Signage for the Budget Minded

We all have clients who are very careful about how money is spent on their signage. We have done everything from large banners and foam core signs to an inexpensive slip-in sign holder. In many cases we have done a combinations of all these options for one client.

If you are looking for an inexpensive way to produce signs for your client try using slip-in sign holders. We use commercially produced sign holders from PC Nametag. These holders are 16X20 inches with a vinyl pocket that holds 8 ½ x 11 inch paper. In addition to having the signs in multiple colors, they also have one that is a large red arrow with the vinyl pocket. The signs are inexpensive and we used our first set almost 10 years. Although we have lost some to shipping, the wind, and even once to a lawn mower, these signs still fill many of our signage needs. We now have a large portfolio case that we use to ship the sign holders to our events and that has increased their survival rate.

The key to making these sign holders look like they belong to the event is the consistency of the message on the insert. The logo and name of the conference needs to be large enough to be recognizable from a distance. Once attendees key into the signs being a part of their event, they know to look for them and the information they convey, either in terms of what is happening in a meeting room, or directions to difficult to find rooms. The vinyl pocket allows room for multiple pieces of paper so, for each session, the old sign can come out and the next page is ready with the new information.

These portable sign holders can be used either landscape or portrait. Sometimes we have arrived on site with our signage produced portrait style to find that the only way an arrow will work is landscape. We have learned to bring some of each style and/or produce new ones on site. We always have the template for our signs with us in case we need to make changes to the information, such a new speaker or a cancellation.

Another cost savings tool we use focuses on the large foam core signs. We set them up to allow for the customization of information by having generic general signage with space to place a smaller sign, attached with Velcro, that makes the sign specific to an event. Our inserts are usually 2-3 inches in height and the width of the sign, though they can be done at any size you need for your functions. The same sign or series of signs can be used to welcome attendees, direct them to a reception or a luncheon, and they can often be moved to off-site events and customized accordingly. We even have had red arrows made for our signs to convert them to directional signs. For local events, the large signs can be reused each year, providing the basic information and design is generic enough.

We find that using these combinations of signs has represented a significant cost savings for our client. The slip-in signs and the inserts for the foam core signs are inexpensive, representing a significant cost savings over custom signs for our clients’ events.

~ Linda Begbie • Executive Director and Meeting Planner, RDL enterprises

The APEX Initiative

What is APEX? Well, the dictionary defines apex as “the highest point”, which is appropriate for the Initiative but doesn’t really tell us anything about it. APEX, as an acronym, stands for the Accepted Practices Exchange and is an initiative spearheaded by the Convention Industry Council (CIC) to improve the performance of those in the meetings industry. It is meant to take us to "the highest point" of event planning.

For more information about the Initiative or the CIC, please use this link.

OK, so you have the link – but why should you go there? Here are just a few reasons why I keep their site bookmarked on my computer…

1. The APEX Initiative offers sample forms and tools that can be downloaded as PDFs or as Word documents. These can be very useful if you are new to meeting planning but can also help a more experienced planner to bring their own documents in line with industry standards (if they’re not already).

2. The Glossary. This is my favorite part of the web site – and not just because I’m a word geek. If you are a regular reader of RDL Talks!, you’ll know that there are a lot of terms and acronyms that we have to know and deal with in the course of planning meetings. However, even the most seasoned planner will occasionally come across a term that he or she does not know. I turn to the APEX glossary for the answer when I am unfamiliar with a term.

3. As a Certified Meeting Planner (CMP), I also have access to member-specific sections of the web site (not all of which require certification to access). Though I don’t use this section often, it is the section I direct folks to if they are interested in earning their CMP designation.

~ Karl Baur, CMP • Project Director, RDL enterprises

Things we have learned since getting onto the Federal GSA Schedule

It has been quite the learning curve, figuring out the best ways to market to the Federal Government, as well as learning how the GSA process works. Here are some of the things we have learned so far…

1. You do get to see bid opportunities prior to the general public, although sometimes they have a short turn around time
2. Your questions often get answered immediately
3. You still have no guarantee of winning the bid
4. You can still ask for a debrief if you are not awarded the bid
5. If you have a positive relationship with a contracting officer and the bid is less than $15,000 they can send the request for a quote out to three organizations on the GSA Schedule and select one of them for the award
6. Relationships, relationships, relationships - they are always the answer for growing your business, even with the government

If you are already registered to do business with the government and are interested in getting onto the GSA Schedule as a small business, check out http://www.gsa-sba.com. There are many businesses that will write up your application for you for a fee, but if you want to do it yourself, there is help. We used the local Federal Technology Center and the gentleman we worked with was more than helpful. It took over a year to finally get approved but it finally happened. It is now up to us to keep up with all the different ways to find opportunities to work with the government. They include:

• FedBizOps
• Ebuy.GSA.gov
• FedConnect.net
• Contacting contracting officers who have sent out bids for services similar to what we offer
• Researching the budget forecasts for agencies that plan meetings and events

If you are thinking of working with the Federal Government, there are some new programs that are being targeted for woman owned small businesses that are designed to be set-asides for those services and products where women are underrepresented. Check with your local SBA office and they can you started.

~ Linda Begbie • Executive Director, RDL enterprises

Risk Management

Part of the RDL team recently returned from the University of California’s Annual Risk Summit, which was held in Los Angeles this year. As you might imagine, there were workshops on topics spanning all types of Risk Management from Worksite Wellness to Driver Distraction to legal and contractual issues. As the meeting planners for the event, I wonder if there was an adequate assessment of risk for the event itself. We seldom encounter emergency situations but even a “small” emergency such as an attendee experiencing the onset of a mild asthma attack, as happened at this year’s Summit, needs to be handled quickly and knowledgeably.

It could all be a bit overwhelming to think of every possible area of event management. Enter the EMBOK, which stands for Event Management Body of Knowledge and is a project developed by Julia Rutherford Silvers (EMBOK.org). There are five areas of management for an event of any kind, whether it is a music festival, training meeting, a large conference, or tradeshow. They are:

Administration

Design

Marketing

Operations

Risk

Each of these five management domains has what Silvers calls “classes” or subdivisions. Each one of these needs to be considered in a safety plan or risk assessment.

 

As the meeting planner, it may not be our role to make the decision to evacuate a building but it is our responsibility to have an emergency plan in place. By asking “what if…” or “what could go wrong?” in each of the areas of event management and documenting it, will be crucial in case anything does go wrong and evidence of this consideration is needed in court. Ask the question, “have we done our due diligence?” and discuss this with all members of the planning team, including the venue.

As a natural optimist, I don’t personally look to what can go wrong in life. But as a professional meeting planner, I see this as an important and necessary part of the planning process in which we need to always be thinking two steps ahead. As Silvers states, “We cannot control things; the only thing we can truly control is our ability to respond if problems occur.”

~ Ginger Myrick • Meeting Planner, RDL enterprises

What is “Conference Chicken”? And why serve it?

Planning a small meeting or a large conference can be a challenge when it comes to choosing the correct food & beverage for the event. So many attendees have various and unusual tastes in foods, not to mention sever allergies to certain kinds of foods. Some of these food challenges may include allergies to glutton, sugar, salt, and MSG. Strict diets that some attendees must adhere to, like diabetic, vegan, and vegetarian. Or all the people that have very specific food dislikes. Often clients want to serve their attendees something that they may personally enjoy without taking all of the above into consideration. Usually, fish & red meat are not the best ideas, although clients do choose them.

We often recommend a safer choice that most people will enjoy and that a good chef can prepare in a delicious fashion. That entrée choice is what has become known as “Conference Chicken”! Now, some of you might think that chicken can be boring, but a good chef can do wonders with flavor & presentation of the conference favorite. So, when planning your next event, here are some delicious & fun recipes from Cooking Light that you might want to think of serving your guests – or to use as ideas for larger meal functions. Share your ideas with the Chef as you prepare the menu. They can be very helpful in making your meal wishes come to fruition. Here’s to the success of your meals!

~ Cyndy Hutchinson • Executive Director, RDL enterprises

Ed. Note: Working with the chef is a key component of producing great meals for any event on a budget. For more of a look at that concept, click here.

Networking Do’s and Don’ts

Here’s a great quick and easy resource for things to remember when networking (from American Express’ “Open Insight Guide”). Though the Guide is about marketing to the government, the insights offered actually apply to any marketing situation.

Five Ways to Raise Your Profile

1. Tap into Social Networking
2. Attend Events
3. Become an Industry Expert
4. Join a Local Business Group
5. Volunteer in Your Community

Networking Do’s and Don’ts:
Do’s:

1. Do come with a 30-second “elevator speech” that describes your business.
2. Do exchange cards with people that you sincerely want to stay in touch with.
3. Do enter events with a smile on your face.
4. Do show interest in the person that you are speaking with.
5. Do listen more than you talk.
6. Do jot notes on the back of each person’s card for a quick reminder for follow-up.
7. Do leverage social networking sites to stay connected.

Don’ts:

1. Don’t just try to collect as many business cards as you can.
2. Don’t isolate yourself in a corner or hang out with friends or colleagues you already know.
3. Don’t let your mind wander when other people are talking.
4. Don’t talk about yourself too much.
5. Don’t monopolize the conversation.
6. Don’t stuff people’s business cards in your drawer and forget about them.
7. Don’t send generic email blasts to everyone your meet.

~ Cyndy Hutchinson • CFO, RDL enterprises

Marketing to the Government

In RDL’s continuing efforts to find ways to work with the Federal Government, we recently attended an “OSDBU Procurement Conference” (Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization) in Chantilly, Virginia. This conference was a national conference that fosters business partnerships between the Federal Government, prime contractors, small, minority, disabled veteran, and women-owned businesses. There were over 3,000 attendees, a number of plenary sessions and breakouts throughout the day, and more than 1,000 exhibitors. All opportunities were definitely beneficial to those attending. Throughout the day, though, the main component was “networking”.

Prior to attending this big event, we researched the various government agencies represented at the conference, as well as the prime contractors. The goal was to see who had the need to plan meetings and conferences for the year and who had the funding to make it happen. At the end of the day, we walked away with about 30 new contacts. Throughout the day we met people to follow up with and to make part of our social network. We hope that we will be able to establish working relationships that will be professionally rewarding for all parties. The next step is to follow through. Each of the contacts has received an email, a capability statement, and will be added to our Newsletter list. We will use every opportunity to remind them about our services.

It was a great experience for us to be able to meet and connect with so many large and small businesses across the country. We are all learning that small business teaming together can be awarded Government Contracts where the small business can make a big difference.

Learn more about Government Contracting at www.openforum.com/governmentcontracting

~ Cyndy Hutchinson • CFO, RDL enterprises

RDL enterprises Joins the GSA Schedule!

The staff at RDL enterprises has spent the last year working through the application process with the Federal Government to be awarded a GSA Schedule. This schedule puts RDL on a list that State and Government contractors can go to and locate services to bid on for up and coming contracts, as opposed to posting it on a public website. We are pleased to announce that we received our GSA approval on March 8th, 2011!

There were many steps in the application process and reams of paperwork & Internet searches. We were able to connect with the local Federal Technology Center and can’t say enough about the positive support we got from their representatives. This service is provided at no cost to small businesses.

LD Ventures, dba RDL enterprises, submitted its application last March and were told over and over again, by the GSA office, that our application was in the very tall pile of other applications for review. We finally heard from the GSA office in December 2010, that we had some additions & corrections to make on our application.

Finally, in February, all the paperwork was finalized. Now that has been completed, the next step is to create our personalized GSA Schedule for approval and then we will need to upload our schedule to GSA’s eLibrary. Once that has been completed, our schedule will be available for other federal contractors to locate us for services our company can provide, as well as government agencies.

Now that we’re on the GSA schedule, we have to market, market, & market some more to the federal agencies where we believe our meeting, conference, and event-planning services are needed. On that note, the Executive Directors of RDL will be flying to Chantilly, Virginia in April to the Annual OSDBU Conference (Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization). Attending this conference will be our first big step in networking with many of the federal contractors that may be interested in purchasing our services.

Working with the Federal Government is a huge challenge, but we at RDL are excited about the opportunity to meet that challenge. So, with GSA Contract number in hand, we are off for an adventure in Government Networking! We are going equipped with all of our new tools, so wish us luck! It will boost our confidence even more!

~ Linda Begbie • Executive Director, RDL enterprises

What information should I include in my RFPs?

Easy answer: Everything.

Realistic answer: Everything that matters.

OK, I realize that the “realistic” answer isn’t much better than the “easy” answer so let’s see if we can narrow down what that really means. And, since a successful event has to begin somewhere, let’s begin with the basics.

To start, you need to make sure you include basic information, such as your contact information (phone, email, address, etc), the deadline for submission of proposals, and when/how a decision will be made. But that is not all that is needed…

When I create a Request for Proposals (RFP), I am looking for a useful “snapshot” of my conference that a hotel sales manager can use to determine if they are able and willing to compete for my business. It needs to include information about what I need, any limits I have on those needs, and when and how proposals are due. Here are the key areas I cover for all of my groups:

Dates – When I want to hold the meeting. This could be a range (any weekday in October), a pattern (a Mon-Tues in October), or specific dates (October 23-26). If you have flexibility on dates or if there are dates you absolutely must avoid, be sure to include that information in your RFP too.

Guest Rooms – Simply put, how many guest rooms over how many nights do I think I will fill with my group. Usually, this is listed as X number of rooms for Tuesday night, Y number of rooms for Wednesday night, etc.

Rates – How much I am willing to pay for various items, such as guest room rates, meeting room rental, or food and beverage functions. In most cases, this is an upper limit (i.e. I can pay no more than a certain rate for guest rooms, or I cannot pay for space rental, etc.) but it can also simply be a way to share what I would like to pay for guest rooms, space, etc. I also use it as an opportunity to let the venue know if I can negotiate on rates or not and how much room I have to do that.

Space – An outline of the space requirements for the group: how many rooms, when they will be used, what types of room sets, and how many people will be in attendance for each event. Include everything you think you will need, but be realistic about your requirements. That especially applies to your estimated counts. If your group history shows that typical attendance for your meeting is 200 people, don’t look to hold space for 500 without some kind of solid reasoning (i.e. wishful thinking is not a good basis for this estimate).

F&B –A listing of each food and beverage function planned and the estimated number of people in attendance for each function. As with Space requests, ask for what you think you’ll need but be realistic about it.

AV – Indicate how much and what kind of Audio-Visual equipment my meeting will use (whether rented or brought) because this impacts the size of rooms needed for the group, as well as possibly representing another source of income for the venue (if they have an in-house AV department). It also helps paint a picture of what the group looks like for the sales rep.

Other Key Decision Points – If you have special requests that will “make or break” a venue’s chances of winning your business, be sure to include those items in the RFP – and this goes for any service or item that will affect your final decision. For example, if you need free high-speed internet access in your guest rooms, ask for it. If you can only book with a hotel that is a union property, state that in your RFP. That way, you will not waste your time, or theirs, by getting bids that you know up front you cannot accept. Similarly, if parking or shuttle rates are important, be sure to ask bidders to include that information in their proposal as well.

Group History – As we’ve discussed previously, having a solid group history helps show that your space and F&B requests (as well as all of the other items on our RFP) are reasonable and realistic for the group. I typically include a minimum of 3-5 instances of the meeting in the RFP, assuming the group has met at least that many times. For each “instance”, I will provide the date and location of the meeting (city and venue) on the RFP. With a typical large conference, this means I am sharing at least 3-5 years of history. For smaller groups that might meet 3-4 times each year, I usually only list the previous year or two to show that it is not just a “one-off” event and that there is a solid basis for my numbers. Believe it or not, hotels do look at your group history – especially for larger groups.

With each area, I will delve into more detail about the group’s needs as appropriate. Where I take each of the areas above depends greatly on the group I am working with and what they need. To go into those finer points here would take up way too much space so I will instead take the time in future posts to look at some of these RFP areas in greater detail. In the meantime, I hope this has given you enough to start thinking about your RFPs and what information you choose to include in them.

~ Karl Baur, CMP • Project Director, RDL enterprises

Work-Life Balance

Being a business owner & CFO of RDL enterprises is a very fulfilling job. The daily challenges of managing money are challenging. Working with clients is great and our employees are the best. However, keeping a positive balance in the office and in my personal life is what drives me the most. Recently, we had a staff meeting and the, “RDL Talks!” blog was on our agenda. As I was thinking about what to write for one of my next posts, I started thinking about the work & life balance that we all face each and every day. So, I began to do a little research to see what people do to make this all happen and to see if what I was doing was along the right path. First, I looked to Wikipedia to see if there was such a definition of work and live balance. Much to my surprise there was! I found no reason to change what I found, so I am sharing it with you in the original form.

Work–life balance
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Work-life balance is a broad concept which is closely related and derived from the research of Job satisfaction as explained and researched by Farnaz Namin-Hedayati Ph.D from Innovent Consulting a boutique consulting and work-life solutions firm in Orlando, Florida. Within the research of Job Satisfaction, Hackman and Oldham's Job Characteristics Model, had found that there are both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, which affected perceptions of, job satisfaction within individuals. Intrinsic factors referred to job characteristics specifically. However, the extrinsic factors referred to the social and cultural norms the individual holding the job operated by. Hence, Work-life balance was considered one of the inputs of this extrinsic factor. The most researched area of work-life balance and its bi-directional relationship component referring to life-work balance was introduced by Netemeyer et al., which also described the multi-dimensionality of work-life balance (time, strain behavior). One can say that Work-life balance is the proper prioritizing between "work" (career and ambition) on one hand and "life" (pleasure, leisure, family and spiritual development) on the other. Related, though broader, terms include "lifestyle balance" and "life balance". This is fine, as long is it is clear that there is a large individual component in that. Meaning, each individual's needs, experiences, and goals, define the balance and there is not a one size fits all solution. Also, what work-life balance does not mean is an equal balance in units of time between work and life.

After reading Wikipedia’s entry – I continued to do more research (the internet is a wealth of information). I found a lot of interesting articles and information that I think is not only informative, but worth a read. This piece below was written by the staff at the Mayo Clinic was one of the articles I found. Check it out, you may learn some interesting tips that you were not aware of before…

Work-life balance: Tips to reclaim control
When your work life and personal life are out of balance, your stress level is likely to soar. Use these practical strategies to restore harmony.
By Mayo Clinic staff

There was a time when the boundaries between work and home were fairly clear. Today, however, work is likely to invade your personal life — and maintaining work-life balance is no simple task. Still, work-life balance isn't out of reach. Start by evaluating your relationship to work. Then apply specific strategies to help you strike a healthier balance.
Married to your work? Consider the cost

It can be tempting to rack up hours at work, especially if you're trying to earn a promotion or manage an ever-increasing workload. Sometimes overtime may even be required. If you're spending most of your time working, though, your home life will take a hit. Consider the consequences of poor work-life balance:

* Fatigue. When you're tired, your ability to work productively and think clearly may suffer — which could take a toll on your professional reputation or lead to dangerous or costly mistakes.
* Lost time with friends and loved ones. If you're working too much, you may miss important family events or milestones. This can leave you feeling left out and may harm relationships with your loved ones. It's also difficult to nurture friendships if you're always working.
* Increased expectations. If you regularly work extra hours, you may be given more responsibility. This may lead to only more concerns and challenges.

Strike a better work-life balance

As long as you're working, juggling the demands of career and personal life will probably be an ongoing challenge. Use these ideas to help you find the work-life balance that's best for you:

* Track your time. Track everything you do for one week, including work-related and personal activities. Decide what's necessary and what satisfies you the most. Cut or delegate activities you don't enjoy or can't handle — or share your concerns and possible solutions with your employer or others.
* Take advantage of your options. Ask your employer about flex hours, a compressed workweek, job sharing, telecommuting or other scheduling flexibility. The more control you have over your hours, the less stressed you're likely to be.
* Learn to say no. Whether it's a co-worker asking you to spearhead an extra project or your child's teacher asking you to manage the class play, remember that it's OK to respectfully say no. When you quit doing the things you do only out of guilt or a false sense of obligation, you'll make more room in your life for the activities that are meaningful to you and bring you joy.
* Leave work at work. With the technology to connect to anyone at any time from virtually anywhere, there may be no boundary between work and home — unless you create it. Make a conscious decision to separate work time from personal time. When you're with your family, for instance, turn off your cell phone and put away your laptop computer.
* Manage your time. Organize household tasks efficiently, such as running errands in batches or doing a load of laundry every day, rather than saving it all for your day off. Put family events on a weekly family calendar and keep a daily to-do list. Do what needs to be done and let the rest go. Limit time-consuming misunderstandings by communicating clearly and listening carefully. Take notes if necessary.
* Bolster your support system. At work, join forces with co-workers who can cover for you — and vice versa — when family conflicts arise. At home, enlist trusted friends and loved ones to pitch in with child care or household responsibilities when you need to work overtime or travel.
* Nurture yourself. Eat healthy foods, include physical activity in your daily routine and get enough sleep. Set aside time each day for an activity that you enjoy, such as practicing yoga or reading. Better yet, discover activities you can do with your partner, family or friends — such as hiking, dancing or taking cooking classes.

Know when to seek professional help

Everyone needs help from time to time. If your life feels too chaotic to manage and you're spinning your wheels worrying about it, talk with a professional — such as a counselor or other mental health professional. If your employer offers an employee assistance program (EAP), take advantage of available services.

Remember, striking a healthy work-life balance isn't a one-shot deal. Creating work-life balance is a continuous process as your family, interests and work life change. Periodically examine your priorities — and make changes, if necessary — to make sure you're keeping on track.

The information in this article, for me, seemed to reflect that I am pretty much on track. I do find that when my balance tips, that is when I feel the most stressed. So, keeping priorities in focus and maintaining those priorities seems to be the key. I always keep in mind that life is not a rehearsal, but a journey; so take time to smell the flowers along the way. Enjoy your day.

~ Cyndy Hutchinson • CFO, RDL enterprises

When can I expect to see registrations start to come in?

Believe it or not, I actually get this question fairly often. A client will open registration and then want to know how soon people will start to register. It is particularly common when registration opens particularly early. However, while it is a fair question, a little patience is often in order as it can often take a while before your attendees begin registering.

When folks will register for an event depends on many factors. Think about what would affect your decision about when to register for an event – and extrapolate that to your projected attendees. Do they need to wait for agency approval? Perhaps they need to wait until their next paycheck. When you hit an agency’s budget cycle may also cause people to wait – or to register right away. Similarly, if you open registration while your audience is on vacation, you will probably have to wait a bit longer to see registration numbers pick up. Even with all of the variations among groups, though, I have noticed that there tends to be a “sweet spot” and a few secondary periods in which most registrations come in.

For most events I have done, the sweet spot tends to be four to six weeks before the conference is scheduled to take place. I believe that the reason for this is that it is far enough out that people have time to budget for it and plan to attend, yet it is close enough that they also feel some sense of urgency to complete their registration.

The next two periods that typically result in the next highest numbers of registrants is from six to eight weeks out and two to four weeks out. Both of these time frames share a trait with the sweet spot – but not the other. Six to eight weeks out leaves plenty of time to get registrations through their agencies for payment, but there is sometimes a lack of urgency that it needs to be done right away. On the other hand, those who register in the two to four week period certainly have more of a sense of urgency, but are often faced with challenges in processing payments.

Another period worth noting is event-specific. The deadline for early registration – the date when the cost of registering goes up – often sees a spike in registrations as people scramble to get their registrations in before the deadline. This “early bird bump” is one reason we often recommend to clients that they offer early bird rates: they get more registrations in early enough that we can make meaningful projections about the final attendance. I have also seen smaller spikes in registration immediately following targeted marketing efforts as people respond to the email or phone call reminding them to register.

All in all, there really is no magic period in which a group should expect the majority of their attendees to register. Instead, it is a moving target that successfully predicting requires an in-depth knowledge of your attendees and the specific conditions they operate within and the situations they face. However, I am able to use the “sweet spot” of four to six weeks as a decent gauge of how well an event is doing getting registrants – and whether or not additional marketing efforts are called for.

~ Karl Baur, CMP • Project Director, RDL enterprises

What is a CVB and how can they help your meeting?

CVB stands for Convention and Visitors Bureau. When we looked at common acronyms in the industry, this was one that definitely needed to be in that list and, if you are new to meeting planning, this is one of those terms that you absolutely must learn. Why? What’s in it for you as a planner?

Well, for starters, CVBs exist for the sole purpose of bringing business to their city and region – from individual travelers all the way up through citywide conventions. They have the resources and knowledge to help you find the right venue or the right services to support your event. You do not need to know the region in depth – that’s their job. Every first and second-tier city has one (some areas have more!) and most third-tier cities have them as well.

They can also assist you in selecting a venue for your event – helping with everything from initial determination of meeting specs and lead distribution to collecting proposals and aiding with site inspections.

They are a resource for every kind of service that you could need for your meeting or conference. If they do not have members who offer the kinds of services you are looking for, they can help find them. I will often use the CVB to help me find AV providers, caterers, decorators, and other specialty services – especially if I do not know anyone in that area already who provides the services I need.

If you need information on events going on while you are in town, the CVB can provide that to you – everything from dining options and shopping centers to museums, sporting events, and theaters. Remember, the Bureaus are geared to help individuals as well as groups so, when I need to know what options exist for my meeting attendees before or after my meeting is done, the CVB gives me a great place to start to find the things that will interest my group.

The kicker for me, though, is the cost – free. That’s right, free! How CVBs are financed varies by bureau but, for me as a planner, there is no cost for most of what they offer in the way of assistance.

It is worth noting that Bureaus are usually funded by a combination of taxes on hotel rooms sold and disbursements from their cities so, yes, I do “pay” for the service through taxes on guest rooms for my groups but that tax will be charged whether I use the CVB or not – so why would I not use them? If in doubt, ask them what they can do to help you for free and what comes with a cost. The stuff I’ve mentioned above, though, is all provided for free.

Another bonus is that many of these resources are available online (also free of charge) and the CVB web sites are a great way to get an initial “feel” for a city and what they might have to offer your group in the way of attractions, dining, entertainment, etc. Look for the “meeting planner” links on their sites. You can get valuable information about venues in the region, as well as submit a Request for Proposals (RFP), check out their convention and events calendars, or locate local vendors for the services your event needs.

Check them out. You may be surprised at how much a CVB has to offer you…

~ Karl Baur, CMP • Project Director, RDL enterprises

Basic Principles of Layout & Design for Meeting Planners

Many meeting planners are asked to do things that they may not actually be trained to do – so we go out and learn them. One of the most common tasks planners are assigned is to create flyers, web sites, brochures, newsletters, and all other manner of printed documents to promote their event or provide information to attendees. As one of the areas in which planners have little formal training, I have found it useful to take a few classes and do some reading on the subject. To help you get started on your own layout and design work, here are four basic principles that everyone seems to agree on. I will also share two additional principles that some include, which I find to be useful ones as well.

The four Basic Principles (in alphabetical order) are:

• Alignment
• Contrast
• Proximity
• Repetition

Alignment is the idea that everything on the page should be connected (visually) to something else on the page. Left-justification and lining up image centers are both examples of alignment.

Contrast is about differences. The greater the difference, the greater the contrast. In fact, too little contrast often looks like a mistake and can actually create conflict on the page as the reader subconsciously struggles to figure out why things don’t quite look right…

Proximity deals with how close objects or text are to other objects or text on the page. The strength of the relationship between two objects is implied by their proximity to each other. Things that relate to one another should be closer than items that do not relate to each other.

Repetition is simply about having some element of the design repeat throughout the document. Let me say that again…you should have some elements repeat throughout your document. The repeated element could be a font type or style, a graphic or picture, a spatial orientation, or even just a thick line.

The two additional Principles that I use are:

• Balance
• White Space

Balance is a measure of equilibrium and “completeness”. Does the page (or document) flow smoothly? Does the eye track cleanly across all elements, or does it stop and start while trying to find the important information?

White Space refers to how much “unused” area exists on the page and is not necessarily white in color. Use of white space provides the eye with a nice rest while it tracks over the page, allowing the reader to take in what they have read before moving on to the next piece.

When I am designing a brochure or other document for a client, I always try to keep these six principles in mind. There is no hierarchy to the principles and none of them is more important than the others. It is also not always possible to use each one to its full extent. You will have to make some choices about which principles you choose to emphasize based on your specific needs.

If you are looking for more information about layout and design principles, there are many great books and resources out there. I use as my reference a book recommended to me in one of the classes I took: “The Non-Designer’s Design Book, 2nd Ed.” By Robin Williams (not the comedian). The 3rd edition is available through Amazon.

- Karl Baur, CMP • Project Director, RDL enterprises

Calculating an Event’s Break-Even Point [Part II]

Last week, we looked at the “Rate Per Person” equation for events and went over each variable. Here it is again:

Rate Per Person = [SM + FC + (X * VC) + IC + PM] / Y

If you need to review what all of the variables mean, click here for the previous post. This week, let’s take an example and see how it plays out. Ready? OK, here we go...

I want to do a small gathering of cross-stitch fans for a luncheon. Let’s say we expect to have a maximum of 30 people attending, including an invited speaker whom we will not charge for their participation. I am also attending and am included in the 30 count.

SM (Sunk Money): I am able to advertise this fairly cheaply. I spend $25 on flyers that I distribute at local fabric stores, who allow me to post on their message boards for free.

FC (Fixed Costs): The speaker has a Power Point presentation that they plan to do, using their own laptop. Let’s assume that an LCD package (projector, screen, power, and cords) will cost $400, including tax and service charges. The total number of guests is small enough that I should not need a microphone for the speaker. And, since I am providing lunch as part of the program, the hotel will not charge me a room rental fee. (Aren’t they nice?)

X (Number of participants): We expect 30 total participants.

VC (Variable Costs): The only cost we have in this category is the lunch itself. I was able to negotiate a rate of $20 inclusive for my lunch. Remember, this is a per person rate.

IC (Indirect Costs): I am donating my time, so there are no admin costs that I am trying to recoup, but I will not be paying to attend either. This figure will be $0.

PM (Profit Margin): If I make a profit, that would be great, but I do not have a specific profit goal – I just want the event to pay for itself – so this number will be $0.

Y (Number of Paying Guests): We have two people who will not pay to attend (comps), so that means we have 28 paying guests.

OK – putting it all together, the equation now looks like this:

Rate Per Person = [$25 + $400 + (30 * $20) + $0 + $0] / 28

When we do the math, the final figure comes out to $1,025/28, which works out to $36.61 per person. Many novice planners’ initial reaction is to charge that amount; maybe they’ll round up to $37. If 28 people pay $37 each to attend, we’ll make $1,036, which covers all of our expenses. We have broken even!

However, there is one drawback to this – we need to sell out in order to break even. So, how can we fix that? We adjust the number of attendees and paid attendees and recalculate. Let’s assume that only 20 people attend (including our two comps). Now the equation looks like this:

Rate Per Person = [$25 + $400 + (20 * $20) + $0 + $0] / 18

We will now have to charge $45.83 per person to break even. Of course, each paid attendee after the 18th one starts adding to our profit, but our break-even point is 18 people at $45.83 per person.

You can also work from a predetermined rate to figure out how many people would need to pay that amount in order to break even. If, say, we wanted to charge $40 per person, then we’d break even with the 24th paid attendee (the Rate per Person with 24 paid attendees and 2 comps is $39.38) and start making profit with each paid attendee after that.

While most of these two posts have been just about the math, the art of calculating a break-even point comes in figuring out realistic numbers for all of the variables – especially since you do not always know what those numbers will be when you first begin – and that is one of the places where a professional planner can be of assistance to anyone who has to manage their event budget. They can help identify expenses and help come up with realistic numbers for you, as well as using your event history to generate solid tracking of paid attendance.

- Karl Baur, CMP • Project Director, RDL enterprises

Calculating an Event’s Break-Even Point [Part I]

As we start off 2010 and the economy is slowly recovering, most of the planners I know are much more aware of the costs of their events and are under more pressure to ensure that they make a profit (or come in under budget). At the very least, they need to break even (or not exceed their allocated budget). These folks deal with this issue regularly, however, and have all the tools they need to track income and expenses to be able to project how they’ll do financially. And, if they are working with a fixed budget, it is relatively easy to simply tally up all of the projected expenses and compare the two numbers. You break even when your income matches or exceeds your expenses.

But what if you are planning your own event and you do not have a specific funding amount or if the event has to fund itself? How do you know when you will hit the “break-even point” and start making a profit? Well…there is an art and a science to this.

Let’s look at a key formula first (science) and then we’ll discuss how to use it (art and science). [Warning! This will involve some math but don’t panic; we’ll go through each piece of it.]

Rate Per Person = [SM + FC + (X * VC) + IC + PM] / Y

That’s a lot of variables. What do they mean?

SM = “Sunk” Money: This represents money that you spend to put on an event that you must spend whether or not the event happens. For instance, money spent promoting the event and non-refundable deposits are both considered “sunk” money. Sunk money can often be “buried” within other costs but it is something that is quite important to know, especially if cancellation of your event becomes necessary.

FC = Fixed Costs: These are expenses that usually do not change based on the actual attendance at the event. A good example here is a speaker’s fees. Typically, a speaker will charge you a set fee to present at your event, which will not change if your numbers go from 100 people up to 125 people or down to 93 people. Other examples of fixed costs include audio-visual equipment, guest rooms for speakers or other VIPs (if covered by the event), awards, etc.

X = This variable represents the number of people who will attend your event. It is not necessarily the same number as the number of people who will pay to attend your event!

VC = Variable Costs. Variable costs are those expenses that depend on the actual number of people that you plan to provide for. In other words, the total amount you will pay is affected by changes in your attendance. The classic example of a variable cost is a meal. You pay on a per person basis for meals and they are even presented that way in hotel menus.

IC = Indirect Costs: Also known as personnel or administrative costs. This represents staff salaries, office overhead, and other related expenses that may not be directly tied to the event but must be somehow “recouped” by the event.

PM = Profit Margin. Quite simply, this represents how much profit the event must make once all expenses are paid. This is particularly useful to include in cases where an event is being used as a fundraiser for other activities your group is doing.

Y = Number of participants who will pay to attend

Note: all of these variables, except for number of people (X and Y), are expressed in dollars (or whatever currency you’re using). I tend to round to the nearest whole dollar to make calculations a bit easier but it is not necessary, especially if you use a spreadsheet to do the calculations for you. It can also be tricky sometimes to know if an expense is a fixed cost (FC) or a variable cost (VC). Just remember that a variable cost is one that is based on the number of people attending, even though you may order more or less of something based on other information. For instance, if I need poster boards for a scientific presentation session, the number of boards required will vary based on size of posters, number of presenters, and the layout I want to use. However, rental of the boards is still considered a fixed cost (FC) because it does not matter if I have 100 people attending the event or 75 or 140 – attendance does not affect the cost for renting the boards.

Fill in the blanks and do the math – and you have your break-even point based on your projected attendance. Essentially what we’ve done with this equation is add up all of the event’s expenses and then divide by the number of people paying to attend the event to get a rate per attendee. This amount is the basis for coming up with a registration fee for the event and, ultimately, determining a realistic break-even point.

Next week – an example using the equation…

- Karl Baur, CMP • Project Director, RDL enterprises

Energy Efficiency for the Holidays and Beyond…

During the holidays, our energy consumption usually increases significantly as we add lighting to our homes, offices, and businesses. Thankfully, there are ways to be energy efficient and protect the environment during the busy holiday season (as well as during the rest of the year).

For inside or outside holiday lighting, you can buy Light Emitting Diode (LED) just about anywhere. They are energy efficient, more cost effective, reduce fire risk, and are long lasting. According to PG&E, LED lights reduce energy consumption by as much as 90% compared to traditional incandescent bulbs. Over time, this can save consumers a substantial amount of money. In addition, you’re making a conscious choice for the environment and collectively to the planet.

By now, most people know they can save energy and money by replacing their Compact Florescent Lights (CFLs) and incandescent bulbs with LEDs. CFLs are a temporary solution to energy efficient lighting. Where can you get rid of CFLs and incandescent lights? You don’t have to throw them away, which is harmful to the environment. CFLs contain a small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing and should be disposed of properly to avoid contaminating the environment.

To recycle CFLs and incandescent bulbs, you can mail your lights to a recycling program such as this one:

Attn: Recycling Program
118 Rosehill Dr., Suite 1
Jackson, MI 49202
www.HolidayLEDs.com

You can also take them into a local Home Depot, which is the first major retailer to offer free collecting/recycling program for CFLs. To learn more about Home Depot’s Eco Options, please visit this site.

[Incidentally, if you should have a CFL break in your work or home, here is a handy two-page document, courtesy of the EPA, that will help you know what to do.]

Contact your local city, county, or solid waste agency to find more options about recycling. You can also visit www.earth911.org or Where You Live at www.epa.gov.

“Change a light, Change the world.” Energy Star

- Tess Conrad • Meeting Planner

How many people will that room hold? – Revisited!

Back in July, I posted a piece talking about how to roughly calculate how many people a room could hold. (Click here to read the original post.) Given the popularity of that particular post, I decided to do this follow up – and include a free cheat sheet (link at end of post) for quick reference. This one page document gives me an easy way to know ahead of time how much space a particular event is likely to need.

Once again, here are the approximations I most frequently use:

Banquets (60” or 72” rounds): 15 square feet/person
Classroom (18” tables): 15 square feet/person
Classroom (30” tables): 20 square feet/person
Theater or Reception: 10 square feet/person
Hollow Square: 40 square feet/person

If you use my numbers and compare them to most space calculators, you will find that the calculators will usually give you more people in the same square footage than my estimates. This is because most calculators do not take into account audio-visual equipment – mine do. I also try to make sure that my attendees have enough space to be comfortable, instead of squished together as tightly as possible. My approximations take this “comfort factor” into account as well.

Please note that, if you have extensive audio-visual requirements or elaborate sets, you will need significantly more space. As always a property’s Convention Services Manager will be able to help you determine the best fit for your event in the spaces they have.

- Karl Baur, CMP • Project Director, RDL enterprises

Download Cheat Sheet (PDF)

Digital Publication Comes Online for SGMP!

SGMP, The Society of Government Meeting Professionals, has launched the inaugural issue of Government Connections – as a digital publication.

In this exciting new offering from SGMP (and, yes, I am a member), readers can access the association’s newsletter at any time through their computer. This offers several advantages over printed distribution. It is environmentally friendly – you read it on your computer and only print out the pages you want. And no waiting for it to arrive with the mail – you can check for the latest issue at your convenience (SGMP members get email notifications).

It also is more visually appealing than many online publications I’ve seen. Where most groups just upload an electronic version of their physical publication or re-format it to look like a web page, this publication actually looks like a magazine right in your browser! The system allows for searching of content, zoom presets, single or double page viewing, and many other features. You can also download a PDF version of it to your computer to peruse at your leisure. All in all, it seems to be a pretty good setup. I am looking forward to checking it out in greater depth and seeing everything this has to offer me as a reader.

If you are interested in seeing the current issue of Government Connections for yourself, click here and dig in!

- Karl Baur, CMP • Project Director