Tips to Win a Gala Award (or any Award)

Posted on February 20, 2012 by

It was a humbling and gratifying experience to win the Gala Award for Best Décor at The Special Event Show in Tampa this past January.  The nomination itself was a thrill, but I was even more surprised by how good it felt to actually win.  It’s a rush!

I’d like to share some tips on how to win, because I would love to see more members win awards in recognition of the great work members of our chapter consistently deliver.

I’m not going to lie – it’s A LOT of work submitting an award entry.  We hired someone to do the writing for our entry.  Fortunately, I’ve judged award entries in the past, so I was able to work with our Marketing Manager to help guide our writer as what to say and how to say it.

You not only want to paint the picture of your event in words, but you have to “answer the questions.”  When they ask you what the event obstacles were, what the challenges were, and how you overcame the obstacles and challenges – specifically address those points.

Example:

The obstacles for this event were: ___________

We overcame those obstacles by: ___________

The challenges for this event were: __________

We overcame those challenges by: __________

Also, great pictures of your events are a must!  Invest in a great photographer!  We are very encouraged by our owners to get as many décor shots from events that we design internally.  It’s how we sell our work. However, should we have an event that we’re especially proud of, and we decide it’s worth the time, money and effort to compete for an award – lousy pictures aren’t going to help one bit.

It’s also a great idea to have someone who knows nothing about your event read your entry before you submit it.  Having a pair of fresh eyes tell you they don’t understand something can make all the difference in your submission.  The judges aren’t going to know one thing about your entry, so take the precaution to make sure it’s clear to an outsider.

Lastly, and this is going to sound rudimentary (but you’d be surprised), make sure everything is spelled correctly, and you’re using proper grammar.  Judges will deduct points for implied illiteracy.

So should you decide to compete for an award, I hope these tips will help you edge out your competition.  Feel the rush, people!!

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The ISES Esprit Awards – Why Should You Enter?

Posted on February 13, 2012 by

The Esprit AwardIt is my privilege to serve as Chair, of the ISES Esprit Awards Committee again this year, it shouldn’t surprise you that I think you should all enter, the question why? 

Since 1995 ISES has acknowledged the outstanding work by its membership through the ISES Esprit Awards. The Awards celebrate the best of the best.

The ISES Esprit Awards program was developed to showcase, acknowledge and honor the special events industry’s finest examples of creativity, planning, strategic management, resourcefulness and successful solutions. 

65% of Esprit Award nomoniees say being nominated for an ISES Esprit Award helped their business, that’s right just being nominated; and the winners even more.  How, they used their nominations and wins for marketing, to impress clients, improved staff morale, attract the media and to boost their professional confidence. 

In other words as a DIFFERETICATOR, they are good and they can prove it. Now more than ever proving your worth to a client is the difference between a signed contract or a going our of business sign.

Awards are something client’s can undrestand, telling a current and potencial clients that you have been nominated and or won an ISES Esprit Award is another way to help them say yes to your proposal. 

A motivated energized staff can make a huge difference in the success of any business, the Esprit Award process can be a team building and education tool for your staff. 

Awards have glamour, people like glamour, they understand it, they value it.  Our friends in the media beg for it; anything you can give them to focus on your business is worth its weight in gold. 

Most of us work in a bubble, we concentrate on our clients and our businesses, we think we are good at what we do but how do we know for sure.  Having your peers recognize that you are among the best in what you do, that gives you confidence that nothing else can.

2012 Esprit of the Year- This category changes annually; the changes are based on current industry conditions, needs and/or trends. This year in celebration of ISES’s 25th Anniversary the Esprit of The Year Award will be presented to an individual ISES member, a company, team of ISES members or an event that has inspired, influenced, or guided you in your special events career. The entrant is writing the submission on behalf of others.  If you have been inspired, thank that person but entering them in this category.

Entering for an ISES Esprit Award is simple; our on-line entry system eliminates the need for binders, printing and postage.  You follow the instructions, answer the questions completely, upload collateral and you are done.  You do need to plan your entry, to collect your materials and execute with style but isn’t that what you do every day?

The 2012 Esprit Award Call for Entries are open now, you can’t afford to ignor it!

Log on and enter today. http://isesew.vtcus.com/Awards/ISESEspritAwards/home.aspx

Contact Infomation
Name: Gwen Helbush, cwc
Company:  Where To Start, Inc. Wedding and Event Management
Phone: (510) 795-9072 ext 101
Email gwen@wtsevents.com

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Members in the Media

Posted on February 10, 2012 by

Hi Everyone,

Happy Friday!  As our members continue to do amazing things in the event industry, I wanted to keep you all informed on those members who have been recognized in the media recently.  Check out these great articles!

Kathryn Horton – San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau –  San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau

Anna Alioto – Richmond Ermet Aids Foundation – Richmond Ermet Aids Foundation

Joyce Scardina-Becker – Events of Distinction / Cal State University – East Bay – Events of Distinction / Cal State University – East Bay 

 

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Hot Topic

Posted on January 30, 2012 by

Hi Everyone!

If you have a minute, please check out the Hot Topic section in the January newsletter for a very informative study posted by Sara Hunt.  Here’s a quick summary.

The Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S.Economy

It’s not uncommon for a Meeting Planner Professional to be mistaken as a “Party Planner.” However, with a release of “The Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S. Economy”, which ranked the Meeting Industry the tenth highest direct contributor to the GDP, it’s clear that meeting planning is more than just fun and games. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and their partners, for the purposes of this study, defined meetings as “conventions, conferences, congresses, trade shows and exhibitions, incentive events, and corporate/business meetings.” With these criteria in mind, the study found that in 2009 meetings directly contributed $106 billion to the GDP. Recently, there has been enhanced scrutiny over the meetings sector and questions have been raised regarding the continuing existence of physical meetings. As advocates for meetings, our hope is that concrete evidence that has been provided by the Convention Industry Council in this article will diminish those doubts and show that the Meeting Industry is not only important to our businesses but also vital to our economy. I encourage every person in the Meeting Industry to read this article if for no other reason than to gather ample ammunition for the next time you are referred to as simply a “Party Planner.”

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Stay up-to-date with RSS feed subscription

Posted on January 26, 2012 by

Here’s an easy way: subscribe to the RSS feed.

Don’t know what an RSS feed is? RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication” and is a standard for publishing regular updates to web-based content so you can see what’s new without going to hundreds of different sites all the time.

My personal favorite is Google Reader, but there are many other options. Check them out to set up your own RSS reader to keep track of your favorite blogs, Twitter searches and more.

Once you’re set up, here’s how you can keep up with ISES-NCC:

  1. Step (1) is done – you’re already on the ISES-NCC blog.
  2. Look for the RSS symbol on the right-hand sidebar. It looks like this:
  3. Click on the symbol.
  4. A new window will open with a drop down menu with the various options for your RSS reader. Select the one you’re using.
  5. Click “Subscribe Now.”
  6. Follow the instructions for your specific RSS reader.

Now you’re set up to get the weekly blog postings from your fellow ISES members! Need help? Comment on this post, or consult this helpful online tutorial.

Interested in writing for the blog? Comment on this post so we can discuss a topic – we’d love to have your contributions!

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Attending Industry Conferences

Posted on January 22, 2012 by

Have you ever wonder if it’s worth the time and money to travel to one of the many industry conferences that are offered throughout the year?  There are so many to choose from and is it really necessary to attend?  Well I can say from personal experience it is.   The networking that you can do and the education classes that you experience can not compete with just attending your local association meetings.  I write this blog entry as I’m preparing to leave for The Special Event Conference in Tampa, FL in a couple of hours.    I haven’t been in two years and I’m really excited to fly the next 7 ½ hours to Florida to see what’s hot and new in the special events industry.  I will say you should definitely mix it up.  Try different conferences each year as they are all different and offer something for everyone.  I plan to head to Catersource in Las Vegas at the end of February.  I have never been and I’m so excited to attend.  I hear that walking the tradeshow floor of Catersource is an amazing experience.  Another conference that should not be missed this year is Eventworld in Dallas, Texas at the beginning of August.  This is ISES 25th anniversary, and from what I can tell this year’s Eventworld will be one that you won’t want to miss.  If you go to one of these or all of these conferences, it is definitely worth your time and money.

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Members in the Media

Posted on January 10, 2012 by

Happy New Year to all of you! I look forward to seeing many of you at the Special Event in Tampa in a few weeks. But for now, we’re back to recognize more of our ISES colleagues for their great work and outstanding achievements. Check out some recent articles on our members in the media:

Elaine Bell – Elaine Bell Catering
http://napavalleyregister.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/janet-fletcher-launches-world-cheese-tour/article_ff853268-2528-11e1-b82e-0019bb2963f4.html

Marin Bright – Smart Meetings Magazine
http://www.ocmetro.com/t-Destination-Irvine-wins-Platinum-Choice-Award-12-12-2011.aspx

Morgan Davis – Conservatory of Flower
http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-12-08/entertainment/30489320_1_gingerbread-sutro-baths-holiday-wonderland

Barbara Llewellyn – Barbara Llewellyn Catering
http://www.cisionwire.com/tri-valley–california-convention—visitors-bureau/r/tri-valley–california-convention—visitors-bureau-announces-taste-of-tri-valley-kick-off-party,c9198917

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ISES-NCC & MPINCC ~ Networking Times 2

Posted on January 5, 2012 by

In September, I had a conversation with Jody Brandes, VP of Education for MPI Northern California Chapter as well as long time friend and business associate. We talked about the Hospitality Hoot, a major hospitality industry networking event that took place in San Francisco in 2004 and 2005. The Hoot was unique in that it attracted event & meeting professionals from multiple associations and disciplines ~ attendance was over 1000. While we did not endeavor to recreate that, we did feel that hosting a joint ISES & MPI event was timely.

So, on November 15th at the Masonic Auditorium 300 industry professionals came together for the first ever ISES-NCC and MPI-NCC joint meeting, “The Big Bang: How to Create and Produce Events with Impact.” To say the event was a success is an understatement.

Starting from the initial conversations with both planning committees to the onsite planning meetings, it was clear that both associations were equally committed to creating a dialogue, engaging content and an opportunity for networking.

Planners on the MPI panel gave clear insight on the RFP process, tips on how to stand out among other proposals, and shared some tales of events gone awry (it’s nice to know we’ve all been there!). Suppliers on the ISES panel offered ways on how to best utilize their creative services, cost saving tips and a look to what trends to stay on top of (and which ideas were so 2000). Following the sessions, everyone gathered in the Masonic lobby to enjoy an informal networking session, catch up with old friends and make some new ones.

If you missed the program in November, don’t worry… We are planning to do it again next fall!

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Members in the Media

Posted on December 15, 2011 by

Happy holidays everyone! We’re back to recognize more of our ISES colleagues for their great work and outstanding achievements. Check out some recent mentions of our members in the media:

Organic Chef Catering – Deep Green – Check out this great article on Organic Chef Catering, as they continue to deliver sustainable catering to events of up to 1,000 guests. http://www.hotelfandb.com/biol/nov-dec2011-green-catering.asp

City Club of San Francisco – City Club of San Francisco Invites Small Businesses to Enjoy Their Grand Holiday Party – This is a fantastic article on the City Club of San Francisco, as they continue to celebrate the holidays with small businesses at their Grand Holiday Party. http://news.yahoo.com/members-only-city-club-san-francisco-invites-public-081147328.html

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Hoping for a FREE membership next year!

Posted on December 1, 2011 by
ISES Headquarters just rolled out a the 25/50 campaign! For each new member who lists you as their reference on their ISES membership application, you will receive $25.00 off your 2012-2013 membership renewal….Just think I could potential get my entire dues paid for!
So here is how it works:
  • When you refer a new professional (non-student) member to ISES, you will be eligible to save money on your 2012-2013 membership renewal.
  • You will save $25 dollars for every new professional (non-student) member you refer to ISES, up to the total of your annual renewal dues amount. (12-16 members depending on your membership type.) Also, to entice the new member to list you as a referral they will save $50.00 on their membership
  • IMPORTANT – Make sure your referring members know that their new member application MUST have your name entered at the time of application submittal for you to qualify for the  $25 savings. This is for each member referred.
  • Offer is valid from December 1, 2011-April 30, 2011

If you take advantage of this offer, make sure you put my name down (Josiline Shanahan) as your referral that way we can both benefit from the 25/50 campaign! Sign up NOW!

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