Posts tagged “events” (Page 3)

Planning an event where travel is involved can be difficult. A new Apple application called TripIt can help you organize your travels faster and more easily, so that you’re free to attend to the other aspects of the event.

To use TripIt, forward your booked itinerary to plans@tripit.com and the application automatically creates an itinerary that combines your travel plans with maps, driving directions, hotel reservations, and more, which can also be shared with others in your company or party. Tripit functions as your personal travel assistant so that you’re free to plan other logistics of your event, including organizing keynote speakers, lunches, contests, or raffles.

For help in throwing a spectacular event that your guests are sure to remember, call Meeting Services Unlimited, Inc. at (317) 841-7171. We’ll take care of all of the details so that you don’t have to! Call us today.

Social media can be instrumental while preparing for a large event or conference, but have you thought about the different ways social media can be used during a conference? Here are some innovative ways to incorporate social media into your next event.

Twitter

Real-time social media tool Twitter is quickly gaining popularity with use in business. At your next conference, invite attendees to join a Twitter feed using the hashtag to designate your event, for example, #tbex12. This feed will allow all online users to easily communicate with one another and contribute their thoughts to the discussion. During a conference, use Twitter innovatively by taking questions from the audience via Twitter, or, energize attendees by offering prizes through social media (ex: first attendee to Tweet a picture of their neighbor will win a gift!)

Facebook

Facebook pages are important tools that should not be overlooked. Use your Facebook page to get attendees excited before an event and work at growing your audience by posting interactive questions, taking a poll, sharing photos, or hosting contests. During an event, consider using your Facebook page during raffles. Make a list of your “likes” and in what order they are, and randomly select a number to give a prize away. You can also create a Facebook group made specifically for a conference, and allow participants to use the “chat” feature to discuss things with the group.

While Twitter and Facebook are heavy-hitters in the world of social media, try also to incorporate using other interactive websites, such as Foursquare, Google +, or MySpace.

For other creative ideas on how to incorporate social media into your next event or conference, call Meeting Services Unlimited at (317) 841-7171. Our friendly staff has years of experience in event planning and can help you make your next conference a huge success. Call today!

Plan an out-of-town conference with less stress by hiring the help of professionals when and where you need them most. For many, working with hotel executives poses a unique set of challenges as you attempt to negotiate a low rate and keep track of all reservation details.

Housing companies can help you easily sort and organize all hotel reservations and travel itineraries so that no detail is overlooked.

Meeting Services Unlimited has over 95 years of collective experience in planning and executing successful events. To help you better coordinate hotel details, we have developed a turnkey solution that provides an end to registration and housing woes. Our state-of-the-art technology is password protected and offers session and information tracking, hotel request verification, email confirmations and flexible housing rules for you and your members.

The program also allows you to make hotel reservations and manage your entire hotel room block, whether that includes three or 300 rooms. From hotel selection to reporting, Meeting Services Unlimited employs robust software in organizing accommodation so that you’re free to enjoy the event you’ve worked so hard to plan. Don’t waste time hunting through emails for confirmation and credit card verifications—use software that takes care of the busywork so that you don’t have to.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, meeting and conference planning is a profession that is expected to grow 16 percent over the next decade. Why? Because it’s hard work! More and more professionals are realizing that executing a successful conference or event goes hand-in-hand with finding the right event planners.

Call Meeting Services Unlimited today at (317) 841-7171 to schedule a free proposal, and find out how we can help make your next event a resounding success.

Meeting planners have a variety of tools to use when planning a conference or event. One often-overlooked tool involves forming a relationship with the team at your destination city’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, as they will be able to assist in the event of an emergency. Watch this video to learn more about planning tools.

No one likes to plan for disaster, but it always helps to be prepared. For example, if a flood or earthquake should occur before or during your event, the CVB will be able to assist with moving venues, booking hotels, and coordinating other last minute details.

For assistance in coordinating and executing a spectacular event that your attendees are sure to remember, call Meeting Services Unlimited, Inc. at (317) 841-7171.

This article offers more ideas on ways to engage Smartphone users in our meetings. This is the kind of information planners need to help them generate ideas for their own conventions.

Raffles and contests are great ways to build anticipation and get attendees excited about an event. After all, who doesn’t love a great giveaway?  To successfully incorporate prizes or raffles into your next event, keep the following in mind:

• Check into Laws Regarding Contests and Raffles: It is important that the organizer checks with the local government to assure the contest complies with the laws in your state.

• Match the Contest to Your Theme: If you’re having an event within the field of travel, raffle off travel apparel or luggage, or have a contest giving away a free trip somewhere. Either way, tie in your raffle item to the theme of your event logically so that attendees are reminded of your company’s services.

• Encourage Attendees to Register through Social Media: As part of your contest or raffle, encourage attendees to register through your channels of social media. For example, have attendees “like” your Facebook page and follow you on Twitter for additional chances to win the grand prize. This will increase the amount of exposure you’ll have for the event, and will grow and engage your online audience.

• Anchor the Contest to Your Website: Promote the contest and the event heavily on your website and through social media. If possible, create a stipulation in the contest that keeps attendees and readers anchored to your website. For example, if you can give away a trip, have your winner document the trip through blog posts or videos that will be posted on your company’s website.

Raffles and contests are great ways to help build up anticipation for the event—don’t lose steam once the event is over! Keep your audience updated with future contests or create a website specifically devoted to raffles and contests and anchor it to your homepage. Social media is changing the way events operate, so be sure to invite attendees to your event on all forms of social media at least two weeks prior.

Have a lot of great ideas for an event but not a lot of time? Call Meeting Services Unlimited, Inc. We’ll take care of the nitty-gritty details so that you’re free to tend to the multitude of other details. From hotel bookings to audio-visual equipment operation, we can help make your next event a huge success. Call us today at (317) 841-7171.

We can’t help but be intrigued with the QR codes, apps and now the Smartphone GPS uses for meetings. This article gives some very good examples on how to use all of them.

Planning a conference or event can be incredibly stressful, particularly if you’re coordinating an event that will have several out-of-town attendees. Working with a hotel negotiator can help you to obtain a great rate for guests without extra time and hassle on your end. Here are some of the benefits of working with a hotel negotiator at your next event.

Low Rates

Hotel negotiators will represent your business through a series of meetings with hotel executives that determine room rate and logistics. Skilled negotiators will show hotel staff that your company’s event is an opportunity for repeat business and will thus be able to secure you a low rate. Hotel negotiators may save your company hundreds, or sometimes even thousands of dollars.

Contract Review and Negotiation

Your hotel contract may be lengthy and verbose. Hotel negotiators are familiar with these types of contracts and can be a great ally should you need to return to negotiations with the hotel. Hotel negotiators can also help to protect you from unjust liabilities, and will go the extra mile to ensure that everything runs smoothly in the days leading up to the event.

Peace of Mind

If you’re planning a large event, you’re likely busy with other time-consuming responsibilities, like planning keynote speakers or organizing for audio-visual equipment. Take hotel negotiating off of your list of responsibilities and give yourself some peace of mind by hiring a professional to negotiate with hotels on your behalf. With one less crucial detail to worry about, you’re free to put your energy into throwing an event that will wow your attendees and leave a lasting impression.

To hire a hotel negotiator, call Meeting Services Unlimited, Inc. at (317) 841-7171. From negotiation to coordination, we have the experience necessary to plan every detail of your next event. Call today for a consultation!

Check out this very informative study on the business traveler and the needs they have.

Meetings really are fun and games these days. This article will help give meeting planners ideas on how games can be incorporated into their meeting agenda.