We've seen these fabulous candles used around town for various events, and we never get tired of them. These candles from Candles West are perfect for in and outdoor events. These candles enhance the mood and atmosphere without risk of catching anything on fire due to their unique design. Candles produced by Candles West use only the highest grade paraffin wax, pure beeswax and high quality wicks. The result is a candle that delivers a bright and hearty flame, no soot or residue, no spillover, no odors or scents and clean burn characteristics.
Everyone can use a personal assistant right? All of us at B&E certainly know we could. That's why we are so intrigued with the new techno-personal assistant tool from Siri. Siri can help you find and plan things to do. You can ask Siri to find a romantic place for dinner, tell you what’s playing at a local jazz club or get tickets to a movie for Saturday night. But, since its a new tool, there are a few hiccups and kinks that need to be worked out. The current version of Siri is built for the iPhone 3GS and the iPod Touch and works only in the US. Soon, Siri will run on iPhone 3G and additional mobile platforms, as well.
Learn more about Siri by watching the video below.
We all know event planners are busy-bees. So, whenever we come across a way to make your life just a little bit easier, we just have to share it with you. From Amazon.com comes a fresh idea on home grocery delivery called AmazonFresh. Although Amazon.com founded AmazonFresh, AmazonFresh operates as an independent grocery delivery business. They've created a new website to showcase their fantastic products and make your buying experience easy. AmazonFresh uses Amazon.com data and systems to simplify your checkout process and get you shopping right away.
With spring just around the corner, it's the perfect time to start planning your next great team-building event. There is something about spring that always rejuvenates the spirit which is why a team building event is the perfect way to say goodbye to winter and welcome the newness of spring.
Why use games and team building at an event? Games and team building opportunities unify attendees and allow them to enjoy themselves and get to know their fellow visitors. Corporate team building for employees can serve as a morale booster to build strength within the company. There are many companies that provide services to encourage and entertain attendees, employees, and visitors. At your function, hiring a company to provide games and team building provides the attendees with a memorable experience that they will take away from your event.
When are games and team building appropriate? Anytime you have an event. When done properly, themes can be used to enhance a business meeting, client appreciation, awards event, and even reunions.
How is a theme chosen? Define the goals of your event first, what you want to accomplish with the event, who is attending, and what you want them to take away with them. Then you can decide what theme options may work. Brainstorming with a committee or colleague can be a big help.
Are theme events expensive? They don't have to be. It depends on your budget. Some of your theme ideas can be accomplished with a small budget if you and your committee are willing to spend the time. However, a much better use of your time and money may be to use a meeting planner, prop, or entertainment company.
Decorating tips for theme events: Consider three to four main areas of the facility for theme props. Main focus areas can include the entryway to the event, state, guest tables, beverage and food stations, to name a few.
What does every busy event planner need to do more of? Drink water. No matter what profession you are in, and no matter what your schedule looks like, there is always the need to drink more of nature's juice. And today in the grocery stores we are offered so many varieties of water that there is simply no excuse to not get our full daily dose. But some of us (me included) have trouble getting our daily 8 glasses of water. That's why these uniquely flavored bottles from Herbal Water are the perfect solution. From Ayala comes Herbal Water in the following unique and utterly delicious flavors: Lemongrass Mint Vanilla, Lavender Mint, Lemon Verbena Geranium, Cloves Cardamon Cinnamon, Cinnamon Orange Peel and Ginger Lemon Peel. Not only are these tiny bottles of goodness great for the busy professional on the go, they also make great swag bag gifts for your next event.
Click here to find the locations you can pick up your own Herbal Water and see what all the talk is about.
We think you'll love this great new way to taste and share your favorite wines with friends, colleagues and clients. From Brixr, comes wine tasting packs containing four 50ml bottles of boutique wines. If you've ever ordered a wine flight in a restaurant, think of Brixr tasting packs as your own wine flight you can conduct at home.
For those of you that make your own wine, be sure to check out TinyBottles.com for information on how you can create your own mini wine packs. With Brixr and Tiny Bottles, there is a new way for wineries to sell wine and for consumers to discover them. Tiny Bottles, coupled with video tastings by influencers at brixr.com, provide a fantastic new environment for trying, learning and ultimately buying wine. For more information, click here.
Free Webinar Announcement: Planning in a Tough Economy
Webinar Annoucement! Date: January 27, 10 a.m. Pacific Speaker: Joan Eisenstodt Topic: Event Planning in a Tough Economy With companies cutting budgets and association attendance down, meeting planners must be more creative—with less—in these cash-strapped times. See how you can keep your head above water. Cost: It's Free, Register Here
What You'll Learn:
In today’s economy you need to plan like your job depends on it, because more than ever, it does! Learn ways to trim your budget without dampening the attendee experience, and how to show the savings you gained to the organization you plan for. Just by employing a few simple cost-cutting strategies from this webinar, you can provide a quality meeting without breaking the bank.
Some of the key points covered in this webinar will include the following :
How far out to plan--advantages and disadvantages
How CVBs can create efficiencies, supply free services and help you negotiate
How to staff your meeting to create maximum cost-effectiveness
Yes it is that time again so we decided to look around for useful and versatile ideas for resolutions for you for 2010. Take a look and give one or more a try. We put a list together that should allow you to try several - with the hope that at least some of them will stay with you.
Learn something new: Have you vowed to make this year the year to learn something new? Perhaps you are considering a career change, want to learn a new language, or just how to fix your computer? What is stopping you? Usually it's you... so start gearing up - write it down and get to reading on what to do to up your level of participation! Stop sweating the small stuff: There is just no need to run around worried about small stuff or things over which we have no control. Look in the mirror and remind yourself (yes out loud) that you are "not going to worry about it". . .
Get enough sleep: Give your body the time it needs to rest and recover. Find out how much sleep you need by making an appointment with your doctor, or even go on-line to a site such at Mayoclinic.com. Mom and your doctor were right. Get those eight hours of sleep. If you are having trouble sleeping, then you have lots of company. This is a chronic condition that leaves a great deal of America physically less than their best. Get it under control and life will be something absolutely new to you!
Reduce stress: While some stress is necessary to help one perform to the best of their ability, too much stress can take it’s toll both mentally and physically. Stress has a big impact on the lives, from the way one treat others, to the way one treats themselves. Too much stress can actually makes you more vulnerable to sickness and disease. Reducing stress through relaxation techniques or identifying and modifying stressors will benefit the bodies in many ways, including a better outlook on life.
Drink enough water: Water is essential to good health, yet needs vary by individual. These guidelines can help ensure you drink enough fluids. How much water should you drink each day? A simple question with no easy answers. Studies have produced varying recommendations over the years, but in truth, your water needs depend on many factors, including your health, how active you are and where you live. Though no single formula fits everyone, knowing more about your body's specific needs and limitations is key. Check out more on mayoclinic.com Recommit to a hobby: It's easy to let things you love fall by the wayside when life gets busy. Now is the perfect time to dust off old supplies and get back to something you really enjoy doing. Take the time to write, use up leftover art supplies, finish projects, or start using your tennis racket again. You'll either remember why you loved it so much or figure out why you let it slide.
Create a Family Cookbook or Photo Book: Almost every family has a treasured recipe, beloved as much for the memories it evokes of family get-togethers or a special family member, as it is for its taste. Most families have many such recipes, handed down through generations, taught to children, or squirreled away on index cards or scraps of paper. There are several online companies that will all but do the work for you - you just need to provide the recipes and maybe some photos if you want. Go to Better Homes and Garden as an example. Photo books are much the same way with many more options actually - such as Kodak. These hard bound books are now affordable and easy to put together - thanks to the electronic online assistance.
Fight procrastination: Procrastination is the bane of people everywhere and admonitions to "Just do it!" aren't enough to help. Let this year be the year you follow a real plan to stop putting off things. Use your favorite resources, such as a notebook, or your I-phone to find the most helpful resource for you to fight your procrastination habit. This will require you to get a little more "organized" and by the way that is not a dirty word!
Recycle more: What if everybody continued to throw away old bottles and newspapers, littering the world with glass and plastic and tin cans that should be recycled and made into new products? Set a good example for kids by separating trash for recycling.
Need a little help getting started?
First: Be realistic by setting achievable goals. Winning the lottery, for example, is out of your grasp. Next: Describe your resolutions in specific terms. Instead of "I don't want to be lazy," opt for "I want to exercise regularly" or "I will cut down on my television watching." Next: Break down large goals into smaller ones. For instance, commit to losing weight by resolving to join a gym and improve your eating habits. Next: Find alternatives to a behavior that you want to change, and make this part of your resolution plan. So you want to quit smoking but you smoked to relax yourself? What other forms of relaxation are available to you? Next: Above all, aim for things that are truly important to you, not what you think you ought to do or what others expect of you.
Everyone is designing the metro watches, and these are available from TKOwatches.com. Next are the sensation of the season, the Gurgle Pot (take a listen). They are available at Mort's Cabin - best price on it. The color range is wide and this decantor fits your hand perfectly. For the softer side - hot holiday gift are these versatile cashmere 2-in-1 gloves. And a great final offering are these compact highly versatile lunch boxes by Oots - for all of us who take lunch to work! Hope this helps with some possible new ideas.
Most men hate to shop. It takes way too much time, they feel out of their element, and they end up getting really dorky clothes because they feel like not buying something is an admission of failure. As good as online shopping is - it is still not quite the answer. Enter the web camera, web phones and then enter the Trunk Club, a new way to shop online for guys. This is the answer to a lot of mens needs to avoid those stores.
With Tulalip Resort’s combination of space options, high-tech capabilities, accommodations and endless entertainment, it’s easy to see why the Tulalip is regarded as one of the most outstanding meeting venues in the Pacific Northwest.
The mid-century look and feel is still larger than life, as we have turned the corner in an entirely new century. It is one of the most sought after looks in office and home decor. What if you turned the tables on that one a bit? Say you don't necessarily want to turn your office or house upside down in this of all economies, but would like to add a little of that 1950's - 1960s look to your decor. Simple - add art such as that we are showcasing above. All of these can be found at the Terrence Rogers Fine Art Studio in Santa Monica California. We are only showing a sampling of the choices - and even if you were not around in that era, as you look through the art, you will see familiar scenes and objects that are once again the "must haves", such as the Vespa, or mid-century chair. The art ranges in price from $800 - $5000.00, which is a significant savings from redoing what you have and love. Just add to it!
Here is something different: Garage door prints that make it look like you own boats and jets! They are creations of Style-your-garage.com from across the pond. You can actually get these shipped here pretty reasonably. Now this is really thinking outside the box even though it's covering that box.
These utterly realistic images are printed on plastic sheets which are stuck on garage doors – the latest craze for home owners who want to not so much keep up with, as totally freak out, the Joneses.
The weather and fire-resistant prints are designed to disguise that boring, flaky, graying metalwork. Held in place by industrial strength Velcro, they are easy to change and virtually indestructible.
We thought we would bring you some distinctive looks and ideas for how to really live well with your favorite pets. More and more - people are bringing their pets into all aspects of their day to day living, such as taking them to work, to the store, out to eat - they are all newer options in more and more cities. In Seattle our pets are living plush, so for all of you who want to spend more time with them, it just doesn't have to "look" like a pet store. DenHaus is a great site for finding some real furniture styling for your pet - at any size. Another source for some of the cat fanciers is The Refined Feline. One of the favorites for the ultimate high for cats is the Hollywood Tower . If you are the metropolitan life style you might want to take a look at Modern Cat Designs. The list is endless, so stop, consider and enjoy, we know your pets will.
Function - now here is a word that is often overused. We intend to stop that and bring you real function in a few pieces of furniture. The day has come to consider many things and one of those is that famous "down-sizing" statement. Have you looked around at how many new Pop-Up Condos are being built in larger cities? If you want to live right in the heart of the city and be close-in, one way to maximize your space is to maximize your furniture "function"....
The first red bulb" is actually for kids. It's a four piece table and chairs that folds away so it is out of the way when not in use - which is the key to all of this furniture.
Next is a kitchenette designed for urban living. It is compact, fun and easy to maintain. This is not for kids - it's actually a full size eating solution and was actually conceptualized pre-IKEA.
Now we approach the "scoop" circular sofa/bed from Italian manfacturer Saba. I forsee a sheet fitting issue, however a king size will tuck nicely into this..... or if you sew - well add some elastic to a queen sheet all the way around it.
And our final option is from bonbon Trading. This is an integrated / patented mechanism that transforms the sofa into a bunk bed..... guests coming? Now this is one useful setup - for just about anyone
Staycations are the perfect answer for all of us to participate in the activities right in our region. This week we wanted to highlight, Sandpoint Idaho. If you have not had a chance yet to spend some summer or winter days in this area, you have missed a large hunk of beautiful summer days and nights and incredible winters. This is where skiing gets serious. Fancy yourself a skier? Then you need to fancy a trip to Schweitzer Mountain to see what powder snow really looks and feels like.
Sandpoint, in the northern tip of Idaho, is no ordinary vacation destination. Located on magnificent 43-mile-long Lake Pend Oreille, surrounded by the Selkirk and Cabinet mountains, and with Schweitzer Mountain ski resort minutes away, Sandpoint is blessed with outstanding attractions. The town itself is home to a thriving arts community, the historic Panida Theater, a busy events schedule, a plethora of excellent restaurants, fine hotels. Coming events for this summer include June 18th - Summer Sampler - Taste the cuisine of Sandpoint's finest restaurants. June 27th - Schweitzer Summer Celebration. July 5th - and following on each Saturday through July 26th - Concerts on the Lawn. The Sandpoint Wooden Boat Festival is July 9 - 12th. Many more activities are lined up in July and August - with one of the highlights being the Festival at Sandpoint from August 6 - 16th. One of the biggest events is their Octoberfest - so jot that down for October 2009.
Choices - afterall isn't that what it is all about? This is one of those areas where there are more choices than uses possibly. Looking for something for the office, the deck. the conference room, the lobby or anyplace else for that matter . . . then you are in luck. Prices are better than they have been in a very long time and your options are endless. Between the addition of new woods and fibers, framing and recycled metals it is almost an ideal alignment for your needs. To temp you with reaching outside of your comfort zone, so to speak we picked some fun and useful and comfortable pieces. We will send you off to a couple of websites such as IMM Living or Artsytime and Neoterichome and Architonic.
Looking for new and creative way to spice of your home or office for Spring and Summer without completely redoing a space? Consider a home-fashion-forward couture chair with style and pizazz. A couture chair can be bold, soft, curvy, classic, contemporary, or better yet, why not all of these? A new trend in home and office space design are couture chairs. Yes that's right, we said couture. Doesn't that word just roll of the tongue so nicely?
Afraid to step in with both feet? Here are some amazing pieces from Chair Couture that will show you just how easy it is to add some flair to your space without going overboard. Their entire concept is to "re-dress" vintage French and Italian pieces in bold, modern fabrics (and sometimes paints) making every bergere, fauteuil, settee and boudoir bench a striking one-of-a-kind art piece. They are designed to bring the outdoors indoors and become a focal point for contemporary environments. Don't look for any style numbers, with one of a kind there just are not any!
Since they are original French and Italian styling we decided to pair them with an upbeat contemporary version of Italian glass chandeliers from a beautiful designer in Milano Italy, Viaggio. The lighting pieces range anywhere in price from $795 to $6500.
We recently read about this innovative branding company from one of our favorite blogs, Mix Mingle & Glow, and we just had to share the idea with you. If you are looking for a new and innovative way to brand your company logo, name, icon or image then consider a Flogo. What is a flogo, you ask? SnowMasters research and development facility in northern Alabama became the home of what is now known as Flogos, or "logos that fly." A flogo is a cloudlike, balloonlike object created out of proprietary surfactant (soap) based foam formulations and lighter-than-air gases such as helium. Flogos are designed to last for as long as their visual impact is needed. Specific formulations are available to provide a life expectancy of a few minutes to an hour or so. The visual impact also greatly depends on atmospheric conditions such as wind and relative humidity. On average, Flogos last for 30 to 40 minutes. Flogos are Green and 100% environmentally safe.
The holidays are officially over and that means you probably have a whole new collection of digital family photos to weed through. And if you are anything like us, you take close to a thousand shots and later realize only a handful actually turn out. There are always those dozens of photos that must be deleted because Uncle Jim was making a funny face or Aunt Grace was looking away from the camera. If this sounds like you, then you are going to love the new technology available on the Sony Cyber-shot camera. The Sony Cyber-shot camera is equipped with a feature called Smile Shutter. All you have to do as the camera user is select the Smile Shutter mode and press the shutter button. When aimed at your subject, your camer will actually detect a smile and automatically snap a picture when a grin appears.
How great is this for doting parents and grandparents who take endless shots of a newborn baby in hopes to capture that first smile?
There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a computer geek. We would call ourselves computer geeks. But there is also no reason at all why computer geeks like us can't be geeks with style. We have found the perfect match for computer savvy women who also love to accessorize. Check out these beautiful Swarovski crystal Phillips elections actually designed for "her". From usb drives to headphones, these bedazzled computer accessories are a rarity indeed - so enjoy.
Looking for a unique Valentine's Day gift for your loved one? We have a very unique idea for you. Let us introduce you to CharityBuzz. Through online auctions, CharityBuzz raises funds for a variety of organizations and causes. CharityBuzz works with non-profits founded by the most famous names on the planet, including Bette Midler, Andre Agassi, Rosie O'Donnell, Eddie Vedder, Petra Nemcova, Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy and Denis Leary, as well as with smaller charities that address particular needs in their local communities. While publicity efforts may logically focus on the big names, all charities — large and small — benefit from the increased traffic at our website generated by star power. Simply stated, great products partnered with celebrity causes creates "buzz" and generates sales and raises awareness for all of their charity partners.
Going on now through February 12 is a special Valentine's Day auction, with items for bid that you can give as a gift to your special valentine. Check it out. Some of the items are pretty outrageous but remember its all for a good cause.
Over the weekend, our local news, King 5, did a short story on a consumer product that we thought was a bunch of hocus pocus. The product is called The Vintage Express, and its purpose is to take a new bottle of wine and in 60 seconds age the wine as if it has been sitting in your cellar for years and years.
Fact or Fiction?
According to King 5's report, the device really does seem to make a difference by improving the taste of the wine.
Here is how it works: This patented design surrounds the beverage with a powerful triangular-shaped magnetic field, and in just 10 seconds, you'll taste a premium drink's smooth, mellow flavor equal to years of traditional slow aging. The flavor keeps improving the longer it remains. Works with wine and liquor. Holds a bottle or glass. Requires no electronics, batteries or moving parts. Guaranteed to work 24/7 for 100 years.
The Vintage Express costs $39.99 and is available at Skymall.com.
The economy is calling for all of us to "think creative" - More and more people are riding the scooter scene which is loaded with character from the classic original "Vespa" to the hot new entries in the market. Don't stop there - why not show YOUR style if you ride or are thinking of riding. It's just not "vanilla" anymore. The local Vespa store website is: http://www.vespaseattle.com/
Since you can easily customize your scooter - why not the helmet?
The helmet company, Ruby, designed by Honet, has painted a schizophrenic character he named: Pale Rider vs Surfin' Zombie." These are the tree helmet views at the bottom of the photo. The price tag on this pure style component is running anywhere from $500 to $1100. These are exclusive designs of the famous helmet designer in Paris. If you haven't checked these out - feast your eyes on their website: http://www.ateliersruby.com/. One of the closest dealers on the West Coast is VESPA OF CALIFORNIA. Enjoy the ride!
Just because you are all grown and sitting in a meeting doesn't mean you have to act grown up. Create a different kind of meeting and save a few bucks along the way. Instead of price PER plate - why not see if your caterer has any equipment like a popcorn machine, pretzel machine or even a sno-cone machine? This is just plain fun and brings the best out in all of us. OK - so it is NOT the healthiest of all choices, but a little indulgence here and there never hurt anyone.
Now for that extra kick - and to promote interaction between everyone all you need is a photo booth at the meeting. Check out www.photoboothservices.com. They can work with any space and any type of event. Plus you're guests will have a great keepsake from the meeting.
More and more of you are giving the gift of wine this Christmas. If you are one of the winelovers sharing the love, we have a great tip for you.
The Accidental Wine Company takes bottles that have been damaged or tainted in some way and sells them to you at a lower price. After all, there may be something wrong with the bottle, but there is nothing wrong with the wine inside.
A bottle breaks and stains its neighbors, a new label design replaces an old established one, or a winery just closes its doors. A soiled, retired, or discontinued label is suddenly and simply less valuable. But whether it is ruby or straw colored, it still has its legs, and its fruit and perfume. The character and charm remain in tact and by golly, it still commands passion and presence. And, wow, what wonderful taste.
If you are looking to build morale within your own company consider looking toward your employees for inspiration. A local company out of Seattle called Noetix is doing just that. Noetix has taken life size images of the people that work there and created an employee wall of fame. Photos where taken at a company event and posted on one of the hallways at the company. Now when employees arrive, they are reminded how important they are to the company each and every day.
Thanksgiving Dinner From Someone Else's Kitchen Tastes Just As Good
Fabulous home-cooked feasts are a traditional part of Thanksgiving. They can also be a lot of work and a lot of stress. If you'd rather devote your energy to quality time with friends and family, dining out on Thanksgiving Day is a perfectly fine alternative. Since this has become a popular option, reservations are usually required. These resources will help you find out which Puget Sound area restaurants will be serving dinner on Thanksgiving.
Open Table - this online restaurant reservation services has a special section devoted to restaurants that are open on Thanksgiving
The Seattle Times - lists menu items, restaurant hours, and price range
CitySearch Seattle - in addition to listing open restaurants, this site lists Thanksgiving catering and takeout options
Gayot.com - this restaurant review web site provides a list of Thanksgiving dining options as well as links for reservations
Local Restaurants Serving Thanksgiving Dinner...
0/8 Seafood Grill & Twisted Cork Wine Bar Bellevue, WA Chef Dan is offering a Thanksgiving buffet of traditional fare as well as fresh local seafood. Cost: $38.95/adult, $16.95/child 5-12, free for children under 5 w/ an adult Time: Noon to 7 p.m. Reservations highly recommended
Andaluca Seattle in the Mayflower Park Hotel Offering the regular menu. Time: 3-9 p.m. Reservation recommended.
Brasserie Margaux Belltown A Thanksgiving Day buffet. Time: 1-8 p.m. Cost: $39/adult, $14.95/child under 12). Included validated parking.
Chandler's Crabhouse Lake Union Offering a 4-course dinner including traditional roast turkey, herb roasted prime rib, or fresh seafood delicacies. Cost: $44.95 Reservations Recommended
Clinkerdagger Spokane, WA Offering our regular dinner menu along with a featured Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner. Time: 3:30-8 p.m. Reservations Recommended
Cutter's Bayhouse Seattle, WA Offering a large variety of our most popular items as well as traditional Thanksgiving Day dinners. Time: Noon - 8 p.m. Reservations Recommended
Daniel's Broiler Lake Union, Bellevue Place and Leschi Marina Offer a delicious, 4-course dinner including traditional roast turkey or USDA Prime beef. Cost: $49.95
Maggiano's Little Italy Bellevue Celebrate Thanksgiving with your family & friends! Their special menu includes roast turkey, country style ham, garlic mashed potatoes, pumpkin praline cheesecake, & more! Cost: $34.95 per person (adults) and $16.95 per child. Carry out and home delivery also available.
McCormick & Schmick's Offering a limited menu, incl. a traditional turkey dinner, prime rib, salmon, crab, and lamb chops. Reservations Recommended
Ponti Seafood Grill Seattle, WA Join us for a traditional 3-course menu featuring grilled salmon, prime rib, and turkey. Cost: $39/adult, $15/child Time: 1-8 p.m.
Toscano Bellevue Offering a delicious Thanksgiving buffet with over 100 items! Cost:$39/adult, $20/child 6-12
On The Plane, On the Train, In A Boat, While You Float
When it comes to event planners, we are often on the go, go, go, so reading the next great novel isn't always an easy task. Until now. It's already been endorsed by Oprah as her new favorite thing, and we must admit, the new Amazon Kindle is worth all the buzz.
Utilizing a new high-resolution display technology called electronic paper, Kindle provides a crisp black-and-white screen that resembles the appearance and readability of printed paper. The screen works using ink, just like books and newspapers, but displays the ink particles electronically. It reflects light like ordinary paper and uses no backlighting, eliminating the glare associated with other electronic displays. As a result, Kindle can be read as easily in bright sunlight as in your living room.The screen never gets hot so you can comfortably read as long as you like.
The holidays are just around the corner, and chances are, you are busy as bee planning your company holiday event. How will you market it to your fellow employees? We highly suggest using online meeting registration and marketing to spread the word...here's why...
Company Meeting and Event Websites The Internet has quickly become one of the most efficient and cost-effective meeting marketing and communication tools. A meeting website, e-mail marketing campaign and online registration will boost attendance for almost any event, meeting or conference. Consideration for a unique event website might be applied as an incorporated part of your company or groups permanent website, or a standalone site or both! Effective meeting/event web site components you should consider including on the site could be:
On-Demand Attendance Reports
Email Invitation and Attendance Campaign
24/7 Meeting/Event Registration
Venue Information
Accommodation Details
Program & Agenda
Frequently Asked Questions
Web Casting (video options)
Content Archiving
Post-Event Follow-Up
Online Event Program Management Event planning online through use of on-line form submissions, emails and updates quickly and easily creates a unified affect that when done well, will narrow the physical or perceptive distance that might exist within your team(s).
You can track the progress of program development more easily.
Your team will communicate more effectively with each other and with the meeting presenters.
Much of the information in the program development system can be automatically used in emails and on web pages.
Online Meeting Registration Online meeting registration can increase registrations while decreasing registration costs! In fact, the simplicity and convenience of online registration is a critical contributor to assuring high attendance for many events. When considering companies to work with make sure they can offer you a visible proven track record for many unique types of events they have setup on-line registration within your company’s needs and details.
Do not overlook a company who is not a “known” factor.
Do your research. It will pay heavy rewards in the end.
Meeting Webcasting Web Casting and archived audio, video and presentation content enables expanded distribution of meeting content. It makes a very efficient tool to connect with those who may not be able to attend your meeting or event.
HOT Tip! You've all heard about eVite, but have you checked out PINGG? PINGG is an online event invitation and management service. And it's free!
HP is introducing a whole new option for PC lovers. And even we Mac users have to admit, it's pretty darn cool. Meet the HP Touchsmart IQ804 and IQ816 All-in-One Desktop PC that works similarly to your iPhone or iPod touch, only it also has all the conveniences of features of a regular desktop computer.
What The Retailers Are Saying: Redesigned with a next-generation, touch-enabled 25.5-inch high-definition LCD screen, the HP TouchSmart IQ804 all-in-one desktop PC is designed to fit wherever life happens: in the kitchen, family room, or living room. With one touch you can check the weather, download your e-mail, or watch your favorite TV show. It's also designed to maximize energy, with a power-saving Intel Core 2 Duo processor and advanced power management technology, as well as material efficiency--right down to the packaging. It has a sleek piano black design with elegant espresso side-panel highlights, and the HP Ambient Light lets you set a mood--or see your keyboard in the dark.
The touch-enabled 25.5-inch widescreen BrightView LCD offers height/tilt adjustment for optimal viewing. It offers a native resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. Video is powered by the Nvidia GeForce 9300M GS HD graphics/video card, which provides 256 MB of dedicated video RAM and offers up to 2047 MB of total available graphics memory as allocated by Windows Vista. Enabled by PureVideo HD, movies come to life with outstanding picture clarity, ultra-smooth video and vivid color. The lifelike images have up to six times the detail of standard DVD movies. Delivering state-of-the-art graphics performance, GeForce 9300M GS graphics card is sure to give you the power and performance you crave to play the hottest DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 titles. Its 16x full-screen antialiasing technology delivers superior quality along with astounding performance and since it's optimized for Windows Vista. The integrated audio card is configurable to 6-speaker surround sound, and it can provide two-channel audio via its integrated speakers.
Watch the ad below:
The Touchsmart is not available yet, but you can pre-order yours at Amazon.com.
We think you'll love this local website that helps you connect with local teachers so you can learn just about anything. Meet teachstreet.com where you can search for teachers of a certain craft in the Seattle and Portland area. So if you want to learn to sail, cook, sew, dance, play the piano or just about any other craft you can think of, Teach Street helps you find the skilled professionals in the area that can turn you into a pro yourself.
Once you have found a teacher you can then go onto teachstreet.com and write a review that will help others find a teacher that is right for them. We also like how the site recognizes what craft you want to learn and offers books about the similar trade that are available for you at Amazon.com.
Check out Teach Street and let us know what you think.
We recently heard about a great organization that is making a difference in the lives of our military troops.
Cell Phones for Soldiers hopes to turn old cell phones into more than 12 million minutes of prepaid calling cards for U.S. troops stationed overseas in 2008. To do so, Cell Phones for Soldiers expects to collect 15,000 cell phones each month through a network of more than 3,000 collection sites across the country.
The phones are sent to ReCellular, which pays Cell Phones for Soldiers for each donated phone – enough to provide an hour of talk time to soldiers abroad.
Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded by teenagers Robbie and Brittany Bergquist from Norwell, Mass., with $21 of their own money. Since then, the registered 501c3 non-profit organization has raised almost $1 million in donations and distributed more than 400,000 prepaid calling cards to soldiers serving overseas.
Through increased fundraising efforts, the Bergquist family hopes to raise more than $9 million in the next five years to fund new programs, such as providing video phones with prepaid service to allow soldiers abroad to see their families on a regular basis.
If you are like many of us and have an old cell phone just sitting in a drawer, consider donating it to this great cause. Click here for details on how to donate your phone.
There are few things we hate more than a tangled weave of computer wires laying on our neat and tidy desks or tripping us up on the floor. That is why we are in love with the new Epson Workforce 40 Wi Fi printer. It never made sense to us why we would have a wireless labtop but have to move into our office every time we wanted to print.
The Epson Workforce 40 is engineered for the small business and home office. Get laser quality output at laser fast speeds for prints that make you look your best.
Better for your business, and your bottom line, the Epson WorkForce 40 printer blazes through critical documents at speeds about two times faster than those of competitive printers.1 Delivering laser quality text and brilliant color photos, it’s the perfect addition to your business team. In fact, with Wi-Fi® and Ethernet networking built in, you can easily share the WorkForce 40 with anyone in your office. And, with its small, compact design, it fits in even the smallest of spaces. Best of all, this budget-conscious performer offers an Extra High-capacity Black ink cartridge for high-volume printing at a price that’s sure to please.
Only three weeks now until the 2008 Northwest Event Show takes place at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center on September 23. Have you registered yet? If not, here are just a few of the reasons why you should...
It's 100% free to attend. That's right, the Northwest Event Show is free for all qualified meeting and event planners. Heck, even if you only plan one event a year, or have never planned an event before but have a major one coming up, this show is for you!
Not only is it free, but we'll also give you free stuff! Just for attending the show you'll receive the 2009 B&E Event Resource Guide as our complimentary gift. The guide retails for $14.95 in bookstores, and truly is the most comprehensive planning tool around. The best part is, the 2009 edition will be in FULL COLOR for the first time ever. And you'll be receiving it hot of the press!
The Northwest Event Show is occurring in conjunction with the 2008 SUMMIT INDUSTRY Meeting, also a first. If you are planning on attending the SUMMIT you'll get two great shows on one day.
You'll learn the latest Green Event Planning Tips. This year's event is going green and we have the best ideas and inspirations in town so you can plan greener events too.
Chances to win three weekend getaways to Skamania Lodge, Suncadia Resort, and Sunriver Resort complete with the royal treatment.
The exhibitors are top-notch! With over 250 booths you'll never get another chance like this to meet with the area's top event planning professionals, in one place, on one day. They are the best of the best in design, catering, entertainment, team building and more!
All the food your belly can take, and then a little more. You'll get to sample the best food Northwest caterers have to offer. It's definitely not a day to wear tight pants!
Have we convinced you yet? If so, head on over to nweventshow.com and register for the 2008 Northwest Event Show! You cannot afford to miss this spectacular event!
Have you heard about Pandora? It's the best new way to listen to music while you work. All you do is go to www.pandora.com, enter your favorite artist and a playlist will begin starting with a song from the artist of your choice. Then the next songs that play will be customized to predict the kind of music you like to listen to. Once a song begins to play, you can give it the "thumbs up" or the "thumbs down" and the more you rate music, the more Pandora knows what you like. Think of Pandora as a TiVo for music.
Pandora came from the Music Genome Project. Since they started back in 2000, they have been hard at work on the Music Genome Project. It's the most comprehensive analysis of music ever undertaken. Together their team of fifty musician-analysts have been listening to music, one song at a time, studying and collecting literally hundreds of musical details on every song. It takes 20-30 minutes per song to capture all of the little details that give each recording its magical sound - melody, harmony, instrumentation, rhythm, vocals, lyrics ... and more - close to 400 attributes! Pandora continues this work every day to keep up with the incredible flow of great new music coming from studios, stadiums and garages around the country.
The best part about Pandora, is its all free and you can make as many playlists as you'd like.
You can also download Pandora to select phones available through AT&T and Sprint including the apple iPhone.
