Conference Planning

Be among the few to stand in front of the secret bookcase and say the magic words: "Open Sesame." And poof! The Magic Castle, an elusive LA attraction, will reveal itself as one of the most coveted venues in Los Angeles.

It's not an illusion! World-class entertainment in Los Angeles unfolds right in front of your eyes as you enter this four-story Victorian castle smack-dab in the middle of Hollywood. It holds up to 360 people for meetings and special events.

Combined with the most exciting group dining Los Angeles has to offer and the convenience of a hip hotel right on the property, the Magic Castle is a triple threat. Successful Los Angeles corporate event planning includes a creative conference site or diverse banquet hall, and the Magic Castle holds the cards.

Cvent Planner Insider Tip: Put an ace in your pocket! Befriend a magical member to harness your full Los Angeles event planning potential.

To find more unique Los Angeles venues, visit the Cvent Supplier Network.

Nestled in the canyon of the Santa Monica Mountains near Malibu is the rustic yet decadent oasis of Saddle Peak Lodge, the gold medal winner of romantic wedding venues in Los Angeles.

A breathtaking countryside landscape frames this picturesque lodge, making it the perfect setting for a fairytale Los Angeles wedding reception. From a cascading waterfall and lush patio to the intimate library and den, this LA venue is a Los Angeles wedding planner's dream.

Deemed the only 6-star restaurant in LA, this hidden gem is a best kept secret of Hollywood's elite. However, the cat's out of the bag the moment you pull into the parking lot next to the Rolls Royce and Maybach. But don't be intimidated—the service is impeccable and the staff is as familiar as your local neighborhood haunt.

Everything's game on this eclectic menu, literally, as venison, bison, elk, beef, quail and lamb all find a place on the menu. Exercise your palate by including an out-of-this world wine flight guided by your personal sommelier.

Cvent Planner Insider Tip: LA can be a fickle town and Los Angeles event planning can be tricky. However, having a unique wedding in Los Angeles is do-able with a dreamy Los Angeles special event facility like Saddle Peak Lodge, coupled with the fact that it is considered one of the best caterers in Los Angeles.

View more information about Saddle Peak Lodge on the Cvent Supplier Network

Not that there aren't enough bridal shows and wedding extravaganzas in Texas, let alone Dallas, but the Great Bridal Expo held at the historic and beautiful Fairmont Dallas Hotel is an excellent opportunity to not only get out and see a slew of Dallas vendors, but a chance to check out the hotel's event space. The Expo is set to begin November 8 at noon and generally lasts anywhere from five to seven hours depending on crowds.

Here is a short list of featured exhibitors: 

Favorite Dallas florist Your Perfect Wedding Day by di Fiori will be on-site to demonstrate and discuss floral arrangements for any Dallas event. This mother/daughter team has event design experience ranging from full-service social affairs to large corporate luncheons.

The Creative Touch: Events by Lauren is a Dallas event planner specializing in not only weddings, but also lavish corporate affairs and business gatherings. Full-service event planning and day-of coordination are available.

Voted Dallas' Best Winery in 2009, Swirll Winery & Wine Bar will be presenting some fabulous options for off-site wine selections, as well as those for smaller, on-site cocktail events. This swank little wine dive is located in the heart of downtown and has fast become a Dallas restaurant hotspot for both the amateur wine lover and connoisseur alike.

Keith Evans Photography will also be at the Expo exhibiting some of his famous shots. Voted Ft. Worth's Photographer of the Year in 2008, Keith has a knack for capturing the perfect lighting for both formal or informal shots. He also knows some of the best Dallas venues and outdoor locales for amazing shoots.

MBEG, LLCis a multi-service company specializing in ground Dallas transportation. Whether you're in need of bus service to and from an event or a corporate car pick-up service, they are known to have some of the best rates for Dallas limo companies.

All these and more will be on-site to promote networking amongst Dallas area vendors. It's a great opportunity for Dallas meeting planners to seek out some lesser known, well-respected names in the Dallas event industry. And don't forget to visit the Cvent Supplier Network to search and find Dallas suppliers for your next event!

Say "good-bye" to the headaches triggered by unresponsive invitees and say "hello" to hassle-free email marketing! Cvent offers an unrivaled email communication suite that equips planners with unique tools to secure higher response rates and event attendance.

It's important for planners to keep all event-related tasks moving forward despite the fact that many invitees won't respond until the last possible moment. With Cvent's "save-the-date" reminders, automated invitations and confirmations, planners can easily stay on top of their game. Our clients have embraced the functionality of email reminders and love the flexibility of being able to personally schedule the dates and times when they want them sent.

Planners can set these reminders to repeat as often as they desire to elicit a response from undecided invitees. They choose whether the reminder goes out once, or every 10 days, or every 30 days...it's completely up to them. And the best part is that this process doesn't require additional manual tasks that would otherwise take time away from other, more important event-planning activities.

We're confident that there's no better way to get the results you're looking for. That's why we use our own tools to drive a faster response rate for our events. For example, about 40% of the invitees that attend our product seminars sign up after they receive an invitation reminder - proof that it does work!

At the end of the day, Cvent's powerful email tool set is the one planners turn to for this same level of success, with many clients reaching up to a 45% average increase in event attendance!  

For event industry professionals, Cvent can't be beat as the best one-stop-shop: our web-based software offers online event registration, event management, event web site creation, robust reporting, online surveys, and a sourcing tool. In addition, we've rolled out a Destination Guide so planners can focus their site selection and event sourcing efforts by comparing meeting-specific details among international cities.

At Cvent, we understand that you are burdened by the daunting task of coordinating countless aspects of the meeting and event planning process. We want to lift that burden by offering you an abundance of comprehensive resources, along with as much technical support as you need to keep things running smoothly and successfully.

And once you have all the event-related details in place or complete the meeting, you can easily distribute a variety of internal and customer pre- and post-event surveys to capture the valuable feedback that will help your organization in future planning.

The tasks involved with meetings and events can't get any easier or more customizable in look and feel with Cvent, and the seamless integration of all our online tools is extremely helpful because it allows you to have everything housed and connected in one central location.

Intimidated by the thought of taking on a system with multiple components? Just start with one of our offerings. Let us take the bulk of your manual processes and handle them with our impressive products. We're confident you'll want more after getting a little taste of Cvent!

And we're sure you'll find that choosing Cvent to manage all aspects of your organization's event needs is more affordable in the long run than trying to keep up a decentralized system. Once you get comfortable with Cvent's high-quality software, you'll wonder why you haven't stuck with just one "shop" until now.

Dallas is known for many things: the Dallas Cowboys, Southfork Ranch, American Airlines, and the Grassy Knoll, to name a few. But one little known fact this city is known for is having the most restaurants per capita in the nation. Dallasites love their food and are exposed to worldly fare on a daily basis such as Creole, Ethiopian, Vietnamese, and good ol' fashion BBQ. However, with such developed tasted buds, Dallas residents tend to be some of the harshest critics when it comes to catered affairs.

Keeping this in mind (along with the fact that the holidays are right around the corner), many Dallas caterers are in high demand and, though many have the ability to pull off large-scale events at the last minute, request a minimum of four to six weeks notice. After scouring the internet, reading reviews, interviewing caterers, and listening to experiences of past clients, I've come up with a list of 10 favorite Dallas caterers for your next Dallas event. Here they are, in no particular order:

• GEORGE Catering  

• Guess Who's Coming To Dinner Caterers  

• Wendy Krispin Catering

• Food Glorious Food

• La Duni

• Two Sisters Catering

• Gil's Elegant Catering

• Wynnwood

• Culinary Art Catering

• E Claire Catering & Events

So whether you're planning a small office shindig or are a corporate Dallas event planner for a Fortune 500, consider these as some of the best options in town. Many, if not all, offer full-service Dallas catering and event planning and are preferred vendors at several Dallas venues.

Have you ever found yourself searching multiple metropolitan areas trying to decide where your next meeting will be held? Those searches can be time-consuming and inefficient. Sometimes you end up right back where you started, unsure of exactly where you’re going to hold your next event. Cvent has the solution for this problem: the Cvent Destination Guide.

The Cvent Destination Guide is an informative resource designed especially for meeting and event planners. It's a one-stop guide where planners can focus site selection and event sourcing efforts by comparing meeting-specific details across cities worldwide.

The Destination Guide has so many great features to explore. Browse cities by U.S. region or state, or view one of the more than 20 cities profiled internationally. City profiles offer a comprehensive overview of things to do, convention center information, transportation options and more. Also included is a key statistics page, where event planners can find useful data such as population, hotel room inventory, mileage to nearby cities and weather-related statistics. Plus, we know that budgets are tight, so there’s even a promotions page in each city for planners in need of a deal!

Beyond the city profiles themselves, the Cvent Destination Guide also offers a wealth of additional resources such as the Event Planning Comparison Chart, where you can quickly find and compare meeting details such as average taxi fare and the number of restaurants for cities across the globe. Or, browse the Convention Center Directory, Conference Center Directory, and CVB directory, or view venues that fall into Beach Destinations, Golf Destinations, and Mountain Destinations.

Here at Cvent we try to make your meeting planning process as smooth as possible. The Destination Guide is just one of the many things we have to offer to help make your meeting planning easier and more efficient.

In light of the H1N1 flu, everyone—meeting planners included—is paying more attention to health and safety issues. So when I saw the report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) on the top 10 riskiest foods regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, I thought about food at catered events.

CSPI looked at public health records dating from 1990 to 2006 and found that these 10 foods accounted for 40 percent of all foodbourne outbreaks linked to FDA-regulated foods. Over 1,500 separate, definable outbreaks were linked to these foods, with almost 50,000 illnesses of varying severity being reported. Here they are:

1. Leafy greens
2. Eggs
3. Tuna
4. Oysters
5. Potatoes
6. Cheese
7. Ice Cream
8. Tomatoes
9. Sprouts
10. Berries

This list is certainly not to scare anyone off of eating these foods (please don't!). Rather, CSPI wanted highlight the need for better food regulation, and I think they can also serve as a reminder to meeting planners to not let food safety fall by the wayside at your events. Understandably, planners have a lot of small details to manage throughout the event planning process, but it's really not hard to stay on top of your catering.

First, be aware of food recalls and alerts from the FDA. Don't just rely on the media, which may over-exaggerate or fail to provide all the information. Read all the details about food alerts and the danger involved in order to make an informed decision.

Of course, you want to make sure any event caterer you work with has a license. Ask if the catering staff is up-to-date and trained in food preparation and safe handling procedures.

In the end, the best advice is to just talk to your caterer about any issues or concerns. Together you'll be able to work out a great menu that is delicious, healthy and safe for all your attendees!

Coming in at number 8 on ICCA's top congress cities worldwide, Stockholm is an ideal meeting destination. It has also recently garnered praise such as the European Green Capital Award 2010  for being a front runner in its commitment to solving environmental problems. Plus, in the space of a year it dropped eight places in the list of world's most expensive cities to number 31—meaning its a more affordable option over destinations such as Moscow, Tokyo and London.

For more information on hosting events in this great Nordic city, from Stockholm hotels to conference venues to attractions, make sure to visit the Stockhom meeting planning profile on the Cvent Destination Guide.

Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry is home of some of the most famous exhibits in the country including the Henry Crown Space Center, the U-505 Submarine, Navy: Technology at Sea, and the Genetics and Baby Chick Hatchery. This premier destination offers exceptional Chicago event spaces around its exhibits that are sure to be a dramatic backdrop for any event.

This popular Chicago attraction can host groups of 30 to 5,000 people among eight distinct event areas. Whether you dine under a submarine or on the beautiful outdoor terrace overlooking the front entrance, you are guaranteed a unique experience for all of your guests.

The museum's amenities serve as a perk to event and meeting coordinators. Access to coat check, event security, guides & exhibit staff, underground direct-access parking and valet, audio-visual equipment, china, linens, floral and simple decor are among the extras. This full-service Chicago venue is run by a team of experienced event staff who can help you coordinate every step of the way.

There well-known Chicago catering partner, Sodexo USA, works with the event planning team to create a menu that will suit you and your guests taste buds. The company has been known to create unique dining themes while maintaining high standards of quality service within a workable budget.

This holiday season, the Museum of Science and Industry is offering a "stimulus package" meeting promotion. If you host an event before President's Day, you will receive 10 percent off of the facility rental plus a $500 credit towards your food and beverage. Whether you are enjoying a reception inside a 727 jet plane or mingling in the Smart Home garden, this venue is sure to capture your guests' attention!

View more information about the Museum of Science and Industry on the Cvent Supplier Network

Sometimes the easiest things can make a huge difference in the success of an event. One feature that we always try to stress to clients is the customizable "From" address and subject line that is available in the emails section of each event.



This small detail really makes a difference. It's so easy for invitees to see a name in their inbox or in a subject line and simply delete the email without even opening it because they think that it's just not important. And if invitees are not inclined to even open your email, then they will never make it to the registration process or website pages that you have spent time creating.

With Cvent's email customization features, planners are able to play around with these areas of emails and find the most effective From name and subject line. We always suggest doing this for your next few events, or even within the different emails in one event. The Emails by Email Type report can be run to see the open rate of the different emails to gauge which From name and subject line was the most effective.

For your next meeting or event, take just a few minutes to customize these portions of your email communications. We're confident you'll see an increase in the open rate and attendance!

In these tough economic times, you'd think that international meetings would see a decline in attendance, perhaps an even bigger decline in attendance than that of domestic meetings. However, a recent survey from the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA) reports otherwise.

In a survey of 120 association executives, over half of respondents reported significantly higher attendance (9.3 percent), slightly higher attendance (15.5 percent) or flat attendance (37.1 percent) at 2009 events compared with 2008. Still, 32 percent of respondents reported a slightly lower revenue, but only 14.4 percent reported "significantly lower" financial support from sponsorship and exhibition revenue, according to Successful Meetings.

"We've consistently claimed that international association meetings are the most resilient and recession-proof sector in our industry, and these results provide great evidence to support this view," ICCA CEO Martin Sirk said in a statement. "They're certainly not immune from the downturn, with 70 percent indicating that they had suffered some negative impact, but the detailed positive results demonstrate the sense of including international associations in any long-term strategic business mix."

The survey suggested that organizers may pull back on meetings for 2010, but most intend to keep their programs by selecting better value destinations, renegotiating contracts and making budget cuts. Lucky for these event planners, it's never been easier to compare and evaluate international meeting destinations than with the Cvent Destination Guide. With over 25 meeting planning overviews of cities outside the United States, the Destination Guide is your ultimate resource for international events.

The new and improved Ellis Hotel, located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, is a piece of Atlanta’s history. From its luxurious modern guest rooms, fully equipped with iPod docking stations, to its elegant crystal chandeliers, there is a "no holds barred" attitude at Ellis.

Following its $28 million hotel renovation, Atlanta's Ellis offers 21st century conveniences and amenities. Among them are:

• On-site Atlanta event planning service
• High-speed Internet access throughout the entire property
• Two stylish Atlanta meeting rooms accommodating up to 50 guests per room

Not enough to sway your client? Why not mention the women’s only floor? It's complete with necessities for the woman on the go (e.g. snuggly slippers and curling irons).

Or, maybe mention the Terrace on Peachtree Restaurant. This Atlanta restaurant offers its patrons recipes from local vendors, giving a simple escape to America’s finest.

These features make The Ellis not just an Atlanta hotel with meeting space, but also a lavish retreat from the usual chain hotels. This truly unique boutique Atlanta hotel offers its clients options where once stood impossibilities.

The Singapore Tourism Board is expanding its "BE in Singapore" campaign to meeting and incentive planners. Started in March, the campaign will now run until February 2010, offering groups booking a minimum of 150 visitor room nights significant financial incentives for marketing, bidding, hosting fees and support for distinguished speakers.

"Singapore understands the challenges that the meetings industry is going through, and we are showing our support and long-term commitment to a vital and dedicated group of visitors," said Kershing Goh, regional director, The Americas, Singapore Tourism Board (based in New York), in a statement. "The industry is a critical component of our destination’s tourism infrastructure, and this campaign provides substantial economic relief, while encouraging new meetings in Singapore."

The BEiS campaign also includes an overseas marketing initiative to help smaller events through a Special Assistance Scheme for Value Events (SAVE). Meeting planners looking to host an event in Singapore can also find additional deals with the STB's "2009 Reasons to Meet in Singapore Campaign," which offers accommodation and meeting promotions.

If Singapore meeting is in your future, make sure to explore the Singapore meeting planning profile on the Cvent Destination Guide. Explore hotels, unique venues, convention centers, attractions and more!

According to the International Congress & Convention Association, Germany is a hotspot for meetings and events. In fact, in 2008, the country ranked as the number 1 destination outside of the United States to host an association meeting, having hosted over 400 of them last year. Lucky for planners, Cvent has made it even easier to plan and book events in Germany, having just launched the Berlin meeting planning profile on the Cvent Destination Guide!

With over 500 hotel rooms and several large convention facilities, Berlin is a top-notch destination for your international events; in fact, it ranked number 5 on ICCA's 2008 list of the most popular cities for international association meetings. From unique Berlin venues such as the Chamaleon Theater to traditional facilities such as the Internationales Congress Centrum Berlin, it's never been easier to find space for your events in Berlin.

With the addition of Berlin, the Cvent Destination Guide is your go-to resource for international events. With comprehensive meeting planning information for more than half of the ICCA's top 10 destinations—and plenty more on the way—on the Destination Guide and our ever-expanding database of international hotels and venues, it's easier than ever to start planning your international meetings through Cvent.

We have talked to many CVBs and DMOs who are running interesting meeting planning promotions. At HSMAI's Affordable Meetings National, I met with the Fort Worth CVB, who showed me their meeting planner promotion and I thought it was unique.

The Arlington, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Irving CVBs have partnered together to offer a meeting planning promotion that covers the DFW metro area. They describe the promotion as "the nation’s first multi-city, multi-brand, attrition-free program." The promotion caught my attention because Dallas is the fourth largest metro area in the U.S. and I like the idea of limiting the risk for event planners associated with attrition to stimulate meetings. It is great that Dallas hotels, across chains and brands, can work together to put together a stimulus plan like this for meeting planners. They are offering value beyond just a simple cash back offer or discount. These are details of the promotion

• No-attrition room contract to groups of all sizes that book and complete their meetings before June 30, 2010

• 20% discount on group ground transportation

• Group discounts on American Airlines

You can check out Dallas on the Cvent Destination Guide, or contact the Dallas area CVBs on the Cvent Supplier Network for more information.

Proving that meetings mean business is not the only trend in the industry these days. As I blogged back in April, another key trend for meeting planners in 2009 is a focus on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

Though the ideas and motives behind CSR vary from organization to organization, it continues to grow in popularity. In fact, a recent study found that the number of organizations with a CSR charter rose from 59 percent in 2008 to 61 percent today.

"We have such an incredible opportunity to impact millions of people by holding meetings responsibly," Bridget Chisholm, conference manager for the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), said in the September issue of Prevue magazine, which focuses on Corporate Social Responsibility. "It’s becoming mainstream and it’s what society wants. If a company is not conscious of the waste it produces, it’s going to eventually lose customers."

That's not an exaggeration. According a recent TBA Global white paper, 69 percent of Americans felt that companies should invest more in community projects. Additionally, a study by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) and European expense management company KDS found that about 27 percent of companies prefer to do business with suppliers and partners practicing CSR policies. 

As Peter Robinson, CEO of the David Suzuki Foundation succinctly put it, "Ethics is the new competitive environment."

As such, it's not surprising that Prevue reports that community service has experienced exponential growth in today's meetings and incentives. According to the magazine, Destination Hotels & Resorts officially inked a deal this month with Odyssey Teambuilding, a philanthropic event planning company. This provides planners a more streamlined RFP process for groups desiring a volunteer event.

Odyssey, of late, has earned major press for their teambuilding program whereby attendees build prosthetic arms for landmine victims in Asia. Participants are then connected with the individual for whom they built the particular device.

Learn more about Prevue's "Change the World" cover story, which features interviews with industry execs and  planners in Vancouver, Denver, San Jose, Virginia Beach and Riviera Maya, or sign up for complimentary subscription information at www.prevueonline.net.

Here are eight simple tips you can consider during the event planning process:

• Use Google Maps to direct people to your event. Be sure to include parking info on your event web site.  Set up carpooling as well and post links to public transportation schedules and fares. Include this information in event reminder emails to attendees sent the day before the event. This can really help limit attrition at events.

• Set up Flickr tags and inform your participants so they can use them when posting their own event pictures.

• If appropriate, recruit bloggers to live blog the event. And always contact influential bloggers in advance with event information.

• Set up a YouTube channel for videos of your event.

•Many events are using live video tools like Ustream.tv, which lets you broadcast and chat online with a global audience. It's completely free, all it takes is a camera and Internet connection.

• Go beyond traditional wire services by tapping into the neo-PR world of Pitchengine.com. Founded by social media pioneer Jason Kintzler, PitchEngine is shaking up the PR industry by making it possible for PR pros, brands, and agencies to build and share digital, social media releases with their contacts for free.

• Ask your speakers or presenters to use hashtags. Invite the audience to tweet in real time using the hashtag created specifically for the event.

• Use Twitpic or Twiddeo to tweet pictures or video links of the event. Invite key influencers to tweet event info prior to the event. Twitpic lets you share photos on Twitter. Twiddeo is a powerful but simple service that let's you Twitter updates with Video. Upload from the web, your camera phone and record from your webcam.

The pressure on meeting planners to save money while producing great results is intense. To help them do just that, the Ontario Convention Center has released a new white paper, "15 Money-Saving Tips for Meeting Planning; A Guide to Frugal Planning for Meeting Professionals."

"We've pulled together a collection of creative money-saving ideas from some of the industry's top experts and trade publications and put them together in a simple, easy-to-read guide," said Amita Patel, director of sales for the Ontario Convention Center. "Whether you're planning a national, industry-wide event or an intimate gathering, you'll find ways to save money without sacrificing the quality experience of your event with our guide."

The tips cover the most costly areas of putting on an event, with ideas ranging from negotiating with hotels and venues to get the best deal to creative ideas for saving on one of the event's most important areas: food and beverage costs.

We at Cvent were shocked to see in some cities that a gallon of coffee costs $96! We thought milk was expensive at $6 a gallon.

"Not only is the Ontario Convention Center one of the most affordable alternatives to big-city venues in Southern California, we can help keep the costs of many aspects of your event under control," said Bob Brown, Ontario Convention Center general manager and CEO. "The guide also includes tips for identifying less-expensive locations for your events and a section on how to demonstrate its true Return on Investment (ROI)."

My favorite tip in their report is number 7 - take your event registration online. They mention to use an Online Registration tool that is Passkey capable. Just wanted to point out Cvent's travel and housing module is linked to Passkey.

"15 Money-Saving Tips for Meeting Planning; A Guide to Frugal Planning for Meeting Professionals" is available for download at www.ontariocc.com/planning/pdfs/White-Paper-15-Money-Saving-Tips.

The sour economy has triggered cuts in travel and meeting budgets so the Hilton Alexandria Old Town in Virginia just outside of Washington DC is using a novel approach to attract business.

The hotel is running a contest to find a meeting planner that needs help because of the pressure put on him or her in these rocky economic times. If your meeting is critical to stimulating future business for your company, good for the local Alexandria economy or if your organization has deep charitable roots then you could qualify to win a free two-day meeting or event at the Hilton Alexandria Old Town, according to the hotel's website.

The stories have to be in 1,000 words or fewer and they will be collected and judged with one winner selected prior to Nov. 30. The submission deadline is Oct 31.

We have seen many Washington, DC hotel promotions but we thought this one was noteworthy as they are looking to support the local economy.