Rubber Ducky You're the One...

Rubber ducky you make bath time fun. Oh rubber ducks, how joyous. Now you may be quite puzzled about why on earth I am writing about rubber ducks. I came across an interesting article that talked about how ducks can be a cheap and very effective way for a company during an event. Whether the event itself is based on the lil' guys, or if it is just a parting gift. Rubber ducks seem to have this lasting effect on peoples minds, not to mention bring a smile.

Now anyone who knows me knows I am somewhat obsessed with collecting rubber ducks. So maybe this is the reason I found this idea so great. But really after doing some research I found it can be quite the money making event.

What a great way for a company to get its name out there and raise money for charity. Perhaps you can make this apart of your upcoming company picnic. The ideas are somewhat endless. The great thing about the ducks are that you can even customize them to your company. Many ducks can be sold with your company logo on them or even designer ducks to spice up the event could be a great idea. If you are itching to try this for your company check out e-hows how to on creating an event.

Winter Boredom?

Today while I was doing some research for a client, I realized there is an event in Oshkosh that I really knew little about. I felt ashamed that I knew so little about this event considering I was a student at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh for 4 and 1/2 years. After thinking about this for a while I wondered, am I the only student or community member out of the loop?

In this fast paced world we all get so wrapped up in our jobs, hobbies, families and friends that we sometimes forget to open our eyes to our wonderful community. I hear so many of my friends complain about there being nothing to do. Well, here I am to solve all of those winter boredom issues. OshkoshEvents.com is a place you can go to click on a calendar and see what is going on around you. I urge all of you to check it out and further more go get involved with your community.

A cheap date and some entertainment...what could be better?

Budget Friendly Tips

In these troubled economic times planning an event can be a difficult thing to do. Meetings & Events Magazine has come up with a list of ideas on how to keep costs low. So next time your company is looking to hold an event or meeting utilize these tips to help keep your budget under control.

• Use volunteers. You can find excellent volunteers among your organization or from local students looking to gain some experience and network.
• Keep volunteers busy with varied work assignments and time blocks.
• Hire on-site registration staff instead of paying staff to travel.
• Be aware of local regulations and overtime restrictions.
• Book local speakers to save on travel expenses.
• Pay travel per diem and outline expense rules.
• Hire now. Speakers and entertainers often raise their rates each year. You can lock in their current rate to save money.
• Cross-train staff to perform multiple functions and combine job duties when possible.

In the end it comes down to being smart. You can save money without making the event look cheap or amateur. Use your resources around you, give a student a chance, get creative and keep strict guidelines and your not only will your guests be thanking you but your wallet will be too.

Haiti Help

As my followers have probably been able to pick up on by now, Encore is in the business of events. We help to make others have a stress free and successful day. And while the business I am about to propose is not the event you would typically link to Encore, it is an event that needs our help.

Unless you have been in a hole you have probably heard recently a catastrophic event took place. Tuesday evening a 7.0 earthquake rocked Haiti. The devastation has left an estimated 50,000 people dead with more to come unless they get help soon.

Thanks to our technologically savvy world, you can help out from home with a couple quick clicks or a short phone call. If you are looking to open your hearts and help others in this devastating time of need CNN has posted a list of organizations helping out in the relief.

Please join Encore by spreading the word and helping those who need it most.

"Peace is not something you wish for; It's something you make, Something you do, Something you are, And something you give away." Robert Fulghum

Planning an Event at a Hotel?

I found this article in "Meetings & Events Las Vegas Meeting Planner Resources Magazine" and thought that it was a very handy and helpful piece of information to pass along to our readers. Hope this will help share some insight into some things often over looked when planning meetings. This is just another reason why leaving planning to the professionals such as Encore is a great idea ;)

Enjoy!

"Consider the following before making a final decision:

• Decoration- Hotels usually offer lavish settings for meetings and events compared to convention centers or other meeting venues. On the other hand, the restrictions placed on decorating hotels are often more strict and can prevent meeting planners from achieving a desired look. Meeting planners should have a vision before committing to a space that can not be altered.
• Security- Hotels offer 24-hour service and usually have security officers in place at all times. Convention center "close for business so security is often not available after hours. It is important to determine what level of security the event will require. Hotels are public so additional security may need to be put into place to keep attendees safe. 
• Freight Elevators- Many meeting planners are shocked to find that they have been charged a fee to use the freight elevator when the bill comes. It is important to discover any hidden fees before the situation arises.
• Additional Services- Hotels can often offer a multitude of services to meeting planners that convention centers are forced to contract out. This is beneficial to meeting planners because it is easier to negotiate discounts and keep services organized when they are coming from a single source. Hotels are essentially a one-stop-shop for meeting planners.
• How to Negotiate With a Hotel?- Promise multiple meetings. One of the best ways to leverage negotiations with a hotel is to commit to holding several events at the location. Hotels are looking for return customers and are more likely to make deals with meeting planners that they know will contract their services, time and time again. "

Winter Spectacular Part 2

Hey everyone happy Monday! Just got some more pictures in from our event a couple of weeks ago. Thought I would share the beautiful set up. Enjoy!

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year friends or according to feedback from last weeks blog perhaps I should say Happy 2K10! If your new years resolution is to become a bit more organized then do I have the calendar for you. This calendar, from Urban Outfiters, is so fun it would get me excited to see each day pass! Count down to the weekend anyone?