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Friday, 01 May 2009 00:00 |
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Special D Events has many corporate events scheduled nationwide in the coming weeks, and we have NOT experienced cancellations in registrations/RSVPs due to attendee concerns over N1H1. However, as professional meeting planners, we adhere to the Boy Scouts’ motto, “Be Prepared.”
Consequently, our staff outlined the steps we are taking to respond to this situation. If you have a meeting, conference or event in the coming months and would like to review our preparedness plan, please call Carol at 248-336-8603.
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Tuesday, 28 April 2009 00:00 |
Looking for an alternative event venue for your non profit or community event? We are currently investigating the use of a high school for a client's membership event. It's non traditional, for sure. But, it offers the breakouts (classrooms), general session (auditorium), and parking we need. If you can get the school administration to agree, it will generate much needed revenue for them and offer you a cost effective solution.
Another option? Many cities have recently built "mega" churches designed to accommodate hundreds of people. The facilities often have rooms available for use as breakouts, kitchen facilities and -- in one case I know, even an in house Starbucks! Plus, they are usually available during the week. Again, it is an unusual partnership but one that could definitely be a win win.
-- Carol Galle, CMP |
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Friday, 24 April 2009 00:00 |
Ok, maybe it has something to do with the fact that spring has finally sprung, but I'm thinking barbeque! If you are looking for an interesting teambuilding event, linvite your group to "Barbeque School". We will bring in a local celebrity chef to demo various grill techniques, offer tips for better barbequing, have a sauce tasting, pair food items with microbrews from the area, and generally have a great time. Great for teambuilding and networking.
Cheers!
-- Carol Galle
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Thursday, 09 April 2009 00:00 |
Does anyone carry cash anymore? I don't. My debit card does the trick -- except when it comes to cash bars. I had a client ask me the today to arrange for a credit card machine at a cash bar, and the hotel thought I was crazy. I agree, it could slow down the process at the bar, but I can understand her interest in pursuing this option.
Anyone want to comment?
-- Carol Galle, CMP |
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Thursday, 02 April 2009 00:00 |
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What do YOU take on site to manage a meeting? Special D Events' "take box" ranges from the obvious (post it notes) to the unusual (bug spray). You never know what your attendees or VIPs might need on site, and it pays to be prepared. So, while extra office supplies are to be expected, here are a few the more unexpected items we bring along:
Lint roller, extra Palm Treo stylus, hand sanitizer, acryllic nail "glue", velcro, Shout handiwipes, breath mints, area map, sunscreen and batteries.
What about you?
-- Lindsay Krause, Event Planner
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Monday, 16 March 2009 00:00 |
Looking for an example of how to use Twitter for events? I just attended Detroit's St. Patrick's Day Parade and a light bulb went off. Parade organizers could easily and cheaply use Twitter to enhance the parade-goer experience. Imagine that one of the first few floats included a sign that said: Follow us... www.twitter/XYZ parade. Or, if that offer was printed on the backs of parade staff t-shirts.
Organizers could send out tweets with practical tips (e.g., "plenty of parking still open at lot on Michigan and Trumbull", or "grandstand seats available in front of Moe's Bar", "No wait at the restrooms near Burger King", or parade-related info (e.g., "Kids, keep an eye out for the Four Seasons Greenhouse float - they are tossing candy", "Give a special shout out to the band from Fitzgerald High, they just won a regional competition".) The opportunities are endless. It's a great way to connect parade goers, get them involved in the event, and improve their overall experience.
-- Carol Galle, event planner & parade fan
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Thursday, 12 March 2009 00:00 |
Well, it's really true what they say... It's an honor just to be nominated. I just learned that Special D Events has been named a finalist for "Michigan's Best Meeting/Event Planning Company" award. Thanks to our Michigan clients and colleagues who cast their vote for us.
Wish us luck on May 13 when they announce the winner!
http://tiny.cc/428gb
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Thursday, 05 March 2009 00:00 |
A new study by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research has put a price tag on the value of exhibitions.
CEIR’s Cost Effectiveness of Exhibition Participation study determined that it costs about $215 to make an initial face-to-face contact with a customer at an exhibition. Included in that cost is exhibition construction, storage, exhibit space, transportation, salesperson salary, travel, and entertainment, according to the report, conducted for CEIR by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Travel and Tourism Center at the University of South Carolina. To make that first meeting with a potential customer in the field without an exhibition lead would cost about $1,039. Breaking it down, the researchers found that it costs an average of $596 to contact the prospect in the field and $443 to identify the prospect prior to the sales call.
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Friday, 27 February 2009 00:00 |
I just attended a great seminar on Twitter presented by PRSA and the social networking team at General Motors. Fascinating! There are so many applications for those of us in event planning. I think the bottom line is that people are going to talk about your event whether it has a Twitter presence or not, so event planners might as well get in the game. This is no fad, and so event planners need to stay ahead of the curve on this one. So, here at Special D Events, "we're on it!."
-- Carol Galle
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Monday, 09 February 2009 00:00 |
Enough already. Not every corporate meeting or event is a boondoggle.
While I agree elected officials should not be sunning themselves in the Caribbean at the taxpayer's expense, there is considerable value in face-to-face meetings. Meetings, events and travel can be strategic cost effective ways to retain and develop employee talent, build engagement, generate ideas, and share knowledge that drives business growth.
Unfortunately, because a few U.S. executives displayed incredibly poor judgment by hosting flashy gatherings while receiving federal bailout funds, our industry’s reputation has taken a significant hit. According to the U.S. Travel Association, meetings and events are responsible for 15 percent of all travel spending and generate more than 1 million jobs and nearly $40 billion in tax revenue. Yet the Labor Department reported a loss of 200,000 travel related jobs in 2008, and Commerce Department data predicts a loss of an additional 247,000 travel related jobs in 2009.
Today, the US. Travel Association, in cooperation with Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and seven other industry associations, took a bold step to protect those of us in this industry. At a Washington, D.C. press conference, they issued a set of model practice guidelines in response to recent draft U.S. Treasury regulations on incentive, meeting and event expenditures. Rather than wait for the Government to impose guidelines, the USTA presented this model set of guidelines to serve as a best practice benchmark.
I urge my fellow meeting and event planners to visit the U.S. Travel Association’s website (www.ustravel.org.) become familiar with these guidelines, and consider their specific implications, if any, on your clients. This is your opportunity to provide your clients the benefit of your professional skill set with insights into this critical, high profile matter.
We must continually demonstrate the strategic value of meetings and events and help our clients make rational, responsible decisions. Forgive me one more metaphor, but we cannot stand by and allow our industry to become the sacrificial lamb of this recession. Meetings mean business. Let’s prove it.
-- Carol Galle, CMP
President, Special D Events
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Tuesday, 30 December 2008 00:00 |
Recently, I signed up for a one day conference on line and was asked to provide my emergency contact information. After weeks of holiday shopping and enduring the barrage of sales people requesting my home phone number, my first reaction was to leave the field empty. However, upon further thought I realized that providing this information benefits both myself and the meeting planner. Emergencies occur whether it's at a weeklong conference out of town or an afternoon meeting near home. If it happened to me, I would want my family contacted immediately.
At Special D Events we always have a very detailed crisis management plan including every possible mode of contact for all of our vendors, clients and co workers on site. So, why not have the emergency information for our attendees as well? After all, we are accustomed to handling sensitive information such as credit card numbers and internal politics so what’s one more nugget in the name of safety? Whether it’s a peanut allergy or a natural disaster, unexpected incidents are bound to occur when the masses gather. Therefore, we at Special D Events fully support this request for information on registration forms.
-- Lindsay Krause, Event Planner
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Tuesday, 19 August 2008 00:00 |
In a recent article, Forbes magazine had this to say about voluntourism: "There comes a point — generally when you’re on your third margarita, sunburned over 60 percent of your body and the kids are screaming in the infinity pool — when you start wonder if there is more to the whole vacation concept than lying on a beach getting toasted."
That sentiment has led more and more vacationers to consider trips that have some altruistic aspect. You can help clean up a beach in Aruba, read to underprivileged children in Mexico, or volunteer at Yellowstone National Park.
Here at Special D Events, we see the voluntourism trend affecting our corporate groups as well. Volunteer projects are great for teambuilding and they support a company's desire for corporate social responsibility. Recently, we have helped executives build bicycles for children, and coordinated a speed shopping trip for employees to purchase and pack items for distribution at local food banks.
Everyone loves the occasional margarita (or two), but I have to say, this feels a lot better the next day!
-- Carol Galle, CMP
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Thursday, 22 May 2008 00:00 |
Bravo Christopher Illitch! Michigan will benefit not only from the increased revenue, but also from the long term goodwill generated when meeting attendees realize what the Detroit area has to offer. http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880520034
-- Carol Galle
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Thursday, 15 May 2008 00:00 |
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As a provider of destination management services in Detroit, Special D Events staff can’t wait for September 2008. That is when the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport will open a new North Terminal, replacing the older Smith and Berry terminals. If you have traveled through Smith and Berry recently you understand why this is so important for Detroit. ‘Nuff said.
One interesting note: the North Terminal will be the first terminal designed and built in the U.S. since 9/11. So, instead of retrofitting old space to meet new guidelines, the North Terminal was conceived with these new rules in mind. Getting through security should be much easier Detroit than in other cities.
When you consider the fact that Detroit’s other terminal (McNamara) opened in 2002 and still looks great, we will make a great first impression on the world. So, what are you waiting for? Come check us out! Life is good in The D.
-- Carol Galle, CMP
by admin in General |
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