Meetings

Holding a small, simple event? Cvent has you covered. Or maybe it's a large, sophisticated one? You can count on us. No matter what you're faced with, Cvent should be your go-to software company.

We are able to handle such a wide variety of events by allowing YOU to configure a process that incorporates all of your potential needs - without forcing you to add on all the "bells and whistles" if you just don't need or want them.

For example, some clients need multiple sessions and workshop choices, while others only have a bi-annual luncheon that lasts two hours.

Many planners flock to us for help managing a complex fee structure that requires components such as discounts, early-bird registration options, complicated cancellation policies, etc. But there are also customers who are just happy to have a software that brings them from manually processing checks to doing it in the most basic way, securely online.

For more examples and information about particular system capabilities, check out our event product tools.

So whether you're trying to manage 30 people, 300 or 3,000 remember that the Cvent system is flexible enough to adapt to your preferences.

The Twitterverse is all aflutter over Twitter Lists. Made available just last month, this new feature allows you to create a roster of all your favorite tweeps.

How can meeting and event planners make the most out of Twitter Lists? Check out these three list suggestions that could be beneficial for your next event:

• Create a list of your attendees. Ask attendees for their Twitter ideas during registration and you can create a very useful Twitter list for your event. This is a great way for attendees to connect before, during and after the tradeshow or conference.

• Create a list of useful contacts. No matter the size of your event, it's always good to make sure attendees know who they can get in touch with when they have questions. Why not create a list of your event team members for attendees to see? You could even include on-site venue contacts, speakers and more.

• Create a list for your event discussion. Find out who plans to tweet live at your event and create a list to showcase these on-site attendees. Attendees can't be everywhere at once at your event, so this list is a novel way to let them "experience" all the seminars, presentations, etc. It's also an invaluable resource to those people who wanted to attend but were not unable to do so.

When was the last time you asked yourself, "Am I getting the most out of my Cvent system?" Here are some best practices to ensure that the answer to that question is a confident "YES!"

Remember to set up one or two automatic reminders to go to invitees that have not yet responded to your invitation if you really want to increase attendance. This is an easy way to help increase the head count to your event and, with a paying event, increase revenue. Use catchy subject lines such as “2 days left for the Early Bird Special” or “Don't Miss Out! RSVP Date is fast approaching!"

And don't forget to take steps to make sure your attendees come back with Cvent's ability to survey your registrants before the event takes place so you can better meet their expectations. Ask them what they want speakers to talk about, where the next event should be held, what topic(s) they'd like the next event to concentrate on, what makes someone register and attend, and if they are interested in hearing more about your organization, your product, etc.

Too often clients don't take advantage of this invaluable feature, but after taking some time to initially set it up, you'll find it was time well spent.

Make sure your email invitations are being opened and read by avoiding certain days and times. Never send out an email over the weekend or on Monday morning - this is prime time for mailboxes to be full (especially with that dreaded SPAM). Remember, timing is everything!

And finally, don't hesitate to set up a time to do an event review with your Account Manager before you launch your events. It never hurts to have us take a look and make sure that everything is going to run smoothly!

Next week, The Peabody Orlando hotel will host a Topping Out Ceremony at its expansion site to celebrate the safe completion of the concrete structure on the 32-story hotel tower. Undergoing a total makeover, the Orlando hotel is expected to have its grand opening October 2010.

Upon completion, The Peabody Orlando will over 1,641 guest rooms, 250,000 square feet of function/exhibit space, a parking garage for 2,100 cars (completed in July 2009), a Napa Valley Wine-themed restaurant, and the 22,000-square-foot Peabody Spa & Athletic Club.

This impressive facility will feature 12 spa treatment rooms, two couples suites, four massage rooms, four body massage rooms and two skincare rooms, as well as men's and women's locker rooms each with a sauna, whirlpool and lounges. The Athletic Club is set to triple in size, offering a 2,450-square-foot cardio area and two exercise studios.

Already a Mobil Travel Guide Four Star and AAA Four Diamond property, the renovated Peabody Orlando is booking business from meeting planners for the fall of 2010 and beyond.

View more information about The Peabody Orlando on the Cvent Supplier Network

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.

Need some inspiration for this year's holiday party? Check out the holiday decor photo gallery at Special Events. From an ice sculpture fountain to an elegant centerpiece made using pine cones and branches, the works of event decorators and florists from across the country are sure to inspire some ideas of your own.

I think my favorite are probably the pumpkins painted silver from Extraordinary Events. What a great way to glam up this holiday staple!

What are your ideas for how to make holiday party decor stand out from the crowd?

The Millennium Bostonian Hotel in Boston has unveiled the results of its $24 million renovation. Its 201 brand-new rooms feature pillow-top beds, Frette linens and 40-inch, high-definition televisions. Its lobby also welcomes guests with a new, contemporary look.

For Boston meetings and events, the hotel has opened its 3,000-square-foot Seasons Ballroom. A great Boston banquet space, the ballroom features bay windows, a glass ceiling, plenty of natural light and great views of Faneuil Hall Marketplace. The hotel also has several other meeting suites.

This luxury Boston hotel's renovation also included a new dining area, North 26 Restaurant and Bar. Plus, the Millennium Bostonian is just minutes away from top Boston attractions such as the New England Aquarium and Boston Harbor. More than 125 shops and restaurants are also just outside the door.

View more information about the Millennium Bostonian Hotel on the Cvent Supplier Network

With tight budgets and picky eaters, finding great food for a good bargain in the Windy City is a difficult task for event planners. Chicago is well-known for its fine dining restaurants, but at a eye-popping price! Here is a list of some of hidden Chicago restaurant gems found in the many ethnic neighborhoods that surround the city.

Nacional 27
Sizzling Latino Treat
Located in the River North Neighborhood

Petterino's
Traditional Delicious Italian
Located Downtown

May Street Market
Rich, Contemporary Cuisine
Located in the West Loop

Vong's Thai Kitchen
Tasty Thai
Located on the North Side of Chicago

Marche
Fabulous French Food
Located in the West Loop

These Chicago dining facilities guarantee a great dining experience. When bringing small groups to these hot spots, be sure to ask for their pre-fixed menus to cut down on costs. Also, be sure to request a drink package. Dining with alcohol on consumption can be a risky move when entertaining clients.

To learn more about Chicago restaurants for your client dinners and private events, please visit the Cvent Supplier Network.

The end of the year is quickly approaching and many of us are simply worn out. Companies nationwide are trying to get the most out of their employees while they're in the office, meaning most of the employees are worn out by the time they get home. Why not treat the team to some fun activities to celebrate the year's end? Consider some alternative Atlanta venues that will not only boast employees' spirits but also awaken their inner child.

Atlanta is the perfect destination to rejuvenate your staff. Dave & Buster's is a great Atlanta special event venue where your guests can eat, drink and play. Complete with arcade games, billiards and a main dining room, there is definitely something here for everyone to enjoy.

The Atlanta restaurant gladly welcomes large groups in spaces such as the small party room for intimate events or even the entire 70,000-square-foot special event facility, depending on your needs. The showroom is a happy medium for those mid-sized Atlanta events, and it includes audio-visual equipment.

For those that have a need for speed, consider booking Andretti Indoor Karting & Games. These aren't your carnival bumper cars—your racing fee comes with helmet, race car driver jumpsuit and a once-in-a-lifetime race car experience. Andretti has two professional style tracks, pool tables, a 30-foot rock climbing wall, high ropes course and arcade games. It isn't all play and no work, of course, as Atlanta conference rooms are on-site as well. The Grand Prix Suite offers 4,200 square feet of special event space including tables, seating and audio-visual equipment.

For more information about these and other Atlanta special event facilities, visit the Cvent Supplier Network.

Cvent has launched its custom reporting tool, providing customers tremendous help with the need to meet structured reporting requirements.

One of our dedicated account managers shared reasons as to why her clients are thrilled about this new functionality:

• It saves valuable hours that used to be set aside for exporting multiple reports and meshing them together on a daily basis.
• You can pick a unique design, which columns you want to include, as well as which order you'd like to place the columns.
• It's easy to change filters to run reports.

Once built, the report format stays in your account for the future, so you won't find yourself recreating the wheel each time.

Client feedback gives us proof that the finance department is one particular group that benefits from the tool. They can gather information on registrants, the amount of orders submitted, how much was paid, how much money is due, and any related discount codes - all in one convenient report (rather than 5)!

The end results? Significantly more accurate billing and less headaches!

Los Angeles boutique hotels come out on top! Who needs bustling lobbies full of tourists and tour guides when you can be greeted by name and escorted directly to your room like an A-lister? Stand in line to check in? That's so 2000 and late!

There's a new list of 5 star hotels in Los Angeles, none of which have more than 200 rooms. In order to reach the tip top of every meeting planner's list, these swanky boutique lairs must have a luxurious LA conference room and a rooftop to die for.

Cvent Planner Insider Tip: Aim High! Schedule an exclusive meeting in one of these private conference rooms or pitch the perfect party at the top one of these powerhouses—either way, you are guaranteed to raise the roof!

Here's my 'top-heavy" list of luxury boutique hotels LA has to offer:

1. The Thompson Beverly Hills
2. Le Montrose Suite Hotel
3. The Huntley Hotel
4. Petit Ermitage
5. Chamberlain West Hollywood

Find more Los Angeles luxury hotels on the Cvent Supplier Network.

With the dark clouds of a gloomy economic climate still hovering over our heads, many professionals are being forced to move into the virtual meeting space. But no need to be discouraged; Many of our clients have been faced with this reality, and we provide a way for them to hold various events over the Internet without losing an ounce of professionalism.

We've responded to this online trend by integrating with Cisco's Webex - the leading online meeting and presentation tool. Users are leveraging our sophisticated event management application to bring their meetings, seminars, training classes and more to a higher level of success.

The Webex integration opens a world of possibilities:

• Send registrants confirmation and reminder emails with updated session links and access codes
• Save time that would otherwise be spent importing and exporting files
• Control the activation and modification integration settings for each event you host

Customers can seamlessly share data between the two systems, ultimately allowing  registrants easy access to Webex meetings. The benefit to users is that they can side-step the technical mishaps that usually deter meeting attendance and get in the way of their organization's attempt to deliver value.

Rewind to the 1920s when mobsters were hiding out all over Chicago, defying the prohibition and running underground gambling operations. Allow your guests to experience how Chicago was during its most famous time period, everything from the cigar girls to risky games of black jack!
 
US Poker & Casino Parties is the nation's leading supplier for professional corporate gaming entertainment. This one-stop shop for corporate outings, fundraisers, charity events, team-building and private parties delivers customized, elegant Chicago events with a flawless delivery.

US Poker & Casino Parties can host groups from 10 to 2,000 people. Each event is tailored to the group's individual needs. The company's courteous dealers are happy to provide instructions and rules to event participants to ensure they enjoy their experience. The tables and equipment—from black jack to roulette to slot machines—have superior quality and are comparable to the tables in Las Vegas and Monte Carlo.

The staff of this Chicago event supplier guarantees on-time delivery and full on-site management. Staff members are also able to coordinate other aspects to your event including cigar and show girls, picking and contracting a venue, musical entertainment and much more! This gaming entertainment company is focused on providing the most authentic and realistic experience for their clients, so check them out the next time you want to take your Chicago entertainment up a notch!

Branding should be at the forefront of every event planner's mind as they coordinate an event from start to finish. The event invitation emails, website, collateral—it should all have a consistent, polished look. Quality event branding not only makes your event look more professional, it also makes it easier to tie your event into other marketing strategies.

Cvent does its best to help event planners with their event branding efforts. One unique feature we offer is branded URLs for your events.

Brand URLs offer several benefits to planners. For example, they:

• Make it easier for attendees to remember your web address

• Improve your event websites rank in search engines

• Establish consistency between your event and company or association

Event planners can create branded URLs in Cvent that include the company name or even the title of the event itself. For more information on branded URLs and Cvent's branding package, contact Customer Care.

Featuring "Latino flavors with the spice of life," Carnivale is the reflection of Chicago's Latin culture and community. This venue, located in Chicago's West Randolph Street District, has an explosive and passionate atmosphere that brings in a crowd unlike any other!

Carnivale serves an authentic and soulful cuisine that allows guests to explore dishes from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Columbia, Peru, Argentina, El Salvador and Mexico—all of which are prepared and served by professional staff who drives on creating a great experience for the guest. The menu includes dishes such as the seared rare ahi tuna with heirloom tomato and cucumber pico de gallo and the Nicaraguan-style, wood-grilled beef tenderloin with goat cheese puree, arugula chimichurri and spicy beet salsa.

Carnivale also serves as a Chicago private dining facility for 15 to 1,000 people, with a total of 10,000 square feet of private dining space. Its seven separate private areas—The Tango Room, Flamenco Room, Samba Room, The Salons and lastly, The Lambada Lounge—are decorated with playful, bright colors and Latin decor, which provides a one-of-a-kind backdrop for event guests. This unique Chicago venue is great for groups who have been occupied in meeting rooms all day. The atmosphere is a combination of fine dining with lots of fun and energy.

Carnivale also hosts many private Chicago events arranged by its staff. The Chicago restaurant's November calendar includes a holiday cocktail class as well as a course on how to throw a Latin dinner party.  The versatile venue is capable of hosting any type of event with style and precision!

View more information about Carnivale on the Cvent Supplier Network

The Lobby at Twelve is not your run-of-the-mill hotel waiting area. There's no suitcases, bellman, or key cards here, and its patrons are not only guests of the Twelve Hotel but some of Atlanta's elite. Listed as one of the best Atlanta restaurants by Atlanta Magazine and Access Atlanta, this downtown Atlanta eatery is a city hot pot for singles and business professionals who want to see and be seen.

The tantalizing menu includes a variety of land and sea options to appease a wide range of tastes. Awaken your palate with the Red Snapper Ratatouille, BBQ Chicken Wood Oven Pizza or even the Pappardelle Pasta. For dessert, the Flourless Chocolate Cake was named among the city's best by the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Pair any dish with a glass of the finest wines around the world from its 115-bottle wine list.

Private dining in an intimate setting is available at the Cellar, an Atlanta private dining facility located within the Lobby at Twelve. Mostly larger groups, business meetings and of course wine tastings are hosted amidst the contemporary mahogany wood tables, which seat parties of 48 or fewer guests.

Many guests go to a restaurant to feed their hunger, but next time you plan an event in Atlanta, come to the Lobby to satisfy all your senses. Smell the American cuisine, taste the urban cocktails, see some of Atlanta's finest, hear your guests compliment your venue selection and feel the warmth of the staff's true Southern hospitality.

Are you in need of a really unique venue to wow guests at your next event? Trying to come up with an out-of-the-ordinary activity to inspire your employees? Or just looking for a new place to go on vacation, but think you've seen and done it all? Enter Galactic Suite Space Resort.

Guests begin their out-of-this-world experience at the SpacePort, located on a tropical island, where they undergo a brief astronaut training process. After a few weeks, guests journey through space on the SpaceShip until their arrive at the SpaceResort. The Resort orbits the earth in just 90 minutes, meaning you'll see sunrises or sunsets every 45 minutes, in addition to experiencing weightlessness, space sports, star gazing and some of the most unforgettable views you'll ever see.

Galactic Suites is currently taking reservations and plans to start its journeys by 2012. The three-night journey will cost about $4.4. million. Single pods are expected to hold four guests and two astronaut pilots.

What do you think: is space truly the final frontier for hospitality and travel?

M&T Bank Stadium, home of the National Football League’s Baltimore Ravens, is one of the most interesting event venues in Baltimore. In particular, the lounges on the Club Level of the stadium rival any other special event facility in the Baltimore metropolitan area.

The North Club Level Lounge can accommodate groups from 50 people to upwards of 2,000 people, while offering a fantastic view of the Baltimore skyline, including the nearby Sheraton Inner Harbor and Hilton Baltimore hotels. The two South Club Level lounges can accommodate up to 1,000 people each. In addition, there are several smaller areas on the Club Level that easily handle smaller meetings of 60 to 250 people.

Meetings, sit-down dinners and receptions can be accommodated in either the North or South Club Level Lounges. The folks at Aramark can create custom menus to match the theme of your meeting. Additional attractions for your special event can be arranged at the stadium, such as having the Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders or mascots attend, as well as behind-the-scenes tours of the suites, Press Box, and locker rooms. This is truly a unique venue in Baltimore and one that guests talk about after they leave.

View more information about M&T Bank Stadium on the Cvent Supplier Network

Now more than ever is a time to save, and the Hilton family of hotels wants to help. Event planners who book and stay at any participating Hilton, Conrad, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels or Waldorf Astoria Collection property between February 16, 2009 and March 31, 2010, can receive extra incentives.

Incentive options are:

• Complimentary room ratio of 1 per 35 per paid group room nights
• 25 percent allowable attrition
• Double Hilton HHonors Base points for the attendees
• Complimentary staff meals for up to four staff members
• 2 percent rebate on room revenue
• 500 Hilton HHonors bonus points per paid group room night

Book 50 to 99 group room nights to receive one incentive of your choice; book 100 to 149 to receive two incentives; or book 150 or more to receive three incentives.

To take advantage of this meeting promotion, mention "Book Now and Save" when you call Hilton Direct USA at 1-877-476-2426 or contact your local Hilton hotel or Sales Worldwide representative. To find a Hilton in your area with enough space for your next event, visit the Cvent Supplier Network.

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.