Archive for the ‘Industry’ Category

Reflections on Event Planning

Monday, August 30th, 2010

by Chelsea Gross

This summer has been a unique opportunity for me to broaden my experience planning events for non-profit organizations. Ginger Donnan Events (GDE) is currently working with two organizations promoting cancer research, and supporting the families of those with a cancer patient: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and the Family Reach Foundation, respectively. While I’ve planned events for a non-profit organization in the past, it’s been interesting to balance a variety of clients without being limited to just one cause. Our work is benefiting all sorts of institutions and their missions, making me a more well-rounded event planner. I find this very rewarding.

Another unique experience has been creating the maps for the LLS Light the Night Walks. My previous experience making maps included receiving an assignment, creating the map, and the job was complete. The maps for the Light the Night Walks require me to be more interactive as we adjust Walk routes and place tables and tents in various locations.

Just as with any job, there is a set of specified skills which are used on a daily basis to successfully achieve a goal. We are creating timelines and managing tasks, which contribute to the greater goal – a successful event. However, I’m finding that the beauty of being an event planner does not necessarily stem from the repetitive use of dozens of skills but rather from the freedom to use those skills to work with a variety of different clients. The skills remain the same, but the application differs. This opens up a world of opportunities to both the client and the event planner to create a more enriching planning experience. I’m looking forward to continuing to expand this event planning experience for both personal growth and the growth of the relationships with our clients.

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The Cost of a Meeting Planner

Monday, July 19th, 2010

Corporate Meetings & Incentive magazine recently published a Senior Meeting Manager Survey with some statistics about salaries in the event planning industry. Although they didn’t track company location or include non-profit organizations, we thought the following findings were interesting:

  • The average salary of the experienced meeting planners they surveyed was just over $100,000, plus a median bonus of $10,000.
  • Professional  services firms are still paying an average of $15,000 less than financial and insurance firms.
  • The Certified Meeting Planner designation is worth about $3,000 more a year.
  • More than 50% of respondents outsource finding venues/vendors, registration and on-site logistics to meeting planning companies like Ginger Donnan Events.

OK, they didn’t actually say Ginger Donnan Events! But the facts about outsourcing did get us thinking about our own statistics as we approach our third anniversary. Our average fee to plan an event has been $11,500, depending on the services selected. While no outside provider can take the place of a long-term, senior meeting manager in terms of institutional knowledge, HR decision-makers should weigh the value in bringing on additional event help as needed, rather than maintaining a full-time events team at all times. Some of our most requested services are:

  • Budgets – From the initial draft, through countless revisions, to reconciliation, we track every dollar so you always know where you stand.
  • Communications – We correspond with attendees to confirm registrations and maintain consistent communication with you through bi-weekly progress reports.
  • Contracts – We make sure arrangements are correctly outlined in contracts and negotiate the best rates and concessions on your behalf.
  • Food and Beverage – We make recommendations that will delight your guests but stay in line with your budget.
  • Master Event Plan – This document of all services and event details is updated throughout the event planning process and provided on a regular basis as a reference for you.
  • Material Writing and Production – From solicitation letters to programs, we write compelling copy specific to your audience, your event.
  • On-site Management – We arrive early and stay late so you can focus on developing relationships with your attendees, rather than managing logistics.
  • Post-Event Evaluation – We lead and/or participate in closing discussions to make sure learning opportunities are captured.
  • Production – We identify production needs, solicit proposals from vendors and manage their tasks through the event, including lighting, audio-visual, photography and videography.
  • Timeline – We lay out the list of tasks from the start of our involvement to post-event evaluation with a detailed timeline and report back as each item has been accomplished.
  • Vendor Selection – We work with your preferred vendors or can recommend trusted sources.

Would your company like to save the cost of an additional, full-time meeting planner by outsourcing some of these tasks to Ginger Donnan Events? If so, contact ginger@gingerdonnanevents.com today for a proposal!

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Face Time. It Matters.

Monday, March 1st, 2010

We’re fans of the Convention Industry Council’s public information campaign “Face Time. It Matters.” that was launched in December 2009 because of the decline in off-site meetings being booked due to image concerns.

One aspect of meeting planning that we’ve seen affected by these concerns is whether or not to invite significant others to off-site meetings. Law firm partner retreats are back on the calendar but guests are staying home. The problem is that partners are then anxious to leave as soon as the meeting ends, skipping essential opportunities to strengthen bonds during activities and dinners. We’re encouraging clients to carefully consider this as well as these findings from the research conducted for the ”Face Time” campaign:

• Face-to-face meetings build trust and relationships;
• Both education and training are more effective in a live setting;
• Live meetings actually save time and money;
• Live meetings facilitate problem solving through a more effective exchange of ideas;
• Face-to-face meetings provide the human connection that powers business;
• Face-to-face meetings create jobs and powers the economy.

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Mending Vendor Relations

Monday, January 25th, 2010

As 2010 events rev up, we’re soliciting vendor proposals and negotiating contracts like rapid-fire. It’s great to see the industry reviving and, as usual during the proposal stage, we’re finding service providers to be communicative, thorough, and enthusiastic, flush with the prospect of new business.

Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. When vendors underperform, it’s important to remain calm and not rush to any conclusions that can lead to unnecessarily broken contracts. Most of the time, it just takes an honest conversation to reach an understanding.

1. Schedule a meeting with the primary contact, in person if possible, to review the status of the project.
2. Begin on common ground, mentioning tasks that have been completed well or you know the vendor has underway.
3. Be aware of the tone of your voice. Respectful discussions breed compromise and understanding.
4. Explain that each question or request is part of a larger context and impacts numerous tasks down the line.
5. Reset expectations. Review the current situation and outline areas or steps that need to change.
6. Ask for suggestions on how to make improvements.
7. Review written timelines and have both parties sign the document as a sign of good faith.

Most service providers know, especially in this recovering economic environment, that reputations and future opportunities are on the line. Use this to your advantage to seek the best out of your vendors. If a discussion does not improve matters, the situation may need to be escalated to the business owner or to your lawyer to identify additional steps that can be taken to assure the event’s success, even if it means exercising the contract’s cancellation terms and identifying a new vendor who can hit the ground running.

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Evaluating Evaluation Forms

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Just before the Thanksgiving holiday, Ginger Donnan Events participated in a panel discussion to the New York Legal Marketing Association on tools to help “Present Ideas and Win Approval,” including event blueprints, extensive event lists, procedures and guidelines, comparisons, databases, working with internal politics and evaluation forms.

This recent blog post by marketer John Gibb, about getting involved in the survey development process, has inspired us to share our recommendations from the presentation about evaluation forms.

John’s point about actionable questions is spot-on. Evaluation forms typically include venue and logistics feedback but radio buttons don’t provide much usable information. We suggest phrasing these questions so they solicit feedback that can be turned into improvements, not just show a 9 out of 10 rating to constituents.

We also suggested working with others who could benefit from the survey. Events are a once-in-a-while opportunity to get up to speed on clients and prospects. Evaluation forms can find out their interests, such as what they want to know or learn about in the future, or, for the PR department, what news outlets do they access?

We agree with the Event Marketing Insider to keep it short - one page or back and front of one sheet – and format well, filling in the unnecessary white space that causes these forms to grow to multiple pages. But on one point, we must disagree. Go green without printed materials but don’t miss a person-to-person opportunity to collect evaluation forms. A reminder by the last speaker and hands out at the door will give you a better return than an online survey. Cull your responses post-event and follow up with a survey link to anyone that slipped by.

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