Home Sponsorship: A Key to Powerful Marketing 1 2007 Education Report 2008 Education Schedule 2008 Operating Council 3 Airlines Shut Down in One Week 3.15.06 Thoughts 3.15.06 TSEA Tips 5.1.07 News 4.15.08, Bits From Bob Become a Speaker at TS2 2008 – THE Industry Event for Exhibit & Event Professionals FREEMAN LAUNCHES CUSTOMER TRAINING PROGRAM FOR PART-TIME SHOW SITE STAFF Krisam Group Announces Ecomomic Stimulus Plan for Meeting Planners TSEA MEMBERS ONLY Aaron Bludworth Joins GES as Vice President of Corporate Events After The Show: Self-Analysis, A Critical Component to Improve Performance April 1 Bits From Bob April 1 Industry News April 1 New Members April 1 Thoughts from the Corner Office April 1 TSEA Tips April 2: TSEA Open House Are You Throwing Money Away? Begin at The Beginning: Three Secrets for Tradeshow Success Best Booth at Expo! Expo!: ARI Bits From Bob 5.1.07 Bits from Bob, Aug. 1, 2007 Bits from Bob, December 17, 2008 Bits from Bob, Feb. 1, 2008 Bits from Bob, Jan. 4, 2008 Bits From Bob, July 1, 2007 Bits From Bob, June 1, 2007 Bits from Bob, Mar. 3, 2008 Bits From Bob, November, 2007 Bits From Bob, October 1, 2007 Bits from Bob, September 1, 2007 Bits from Bob: May 1, 2008 Boothsmanship is Dead: "Preparedness" Reigns Supreme Canon Communications Acquires Pharmapack Carnival Refunds $40 Million Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau Unveils Online Video Marketing Tool for Customers Cleveland’s I-X Center Expansion Completed in Record Time; Fed Ex Kinko’s Opens Three Gigs in Vegas Creating Customer Evangelists Eight Effortless Exercises to Improve Trade show Performance Elaine Cohen Named Finalist in Stevie Awards for Women in Business Emap To Sell Events Division for $1.97 Billion ENK International to Acquire WSA Global Holdings LLC Exhibiting the Easy Way Exhibition Industry Revenue Grows 11.3 Percent in Second Quarter of 2007 Fairmont and WWF Join Forces to Address Climate Change Four Generations In the Marketplace: What This Means For You Freeman Announces Management Changes Freeman Recycles 25 Million Square Feet of Used Carpet Gaining Corporate Support GES® Acquires Ethnometrics Business Good Shows in Bad Times: Exhibiting When Your Industry is in Crisis Great Connection Weekend: The Master's Retreat Greenhill SAVP Completes Investment in BDMetrics, Inc. Help Wanted! Hey, You - Exhibitor Manners at a Trade Show Hortec 2008 Postponed; Food Tec Middle East and Food + Hospitality Middle East Rescheduled Hot Button Exhibiting How to Avoid Eating Your Words: 10 Essentials for Networking at Tradeshows and Events How to Avoid Eating Your Words: Ten Essentials for Networking at Tradeshows and Events How to Stand Out on the Job and in the Booth Hyatt Meetings Take Two Offer Ian Twentey Named Experient Eastern Region Senior Vice President iBAHN and IAEE Services, Inc. Launch World-Class Converged Network Industry Expert Harris Schanhaut is Available for Hire Industry News, August 15, 2007 Industry News, July 7, 2007 Industry News, June 15, 2007 Industry News, Mar. 3, 2007 It's Not What You Say, It's How You Say It: Body Language at Tradeshows ITN International Scores Judy Fairbanks as Vice President of Marketing JetBlue Now Offering Refundable Fares Jones Joins 3D Exhibits as Sr. VP, Client Results Strategist Las Vegas Sands Completes Initial Funding for Singapore's Marina Bay Sands Learn More About Your TSEAConnect Mack Brooks Exhibitions Announces the Acquisition of the International Converting Exhibition (ICE) Series Meeting Planners Rate Toronto Top Canadian City Member-of-the-Month, Bob Dallmeyer National Capitol Area Chapter Launched New Washington D.C. Chapter to Hold First Meeting January 28 News, April 16, 2007 News, May 15, 2007 Nick’s Cove & Cottages Announces Events Space October's Webinar: Your Booth Staff and the Four Levels Of Proficiency Open Skies: Deal is Sealed Between United States and EU PCMA Names Mark Holmes New Chief Financial Officer Penton Media Reorganizes Reed Exhibitions in the News Remaining Relevant: Tracking Trends for More Effective Exhibiting Revenues Projected to Rise Sandra Pizzarusso Joins Impact Unlimited as Director of Meetings and Events Secrets to Increasing Off-Site Meeting Productivity Sheraton and Four Points by Sheraton Hotels Go Smoke-Free Strategic Acquisition in Fast-growing Dubai Market The Six "P"s of Marketing?! The A-Zs of Exhibiting Overseas The Nielsen Company Names Greg Farrar President of Nielsen Business Media The Power of Asking Questions: 7 Strategies to Discovering what Your Prospects Really Want The Tradeshow Curse The Virtual Trade Show: The Top Four Things You Need To Know The Wearing of the Green: Exhibiting for the Environmentally-Conscious Audience Thoughts From the Corner Office Thoughts from the Corner Office 5.1.07 Thoughts From the Corner Office, April 1, 2008 Thoughts from the Corner Office, April 15, 2008 Thoughts from the Corner Office, April 16, 2007 Thoughts from the Corner Office, Aug. 1, 2007 Thoughts From the Corner Office, August 15, 2007 Thoughts From the Corner Office, Dec. 3, 2007 Thoughts from the Corner Office, December 18, 2007 Thoughts from the Corner Office, Feb. 1, 2008 Thoughts From the Corner Office, Feb. 20, 2008 Thoughts from the Corner Office, Jan. 16, 2008 Thoughts from the Corner Office, Jan. 4, 2007 Thoughts From the Corner Office, July 16, 2007 Thoughts From the Corner Office, June 1, 2006 Thoughts From the Corner Office, June 15, 2007 Thoughts from the Corner Office, Mar. 3, 2008 Thoughts From the Corner Office, May 1, 2008 Thoughts From the Corner Office, May 15, 2007 Thoughts From the Corner Office, Nov. 1, 2007 Thoughts from the Corner Office, Nov. 16, 2007 Torch Passed to Next Generation at Hargrove, Inc. Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago Debuted January 30 TSEA at Expo! Expo! Dec. 10-12 TSEA Connect Book Club: Stimulating Conversation Underway! TSEA Members: New Discount Affiliation with FCm Travel Solutions TSEA New Members, Aug.1, 2007 TSEA Tips 5.1.07 TSEA Tips, April 16, 2007 TSEA Tips: The Scent of a Show TSEA to Exhibit at Exhibitor 2008 TSEA's Career Center TSEAConnect: the ONLY Online Community of Its Kind TSNN.com Reports Dramatic Increase in Event Interest in 2008's First Quarter Turn Your Team Around: Seven Strategies to Transform Trade Show Performance Valera Global Joins Chicago Climate Exchange, Commits to Offset 100 Percent of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Windy City Chapter Events for 2008 Windy City Logo Contest Windy City News Secrets to Increasing Off-Site Meeting Productivity Let’s face it, not even meeting planners like attending meetings—especially when travel is involved. But since meetings are an inevitable –and generally unavoidable – component of most jobs, how can you make them successful, productive and even enjoyable? Though many would argue that the words “enjoyable” and “meeting” are diametric opposites, there are a few tricks you can employ to increase productivity and, ultimately, make the meeting as pleasant and engaging for the attendees as possible. Create an Engaging Agenda Having an agenda goes without saying, but it is in the best interests of the meeting facilitator to craft an agenda that is clearly organized, states the goals of the meeting, covers the topics of discussion with a brief summary for each, is enjoyable to look at (and something people will want to keep) and outlines the general meeting format. Agendas take work but are necessary for a structured and productive meeting. Diversify Your Presentation Methods If every speaker lectures in monotone, even interested heads are sure to nod. Audio-visual materials such as overheads, PowerPoint presentations and visuals are all effective methods for engaging an audience. Additionally, props are a good sensory stimulating mechanism and are encouraged whenever relevant. Make a point to create a presentation that would be interesting even if it was done in silence. Organize the Physical Environment Comfort is of utmost importance to a successful and productive meeting. Keep in mind that there will be people of differing statures, who are left-or right-handed, and who, therefore, define comfort in different ways. Plan accordingly by providing ample space between chairs and between the table and chairs so that everyone can see the screen and/or the person speaking at all times. Proper ventilation is also an often overlooked element. While not everyone prefers the same room temperature (it is worth checking periodically that everyone is warm/cool enough), proper ventilation is a must to keep everyone alert and attentive. Eliminate Distractions We all know there is nothing more annoying than the sound of a cell phone ringing in a communal room -- theatre, restaurant, gym, office -- as it is as rude as it is distracting. Moreover, the rings, buzzes, and tones all seem to happen at the worst possible moments. Therefore, it is vital to insist everyone turn off or silence all personal electronics before the meeting has begun. As a corollary, be sure to intersperse short “message retrieval” breaks throughout the meeting agenda so that everyone knows they can get to that e-mail or voice mail within the hour rather than sitting there worrying about what critical messages they’re missing. Assign Roles—and Stick to ’em Before the meeting begins – and ideally on the agenda – identify a “Note Taker” and “Meeting Referee.” The Note Taker’s sole responsibility is to take notes and should, obviously, be proven as a skilled note taker. The other attendees should, therefore, need to have no more than a small notepad, thus encouraging them to listen intently and only jot down questions or ideas – not the verbiage of the entire meeting. An ideal Meeting Referee is a natural leader whose responsibility is to drive the meeting forward, ensure questions are answered, the agenda is followed, the allotted time is honored, and that breaks are offered in reasonable increments. Essentially, they keep the meeting on track and moving at a reasonable pace. Start the Meeting with an Icebreaker Activity Simply put, the icebreaker should be a single question that gets people thinking and talking with their neighbors and/or the group. Though this may initially seem like a distraction, it has been proven to get the creative juices flowing and start the meeting off in a positive light. For example, the “Deserted Island” question is a popular one. "You've been exiled to a deserted island for a year. You are told you may choose to take three things (in addition to the essentials). What would you take and why?" This will lighten the mood and bring people mentally into the room. The length of the icebreaker depends on the length of the meeting and number of attendees, so plan accordingly. Question Repetition An often-overlooked but vitally important key to a successful meeting is to ask each speaker to repeat out loud every question he or she is asked. This informs the asker that the speaker understood the question, allows the Note Taker to write it down correctly, and preps the audience on what is being discussed. The Meeting Referee should be the one to do this. Never Underestimate the Power of Food Who doesn’t love food? Food relaxes the atmosphere, makes people feel comfortable and welcome, sustains positive energy levels and builds team solidarity. Though it would be easier if everyone ate – and enjoyed – the same types of food, it is important to ensure that you meet the diverse needs of your group. As an example, offer fruit and yogurt in addition to donuts in the morning and salad in addition to sandwiches for lunch, and always assume there will be a few vegetarians in the group. Consider a Nearby Venue for a Post-Meeting Function Giving the attendees something to look forward to after a long meeting is a way to encourage participation and attentiveness. Post-meeting functions not only revive groggy meeting-goers, but give attendees something to look forward to. For example, at the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel, ENVY the Steakhouse’s bar is an ideal gathering place to drink, eat and socialize. If the meeting ends in the early afternoon, an excursion to a nearby outdoor locale is always welcome after a long day confined to a board room. If you follow some or all of the advice here, you will have had a successful meeting and have ample time to take advantage of the hotel amenities and/or nearby attractions. Fred De Sota is Executive Director of Market Strategy at the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel, Las Vegas’ largest non-gaming hotel and an off-the-strip “Hidden Gem” and Nevada’s only AAA 4-Diamond rated, non-gaming hotel.