]

Salad Starter
Crisp Romaine, Italian Vinaigrette, Tomatoes, Red Onions, Parmesan Cheese, Croutons
*Sounds ordinary? They shred the lettuce and the dressing is light but well incorporated into the entire salad. One of my biggest recent food pet peeves is those who seperate the salad ingredients on top of the lettuce; it may be pretty, but it’s harder to eat and the flavors don’t combine as well.

Side Star
Wild Mushroom Risotto
*Sounds fancy? Oh but please trust me. It’s creamy wile maintaining the integrity of the mushrooms, and it pairs great with just about anything. In fact, if I were to go back, I would just ask for a salad and risotto.

McKendrick’s is consistently ranked as one of the best steakhouses in the Atlanta area by the AJC and Zagat’s, among others. Definitely more of a special occasion place considering the prices.

McKendrick’s
Steak House 4505 Ashford Dunwoody Road
Atlanta, GA 30346
Phone: 770-512-8888

While the nurse spoke at length about water and staying away from the designated “malaria zones,” she also mentioned something that every meeting planner should remember too.

Bulk containers of juice or fluid are the most common vehicle for how germs and virus are spread on a buffet table. Now-a-days in this age of green and sustainable methods, many planners require that drinks be served in bulk.  In addition to morning juices, iced teas and lemonade are often served from large pitchers placed on the buffet tables or on individual rounds. When the fluid is replenished in these containers, fluid should never be simply poured into the existing containers.  Fresh containers should always be used to avoid any cross-contamination of the fresh liquid. 

Part of the attraction to individual drinks and paper cups is hygienic, but this can also give your meeting a large waste footprint.  We all want to ensure adherence to sustainability initiatives by placing re-useable items on the buffet, but it’s still important that think about the health of our delegates.  Never let your servers simply replenish the fluid in these containers (even if your delegates have to wait for a fresh container).  Always be sure to request a clean container for more beverage service. Often the complaint “must have been something I ate” could be “must have been something I drank off that wonderful, ecologically-correct buffet table!”

It’s not often such an influential voice in media (especially one who touts innovation when we’re so often considered part of the traditional realm) powerfully reinforces the need for “meeting fairies.” I’m seriously considering updating my resume.

• 2010 was still hard on a lot of folks, but it was one of our busiest and most productive years yet.
• We not only made it through the largest conference we produce and have been working on for more than three years (at over 1400 people, and internationally at that), but we did so with extremely positive feedback from both client and attendees.
• We’ve added staff members who have become valued assets to our team.
• Because of our busy load, it seems we’ve all learned a bit more about each other, our strengths and needs.
• After a year of what seemed like tons of traveling, I think I can speak for the team in saying we are grateful to be at home (or at someone’s home) for the holidays, and have a little time to rest and recuperate.
• 2011 looks promising.

What are you thankful for this year?

Learn more about the phenomenal things Epic Change is doing here.

The panel was a great mix of Atlanta-based agency-types that, while they all deal in social media, serve varied functions and were able to offer unique insight.

1. Don’t let your company settle for just having a website, said Scott Lockhart from Regator (@scott_regator). For instance, they have two iPhone apps, custom widgets AND a website. I would add that you shouldn’t just create media where there are no opportunities, as in make sure their is sound strategy for creating those interactions.
2. The paid->owned->earned model works great even on Facebook, said Yvett Evans from Vitrue (@yvettevans). Eighty-five percent of Facebook user time is spent on wall updates, and by gaining fans then placing client coupons/deals on audience walls, they have seen a 63% redemption rate, (pretty phenomenal if you ask me).
3. People like sharing that they’ve made a donation, said John Beisner from Twitpay, an Atlanta start-up that makes online and timely giving easy to do, as well as easy to share with friends, (a great thought in the wake of Nashville floods, Gulf Coast oil spills and Hurricane Katrina).
4. Invest in extensive tracking to understand your fanbase behavior so you can better incentivize them accordingly, said Caleb Clark (@wildfireplatform) from Mobilization Labs. Another great jewel from him was to always keep in mind that conversation, while vastly important, should always translate into action.
5. Advocacy drives sales, said Dave Rollo (@Rollo) from 22squared, a particularly striking message when dealing with SOCIAL media. You can’t just have one-way conversation with no back and forth, no reward, no incentives for both groups.
6. The value of a fan perhaps cannot be determined. Some monetize it to $2.27pf, others think value should be based on the fans number of friends/followers, and still others think it depends on the level of loyalty the fan creates.  (This was discussed during panel Q&A).

We are a meeting planning company, currently mostly in the pharma market, but looking to diversify. How would you use the tools we have at our fingertips to first find a targeted audience? Once we find them, I feel confident we’ll be able to rally strategy to build loyalty; it’s the first step that’s the most difficult. What would you do?

This is a snapshot of the client’s web site traffic for the first three quarters of 2010. You can distinctly tell there were three main meetings this year: The line starts high (first meeting was in early February), peaks in late February (second meeting in early March), levels out and then peaks again strongly in September (the third, and largest meeting). Now note how the site has seen a gradual decline since September…you know why? Because no more meetings have been published as upcoming.

If that’s not proof that meetings can fuel a company’s growth and brand awareness, I don’t know what is. To read more on the importance of meetings, go back and read our previous post, Do Face to Face Meetings Trump Virtual?.

Last week, I found a restaurant with garage-type doors for windows, so when the weather is sublime (like it is right now for instance), up the windows go to make the restaurant seem like an open-air market. The restaurant, Cheeky’s, is known for PYOB (pour your own beer) because several tables have built in taps that allow you to pour your own beer and it tracks your consumption automatically for billing. Ambiance? Check.

Cheeky Burger

The restaurant defines itself as a Mexican Taqueria but the flair and vast options will allow even those who aren’t into Mexican find something they can love. Wings, cuban sandwich and a great burger are all on the menu.

I had the Cheeky Burger which comes with a poblano slaw and avocados on top, and a drizzle of buffalo sauce, a surprising but well-complemented combination.

We also ordered the Taco Trio (one shrimp, one fish and one pork) which I understand all were perfect. I tried the pork taco, and the mango slaw calmed the spicy pork wonderfully.

Cheeky’s,  a find that’s a bit outside the city on the northside up in Suwanee and Cumming, is well worth the trip.

As we jump into Fall and begin getting our wits about us, we’ve been doing a lot of evaluating and organizing. Organizing our files, supplies, systems and communications. As event managers, an event management system (EMS) should assist in every facet of our job from sending RFPs to managing a room block to creating a seamless registration process. It should provide structure, control, customization and tracking tools to make our jobs easier and keep the business on track.

Some critical points to think about when building, buying or re-evaluating your current EMS.

• Efficiency. Does the system make business run smoother and more streamlined?
• Accessibility. Is it simple enough for even the late-technology adapters to catch on but complex enough to handle all your needs?
• Reporting. Does it allow you to pull custom reports, manage attachments, email streams and room pick-up?
• Quality Control. The EMS should create an environment, where as much as possible, mistakes are a thing of the past.

Do you love or hate your EMS? What are some critical aspects when determining if a system meets your business needs?

1. Develop a working schedule. Prepare a well-thought out timeline taking into consideration both the delegate and the client. In my experience (or all of our experiences), most delegates will wait until the last minute, but our job as the planner is to try to pique their hidden type A personalities out of hibernation and into gear.
2. Focus on strong, honest and positive-minded communication (especially in regards to point #1). Delegates don’t know what you know so let them in on the loop. Send reminders if registration is closing or to sign up for their satellite symposia. **This is one area social media turns your communication strategy from a caterpillar into a butterfly. Even blasting small updates to attendees on Facebook or Twitter not only helps delegates feel involved, but it also keeps your inbox from filling up with the same questions over and over. (PS You’re doing something wrong and/or not enough if you are, in fact, responding to the same questions over and over. It’s not them; it’s you.)
3. Implement procedures and tracking systems to enhance efficiency, follow-up and relationships. Keep extensive notes on correspondence or arrange emails in folders, whatever works for you so anyone can step in and see the status of this person or that person. (We’re a big fan of Excel spreadsheets. In fact, we hereby coin the phrase, “There’s a spreadsheet for that.”)
4. Finally, utilize the old divide and conquer strategy. Especially for larger groups, determine roles and responsibilities in order to best utilize everyone’s talents and time. Or even divide up the alphabet, whatever works.

What have I left out or what have you found particularly useful?

1. Will the enthusiasm last? One-shot events are great, but long-term committments are even better. Your staff will get to know and invest in the organization, the people, and the cause if they keep going back.
2. Convenience is the key (at first).  People have a lot on their plates. Volunteering typically takes the very back seat (you know, the one that faces the other drivers) so you have to be proactive in making the volunteer process that much easier for them to participate. The two biggest ways you can make volunteering more convenient is through location and timing. Present opportunities not just near work, but also near where your employees live. Weekends or lunch breaks are typically better, since everyone has so much going on weeknights. Even better, offer opportunities at multiple times with varying degrees of committment so people with different schedules can still participate.
3. Try something new. The impact on both those in need and those giving help is ten times greater if it’s not something you’ve done (or do) a million times a day, and not something that comes naturally. If you are meeting planners, (while giving back with your talents is wonderful), try digging up dirt in a community garden, or preparing food at a homeless shelter.
4. Pick something consistent with your corporate philosophy. While #3 suggests trying something new,  I still highly recommend choosing opportunities or partner organizations based on your corporate culture and what types of clients you serve. If you are a medical meeting planning agency, choose a partner who supports one of your therapeutic areas. If you are a meeting planner for clients in the entertainment industry, try finding organizations that support youth talents in music, art and film.
5. Meet with the organization you’re supporting. You want to be able to get a feel for their most urgent needs, what their goals are and how they treat their volunteers. Meeting those who train volunteers and run the organization is the single best way to determine if the match is a good fit.

What have you found to be critical in determining outreach partnerships?

A great start to the argument is reading a great blog post titled, “4 reasons your blogger outreach program shouldn’t be about leads” by Arik Hanson of Communications Conversations.

Professional (and even sometimes personal) blogging is far more than self-promotion. Or at least it should be.

• Community building: I agree with Arik that first and foremost blogging is about relationships. Building them, maintaining them, and finding them.
• Information sharing: Similar to relationships, blogging has become a prominent means of information sharing. You post insights and information that better your community, industry and readers. The free-flow of ideas is integral to business growth.
• Critical thinking: Just like in gradeschool, writing makes the writer(s) think critically about the subject in a way that no other exercise can. If you have the time and resources to get your company (or yourself) involved in a blog or other writing endeavors, I would venture to say that it would increase the critical development of your corporate output, as well as stand as a forum for internal (and external) brainstorming.

What have I left off of this list? Add your thoughts below.

So perk your ears hoteliers; here’s how to make all onsite experiences just as fantastic.

• Be responsive and be available. Don’t just take your on call cell phone home with you. Show up at the registration desk to ask if we need anything. Show up before the breaks to make sure they’re set, and before the meals. Keep showing up. This doesn’t get annoying to us, because odds are we’ll have something we need your help with and it’s so nice to know you’ll be back around rather than having to scrounge up your business card.
• Think like a planner. We will need onsite shipping capabilities and more than just a standard business office. Rarely will we only need to print an 8.5 x 11 black and white sheet of paper, and we’ll pay for service. Have other onsite professionals that can help us with pulling together the whole package–like a decor vendor, or an AV expert. Know that we will have a bunch of stuff at the registration desk so a nearby storage room or even placing the office close to the reg desk is preferable.
• Good food makes happy people. I understand you want to cater to the masses, but the masses are tired of chicken and steamed veggies. Most of our menus last weekend were Southwestern-inspired and not your typical safe option, but the delegates raved. You know why? Because they’re starved of flavor and creativity in their food. Wow them.
• Be invested. Another thing I loved about this property was the staff consistently produced options for us to where even the last minute details seemed weeks in the making. Suggest space alternatives, or decor enhancements. Anything to let us know that you are just as invested in this meeting as we are.

The culmination of all of these things is that teamwork and collaboration is key.

We think through your space so you should think through our program.

The best service is that which makes our lives easier to where our client and delegates see only a flawless execution (instead of a frantic meeting planner running around in broken heels). It can be done.

Of course two heads are better than one, we all admit this, but when it comes time to work on a key piece of the puzzle, we fight ourselves for the time, energy and creativity to get it accomplished. Why don’t we ask for help? Why don’t we practice what we preach and admit that we all have our strengths and weaknesses, and it’s okay–NO, it’s better to lean on someone occassionally?

Until we take a closer look at each team member’s passions, fortes and professional goals, we will never fully be a team. How can you accomplish all aspects of a project successfully and to its fullest potential without soliciting input from those you are supposed to be working with? You can’t. You won’t. You’ll fail.

And something I rarely hear touched on in regards to teamwork: Everyone must have their role and everyone must have their will. We know that each member will have certain responsibilities, but each member must also have a team attitude to do whatever is needed of them. When everyone knows their marching orders, is responsible for items that pull on their strengths, and refuse to use the words “That’s not my job” or think “I’m above that,” then, and only then, will you have a successful team.

Nestled in the town square of Decatur, the Brick Store Pub evokes fond memories of the TV show Cheers, where everyone knows your name and your drink of choice. An intimate, casual atmosphere calms you even before you enter the front doors–the outdoor patio is the perfect spot for sitting on a warm afternoon.

The service was different in that we didn’t seem to have just one waiter, but a variety of staff visited our table to check in and see what we needed or bring what we’d already requested. The choices were vast, especially if you’re a beer connoisseur.  I had wine, though, the Dupont Cidre Bouche which lilted flavors of tart grapefruit and white peach, making it (in my opinion), the perfect flavors to ring in Spring, (and reasonably priced too).

The food isn’t your typical bar food either. It may have started out that way, but the behind-the-scenes folks jazz up their recipes with creativity and spunk. Instead of your typical cheese dip, try their aged pimiento cheese with roasted red pepper coulis on a crostini. For an entree, Brick Store has something for everyone, whether you want a heaping salad or a savory burger; they’ve got your number.

Brick Store Pub
125 E Court Square
Decatur, GA
404 687 0990‎

In my experience, the standard greatly depends on three things:

• Industry type
• Client interaction/type of client
• Personal preference

Industry Type
If you are a graphic designer, you’re considered artsy and therefore allowed to dress weird or casual. In fact, I had an advertising professor who went as far as to say if we were going into an advertising agency, especially if we were applying for a creative job, the business suit is the death of you. However, if you’re an accountant, anything short of a suit is considered highly unprofessional. The questions come up somewhere in between a graphic designer and an accoutant.

Client Interaction/Type of Client
In my experience, the amount of time you spend in front of a client will directly affect how formal your business attire will be, as in the graphics guy probably doesn’t have a lot of direct face-time with the client, whereas Client Services might be meeting the client for lunch. However, still another caviat is the type of client, i.e. is it a Surf Shop or a Fortune 100 company? It’s appropriate to dress to fit with those you’re serving; it makes them feel more at ease with you.

Personal Preference
Regardless of all of the above, most companies these days are a little more relaxed about what you wear. Generally speaking, as you’d be comfortable wearing the outfit for lunch with your grandmother, you’re in the clear.

If nothing else, play follow the leader. Does your boss wear pantsuits while the rest of the office wears jeans? I would lean into pantsuits, (and vice versa as applicable). And think of attire as an opportunity to dress for the job you want, not the job you have.  Dress up, or down, depending on the position.

Does your company have an unusually flexible or strict dress code?

Overall, we were very impressed with Amelia Island’s sustainability efforts. In particular, their recycling efforts were amazing. They did back-of-house sorting, which would have to happen regardless and ultimately makes it that much easier for the delegates. In individual rooms bags were provided for can disposal, and they even had “recycling huts” sprinkled around the property, so that being environmentally conscious extended beyond the meeting space.

We’ve created an evaluation form which we’ll use henceforth during post-meeting follow-up with both our clients and venues. Take a peek on the Integress site, and leave your feedback below.

*isirv, as a medical association, was a particularly relevant client to institute these sustainability initiatives at their meeting. They’re proud to give back (and they didn’t even pay more to do it).

Intel hit backlash from some shareholders because, while they didn’t mind a combination of the two, quite a few shareholders wanted to keep the physical meeting on the table as an option. The article quotes a shareholder resolution that states, “Face-to-face annual meetings allow for an unfiltered dialogue between shareholders and management.”

I think this is the most important point to drive home. Accountability. Virtual accountability is a far cry from face-to-face questions that put management on the spot and make them own up to their strengths and weaknesses alike. Immediately.

And from our clients we’ve also heard that next to content, face-to-face interaction is the single greatest reason they attend meetings. Sure, you can host a web cast that provides a content-rich experience, and you can even initiate networking through Twitter streams and other modes (if your attendee base is tech-savvy). But you lose the magic of being in the same room with like-minded individuals that perhaps you only engage with long distance normally anyway.

Integress also experienced unusually low attendee engagement with web casts as an alternative to face-to-face meetings. One of our clients has a long history of scientific meetings that provide outlets for discovering and dispersing cutting edge information of timely topics that are well-covered by both the media and top scientists. You would think busy doctors and researchers would appreciate web casts that allow them to get more done in a day.

We found that when comparing web casts that offered similar information to face-to-face meetings held the same year, F2F stood out head and shoulders above…much to our surprise. We promoted both in similar ways, through eblasts, member updates, and on the association web site. The numbers don’t lie.

• After promoting the web cast series for 8 months, only 2% of the expected registrations were realized.
• After promoting the face-to-face event for 3 months, 100%+ of the expected registrations were realized.

This is only one instance in which F2F won out. And don’t get me wrong—I frequently participate in web casts and see the great value in them. I just happen to agree with the hard truth that hit Intel like a ton of bricks—F2F is not dead yet.

I would like to note that, as per the article mentioned, a coalition is apparently being formed to protect shareholder rights during virtual meetings. I can’t wait to see what innovations spring from that well.

I’ve found this especially to be true in the context of meetings. Delegates are away from home, mentally and sometimes physically exhausted from meetings, travel, networking, planning, you name it. Putting good food in their systems will turn that frown upside down in a heartbeat. And good service is an added bonus that, as planners, we put heavy emphasis on too.  Here are our top three group dining locations, in no particular order, that we can personally say job well done.

{The James, Philadelphia   http://www.jameson8th.com/   New American}
Run by a husband/wife combo, this intimate restaurant is perhaps unassuming for group dining, but for groups larger than 30, you can have the restaurant to yourself.  A combination of great service, elegant menus and a convenient downtown location made The James a big hit for us.

roast chicken entree, The James

{Il Gabbiano, Miami   www.ilgabbianomiami.com   Modern Italian}
If the season is right, and it usually is in Miami, Il Gabbiano’s covered patio overlooking the bay is the perfect spot for groups to relax and unwind after a long day. Again, the service was more than attentive, but the best part about Il Gabbiano was the bang for your buck. Before we even decided on what we wanted, a server placed some freshly-shaved parmesan on my bread plate, along with aged balsamic vinegar. Such a perfect pair by themselves, but out came a variety of warm breads and their famous bruschetta. These, all before our appetizers.  

covered terrace, Il Gabbiano

{Viognier, San Francisco   www.viognierrestaurant.com   New American}
A private room overlooking San Mateo served as a wonderful venue for a group of 30. Attached to both the main restaurant and a cooking store, Draiger’s Market, Viognier’s private room provided seclusion, excellent service (see a theme?) and impeccable food. My taste buds particularly liked the beef sliders for appetizers, the roasted quail entree and the sweet lemon sorbet finish for dessert.

private dining room, Viognier

• Clear the Clutter. This is the first step to a clear mind. Clear your desk; toss what you don’t need or haven’t used, and file what you’ll need to keep for reference.
• Sort through emails. Note that I didn’t say respond to all your emails. Studies have shown that the most effective way to get through the hundreds of requests sitting in your inbox is to devote a certain amount of time to read through them all at once. Tag the ones you need to follow up on and move to the next and file what doesn’t need attention.
• Make a list. As a veteran list maker, I understand not everyone is a true believer. Trust me, though, even if you don’t see the value in every day lists, right now is the time to believe. Write down tasks you’ve kept in your head and/or voicemails to follow up, and add to it as necessary. It will help to have a running list that you can reference and check off.
• Determine priorities. You may have things on your to-do list that can wait until you have time, and some that need more immediate attention. Organize your list accordingly so you can maximize your time and efforts.
• Chill out. It is the first week in January and everyone’s playing catch-up from holiday vacations. Give yourself and others some patience.

 From all of us here at Integress, we wish you a happy and prosperous New Year.

As a meeting planner, it’s just so nice to come upon a restaurant that knows how to handle groups. I’ve listed my favorite high points below.

• The staff was informed of our group, group name and dinner location, so attendees didn’t have to wander around aimlessly. A greeter met them at the door and escorted them to our enclosed, private patio.
• Stragglers were handled with ease. Even the latecomers were given smiles, a menu, and not rushed through their meals.
• Attentiveness with a capital A. We were given three attendants who handled our group of 30 flawlessly. They never let a drink get too low and kept a constant flow of food without being pushy. It felt casual and relaxed, but you were never wondering when the next course would show up.
• The food was traditional enough so even picky eaters could find something to their liking, but still their most traditional dishes had a flair that left you curious for more. I believe they call it contemporary southern–A fun mix if you ask me. They are known for their fried chicken, but let me also recommend their fried green tomatoes, barbecue shrimp skewers and spice cane syrup glazed scallops.
• The atmosphere was unbeatable. An intimate, enclosed and heated patio attached to the main restaurant (which is in an old, renovated house) overlooked the Midtown street and provided a private yet engaging space to mingle and catch up with colleagues whom, lately, you’ve only had the opportunity to ask about purchase orders. It’s the type of place you wear heels into but stay to relax.

A big Holiday Cheers to our friends at South City Kitchen Midtown. We honestly feel we couldn’t have chosen a better venue for our seasonal gaity.

Notables:

• MPI Dallas: The staff will be making donations of DVDs to provide musical comfort to the patients at Dallas’ Children’s Medical Center.
• MPI Global: MPI will make donation to World Vision humanitarian organization,  dedicated to tackling the causes of poverty & injustice.
• Plan Your Meetings (PYM) has been sponsoring UNICEF at all events this year, as well as a Book Drive for the LIVE ATLANTA Show.
• Some Fairmont hotels still participate in Room at the Inn, which assists travelers visiting ill loved ones in the hospital over the holidays.
• A donation to the Children’s Miracle Network will be given if you book your holiday party at a participating Marriott hotel.
• In lieu of client gifts, Rancho Valencia is giving to local charities who are focused on giving back to their hometown communities.

What are you doing to give back this year?

 Special thanks to the following Tweeps: @markkley @fairmonthotels @PYMzac @RanchoValencia @MPI.

The Old Edwards Inn and Spa seems the ideal place for specialty meetings, weddings, or just a vacation to get away from it all.

Meeting-Minded: With an Executive Conference Center for 125, and other event spaces (including an event terrace, a rooftop terrace, a stylishly appointed barn and a 1000sqft meeting room at The Lodge), the Inn can accommodate small to smaller medium sized groups comfortably.

Leisure Getaway: With on-property golf, fitness center and an award-winning spa, you don’t have to leave the property to get active or relax. And if you want to, the mountains offer a plethora of adventure, like hiking, fishing and mountain biking.

Unique Locale: The Highlands, NC area serves as an incredibly catered destination for many types of guests, including the outdoor enthusiast, the wino, the antique or fashion shopper, or the artsy type who likes museums and/or crafts. With an average 3000-person population, the Highlands is a hidden gem of sorts, with beautiful year-round seasons, waiting for you and your attendees to discover.

Notables: The Inn is on the National Register of Historic Places, and recently hosted Atlanta food and travel writers to experience the culinary vision of Old Edward’s Chef Johannes Klapdohr. The German born chef specializes in farm-to-table cuisine, and is guiding a sustainable vision to Old Edward’s eating venues. The Inn has also been featured in Executive Traveler magazine.

Just for Fun: I love that they have ongoing seasonal activities, and December is a great month to show this off. Some of their events this month are Herbal Christmas Ideas, Walk-In Wine Tasting and Gingerbread House Decorating.

Old Edward’s seems to be an underdog just waiting for its chance to prove itself in both the meetings industry and the luxury arena. See for yourself if you belong at the Inn: www.oldedwardsinn.com.

“Sustainability Clause: Integress Meetings and Events maintains a green initiative and requires the Resort to sustain and support its Green Partnership Program. The Resort further agrees to have the following practices in place:

• Energy Conservation: Lights to be turned off when meeting rooms are not in use, maids and housekeeping staff to pull shades and close curtains when cleaning sleeping rooms. To conserve energy, air conditioning and heating turned down while guests are not the room.
• Water Conservation: The resort will institute linen reuse program for guests of the meeting and provide notification to the guests at check-in, and provide notification cards in the rooms to create awareness and encourage participation by the conference delegates.
• Waste Management: Recycling bins placed in prominent locations in the meeting rooms, hallways, pre-function areas and sleeping rooms to encourage separation of trash for recycling purposes. Arrange to have all left over food donated to a local food bank or composted and donated to an appropriate location.
• Food and Beverage: All condiments and beverages to be provided in bulk containers, no bottled waters or individual juices to be provided for group food functions. Eco-Cuisine menus to incorporate local and seasonal foods wherever possible.

“Accountability Clause: Within 30 days of the conference, the resort will provide post-conference documentation outlining their adherence to the Sustainability Clause. Reports should include tally of guests participating in the linen reuse program; weight of waste recycled, composted and donated; and notification of recipient of donated food. If Resort is able to provide Eco-Cuisine we would like to receive identification of the local seasonal food vendor(s).”

• A supportive office family who allow each of us to excel in our own area without running around like turkeys with our heads cut off.
• Incredible vendors who bend over backwards for us and for our clients. In this business, we are only as good as our moving parts and we have some incredibly talented moving parts.
• Our clients who continue to trust in us to provide them with excellence and superior service every time. We thrive off of the challenges that only make us stronger.
• Another year in an industry that has been hurting. We know what we do makes a difference in the bottom lines of our clients and we’ll continue to set positive examples in our industry. And, we’ll keep our eyes fixed on the horizon where continued success is rising.

This post was created as part of a global groundswell of gratitude called TweetsGiving. The celebration, created by US nonprofit Epic Change, is an experiment in social innovation that seeks to change the world through the power of gratitude. I hope you’ll visit the TweetsGiving site to learn more, and to bring your grateful heart to the party by sharing your gratitude, and giving in honor of that for which you’re most thankful.

The answer? Later—Once I have saved up enough to cover the cost of food, despite the deceivingly low room rates. I didn’t scrounge around for the cheapest meal on the strip, (I knew where to find the McDonald’s), but I did stop for what I thought would be our “light” meal of the day only to pay an astonishing $30 for essentially two fast food meals. And the most expensive meal of our trip? The steakhouse left us both feeling empty: my steak was inedibly spongy in texture, with an au jous sauce (this should be a crime against beef), and my husband got sick later in the evening from his meat.

I’m not saying there aren’t places worth a few extra bucks but regardless, the food prices were disproportionate with the savings from room rates, which still makes Vegas a splurge location.

Don’t get me wrong. I love The Vegas. And I think even for meetings, it has a candle on the cake. I just don’t want you to be deceived by the hype. Vegas is the same old Vegas you’ve known and loved, and almost just as expensive.

Are you planning or have you recently planned a meeting in Vegas? We’d love to hear your feedback on bang for buck.

Some favorite apps from event professionals are listed below. We’d love for you to list your favorites (or ones that are not worth the time or money).

Organize
List Maker! allows users to create and keep up with multiple lists at once. So whether your To Do List, your Grocery List or even your list of login passwords is what you need help remembering, List Maker! allows you to customize just about everything. List Maker! requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later and is compatible with the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Find
Waking up in strange places is an occupational hazard. Get more familiar with your surroundings with AroundMe, whether you need a gas station, a Kinkos, or a restroom. And we love that it’s also free. No price can be put on knowing where you are.

Relax
Naturespace (and brother Thundergod app), allow you a little piece of serenity delivered directly through your earbuds. Forget the dinging elevator, or the crying baby in the seat behind you. According to the Naturespace blog, “Both apps are collections of carefully crafted ambiences designed to loop seamlessly and invisibly, creating a ‘steady-state’ holographic listening experience.” Still not convinced you need it? It’s free for your iPhone of iPod Touch.

Feed
Epicurious, another free app, came highly recommended by several industry folks. You can look up recipes, find specific restaurants, as well as get access to all the informative (and fun) articles on the Epicurious main page. Plus, I just like to commend people for being clever when naming their company.

Express
We must have our fingers on social media, even when we’re on the move. Facebook has a great app out, but there are tons for Twitter. Tweetie and Twittelator were two favorites.

Color
For the event creative type, myPANTONE has gotten incredible reviews. Not only can you extract colors from photos, but the app will generate complementary combinations, and allow you to email or upload palettes.

Which apps save you time (and make you happy)?

As a company,  our numbers were impressive for our first time in the game. Between two offices (Atlanta, GA and Hamilton, NJ), and around 80 full-time employees, we raised over $4,000. Our top two fundraisers garnered $760 and $610 respectively, and over half of our team raised in excess of $100 each. The grande prize you ask? A free vacation day. I think it’s fitting after the time committed to this volunteer cause. For our fundraising ideas and to post ones of your own, please visit our Pink Out post.

Please enjoy some snapshots of the fun.

1.  First and foremost, communication. Above all and in the top priority, we hereby promise to keep all lines open and honest so you know where we stand, what our expectations and goals are and the timeframe in which we think those can be met without sacrificing quality. We will answer the phone when you call and reply to emails when they arrive. You won’t have to call to check in or to manage our progress. We all have different methods to our madness—some cover their walls with post-its and some are take more mental notes—but we will remember.
2. Budget. The dreaded word typed out loud. We’ll tell you what you can expect for your money so you won’t be blindsided and can make important decisions appropriately, but push come to shove, we’ll meet or beat the budget provided in a quality and professional manner. No judgment here. Hey, everyone’s wallets are skinnier than we’d like and we really do understand. Plus, we don’t want to be the reason for your grey hair.
3. What we can control, we will. And sometimes, hopefully, before you even have to ask. Your worries can be met at the door with the warm-as-cocoa knowledge that we’re in your corner, and we’re doing every thing we can.

Don’t get me wrong. These are perhaps the most difficult aspects of our job, but the ones that are most important for our work and those we work with. We challenge you to figure out what it is you do well and maximize on it. Embrace it, (not like you would a teddy bear, more like you would a talent for jousting). Let us know what you think we’re missing or should add to our repertoire of focus.

• Spirit Show. The very first week of our campaign, we made pink ribbon cutouts to decorate our cubicles and our doors. Each team member received one as they joined the team, and the remaining were sold to others in the office who wanted to donate.
• Bake Sale. A great idea I got from a LinkedIn group member was to match up a bake sale with ACS’ More Birthdays campaign, however, we did a different take. On Oct. 1, to celebrate both the coming of fall and of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we hosted our bake sale selling our favorite fall treats. We had cupcakes, brownies, mini sweet potato pies and sausage balls. At the bake sale, we also accepted general donations in exchange for the pink ribbon cutouts.
• Pink Out Day. A week and a half before the walk we sponsored a Pink Out Day in the office and encouraged everyone to wear pink to show their spirit. We also provided pink treats in the breakroom, including pink fruit punch and sugar cookies with pink ribbon icing. Also on the table, we left cards where people could write the name of someone they would like to honor, as well as brochures with walk information.

Don’t get us wrong–It has been difficult to garner involvement, (we know, everyone’s busy), but creative measures that involved and excited everyone (did I mention bake sale?) have increased awareness and quelled some initial cautious associations with fundraising. Individual fundraising aside, our team has raised over $80 in two weeks, just inside our office walls.

The Atlanta Strides walk is October 24, and our Integress team continues to get more excited to support such a great cause as well as experience an opportunity to enjoy each other and each other’s important people outside the walls of work.

Everybody has their nest that makes them feel the greatest and most authentic

Photo courtesy of www.blackberryfarm.com

version of themselves (or who they want to become), and for me, the little girl from suburbia with aspirations of canning her own jams and learning the art of simplicity, a farm is my authenticity.

Blackberry Farm is nestled on a 4200-acre estate in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, and offers even the most discerning city folk plenty in the way of relaxation and luxury.

It is difficult to even capture the breadth of activity at Blackberry. As a working farm, Blackberry is home to livestock (including sheep from who farmhands gather milk for specialty cheeses, and chickens for farm-fresh eggs), an expansive orchard (with cherry, apple and crabapple trees), a garden that produces more than just flowers (think heirloom veggies and fragrant herbs), and plenty in the way of relaxation (including an upscale, Farmhouse Spa with yoga, a Lexus fleet for guest use, and innumerable outdoor activities).

I’m a wannabe foodie with so much to learn, and thus the on-property cooking school and wine cellar particularly appeal to my taste, especially considering the resources are, for the most part, home grown on the very property you cook on. The Blackberry Farm web site explains their food style: “Often described as Foothills Cuisine, it wanders the line between refined and rugged, borrowing from both haute cuisine and the foods indigenous to Blackberry’s Smoky Mountain heritage.” Talk about going green.

For more information, please visit www.blackberryfarm.com to step out of the box from your ordinary retreat at a chain hotel with a pool. Blackberry Farm waits as your excuse for adventure and renewal.

With over 5,000 signatures and as a feature at more than seven events, THE WALL (sponsored by Krisam Group and Global Events Partners) stands eight feet tall and 48 feet long and serves as a signature board and petition to the government and the media promoting the power and presence of meetings.

Beth Hamiroune, Vice President of Sales for Krisam Group and Global Event Partners and visionary behind THE WALL, said of her endeavor, “I want to send the President the biggest, boldest message, so he hears us.”

Endorsed by both MPI and the U.S. Travel Association, THE WALL panels read:

Dear Mr. President,
It is a monumental time and we have a bold message for Washington…
On the matter of meetings…meetings matter.
Meetings are a part of the solution, not the problem.

If only more people knew. If only more people knew that for every dollar invested in business travel, companies realize $12.50 in incremental revenue (according to www.meetingsmeanbusiness.com).

Also in the news, Senators Reid (D-NV), Ensign (R-NV), Martinez (R-FL), and Nelson (D-FL) have introduced Senate Bill 1530, “Protecting Resort Cities from Discrimination Act of 2009” to keep destinations like Las Vegas and Orlando from taking any further hits.

Keep America Meeting! has an online petition, and is also partnered with the US Travel Association. Their web site proclaims, “Meetings and events enhance employee and partner performance, fuel company growth and profitability, support the needs of local communities, and aid the American economy.”  

My question is this: Will these efforts make a difference? I often wonder if we will become a country so concerned about image that we forget to value quality. Please, tell us what you think.

photo courtesy of cavallopoint.com

Hands down, the one venue I can’t get out of my head is Cavallo Point Lodge, in the San Francisco Bay area, near Sausalito.

Though I’ve never been, I have tons of personal reasons for my interest, including that it’s been renovated from its former purpose as Fort Baker’s military post; the history buff in me both appreciates and desires to take part in the restoration of what once was and will now continue to be. The buildings retain their historical integrity while furnished with contemporary and sophisticated elements that bring them into this century.

The location really can’t be beat. Look across the bay for panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay or explore the village of Sausalito. Wine country and easy airport access are all within a short drive, and on-grounds you are sitting in the heart of the Golden Gate National Parks and have both a cooking school and a healing arts center and spa to keep you occupied. Everything is literally at your fingertips, whether you’re hosting a meeting for adventurists, winos or delegates who want to meet in the midst of inspiration.

I just finished a series on sustainability and I love that Cavallo Point is a model for green practices. U.S green Building Council LEED certification and the green Seal Environmental Standard of U.S. Lodging Properties are both pending in review of Cavallo Point’s sustainability efforts. Their reuse of historical materials, promotion of the preservation of local, endangered species, and partnership with other sustainability efforts, (The Institute at the Golden Gate and The Good Night Foundation), are all steps in the green direction. My favorite sustainability practice is their commitment to buy local, whether it’s food or wine. In a region with such culinary innovation, it’s exciting for tourists and planners alike to know that when you stay, you are involved.

Cavallo Point lists itself as a luxury resort hotel, so in spite of its incredible offerings to groups looking for an interesting destination to meet, I anticipate having difficulty placing a group there in the near future. Regardless, with a convincing list of reasons in hand, I will continue to hope for the perfect opportunity to place a meeting in such an extraordinarily unique venue.

Have you been to Cavallo Point, or do you have a suggestion for a future Destination Highlight? Comment below. We love comments.

There are a myriad of checklists for effective customer service. These are my contributions with a side of personal experience.

1. A machine just doesn’t understand. This is a personal pet peeve of mine. I automatically like a company less if I can’t speak to a real, living, breathing person within two, that’s right, two, automated menus. I understand you’re receptionist is overworked and tired of hearing the same request over and over again. Or for that matter, that it’s cheaper to record a message than to pay a receptionist. But believe me when I say, it’s not in the company’s long-term best interests. Whenever possible, have a person pick up the phone and direct the call accordingly. Technology has come a long way but people still reign.
2. Friendliness and helpfulness doesn’t mean you’re having a good day. If we’re really honest with each other here, we can admit that all days are not good days. Pay particular attention to your interactions on the less-than-good days to make sure you are still being respectful and helpful when necessary. Clients, vendors, even coworkers, shouldn’t feel the brunt of your bad day.
3. Honesty is usually the best policy. The most common reasons we lie: We don’t know the answer; we want to make ourselves look good; to avoid conflict. Everyone does it, but that doesn’t excuse it. In an increasingly technological society, whether you like it or not, word will get out somehow. Be honest about your experience—it will show if you aren’t and pay off in the long run if you are. Be honest about project status—if a client has ruled out a venue, let that venue know so they can move on. Be honest about your work—if you haven’t had time to (or forgot) to do something, you’re better off asking for more time than spinning a web that not even Charlotte could get out of.
4. Répondez s’il vous plaît. “Please respond” is a phrase that is useful for more than just head counts. We all know someone who let’s emails sit in his/her inbox, or still needs a second or third reminder to get back to you. Don’t be that person. Others are frustrated by that person. Mark your tasks on a list or set calendar reminders, whatever you have to do to remember to follow up.
5. Know to whom you speak or to whom you’d like to speak. This is a toughie for a variety of reasons, mainly because when you are just starting out with a client, vendor or company, things are still a little hazy. This is the time for questions. Ask, ask, ask and thus rid yourself from blame of faux-pas. If you’ve worked with the client, vendor, or company, leave the excuses behind. You should know who to speak with, what their job entails and who can get you what you need. The trick is to avoid wasting someone’s time and contributing to their practice of #2.

The bottom line is that businesses stay in business because they provide value to the customer (even down to the telephone operators and accounting department). Train yourself and your employees to respond with respect, in a timely, honest and knowledgeable manner. What are your suggestions?

Ask any lady in the convention industry and she will tell you that if you find a really good pair of tradeshow shoes, you will think you have won the lottery.

So you ask, what makes a shoe tradeshow-worthy? That is a trick question to start with because there is no such thing as a tradeshow SHOE!  Tradeshow SHOES are more the case.  Reason:  The shoes you start out with in the morning while your feet are feeling good and you are looking good are NOT the same shoes that will be your friend by 5:00 PM when you have 5 more hours to go before you can sit down.

The first key to a good tradeshow shoe is to have more than one pair at the ready. The second key is the order in which you wear the heel height. Say what? Yes, it makes a big difference!  If you are inclined to wear heels (nothing over 3” unless you are a glutton for punishment), then it is recommended that you start out with those in the morning.

For the afternoon of running around, trying to stay awake (you’ve been up since 5:00 AM), and putting out a multitude of fires, a really good low-heel wedge or flats are your best option. This will allow your feet to expand a little after being cramped in those cute heels from the morning.  For those of us who’ve been in the business for a while, going low-heeled was previously a fashion nightmare. Thanks to the shoe manufactures, we now have many options that are comfortable and cute. You can wear them all day―and they even carry well into the night for the dinner gala or simple networking at the evening’s special gatherings!

Here are a few of my favorites! And as a true shoe-a-holic, I welcome ALL recommendations and suggestions on finding more! Happy shopping! Happy feet! 

•  Tech-Support. Whether it’s an extra USB drive, phone charger, or a spare extension cord (which also happens to spare your budget), traveling prepared is key because we’ve all experienced that Murphy’s Law applies most often to our tech devices.
• Peace of Mind. We’re all a little different here but the general idea is that each of us requires something to keep our mind calm—be it Aspirin, an iPod or a good book. Going onsite is often sensory overload and you will need something to refresh and rejuvenate.
• Extra onsite documents. If delegates even take the time to look through their onsite packet, they’ll lose the papers or forget they even have them. Take extras because they will be asked for.
• Foot Fetish. On everybody’s list appeared a need for comfy shoes. You run, you stand, you walk, you explore, you run some more and then you drag yourself up to your room. Do your feet a favor.
• On a Personal Note. I wasn’t surprised by most of the answers I received but I did, however, get a chuckle out of the personal quirks my coworkers have. Almost everyone mentioned personal care items like floss or cosmetics, and two said they never leave home without Lysol wipes, (which is unusual but I like the thought). My favorite, though, comes from Brenda, (our saavy new business development manager), who claims her craziness by admitting she always travels with a bed sheet. I think they provide those at the hotels but there’s no judgment here—I carry multi-colored pens for color-coding my planner. We all have something.

Starwood’s Element Hotels are mandated to adhere to the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, but that’s only the beginning of their green efforts. With electric vehicle charging stations, all-saline pools, carpet made of 100% recycled content, and recycling bins in both guest rooms and public areas, eco-travelers are sure to be flocking once they are more widespread. Only four are open so far.

The InterContinental Hotel Group is promoting their new tool called, “Green Engage,” that is being used as the means to measure their hotel’s carbon footprint and offer suggestions on areas of improvement. They also recently opened their new global headquarters, reusing or recycling 91% of all waste in the process.

The two giants in a world evolving

Two chains stand out above the rest for their leaps and bounds toward sustainability. Marriott takes an ambitious stance to create eco-friendly hotels through their environmental strategy.

• Why they stand out: They have committed $2 million toward protecting rainforests to offset their carbon emissions, and guests can participate too!
• Approximately 275 of their hotels have earned the ENERGY STAR label from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency—the most of any hotel company, and The Inn & Conference Center by Marriott at the University of Maryland was the first LEED-certified hotel in the country.
• EcoEvents: This program provides planners the inspiration and resources to create the most eco-friendly meeting possible.
• Impressive Initiative: Marriott’s new data center is 220 feet below ground in a former limestone mine, allowing for cooling costs to be cut in half.

Fairmont Hotels has a very comprehensive Green Partnership Program that covers all the standard bases of conservation, waste management and responsible purchasing.

• Why they stand out: They have adopted the ENERGY STAR rating system for all of their U.S. properties, meaning they measure, track and benchmark the individual property performances against similar U.S. property types.
• Eco-Meet: Similar to Marriott’s EcoEvents, their program revolves around minimizing the effect meetings have on the environment.
• What I love about their web site: They give specific ways in which standards are being implemented. “The hotel installed a commercial water softener that reduced water use in the laundry to one wash and one rinse per cycle, saving 476,000 liters of water per day—enough water to supply 500 homes!”
• First to the Fork: Fairmont Hotels are the first hotel company to formally commit to using locally sourced and organically grown products whenever possible. I ask you, who doesn’t want to taste local, fresh cuisine?
• Partner Up: Fairmont is a member of the World Heritage Alliance (along with Expedia, to promote sustainable tourism), and the Green Meetings Industry Council.

I have to say that I was quite impressed with most of the major chains and their (at least proclaimed) efforts toward sustainability. I hope the bar is continually raised and met with enthusiasm. Please feel free to comment on your positive or negative experiences, or if you have questions on any of the content.

• Government: The Environmental Protection Agency’s US Green Building Council maintains a rating system for environmental construction named LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Very few hotels can claim LEED certification, (but we’ll name a few in our next post on Who Wears Green Best).
• Regional: Many individual states have implemented their own standards, and to view those you can visit this site. One state that doesn’t appear on this list is Georgia, which does in fact have a sustainability division called Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia; I mention this to point out that this list is a reference point, not the final word. Sustainability is a revolving door on a bandwagon. Even some cities, like Tampa, FL, are creating their own green standard, so make sure you investigate your area’s efforts.
• Independent Agencies: Just this July, AAA announced they will be including a new “eco” icon in their 2010 TourBooks to highlight hotels, motels and other lodging facilities that are green certified. The honor will be given only to those facilities that are AAA approved or Diamond rated AND a part of their state or a national green lodging program. This is significant not as much as a standard (since it relies on other certification programs), but as a step forward in promoting and making green travel easier. A Reuters article also makes a good point that “it’ll allow [green facilities] to stand out from the non-green options with which they stand side-by-side, cost-wise and even location-wise.” This, I’m sure, will make a great reference book for green-minded planners.  
• Perhaps the most relevant: The Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) is partnering with the Convention Industry Council (CIC), ASTM International and the EPA to create an industry standard for green meetings. Since ASTM is an international standards setting organization, the extra steps they require are expected to add “value, recognition and applicability” to the finished product. In addition, the US Government is anticipated to adopt the final standards also. In its completed form, the APEX standards has nine sections, and currently, drafts of those sections are posted on their blog for review and discussion.The most interesting thing about the standards is the inclusion of not only an overwhelming checklist of specifications per category, but, also in some cases, strategies for meeting planners as they relate to the specifications. In fact, consider these sections your real to-do lists, as it gives you tips on how to properly and effectively implement the specifications listed. The anticipated finish date of the APEX standards is the end of 2009. You can stay updated and review the current sections posted at http://wp.apexsolution.org/.
•  Some others worth mentioning: The Partnership for Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) with an exhaustive list of standards as it relates to tourism, but tend to be too broad for the likes of meeting planners. The International Association of Conference Centers has their own voluntary Code of Sustainability for their members and The Green Meetings Industry Council can serve as a wealth of resources for more information on the value of green meetings, as well as partners in your quest.

If I’ve left any out, please feel free to post a comment with the info. I’m sure everyone is more than happy to keep learning. And don’t miss our next post Friday on Who Wears Green Best.

Sure, sure. That’s what people say in surveys. But the truth is that going green is still hard to sell if it affects the bottom line. A meeting planner’s thickest armor in this battle must be his/her creativity to get the job done in a way that pleases both client and agency. It’s the whole two-way street thing.

This is the first in a series of three posts about what I found to be the very meat of what planners and travelers alike would want to know about going green. Fasten your seat belt and pull up a chair.

Abbreviated Tips

Take a deep breath. There are literally hundreds of ways to make your meetings and your travel more environmentally friendly, and ways that don’t drastically hurt your bottom line. Here are some of the easiest and least disruptive ways to be more eco-responsible.

• Reuse lanyards, plastic holders and signage.
• Communicate your eco-desire to reduce, reuse, and recycle with the venue. Some specifics they can help you with:
  • Request menus using seasonal, local-grown foods. This is a grand daddy of habits for several reasons: 1) Allows attendees to taste local flavor, 2) Should cut your costs because you aren’t paying for shipping of the food, 3) You aren’t supporting the transportation emissions it would take to ship food from elsewhere.
  • Donating leftover food and flowers. (Hint: You could even ask your client if they have a preferred local charity.)
  • Serving all beverages in pitchers, including water—c’mon, does it really taste that different in bottles?
  • Providing condiments such as sugar and cream, in bulk containers.
  • Request that all lights be turned off in the meeting spaces when they aren’t in use.
• Choose venues that have made a similar commitment to being eco-friendly. (Hint: See Friday’s post on Who Wears Green Best for guidance here.)

Thinking Bigger

There are some big ways you can offset your meeting’s footprint too. According to www.expedia.com, “a typical roundtrip cross-country flight can release around 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per passenger” which means that carbon offsetting programs can be a crucial part of your greening policy.

TerraPass is one program that allows you to offset your carbon emissions, and monies go toward funding clean energy, farm power and landfill gas capture. For more information, visit http://www.terrapass.com/business/. The Green Meeting Industry Council also has a link to ClimateTrust.org which allows you to fill out all the details of your event to calculate your meeting’s total carbon footprint.

You can also get more creative with transportation, depending on the location of the meeting. Recommend attendees take transportation that is native to the area, like a streetcar or train ride, and you can even explain how much greener mass transportation is.

(Hint: People like numbers. Have a thank you card waiting in their room, and mention the amount of emissions that were saved on their trip alone because of their willingness to ride with others. This promotes your greening efforts and let’s be honest, people like flattery.)

Next in our series is Wednesday’s post Unraveling Sustainability Standards.

What we want you to know about us

• We’re serious about what we do. Very few of us work the standard 8 hour day, and all of us are engaged in our industry in various ways. When we write about meetings, we try to stick with what we know and what we do well. No one wants helpful hints from the intern.
• We love people. In this industry, you have to. We welcome you to find us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to continue the conversation and relationship in other realms. Or call us. We still keep phones on our desks too.
• We believe in collaboration. While we write what we know, there will always be room in our space for differing ideas. Comments are enabled on this blog for that very reason. Open feedback makes us all stronger.

Next week, we will be jumping in and starting off with something that has been all the buzz in our office, and the industry also. The first in a series of three posts will highlight what going green means for meeting planners. We hope you’ll stop by Monday.