These table centre-pieces look amazing but sometimes they can be totally impractical for communication.

The event has started, and the guests enter into the venue.  So far, things have gone rather well: the guests, many of who are meeting for the first time, are chatting with one another and the evening seems promising.  The doors open and everyone is dazzled as they enter the room: there’s good lighting, music, the stage is set and everything looks stunning.  Everyone finds their assigned tables, they pull out their seats, sit down … and that’s when the problem becomes apparent.

Smack-bang in the middle of the table, exactly at eye-level, is the world’s largest bunch of flowers. Or a candelabra big enough to light-up the entire venue. On the odd occasion, I’ve even seen a towering fish tank that would put the Two Oceans Aquarium Shark Exhibit to shame.

The rest of the evening is spent with the guests limited to speaking to those to the immediate left and right, and occasionally you see a head leaning to the side as someone opposite tries to join the conversation. When the speeches and presentations start, people shuffle around trying to at least get a glimpse of the speaker between the vegetation (or the candles or goldfish). If you’re a waiter, or wish to get the attention of everyone at the table, good luck!  Inevitably, towards the end of the evening, one person takes the initiative to remove the obstacle … and all the tables follow suit.

What was the decor designer thinking? I understand that you’re trying to make the venue look fantastic, but why must this happen to the detriment of the guests’ enjoyment? I suspect the reason is that the decor designer hasn’t actually seen things from the guests’ perspective. As the father of a 2-year-old daughter, the parenting books suggested that once your child starts walking, you need to crawl around your house on your hands and knees.  That way, you can see things from your child’s perspective and find potential dangers that would see from an adult-height point of view. Similarly, it’s vital that the event planner imagine what the guests see from their seats. That way, you can avoid plonking a vase containing the entire fynbos family on the table!

Remember, the success of an event is not defined by how well the theme was displayed, nor by the gourmet food, or the number of fine wines available.  The important qualities of a successful event are the connections, relationships and memories created by the guests, through their interaction.  You could have the most amazing venue and fantastic food, but if the guests aren’t socializing, it’s all pretty pointless.

I’m not for a moment suggesting that a part of the budget shouldn’t be spent on decor and centre-pieces; I’ve seen some amazing decorations that really added a very special touch to the theme and were also great conversation-starters.  But when the implementation of the decor detracts from the original purpose of the event – which is to create a comfortable and fun atmosphere so that guests will socialize – then it’s time to put your foot down.  Besides being a waste of money (and cruel, when you have a school of guppies floating around in an oversized vase), preventing people from interacting will detract from the overall experience that you want people remember.

An event is an opportunity for people to meet, connect and create relationships.  It’s not the time to demonstrate your abilities to place a Chelsea Flower Show exhibit on the middle of a table! Of course, I’m exaggerating, but you’d be surprised how frequently I’m eventually forced to pick up the centre-piece and place it next to the table – just so that I can get eye-contact with everyone. As beautiful and elegant as the centre-piece is, once I’ve removed it from the middle of the table, it’s never put back.

So the next time you’re working on the decor of your event, consider the practicalities from your guests’ perspective and make the table decorations no higher than about 30cm.  Alternatively, provide a machete to each guest to “interact with the decor” and slash the table flora to a manageable level.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Regardless of the size of the event, the purpose and objective of your year-end party must be clearly defined, or you won’t be able to judge the success (or failure) of your event. If the purpose is “to show the staff how much we appreciate their hard work“, then make sure that this message is made clear not only on the invitation, but also by the quality of the food and the venue.  Or perhaps you want to introduce your company to new prospective customers – does the decor, venue, hors d’œuvres, etc, give a good “first impression” of your company?

Of course, it would be easy if you were given an unlimited event budget!  The reality is that even the biggest, most outrageous events in the world are planned well in advance and the budget forms an integral part of that plan.  But is it the correct approach to plan the function exclusively around your budget? In my opinion, the answer is an emphatic “NO!”

There should always be an opportunity to meet your customers – and prospects – as often as possible. As marketing expert Joel Bauer says, “No matter how many times you click from place to place, it will never replace face to face”.  The fact is that you should never forget that an event or function, just like a meeting, is an opportunity for you to communicate a message, spread an idea, and strengthen a relationship with someone personally.

Here are 7 reasons how a year-end event can be beneficial to your company:

1. You have an opportunity to learn more about people outside of the typical ‘work’ environment.  This means you can get to understand the person better and have a better chance of relating to him or her in the future. (This is true for both staff and clients)
2. You can really show people how much you really appreciate their work or their support.  Even though you can say “thank you” on the ‘phone or via an email, demonstrating your appreciation is very powerful.
3. Your guests have the opportunity to discuss ideas, give feedback or make suggestions in an environment that is normally more ‘open’ than at ‘the office’.  When people are relaxed and having fun they’re more likely to offer an honest opinion, so keep your ears open for things that person would not normally say. You may learn a thing or two!
4. Use the event to re-affirm your company’s dedication to it’s purpose by ensuring that everyone is made aware of what you offer, and what the benefits of working with you are.  This can take the form of a speech, presentation or even a video.  Don’t waste this opportunity to capitalize on your audiences’ attention! Since you’ve already spent the money on hosting the event, you must make sure that everyone not only remembers how much they enjoyed themselves, but also who you are and the reason for the event.
5. Celebrate your achievements!  Use the opportunity to share results, like your sales figures, special projects you’ve completed, or client video testimonials.  Inspire your staff and clients by demonstrating the advantages of working with your company.  Remember that we live vicariously through others, so a few honest testimonials from satisfied customers will encourage clients to continue their relationship with you, prospects will see the value of doing business, and your staff will see the ‘bigger picture’ of how their work impacts on their customers.
6. Differentiate your company from your competition by making a special effort to give something personal and entertaining, so that everyone has fond memories of the event.  “Same is lame” and if you don’t make the effort to make your function at least a bit special, your guests are unlikely to have any recollection of even having attended.  Considering how much money you’re probably spending, you’ll agree that it is of utmost importance that everyone leaves with a special reason to remember you and your company.
7. Being part of an event is FUN! We know that happy employees are more productive and the idea of having a ‘company-sponsored celebration’ can be a good motivator for you and your staff.  It’s something to look forward to, and the promise of being able to experience something fun and different can be a good reason to reach your sales targets or to cut unnecessary expenses.  Remember, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”!

Of course, your event should not have to cost more than you’ve budgeted!  If you are particularly experienced in event planning, or are meticulous about planning a budget, you may very well work within the estimated figures; however, it is not unreasonable to plan for a 10 – 15% variance on your original budget.

Here are some ways that you can save money:

• Don’t overestimate the value of the venue: as long as everyone is comfortable, and the venue is professional, clean and appropriate, then you should be fine.  Unless your event is being hosted at a particularly exclusive venue, your guests are unlikely to rave about your event because of the venue.  The reality is that within 1 hour of arriving, most people “tune out” to the physical environment and it does not play a major role when recalling the event from memory.  This does not mean you should not demand great customer service! Rather, you probably shouldn’t be spending the bulk of your event planning budget on the venue.
• Don’t offer an open bar for all available liquor! There’s no need for your guests to be drinking expensive alcohol on your company’s bill.  You should be able to offer a range of soft drinks, beers, wine and perhaps a choice of whiskey and brandy (in South Africa).  A cash bar should prevent your guests from ‘abusing’ your bar tab.  Remember that the law is becoming much stricter about driving under the influence of alcohol: don’t encourage drinking to be a central part of your function.
• Book your service suppliers early and offer to pay the full amount ‘up front’.  This encourages them to give you a better rate than they normally would.  Last minute bookings are often quoted a slightly higher than normal fee because the provider knows that you’re desperate.
• Rather host a smaller, intimate event for a specially selected group of guests and spend more per person, than inviting everyone you know and hoping to make your event work on a limited budget.  The rule applies: quality over quantity.

Hosting an event can one of the most rewarding ways of marketing your company – just remember to set a realistic budget and spend it on the things that matter, while avoiding unnessary spending.

And what’s the best way to find a corporate event entertainer in South Africa?

Here is an article I wrote that was published in the March/April 2010 edition of”Meetings SA” magazine that should help you answer these questions.

What’s the difference between a successful event planner and someone who is clearly not a regular event organizer?

The biggest & best events are planned and organised early, from the early budget stages right down to the last minute.  Events can be planned and held in a very short time, but unfortunately most people can experience quite a lot of stress if they forget how vital the planning stage is.

We’ve created a basic tool to help initiate the planning stage so that an event planner, just like you, would be able to know that you’re getting off to a good start.  It’s a basic guide for how to plan a function,  and will definitely help you avoid the common mistake that most event planners make!

This free manual includes 9 basic event planning templates that you can print as many times as you require — just mark what is appropriate to your function requirements and you’ve got a basic event proposal!

Included in the ”Event Planning Templates For Corporate Events”:

• Pre-Planning template,
• Guests, Venue & Catering template,
• Decor & Flowers template,
• Table Planner template,
• Entertainer quotation/service template,
• Presentations, Technical & Recording template,
• Delegation of Tasks template,
• Service Providers quotation/brief/service template, and
• Post-Event Evaluation template!

Whether you decide to use any other free event planning software or not, we hope that we can give you some inspiration to help you create the kind of event that your bosses, colleagues, friends and family will thank you for!

I am involved in a small Valentine’s Day event estimated 200 people. I am ex-military with event planning experience, but none over the past ten years the first thought was a template for success. I have embedded in me that failure to plan is the reason most plans fail and your guide is an excellent planning tool. I viewed several on internet and yours is a true gift of exceptional value. I had minutes before the first meeting a quickly printed two copies. At the first meeting I provided them to to two key organisers they were estatic! A third wanted to know where his copy was! They have the complete printed copy with your contact information. One stated this was perfect for some other project – just what he needed! The categories are excellent the pitfalls to avoid are excellent. This is detailed and clear like military documents exactly formatted as I like it. I haven’t made a mark on this, but know it will lead to success. Thanks!
Benjamin H. Johnson III

Over the past few years, I’ve observed the difference between a successful event planner & someone who is clearly not a regular event organizer.  What is becoming apparent is that many people are looking for the ”secret” online. They’re like the many people who approach me after a show, telling me that they’ve tried Googling for the methods to my magic, but could not find a suitable solution!

Well, here’s what I’ve learnt from my experiences: the biggest & best events are planned & organised early, from the early budget stages right down to the last minute.  Events can be planned & held in a very short time, but unfortunately most people can experience quite a lot of stress if they forget how vital the planning stage is.

So I decided to create a basic tool to help initiate the planning stage so that an event planner, just like you, would be able to know that you’re getting off to a good start.  It’s a basic guide for how to plan a function,  and will definitely help you avoid the common mistake that most event planners make!

A few years back, I posted a short list of free event planning software and templatesdiscovered that many people would like an event planning template manual that would making planning an event easier: a simple, easy to use, “connect the dots & fill-in the blanks” guide that will get your successful event started!

Best of all, I wanted to make this shareable so I’ve licensed it under Creative Commons so that it’s open-source.

This free manual includes 9 basic event planning templates that you can print as many times as you require — just mark what is appropriate to your function requirements & you’ve got a basic event proposal!

Here’s what is included in the ”Event Planning Templates For Corporate Events”:

• Pre-Planning template,
• Guests, Venue & Catering template,
• Decor & Flowers template,
• Table Planner template,
• Entertainer quotation/service template,
• Presentations, Technical & Recording template,
• Delegation of Tasks template,
• Service Providers quotation/brief/service template, and
• Post-Event Evaluation template!

Whether you decide to use any other free event planning software or not, we hope that we can give you some inspiration to help you create the kind of event that your bosses, colleagues, friends and family will thank you for!

Update 20th September 2010:

I am involved in a small Valentine’s Day event estimated 200 people. I am ex-military with event planning experience, but none over the past ten years the first thought was a template for success. I have embedded in me that failure to plan is the reason most plans fail and your guide is an excellent planning tool. I viewed several on internet and yours is a true gift of exceptional value. I had minutes before the first meeting a quickly printed two copies. At the first meeting I provided them to to two key organisers they were estatic! A third wanted to know where his copy was! They have the complete printed copy with your contact information. One stated this was perfect for some other project – just what he needed! The categories are excellent the pitfalls to avoid are excellent. This is detailed and clear like military documents exactly formatted as I like it. I haven’t made a mark on this, but know it will lead to success. Thanks!
Benjamin H. Johnson III

I’ve just received this email & I thought it would be particularly interesting to year-end event coordinators …

The Pavilion Conference Centre
Deliberate Conferencing Pleasure

YEAR-END SPECIAL:
Zero Rand Venue Hire

“Looking for ideas for your year-end customer or staff party? This upcoming December and January [2009] we offer you any one of five beautiful rooms with stunning view for free when you book your dinner or evening cocktail party with us.  Experience our amazing cuisine and attentive service.

Minimum booking numbers and conditions apply. This offer excludes the Theatre, Exhibitions Floor and Atlantic Deck, valid for all 5 rooms on first floor.”

Contact:

Lindsay Goslett
Sales & Marketing Manager
The Pavilion Conference Centre
lindsay@thepavilion.co.za
http://www.thepavilion.co.za

What a fantastic special offer!  I’m sure you’ll agree that while some companies are cutting back on their entertainment budget these days, when there is the chance to use a free venue for their event — particularly one as stunning at The Pavilion — it means that practically anyone can host a staff party or client event this year.

As you consider all the benefits of not having an additional venue hire cost, then I’m sure you’ll agree that you can now afford to hire the world-class quality corporate entertainment services that we offer.  Remember that if you book my performance within 20km of Cape Town CBD, there are no additional tranport or accomodation charges to our performance quotation!

I’m certain that many companies will wish to take this opportunity — but dates are limited & it’s best that you book now to avoid disappointment.  Don’t think twice! Contact The Pavilion Conference Centre to book your “Zero Rand Venue” & use our Online Bookings Enquiry Wizard to receive a performance quotation ASAP.

A corporate event is the accepted way to show appreciation to either staff or clients, to provide an opportunity for your guests to get to know each other personally, and to create an unforgettable memory that your guests will not only remember fondly but also feel compelled to tell their friends and family.  Company functions should be considered to be a marketing opportunity since the success of your event can directly relate to the success of your business:  perhaps this why event co-ordinators are normally very nervous or stressed out during the planning stages of the function!

The key to a successful event is to ensure that your guests share an experience that is so fun, so personal & so completely unforgettable that they talk about your party for a long, long time afterwards. That’s why it’s so important to focus your attention on providing a comfortable environment to get your guests relaxed, talking to each other & laughing as quickly as possible! Be careful: many event co-ordinators make the mistake of spending too much attention, time and money organising things that are not going to make a considerable difference in making the function memorable.

Stop for a moment and think about the last corporate event you attended that you really enjoyed. Can you recall the venue and, if you can, was the venue the most important or memorable thing about the party?  Was it the food?  The drinks? I going to guess and say the most memorable thing about the entire event was how much you enjoyed the company of your friends around the table and possibly how much you talked and laughed, right?

So it’s not how elaborate the venue is, how ‘inventive’ the cuisine is, or how much there is to drink that defines the success of your event.  Yes, these things are still very important to ‘spark’ the kind of spirited atmosphere your guests need to have a great time – but I’m sure you have attended parties, both private and corporate, that were very simple but that were still tremendous amounts of fun!  A successful event is one where your guests are quickly able to create lively conversation that is fun and gets them relaxed and comfortable.

But hold on … how do you ‘break the ice’ so that your guests are keen to share an experience that creates this required level of personal interaction?

In my experience, working with professional event entertainers can be instrumental in creating the kind of atmosphere that will directly contribute your event’s success! By working with a performer who is dedicated to keeping your guests laughing, talking & relaxed, you will have the opportunity to sit down and also take part in the festivities.  The benefits of working with an entertainer who is a corporate event specialist far outweigh the potential problems you may encounter & need to deal with if you choose the ‘cheapest’ entertainment, or take on all the responsibility of interacting with the guests yourself.

Unfortunately, this is where an inexperienced event-planner starts making ‘rookie’ mistakes – mistakes that can cost your company time, money and the lost opportunity of a successful event.  Selecting and hiring professional entertainment can be quite daunting, particularly if you do not have a plan or enough information available.

How do you know if the entertainment will be value-for-money?  What if it’s inappropriate or the entertainment doesn’t arrive?  Selecting and hiring the right entertainment to ensure your event is a success can actually be very simple and easy.

Here are a few tips & suggestions to help you choose the right entertainment for your event:

• Have a plan for your event — even if it’s a rough plan.
  You must have a plan for your event – otherwise how will you know what you are trying to achieve?  Your plan can include the following information:

  
  

  • Date & time for your event
  • Venue
  • Theme
  • Rough budget (including allowing for at least 10% extra)
  • Timeline
  • Notes and special requests

• Start looking for entertainment options when you start your event planning.
  There are several good reasons for this: you can check if your choice of entertainer is available, advance bookings are often discounted, or you can create a theme that matches the entertainment.  The success of an event depends heavily on the quality of entertainment, yet many planners make the mistake of leave this important aspect to the last minute!

• Decide how important it is for your guests to interact with the entertainment.
  Do you want an entertainer that incorporates every guest into the performance, or do you want ‘background’ or ‘static’ entertainment?  Remember, since we can agree that interactivity is super important to create conversation, consider if you really need something that your audience will forget about after a few minutes.

• Be prepared to have several alternatives available.
  If your requested entertainers are not available, ask them who they recommend:  genuinely professional performers should know other entertainers who would be suitable for your event, & be able to give you suggestions & their recommendations.

• Credible & qualified entertainers will offer you testimonials & referral letters.
  Find these letters on your entertainer’s website and do a web search (e.g. Google their name) to find any additional positive or negative comments.  Taking a moment to read through your prospective entertainer’s list of previous clients gives you the best indication of the level of experience your entertainer has, and do not hesitate to call previous clients to ask them for a personal recommendation.  Or ask your friends & colleagues if they have recently seen an entertainer who they would recommend. Just doing this can save you a lot of time, money & trouble in the long run!

• Consider whether the entertainment is going to be suitable & appropriate for your guests.
  Not everyone enjoys listening to kwaito, has the same tolerance for ‘risqué’ humour, or wants to see an inexperienced or unskilled performer struggle & ‘die’ on stage!  Establish your company’s accepted policies with your performer very early in your enquiry process: if you need to short-list your entertainment, why not select entertainers that are certain to help you be remembered for all the right reasons?  Nobody wants their guests to tell their friends how rude or boring your entertainer was, and this can be prevented if you chose the right performer.

• How your prospective entertainer treats you will be a great indication how he or she will treat your guests.
  When meeting with your entertainer, or during a telephonic conversation, ask as many questions as you like – do not hesitate to make specific requests – since your performer is going to representing your company to your guests.  If you feel that the entertainer doesn’t care about you or your event, you’re probably right: keep looking around until you find someone you really feel comfortable with.

If you know what qualities you’re looking for then selecting & booking the right entertainment for your event or function can a lot of fun!  You’ll be interacting with interesting personalities who love to laugh, are passionate about their work, and who are eager to be in front of an audience.  So when you’ve confirmed the right person for your event, you will not only relax — knowing that you’ll be working with a professional — but you’ll be certain to have just as much fun as your guests. You also deserve the type of event that you will remember and talk about for a long, long time!  Just remember – aim to make your event fun, personal & unforgettable & you can be sure that your event will be talked about for a long, long time afterwards.

Of course, it does rely on the presentation you request for your event  or seminar(my strolling entertainment performance is perfectly suited for intimate parties where I am close enough for normal conversation to take place).  But in order for me to be heard properly by everyone in the room, you need to make the additional investment of hiring the appropriate sound equipment;  there are few things worse than guests or delegates complaining that they cannot hear me.

Sound engineering is a technical field, and unless you are an event management company who regularly works with sound production companies, it can be a little confusing.  Don’t be too concerned: sound hire companies are eager to serve you and provide you with the best sound equipment based on their experience, so it’s almost always worthwhile to contact them for advice.

However, here are a few event ideas and tips about hiring the right sound equipment, based on my experience:

• 1. Wireless Microphones:

You need to provide a wireless microphone — if I was forced to speak from a static position I would lose the ability to present naturally and this causes great frustration.  Your audience will feel disappointed that they did not get the maximum energy from me & we can avoid that by making sure that you request the correct equipment.

My first choice is a ‘countryman’ microphone.  These microphones are fantastic and I am always thrilled when I get the opportunity to use this in my presentation.  The microphone is extremely light, comfortable and almost hidden from the audience.  The sound quality is superb and you virtually never have feedback issues (another BIG ‘NO NO’). This kind of microphone is on my ”wishlist”: they do cost more to hire, but you’ll agree after the presentation that you made the correct choice!

My next choice is a headset microphone, although I’m a bit hesitant to say so because I’ve recently experienced issues with a microphone like this.  They’re much bigger than countryman mics, are a bit loose so they’re less comfortable, and they’re quite visible to the audience.  The advantage is that the mic is directional so that I can turn my head and the microphone will (hopefully) remain near my mouth.  You’ll notice that it looks a bit like an orthodontic headgear, and I famously put it on incorrectly the first time I used one for my demo video.

Narrowly third is a lapel or lavalier microphone, and this kind is the one I most frequently given to use.  A lapel microphone is fairly discrete, light and works to my satisfaction. Because it’s not near my mouth however, I may still need to project my voice and it loses volume when I turn my head away from the mic.  The advantage is that you are more likely to hear the amplified comments of the volunteers on stage with me.  If your corporate event budget is limited, then this is the absolute minimum I would recommend.

The final type of microphone that I encounter is the wireless hand-held microphone.  This is an excellent tool for those trained in professional microphone technique — but it unfortunately does limit my own presentations.  I need to be able to use both hands and because I’d like to be heard, this can mean that I have to stand unnaturally, which detracts from the presentation. On the rare occasions that I am not using any props during my presentation, this is the microphone I prefer.  I can move the microphone around depending on the effect I wish to create with my voice (eg. excitement, stage whispers, comedic effects) and I can use its directional abilities to my advantage (like giving a volunteer an instruction that I only want her to hear). I would also need to be a movable microphone stand because I need to be able to place it anywhere on stage and adjust the height for different volunteers.  My performance is possible with a hand-held microphone, but it really isn’t a good choice and I’m always disappointed when I need to use one.

• 2. Suggested microphone brands

It’s unlikely that we’ll personally select the brand of microphone that is provided by the sound hire company, but if you get the opportunity I would suggest you ask for ”Shure“.  My brother, a professional sound engineer, insists that they are the best.  I’m shure he’s right.

• 3. Microphone transmitter batteries

Please insist that fresh batteries will be placed in the microphone transmitter that I will be using.  I have been known to carry a spare 9v battery in my pocket just in case the battery does fail and I need to replace it on stage (besides, it keeps me on my toes).  It would be awful to get all the best sound equipment, only to be foiled by a flat battery!

• 4. Additional microphone

If high fidelity sound is important for your corporate event, then providing an additional wireless hand-held microphone with its own stand is highly recommended.  By using the extra microphone for my onstage volunteers, there will be no quiet gaps and I will not be required to repeat everything that was said (this means I have more time to do the presentation).

• 5. On-site sound technician

I have basic knowledge of sound equipment for professional speaking, but I am not a professional sound engineer.   I can turn a microphone on, change the volume and the batteries, but when I’m busy with my presentation I cannot make any adjustments.  Any failures will require that I make a major change to my presentation — it has happened that I needed to present to 300 people by projecting my voice because the microphone broke before I arrived.  You don’t want to worry about these kind of potential problems, so I suggest you work with a reputable sound company and retain the services of an on-site sound technician. This way, if anything goes wrong, there is going to be someone responsible to fix the problem.

Please note that DJs are not always sound engineers either — using the equipment to amplify music is very different to using it for voice amplification.  I’ve worked with DJs before and they are generally satisfactory when it comes to providing the right equipment for my presentation’s requirements, but I have experienced a few mishaps too.

• 6. Speakers

I’m afraid I don’t know much about speakers, but I hope somebody will provide some suggestions in the comments below.  I assume that spending more money on better speakers is probably a safer option.

• 7. Sound Check

Where possible, I would always like to do a sound check before the audience fills the room (at least 20 minutes before).  This way I can create a relationship with my sound technician for the day (he is ultimately responsible for the quality of my voice), and I can test all the equipment.  This is very important because I would rather discover problems during the sound check than in the middle of my presentation.  I also use the chance to find the right volume and equalization (it should sound like me, only louder) and find any feedback or low reception spots.  I would prefer the room to be empty, but I know that this is almost never the case, so please excuse my senseless babblings while I doing my sound tests!

• BONUS TIP:

Please provide sparkling water at room temperature — fresh water is essential to hydration and maintaining energy levels.  During my presentation, a drink of water helps keen my voice at optimum levels and gives me the opportunity to pause and gather my thoughts for the next section.  Cold or iced water is not recommended since this causes vocal chords to tighten and can cause damage over a long presentation (besides, it can give me ‘brain freeze’).  I enjoy sparkling water, there’s no special reason for that.

I think if you showed this list to any professional event speaker or performer, they would probably agree with most of these suggestions.  Remember this advice is from my personal experience only, so your mileage may vary. Follow the advice of your selected event management company and use the best equipment that you can afford.  Since a successful and memorable event can be such a great way to market your company and create long-lasting relationships, why risk your investment by using anything but the best?

I decided to take a look at the post to see if I could find any new resources so that I could compile a  new list that would have helpful hints, tips, resources or free software that would be appropriate to South African event planners & event management companies.  I have found a number of great NEW resources that I will compile into a list to post here soon, but as I started working my way through the list, I visited Event Manager Blog.

Well, did I find a WEALTH of information there!  I was looking for ”South African’-friendly posts so that I could link to them and I realized something … in my work, I present and perform all the time at events and functions, and I almost never see half the technology they’re describing on that site.

Now, I don’t mean just the technology that is used at the actual event  — like the Twitterfountain used at #Netprophet, or liveblogging.  Although using intelligent lighting, specialized sound equipment or using a visual facilitator are great ways to use technology to augment your event, for most of the events that I am requested to attend these would be too expensive. That’s OK: the market for this is developing in South Africa. But when you look Event Manager Blog, you’ll see that there’s a plethora of online services that event planners can use to plan the agenda, budget, manage registrations & perhaps most importantly: how to market an event (virtually) free using Social Media.

Here’s what I found:

• Many of the web-based applications that handle event registration require either a Paypal Seller account or a credit card payment gateway.  Unfortunately, due to the South Africa foreign exchange control laws, South Africans may still not register for a Paypal Seller account (as I understand it).  That means that you cannot accept credit cards for payment.  The work-around is that you register the event as ’Free’ but charge tickets at the door; that’s a little disappointing, knowing that it could be so much easier.Why is there no South African company offering online event registration management like Amiando, Eventbrite or Ticketleap?  I believe there is a South African online ticketing solutions but I wasn’t confident enough to register for it.  There’s a definite gap in the market here.
  [UPDATE: This is now possible through First National Bank. However, you can only charge in US$ and not in ZAR]
• There seems to be far more co-ordination in sharing the material presented during the event and sadly, that lack of planning was evident at this year’s Internetix conference.  Don’t get me wrong, I fully appreciate that I was able to learn from expert speakers, enjoy meals and drinks, AND receive a bag full of goodies (thank you Internet Solutions!!).  But in the ’gift pack’ I received a CD with all the speakers’ presentations on it … why? It looked fancy and it was useful, but for that small amount of data why wasn’t it posted to Slideshare?  A whole extra piece of plastic had to be printed for something that has been designed to be thrown away.  That was not cool of Internet Solutions, but here is a suggestion: next year, don’t doubt that those attending take away great value from the event.  We wouldn’t be disappointed if there was less “stuff” in our free bags and you know what? Sending us to a website encourages traffic and interaction, so everyone wins.It just makes sense: find a community website for your event (like Ning), use an email auto-responder (like ActOn Software), use a Wordpress blog, or create an event page on Slideshare, and share the resources and material electronically.  It’s faster, it saves on printing expenses, and it’s better for the environment.I think there’s a real opportunity here is for a South African communications company to handle the whole Social Media account purely for the pre- and post-event interaction.
• Suddenly there’s this new “buzz” in my industry about “marketing with Social Media”, and being an early-adopter I see that local event planners are only now beginning to ask questions.  By far the majority of event invitations I receive are either by (a) email invitation and/or spam, or (b) Facebook Event invitations.  As you would expect, the 27Dinners are entirely marketed by using Social Media, but that’s the only consistent event that I know that runs smoothly using this technology.  Let’s go back to Event Manager Blog’s slideshow and see what they suggest are “15 Different Ways To Market Your Event OFFLINE“:

  Hmmm. If you’ve spent any time organising or attending events in South Africa, you might have seen at most 5 of these suggestions used for any event.  How many South Africans use meetup.com, would accept proximity marketing, have advanced knowledge of LinkedIn, or know what a vcard is?

In order to get the competitive edge, event organisers these days are more and more interested in using cost-effective and time-efficient techniques to market their clients’ events.  Yet, there doesn’t seem to be anyone giving them the shortcuts and existing resources!

I’ve become more active in presenting live marketing seminars, so I’m considering hosting a 1-day event, “Social Media For Event Planners 101“, to be held in Cape Town.  If 10 people are even vaguely interested, I’ll post you each more information.  But I’m hoping that I can get an opportunity to show at least 10 people during 1 full day how to use existing and free resources to plan, market and organise an event.

If you know that understanding how to use Social Media in event management would be a huge competitive advantage, post a comment below and I’ll reply with more information!