• Consider the end result first. What do you want your attendees to take away from the event? Is it the speaker’s name recognition or the message or both?
• Preview. Before booking a speaker, check their online bio and view their show reel on their website or other online site. Previewing the speaker will allow you to decide if they are competent, appropriate and likeable by your audience.
• Celebrities. It seems like an obvious go-to for a successful event. But, many event planners warn that celebrities aren’t always reliable and many show up, well, lit. Also, it’s helpful to remember they are not speakers by trade. Celebrities can be very expensive.
• Budget. Research what a reasonable speaking budget would be for your kind of event and then stick to it.
• Your audience. Know your attendees culturally and professionally.
• The details. Ask to see the contract and rider before you decide to move ahead.
• Speaking Bureau. While this may be a great resource to find and book speakers, it can be expensive because of the additional fees it charges. However, if your speaker cancels at the last moment, this may prove to be a viable option.

If you are about to undertake planning a conference for your company or organization for the first time, don’t be overwhelmed by the scope of the task. Staying focused, organized and referencing checklists will help you get started. Consider the following conference planning basics:

1. Choose a date for the conference. Make sure important senior-level people are available.
2. Decide your conference’s beginning and end times.
3. Choose your location. It’s important to choose a destination that will be convenient for your attendees; easily accessible by public transportation; appropriately sized for your number of attendees; and a desirable destination.
4. Set your budget. Thoroughly research your costs then decide how to price your tickets. 
5. Consider who to invite to speak or ask for proposals from potential speakers from your industry. This may need to be done several months in advance as high-profile speakers’ calendars book up early.
6. Determine what kind of audio-visual equipment may be needed. Your hotel/conference center have some equipment available. If not, look into an outside source.
7. Set your itinerary for each day. Depending on how many days your conference lasts, consider including meals, snacks and evening entertainment.
8. Book a caterer or work with the hotel food and beverage manager. Check references and set up a tasting before signing a contract.
9. Consider using easy online event registration. Selling tickets and registering attendees can begin with your organization’s website and managed with online software. This paperless option saves money and allows you to communicate with your attendees through e-mail.
10. Create a marketing campaign to get the word out about your conference to your audience. Look into social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, etc… to spread the word.
11. Confirm your bookings at least a week before your conference date.
12. Finally, if you know you don’t have the skill set to organize a specific aspect of the conference, consider bringing in an event planning consultant to help.

NEW YORK — Walk through the doors of Daniel Gardiner Morris’ Williamsburg, Brooklyn, letterpress studio and you may find yourself stepping back in time.

Letterpress, the 15th-century printing art of locking movable type into the bed of a press, inking it, and rolling or pressing paper against it to form an impression, is a family craft passed down to Morris from his great-grandfather. Now making his own impression in the industry, Morris decided to breath new life into the art by opening The Arm Letterpress, 281 N. 7th St., in 2005.

It wasn’t easy at first.

“I had to adapt a lot to find a way to make it work,” Morris said. “We’re in an expensive neighborhood, but there’s a lot of good energy here.”

The Arm is a public access letterpress studio, teaching facility and commercial print shop that attracts a variety of users. It houses equipment including Vandercook proof presses.

The users of the studio are typically artists, graphic designers, art directors, crafters, poets and musicians.

“Anyone who needs printed goods, but wants to take control of the process,” Morris said.

While it’s not as common as offset printing, letterpress printing uses high quality papers and inks to create especially lush impressions. The technique can be used for invitations, announcements or art projects and is easily recognizable by the raised impressions of the letters left on the backside of the printed product.

“We teach classes and workshops in the use of our machines and make the facilities available for artists and designers interested in using letterpress for their projects,” Morris said.

For more information about the studio and workshops, Morris can be reached at dan@thearmnyc.com or check The Arm’s website at www.thearmnyc.com.

The Arm uses EventWax!

Daniel Gardiner Morris — “Up to now, we have used EventWax exclusively for booking our classes. We run a basic intro class a few times a month and also some more specialized classes in advanced techniques, bookbinding, etc. We will soon be adding some salon style events and film screenings and plan to use EventWax to manage the reservations for those too.”

Event planning tip

Daniel Gardiner Morris — “I don’t know that I’d consider myself an event planner. But I’d say as long as what you have happening is worthwhile and you are hosting it in a location that is easy to access you should do fine if you can get the word out.”

Hey! If you would like your business, event planning service, or event featured in EventWax’s Spotlight, shoot Jen a request at jen@eventwax.com.

As its name suggestively hints, Chicago pub fixture Matilda & BABYatlas, serves up a good dose of intrigue and spirit in this popular North Side destination.

Matilda, at 3101 N. Sheffield Ave., offers customers three distinct experiences — the warm and inviting main bar, the dark and celestial BackBar and the vibrant and sultry BABYatlas for dancing.

“We offer superior service in an upscale neighborhood bar and restaurant that does not take itself too seriously,” Owner and Operator Kevin Abercrombie said.

Abercrombie has watched Matilda grow since infancy. The establishment was built in 1994. A few years later, Abercrombie was hired on as a bouncer checking IDs at the door. From there, he worked in every capacity of the restaurant including dishwasher, construction and repair, server, bartender, manager to finally sole owner.

Matilda’s namesake intrigue is based on a close encounter during the bar’s construction. According to Abercrombie, the name was inspired by the 1994 film “The Professional.” After long hours of construction and a few drinks, Abercrombie said the original owner swears (on the Bible) that he saw a ghost bearing the resemblance of a young Natalie Portman (who starred in the movie) hovering over the southwest corner of the main room. When others turned to look, she flew through the windows along Sheffield Ave.

Another notable coo, Matilda offers free party space in the downstairs BABYatlas room and in the BackBar. BABYatlas is available for parties from 20 to 50 people and features its own bar and separate sound system with a song library of more than 12,000 songs. The BackBar is available for parties up to 80 people. Two smaller parties could also share the space.

 “We are typically booked up with weekend events one to two months in advance,” Abercrombie said.

Matilda has an attractive main menu, stating its cuisine is made from scratch and with fresh ingredients; a catering menu; and two bar packages for fund-raisers.

For a closer look at Matilda, go to matilda-babyatlas.com or call 773-883-4400.

Matilda uses EventWax!

Kevin Abercrombie — “I have used EventWax annually for our New Year’s Eve party with great success. Of great benefit to me is the ability to contact attendees both prior to and after the event. Each of the last two years I used the customizable promo code as a benefit to repeat customers and their friends. This year, I customized an additional text field for customers to let me know who referred them to our NYE party. Employees were given an incentive of $5 for each person that used their name as a referral. I have also used [EventWax] to host two charity events. For all events, having an alphabetized and pre-paid guest list has made the check-in process simple for both the customer and my staff.”

Event planning tip 

Kevin Abercrombie — “Start planning with few and simple rules. Each event has its own intricacies and each customer will only want to change the rules to fit their particular event anyway. By offering only a few, steadfast rules, the customer feels like they are in charge throughout the process and appreciates the flexibility in setting up their event.”

Hey! If you would like your business, event planning service, or event featured in EventWax’s Spotlight, shoot Jen a request at jen@eventwax.com.

Ready to plan your first fund-raising event, but not sure where to begin? Here are 12 tips gathered from various popular fund-raising sites to help you get started.

1) Create a mission statement for your event. State what your fund-raiser is about, where the money raised will go, and create a compelling call to action. Include this information in your marketing materials.

2) Set a goal. Make your goal realistic while aiming high. Announcing it publicly will keep you focused on achieving that goal.

3) Engage your planning team. Make sure everyone on your planning committee takes ownership of their individual tasks and the overall success of the event.

4) Make it fun. This is especially important if you are relying on volunteers to help run your event. Bringing in free pizzas for lunch goes a long way and gives everyone a chance to bond in a relaxed atmosphere.

5) Reach out to established agencies. Consider aligning your event with a national or local organization to help create more awareness.

6) Set a date. Choose a date far enough in advance to give you ample time to prepare. Be aware of conflicting local and/or national events, as well as holidays. Or coordinate your event with a significant date or time of year. For example, raise money for melanoma research during Skin Cancer Awareness Month (May).

7) Determine your help. Put out a call for volunteers and utilize their areas of expertise and/or connections. Create committees and subcommittees if the event size calls for it. Hold periodic meetings to monitor the planning progress.

8) Set a budget. Create a budget that keeps operating costs at a minimum so you can make a profit. Estimate attendance, cost of decorations, refreshments, printing, mailing expenses and so on. Set the couvert (the cost of expenses per person) and then the ticket prices.

9) Select a venue. Consider the Lions Club, American Legion, town halls, galleries, schools and churches depending on the nature of your fund-raising event. Check out restaurants and catering halls, too. Book the venue as far in advance as possible, and ask for a non-profit discount. Contact local law enforcement for procedures you may need to follow for public venues. Determine the need for security and liability insurance, as well. Click here to read more about how to select a venue.

10) Consider a featured speaker or honoree. Choose someone who has a relationship with your organization or cause, or someone who will add an element of glamor or urgency. Consider a high-profile businessperson or celebrity, but be mindful of your budget. Some speakers require payment.

11) Sponsorship. Approach businesses to help sponsor various aspects of your fun-raising event. For example, a local restaurant could donate part of the catering. Or, ask local businesses to donate items for auction. Provide donors with letters expressing the nature of the gift, cash value and tax-deductible information.

12) Create invitations. A great cost-savings option for invitations is using online event registration. On EventWax, if your event is free, the service is free. Planners also save on the expense of traditional paper and postage invitations. On the invitation, the speaker’s or honoree’s name should be prominent. Include tax-deduction information, a description of the organization, sponsors and donors. Invite reporters and photographers to your event for publicity.

To read more about getting started fund-raising click here.

Superbowl Sunday is most celebrated huddled around the television on an over-sized, comfy couch with friends. Check out these tips to make your party a success.

When: Superbowl XLVI (46) will be held Sunday, February 5, 2012 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. This will be the first Super Bowl to be played in Indianapolis and the fourth time the championship game is played in a cold-weather city thanks to the stadium’s retractable roof. 
 

Pick a theme: Before you send out your invitations, decide if you want to kick your party up a notch with a festive theme. Have your guests wear the jerseys or colors of the teams playing, creating an in-house rivalry. Or, base your theme on the teams playing. For example, if the New Orleans Saints make it to the Super Bowl, pair it with a Mardi Gras theme.

Read this article for more about themes.

Send out invitations electronically: Using online event registration, you can quickly announce your Superbowl party and easily keep track of attendees. On EventWax, use custom form fields to ask your attendees, for example, if they are bringing an appetizer or dessert. Or which team they will be rooting for. This will give you, the planner, extra information if you are planning your menu or if you are handing out fun team paraphernalia. To read more about how to use EventWax’s custom form fields, click here.

Food and drink: Superbowl parties are celebrated with festive, casual fare. Expected spreads include chilis, dips, chips and salsa, wings, ribs, Italian beef and bacon-wrapped most things.

Check out allrecipes.com for more Superbowl recipes.

Next, pair your menu with the right brews. Not unlike wine, the right beer can or should be served with your Superbowl menu. To play it safe, ales go with about anything. But, if you want to read more about the precise brews check out this article.

EventWax’s online event registration tool offers more than just the ease of registering attendees and collecting payments. Here are five quick tips on how to use e-mail to communicate with your attendees.

• As your attendees register, send weekly teasers promoting your event schedule, speakers and entertainment.
• Communicate with your event’s featured speakers to keep them updated on attendance.
• Let your attendees know about other social media in the works by e-mailing the event’s Twitter hashtag.
• Follow up with your attendees with highlights from your event.
• Send attendees supplemental material from speakers before and after your event.

  EventWax Send E-mail How-To:

1. Click on Attendees tab.
2. Check mark the attendees you want to e-mail.
3. Write your e-mail in the pop up box.
4. Click Send. 

1. Know the details when deciding how to buy beverages. Determine whether to purchase by the person, by the beverage or by the container pricing.
2. Order on consumption.
3. Opt out of the buffet. Serve a plated lunch and/or dinner.
4. Hand out boxed lunches or consider ordering pizza or buying a party platter of submarine sandwiches.
5. Purchase soft drinks in bulk.
6. Serve house-brand wines and drinks.
7. Stick to a strict agenda keeping attendees from grazing and consuming more.
8. Serve heavy hors d’oeuvres in place of dinner.
9. If your attendees cannot tell the difference between standard and premium liquor brands, stick with the standard.
10. Know your group: Higher level executives have probably attended more receptions and tend to eat less, while lower level staff will be ready to chow down.
11. Choose a venue where the use of tables, chairs, linens, and decorations are included.
12. Never accept the banquet menu as printed. Typically, it can be changed.
13. Work with the chef to take advantage of bulk prices when possible.
14. Select the same menu for simultaneous functions.
15. To discourage gluttony, use smaller plates.

Location plays a major role in making your event green.

Here are 7 tips for selecting the perfect green destination for your next event, according to the Convention Industry Council’s 2004 Green Meetings Report.

Minimal Best Practices

• Consider destinations compatible with the event’s purpose and the demographics of the attendees. When choosing a destination requiring extensive attendee travel, consider using carbon offset programs.
• Use a list of environmental criteria with each Request for Proposals. The questionnaire is a helpful tool to use in gaining information about a destination’s environmental practices.
• Ask the destination’s convention and visitors bureau and local destination management companies to recommend venues and suppliers that have environmental practices in place.
• Inform vendors and suppliers of the environmental strategies the event is considering and ask about their environmental practices.
• Include a clause in the contract with the vendor or property that states their commitment to comply with the event organizer’s environmental requests.

Strongly Recommended Best Practices:

• Consider cities with mass transit systems that connect major venues with each other and with major transportation hubs like airports and train stations.
• Consider off-site events and tours that involve event attendees in the area’s natural environment with minimal impact.

The following cities have been recognized by Best Places to MeetGreen as verified green destinations:

• Banff Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada
• Calgary, Alberta, Canada
• Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
• Montreal, Quebec, Canada
• Orlando, Florida, USA
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
• Portland, Oregon, USA
• San Francisco, California, USA
• Seattle, Washington, USA

Unverified destinations include:

• Boston, Massachusetts, USA
• Chicago, Illinois, USA
• Dallas, Texas, USA
• Denver, Colorado, USA
• Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
• Houston, Texas, USA
• Madison, Wisconsin, USA
• Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
• Monterey, California, USA
• Phoenix, Arizona, USA
• Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
• Telluride Mountain Village, Colorado, USA
• Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada
• Whistler, British Colombia, Canada

Click here for more details on how these cities ranked.

Your event buzz begins with hashtags.

By definition, the # symbol, called a hashtag, is used to mark keywords or topics on Twitter in a Tweet. It gives users a method of categorizing topics. For event planners, it’s an easy way to get feedback before, during and after your event.

I found these tips helpful in using hashtags for your event as outlined by Mopwater Social Public Relations.

• Search the hashtag (Twitter search) and make sure no one else is using it.
• Register the hashtag. It’s not really yours unless you register it, and you can’t get a transcript of the tweets after the event is over unless you register it. Use wthashtag.com
• Every time you mention the event, mention the hashtag. Mention the tag in your web pages, blog posts, press releases, postcards, flyers, posters, direct mail, e-blasts, digital signage, banners. Think of the hashtag as just another bit of contact information for your event attendees, like the web address or phone number.
• Mention the hashtag as early as you can. If you get an early start to your marketing, get an early start to the mentioning of your tag. If you are using an online event registration tool, introduce your hashtag when you are introducing your event. On EventWax  you can include your hashtag on your event’s landing page. 
•  After the event, provide a transcript of  all hashtag activity. Post it on your organization’s blog or send out the link in your post-event newsletter recap.

Your event’s hashtag also can:

• promote scheduled speakers
• outline open sessions at conferences
• provide a way for attendees to communicate and meet up
• give featured speakers an avenue for following up with their audiences
• give users a platform for feedback on the event

Measure your hashtag’s popularity with Hashtracking.com, a service that tallies the number of tweets generated, number of impressions, the reach of audience, the top ten Twitter users by number of impressions and the top ten Twitter users by number of tweets.