General

Remember when phones were just phones and computers sat on a desk? Now we bring our computers everywhere and use our phones to check our email or find directions to where we’re going.  Technology is advancing faster than ever and there is always some great new way to be more efficient.

As a professional person, I appreciate the progress. There are certainly benefits to being able to bring your work with you and make a coffee shop your office for a few hours. I love emailing and prefer that to conference calls, and research is so much easier when you can just Google it.

There are a few hazards with these advances, too. As a conference planner, technological advances like virtual meetings and conference calls have certainly made things more convenient and often more cost-effective. But there is no replacement for face-to-face meetings. There is great worth in getting people together in a room to discuss important issues. The human interaction, networking, and idea  and information sharing that happens at most conferences is much more valuable than giving updates in 140 characters or less.

Time is precious, time is money.  So it goes.  I suppose that is true for everyone, but for meeting planners trying to shoehorn a five day conference into a Monday arrival-Tuesday departure, time is more precious than basketball all star LeBron Jame's new contract.

Time is always at a premium, but at Special D Events we have a few tricks to buy precious minutes in a compact meeting design.

One thing we do is to publish profiles and photos of conferees in a directory that we distribute ahead of the conference.  This speeds up networking, because people can sort out ahead of time those whose experience, current role, and expertise will make for a worthwhile contact.  In fact, we sometimes set up a "speed-dating session," a session early in the conference where conferees can meet five or six selected from the preconference directory in quick, ten minute "dates."

Another thing we do sometimes is send out conference presentations in advance, in either PowerPoint or video and PowerPoint, so that attendees can view them in advance.  At a two day conference, this facilitates the design of highly interactive sessions, where most of the time is spend in discussion rather than lecture.  Posting the presentations on the web for downloading to registered conferees with a password is another way to make this work.

Another thing we do, in the instance of an offsite conference segment, such as a factory tour, is what we call "presentation on a bus."  We put conferees on 55 passenger luxury motor coaches with video and PA systems and have speakers deliver background and set-up information while the coaches are in route.

There are numerous other tactics that we use in squeezing out precious minutes at a short conference, but what about you?  Have you any time saving tricks that you use or have experienced that you can pass along?

If so, please enter your contributions on this blog.  Meeting planners need all the help they can muster!

Sometimes being an event planner is a bit like being a doctor. Once people find out what you do for a living they immediately say, "let me ask you something..." insert event question. While we are not diagnosing the general population's ailments, we are helping people of all sorts avoid mishaps and pitfalls BEFORE they occur one event at a time.

Here are some novice mistakes and pointers from a planner's perspective:

1. Always, always, always order more than you need if possible. This goes for food and beverage, chairs, linens, graphic design materials, etc. Keep it to inexpensive items-there's no need to hire an extra band! But, people spill, items get lost and things get damaged. Anything you can do to give yourself a little wiggle room will result in a better event.
2. Don't forget the spouses and significant others for social events! When creating your guest list remember to include spouses or guests of those people you are inviting. It's polite to allow guests to bring a date so they do not have to attend alone.
3. A second pair of eyes never hurts. Even the most seasoned editor misses things once in a while. Ask a colleague or friend to review a plan, strategy or printed piece before finalizing it and they may notice something you did not.
4. Think ahead. Keep a list of phone numbers handy. Map out a plan B and discuss worst case scenarios so you are prepared if and when things don't go as planned.
5. Be flexible. Try to be open minded with your vendors and they will do the same in return. The result will be a team effort that shines through on event day.

Congratulations to the winners of the 32^nd Annual EMMY Awards.  Special D Events was proud to help coordinate your gala celebration this past Saturday at the Royal Oak Music Theatre.  Good people making great TV...

Get ready, Detroit.  The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) recently announced plans to hold its 2015 annual meeting and exposition in Detroit.  "This Super Bowl of all conferences" will generate thousands of room nights and untold revenue for the city.  But, these aren't just any conventioneers - they represent the future for Metro Detroit's hospitality community.  Approximately 25% of the conference attendees typically return to the host city with their own conference.  Even ASAE members who do not attend the conference often view the association's choice of city as a stamp of approval.  Thank you to the Michigan Chapter (MSAE) for all your support.

I have been producing events professionally since 1970, and I have learned a lot in that time, but there is one thing I still do not understand:  Why do so many companies that have no professional, internal event staff or conference bureau prefer to have major company conferences and celebrations handled in-house?

I am not a CEO or CFO at one of these companies, but if I was, I would certainly challenge the managers who make such decisions.  Why?

Number one, because internal administrative people, particularly those with a lot of seniority, cost more per hour in salary and benefits than typical agency CMPs (Certified Meeting Planners).

But even if cost per hour were comparable (and, believe me, it's not), it still makes more sense to go outside for another very important reason:  an experienced meeting planner who does meetings every day can get the job done in fewer hours than even a very competent admin who plans events only occasionally.

Not only that, a full time meeting planner will have a solid network of supplier and venue contacts and plenty of  negotiation experience.  An admin who only occasionally plans meetings will not.  To put it another way, who is more likely to negotiate a favorable hotel contract for you, a CMP or the Manufacturing VP's staff supervisor?

And let's not forget about quality!  CMPs create events that measure up to professional industry standards.  Does a Marketing or HR administrative assistant who must deal with the complexities of marketing and HR every day have time to think about what the proper ratio of people to square footage of floor space for a reception might be?  Or what size rear projection screen to order for an audience of 500 seated chevron style in a convention hall?  Maybe some do, but more likely, most don't.

Yes, if I were a CEO or CFO at a company holding a significant sized meeting produced internally, I would definitely ask my managers why they decided to do it themselves.  I would ask:   "Who was doing Sarah's or Sam's regular job while they planned the conference?"

Some might argue that many meetings, particularly internal employee and management gatherings, deal with confidential information, or that "our company has unique personnel, culture, policies, and values that an outside agency just can't handle."

To the first objection, I offer two words:  "Confidentiality Agreement."  To the second, I say:  "Are you kidding?"  CMPs are pros.  They can and do work with any number of unique organizations very successfully every day. 

But if you are still not certain, Mr. CEO, that an agency is up to the challenge of serving your very special people, pick a good agency, break it in over a year or so, train it, and then, after you sign it to a multi-year contract, you'll never have to worry again!

Like I say, I am not a CEO, and I dropped out of an MBA program after three days, but if I can see the cost/benefit advantage of hiring top flight agency professionals to do the essential job of meeting planning, why can't a guy who graduated from a Stanford, Harvard, Michigan, Texas, or any number of other great business schools?

Is there something I'm missing here?  What do you think?  Please help me out.

Mike Galle
Executive Producer/Creative Director
Special D Events, Inc.

• Recite your company's elevator pitch in your sleep
• Have physically groveled for bubble wrap
• Reach for your badge scanner at cocktail parties
• Tried to tip the dog for bringing you a chew toy
• Have sold your soul for spare batteries or a light bulb
• Have kids who are suspicious of toys that don't have a corporate logo on them
• Eat "lunch" out of a booth candy bowl and dinner at Capital Grille

Attention exhibitors! Do you have any other examples to add??

I attended a meeting today in which the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority (DRCFA) provided updates on the Cobo Hall renovation plan.  The future looks bright!  In addition to structural enhancements, it's clear that a cultural change is in the air.  The transition team is taking great care to build a facility that will be customer-friendly, perhaps setting new standards nationwide.   

To stay current on DRCFA's plans and progress visit their new website:  http://www.drcfa.org/