A block of rooms is a necessity in the meeting planning world and the whole thought of attrition can cause hives. But what about the opposite “problem?” Not having enough rooms. While this is a good problem to have, it is an issue none-the-less. So what’s the popular meeting planner to do? Here are some[...]

Sing to the tune of “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen: Your boss just gave you a ring Said time to plan a meeting Your voice said okay Your mind said no way You’ve got more meetings than time Plannin’ for pennies and dimes Another meeting to list Not much time in a day[...]

On your mark, get set, go! Welcome to the 2012 Meeting Planner Olympics. We have many exciting sports and athletes for this year’s games, all going for the gold! Here is a list of some of the more exciting games to keep an eye on:   100 Meeting Dash – Watch as Meeting Planners tirelessly[...]

Names are important. Many parents name their children after relatives that had or have a special place in their life. Sometimes they search for a name that has a strong meaning behind it. In the movie, “Where the Heart Is,” the main character, Novalee, is contemplating a name for her yet-to-be born child. She tells a[...]

As much as I would love for each of you to call me TODAY and engage me to assist you in finding the perfect place for you meeting, you may simply not need my help. And, here is why: You have tons of time on your hands: Perhaps you are one of the few meeting[...]

Many of us are simply not too thrilled about Return on Investment. It seems slippery, hard to come to, difficult to measure. Some things are simply not measurable. There is not, to my knowledge anyway, an actual happy-meter that measures the happiness of your attendees with a meeting; though a ballroom full of smiles is[...]

As meeting planners I know the word “budget” can cause a bit of  teeth gnawing and jaw grinding. You can create the best, most awesome, outrageously amazing meeting, but if it does not come in on or under budget, those powers that be will not be very happy. The next time you are in budget[...]

Creating a well-rounded menu for your meeting can mean the difference between attendees that are lively and energized or attendees that more closely resemble a hoard of walking dead zombies (eeek!). Welcome to the Hunger Games ala Meeting Planning. Here are some helpful ideas to keep in mind for your next event. These menu hints[...]

Welcome to the RFP Organization 101 Class. Oh wait, what are you doing here? You do not need this class! Why? Because . . . . you have me. Okay, I know that organizing RFP responses from hotels ranks in your top five of fun when it comes to meeting planning. Oh, it doesn’t? It’s[...]