Corporate Event Thoughts

A new year, big changes!

Keith Johnston — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:16:00 GMT

It is a new year, I hope that 2010 treats the meetings and events industry a little better than 09....cause we all know that 09 was kinda rotten for many of our friends and colleagues.

The turning of the calendar brings change, and one of the changes is to Corporate Event Thoughts...this Blog.

Today is moving day, I am officially leaving this spot behind....heading to nicer digs if you will. Although there is nothing wrong with its current home, I got the idea to actually do more than this platform is capable of....

One of the best things about the new home is that it is a little more visually appealing and offers a couple of cool bells and whistles that are not possible here. It has not escaped me that this site was getting little ugly. You may not notice it for a few weeks, but the new home will actually have some design and thought behind it. Right now it is just OK, but like all moves, the first few weeks are loaded with empty boxes, packing paper and rearranging while you figure out where the sofa goes.

One of the hardest things about the this move is figuring out what to do with all of the posts that I have racked up over the past couple of years. I have given it a lot of thought and ran it by a number of people and have decided that I will be moving them over to the new site over the next couple of weeks, this will be a job in itself as I am taking the time to dump the bad ones and update the good ones while trying to create some new stuff that someone, besides me, may actually find interesting.

I hope that you will take the time to visit the new space and if you are so inclined, subscribe.......

Here is the new address for anyone who has got a couple of minutes to waste...

http://eventplanning.typepad.com/

Video Postcard Kiosks in Action

Keith Johnston — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:44:00 GMT

Here is a look at a our latest Video Postcard Kiosk project from Thanksgiving time (this is how they look in action!).

Very cool way to send a marketing message, users send a video of themselves to friends or colleagues and attach pdf marketing materials. The postcard is also wrapped in branding with links!

How holding a meeting can change a life

Keith Johnston — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:53:00 GMT

I had a meeting and it changed a life. My life. I hope that it can change a few more lives as well.

Last week, the day before the Thanksgiving Holiday, I met with Calum Maclean, a true Irish Gentleman, and we had a talk about how we could change a few lives working together. In turn, this has made me a crusader, thus changing my life. One meeting, one life changed.

We talked about an organization that he is involved with (not his day job, this one is a true calling), Clean the World.

Cleaning the world is a big task, so they are starting with just a little piece of it, namely Haiti. One half of an island in the Caribbean that is in dire need of help. Help in many ways, economic, political, security…you name it, they need help with it. Clean the World cannot help all of these problems, so they aim to help in another way. They help people, namely children, get cleaned up.

Getting clean is fun, at least here in the States. I take 20 minutes out of my day when my little one needs a bath and it turns into a free-for-all of cars, trucks (yes, they sink), boats and buckets. Suds become mountains that stir the imagination and boats can fly. In other parts of the world, getting clean is serious business.

How serious? Some of the major causes in death among neonates and children under five can be directly attributed to cleanliness. That is not play time, it is deadly.

How does Clean the World help?

They have a radical idea that is so simple it boggles the mind. They simply recycle the soap and shampoo that we leave behind when we check out of a hotel room. Ewww you say, wow I say (they do collect, batch and sterilize)…

Even simple ideas need funding and support.

Hotels that contribute pay for the shipping of the materials (about .09 cents per occupied room) to the center where the soap and shampoo are processed to be sent. The materials are then packed, loaded on shipping containers and sent off to Haiti where they actually make a difference in the lives of not only children, but the adults that care for them. Imagine, if you are a parent taking care of a sick child, you are unable to do the things that can change your life. Clean children can lead to healthy children, freeing the parents to work, contribute and help change their country.

How can meeting and event planners support Clean the World? That is the easy part; simply exercise your buying power. Make hotels understand that this is not only good for the world, it is good for business. By joining the fight and contributing, the hotels and resorts that participate have a better chance of earning your business. A meeting or event changing a life (or one thousand lives).

Meeting and event planners also have the opportunity to share this information with their attendees, increasing the value of your meeting or event by simply holding your meeting or event. No cost, no fuss and no extra effort (on your part) required.

In addition, it adds one more piece to the sustainability puzzle of your event strategy. One more item that is not simply thrown into the trash to clog a landfill or pollute the ground water. It may end up there eventually, but at least the soap and shampoo lived a full life before being cast off.

Some of the hotels that participate are ones that you know well, from the Hard Rock in Chicago, the Lodge at Vail Colorado to the Interlaken Inn and Conference Center in Connecticut and even Crown Plaza Universal Florida. Hotels you know, hotels you use. (See, these hotels participate and they got a plug from me, exposure they were not expecting, but may pay off someday). For a full list of participating properties, click here.

So, the next time you are planning a meeting or event, ask. Ask the hotel if they participate, if not, ask them if they are willing to join the fight in order to earn your business. The nominal amount of money that is required on their part, pales in comparison to the amount of meeting spend you have on the table. Make it a contract requirement and follow up. If every meeting or event planner required this as a right to host your meeting, imagine the lives that would be changed. It staggers the mind and arm twisting in contract negotiations is actually fun.

Are we this bold? Do we care enough to even ask? Together, we can make the world a little better. If everyone, everywhere, did just a little, the gains would be enormous.

To learn more, visit www.cleantheworld.org.

Just a thought.

Keith

Twas the Day of.....

Keith Johnston — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:52:00 GMT

What happens the morning of the event:

Pictures only tell a part of the story, putting the finishing touches on an event that has the potential to change the world.

Twas the Night Before.......

Keith Johnston — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:04:00 GMT

What happens at 10 pm the night before your event??

Can You Afford to Miss the One Conference That Can Change Your World?

Keith Johnston — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:50:00 GMT

I thought it was time to plug one of my favorite causes and one of the best events in the industry:

The 2010 Sustainable Meetings Conference

Make it a point to attend, it is easy to get to, affordable (includes a year membership) and will forever change the way that you and your company view meetings and events.

Keith

When Social Networks Go Bad

Keith Johnston — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:07:00 GMT

I am a member of LinkedIn, who isn't.....awesome tool it is indeed.

I belong to many groups in my industry and comment to posts that interest me or where I feel my expertise may lend some help to someone. I do this when I have time, I do not spend much time doing this lately, we are swamped, which is a good thing.

A piece of news (real news) crossed my desk the other day, posted by Serenity to PlannerWire. It was one of the most important things to make waves in the meetings and events biz in a long time and it made me stop and think of the ramifications of "its" mention.

The news is: IMEX is coming to America, (read the full release here) and this has wide reaching effects on our industry given the support that they are getting from major industry players like MPI.

Good or bad, they are going to make a go of it.

I like IMEX, love it in fact. I went earlier this year to Frankfurt and it was one of the best shows I have ever attended. But their entry into North America will have repercussions such as: "can the U.S. support two similar shows" (the motivation show in Chicago) and "what does it mean for the city that loses" or "will exhibitors at one bolt for the other" and the very important "will the two shows dilute each other, bringing down two industry icons"...... All valid questions, but I stray from my topic.

I posted this news to various groups in LinkedIn that I belong to and where appropriate (I did not post it to the marketing groups I belong to because it is not a fit, I did however, post it to other groups like I&MI, MPI, and to "Event Planning & Management - the 1st Group for Event Planners". My shock when I received this note in my inbox:

Just a reminder

From: Anne Thornley-Brown

Date:

November 4, 2009

To: Keith Johnston

You and Anne Thornley-Brown share a network or group.

Nopromotion of any kind is permitted in Event Planning and Mangement.Also names of companies and events are not to be used in the titlefields anywhere in our group. Normally, posting as you did wouldrequire a 3 week suspension. I am going to let it go this time butplease review our posting guidelines and follow them on a going forwardbasis.

I have deleted your post.

Now, I have made some social networking blunders in my time, but this is certainly not one of them....is it? I didn't think so, so I checked and here is this "groups" policy on what constitutes news:

- NEWS - for NON-PROMOTIONAL news that is relevant to our industry andthe event planning profession, NON-PROMOTIONAL articles, & blogswith articles, tips, tools, free resources, and other NON-PROMOTIONALcontent.

--nowhere does it say anything about the name being in the subject line crosses some invisible fence.

If you took a second to click through to the press release (which I hope you did), I think that you will see that I violated no aspect of the groups stated rules. I have nothing to do with IMEX, it is certainly newsworthy and is relevant to the industry. If this isn't news, I don't know what is.

My question is this, did Anne take the time to look and see who posted the article and ascertain if I indeed had or have anything to do with IMEX, did she look at the release and judge it for newsworthiness or did she simply delete it because the name of the event was in the title (the latter is my thought and is not in the stated rules).

This is where social networks and groups go bad. They become so busy policing the thing that they created that they loose sight of why they started the group in the first place and what is actually important to the group and its members.

It is a shame, I really like(d) this group (although I did like the motherly "I am going to let it go this time" in her note, very Brady).

Just a thought,

Keith

UPDATE - (ADVANCE THE CLOCK ABOUT 2 HOURS)

So, I wrote back to Anne and asked why this post would not be appropriate, here is what I wrote:

I am not sure what you think I am promoting. I have nothing to do with IMEX or their show. The fact that they are arriving on American soil is big NEWS for the industry so I thought that their press release was viable news (and since news cannot go in the news section, where exactly does it go).

Here are the guidelines as posted by you:
NEWS - for NON-PROMOTIONAL news that is relevant to our industry and the event planning profession, NON-PROMOTIONAL articles, & blogs with articles, tips, tools, free resources, and other NON-PROMOTIONAL content

It falls under number 1, News for non-promotional news that is relevant to our industry. I think that the fact that IMEX is taking a gamble on coming here in 2011 is BIG NEWS. It may actually be the end of other shows (Motivation Show etc) because they have the weight of MPI behind.

I AM NOT promoting their event, what would you like the subject line to be: "new thing happening in some place that may interest someone if it is relevant"?

The article should actually promote interaction and thought within the group to really look at our industry events and why IMEX coming here could be a good or a bad thing depending on your point of view.

I think that this group has gotten to the point where anything posted is viewed as bad, that does not make sense to me.

I understand that you do not want someone promoting their own agenda, but I am sorry, this is NEWS and does fall under the criteria as set forth.

Keith

Harsh? maybe, I don't know, not my place to decide. I must say, I am still laughing about the whole thing, I needed a good chuckle. I never thought of myself as a rabble-rouser. Rather than viewing this as an opportunity to have a difference of opinion and sharing her thoughts with me about why posting the IMEX press release was wrong, I got this:

Keith, I am not sure where this comment is coming from and I am really not going to get into a long debate with you.

>I think that this group has gotten to the point where anything posted is viewed as >bad, that does not make sense to me.

Our policy is no promotion...period. The only exception we make is very low cost networking events so that members can get together in their areas. We have made our guideline really clear and posted numerous reminders. In view of your way over the top response that was basically a reminder of 2 of our key guidelines:

- no promotion of any kind
- no names of events in titles
- no event promotion

I am going to go ahead and temporarily suspend your posting privileges so that I have time to discuss with the rest of the management team whether or not they feel I was right to waive the 3 week suspension.

You will likely get the standard e-mail that is sent out by the Linkedin system when we block access temporarily or permanently. It is a template sent by auto-responder so please just ignore it.

As soon as we have had a chance to discuss this as a team, I will get back to you.

Maybe I am just not getting what I did wrong............wouldn't be the first time!

UPDATE - JUMP TO THE NEXT MORNING

A lot is coming from this post, it has spurred some interesting discussion here and on various other groups. Good. That is what social networks are for.

I think that I may have made a fatal flaw in the seeming direction of my post (not the actual content or idea). I say "When Social Networks Go Bad" and Julius has a point, this makes it sound as if I mean "the group" and that was not the intention. What I meant to imply is not the actual "group" as a whole (there are really cool people in this group, many of them work with me on a daily basis, others are colleagues and friends). It is more an indictment of the process maybe, what happens when groups get so large that the process of posting, deleting, approving become more of a factory production line than an actual place to share information.

I got the intention of my subject line, but obviously others did not, which frankly is "my bad".

UPDATE AGAIN - JUMP FORWARD ANOTHER COUPLE OF HOURS

I have given much thought to my subject line and decided that it stands. It is about the "entity". "When Social Networks go Bad" is a thought on the "network", its masters and the structure. Not the people contained within. There are many people who say "North Korea is a bad country", that does not mean that all of the residents of North Korea are bad, it refers to the "Entity that is".

The words themselves were used to fire back at me, as if I had wounded the members of the group. I now realize that I AM the group and that what I have to say matters.

Event Coup said it best about the difference between web 1.0 and web 2.0.....

This group fell into the trap of Web 1.0 (controlling and top down)....funny, I wonder who wrote it?

A great read for anyone in tradeshows

Keith Johnston — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:44:00 GMT

Check out Serenity's article on tradeshow exhibiting:

You Want Me to Pay What?! Part I

A first-time exhibitor recently arrived onsite at a major meetings industry trade show with company check in hand and instructions from her boss in mind: rent a few furniture items for the booth. No problem, right?

Upon speaking with show services providers, the exhibitor was floored to learn that she would have to pay $500+ for a simple pedestal and $200+ for a simple high boy table. No way! During the show, she couldn't quite comprehend the $1,000+ charges for Internet service—especially since her laptop picked up a full wireless signal from the onsite Internet cafe the whole time, at no charge. Really? After the show, the exhibitor was flabbergasted to learn that her boss had received an invoice for almost $500 in additional labor charges... on top of the several hundred dollars' worth of charges for services that had already been paid onsite. After all, no one in show services had mentioned those additional charges.

Click Here to read the rest on PlannerWire

Scaling it Up in Denver: 2010 Sustainable Meetings Conference Registration Goes Live

Keith Johnston — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:59:00 GMT

CHICAGO - The 2010Sustainable Meetings Conference has opened registration with a new theme, adynamic keynote, a wide-ranging program, and the ambitious goal of drawing 500participants onsite in Denver, CO from February 9-11, 2010.

The conference theme, Scalingit Up, underscores the growing importance of sustainability in meetings andevents, as well as surging interest in GMIC’s premier annual event (formerlythe Greening the Hospitality Industry Conference).

“This conference is the opportunity for meeting organizersand hosts to address the sustainability issues that are redefining the industry,”said GMIC President Amy Spatrisano, CMP. “GMIC selected Denver primarily forits ability to draw a network of committed leaders with demonstrated experiencehosting sustainable meetings and events, like the Democratic NationalConvention.”

Denver is also home to GMIC’s second official chapter, whichhas seen its membership grow 50% in the past year. The chapter will serve ashost committee for the conference and lead the charge for GMIC’s annualcommunity service project.

Building on the trash action challenge that participantsadopted at GMIC’s 2009 conference, this year’s keynote speaker will be AnnieLeonard, author and host of the online film, The Story of Stuff. The rest of the program is devoted to a seriesof interactive learning sessions centered on the APEX/ASTM green meetingstandards, as well as the process learning methodology modeled in internationalevent standards like the UK’s BS 8901.

GMIC will use feedback from conference participants todevelop a green meeting professional training series and certificate program inthe coming year. “We plan to involve conference participants in applying thechecklists, standards, and reduction targets to their own organizations,” saidGMIC Executive Director Tamara Kennedy-Hill. ”We want to balance targeted reductiongoals within a consistent sustainability framework that encourages continuousimprovement.” Spatrisano adds, "Each event that incorporates theseintegrated practices can help make a global difference.”

The call for presenters is live, along with conferenceregistration and full conference details, at www.sustainablemeetingsconference.com.

About the GMIC: The Green Meeting Industry Council(GMIC) is the premier global community solely dedicated to sustainability, notonly through education, but also by spearheading research, policy and standardsfor the meetings and event industry. The GMIC is an active member of theConvention Industry Council. Information: www.greenmeetings.info

CONTACT:Tamara Kennedy-Hill

1-888-450-2098

tamara@greenmeetings.info

Sustainable Meetings Conference

Keith Johnston — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:07:00 GMT

A quick FYI for everyone, Registration is now open for the 2010 Sustainable Meetings Conference. This year, it is in the great city of Denver!

www.sustainablemeetingsconference.com!

Anyone who is involved with the meetings and events industry should be there, no excuses!

Keith

Hotels and Twitter - Why Some Succeed and Others Fail

Keith Johnston — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:59:00 GMT

We use twitter every day, it is a very useful tool and I am one of its biggest fans and yes, I know that it makes no sense. Really, twitter makes no sense, but still, for some inexplicable reason, it is one of the best marketing tools on the block.

On any given day, I send information to my followers about the meetings and events industry, useful things like new travel rules, hot destination information, interesting articles from not only PlannerWire, but from other industry and national publications. I especially like the ability to re-tweet the information that I receive from the individuals I "follow".

I follow some of the most amazing people, from meeting planners, CVB folks and corporate marketers to fantastic hotels, industry suppliers and everything in between. If it has to do with the meetings and events industry, I follow it and try to pass along good quality information that other meeting and event professionals might find handy.

I never use twitter to tell people that I am going for coffee, frustrated with my computer or taking the day off. Businesses should use twitter for more practical pursuits. Now, I have no problems with people who use twitter to share the intimate details of their lives, there are certainly people that like to know when their friends or strangers are going to an interview, hopping in the shower or what they are making for dinner and their are those people that want to share when they need to run to the bathroom. If you dig that kind of thing and have that much time on your hands, more power to you, go for it.

Twitter for business should be straightforward, especially for hotels. It is the perfect opportunity to engage their target audience. What I am seeing however, is rather than being engaging and useful, many hotels are making mistakes that not only make their use of this tool a complete waste of time, it could actually damage them in the long run with meeting and event pros. At the very least, they are leaving a strange taste in someone's mouth (I won't say bad, just strange, kinda like the carton of milk in the fridge that expired yesterday....you just are not sure if you should drink it, it smells OK, but.....).

Twitter could, and should be the tool of a lifetime for hotel marketing departments. Imagine if you will, a system that encourages your target market to pay attention to you as you send them exactly the message you want, when you want to send it. That is what twitter is. I see a hotel that I like and I follow them. I give them the right to market to me as they wish.

Put simply, this is power, this is the power to sway my opinion, make me love you, make me understand why I should pick your hotel above all others on a daily basis. Instead of seeing brilliance, I see hotels making mistakes that make it obvious that they do not have a social marketing strategy, or if they do, it sucks.

I see how this happens,it is as plain as day, in fact, here is a possible scenario everyone can imagine:

The boss comes in one day and says, "we need to get on this twitter thing, everyone else is doing it, Bob, get a twitter thingy up and running by the end of the week"......So poor Bob, not being very interested in twitter, twittering, tweets or hash tags starts a twitter account and does what he thinks he should, or what his friends think he should. He starts talking about his (or her) personal life on an account that is tied to a business. Poor Bob and Poor Hotel. We get to hear all about the crappy date he had last night, what he is eating for breakfast or that he is stuck in traffic. This hotel, through Bob, is telling me that I really don't need to have a program there, although I am not sure why. I just know that I should not be spending 500K with them. Strange I would feel that way, kinda like the milk in the fridge....

Now, while Bob might actually be interesting, the second twitter no-no, is not interesting at all, it is nothing. This is the hotel that opens a twitter account and puts out a couple of tweets and then they stop, nothing more, that is it. How flipping dumb was that, I took the time to find you and invite you to market to me and you blow it because you are lazy. Here is a prime example.

A third twitter screw up, which I have seen more than a few times is "protected" updates. Someone has taken the time to open an account and then they have to approve their followers. This is one I just do not understand. What it tells me that you don't like the general public or you think that I am not worthy of hearing what you have to say. Let me tell you, I am not going to bother to "ask your permission" to market to me, no worries though, I won't be back and next week when I am talking to another colleague about what Hotels to follow....your name won't come up. In fact, the next time I run across your hotel, this is what I am going to remember. Either use twitter or don't.

The last bad twitterism for hotels leaves such an awful taste in your mouth that you know the milk is spoiled, you spit it all over the kitchen. This is the hotel or resort that simply tweets over and over and over and over about their special room rate for the weekend or that the hotel bar has a two for one happy hour. What are you telling me, nothing, you are telling me that you can't sell your rooms, your bar is empty and you are not being original.

You are also giving me a headache because every time I hear the little twitter chime go off and I look down and see your logo, I bang my head on my desk asking myself A: why are you doing this?, and B: why do I bother to follow you? Right about the 4th head banging session I unfollow you so that I can concentrate on the wealth of great knowledge that does come through the twitter pipeline.

So, how should twitter work for hotels? I am going to share an answer that is so simple and so effective it should have hotels running out to open a twitter account now and in fact, it probably works for any business.

Here is the answer:

Create a simple plan and realize that you don't have to be Hemmingway to use twitter because it is a simple, simple tool
Implement this simple plan that includes nothing more than sending out information that is important to your target market
A couple of posts a day is fine, no need to over do it

So what do you do?

Have two accounts, one for the leisure market and one for the meeting and event planning industry. Please understand that we are totally different markets.

I won't speak to the leisure market, but in the meeting and event planning industry, their are easy things that you can do via twitter that will help me get to know your hotel and make me think of you for my client that just called.

Yes, you can tell me about special rates and dates, but also tell me about the new Kinkos that opened down the block, tell me about festivals in the area and the hot new five star restaurant that opened next door, in fact, give me links to all of their websites. Now I can share this information with my client.

Use your forward thinking sales skills and watch airfares to and from major cities and let me know when United is having a special deal to your city, that is information I can use and might not have known. When your property does an overhaul of the spa, tell me. Tell me about the treatment rooms and the new decor in the lobby, link to the press release. Meeting and event pros don't care about happy hour deals. Tell me about the grand opening of that fabulous new event space downtown. Give me information that I may not find online or in your brochure. Help me get to know your place by linking me to the places on the web that make your property perfect.

Make it personal without sharing your bathroom schedule. Part of getting to know you is knowing your staff, if one of your employees hits the "been with the company 30 year mark" tell me about it, in fact a simple "Congrats to Mark at the Desk on 30 Years" says a whole lot. What you have just told me is that your employees love the place enough to spend their lives there. That resonates. Tell me you are happy when one of your bellman is leaving the hotel because he got the lead in a Broadway play, that tells me that you encourage your employees to seek and live out their dreams. Oh and because you have a limited amount of characters to tell me, link to the article or press release, this way if I am not interested I can pass it by for your next tweet.

I am sure that a social marketing guru could go on about this for hours and charge you thousands, but in the end, it all comes down to information. Share the information that meeting and event planners need and you will find that you might actually get reaction and some business. If you provide information that is good, it will not only go to me, it will go to the people that follow me, I will share it. This is how you use twitter to win.

I don't care what you had for breakfast, do you care about what I had for lunch? I didn't think so.

Just a thought!

Keith

OnSite Events Expands Partnership with GMIC

Keith Johnston — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:31:00 GMT

New OnSite Events association management division provides full roster of services and member benefits.

Chicago, IL (August 13, 2009) – OnSite Events, a full-service, Chicago-based meeting and event planning agency, launched its Association Pilot division this month to offer a new line of services and member benefits for small- to mid-sized associations. To kick off its new offerings, OnSite Events is pleased to announce that the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) selected Association Pilot as its association management provider.

“OnSite Events’ Association Pilot program provided the most comprehensive and flexible management package to meet our growing association needs,” stated GMIC Executive Director Tamara Kennedy-Hill.

Through partnership agreements with membership software provider Wild Apricot and benefits provider Strategic Insurance Group, Inc., OnSite Events launched Association Pilot as a comprehensive solution for association management needs. Association Pilot provides the versatility that organizations like the GMIC can use to customize their association management services to their specific needs.

“As a service, Association Pilot offers small- and mid-sized associations the services they need at an affordable cost,” stated Keith Johnston, Group Vice President of OnSite Events. “Association Pilot is the best way for these groups to provide superior services and benefits to their members while streamlining their operations to reduce costs and overhead.”

Another critical component of the Association Pilot division is its reflection of OnSite Events’ corporate commitment to utilize technology to maximize sustainability in its business operations—a synergistic complement to GMIC’s vision.

Kennedy-Hill further commented, “The GMIC previously worked with OnSite Events for the development of the Green Meetings Directory. We are pleased to expand the partnership with OnSite Events for our association management services. We feel there is alignment between our organizations to provide ongoing benefits for our members to help them transform the global meetings industry through sustainability.”

For more information about Association Pilot services by OnSite Events, Inc., visit www.AssociationPilot.com or contact Keith Johnston, Group Vice President of OnSite Events, at Keith@OnSiteEvents.com. For more information about the GMIC, visit www.greenmeetings.info.

About OnSite Events, Inc.
OnSite Events, Inc. offers event design, planning, and execution, creating cost-effective, strategic event experiences. OnSite Events offers event production services; event media services, including online event resources; and full destination management services. In addition to its new Association Pilot division of association management services, OnSite Events also owns and operates PlannerWire.com, a full suite of industry news distribution, destination marketing, and social networking tools designed for meetings and hospitality professionals. To learn more, visit www.OnSiteEvents.com.

About GMIC:
The GMIC (www.greenmeetings.info) is the premier global community solely dedicated to sustainability for the meetings and events industry. The Council delivers education and spearheads research, policy, and standards that support its mission to transform the global meetings industry through sustainability. The GMIC was started in 2004 and has been a pioneer in raising awareness and sharing knowledge about green meetings. The GMIC is an active member of the Convention Industry Council (www.conventionindustry.org).

OnSite Events and PMG Partner Up to Deliver Results

Keith Johnston — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 02:43:00 GMT

Strategic partnership combines capabilities to enhance meetings and media offerings.

CHICAGO, AUSTIN, SEATTLE – Today, OnSite Events, Inc. and Position Marketing Group (PMG)—market leaders in the meetings and media industries, respectively—announced a partnership agreement that will expand the robust service offerings provided to their combined clients. Together, OnSite and PMG are integrating their areas of expertise to help clients from diverse industries to achieve greater success and business growth from their investments in events and online media.

Through this alliance, OnSite has selected PMG as its preferred supplier for online media sales and strategy for both its event clients and its OnSite Media division, which includes the PlannerWire.com, PlannerMix.com, and PlannerWireDirectory.com news, community, and destination marketing outlets, among other offerings. Through its multiple solution sets, OnSite combines event planning, management, and marketing expertise with cost-effective online tools and technology that elevate the visibility of its clients and engage the global meetings and hospitality industries within a central platform.

“Working with PMG greatly enhances our ability to continue the fast-paced growth of our online properties within the meeting and events space,” states Keith Johnston, Group Vice President of OnSite. “In addition, we can now offer more compelling and successful online advertising and business development strategies to our event and association clients.”

Additionally, through this partnership, PMG expands its existing service offerings to include marketing strategies for corporate meetings and events, conferences, trade shows, sales force incentive programs, and experiential marketing. As a boutique interactive advertising agency, PMG has established successful relationships with advertisers, publishers, and data service providers, working with its network of partners to drive client revenue growth through cost-effective campaigns to reach diverse consumer and BtoB audiences.

"PMG continually adapts its service offerings to meet the lead generation, advertising, and sales goals of our clients,” says Derek Bates, CEO of PMG. “Adding these valuable services further enhances our ability to implement a diverse, cost-effective, and measurable marketing strategy through strategic consultation and strategy development with our clients.”

By combining forces, OnSite and PMG each bring proven track records to the strategic relationship designed to extend the reach of their meetings and media client offerings
set to launch clients into new markets and increase the value and visibility of each campaign.

“Given the ever growing universe of online solutions providers and increased access to varying destinations around the world, partnerships of this level enable both organizations to provide our clients with a broader line of services, higher value, and more efficiency.” said Greg Buhl, now a Vice President with both companies. “PMG and OnSite Events are outstanding companies perfectly suited to help our clients in the events and media space.”

For more information about the effective solution sets offered in partnership from OnSite Events and PMG, contact Greg Buhl at 888-823-3687 or Greg@OnSiteEvents.com.

About OnSite Events, Inc.
OnSite Events, Inc. offers event design, planning, and execution, creating cost-effective, strategic event experiences. OnSite Events offers event production services; event media services, including online event resources; and full destination management services. In addition to its new Association Pilot division of association management services, OnSite Events also owns and operates PlannerWire.com, a full suite of industry news distribution, destination marketing, and social networking tools designed for meetings and hospitality professionals. To learn more, visit www.OnSiteEvents.com.

About Position Marketing Group
Position Marketing Group, Inc. (PMG) is a boutique interactive advertising agency specializing in the new home and move verticals. PMG works with advertisers, publishers, and data service providers as well as strategic partners to create cost-effective, compelling, and successful campaigns to drive client revenue growth. PMG’s principals are committed to delivering strategic solutions based on long-term, sustainable client relationships fostered by frequent consultation and daily interaction. For more information about PMG, visit www.PositionMarketingGroup.com.

2009 Daily Show Chronicle: The Motivation Show and Affordable Meetings® National

Keith Johnston — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:37:00 GMT

PlannerWire.com, the News, Information, and Communitywebsite for meeting and event planners, is pleased to present exciting new sponsorship opportunities for two upcoming, large-scale meetings industry events.In Show_Daily association with The Conference Publishers, Inc., PlannerWire announces that these sponsorships are now available for Affordable Meetings® National in Washington, D.C. and The Motivation Show in Chicago, IL, both fast approaching in September 2009.

As a part of its established media sponsorships of Affordable Meetings®National and The Motivation Show, PlannerWire has partnered with The Conference Publishers to provide Show Chronicles for both events. Show Chronicles are comprehensive event newsletters, available in both email and print formats,that report on-the-ground news and happenings every day during both of these major industry gatherings.

Sponsorship of Show Chronicles results in the following benefits:

Distribution to more than 50,000 opt-in meeting and event professionals each morning during Affordable Meetings® National and The Motivation Show.
The opportunity to reach both onsite show attendees and offsite subscribers of major industry outlets.
Email and print exposure in pre-show and post-show editions of Show Chronicles.
Opportunities to reach industry professionals onsite at the shows and afterward, via various avenues including PlannerWire's own industry community website, email newsletters, online editorial features, banner advertising, and multiple social networking applications like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
High-level visibility alongside important coverage of educational sessions, show-floor activity, and "on-the-street" interviews that will capture participants' and exhibitors' perspectives each day.

Additionally, Show Chronicles will capture and demonstrate the value of the onsite trade show andeducational programs, positioning Affordable Meetings® and The Motivation Showas must-see events for future years. Here, PlannerWire provides sponsors with avenue for ongoing dialogue with meeting professionals, associating Show Chronicle sponsors with the valuable industry experience that planners gain at these events.

A select number of sponsorships are available, with various levels to choose from.

For additional information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Greg Buhl at greg@plannerwire.com.

Call for Sponsors! Great Spaces, Amazing Places, new video series for the Meetings and Events Industry:

Keith Johnston — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:49:00 GMT

WHAT IT IS:

Join us as we celebrate the meeting and event planning community by exploring unique sites and venues, the planning lifestyle, and the people that make the meetings and events industry such a dynamic and compelling field of work. In each episode, we will explore different destinations, venues, trends, and the latest products and services that are available to both event professionals and the public at large, celebrating the adventure that is the meetings and events world.

WHY IT WILL WORK:

• The multi-billion-dollar meeting and event industry is one you can bank on.
• Corporate America’s ongoing need for meetings and events and the industries surrounding them make today the right time for Great Spaces, Amazing Places.

There are more than 51,000 meeting and convention planners in the United States, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. That number only includes individuals who identify themselves as meeting and convention planners. Untold thousands of people working in other fields—such as administrative assistants, public relations professionals, fundraising personnel, marketing professionals and many, many others—also undertake meeting and convention planning responsibilities as a part of their job descriptions. The U.S. Travel Association states that 2.4 million U.S. jobs result from business travel, supported largely by meetings and events.

In addition, as the event planning field continues to gain visibility and popularity through entertainment television shows and career rating channels, more people seek to enter the field today than ever before. The U.S. Travel Association states that meetings and events are critical economic drivers in all 50 states.

These trends, although not recession-proof, mean profitable business for the meetings industry and sustainable public interest in the event planning field, now and in the future. A U.S. Travel Association survey of business executives at companies with more than $50 million in annual sales found that:

• 82% of companies surveyed believe that business travel is important to achieving their business results;
• 81% believe that more client contact is necessary in a slow economy;
• A strong majority (59%) strongly agree that in-person contact grows their business; and
• 72% of businesses believe that increasing travel while others are cutting back creates an opportunity to build market share and new customer relationships.

Meetings and events comprise 15% of all travel within the United States. Over the past 10 years, meetings and events spending has more than doubled, and business travel has become a $240 billion industry.

Meeting and event professionals hunger for meeting- and event-related content and information that speaks directly to them. Great Spaces, Amazing Places is the solution for reaching this profitable market. Great Spaces, Amazing Places is a business and lifestyle show about the meetings and events industry. It also carries diverse appeal for mainstream viewers and consumers within all age groups who engage with programs focused on travel, tourism, leisure, dining, recreation, art, culture, and other aspects of different cities and destinations throughout the United States and beyond.

Great Spaces, Amazing Places covers everything about the industry. Venues, hotel/resort properties, technologies and trends—your product or service can be showcased in a flexible and varied format. Great Spaces, Amazing Places is fun, entertaining, informative, engaging, and colorful. High production value ensures your message is seen in the highest possible quality. We’ve created sustainable media, so you have the most delivery options available and the most cost-effective choices.

HOW IT WILL WORK:

Your message… delivered from any stream to any screen. Your sponsorship of Great Spaces, Amazing Places will include the following:

Broadcast: Traditional TV Show
• Sponsorship of a 22-minute High Definition Pilot

Broadband: Syndicated Webisodes (5 to 7 minutes)
• Integrated sponsor videos
• Sponsored content
• Sponsor ad insertion

Interactive: Destination Great Spaces, Amazing Places
• Banner ads (multiple sizes available)
• 15-second pre-roll with a synchronized banner and a leave-behind banner
• Lower-third insertion with a synchronized banner and a leave-behind banner
• Sponsored content
• Custom opportunities such as sponsor microsites, custom online video, games, or contests

VOD: Video On Demand
• Sponsored content
• Long-format advertising messages

Podcast: Now or Later
• Audio and video downloads
• Sponsored content

About Great Spaces, Amazing Places:

Great Spaces, Amazing Places is hosted by Kristi Casey Sanders, Chief Storyteller of

Plan Your Meetings. A meetings and events industry expert with more than 20 years of performance and travel writing experience, Kristi will lead viewers on an adventurous exploration of unique sites and locations in various cities and destinations across the nation where people can come together to do business, exchange ideas and create transformational experiences.

Great Spaces, Amazing Places is produced and copyrighted by PlannerWire and Plan Your Meetings.

For more information, contact:

Keith Johnston
PlannerWire
312-789-5982
Keith@PlannerWire.com
www.PlannerWire.com

Las Vegas Continues Making Huge Mistakes, Hurting the Meetings Industry

Keith Johnston — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:59:00 GMT

In yet another move that makes me shake my head, Las Vegas unveiled yet another bad marketing device in this era of government crackdowns and meeting lynch mobs.

If Las Vegas wants to fly under the radar, regain some of the meeting and event business that has canceled and make the world consider it one of the finest meeting destinations, this is not the way to do it.....and I like Las Vegas as a meeting destination.

I made this same comment today on PlannerMix in response to Serenity Knutson's question, and I am repeating it now, It is time for our industry associations to sit down with the powers that be in Las Vegas and "encourage" them to keep these types of ads out of the mix until the economic recovery picks up.

This is almost as bad as the Mayor tossing out the first pitch with a giant martini glass and showgirls.

Meetings and Events are serious business, maybe business would pick up in Las Vegas if the powers that be treated the subject with a little respect.

Just a thought.

This is how people think

Keith Johnston — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:42:00 GMT

Twitter not for everything

Keith Johnston — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:28:00 GMT

Saw this on the web today from some of my twitter friends, has it come to this........I can actually picture someone on their mobile standing there typing away!

Zip Lining the Mountains of the Domincan Republic

Keith Johnston — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:20:00 GMT

Zip Lining is one of the safest activities in the Dominican Republic, Big Willie, our “Zip Instructor” told us so. He said “Smile and be happy! You will not die today”………it was humor and we all laughed and we did smile. In fact, we all believed him. The equipment can hold thousands of pounds, so my 230 was nothing…….

A picture tells a thousand words, so here are some images of our group outing to Zip through the tree tops and get a view of the Dominican countryside that few will ever get.

All I can say is that it is fun, cool and safe. In fact, the act of zip lining is a self contained team building activity, everyone works together to take that first step off the first platform to have the experience of a lifetime and touch the tree tops……..you would not believe the conversations at lunch as we all continued to get to know each other building bonds that will last a lifetime.

Doesn’t your team deserve to build the bounds that will help your company succeed?

Just a thought!

The Dominican Republic - An A for Meetings and Events

Keith Johnston — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:15:00 GMT

Sitting here in the Dominican Republic, I am taking a minute to think of all of the things I need to do and catch up on. I owe you all updates from my recent trip to Frankfurt (IMEX 2009) and to Puerta Vallarta, Mexico (Meeting Place Mexico), these posts will hopefully come this week as I return for a long spell with no travel.

Today, I am in the Dominican Republic for the Annual SITE Chicago Retreat, an educational event for SITE members to learn about the destination of Punto Cana on the eastern side of the Dominican Republic. A mere four hour flight from Chicago.

What I have learned is what American tourists have known for a long time; the Dominican Republic is an amazing place. Safe, Secure, Beautiful and the perfect place for groups, both meetings and incentives.

My question is, where are the American groups? You need to be here. There are plenty of flights and it is very cost effective. In fact, even Jet Blue has flights from New York, so lift cannot be the excuse…..or maybe it is a question that does not need an excuse because it has a simple answer.

The answer is that we as meeting planners had no idea that the Dominican Republic was a great place for groups so we have overlooked it for years. This is not our fault though, the Dominican Tourism folks have been doing a great job of marketing to the tourists, and they are just now getting a chance to catch their breath before they tackle the MICE market. This is not their fault either; they work really hard and are amazing people. They are the go-to people when you want to learn more. I hope my ramblings actually help them in their endeavors to catch the attention of the meetings and incentive market.

The Dominican Republic has an amazing array of 5 star hotel properties to choose from with great DMC’s to handle all of your group transfer and activity needs. From Paradisus Playa Real and Sanctuary Cap Cana to the Amazing Tortuga Bay and Moon Palace, the properties here are simply amazing. Beautiful, elegant (oops, bad word in the meetings industry) with all of the trimmings.

Group events in Punta Cana and country wide are a cinch; there is so much to do when your groups are not in session or on an incentive travel trip. Catamarans, Zip Lining, tours of the area and even cigar rolling demonstrations are just some of the activities that are available. I am only hitting a couple that I was able to observe, I am not even mentioning the 5000 other things to do (rafting, snorkeling, parasailing, museums, history, jeep excursions, eco-tours, etc). Then there are the properties themselves, beautiful beaches, pools and restaurants. Even a casino or two for good measure. Groups have a home here.

The biggest selling point however are the Dominicans themselves. They have a sense of self and a pride that shows in their work. Rarely do you find service levels this high. I am not kidding, they know how to treat a group and go the extra mile to ensure that your stay is perfect.

I can sum up the service in the Dominican Republic by simply re-stating what the bellman said to one of our group when we checked in, he said “I work for you”……..an amazing and rare statement from someone in the hospitality industry. These are a people that “get it”. They are here to make sure that your group’s every need is taken care of.

There are, of course, drawbacks (not many though). It is HOT during the day; in fact, it is surface of the sun hot (you can see me sweat in the picture in my next post). We all take groups to Las Vegas and Scottsdale though, same kind of hot so maybe this is not really a drawback…….

So, in short, if you are looking to bring a group international and have not yet chosen the destination, have a look at the Dominican Republic. You (and your attendees) will not be disappointed. Your budget will also be surprised by how affordable it is………and, during the summer, they are on Eastern Time so attendees won’t have a case of foggy brain caused by massive time shifts.

More to come on the Dominican Republic and the SITE Retreat…….this is by no means the end of the story!

Just thought!

Keith