Battery operated LED Lighting for events

Sometimes my email box is overwhelming, but I love getting some of vendor newsletters with great new products. CORT Event Furnishings just sent this one featuring their new Luna Line with modular, battery-operated LED lighted furniture. So fun!

Event Planning, Wedding Planning, and High School Job Shadows

At this time of year, I also get a lot of calls from high schoolers desiring job shadows. I think this is a great idea and can be a worthwhile experience for the student, but for a busy planner it can almost be overwhelming to try and convey the concept of who we are and what we do in a one-day experience, which is what a lot of students are asking for. I even have schools asking for a one-hour job shadow. Unfortunately, it would take ten times the amount of hours to prepare a useful curriculum, than what the student and I would actually spend together, based on what schools and students are asking.  So I usually decline.

One thing that I think would make high school job shadows more appealing to event planners would be if, rather than a one-hour or one-day event, students would treat their job shadow just as importantly as a varsity sport or other extracurricular activity such as Debate, Math Club, etc., and plan on signing up for at least a 90-day experience, perhaps with four to ten hours per week spent on working for their job mentor.  This way, both the student and the mentor can benefit from the experience.  And event planners would be more likely to accept more students.

Applying for an event planning internship

I receive many requests for event planning internships and job shadows.  It is not possible to accommodate the torrent of requests that come in every fall and spring.  How can a candidate differentiate themselves and get a call back?

I think a compelling cover or opening inquiry letter is key.  A phone call may not get picked up, or your call may come at the wrong time (planner on the way to the meeting, onsite at an event, working from home with children, etc.)  In addition, event planners tend to be on the more traditional side when it comes to etiquette (we are asked to be managers  of protocol and guest experiences, after all) and a phone call can feel far too casual.

I saw an internship request come across The Bridal Loft's inbox the other day that I thought was very well written.  It asked all the right questions, and positioned the candidate as someone who was truly interested in what her target desired in an internship.  This is very different from the common mistakes of starting a cover letter or inquiry with a bunch of "all about me" information and meaningless superlatives ("It is my lifelong dream to work in the wedding industry"). You can bet I noticed this person.

  My name is XXXXXX and I am an XXXXXXXXXXX student at XXX. Time is soon coming to apply for internships and I am very interested in yours. I would love to know what you expect from your interns and what you will be looking for in portfolios and resumes. When would be the right time to apply and what method would you prefer. Would you rather an online portfolio or a printed copy? I was also wondering if this was a paid internship or purely for the joy of the experience. Thank you so very much for your time and I hope to hear back from you soon.

Sincerely,
XXXXXXXXXXXX

Image thanks to ehow.com

National Federation of Nurses Launch

Tonight we're blogging live from the National Federation of Nurses Launch Party in Portland, Oregon.  We're going green with the guest book and letting our attendees sign in with comments!  Also, allowing our remote attendees to twitter with the #nfn09 hashtag and text to http://tinyurl.com/nfnlaunch with their congratulatory messages.

Please join us by leaving a comment for this wonderful new nurses' union!

ISES Portland March meeting - "Pimp My Warehouse!"

Today I attended the International Special Events Society (Portland chapter in formation) monthly meeting. ISES is a group near and dear to my heart, as it is the organization that provided me with so much education, networking, and the kick start to my business, when I first had the idea of creating my own event company back in 1997 in Austin.

When I moved my business to Portland in 2002, I was astounded at the event talent here, and equally astounded that there was not an ISES chapter. In 2004, a group of event planners including Molli of Soiree, Olivia (then of West Coast Event Productions, now of Hotel Lucia), Susan of Class Act Events, and me, began a founders' group to investigate the idea of creating an ISES chapter in Portland. Our board of directors has changed and grown, and continually impresses me with the level of talent and professionalism that I have access to through ISES.

At that time, there was lukewarm interest and a few naysayers. We were told that there were many networking organizations "doing the same thing" in Portland and that we might not achieve our membership goals. But I knew in my heart that the vibe of ISES is different, the mission of ISES is unique, and that someday there would be a place in Portland for an ISES chapter.

Fast forward to 2009, where our "Pimp My Warehouse" event attracted nearly 80 attendees and brought together such amazing names as West Coast Drape, Henry V Events, Peter Corvallis Productions, A Swank Affair, Hollywood Lighting, Stages Northwest, and Royce's Prop Shop to collaborate on creating a gorgeous nightclub out of an auto dealership. Even though it was lunchtime, many of our attendees wished that there were cocktails and that we could stay all afternoon and network in the cozy space. It is a testament to the good that can come of having a vision and sticking with it. I know that Portland and the events community at large will benefit from this creative, collaborative, and passionate organization.



I'm posting a few pictures here taken from my phone, but I am eagerly awaiting the professional pics from Michael at West Coast Drape, who I met for the first time at this event (even though I have worked with WCD at several events). The energy at the event was so amazing, and I had so many great conversations with events friends old and new: Premiere Catering, KTDid Productions, Bravo Publications, Vibrant Table Catering, Alesia Zorn Calligraphy, Royce's Prop Shop, Notes of Celebration, Celebrate Catering, and so many more. I can't say it enough: ISES is a wonderful group that has given me so much over the years. I hope that any of you, special events professionals, reading this, will take a look at ISES and see if it is a fit for you.

how to get gigs through event planners and hotels

Disclaimer: I'm not a booking agent; there are lots of wonderful reasons to use one and there are some really great agents out there, especially in Portland (like here and here).

On the other hand, I know there are lots of bands without an agent who want to know what they can do to start up a little bit of buzz and get some regular gigs playing out, which will hopefully eventually lead to more contacts and those prime, well-paying event and wedding jobs?

Here's my list, and feel free to comment with your opinion, especially if it is different.

1. Make your media packet digital. There's more room to store mp3s on a hard drive than in the office. Also, if you happen to send it to a semi-prolific blogger, the way Hideki Yamaya did here, said blogger may instantly go to your website, listen to your music, blog and tweet about it. Instant PR!

2. If you must send paper packets, try to target the right person at the organization by doing a little online research. Sending out a bunch of CDs to "Catering Manager" is just a waste of time.

3. Don't call event planners or venue managers and ask them for their address and "if you can" send them a packet. Most event planners and hotels have addresses that are easily found online and asking them this information just makes you look lazy or not very smart. And asking their "permission" to mail is just a waste of time. Just mail it!

3a. Also don't call event planners and tell them that you are interested in getting more gigs. Great! But that falls into the dreaded "AAM" (All About Me) conversational faux pas. Much better either not to cold-call, or if you do, prepare by learning about your target planner's business and offer a way that you can help them.

4. Find ways to play out to the right crowds. Sometimes this means playing for free. My husband Dave disagrees with me on this one, but I do think that if an event planner hears you at an event, they are more likely to seek you out and book you for their own events, than if they have only heard a CD or online mp3. Good places to go are hotel lobbies, happy hours, and association meetings like ISES, ABC, and MPI. Again, do research ahead of time to see if the organization is a good match for the kinds of gigs you are looking for, and find out if there's an upcoming meeting that your entertainment might be perfect for. Or pitch the association board with a novel idea, such as a meeting centered around an entertainment showcase, like the one ISES Seattle did a while back. If you don't want to gig for free, then figure out some dates that you already have a gig on the books, and send a pretty calendar or other "reminder book" (perhaps with an invitation to be on the guest list) to some key event planners that you are after.

I hope you find these helpful! Please feel free to comment with your thoughts.

great inspiration from a fellow planner

Thalia Plummer, who sits on the board of ISES Portland with me, and is the owner of Premiere Events Portland, recently posted this great piece of inspiration on her blog:

"With what the media is calling our "Arctic Blast" of 2008, the disarray of the stock market, and the disillusioning nightly news reports being pumped into homes across America day and night, it can be hard to keep focus on what's really important..."
Read more at Thalia's "Meetings, Events and Parties" blog...

I just had to share it with you!