Worth getting out of bed for?

Worth getting out of bed for?

Rob Spalding, in Association Meetings International this month looks at the rise of the Convention Hotels for large conferences rather than using convention centres and surrounding hotels for bedrooms.

Chain hotels in recent years have started building bigger hotels abroad to compete with the Convention Centre business.  So do delegates and conference organisers really have a preference of where events are held?

Many organisers prefer to use hotels for the comfort factor but most of all you don’t lose delegates as easily, coupled with not having the tiresome commuting at the start and end of the day.  Hotels in general tend to have a more relaxed atmosphere and better facilities such as leisure at no extra cost.

For the tired delegate it is much easier to dump their stuff in the bedroom and have a rest and not have to worry about catching a bus to the event.

Its worth also noting that Convention Hotels come with the negatives the negotiation over the contracts is much harder, at an earlier stage you have to commit to booking a minimum amount of bedrooms making the financial implications more significant.  Plus every bedroom is contracted at the same costs no allowing a choice in room rate for the paying delegate.

Delegates however do like a change of scenery and if the Convention is taking place over 3- 4 days the same hotel and meeting space ‘cabin fever’ can set in.  Also Convention Hotels are situated in the centre of a city so you can easily loose delegates to the shops leaving sessions empty.

There is no doubt Convention Hotels are becoming more popular with organisations in particular the Associations market.  From  IHG Hotels, Hilton, Concorde Hotels or Maritim Hotels there are lots to choose from!

As always we are keen to hear your views or if you would like to guest blog please contact sarah@mosaicevents.co.uk

Christmas Time!

Sorry I know the sun is still shining just!! but if you havent already, you really need to start thinking about booking your Christmas Party as prime dates are now getting booked up at various venues.

So what is hot for this Christmas? we certainly know that companies are looking to save money where possible in the current climate.  Why not then opt for a buffet rather than a sit down traditional meal this makes things more informal and sometimes encourages networking further. 

A lot of venues now are putting together packages which include theming and entertainment this is another great way of doing something differently and minimising the cost.  With this they are also offering drinks packages tailored to your budget, so not only offering your guests a drink on arrival but also throughout the evening but keeping an eye on this so the bar bill doesnt get out of hand.

You could do something completley different by having the event in a unique venue so using a boat, racecourse or cinema or going to a different location. Whatever you choose ensure this is suited to your audience and they will buy into your theme or location.

At Mosaic Events we can give you lots of ideas for doing things differently or just having a traditional party.  Drop us an email if you want some help enquiries@mosaicevents.co.uk

Choosing speakers for your events

Choosing speakers for your events

I have been to and organised many events where we have had fantastic speakers but then some that are not so great!

We all know it is a hard thing for the majority of people to get up and present to an audience (its not something I love myself) but speakers need to be engaging and give delegates something to take away otherwise this really affects the success of an event.

Where to start – we will always look at speaker credentials so where have they spoken previously and what type of audiences have they addressed. Therefore will the content be relevant to your audience. Also think about what are you trying to achieve, do you want something which is more inspiring and comedy focussed - good for after dinner speeches, or do you want to motivate and challenge a group of employees, try to get a speaker that has good background of working in both areas.

Once you have made a decision and budget is always dependent,some speakers will drop their fees in return for promoting themselves or selling copies of their books so this is worth investigating.  Ensure you have a contract in place (that covers you if they don’t turn up! Never pay their entire fee in advance).  If you have time it is always worth going along to actually see them speak at another event or ask for a YouTube video or DVD of their speaking slot.

Then prior to the event ensure you give the speaker a detailed briefing, at so many events I have seen speakers stand up and prepare something which is not relevant to the audience purely because they haven’t been briefed correctly by the organiser.  So remember to tell them about key people that may be in the audience, time that they have to keep to, any no go’s and musts to covers Overall ensure you are not leading them into the lion’s den and that they feel relaxed.

Finally always thank your speakers if they have done a great job after the event and tell others how great they are, if there is room for improvement give them feedback ,this is so important so they are able to improve and develop for other events.

Some good speakers we have used in the past...

Around Leadership and Development – Julie Harrison Consulting - Julie Harrison

Sales and Business Development – Nick Bramley - Jorvik Associates

Motivational – Lisa Clifford - Lisa Clifford Business Coach

After dinner speaker/lunch – Alastair Humphreys (Pictured), Steve Womack

If you’re interested in blogging for Mosaic Events please email sarah@mosaicevents.co.uk

Income Generation for your events

Income Generation for your events

In the current economic climate we are extremely busy with generating income for various events.  For many associations and memberships they cannot run events for members without at least £20K worth of sponsorship to fund the event and help with the existence of the organisation.

For public sector organisations and not for profit organisations similarly times are hard so more emphasis has been put into getting as much income as possible to ensure the success of an event. 

There are many ways of generating income for an event and this week we are using the blog to give you some ideas for how to make your events pay!

·         Exhibitors – the obvious way of gaining income selling exhibition space at your events.  Hosting a table top exhibitions stand will keep your costs down and allow suppliers of products or services connected with your sector to promote themselves to your delegates.  We advise charging anything from £395 plus VAT upwards for a one day event.  This is dependent on your audience, sector and of course how many delegates you have attending.

·         Inserts within the delegate packs or adverts within the event programme – selling space within an event programme can enable an organiser to have a nicely designed and printed handout for nothing.  Making this pay for itself and having some left over!

·         Sponsorship of the coffee/tea breaks – allowing the supporter to have pop up stands, cards on the refreshment tables and possible a short slot to address the audience is another good way of generating some income.

·         Conference App – Gain support for a conference app to be built, this is a fantastic way of engaging with delegates prior to the event and then on the day.  A good way of promoting interaction and discussion between both speakers, delegates to more importantly the sponsor is able to have their say!

·         Finally overall Sponsorship packages – pulling together a package which would allow one or two main sponsors of the event – the package can include a prominent exhibition stand, a speaking slot in a plenary session or delivering a workshop, insert within the pack, public thank you at the event and then access to the electronic delegate list.

We hope this helps but if you’re interested in finding out more email sarah@mosaicevents.co.uk for a non obligatory chat with Mosaic Events on generating income for your events.

Latest Technology for Events

Technology is moving quickly and mobile phones are now being used for work as well as personal use, with the introduction of the I phone and Android phones and the portable I pad, organisers can create apps for events or contact delegates directly for promotion and discussion before and after events. 

If you decide to design an app for your event always consider your audience and attendees needs it is more about information and how they can promote discussion around your event not the cosmetic look of the application.

There can be lots of work involved in the first stages to ensure your app is correct for your event and can be updated if you are using it for a series of events or annual event adding new features and value to the attendees!

There are many reasons why the use of mobile phones and apps for events are of benefit to the event organiser, for example they can be used to increase attendance, awareness around an event and after the event has taken place, and also to increase the event income through sponsorship, advertising or exhibiting.

Other benefits of using the mobile media include they reduce your costs, as delegate can download details about the event on their phone to save on printing or posting costs and also reduce the carbon footprint for your events as there is no extra paper to recycle and you can also use the apps to send information to attendees and exhibitors regarding how to reduce waste at the event.

Another use of mobile technology is IPad Survey http://ipadsurvey.co.uk/ , a service you can use at your events to survey attendees for market research and event feedback from delegates, with a full report produced at the event with the survey results which you can also use in your summary session at your event.

Overall do not neglect other elements of your event, remember to focus on all aspects and in addition look into mobile apps and see how they can benefit your next event!

Based on an article from www.conference-news.co.uk for Swift Mobile

If you have used mobile apps for events or would like to write a blog for Mosaic Events please email sarah@mosaicevents.co.uk

Unusual Venues for Events

This week we are looking at some of the most unusual venues for conferences and events that you can use in the UK!

Instead of using a conference centre or hotel there are a number of alternative options available if you want something different for your next event. Firstly there are a number of sporting venues from football stadiums to cricket grounds that have event space for hire and one example in Sheffield: iceSheffield which has event space suitable for product launches, exhibitions, conferences and dinners and also smaller break out rooms available which are all named to fit the ice theme, this venue is a very different space with the option for ice based team building activities including skating, ice hockey and curling as an addition to your event!

Another different venue option for your events is the National Coal Mining Museum, Wakefield, the museum has space for conferences, dinners and smaller meetings and even offers the option for delegates to travel underground to experience the mines!

The CastleGate is currently being renovated in Newcastle, the building used to be an Edwardian power station used to power electricity to the trams across Newcastle and Gateshead. The space is now being renovated to create a 500 seat auditorium and five floors of meeting space and the venue will include some original features from its time as a power station.

Peckforton Castle is a very unique venue for your next meeting or conference, with a variety of meeting rooms avaialble and the option to also hire the space exclusively,  the castle can also offer medieval banquets and entertainment with overnight accommodation.

Another unusual venue we recently used for our client imove is the Electric Works venue in Sheffield which has its own helter skelter, if you really want something different to offer your delegates!

This week’s blog is based on an article from the Hospitality and Events North magazine, for further information about the magazine and all their articles visit: www.hospitalityandeventsnorth.com

 

If you have an unusual venue you would like to share or if you would like to write a blog for Mosaic Events please email sarah@mosaicevents.co.uk

Venue Site visits - what to think about

Mosaic Events undertake venue finding and often when it comes to booking site visits for our clients they ask us for tips on what to look for when making that all important decision of which venue to go with! Here are a few tips to help you when planning a successful event.

1) always request a map of directions from the venue - so you can test out how good these are for delegates finding their way on the day of your event.

2) always ask for the main conference room to be set up as you want to book this - this is not always possible but good to see the layout.

3) think about the access of the venue.. is there a train station or car park nearby and then on arrival is it easy to find the entrance?

4) when inside the venue what sort of reception do you get - is the receptionist warm and again is this area easy to navigate?

5) ask the person doing the show round where the registration point would be for your delegates - is this easy? and then where arrival tea and coffee will be again is this nearby?

6) when in the main room ensure there are no pillars  that would block delegate views, asking about noise within the room are the walls likely to let in external noise.  If the room has windows go and have a look to see if there is building works taking place nearby or ask if they are aware of any taking place in the near future.

7) for lunch ensure the space offered fits with your objectives - if you are having exhibitors it is advisable to have lunch in the same area as the stands so therefore how many exhibition stands will you accommodate in the space offered?  Otherwise ask to see the restaurant area and the lunch options available.

8) overall you need to look at the access of the venue for delegates that may have mobility requirements ensure this is suitable.

9) if you are visiting a hotel and you are needing bedrooms always request to see these and ask to see the smallest and the best the hotel has to offer then you have no nasty surprises!

10) finally always confirm with the person showing you around that they will be dealing with your booking up until the event - get their contact details including direct line! it can be so frustrating going through switchboards. 

We hope these tips help your next site visit and are interested to hear from you if you have any further thoughts as always we are looking for a guest blogger so if you are interested please contact sarah@mosaicevents.co.uk thanks very much happy hunting!

Sarah

To network or not?!

Networking is always a difficult decision for businesses, there are so many different networks and  types you have to choose from.  With this you need evaluate the time you would spend networking away from the office and the amount of work you have to do!

This week's blog looks at how useful networking can be for your business and how to get the most out of it heres some thoughts:

• Some networks promote joining and paying a membership fee but don' talk about the fact you could attend and just pay a higher price to attend events as you like. This may suit some people in terms of budget, however it is worth noting that joining as a member often entitles you to access free training and advice so it is always worth finding out the benefits of joining the network and paying the annual fee's.

• Networking is great as it provides you the opportunity to meet with others and to showcase the product or service you offer and also provides you the chance to find out about other businesses.  Most importantly however it provides you with the ability to build relationships with like minded people something which is much harder to do on-line and often is actually really useful in terms of learning from others also.

• At networking events maximise your time, ask for a delegate list in advance of the event so you can identify anybody you want to work with or companies that may have synergy with your business. 

• Then at the event ensure you get around everybody (don't stay talking to somebody you know and feel comfortable with the whole time!) you have indentified by also asking the organisers to introduce you.

• Always take plenty of business cards with you, even if you have to rush away at the end of the event and you noticed someone you really wanted to speak you can always find them before you go and introduce yourself ask them for a business card and say you will follow up with a call.

• Finally most importantly always ensure you follow up with people you promise to after the event.  In particular with those you feel you could develop a good referral relationship with or work together in future.  Follow up with a telephone call or e-mail asking them to meet for coffee another time.

Finally it is important to remember word of mouth can be a very good advert for your business, even if you are not instantly receiving business from a networking event you are getting your name and company name out there and you never know what may happen in future! 

Mosaic Events are members of York Professionals and York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce  and  in York but there are lots more around to choose from for a list of some other visit York Networking.

If you have any experiences you would like to share from your networking or if you would like to write a blog for Mosaic Events please email sarah@mosaicevents.co.uk

Event Exhibitions and Shows - making sure your day out of the office is productive!

There are a number of exhibitions and trade shows for event professionals that are held in the UK and also overseas this week’s blog focuses on some of the main shows and our experiences and tips of how to get the most out of the shows you visit and how to pick the best show that will work for you.

One of the main industry shows is International Confex and this takes place in London usually in late February/early March and is a large show with exhibitors including UK and overseas venues and event suppliers. 

The show includes seminars on current topics in the industry presented by industry professionals.  This show is particularly useful for gaining knowledge about current trends and new ideas for events.  It is also offers the chance to improve your database of venues available to book including making key contacts within these to make booking easier.

The Square Meals Venues and Events Show takes place in London in September each year.  Again this show showcases venues from across the UK but focuses more specialist London venues along with London based event industry suppliers and services.  The event has a special area dedicated to theming and decorating event spaces which is useful if you create themed events regularly.  This show also offers short seminars about trends in the industry and is really useful for getting tips from the experts also.

To keep up to date with the list of events visit Conference News Events Diary http://www.conference-news.co.uk/events-diary

With so many shows and trade exhibitions to choose from you most probably will not be able to attend them all, however here are some tips for how to make the most of your time at the shows you do get to attend:

• This may sound obvious but plan your day! Have a look at the exhibitor list and the seminar programme before you go and plot your time around which seminars you wish to attend

• Organise appointments with key contacts so you don’t miss anyone you really want to catch, book these in advance then you can use your time around this to attend seminars/source new suppliers

• Arrive to the show early, get to the show for when it starts to make the most of the day

•  Stay for the evening networking if you can this provides a great opportunity for you to meet  more contacts from the show and represent your company further

• Take lots of business cards! Many of the exhibitors now have the electronic swiping machines to capture your details but often business cards provide more information about you and your company giving new contacts the chance to find out more about you.

If you have any feedback from any industry shows you have attended please do let us know and if you would like to write a blog for Mosaic Events please email sarah@mosaicevents.co.uk
 

Francesca Pearson, Senior Event Account Manager