Personal Branding

First, you need to brand yourself. An often-misunderstood buzzword, “personal brand” means having a clear vision of who you are, and it makes the difference between a wildly successful planner and a mediocre one, says career and branding coach Amanda Guralski, president of bizMe Consulting. Begin this year with one big career goal, Guralski advises; smaller goals will follow in time.

Next, ditch the suit. “Clients should view you as partner, not a vendor,” says Richard O’Malley, a 15-year veteran of special events planning and president of The O’Malley Project, a production and trade show services company. “When you go on the site visits, dress appropriately. Don’t wear the $3,000 suit to the lighting warehouse.”

It’s also important to remain calm. Clients need to see your enthusiasm, even on tough days. “The planners that get called back time and time again are the ones who don’t let anyone see them sweat,” says Guralski. In a bad mood because of a speeding ticket acquired on the way to a meeting? If possible, reschedule.

New planners have to cut their teeth in the industry somewhere, and many faith-based planners start in volunteer roles at churches or with nonprofits. Those are good places to start. “It teaches you how to talk to people and how to negotiate, because you have to get everything for free,” says O’Malley, who got his start as a wedding DJ in college, then transferred that experience to fundraising events.

As you continue to brand yourself, understand that there are times where you’ll be uncomfortable. You need to be uncomfortable to challenge yourself and advance your career. Too many mid-level planners become burned out or lulled into a comfort zone, no longer giving their all. A client’s big day becomes “just another job” to them. “It’s not just the bottom line on this one job,” says O’Malley. Create wonderful memories, add value to events, and clients will return.

Certification

Planners often seek professional certification, but O’Malley cautions against pursuing every certification opportunity presented. Thoroughly investigate the instructor’s credentials before signing up. “There are a lot of charlatans out there who hold seminars to hold seminars.”

While Guralski is an advocate of continual learning and personal growth, she says work experience often outweighs certification. “Anyone can memorize a book,” she says. “Business savvy and maturity come from applying skills and knowledge.”

Social Media 

“If you’re not on social media, you don’t exist,” says Guralski, who encourages the business owners she coaches to be very clear in their 140-word bios on Twitter. Make it easy for potential clients and peers to understand what you do, what you specialize in, what your mission is and, eventually, to recognize you as an industry guru. Host Twitter chats on topics relevant to your expertise or form a content-driven group on LinkedIn. And content is still king. When sharing links via Twitter or LinkedIn, give your audience ideas of substance—articles on how to be inspirational or incorporate giveback programs into events, for example.

Marketing

As an individual, marketing yourself can be difficult. It’s important to include money for event sponsorships in your marketing budget, then select opportunities that optimize exposure. “Your stuff should be highlighted, not just thrown in a goodie bag…that’s wasted marketing money,” says O’Malley. “Make sure it’s something that’s seen and experienced by the crowd as important so they’ll take away the memory of it.” Faith-based planners have a real opportunity to showcase their skills at events, which could ultimately lead to more business.

Maria Carter is an Atlanta-based writer focusing on business, travel and other lifestyle topics. Her work has appeared in dozens of consumer magazines and trade publications. You can reach her at maria@marcarter.com.

What do you do? Do you simply say yes, ask the timing, meal details, budget and hang up the phone?

Or do you request a time to meet with the stakeholder to ask more strategic questions or proceed with them while on the phone? If you answered yes immediately, you need to start looking for ways to get out of the reactive zone.

Seasoned planners know that before they accept responsibility for organizing any meeting or event, they must step back, take a look at the big picture and get a clear understanding of the strategic purpose behind the event. They know there must be a definitive answer to the question “Why are we doing this?” as well as a clear set of criteria that can be used, after the fact, to evaluate whether the gathering fulfilled that purpose and delivered the key message. If the objective cannot be stated in one brief sentence, then the directional compass will never find its way. A list of goals must follow, ranging from three to six or more targeted components of the event design campaign. Furthermore, there is always a trigger word or point that is the real reason for the gathering, which is rarely put on paper. Identifying what that is will help when you report back to the stakeholders.

The reason for the hypothetical meeting for 100 next month might be planning, brainstorming, teambuilding, customer-related or some combination of these. If you don’t know, you can’t plan the event. You won’t even be able to find a suitable venue. Why not? Because the venue you choose affects the message you send to attendees, just as surely as the advertising medium—print, broadcast or digital—affects the ad message to the target audience.

Try asking your senior executives or managers how much time, effort and energy go into determining your organization’s most effective advertising or public relations campaigns. Then, ask them to compare them to the amount of time, effort and energy that goes into defining the business value and illustrating the message for a meeting or event. All three communication vehicles—advertising, public relations, and meetings and events—must, of course, be synchronized with the organization’s larger strategic purpose. I have yet to meet an organization’s manager who didn’t get it, once I posed the question. Most hold the teams responsible for the organization’s marketing messages to a very strict set of standards that culminate in this question: Was our investment here justified?

Similarly, they hold the people who coordinate the enterprise’s marketing efforts accountable for an equally compelling question: Is the right message reaching the right constituency? You must ask senior executives to apply the same standards of accountability to meetings and events.

As a meeting planner, you should work with all the relevant stakeholders to clearly identify the significance of each meeting, making sure the answer to “why” also supports and reinforces the strategic message that drives your organization’s marketing initiatives. Finally, you should be able to document a clear return on investment, demonstrating the business value of live communication to the executives you serve.

How can you remain indispensable at work? By bringing attention to the value of what you do. How do you do that? By focusing on where the organization is going rather than on the procedural or day-to-day maintenance issues of your position.

Begin thinking of how you contribute to the success of the organization. Do you know what the top business issues are within your organization?

See Their Point of View

Enhance your role as a team player by demonstrating a sincere interest in your organization and looking at issues from the manager’s viewpoint. If the cost of labor is forcing cutbacks to your budget or department, get with your supervisor and figure out ways to merge systems or tasks, cut costs and negotiate spending. Often you’ll find redundancies can be eliminated, saving costs and maybe someone’s job.

Take Ownership

Do you know what your job description is? The last thing a manager wants to hear is, “I did not know that was my responsibility.” It is critical that you take ownership of your job responsibilities. Ask your supervisor to clarify any items within your role that you do not understand. Responding with “I know” rather than “I didn’t know” demonstrates you really do care about your position within the organization.

Talk In Sound Bites

Concentrate on improving communication with your supervisor and your team. Think about how your listener will receive the message. Put yourself in the listener’s shoes and consider how he or she might react. Learn to talk in sound bites—quick and fast. Supervisors want the summary, not all the details. Learn to ask questions.

Find A Mentor

To be the most indispensable person you can be, get a coach. Surround yourself with mentors and coaches from inside and outside your industry. How do you get a coach? Look around your informal and formal networks and figure out who you would like to emulate. Whose skills and career path do you admire? Then ask if they will mentor you. Most of the time, people are flattered that they have been asked. It does not take much time—perhaps just a 45-minute phone call once every three months. You tell them what is going on and they give you simple advice to get back on track.

Participate In Professional Development Activities

Now is the time to invest in developing your skills by participating in professional development opportunities. Take workshops and seminars offered through colleges, businesses, industry conferences or proprietary types of organizations. If you are interested in a particular activity, explain how the program will contribute to the bottom-line of the organization. Manage your career portfolio by building a balanced resume. Set career goals and communicate them with your manager. Do not forget to ask for opportunities within the organization as well. There may be a position available that you never thought you could do.

Recruit A Cheering Squad

It is important to leverage the power of your networks. The first step is to understand the difference between formal networks (professional organizations that you pay dues to, with regulations, meetings and guidelines) and informal networks (people you meet in the lobby of a hotel or on an airplane or through hobbies). Social networks are a hybrid of the two. Communicate with them about situations at work and share your talents. Send out regular alerts through your grapevine and share your success stories. Start a buzz and you’ll be surprised at the information you’ll receive in return.

Safeguard Your Reputation

Always protect your name; see what others are saying about you. The key to leadership is listening to criticism and self-correcting. When a mentor gives you criticism about something you are perhaps not thinking about, it takes courage to change. You must earn credibility, not expect it, and be prepared to spend years achieving that goal. Heed the familiar caveat: It takes years to build a name, reputation and networks—and minutes to lose it all. Being approachable is important, as is helping others along the way.

The Debate
“For the faith-based meeting planner, I think the CMP designation brings something to the table that might not exist without it,” says Tommy Keown, CMP. “So many faith-based meeting planners have more or less backed into meeting planning with little or no formal training and education. As a result, they are often at a disadvantage when it comes to negotiating contracts, arranging all of the details for an event, or having a knowledge of what types of AV to request, etc.”

Keown, a lead event coordinator for LifeWay Church Resources, also sees other benefits to attaining CMP certification. “I think that your peers most definitely have a greater respect for you,” he says. “You are looked at as a leader in the organization and it can often lead to many additional opportunities that might not have come your way otherwise.”

There are definitely things that you gain from classroom experience such as contract negotiation skills, risk assessment and crisis management, but most planners agree that knowing how to deal with all kinds of crisis can be learned only through experience.

Alexandra Wagner, a graduate of the University of South Carolina’s School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Administration, believes that classroom training should include real-life applications. “A good program incorporates these scenarios,” says Wagner, director of event marketing for SunTrust Banks Inc. “Students should have to create menus, manage and execute events.”

While on-the-job training can’t be replicated in the classroom, Keown says that if you have achieved the CMP certification, you have at least had exposure to these kinds of things and can navigate through a conversation. “I think that often times the faith-based meeting planner leaves a lot of things on the table simply because they do not have the knowledge to know what to ask for,” he adds.

Many planners with several years of experience decide to gain certifications later in their careers to keep their skills fresh and stay up to date on them on industry trends and regulations.

Whether you have real-world experience, classroom training or a combination of both, most seem to agree that initiative and a passion for the business are the inherent keys to a successful career. For Keown, there is another component for those in faith-based organizations. “We have always been encouraged to give our best when doing things for the Lord,” he says. “It gives a strong nudge to continue to stretch our minds, our comfort zones, our networks, etc., when we move to that next level. You are in a position to provide leadership and mentoring that you might not otherwise be able to provide.”

Choosing a certification
Many planners and suppliers seek a certification that best matches their employment industry and best strengthens their weakest job skill. Those who have logistical responsibilities and are looking to enhance their knowledge of the tactical side of planning would find getting their Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) a great advantage. Applicants must have three years of work experience in the industry or two years of experience if they have a degree in meeting, event, exhibition or hospitality/tourism management. Full-time instructors who have taught for three years in a meeting/hospitality university program also may apply for the CMP.

In addition to work experience, CMP applicants must show evidence of 25 hours of continuing education or must have completed an internship. Certification is achieved by passing a written examination of 165 situational multiple-choice questions. The examination must be completed in three and a half hours in the U.S. and within four hours if English is not the candidate’s first language.

Senior planners and those who have their CMP and are looking to advance to the next level of education often apply for the Certification in Meeting Management (CMM) designation. This certification focuses on strengthening strategic decision-making abilities to drive the success of the organization. Its goal is to teach industry professionals how to use meetings as a strategic tool within the company. Professionals seeking management level positions and those looking to start a business in the industry as independent planners would find this certification useful.

To apply for the CMM, individuals must have a minimum of 10 years of experience in all areas of meeting management and show evidence of continuing education. Certification is achieved by attending a five-day program with group coursework; passing an online essay examination one week after the on-site program; and the submission of a newly-created business plan within eight weeks.

Those who have a role specifically in the trade show industry might consider the Certified Trade Show Marketer (CTSM) designation. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and two or more years of experience in the trade show and events field or three years of experience without a degree. Certification is achieved by completing a curriculum of 28 seminars, which equates to 42 hours of classroom study, and passing a written exam of multiple choice and true/false questions based on the seminar coursework.

Those who are looking to develop their role in association management might consider the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation. Applicants must be employed by a nonprofit organization or an association management company within the last five years and have three years of experience and a bachelor’s degree as a chief staff executive at an association, or five years of experience and a bachelor’s degree as an association staff member. Applicants must also have completed 100 hours of professional development. Certification is achieved by successfully passing a multiple-choice exam.

With the exception of the CMM, most designations require that the candidate renew their certification within three to five years. Similar to the initial application, candidates must provide evidence of continuing education/professional development and current employment within the industry. Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits can be achieved by attending industry conferences. The 2010 Rejuvenate Marketplace, Oct. 18-21 in Louisville, Ky., will feature a full-schedule of educational seminars that qualify for CEUs. For more information, visit the Marketplace page.

Monica Compton, CMP, is an event specialist with Pinnacle Productions Inc. based in Atlanta, Ga. She has 18 years of experience as a global meeting planner, managing a variety of programs both domestically and internationally. She is presenting several educational sessions at the 2010 Rejuvenate Marketplace. Tommy Keown presents “Exploring CMP Certification” at Marketplace as well. See the full list of education sessions offered here.

By Don Sadler

As a meeting planning professional, do you consider yourself to be in sales? Most planners don’t think about their jobs in these terms, but the job of a meeting planner is very much a sales job.

To some degree, many professional jobs have a sales component and presentation skills are critical. “Meeting planners are constantly selling: ideas, locations, venues, events and, most importantly, themselves,” says Craig Harrison, a speaker, trainer and founder of Expressions of Excellence!, a speaker and sales consulting service.

“Strong presentation skills are vital for establishing credibility and professionalism, and building trust,” adds Harrison. “They enable planners to persuade, negotiate, promote and sell. If you can put on a good show in a presentation, it stands to reason that you can help plan a great event.”

Selling Yourself
Meetings industry consultant Corbin Ball, CSP, CMP, agrees with Harrison about the importance of presentation skills for meeting planners. “We are selling ourselves and promoting our ideas. There are many situations where strong presentation skills will help meeting planners, like pre-conference meetings, on-site staff meetings, group announcements at events and in volunteer roles for professional associations. It can’t hurt to feel comfortable with public speaking.”

Ball says it was his election as president of the Washington State Chapter of Meeting Professionals International that made him get serious about public speaking. “At the time, I didn’t feel very comfortable in front of an audience. With my year as president coming up, in which I would speak before 150 people and conduct a board meeting each month, I knew I needed to do something about it, so I joined Toastmasters,” he says. Toastmasters International remains one of the popular organizations offering speaking and leadership skills training. “This gave me the practice and the feedback to grow greatly as a speaker. Three years later, I started my own business as a professional speaker,” says Ball.

Bonnie Wallsh, CMP, CMM, chief strategist with Bonnie Wallsh Associates, LLC, a meeting management consulting and training firm, says, “Outstanding presentation and communication skills are crucial for success as a meeting professional. Planners communicate with their staff, suppliers and internal clients, so it is imperative that their presentations be concise and anticipate any possible misunderstandings.”

After 32 years as a full-service meeting professional, Wallsh says her business is shifting to speaking, facilitating and teaching. “Most of my business comes from people who have attended my sessions and webinars,” she notes. For example, she was invited to present workshops and a boot camp at Rejuvenate Marketplace and Connect Marketplace after conference manager Dean Jones attended one of her sessions.

LoriAnn K. Harnish, CMP, CMM, CTA, is president and CEO of Speaking of Meetings and the past president of Meeting Professionals International, Arizona Sunbelt. She says speaking skills are vital to client relations and retention. “Whether you’re an independent,
association or corporate meeting planner, you need to be able to present yourself well to clients and stakeholders,” says Harnish. “For years, we’ve been trying to elevate the position of meeting and event planning so that planners are highly regarded. All planners want a ‘seat at the table,’ so to speak, and this requires strong presentation skills.”

Beth Hecquet, CMP, the director of meetings and events for the National Association of Sports Commissions, says that she is often called upon to speak on behalf of her association to promote meetings and talk about her industry. “If I am not able to give an appealing presentation with confidence and ease, this reflects badly on me and my association,” she says. “First impressions are very hard to reverse, and if the first time you hear about a meeting is from someone who can’t communicate effectively, that can result in a potential lost attendee, sponsor or partner.”

Hecquet says she didn’t start her career with strong presentation skills, but has acquired them over the years by taking advantage of every opportunity she has to speak. “Being a good presenter is not something that comes naturally for most people; rather, it’s a skill that has to be learned through experience.”

After years working at various nonprofit organizations, MaryAnne P. Bobrow, CAE, CMP, CMM, president of Bobrow & Associates, an association and meetings management consulting firm, felt drawn to share her ideas and experience with others in order to give something back. One of her first steps was to take a public speaking class.

“I’ll never forget it. I held onto the lectern for dear life and stared like a deer in headlights at the back of the room for fear I might actually make eye contact with someone,” she says. “I now share my knowledge at industry conferences, use it for my clients and teach in the university environment so that those just entering the industry will have the tools they need to become successful.”

Confidence and Credibility
Bobrow points to two key benefits of strong presentation skills for meeting planners: They help increase the planner’s credibility and self-confidence, and they help planners articulate their wants and needs to C-level executives they work with.

Carole B. Rosenblat, an independent on-site meeting and tour manager, echoes Bobrow’s thoughts about self-confidence. “As a meeting planner, you’re selling your services, and 90 percent of this involves your presentation skills. Having strong skills will convey that you have a sense of confidence in what you’re doing, which will give clients more confidence in you.

“Presentation skills have been very beneficial as I sell myself to potential clients,” she adds. “They help me think fast on my feet, stay calm, speak slowly and enunciate clearly, so that I can communicate my expertise to clients and prospects.”

Also, if your event’s speaker is late or doesn’t show up, you’ll be better prepared to deal with the situation. This doesn’t necessarily mean giving the presentation yourself, but you can at least address the group or facilitate a meeting, Rosenblat points out. “I’ve done this many times before simply because nobody else was prepared.”

Improving Your Skills
The most common presentation mistake is talking too fast, says Rosenblat, who now helps train planners on speaking and making presentations. “You really have to concentrate on slowing down. If you’re timing your presentation, keep in mind that it will probably be shorter than when you practice because you’ll probably talk faster than you realize.”

Here are some more tips from the experts for improving presentation skills:

Know your audience. “Research the profile of attendees and their objectives and know what their hot buttons are,” says Wallsh. “Customize your presentation to them as much as possible, rather than using a cookie-cutter approach.”

Be confident and enthusiastic. You’ll have a hard time conveying your message convincingly if your listeners sense that you don’t have confidence in yourself. Don’t be tentative or apologetic, and if you make a mistake, remember that your listeners probably won’t even notice. Just move on to your next point without stammering or apologizing.

Don’t use language crutches. Harrison urges speakers and presenters to use what he calls power language. “Avoid qualifiers, hedges and other figures of speech that dilute your message and diminish your impact and expertise.” Examples are words like maybe, if, possibly, perhaps and consider.

Learn from others. Identify people whose communication and presentation style you like and become a student of their success. This can be famous people on TV or videos, or simply others in your office or industry. “Listen carefully to these speakers and critique them to learn what techniques they use to engage the audience,” says Wallsh.

Join professional speaking organizations. Experts are unanimous in their praise of Toastmasters for anyone who’s serious about becoming a better presenter and speaker. Harrison has been in Toastmasters for 18 years and considers himself an evangelist for the organization. In “The Professional Toastmaster,” a quick-start guide he has written, he states, “Through Toastmasters, you can get mentoring, coaching, evaluations, feedback, support and lots of practice.”

Include examples and personal experiences. “This is the best way to really engage the audience,” says Wallsh. “People like hearing stories sprinkled in with facts, figures and statistics.”

Maintain strong eye contact. The natural tendency is to focus on just one or two people, but try to maintain eye contact with everyone in the room. Also, don’t be over-reliant on presentation materials and spend too much time looking up at a screen with your back to your audience.

Have a strong conclusion. Otherwise, it’s easy to ramble on and not know when or how to wrap things up. You want to leave listeners with a powerful idea or thought. Ask yourself: If they forget everything else you’ve said, what’s the most important thing you want listeners to remember? Then craft your conclusion around this.

Don Sadler is a freelance business writer, based in Atlanta, and a regular contributor to Rejuvenate.

The little things do count. Think back to a time when someone spontaneously did a little extra or went out of their way to do something for you without expecting anything in return. I would venture to say this action made you feel important. You can engender this feeling in others by treating them with respect, dignity and honor.

How do you offer lagniappe-style service? Lagniappe is a mindset and a way of being. Shifting your complete focus to another individual generates feelings of confidence and trust. Once you establish trust, a relationship can begin to grow. Your personal “lagniappe” brand will be a platform that supports you throughout your career.

A hotel industry colleague shared a mistake that he regrets to this day. He had to send a proposal to an important client who was an employee at a well-known overnight delivery service. The package was sent off by overnight express. But the following day, the client called to complain that, although he did receive the package, it was delivered by his company’s competitor. The hotel professional had not made the extra effort to send the package through the client’s own company. This left an unflattering perception; it showed a lack of conscientiousness. In fact, the client stated that had his boss received the package, the hotel definitely would not have won the business.

Be sure to check every aspect of your conduct to be sure your lagniappe service is sending the right message. Remember that in the corporate jungle, it is not the lions and tigers that will kill you — it’s the mosquitoes.

Here’s how you can use the concept in two distinct business situations.

When you receive a visitor at your place of business:
• Prior to the meeting, turn off your cell phone and forward all calls so you will not be disturbed.
• Once your guest enters the room, close the door to avoid distractions.
• Pre-arrange the seating so you can sit corner-to-corner with your guest. Be sure that there are no barriers — unless, of course, you are still evaluating the relationship.
• When your guest arrives, offer a beverage such as coffee or tea. This shows hospitality. However, a savvy professional will graciously decline. An unfortunate spill would not enhance one’s professional image.
• Initiate small talk and avoid anything potentially controversial.
• Be aware of body language; use mirroring to connect. Match the pace, word use, tone and inflection of the guest.
• Ask open-ended questions that will put your guest at ease and help build a better rapport.
• Maintain level-to-level seating or standing positions.
• Do not check email, sign documents or do any other office task. Your guest should have your undivided attention during the meeting.

When you are calling on a client:
• Before the meeting, go to the restroom to check attire and grooming, etc. Remember you have three to five seconds to make the best first impression.
• Greet the receptionist in a friendly manner and present your business card.
• While waiting in the reception area, be sure to move your briefcase or portfolio to your left hand, so you will be ready to shake hands.
• Graciously follow your host to the meeting room.
• Only bring in items that pertain to this particular meeting. Leave other materials in your car.
• Wait until your host is seated to sit down yourself.
• You can choose to sit either directly across from the host or at an angular position. The angular position is more open and will foster growth in the relationship.
• Business cards are generally exchanged before the meeting. Have them out to reference during the meeting. This is especially helpful when there are multiple participants.

Risk management is the process of identifying, assessing, communicating, and controlling the exposure to risks and determining how to minimize or eliminate those risks, according to Naomi R. Angel, a law partner with Howe & Hutton, Ltd. The onus is on the planner to gather this safety and security data, starting with the request for proposal (RFP). A request for the Risk Management plan for the facility and municipality should be included, and then used as part of the site selection process.

Clear communication is the key to developing a comprehensive plan for your specific event. “It’s about asking the right questions from the get-go,” says Sandy Biback, a certified meeting planner and instructor of a risk management course at Centennial College in Toronto. How many of us ask pertinent questions before booking a venue? For example: Where will the group meet outside if the hotel needs to be evacuated?

Does the venue provide a one-page information sheet about safety/security that can be included in your own plan? If your event could be considered a security risk, have you discussed your concerns with the venue? If so, have they discussed extra security with you? Directed you to the police? If there are other groups meeting at the same time that could attract protestors, how does the hotel plan to handle your group?

Creating your plan

You should start by organizing a risk assessment team. Suggested participants might include association executive board members and chairs, audiovisual manager, billing manager, convention service manager, engineering manager, fire department liaison, food & beverage manager, front desk manager, exposition company manager, facility security director, insurance broker, police liaison, public relations manager, speakers bureau representative, transportation manager and outside suppliers such as the band or disk jockey, décor and florists. Ask each of these participants to compile a comprehensive list of risks associated with your meeting or event. Your next step is to create a formal, written emergency action plan on how to handle each of the potential risks.

The plan needs to address what will be done by whom, when, where and how, and should be integrated with the event facility plan. While you may use a master format, it should be updated or customized for each event. Here are some of the points that need to be included:

• Individual internal and external roles and responsibilities (e.g., event staff versus facility staff, structure of authority, task assignments including alternate personnel, etc.)
• Threats, hazards and protective actions (e.g., range of emergencies the organization is prepared to handle based on an event-specific threat assessment, media plan and spokesperson protocols, etc.)
• Notification, warning and communications procedures for the range of emergencies that might occur
• Key contact lists, including emergency responders, key facility responders, assigned staff and duties, key personnel to be contacted in off-hours emergencies, and a list of all attendees and their emergency contacts
• Evacuation, shelters, accounting and shelter-in-place procedures
• Location and use of emergency equipment (e.g., fire extinguisher and AED use)
• Emergency shutdown procedures (shutdown of machines, equipment or critical systems, securing records and cash, etc.

Insuring against risk

Barbara Dunn, an attorney with Howe & Hutton Ltd., advises that one of the most effective ways planners can manage risk is to shift the risk to vendors. “An example of risk shifting is indemnification. The concept is that the organization shifts risk to the party that can best control the risk. For example, if the organization is hiring a bus company to transport attendees at their conference, the risk is that the bus will get into an accident and attendees will get hurt. In this case, the organization shifts that risk to the bus company by asking the bus company to indemnify the organization in their contract. The indemnification language states that the bus company will indemnify and hold the organization harmless (from a financial standpoint) from any claims due to the bus company’s negligence.

“Indemnification clauses should be part of every contract as there is always the possibility that the goods or service that is being purchased will cause harm to someone and the organization will be sued,” says Dunn. “By having indemnification in the contract, the organization knows that it will be protected in such circumstances.”

Dunn also advises that planners should do all they can to make sure the risk never happens in the first place. That means meeting planners and their staff are ensuring the safety of their attendees before, during and after the event.

Before the event, planners should use a comprehensive site inspection list to check the facilities to be used for the conference. Special attention should be paid to pathways and lighting. Planners should ensure that extra signage and personnel are present to ensure the safety of attendees. Often this means having security and personnel stationed in key entrance and exit areas to facilitate traffic.

After the meeting, planners should follow up promptly on any complaints of safety problems or issues. Any problems should be thoroughly investigated and then followed up with the person who reported the problem.

Dunn also recommends risk retention insurance. “When an organization purchases insurance, it is agreeing to ‘retain’ the risk (up to the dollar amount of the deductible),” she explains. “Everything in excess of that deductible is covered by the insurance company.”

General commercial liability insurance is often referred to as GCL or CGL, or errors and omissions insurance. This insurance is the backbone of any organization’s insurance coverage; it protects against personal injury or death among other things. For example, if an attendee who slipped and fell at its meeting sues the organization, this liability insurance would cover the cost of defending the lawsuit along with paying any damages awarded against the organization.

As with the indemnification provision, it is important to have the organization’s lawyer and insurance representative involved in the review of liability insurance to ensure the organization is getting comprehensive coverage. Of particular concern is the list of exclusions, i.e., those items that are not covered under the policy. Liquor liability claims are typically excluded from general commercial liability insurance. Given the risk, meeting planners should ensure that their organizations have obtained an endorsement or rider to have such claims covered under the policy.

Directors and officers liability insurance is another type of insurance in which the directors, officers and other key personnel are protected by insurance in the event they are individually named in a lawsuit. Property and casualty insurance covers equipment and other property owned by the organization against fire, theft or other damage.

Event cancellation insurance protects the revenue and costs associated with the organization’s conference if the meeting has to be canceled entirely or shut down earlier than scheduled due to weather problems or transportation strikes. Groups that had to cancel spring meetings in Mexico due to the government orders surrounding the H1N1 outbreak benefited greatly from having event cancellation insurance in place, says Dunn.

Assessing security risks

Security was a high priority at a conference in Philadelphia last August for a non-profit association composed of local societies researching their Jewish genealogy. There were two major areas of concern — the health and medical needs of attendees and threats from outside groups. The participants were predominantly older and many had special physical, hearing and dietary requirements. A venue was selected that would enable the group of approximately 800 people to meet in distinct areas separate from other groups. As part of the risk assessment plan, all attendees were asked to indicate special needs on their registration forms and each respondent as contacted to ascertain specific
requirements.

Since the Consulate General of Israel was scheduled to speak at the conference, the Philadelphia Police Department’s Dignitary Protection Unit, Homeland Security Division, was also involved both prior to and during the conference. The conference was held shortly after the murder of a security guard at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., and a warning had been sent to the group that several people would be picketing the hotel, protesting the group’s religious affiliation.

The conference concluded with no incidents, attributed in large part to the security coordinated by Captain Walt Smith, Commanding Officer, Homeland Security Unit/Domestic Preparedness Division. Even if your event does not have a high-risk profile, Captain Smith advises meeting planners to coordinate their events with local agencies. “I would suggest that every stage of planning — from notifications and evacuations to risk management — includes communications with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

“Successful prevention or mitigation of potential terrorist-related attacks and natural disasters requires pre-planning, which is critical for successful emergency response. By partnering with law enforcement agencies in the early planning stages, you’ll have a better understanding of the overall threat, including recent crime information as well as potential threats directed towards either the event or the facility. Although, not every event will result in an emergency situation, communication with law enforcement agencies in the early stages of event planning will result in a safer more secure event environment, in addition to increasing public/private partnerships for the safety of all.”

Bonnie Wallsh, MA, CMP, CMM, chief strategist of Bonnie Wallsh Associates, LLC, Charlotte, N.C., is a presenter at Rejuvenate Marketplace.

First: Think of the letters “BMW” when sitting down to a formal place setting. The great thing about this tool is that you can do it silently in your head and no one but you knows your valuable tool. “B” stands for bread, which is to the left of your plate; “M” represents meal, which is in the middle; and “W” stands for water, which is to the right of the plate.

Second: You always want to follow the host’s lead. When the host picks up his or her napkin, place your napkin on your lap with the fold facing toward you. When excusing yourself from the table during the meal, place your napkin in your chair. Please note, the napkin does not go back on the table until the meal is finished.

Third: If you are dining with others whom you have not met, be sure to introduce yourself to everyone at your table. If appropriate, try to offer some contributing conversation. Don’t let the event end without knowing the names of the person on your right and your left. Not only would it be a shame, it would be rude as well.

Forth: The rule of thumb is to use the utensils that are farthest away from the plate when starting a meal. You’ll usually see two forks to the left of the plate (a salad and a dinner fork), and a knife and spoon to the right of the plate. A spoon, fork or both placed above the dinner plate are for dessert. Avoid stirring your coffee with the dessert spoon; a coffee spoon should be provided when coffee is served. If not, you can use your dinner spoon on the right side of the plate.

Fifth: If you prefer to forego coffee or wine, smile at the waiter and say, “No, thank you.” The server should remove the coffee cup or stemware from your table. Never under any circumstance turn the coffee cup or any glassware over.

Sixth: You should always follow the host’s lead at the meal. If there is not an official host, it is proper etiquette to wait until everyone at your table has been served before you start eating. This even applies to buffets. If someone has a special order and says please go ahead, then by all means – go ahead.
Seventh: This is not the time or place to ask for a doggie bag or “to go” plate. Remember you are there for business.

Eighth: Don’t butter your bread in the air or tear it with your hands. Do tear off a small piece of bread from your dinner roll, and butter it while it’s still on your plate. Lift the small piece of bread to your mouth and eat it. Remember to butter one piece at a time, eat it and then continue with the next piece.
Ninth: Chewing with your mouth open is a big no-no. No one wants to see what you have it your mouth. We can wait to hear what you have to say.

Tenth: Finally, turn off cell phones, pagers and Blackberrys. If you positively need to take a call, excuse yourself from the table and leave the room. If you think you can text or send an e-mail under the table without being noticed, you’re wrong.