Meeting Planner Resources Many meeting planners and speakers bureaus we have worked with in the past have become friends; We know how stressful corporate event planning can be. We hope this will be a great resource for you. Award winning Keynote and motivational speaker Garrison Wynn, CSP is a Houston based professional public speaker renowned for his dynamic blend of humor, customized content, and research into what the most successful people do differently. View Video segment

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Clare Sullivan, CEO of the Houston based Sullivan Group was featured in The Houston Business Journal with some great tips for professional event planners:

1. Dont book too much space. Looking full is preferable so that it does not appear that the host threw a party and nobody came.
2. Understand the objective before planning the event. A successful event for a few key people is more valuable than a lavish affair for 1,200
3. Provide a program so attendees know what to expect, but have an element of surprise.
4. control sequencing and timing. Events should move briskly without appearing to lag at any point.
5. Focus on the total experience, not simply bringing in name entertainment and 10,000 balloons.
6. Control both event costs and potential liability, especially during the holiday season. Reserving several sedans can ensure that all guests return home safety
7. Make corporate events more than a party by turning them into significant branding opportunities

   " From the small event to the outsize extravaganza, event planning is both an art and an exacting science where success is made of shattered in the execution of even the smallest details." ~ Clare Sullivan

Houston Meeting Planner Resources

Greater Houston Convention and Visitor's Bureau
http://www.houston-spacecityusa.com/meetingplannerdisplaylist.asp?category=24

Video
Doug Via
Excellent Resource to shoot your video and edit it.
DVMultimedia, Inc.
www.dvmultimedia.com
972-840-0920 - O
817-688-3836 - C

VT2 - Recently featured in Houston Business Journal. Won bid for MPI promotional video.
http://vt2.com/u0803/home.html

National Meeting Planner Resources

SelfGrowth.com
SelfGrowth.com is the most complete guide to information about Self -Improvement, Personal Growth and Self Help on the Internet. It is designed to be an organized directory, with articles and references to thousands of other Web Sites on the World Wide Web.

Meeting News Search through more than 40,000 hotels and other conference centers and 30,000 industry suppliers for free-using the MeetingNews.com search engine
http://www.meetingnews.com/meetingnews/business_resources/index.jsp

Meetings & Conventions Magazine
http://www.meetings-conventions.com/
Another good resource for all the meeting professional's needs .Successful Meetings

http://successmtgs.com/successmtgs/index.jsp
SuccessMtgs.com is dedicated to serving the needs of meeting planners online. As an extension of Successful Meetings magazine we feature their in-depth coverage and analysis of key issues affecting the meetings industry. In addition, we offer breaking headlines and numerous web-enabled business resources, such as our interactive online Sourcebook, that make this your one-stop center for meeting planning information.

BEST FREE stress reduction information with a special section for meeting planners
http://www.estress.com/

B-There.com
http://www.b-there.com/default.asp
The only fully-integrated system providing e-commerce solutions for meeting planner and event organizer. The system saves time, money and offers revenue- generating opportunities.

BigYellow.com
http://www.bigyellow.com
Find People, Businesses, Global Directories. Find almost anyone with the click of a button! Also news, weather, conference venue and travel information.

Corbinball.com
http://corbinball.com/
The Meeting Technology Headquarters: The worlds most comprehensive site about meeting planning and events technology.

Equipment rental.com
http://equipmentrental.com/
Equipment and rental rates, availability, and more.

Rental Site
http://www.rentalsite.com/index.php3/view_all/show_Special%20Event/

GuideStar Communications
http://www.guidestarco.com/
Meeting Productivity Process (MPP) assists meeting managers to improve and measure the results of their large group meetings. For over a decade, MPP-driven meetings have produced dramatic measured meeting results.

HotelGuide.Com
http://www.hotelguide.com/
Find accommodation anywhere using Hotelguide. The largest hotel directory on the internet. Includes Hotel Discounts and Golf Courses.

HotelResource.com
http://www.hotelresource.com/
A hotel and hospitality industry resource, all of hotel and hospitality on the web. Featuring industry links, latest news, events, job opportunities and more.

Infolab.com
http://www.infolab.com/
Now called e-mark solutions. High velocity lead generation and tactical marketing services.

MeetHead.com
http://www.meathead.com/
This is the web resource for meeting planners and the suppliers that service them. By utilizing MeetHead's online accounting, calendering and management tools, meeting planners and suppliers are able to communicate directly as well as negotiate, contract and coordinate their business real time.

Meetings 411
http://www.meetingsfocus.com/default.asp?from=411
A premier tool for meeting planners. Search for Hotels/Venues, suppliers, create and send RFP's, and reverse auctions. Also Features SPA Meetings!

RSVP Service
http://www.rsvp-america.com/

Specialeventsite.com
http://www.specialeventsite.com/
Features books for event professionals. Industry information and industry links. PLUS some great articles!

Meeting Expectations
http://www.meetingexpectations.com
A full service association management, event marketing, and conference and trade show planning company.

My Supplier
http://www.my-supplier.com
Provides the Awards and Recognition, Embellishments, Markings and all-graphics buyer a convenient, centralized one-stop Internet access to various industry companies information, equipment and supplies.

Successful Meetings
www.successfulmeetings.com
Dedicated to serving the needs of meeting and event planners online. As an extension of Successful Meetings magazine we feature their in-depth coverage and analysis of key issues affecting the meetings industry. In addition, we offer breaking headlines and numerous web-enabled business resources, such as our interactive online Sourcebook, that make this your one-stop center for meeting planning information. Find the perfect conference venue!

Audience response systems and more:
http://www.optiontechnologies.com/index.asp

Smooth meetings in the workplace article
http://www.engrmgmt.scu.edu/answers.html

Convention Management Company
http://www.pcma.org/

Convention bureaus List
http://www.conventionbureaus.com/

Visitors and convention bureaus worldwide
Another great event planner resource
http://www.newsdirectory.com/travel/

Webcast service
http://ustools.you-niversity.com/webcast/

International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus
http://www.iacvb.org/iacvb/index.asp
This is a well established, international organization offering services to members and meeting professionals.

Professional Convention Management Association
http://www.pcma.org/
A well rounded site touted as the leading association for meetings education.

eTradeShow
http://www.etradeshow.com/
An online tradeshow provider who partners with real time trade show organizers to put their trade show online. The expo and convention planner can use their services to put their seminars and keynotes onto the Internet. Learn how to reach beyond your traditional tradeshow audience.

e-Corporate Gifts
http://www.ecorporategifts.com/
An extensive selection of corporate and business gifts.

Meeting Wizard.org
http://www.meetingwizard.org/

MC-2 Online
Leading US based event management, planning, production and communication company with international services and a snazzy style that provides exhibits, meetings, events and interactive media production services. This site is worth a look around.

Smith, Bucklin and Associates
Helpful site showcases world's largest association management and professional services firm. Offers practical and compressive information, and is another site to watch.

Kellen
Kellen corporate provides meetings, exhibits and communications management and planning services to associations and companies. Site showcases HQ services for conferences,expositions and trade shows worldwide.

CON-TRAC
Helpful site that offers a comprehensive meeting planning, tracking, reference, and administrative tool. Well done descriptions of services and resource links.

IICM
The International Institute of Convention Management offers a site about travel, conference and destination management activities for its members.

Exhibitornet
Leading trade show organization for exhibit designers, producers and convention marketing professionals. The online magazine and educational program are an effective publication and information source for industry professionals.

Excel Decorators
Veteran convention services contractor is on the right track with services and a virtual trade show cyber-centre.

Trade Show Central
Trade event promoter's site offers comprehensive world-wide conference listings and has useful features for potential conference attendees and exhibitors looking for shows.

The Meeting and Event Planning Center
Site contains information on hotels,conference facilities and related services and has a bid center where meeting planners can request event services and information via email.

Event Planner
Online information on conference vendors in visitor and convention bureaus of the United States. Updated and useful resources for both planners and suppliers.

ExpoWorld
ExpoWorld.net is another must see site for conference planners and suppliers. Run....don't walk to this site and sign up for the free newsletter. Nice site for finding convention and trade show information worldwide.

Miller Freeman
Miller Freeman is a leader in the trade publishing and exhibitions business. A division of United News & Media, an international media and information group. Based in the UK, it is well designed and features an optional Viscape plugin to view the enhanced 3D site.

Meeting Professionals International
Site has up-to-date interactive conference resources for its 17,000 international members. This is the industry leader and reflects a first class must see site.

Fusion Productions
First class site. Savvy technology and leading alliances for association and corporation management of meetings, communications, and technology programs.

American Society of Association Executives
ASAE members are the world's leading associations and nonprofit organizations based in the US. Associates are companies providing products and services to the industry. Contains well organized and helpful industry information.

Meetings Industry Mall
Leading industry site with expanded and helpful updates of professional connections for planners and suppliers. Well designed, it offers articles and highlights for MPI, ASAE, and PCMA member events. A site to watch.

PCMA
The Professional Convention Management Association is a leader in providing educational programs for meeting professionals. Check out the easy-to-use national resource for donations of leftover food and products from conventions, called NFTN. This is a nice reflection of PCMA's goals and membership, and is a site to watch.

Successful Meetings
The online version of a conference professionals magazine. Industry leader Bill Publications' focus is on education and an inside calendar of events.

Virtual Community of Associations
VCA is a directory of trade and professional associations in the US. Currently, it is developing online services and resources for the association industry.

EverythingShowbiz
EverythingShowbiz.com is an easy-to-use free search engine in the entertainment industry. The site is designed for producers and suppliers, and offers free classifieds and discussion forums. It is a site to watch from Stage One Production in Florida.

EventSource
Very effective site for planners to use in getting hotels, and for convention suppliers using the online BookIt! e-commerce service. This site offers an event planning search engine that is comphrensive and especially useful for researching incentive and business meetings. This a site to watch.

CIMPA
The Connected International Meeting Professionals Association is a newly formed internet community of meeting and incentive planners and suppliers. The site offers resources and shares tools, information and ideas. This is an up and coming site to watch with job leads, book buying services, a certification process and more.

PlanSoft Networks
PlanSoft has a highly focused site that offers software, information and communications products and solutions. Comphrensive overview of software packages and products for meeting professionals, facilities and suppliers.

ConventionBureaus.com
The Convention Bureau and National Tourist Office offers a very helpful web site on information for planning corporate meetings, conferences, conventions and tradeshows in any locality worldwide. Includes an online request for proposal (RFP) that will be reviewed by an official ConventionBureaus.com representative within 24 hours.

George Little Management,Inc.
Impressive exposition managment web site. GLM produces quality trade shows for the gift and other industries, and includes event shows and conference management.

Reed Exhibition Companies
Reed Elsevier plc is a leading international organiser of trade and public shows. This is a well done site with useful descriptions of publishing, business development and event management services from a leading London-based company.

HotelView
This nicely designed site offers the closest thing to a visit before leaving home. From Visual Data Travel Group, this site provides hotel and travel tools that can be easily used by event planners as well as anyone planning a family vacation.

Event Web
A lot going on from travel to hotels to speakers. Run, don't walk, to this site and sign up for the weekly reviews. A leading edge and must-read news list for the meetings industry.

Presenting Solutions
Updated site with useful information on the latest conference and event presentation systems. AV resources and industry links.

Adams Business Media
Upbeat industry leader offers marketing communications bridge between companies, their industry associations and business partners. A site to watch.

World Congress,LLC
Helpful information on this international business conference and exposition producer. Corporate sponsorship of events for business information and development.

Corporate Meetings and Incentives
An online version of the industry magazine. This is a focused site for several industries and includes updated articles plus a calendar of national and international events.

ONLINE QUIZES:

Take Disc online assessment
http://www.discstyles.com/

Self perception profiler
http://personal.ansir.com/test.htm

Keirsy Temperament Sorter
http://www.advisorteam.com/temperament_sorter/register.asp

More test than you can imagine:
http://www.emode.com/

Toxic organization survey
http://www.od-online.com/toxic_org.asp?redirect=htm

Are you a good strategic planner?
Take the strategic plan quiz
http://www.sba.com/topics/edition2/quiz.cfm

The Best Ice Breakers:
http://www.partyfuntogo.com/ice-breakers.asp

Icebreakers
The Magic Wand
You have just found a magic wand that allows you to change three work related activities. You can change anything you want. How would you change yourself, your job, your boss, coworkers, an important project, etc.? Have them discuss why it is important to make the change. Another variation is to have them discuss what they would change if they become the boss for a month. This activity helps them to learn about others' desires and frustrations.

Marooned
You are marooned on a island. What five (you can use a different number, such as seven, depending upon the size of each team) items would you have brought with you if you knew there was a chance that you might be stranded. Note that they are only allowed five items per team, not per person. You can have them write their items on a flip chart and discuss and defend their choices with the whole group. This activity helps them to learn about other's values and problem solving styles and promotes teamwork.

The Interview
Break the group into two person teams (have them pick a partner that they know the least about). Have them interview each other for about twenty minutes (You can also prepare questions ahead of time or provide general guidelines for the interview). They need to learn about what each other likes about their job, past jobs, family life, hobbies, favorite sport, etc. After the interviews, reassemble the group and have each team introduce their team member to the group. This exercise helps them to learn about each other.

Who Done That?
Prior to the meeting, make a list of about 25 items relating to work and home life. For example, a list for a group of trainers might have some of the following:

• Developed a computer training course
• Has delivered coaching classes
• Is a mother
• Knows what ADDIE means and can readily discuss it
• Enjoys hiking
• Has performed process improvement
• Served in the Armed Forces
• Is a task analysis expert

Ensure there is plenty of space below each item (3 or 4 lines) and then make enough copies for each person. Give each person a copy of the list and have them find someone who can sign one of the lines. Also, have them put their job title and phone number next to their names. Allow about 30 minutes for the activity. Give prizes for the first one completed, most names (you can have more that one name next to an item), last one completed, etc. This activity provides participants with a list of special project coaches and helps them to learn about each other.

The ADDIE Game (Analysis, Design, Development, Implement, Evaluate)
Make up a reasonable problem scenario for your organization where people need to get introduced, e.g. "The manufacturing department is bringing in 20 temporaries to help with the peak season. They want us to build a short activity that will allow the permanent employees to meet and introduce themselves to the temporaries." Break the group into small teams. Have them to discuss and create a solution:

Analyze the problem - Is it a training problem? If they decide that it is not a training problem, then remind them that most problems can be solved by following an ADDIE type approach. Perform a short task analysis - How do people get to know each other?

Design the activity- Develop objectives, sequence.

Develop the activity - Outline how they will perform the activity and trial it.

Implement- Have each small team in turn, introduce themselves in front of the group using the activity they created.

Evaluate- Give prizes to the most original, funniest, etc. by having the group vote.

This activity allows them to learn about each other's problem solving styles and instructional development methods, it also introduces the members to each other. This method can also be used to introduce the ADDIE method to new trainers. Time - about 60 minutes.

Finish the Sentence
Go around the room and have each person complete one of these sentences (or something similar):

• The best job I ever had was...
• The worst project I ever worked on was..
• The riskiest thing I ever did was...

This is a good technique for moving on to a new topic or subject. For example, when starting a class and you want everyone to introduce themselves, you can have them complete "I am in this class because..."
You can also move on to a new subject by asking a leading question. For example if you are instructing time management, "The one time I felt most stressed because I did not have enough time was ..."

Ice Breakers

Ice breakers are a great way to begin a meeting. They help to relax participants, and that makes them more receptive to listening and contributing. An ice breaker can also serve to build a team atmosphere and to generate enthusiasm. Ice breakers can be fun, amusing, humorous, thoughtful, surprising or just plain silly. The days of one-liner jokes as ice breakers are gone, and there are many new creative ideas. The most popular are games that have participants reveal something personal about themselves, or which encourage participants to get to know each other personally. The idea is that more than just having fun, the ice breaker will truly help to create group cohesion based on trust and understanding.

One of the tricks of an icebreaker is timing. It should not be too long otherwise the serious work of the meeting will not be given enough time. It should not be so short that participants feel it was a perfunctory exercise. Timing also depends on the size of the group, the overall length of the event, and the purpose of the event. An all-day retreat might warrant a half hour ice breaker, but a one-hour meeting may merit only a minute or two. The following are some ideas compiled by category, and gathered from a variety of sources: Games

Have participants say 3 things about themselves - 2 true and 1 lie, others guess what the lie is Have everyone write on a piece of paper their answers to these questions: What is your favorite food, animal, TV show, hobby, and color? Sign your name. Don't let anyone else see the answers. The leader then reads the answers to the whole group, and members try to guess whom each set of answers belongs to. Award one point for each right guess. The person with the most points wins a prize. Give each person is given a list of 5 to 10 traits that they must find in common with the people around them. Sample items could be: "Find someone that was born in the same month", "..someone who lives in your state", or "..drives the same model of car". A prize is awarded to the participants with the most in common.

Activities

Simple Lead-Ins

Ask participants to state one or two "burning questions" they hope will be answered in this session. Have participants describe one strategy/resource they have used successfully (relevant to the topic of the meeting/training).

Have them state their personal definition of the topic (eg., in a marketing meeting, "Participation Marketing means...").

Be creative and come up with your own ice breakers!

 

Links to GREAT ice breakers exercise..
http://www.managersforum.com/Resources/Exercises.htm

Top 10 ice breakers
http://topten.org/content/tt.AU20.htm

Event checklist
Checklist for corporate event planning

• Give a copy of this checklist to each person on the staff and committee member concerned with planning the event.
• Name and type of event:
• Sponsored by:
• Date proposed for event: Time of day:
• Inclement weather date and time:
• Coordinator or event chair:
• Committee assignments: Who:
• The plan
• The program
• The invitation list
• Publicity
• Related events
• Speaker’s platform
• Master of ceremonies
• Protocol
• Parking, escorting, policing
• Miscellaneous
• After the event
• Event Planning Checklist II
• Making Early Plans
• Start your early planning 2-3 months in advance.
• Determine event goals
• Ensure adequate volunteers to plan and carry-out event
• Project a target audience
• Create a realistic budget (with actual estimates for all costs)
• Select possible dates R
• Securing Funding
• It’s difficult to raise funds, so start early. Remember that you cannot commit funds before you have them.
• Prepare a detailed budget
• Making Arrangements
  Use these checklists to arrange for all needs well in advance. If delegating this work to others, ensure that one person carefully coordinates everything.
• Possible equipment
• Rooms
• Microphone and speaker
• Sound system
• Lighting
• Lectern
• Tables and chairs
• Stage or platform
• Head table
• Trash cans
• Portable toilets
• Barricades
• Fire extinguisher
• Food and beverage service
• Possible supplies:
• Maps
• Tickets
• Directional signs
• Flip charts/markers
• Tape, staplers, pens
• Printed programs
• Parking permits
• Nametags
• Cash box/change
• Decorations
• Trash bags
• Tablecloths
• Water for speakers
• Arrangements for speakers or performers:
• Investigate possible speakers or performers
• Negotiate price (verbal contracts are binding)
• Review final contract
• Obtain social security number (required for payment)
• Other possible arrangements:
• Event approval
• Disability Access
• Security
• Concessions (requires health permit)
• Clean-up
• Recycling
• Transportation (car rental, bus, SURE etc.)
• Forms completed and delivered
• Publicizing your Event
• Develop your target audience, budget and a detailed plan
• Flyer/poster
• Designed
• Printed
• Distributed
• Bulk permit for U.S. mail
• Ads
• Website
• Banner
• Email lists
• Special invitations
• Completing the Process
  Send thank you notes
• Pay all bills
• Promptly negotiate any discrepancies and document in writing
• Clear financial advances
• Obtain feedback on event
• Develop file for your successor with timeline, actual budget, sample publicity and all correspondence