There is magic among us......we just need to find it!

Have you ever wondered what you miss when you blink? On average, human beings blink approximately 15,000 times per day. Each blink lasts between 300 and 400 milliseconds (1000 milliseconds equals 1 second). I believe that in those mere milliseconds, those moments when our eyes are closed, we may miss out on magic!

During the 2012 GMIC Sustainable Meetings Conference, attendees were given the opportunity to participate in a new and innovative presentation format called Bl!nk™

What is 

Bl!nk™?

 An individual Bl!nk™ Presentation lasts for a minimum of 2 minutes and a maximum of 5 minutes. These are rapid-fire presentations meant to keep the audience engaged. High energy and fast moving!

The Bl!nk™ Presentations were “introduced so that we can get to know one another in different, meaningful ways and as a result, find connections that we didn’t know existed. These presentations are about what we miss, about discovering the magic among us”.

Created by Judy Kucharuk, Green Meeting Specialist & Sustainability Consultant with Footprint Management Systems Inc. and Elizabeth Henderson, Chief Sustainability Strategist with Meeting Change, Bl!nk™ was developed as a way to engage Association membership in an exciting new way.

Kucharuk believes that, “through the passage of time, Associations may become predictable with their conference content and the membership can disengage”. Bl!nk™ was developed to:

·   Engage new members

·   Curate content

·   Discover connections

Engage New Members: Bl!nk™ provides an opportunity for new members to introduce themselves in a unique manner which may assist them with building relationships within the Association or Organization.

Curate Content: A Bl!nk™ presentation can become a way to curate new content for future conferences and education. Through the introduction of Bl!nk™ presentations, conference organizers can see which content creates the most buzz, the most conversation, the most “retweets”, providing valuable data when moving forward with future conferences or planning educational opportunities.

Discover Connections: A famous saying is, “we don’t know, what we don’t know” and Bl!nk™ presentations can assist with discovering connections that we didn’t know were there. There is magic among us!

At the 2012 GMIC Sustainable Meetings Conference, the Bl!nk™ presentation format was introduced to the membership.

I would like to thank the following individuals who came forward with funny, engaging, inspirational and informative Bl!nk™ presentations. My deepest gratitude.

• Danielle Adams @DNACSR: “Sustainable You”
• Adrian Segar @ASegar: “Torn About Tech”
• Mariela McIlwraith @meetingchange: “Germaphobe”
• Greg Ruby @gregruby: “Things that make me go hmmmmm”
• Julie Baylor @JulieBaylor: “Sustainability comes in all shapes & sizes”
• Wendy Scott: “The Dirty Laundry of Sustainable Site Selection”
• Mitchell Beer @mitchellbeer: Standards – The Aha Moment
• Elizabeth Henderson @ehenderson: “Ode on a Bedbug”

Thank you!


Judy

Can Planner's "fist bump" their way to a germ free event?

As I am writing this, I am sipping my piping hot cold and flu beverage, the overpowering scent of Vicks Vapor Rub lingering in the air. My eyes are running, my voice is raspy and the tickle in my throat has now manifested itself as a full blown, lung emptying cough which terrifies Ozzie, my Shi Tzu, every time I let loose. He looks at me with those big brown eyes and I am sure he is thinking, “If she does that one more time I am going to do something nasty in her nicest shoes”.

Can you imagine if I had an event or conference to attend? The big question is…..after paying hundreds of dollars in registration fees, purchasing airline tickets, making travel arrangements, etc. would I still go….. feeling like I do?

The correct answer is “no”, but I am sure that in the real world, most would still attend, bringing with them their cold or flu virus as carry on baggage.

How can we, as conference and event planners, protect our attendee’s from the cold and flu virus without coming across as over- anxious germaphobes?

The truth is, there are many small ways with which we can protect our guests without appearing intrusive.

Think like a cruise ship! – Cruise ship management and staff have to constantly be thinking of ways to keep their guests healthy. Hand sanitizers are mounted everywhere, specifically at entrances to restaurants and bars. You can do the same at your event by providing sanitizers throughout the conference or event space. Offer attendees mini pen sized sanitizer pumps at your registration desk that they can drop into their purse or briefcase; place boxes of tissue in restrooms and sitting areas.

Having a buffet? Pre roll your cutlery in a cloth napkin – Have catering staff offer the wrapped cutlery and plate to guests at the entrance to the buffet line thus minimizing the transfer of germs…another cruise ship strategy. Better yet, place the cutlery on the table.

Immune boosting beverages – Instead of the traditional coffee break menu items, consider adding items such as orange or cranberry juice (source of vitamin C) and Green tea (anti-oxidant). Provide plenty of water stations throughout your venue to keep your attendee’s hydrated.

Fist bumps or hand shakes? – Howie Mandel fist bumps as a way to avoid germs. It is perfectly fine for Howie Mandel, but I think that fist bumps have a weak position in corporate culture. They infer a level of familiarity that may not be appropriate. Can you imagine being introduced to the CEO of a company (that you are hoping will employ you) and instead of reaching forward to grasp his/her hand…you throw out a casual fist bump? Don’t forsake the traditional handshake; instead wash your hands often, using soap and water, vigorously rubbing your hands together for the length of time it takes to sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”. Placing signage in the restrooms encouraging hand washing and how it prevents the spread of germs, may also be helpful. I know we are all grownups, but sometimes reminders can make a difference.

Touch Screens – Have you ever visited your ATM and wondered what may be lurking on the keypad? The same can be true at your touch screen event kiosk. Keep germs at bay by frequently wiping down the touch screen and/or keypad.

Cancellation policy – Does your event have a cancellation policy? Your cancellation policy should be simple and straightforward and should clearly state alternatives, i.e. substitution of attendee, full and/or partial refunds, credits.

None of the strategies I mentioned were anything new or exciting, but are often overlooked. We consider our attendee’s comfort when planning our events, we should also consider their health.

Today's article brought to you by the common cold....*cough* cough*

Judy

Can you hear me now?

Price for flying in world renowned motivational speaker $10,000;

Venue and catering $25,000;

Not being able to hear a word she says, because her lapel mic keeps cutting out and, you were too cheap to retain an on site A/V technician – tragic

Times they are a changin’ and if you are still thinking that your administrative assistant, or your in house IT Technician can look after all of your audio visual needs at your next staff conference….you may be heading straight for disaster.

Cutting corners in you’re A/V area is not fair to your speaker and it is not fair to your audience. Speakers, particularly those traveling the professional speaking circuit, become accustomed to a certain level of expertise. Sure, there are some that will say, “no powerpoint screen? No problem, I can do it without”. But, there are many who have carefully designed their presentation and will be frustrated if their needs cannot be met. I was once at a very large gathering where the speaker, a Master Event Designer, said at the beginning, “I have everything I need right here on my IPhone – I can control the lights, the sounds, the mixed media right here” and…..he couldn’t. The worst part was that he kept interrupting his presentation to troubleshoot his A/V problems and as a result couldn’t deliver what we were expecting. In hindsight, maybe he was showing us what not to do….but I don’t think so.

Audio Visual expertise is not only important for large conferences and presentations, it is equally important for social events. You owe it to your guests at your wedding or party to have a handle on the lights and sound. No one wants to look back on the wedding video and see Great Aunt Sophie holding the microphone like a telephone and not being able to hear her words of wisdom, or your master of ceremonies is unaware that his lapel mic is still on when he makes an inappropriate remark.

So here are some quick tips for ensuring your audio visual goes off without a hitch.

1. Get to know your speaker – contact your speaker well in advance to ascertain his/her audio visual needs and expectations. Make sure that you are asking all of the questions required to ensure that you will be adequately prepared for the presentation. Some basic questions to ask are: Do they require a proxima, computer (MAC or PC), lectern, handheld mic or lapel mic, whiteboard or flipchart, markers. Is the presenter going to move around the stage or go out into the audience? If a stationary lectern mic is required, you might want to discern how tall the presenter is and if that will be adequate for his/her needs. If the presenter is short like I am, a stool may be necessary..or if taller than average, you don’t want them to have to stoop to speak into the microphone.
2. Hire a professional – If you are moving beyond the realm of the banquet hall sound system and having to rent additional equipment, then hire a professional to be on site. Make sure that you budget for the professional technician to be there during set up and run through to troubleshoot any unexpected problems. I cannot count how many times a speaker has arrived with a presentation that is just that much different that it requires completely different hardware and software. By having an A/V professional in attendance at the run through, you are dealing with any problems and coming up with solutions in plenty of time to ensure the event goes off without a hiccup.
3. Examine goals and objectives thoroughly – If you had your heart set on an amazing wedding day video compilation set to music, etc. then perhaps having Cousin Betty capture the magic on her new phone isn’t the best option available. And no….it doesn’t matter if she just finished an online video editing webinar and is “super stoked about shooting the film” – you might want to check into a professional.
4. Think a wee bit outside the box – If you have a large number of people attending the presentation and the room is quite large, consider hiring a professional to film and project the speaker onto the large screen simultaneously so that everyone can see him or her. We all can relate to being at the back of the room and not being able to pick up on the subtle nuances of the presentation that come from being able to hear AND see them.

The bottom line is, the proper audio visual design can make or break your event. You can wow your audience with the sights and sounds or you can make them wish they were somewhere else.....

J

Want to know a little more about me?

Recently I was approached by the editorial director for "The Meeting Planner's Best Resource" a weblog and e-newsletter for the meetings and events industry about being their October Planner.

I responded with something like "I am tickled pink that you would consider me for a profile" (because I was tickled pink) and that started the ball rolling.

I took the weekend to respond to the questions.....it was harder than I thought it would be, but in the end I think it turned out pretty darn well.

So...if you want to know a little more about me, check it out here!

Judy

The Good, the Bad and the "Oh No You Didn't"

The dreaded nametag, badge holder and lanyard….. Most of them have one thing in common, as soon as I put them on, they flip over showing…..well, showing nothing. If I am so fortunate to be given a badge holder and lanyard that is constructed so that it doesn’t flip over, then most likely there is a nametag inside the badge holder with my name printed in a font from the times of early Rome. Very pretty, but unreadable. It is quite embarrassing to have someone standing there looking directly at your chest (where the darn badge holder is hanging) trying to read your name. Invariably I look down as well, just to be sure that I don’t have a button popped. Can this be fixed? Of course! If you have badge holders which flip over – utilize that back of the nametag white space real estate by printing the attendee’s name AGAIN. It can then flip flop as much as it wants and the name will still be displayed.

First name first! – Print the attendee’s name as if it is being read (because it is). First name, then last name. Use a larger font for the name than you are using for the rest of the information. Don’t clutter the nametag with useless information. Name and company is adequate. Don’t get fancy with the font and make it large enough to read from a comfortable distance.

My biggest pet peeve is the “us versus them” nametag/badge holder. Perhaps you are attending a luncheon or evening networking event, and those belonging to the hosting association have fancy, schmancy badge holders whereas the invited “guests” receive the standard, “Hello My Name Is” stick on type and are handed a sharpie with which to write their name. This doesn’t work on so many levels. First, no one wants to stick a super-sticky adhesive nametag onto their nice blouse and secondly, by having guests write out their own nametags, you end up with a hodgepodge of handwritten nametags with differing information. Some will default to using only their first name, others will write their first and last name, title, place of business, etc. filling in the white space to the point that it is unreadable. Secondly, what if you didn’t print enough fancy, schmancy badge holders/nametags for the association members and end up having to give a member one of the “Hello My Name Is” nametags? They won’t be very happy because they will spend the time responding to the question, “I thought you were a member? You aren’t a member anymore?”. My feeling is that if you are going to use an “us versus them” nametag strategy, then you must commit to being 100% correct, i.e. no mix ups. Someone told me once that even the nicest, most expensive outfit can be ruined by a crappy, scuffed up pair of shoes. Think of the event as the outfit and nametag/badge holder and/or lanyard as the shoes. If you are concerned about having to provide that many lanyards and holders and the expense, simply ask for them back which really, you should be doing already (see previous blog article).

Lettering on the lanyard – “1 888 We Rent Crappers” along with a picture of a porta-pottie written over and over and over again on the lanyard. A perfectly good sponsor, but not for your lanyard. Think carefully about the logo (if any) imprinted on the lanyard as it also impacts whether or not the lanyard can be recycled to be used at another event. Perhaps better to imprint the sponsor’s name or logo on the paper nametag insert in the corner or along the bottom.

Use badge holder ribbons – I love badge holder ribbons! At the MPI Conference I attached so many ribbons to the bottom of my badge holder that it looked like a flag! Badge holder ribbons are a great way to personalize a nametag. There are stock ribbons that say things like exhibitor, speaker, attendee….but the possibilities are endless if you customize. My badge flew the “First Time Attendee, I Tweet and MPI Member” ribbons. Anyone looking at my badge holder could easily see that I was new, that I used Twitter and I was a member, which breaks the ice for conversation. You could have utilized the ribbons for your “us versus them” badge holder’s and avoided any controversy by giving EVERYONE badge holders including the guests and differentiating the two by attaching ribbons….simple!

J

Can this Conference be saved?

Many have attended them. One, two or even three days of mind numbing sessions, in a large space devoid of attendees, people leaving early. This is a conference gone bad. It might have been great at its “first annual” but now has run its course. It just may be time to say farewell and move on.

What should you look for when planning your next annual conference that speaks, “time to pull the proverbial plug”?

Look back – Look back at the post mortem notes from your last conference. Read them carefully and look for clues. The post event survey should highlight where there were difficulties. Be incredibly open minded when reviewing this data…..you are about to commit precious time and money.

Volunteers have vanished – No one wants to volunteer! Volunteers sense a sinking ship and if they participated last year and were under-whelmed, don’t expect them to come back for a repeat performance. These alternatively compensated employees are seeking something other than money…they look for excitement, the opportunity to network, fun, personal fulfillment, etc. If they are not getting it at your conference, they won’t come forward willingly.

Poor attendance – Look back at the attendance for the past couple of years….is it decreasing? If you are seeing a decrease in attendance that you cannot explain, that is a sign that this year may yield even lower numbers.

Sponsorship is diminishing – There MUST be a return on investment for sponsors…..if they don’t see value for their sponsorship money, they will quietly step back. It starts with a large sponsor who might have been a “Premiere, Gold, or Platinum” sponsor last year but this year are looking at only sponsoring at the silver or bronze level. They are being kind – they don’t want to say no right off the bat, but next year they may be “unfortunately going in another direction with sponsorship funds”.

Speakers have gone A.W.O.L. – You have difficulty recruiting speakers for the conference. You may be trying to pull from a pool of speakers who have attended a previous conference where they were not impressed with the lackluster attendance and audience interaction.

The good news is that these signs don’t have to spell disaster. Sometimes, when you note these issues occurring, it just means you have to change the way you are doing things.

Here are some tips for reinventing your annual conference:

Re energize your organizing committee – this may mean replacing your chairperson which can be difficult. Often annual events go the way of the dinosaurs because someone in the organizing chain is resistant to change. Engage these individuals in other ways utilizing their expertise and experience.

Downsize – Wouldn’t you rather do an amazing job of a smaller event than a poor job of a large event? Downsize and make your new event much more exclusive. Downsize the maximum number of attendees, cut the event back to 1 day, change the venue to a more intimate space, etc.

Be Sustainable – By taking a sustainable approach to your conference, you will minimize unnecessary waste and become much more attractive to sponsors and attendees. No one wants to see waste or over the top excess. Focus on the hospitality – a smile is free!

Rewrite your sponsorship package – Completely change up your sponsorship proposal to reflect the new project. Look carefully at exactly what sponsors are receiving in exchange for their money.

Be Relevant – Times….they have changed and your conference needs to keep pace with not only the material being presented, but also the use of social media.

Be Responsible – Attendee’s are spending money on registration, accommodation and travel – you need to take some responsibility for this and offer them excellent value for their dollar.

Be Creative – Don’t create a cookie cutter conference – personalize it as much as possible.

Be Organized - Many times attendees are frustrated because the conference seems unorganized and/or unprofessional. If this is the case it may be time to call in a Professional Meeting & Event Planner who can guide you properly through the planning process.

J

"No Soup for You!"

“No Soup for you” was a catchphrase made popular by a 90’s Seinfeld episode. A restaurateur dubbed the “Soup Nazi” insisted on patrons ordering their soup according to his strict instructions. Those who deviated from this are told, “No Soup for you” and are turned away….never to taste the delicious soup.

Funny on a television show…yes….not so funny in real life when the caterer actually says, “no food for you” because they ran out!

Catering nightmares…..as with anything, they definitely do happen from time to time. Problems are not the norm as there are many great, professional catering companies out there. Oftentimes, the nightmare stories arise more from miscommunication.

Here are some tips!

First! Check with the venue about bringing in an outside caterer. Some venues insist that you use a specific caterer.

Check references – When you approach potential caterers, ask for references, preferably from similarly sized events. If they tell you that they have never catered an event for more than 50 people and your event will have 400+ guests, that may be a potential red flag.

When you call the references ask many, many questions including:

• Was the caterer easy to work with?
• Were they flexible?
• Did they source local ingredients?
• Were they on time?
• How did the food taste?
• Was there enough food?
• Were they professional in manner and appearance?
• Did they have enough staff?
• Were they accessible?
• Would you hire them again?

Communicate – Oftentimes problems arise from miscommunication between planner and caterer. You must be crystal clear regarding your needs – do not assume that the caterer is a mind reader.

Put it in writing – Make sure that you draw up a contract with your caterer, which outlines the deliverables and expectations. Go over it carefully with the caterer to ensure that you are both satisfied.

Arrange for a tasting – If you are indecisive about some menu items, arrange for a tasting. Whereas some caterers allow for a free tasting once the contract has been signed, don’t be shocked if there is a charge for a menu tasting especially if you are tasting many, many selections.

Food Service Permit – Catering companies are required to have permits, discuss this with your caterer to ensure they have proper permits/licences.

Guaranteed Guest Count – The number of guests you are guaranteeing for the caterer. If you have agreed on a luncheon at a price of $15.95 per plate, when you guarantee/confirm 85 persons to the caterer, you will be billed for 85 regardless if only 60 people attend. Usually the number is confirmed 3 days to one week prior, but in remote locations, the date could be two weeks ahead of the event. After you have provided the guaranteed guest count, you cannot decrease that number. The caterer has already purchased food, etc. for that amount. You can sometimes increase that number slightly, but this option must be discussed with the caterer prior (when you are negotiating the contract).

Gratuities – A gratuity is charged in amounts varying from 15% upwards. Confirm the gratuity with your caterer when negotiating the contract.

Insurance – Proof of liability insurance

Some additional points to discuss with your caterer

• Has he/she worked in this particular venue before?
• Menu planning
• Food service style, i.e. buffet, plated, etc.
• Timing
• Food quantities
• Food presentation
• Staffing
• Staffing supervision
• Leftover food policy
• Dress code, protocol, behaviour
• Rentals
• Corkage fees
• Cake cutting fees
• Special meal requests
• Set up/take down

Champagne wishes on a beer budget – Be realistic with what you can afford!

Celebrate Canada's Birthday in Style!

This is going to be the best Canada Day ever! Why? We are still bursting with pride from the recent Olympic games. Most of us can still close our eyes and hear the Nikki Yanofksy song, “I Believe”. We can still remember exactly where we were when the overtime goal was scored in the Canada versus U.S.A. men’s final hockey game. We can still see the tears on the face of Canadian Ladies Figure Skater Joannie Rochette as she finished her short program. We can still feel the excitement from when Kevin Martin threw his final stone to win gold and lastly, we can still hear the strains of O’Canada as our flag was raised many times during the games.

Come on folks….let’s make this 2010 Canada Day Gold Medal Worthy.

Wave your maple leaf – Flags are on sale everywhere right now. Proudly display your Canadian Flag. If you can’t display a flag, buy a pin and wear it on your lapel or hat.

Break into Song – We have incredible Canadian musicians. Create a nostalgic play list of Canadian favourites by encouraging your guests to think back…..way back to the year they were born and choose a Top 40 single from a Canadian Artist. I can imagine that it will end up being quite an eclectic mix of tunes…..everything from “Four Strong Winds” by Ian and Sylvia Tyson to “My Heart will go on” by Celine Dion.

Set the Scene – A clean, freshly ironed, white cotton flat sheet can double as a table-covering. The simple centerpiece can be a grouping of large and small clear glass jars, some can contain sand and soy votive/pillar candles (beware – jars can become very hot), others inexpensive red and white carnations. Wrap some of the jars with ribbon…..think red and white with possibly a twist a la aqua or chartreuse. Fruit can also make an impact on the table. In keeping with our colour theme, what about cylinder vases filled with red apples or green limes!

Hail Caesar? – Did you know that the delicious drink, the “Bloody Caesar” was invented by a Canadian in 1969 at the Owl’s Nest Bar in Calgary (source Wikipedia). The traditional Caesar contains vodka, clamato juice, and seasoning. Garnish it with dill pickles, hot peppers, pickled carrots or asparagus. My personal favourite is pickled beans!

Share some trivia – Research some random pieces of Canadian trivia and stump your guests at your party. What about, “What is Canada’s longest river” or “Whose face is on the Canadian 100 dollar bill?”

A bit of “Tim Bit” Heaven – Let’s face it, Tim Horton’s is a Canadian past time. Try this Tim Bit Dessert on July 1^st.

You will need: Large Box of chocolate Tim Bits, wooden skewers, fresh strawberries and powdered sugar for dusting.

Instructions: wash, dry and hull the strawberries, thread the Tim Bits and the strawberries alternating until you have three of each on every skewer, lay on a platter and dust with powdered sugar! Garnish with fresh mint and serve immediately with…what else but Tim Horton’s coffee.

Dress the part – Encourage everyone to wear a bit of red

Movie Time – watch a movie with a memorable Canuck actor, like John Candy in “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”.

Join the party – Participate in local Canada Day celebrations.

Show them a good time – There are many visitors from other countries traveling through our communities during the summer. Take a moment on July 1^st to share your Canadian pride with them.

Happy Canada Day!

Upright & Smiling

Any time you are planning an event with a lot of emotion tied to it, there is going to be stress. Graduation is one of those events in life. As a graduate you are stressed about what to wear, your date, the transportation choice for the “red carpet” entrance, your corsage or boutonnière, your hair, etc. As the parent (who is usually the party planner), you are stressed about wanting to create a nice day for your graduate, coupled with the fact that he/she is “all grown up” and that makes you a little wistful for the diaper days….. Tears are to be expected.

When I trained for my first marathon, I told everyone that my goal was to finish “upright and smiling”. So, for all of you parents planning graduation festivities for your children, let’s give you some tips so that you can finish “upright and smiling”.

§ Make a note…a “thank you” note: Think about how you are going to say thank you before you say thank you. Encourage the graduate to create a thank you card perhaps using a personal photo scanned into the home computer. Ensure that these thank you notes are completed and delivered in the days immediately following graduation.

§ Accept help when offered: When your friend or neighbour offers to lend a hand, accept it graciously. When my children graduated, my friend Sue spent hours preparing meat trays and cutting up vegetables. She also did my dishes, which was no small feat!

§ Hire a housekeeper: If you can afford it, hire a housekeeper who can come clean a couple of days before the party. You won’t regret it!

§ Make up the bed in the RV: The RV can become an additional bedroom when entertaining out of town guests. Don’t forget to ensure that the heater is working as the evening may get chilly and you don’t want your guests shivering all night. Another nice touch is to have a small coffee maker in the trailer all ready to go so that in the morning they can enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee before coming inside.

§ Plan ahead: Make sure that you have enough chairs, dishes, glasses, etc. for everyone who is attending. If you don’t have enough or are “close”, borrow from friends. Have them bring the item(s) over the day before so you are not scrambling at the last minute.

§ Stay Cool: You WILL run out of room in the refrigerator. Borrow coolers ahead of time, they will become temporary refrigeration.

§ Prep ahead: Plan your menu so that you aren’t stuck in the kitchen the whole time. Create a menu where some items can be prepared in the days leading up to the event and then frozen. The food can then be reheated in slow-cookers which double as serving dishes.

§ Don’t forget the ice! Purchase it ahead of time. If it is a nice weekend, you will go through lots of ice just for the beverages and no one is going to have time to keep refilling ice trays. Ice is also needed to keep dishes like potato salad at the correct temperature. Here is a trick for you. Find a clean, plastic storage tub “lid” that is at least 3 inches deep. The lid now goes onto your table and you fill it with ice, becoming a “cooling” tray for your shrimp, salads, etc. Just nestle the bowls in the ice!

§ Bring the inside outside! If you are entertaining on the deck, don’t be shy about bringing some non-traditional items outside to create a cozy atmosphere. Table lamps look spectacular outside!

§ Create opportunities: Friends and family are going to come to the event to see the graduate in his/her finery and to wish them well. Make sure that you have created this opportunity. Set up an old fashioned “photo booth” so that everyone can get a photo of the graduate. A simple backdrop, seating and voila! Photo booth a la grad 2010.

§ Comfortable yet chic: This isn’t the time to break in new shoes…., dress comfortably but at the same time, dress to impress. Remember, you will be in many of the photos too!

§ Drink with care: As much as you would love to relax with a large glass of wine, remember you are on speed dial for your graduate. They need to be able to call you for a ride if necessary and drinking and driving is a no-no.

How do we curb "over indulgence" at our next event?

What do you do about Uncle Joe?

We all have an “Uncle Joe” …you know, the relative that tends to over-indulge at family events and before you know it, the pants are off and they are leading the audience in the chicken dance.

What can you do, or more importantly, what strategies can you incorporate, to keep individuals from over-indulging at your next event?

The most obvious solution is to exclude them from the guest list. In other words, don’t invite them. This solution is fraught with problems right out of the gate. If you don’t invite them, someone is going to be upset and hurt and the ripple effect will cause others to be upset and hurt. Not a good way to start.

Whew! We avoided that potential family conflict. So, we have decided to keep Uncle Joe on the guest list, now what are we going to do to ensure that he doesn’t drink too much and embarrass himself and others, take his pants off and/or play “pull my finger” with your boss?

Here are a few tips:

• Shorten the cocktail reception. By having a shorter cocktail reception, you are reducing the time for individuals like “Uncle Joe” to power drink
• Reduce the bar hours. Close the bar during the meal service
• Compromise on the open bar concept by having a “toonie” bar ($2). The thinking behind this is that if individuals have to pay for their drinks, they will consume less. A “toonie” is not a lot of money, but it does create a small stumbling block. If that makes you uncomfortable, you can always have a sign that states that the proceeds from the bar are going to a non-profit
• Serve food at your cocktail reception. Food slows the absorption of alcohol
• Don’t put wine on the tables! Not only is having open wine on tables wasteful (often the guests favour red over white or vice versa) it encourages over-consumption. By having servers coming around to each table offering to refill glasses, there is greater control.
• Talk to your bartender and servers about the potential for over indulgence and come up with a plan to deal with the possibility. Bartenders and servers have legal responsibilities when serving alcohol.
• Diversion tactics! Separate Uncle Joe from the bar by engaging him in conversation or dancing
• Serve a “midnight lunch”. When serving alcohol, a midnight lunch is a must! A midnight lunch is a late evening snack often consisting of cold cuts, pickles and buns, veggies and dip, etc. Once again…food slows the absorption of alcohol.

If all else fails and Uncle Joe has over-indulged……..

• Create a security team. Your security team is a group of friends or family that can swoop in and assist in putting Uncle Joe’s pants back on and escorting him out of the reception hall before he starts the chicken dance.
• Take his keys! Make sure that Uncle Joe does NOT attempt to drive himself or others home. The greatest gift you can give your guests is the offer of a safe ride home. There are organizations in each community who can provide this service at a nominal fee.

I have been referencing a family event such as wedding, but the same rules apply at a corporate event. Over drinking at an office function or corporate event is a no-no…nothing good can come of it. Uncle Joe may lose the respect of his family and be the subject of conversation for the next few days, but if someone over-indulges at an office function, they may lose their job.

Sometimes being embarrassed is the least of your problems.....!

Nothing can sink your reputation faster than being responsible for choosing a poor speaker or entertainment that stinks. A keynote speaker with a platinum price tag that fails to inspire, a comedian who tells inappropriate jokes....

Believe me.....the participants/stakeholders will forget about the poor speaker faster than they will forget the planner who made the unfortunate booking.

How do you get around this? I mean....you can't screen everyone can you?

The answer is yes you can and you should screen all potential speakers and entertainers. How do you do this?

Hire an agency - You may pay a little more, but it is worth it! An agency can save you time, energy and your reputation. Let's face it.....that's their job and they are good at it. As long as you can identify your budget, demographic, target audience and the deliverables, the agency should be able to give you a list of possible speakers. They will look after the contract, travel requirements, identify all costs to you and let you know of any other special requests that the speaker may have. I deal with the Lavin Agency and they are great!

Next.....

Call other planners - When I was looking to bring a comedian from Eastern Canada out for an event, I checked her website for past events/clients. I then contacted the planner(s) for those events and asked them point blank the following:

• "Did they deliver what they promised?"
• "Did the audience enjoy them?"
• "Were they easy to work with?"
• " Were there any surprises?"

and the most important question,

• "Would you hire them again?"

99% of planners will answer these questions honestly and you will have a much better idea about the speaker.

Happy Planning!

If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck……

As a green event planner, I often hear, “but if I use those new compostable plates, then I am being green…right?”

The companies who produce single use products are trying very hard to convince us to continue using their products. In response to a more savvy consumer, many new products have hit the shelves.

Compostable vs. Biodegradable vs. Recyclable

Compostable

 'Compostable' products are biodegradable, but with an added benefit: when they break down, they release valuable nutrients into the soil, aiding the growth of trees and plants. These products degrade within several months in an industrial composting facility and produce no toxic residues. These products are commonly made out of polylactic acid, sugarcane fibre or vegetable starch. “Bagasse” is sugarcane fibre.

A backyard composter is NOT an industrial composter and while you can compost small quantities of these products in your backyard composter, you certainly cannot compost the volume of the materials which would result from an event.

Do not put compostables into your recycling!

 Biodegradable

 ‘Biodegradable' simply means that a product will break down into carbon dioxide, water and biomass within a reasonable amount of time in the natural environment.

Biodegradability is a desirable feature in cleaning agents, but not really that desirable in single use food service items. Biodegradable products can be disposed of in your garbage, but the landfills lack the microorganisms and oxygen required for the waste to biodegrade in a timely manner. 

 Recyclable

‘Recyclable’ products are anything that can be remade into something new. While most paper recycling can’t deal with food contamination, forcing you to throw out the used food service item, you can purchase single use products made out of recycled material.

So what does this all mean? It means that you have to continue to educate yourself and make informed choices on behalf of your clients.  Single use items are "single use" and at the end of the day, you have to remember that and make your choices and decisions accordingly. 

If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck.....it is still a duck.

J