The Complete Idiot's Guide to Meeting & Event Planning, 2E

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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Meeting & Event Planning, 2E

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Overview

You’re no idiot, of course. You know you can’t throw a corporate function together overnight—especially if you want to impress clients, shareholders, and upper management. Whether you’re prepared to tackle the task yourself or you’re considering hiring a professional, you want your event to be a stellar occasion to remember.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Meeting and Event Planning, Second Edition, will show you how to organize any company gathering on time and on budget, whether you’re hosting 10 or 10,000. In this revised and updated Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get:
• Up-to-date information on planning and budgeting software, phone and data lines, audio and video, and satellite bookings.
• Expanded coverage on international conferences—via remote, abroad, or by international components.
• Ideas for smoothly dealing with last-minute glitches and crises.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440625930
Publisher:	DK
Publication date:	03/07/2006
Series:	THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	400
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

As an event planner with more than two decades of experience, Robin E. Craven has written and contributed to several works focused on the benefits of professional meetings. She is the coauthor of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Meeting and Event Planning with Lynn Johnson Golabowski.

Lynn Johnson Golabowski holds more than two decades of experience in the hospitality industry, having worked with such influential brands as Marriott, Hyatt, and Stouffer's. Along with Robin E. Craven, she is the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Meeting and Event Planning.

From the B&N Reads Blog

Page 1 of

Customer Reviews

Part 1	Bird's-Eye View	1
1	What Is a Meeting or Event Anyway?	3
	Flying High	3
	United We Should Stand	4
	The Purpose of a Meeting	4
	What Are Meetings and Events?	5
	Who Are These Meeting Professionals?	6
	Least Common Denominator	7
	The Right Time	7
	The Right Place	8
	The Right People	8
	The Right Leader	9
	The Right Scoop	9
	The Big Event	10
2	One, Two, Three ... Goal!	13
	Why Bother?	13
	Big Picture	14
	Little Picture	15
	Roll Up Your Sleeves	19
	What? More Objectives?	20
	A Tisk, a Task	20
	Thanks for Your Support	21
	Who's the Boss?	21
3	Is It Worth It?	23
	Who Cares?	23
	I've Gotta Attend Another Meeting?	24
	I've Gotta Plan Another Meeting?	25
	I've Gotta Fund Another Meeting?	25
	Don't Forget the Exhibitors and Sponsors	26
	Measuring Return on Investment (ROI)	26
	Measuring Tools	27
	Hard Dollars	27
	Soft Sense	28
	Attendee Perspective	28
	Exhibitor Perspective	29
	Use the Information!	30
4	Who Ya Gonna Call?	31
	Web Sites	31
	Associations	32
	Why Join?	32
	Trade Publications	33
	Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs)	34
	Destination Management Companies (DMCs)	35
	To CVB or DMC?	36
	National Sales Offices (NSOs)	36
	Industry Experts	37
	Ask The Experts	37
	mpoint.com	38
	MeetingsCoach	38
	Meeting Matters (MIMlist)	39
	Meeting Management Companies (MMCs)	39
5	Technology Soft-Where?	41
	Do It Yourself	41
	Off-the-Shelf	43
	Room Diagramming	43
	Name Badges	44
	Turnkey Management	45
	Lots of Online Stuff	46
	Site Selection	46
	Registration and a Whole Lot More	47
	Everything Else	48
	Trends of the Trade	49
	The Registration Process	49
	Site Inspections	49
	Online Auctions	50
6	An Event by Any Other Name	51
	The Smorgasbord	52
	Identity Crisis	52
	It's More Than Drink Umbrellas	53
	Think Outside the Box	53
	Not Under One Roof	54
	A Marriage Made in Sponsorship Heaven	55
	"Fun"-Raising	57
	The Final Four	57
	Master Plan	58
	Contingency Plans	58
	Entertainment	58
	Volunteers	59
7	Supplier Secrets No More	61
	Walk a Mile in My Shoes	62
	Your Business Under a Microscope	65
	Hotel Tag Teams	68
	The Details, Please	68
	Sales Managers Just Wine and Dine--Not!	69
Part 2	First Things First	71
8	Creating and Following a Timeline	73
	Timeline Types	74
	Key Elements, Key Dates	74
	Begin at the End	78
	Keep on Track	79
9	Dollars and Common Sense	81
	Everything Has a Price	81
	Up for Bid	83
	Building a Budget	84
	Spending Money	84
	Making Money	86
	Fixed vs. Variable Costs	86
	Cost-Saving Ideas	88
10	Inn Sites and RFPs	91
	Location, Location, Location	91
	Write the Right RFP	93
	Meeting Scoop	93
	By Fax, Snail Mail, E-Mail, or Online	95
	Ask and You May Receive	96
	Special Accommodations	97
	The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)	97
	Bon Voyage!	97
	Guided Tours	98
	Surprise! Go It Alone	98
	Front of the House	98
	Back of the House	99
	Site Checklist	99
	Virtual Inspections	99
	Decisions, Decisions, Decisions	99
	Inform the Suppliers	100
	Announce Your Decision	100
11	Negotiating the Best Deal	101
	Vendors You Need	102
	Needs, Wants, and Everything Else	102
	Everything's Negotiable (Almost)	103
	Attrition	103
	Meeting-Room Rental	104
	Unexpected Charges	105
	Written Documents	107
	Nonnegotiables	107
	Music Licensing	107
	Service Charges, Gratuities, and Uncle Sam	108
	Insurance	108
12	Contracts: Signing on the Dotted Line	111
	It's More Than Dates and Rates	112
	General Provisions and Guestroom Issues	112
	Meeting Space Provisions	115
	Food and Beverage	116
	Exhibit Space Provisions	117
	Bye-Bye	118
	Beyond Your Control	119
	People Provisions	120
	More Legal Mumble Jumble	120
13	Marketing, Marketing, Marketing	125
	The Marketing Message	125
	Marketing Philosophy	126
Scenario 1	You Have to Attend the Sales Meeting	126
Scenario 2	Please Come to This Meeting	127
	Don't Shoot the Messenger	127
	Hard Copy	128
	Cyberspace	129
	Ads	130
	Media	130
	If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em	131
	Timing Is Key	131
14	Exhibits and Expositions: Should You Do It?	133
	Exposition or Tradeshow	134
	Confusing Considerations	134
	Location, Location, Location (Again)	135
	How Facilities Sell Exhibit Space	136
	How You Sell Space to Exhibitors	136
	Exposition Services Contractor (ESC)	137
	Determining Potential Exhibitors	138
	Exhibitor Prospectus	138
	Rules and Regs	140
	Issues Onsite	140
	Move-In	140
	The Hook	141
	Move-Out	142
Part 3	Care and Feeding	145
15	The Setup	147
	Seating Is Important	147
	Math for Meetings	151
	Generation What?	152
	Interactive Sessions	153
	Go with the Flow	153
	Session Monitor	154
	Floor Plans	154
	Setting the Ground Rules	155
16	The Stuff Meetings Are Made of	157
	The Players	157
	Name Badges and Ribbons	158
	Totes and Carryalls	160
	Awards and Recognition	160
	Giveaways and Amenities	161
	At the Meeting	162
	In the Room	162
	The Selection	162
	At the Tradeshow	163
	"Logo It"	164
	Everything Else	164
17	Yakety Yak	167
	Setting the Stage	168
	Where Do You Find Them?	168
	Hired Guns	169
	Hiring the Hired Guns	170
	The Dotted Line ... Getting Together	170
	Breakout Speakers and One-Shot Deals	171
	Call for Presentations	171
	Meeting Scoop Sheet	172
	Books, Tapes, and Other Sale Items	173
	Taping and Publication Release	173
	Book and Tape Sales	174
	Getting Them There and Other VIP Issues	174
	Speaker Ready Room	175
	Cancellations and No-Shows	175
	Monitors/Facilitators	175
	Speaker Support	176
	Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse	176
18	Planes, Trains, and Automobiles	177
	Getting There	178
	Meet and Greet	178
	Ground Transportation	179
	Driving Directions	181
	Moving the Masses	182
	City-Wides	183
19	You Gotta Feed 'Em, Too	185
	Pop Quiz	185
	A Few Rules to Get You Started	187
	Breakfast	189
	Breaks	190
	Lunch	191
	Dinner	191
	Receptions	192
	Tricks of the Trade	193
	Banquet Event Orders	194
	Guarantees	195
	Service and Presentation	196
	Special Needs	196
20	Seeing Is Believing	199
	What Is A/V Anyway?	200
	Know What You Need	201
	The Visual Basics	202
	The Audio Basics	204
	Audiotaping	205
	Professional A/V Production	206
21	Registration and Housing	209
	Designing Your Registration Form	210
	Developing Your Database	212
	Signup Made Easy	213
	The Old-Fashioned Way	213
	Do It Online	214
	Heads in Beds	215
	Housing Reservation Forms	216
	Housing Bureau	217
	Rooming List	217
	Call-In or Online	218
	Cancellations	218
Part 4	Center Stage and Beyond	219
22	The Final Stretch	221
	You're Here	221
	Setting Up Your Office	222
	A Quick Tour	224
	Your Master List	224
	Convention or Meeting Resume	224
	Rooming List--Keep on Top of It!	225
	Your Role	226
	Too Many Chiefs	227
	You're Responsible	227
	Meetings About Your Meeting	228
	Pre-Convention Meeting	228
	Daily Chats	229
	Post-Convention Meeting	229
	The Three R's--Review, Review, Review	229
	The Master Bill Before You Go	230
23	Ready, Set, Go Onsite!	231
	Registration Setup Considerations	232
	Staffing and Training	234
	Signage	235
	Behind the Scenes	236
	Welcome to My (Early!) Morning	236
	Mid-Morning Relay Race	237
	Come and Get It!	237
	Bumps in the Road	237
	Problem Solving	238
	The Home Stretch	238
24	Yikes! Help! Emergency!	241
	What Is a Crisis?	241
	Your Motto--Be Prepared	243
	Written Plans	244
	Professional Security Services	244
	Other Minor Frustrations	245
	Last-Minute Requests	245
	Oh Puleese!	246
25	It's Not Over Till It's Over	249
	Paying the Bills	249
	Tipping ... Didn't We Do That?	250
	Tabulating the Evaluations	252
	Final Facility Reports	253
	Your Final Report	253
	Ethics	254
	To FAM or Not to FAM	254
	The Debate on the Rebate	254
	Other Ethical Issues	255