Be Innovative! the IE Blog

Everyone loves someone... I love the Ballet Theater of Des Moines

Late last year I was asked to be on the board of the Ballet Theater of Des Moines. I strongly believe in giving back to the community (and carry that belief through to InnovativEvents, too) so of course I said yes. What a great experience this has been! In addition to working with great people, both staff and other board members, I've really been able to see how dance affects our community. In these times of budget cuts, where every penny has to be inspected twice to make sure it’s being spent wisely, the arts are often seen as frivolous. But studies show, time and again, creative activities like dance, art and music go a long way to build self-esteem and strength of character. They can be lifelines.

Anyway, here’s the real purpose of this blog entry: I’d like to invite you to an event that benefits the Ballet Theater Des Moines, but even better, will be a great time! Whether you’re married, involved, or single, you’ll enjoy yourself at “Everybody Loves Somebody” Valentine’s event. “Somebody” could be your best friend or your mom or your sister or your next door neighbor. I'd love to see you there!

Click here for more information!

Tipping and Events

Do you ever struggle with tipping? Who to tip and how much? I do! Did you know the word TIP means ‘To insure promptness’ or TIPS ‘to insure proper service’? Interesting… I find myself feeling guilty if I don’t leave a tip even if the service was less than prompt or proper.

Here are a few ideas for tipping on the event side of things:

• Tipping on the spot is appropriate for delivery services and servers, but not necessarily for the event staff of the hotel.
• You can let hotel staff know up front that a gratuity will be given for service at the end of the event and a tip will be given privately for exceptional service.
• Service personal are paid a wage for their work, so only tip for exceptional service. Sometimes the back end and management people do not get these tips, so you might want to include a note and a tip for them at the end of the event if they’ve gone above and beyond.
• Ask your event staff and the hotel to give you names of those involved in your event, and write thank you notes on site during down time (I know…what downtime?). But sometimes it’s just what you need to justify finding a quiet corner and taking a few minutes to catch your breath. This will be one less thing to do when you return home and the bills and statements need rectifying.
• Watch for ‘gratuity added’ services such as restaurants and catering bills. They have already figured the tip in so there is no need to add any more – unless of course someone just blew you away with their service and you would like to give them something extra.
• When planning your event budget, make sure to including tips. This will help you feel generous and will not add unexpectedly to the bottom line.

If you’re wondering about the value of great service, I’ll share a little story.

Recently I was doing production for a show in Indianapolis and the doorman was so good that at the end of the event he had a basket full of envelopes, and not just from us! He paid great attention to the conversations going on around him which let him anticipate our needs before we asked. Now  that is service!

Drop us an email and we’ll send you a handy-dandy tipping guide!

A new year, a new adventure

Welcome 2010….a new decade and a new outlook!

The event world was challenged in 2009, as were so many industries. Events were cancelled due to all sorts of things. The weather was difficult the last weeks of 2009 and into 2010, and we don’t quite know where everything is going for our economy yet. The good news is there seems to be an air of excitement to usher in the new decade!

Here at InnovativEvents we have a new rental line planned, we’ve met some exciting new bands and actors that open up many possibilities, and we’re looking forward to discovering new ways to bring to excitement to you and your events.

We are constantly looking for new stage designs, new table décor, ways to keep our clients’ budgets in check and still produce a beautiful event.

What were your event challenges in 2009 and how’s your outlook for 2010? Did you find creative solutions to those challenges? We’d love to hear them! How are you feeling about 2010? Do you feel positive, or are you worried about continued hurdles that are a little higher than is comfortable?

Tracy

Make your trade show a GREAT show

How do some trade shows exceed everyone’s expectations? One word: planning.

Ask some questions:

• What is the desired result?
• Do you want to introduce new products or services?
• Is the event to be used as educational experience?
• Do you want to reward your customers for their loyalty?
• Is the event designed to be a social experience?

After the purpose has been determined, the next step is creating a budget. This is essential even if the trade show is a repeat event. A budget prevents last minute surprises. This is also where a theme should be developed. Yes, every show needs a theme. It becomes the purpose for the event.

Now the real work begins. A timeline must be created, with budget in hand. You may find you’re behind before you begin but don’t panic; small changes can make a big difference on the timeline without impacting the show!

Next, break the event into manageable portions: advertising, sales, set-up, and show management are just a few. This is the time to involve committees – one for each major portion of the show. It is absolutely essential not to limit the creativity within the committees; however, they must be responsible and operate within the budget. One long-term advantage to using committees: successful shows often have the same committees working on the same portions for several shows. This eliminates the trial and error phase and committee members become show experts in their respective areas.

Keep in touch!

• Six months prior, committee should meet once a month.
• Three months prior, meet bi-weekly.
• Two weeks prior, have an all hands meeting to review the entire show from top to bottom. This is the time to discover those last minute issues that will cause problems during the show.

You are ready for the show! Take a deep breath, relax, try to enjoy yourself. Your guests and visitors will notice. Once the last person has left, close the doors, sit down, and congratulate yourself. You made it!

A day or two after the event, ask all committees to meet as a group. While it’s still fresh, talk about what worked and what didn’t. This is critical, especially if the show is a repeating event. It sets the framework for the next successful experience.

Follow these general steps and you will elevate your trade show from a “trade show” to a “trade show experience” that guests and visitors look forward to.