Why Conference Centers are More Conducive for Learning

A new white paper has been published that our very own David Smith is credited as a contributing researcher.

Interested in reading it? Click here.

Social Networking - What is it?

Have you tweeted, followed, or linked today?

Is your company still banning Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.?

Are you convinced that Social Networking is irrelevant to your business?

You are not alone. Social Networking is viewed by many companies as nothing more than a major time-waster. Employees checking their friends' Facebook status or tweeting about what they want for lunch is a major draw on employer's resources. However, these same "time-wasters" offer opportunities for company's to gain exposure, market themselves, and increase business at little or no cost.

By positioning your company on sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, or Twitter, you are able to reach out to your clients and potential clients numerous times weekly at no cost.

Current promotions or events can be announced.

Company News can be posted.

Marketing Campaigns can be shared.

These marketing efforts (and more) are quickly sent out to all your followers and links and (even more importantly) can be reshared, retweeted, relinked, etc. all over the Internet introducing more potential clients to your company ...and it is all free!

Now think about the fact that you can purchase ads on these sites for very little money that allow you to handpick the audience that will see it.

Starting to change your mind about Social Networking?

Want to know more?

There are many webinars and seminars that can explain what Social Networking is and how it will improve your business. A simple Google search will bring up thousands of them. I will only post two as suggestions for places to start.

1. 617-Patrick will be giving a seminar at Metro Meeting Centers-Boston on March 12th (see side bar for more info or click here).

2. If you aren't in the Boston area, you should checkout HubSpot. They have many free online webinars to help get you started.

So, I ask again...

Have you tweeted, followed, or linked today? I have.

-Amy

CMP and DMP – what do they mean?

In the most basic terms…

CMP (Complete Meeting Package) is a per person, per day rate that includes usage of a meeting room, standard audiovisual, breakfast, lunch, dinner, refreshment breaks, and a hotel guestroom.

DMP (Day Meeting Package) is a per person, per day rate that includes usage of a meeting room, standard audiovisual, breakfast, lunch, and refreshment breaks.

Sounds easy enough right? Unfortunately, no. Every meeting facility has their own version of CMP or DMP and each quote you receive should be carefully reviewed to see exactly what is included. Items to look for would include…

• Meeting Room – If it is a multi-day meeting will you have 24 hour access to the room? Will you have to remove all your work materials daily (in case they have an evening event scheduled in the same space)?
• Standard A/V –It could include anything from the pads and pens on the tables to data projectors. Ask what is included in your “standard package”.
• Breakfast – Is it a continental breakfast? Plated? Is it part of the morning refreshment break?
• Lunch – Will it be in the meeting room? Do they have separate dining facilities on-property? Is it a buffet or plated?
• Refreshment Breaks – Will it be in the meeting room? Will it be continually refreshed and available?

Take your time and read the fine print. All meeting packages are not created equal.

-Amy

Confidentiality in Meeting Rooms

There is a strange phenomenon you may have noticed after hosting a meeting at a hotel…

• You run into an old friend who “saw” that your company was meeting at _______ hotel;
• You start getting phone calls from other meeting sites looking for business; or
• You get a call from an old friend wanting to know if you have any business for his meeting site.

Ever wonder how they knew? Reader boards.

Many people hosting meetings within conference centers and hotels demand some level of confidentiality and they may think they are getting it – when they are closed off in their meeting space. But what is happening right outside…

In hotels (and some conference centers) throughout the United States, when you arrive at a meeting there is some sort of lovely display stating your company name and where you are meeting. Sounds helpful, right? It’s not. Other meeting sites “troll” these boards looking for new contacts and business. Not to mention, everyone that strolls through the lobby now know where you are as well. In today’s age of security concerns, wouldn’t you rather NOT broadcast everything about what your company is doing?

Request to have a person at the front desk to greet your guests and direct them to the appropriate meeting room. This will give the added benefit of your guests being able to get directions to the room (instead of wandering around) looking to see who else is there.

-Amy

Hotel Meeting AV Pricing Tips

It has always amazed me how hotels are able to command extraordinary fees for the provision of ordinary audiovisual equipment. As the operator of conference center in a major U.S. city, Metro Meeting Centers - Boston, we follow the industry standard and have "built-in" our a/v equipment to be easy-to-access/operate and there is never an charge additional fee or surcharge for using this equipment.

Let's look at the math:

To buy a data projector, say 3000 plus lumens (that means bright - like the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree bright) for $3,000.00 and put it on cart that costs $99.00. Next, wheel it into a meeting room of approximately 2500 square feet (30-50 guests) and rent it for the meeting.

OK, name a price. Well, if you rented it 10 times to cover the cost that would be $300 per rental, not unreasonable.

Here is the catch - in most hotels, the average data projector rental can be approximately $400 to $800 daily; and don’t forget the service charge (which can be as much as 22%), so the real range can be $500 to nearly $1000 daily. If you are really fortunate, the screen is sometimes included (read as - usually isn't included).

This is simply one of many pricing tricks in the hotel game of “here’s a room rate that appears below market, we look forward to hosting your group and maximizing our profitability by charging for audio visual and food & beverage at remarkably high rates. We recognize that once you are here, your options are limited”.

Now what happens when something goes wrong, and (if you plan enough meetings) something will go wrong...

Where is the hotel a/v tech and how long before they reach you? You know, for nearly $1000.00 per day, I would be tempted to insist that the projector come with an a/v tech attached by leash to the equipment.

Therefore, if you find yourself needing to put a meeting into a hotel, here are three a/v tips:

1. Negotiate the price of the data projector and get the screen included.
2. Ask a pager to reach a tech if there is a problem.
3. Ask for the newest and brightest projector available (more lumens are the key, 2800 for a 2000 sq.ft room is good to go).

If all fails simply, bring your own. You may need a long extension cord, but you'll save a lot of money.

-David

What's your emergency plan?

I can remember being terrified as a kid going through bus safety with our teachers and bus drivers.

What do you mean "in case of accident"?

If we can't get out the front door of the bus - then what?

We sat and listened as it was explained how to exit the bus through the windows or emergency backdoor. Sounded scary - but (I thought) at least there was a plan. Then came the shocking news that WE would be exiting through the back of the bus. I watched as kid after kid jumped out of the backdoor. As my turn approached, I was more and more nervous... how is a little kid like me supposed to make that BIG jump.

When the time came to jump, I closed my eyes and did it - not completely convinced that I would survive the jump (but I wasn't going to be outdone by my other classmates)...

... and you know what, I survived! Not only that I was very comforted by the fact that in the case of an emergency - I would know what to do.

What about your staff?

Do they know your emergency plan?

Fire, flood, terrorist attack?

Scary? Yes. Necessary? Absolutely.

In order for your team to function effectively and get your guests to safety - they have to be comfortable with the plan and know how to execute it at a moment's notice.

When was the last time you and your staff practiced "jumping out of the bus"? Maybe it is time for a review.

-Amy