The Essence in Finding Great Suppliers

There are many jobs out there that require staff to organise small events or meetings. Often I am asked questions about who I use, who can provide the best service, what to look for to ensure the supplier is providing a fair price.

The ‘event management pie’ is a general indication on how important the organisational elements of the event is to your guests. For small to medium events the focus is usually on the venue, food and beverage. The larger the event, the more important the event management becomes.

Saying this, it also depends on the type of event your are conducing. Some events have high importance on the guest speaker, while other events are completely dependent on the ability of the event organisers to produce a well scheduled event.

Being that Brisbane has a relatively small pool of suppliers in the events industry, here are my top picks that will give you the best service and the best price.

Sound & Lighting

1. IJS Logistics: Production of large festivals and small presentations, from resident audio and lighting at GoMA to Gympie Music Muster (amongst other festivals).  http://www.ijs.com.au/v2/index.php/

Catering is more important that the event on most occasions, this is the one aspect of an event that you will receive the most complaints about if bad or disappointing.

1. Wine & Dine Em Catering: Working across greater Brisbane, under two brands – Wine & Dine Em and Loaves & Fishes Express

http://www.winendinem.com/   &    http://www.loavesandfishes.com.au/

Entertainment and Guest Speakers are core to the event, with an engaging speaker or entertainment to suit the crowd – there are two companies that will go above and beyond to make sure your event is a success…

1. Onstage Entertainment: Fantastic bands and Masters of ceremony, amongst other talented entertainers Sue is wonderful to deal with and very efficient. http://www.onstage.com.au/

2. Wayout Theatreworks: for those themed, roving entertainment needs Monica and the team can look after you. http://www.wayouttheatreworks.com/index.htm

Over my career there has been many venues across Greater Brisbane where various sized events have been held. There is no better place to hold a mid to large size event than a marquee in a unique location, unfortunately this can be expensive to the budget.

Some venues that provide adequate setting and have great customer service from my experience are:Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre: Grand Halls/ Meeting Rooms.

• Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre: Grand Halls / Meeting Rooms, anywhere from 50-2000 people – Ask for Tracy.
• Victoria Park Golf Complex: Garden Marquee, anywhere from 120-400 people – Ask for Rachel.
• Mercure Hotel, North Quay: Ballroom, anywhere from 100-500 people – Ask for Robyn.
• Moreton Bay Boys College: Auditorium, anywhere from 100-500 people.
• Eatons Hill Function Centre: Main Hall, anywhere from 100-550 people – Ask for Jane.

For smaller more intimate events there are some fabulous venues around…

• Mirra: Fortitude Valley, great location and exquisite decor.
• Siana: Fortitude Valley, in the LOFT space, great for small cocktail functions.
• Urban Hotel: Spectacular views with floor to ceiling glass windows, great food.
• The Villager: George St, CBD – great refurbishment with an antique atmosphere.

So many small boutique venues to choose from in Brisbane. It is wonderful to see. I’m looking forward to seeing Brisbane with larger venues in suburban locations to assist with increase in demand for larger venues closer to residential locations.

If you have any suppliers we can add to the list that you have had wonderful experiences with let me know.

Sim G

Healthy Life, Healthy Body

Natural Therapies…

One either believes in the healing abilities, or they do not. There are extremists for any subject in life, those who believe that only natural therapies are the way forward and others that think pharmaceutical medicine is the only way to better health. However I believe both Eastern medicine and Western medicine can co-exist, and when they do it makes for a healthy life and a healthy body.

I studied Naturopathy for 12 months, unfortunately I was unable to finish the 4 year course. In those days natural therapies was only available to study at private collages costing a significant amount in fees, textbooks and materials. I had wished at the time there was family in QLD for me to live with so I could complete the course. Unfortunately a full time job had to take precedence.

Recent stress and low immunity has prompted me to look into various methods to increase my body’s capability to handle the 5 months lying ahead with multiple programs & events running parallel to each other. Under recommendation of my mother I sought out a Kinesiologist that she had a fantastic experience with. So off I went to see her…

WOW… besides spending the session chuckling at what was happening and the reactions my body was giving the therapist, I found it a wonderfully relaxing experience.

Kinesiology, also known as human kinetics, is the science of human movement. In most countries, kinesiology refers to a field of scientific study. The word comes from the Greek words kinesis(movement) and kinein (to move).

The science of kinesiology addresses the physiological, mechanical, and psychological mechanisms associated with human and animal movement.

What my muscles were reacting to was a surprise even to me. The following days after my session was… well interesting. My knee was reconstructed late 1999, and my body protects my knee whenever I’m active to ensure no damage or pain comes to it. The pain I had in my knee and hip was alike to when I was in recovery after surgery… I spent two days limping around.

My body was in obvious need of some tender love and care, and in my second session we established that my body was running my adrenals continuously which attributed to my low immunity against viruses. My liver was also in need of cleansing, so it was recommended I undertake a mini detox.

The use of acupuncture points and pressure points, along with reprogramming my body to communicate has helped me tremendously over the last 2 weeks. I have not felt so good in years.

I’d certainly recommend giving it a go to assist your body getting on top of any ailments you may have.

I have one more ‘must have’ session left, after that I can go along as often or as little as I please. Will keep you posted on the outcomes.

Sim G

Importance of a Good Guest Speaker

One of the most important elements of a successful event is the choice of guest speaker. Many events may have guests walk away feeling underwhelmed even though the speaker was very knowledgeable on the topic discussed.  Always do your research on the speakers you want to present at your event/ conference/ seminar/ workshop.

Ask for recommendations, seek references, search their name on the Internet. This will assist you in making a good choice for both your attendees and the speakers.

All professional speakers have their own way of presenting, but be sure to brief your speaker on the topic you require them to address and always have a ‘first question’ up your sleeve for the Q&A time. Attendees are generally reserved until the first question has been asked.

Key areas that can turn a successful event into a mediocre event:

* Poor grammar used by the guest speaker/s.

* Inability to use the technology to drive their presentation (for example. slide transition of the presentation, use of the slide clicker, microphone…).

* Deviating from the topic of discussion with out referring back to the topic/ question.

* Personal sales pitch by the speaker over emphasising on how good they are, unless directly relevant to the topic (for example. if the topic was motivation you would expect a tale of personal triumph).

* If the speaker is unable to read the crowd, make sure you can. Attendees will always remember the last speaker over all others, this is the ‘last taste’ of your event. If your speaker is weak, no matter how great your previous speakers were the will leave feeling under valued as a paying guest.

Here are some resources to advise how to choose the right public speaker:

http://www.1888articles.com/guidelines-to-hire-the-right-keynote-speaker-0103737.html

http://www.articlesbase.com/leadership-articles/how-to-choose-the-right-motivational-speaker-to-inspire-your-employees-4073108.html

http://fuces.com/self-improvement/tag/public-speaking/

 

If you are a professional speaker, these might interest you:

http://www.speaking-tips.com/

http://www.toastmasters.org/tips.asp

 

Create Demand And It Will Come

‘Shining Plates Luncheon’ by Leukaemia Foundation

Creating an event that is in demand is rare for charities these days, however on a day clashing fathers day the Shining Plates Luncheon at Montrachet in Paddington was completely sold out.

Montrachet is an amazing french restaurant in Paddington – The luncheon consisted of a 6 course degustation menu with matching wine (all authentically french).

The chef/ owner of Montrachet (Thierry Galichet) is extremely welcoming and accommodating to requests, the staff are amazing and you know you will receive quality food and service. www.montrachet.com.au

With fantastic auction prizes and raffles, the Leukaemia Foundation raised close to $35,000 from the day.

This event, occurring annually around September is extremely limited in numbers, but would be one that should be added as a must attend for the year.

Sim G

Is it money well spent?

To corporate entertain… or not to corporate entertain?

Well… it depends on your business objectives. There is ALWAYS a need to entertain your top clients (everyone you deal with is a client).

It’s too much money you say…

Not really… it’s just a matter of looking outside the square. There are the usual types of corporate entertaining like:

Football, AFL, Cricket, Rugby, theatre, races, motorsport… These options are spectacular but can be over budget on occasion. VIP corporate entertaining is always popular as clients enjoy being waited on while entertained.

However… Why not think of smaller more intimate options like: Restaurants (degustation meal), the Art Gallery (exhibitions), festivals (VIP areas), host your own ‘mini’ event designed for the client, start a membership program for loyal clients… the list is endless.

It is not always about taking them to grand events, it is also about showing your appreciation for their patronage in any form.

Looking for upcoming events to corporate entertain? Keep your eyed on www.connectu2.com.au – full of great events to take clients to.

Sim G

Reverse is Harder

Wrong Way… Go Back!

Some helpful tips to use when a decision is made that influences multiple aspects of your event.

* Communication about all elements of the event is imperative. Extract as much information as you can from hierarchy and make sure you are all on the same page.

* Ensure everyone is advised of the changes, even those who you may think do not need to know, you can guarantee they will need to know.

* Negotiate deals with your venue/s. If they can transfer the deposit to another date. What costs have been incurred to date at the point of cancellation.

* Check your T&C’s in detail, you can guarantee if the venue is professional this information will already be included in the booking form.

* Rework your budget and include the details of cancellation.

* Never burn your bridges with venues, you will at some stage need to use the venue again.

It is extremely important to get the ‘buy-in’ of your team to assist in cancellations. Putting together an event is a series of parallel tasks, however deconstructing an event in half the time it took to book it requires on most occasions more than one person.

Be sure to not demean the company or client who has made the cancellation decision to anyone. Your mood is picked up quickly by your team and colleagues, it also sets precedence for your team to react in the same way with future changes/ cancellations. It can be poison for your team moral.

Event cancellations, whilst stressful and frustrating also provide you with experience and training in other areas like crisis management, delegation skills, emotional empathy for your team/ others involved in the event, and can assist you in building better relationships with your team, colleagues and venues just by taking the initiative to solve the issue  faced in your stride and lead by example on how to dead with such situations.

Sim G

Brisbane’s Spotlight

The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival has hit Brisbane again, the 7th August was the introduction of Brisbane’s annual injection of fashion culture and last night’s show was another tribute to the fantastic talent SEQ brings to the fashion table.

Local designers and boutiques were on show for the ‘Group 3’ Showcase day 1 in to the 5 day festival.

Held in a marquee, which is a great way to create atmosphere and it allows you the ability to work with the space in a more creative way, with LED screens brightly paving the way to the entrance was a spectacle in its own right.

Everyone dressed to impress with designer names flashing everywhere, it made one wonder how they were able to keep themselves warm with a 30 minute line up beside the Brisbane river.

Once inside, entering fashion land, there were lights bright enough to illuminate a sporting field and rows of tiered seating for optimum observation.

Some amazing fashion was seen by designers such as Francis Leon (Valley)

The usual super stylish and layered effects from Dogstar (Valley, City, South Bank)

Maiocchi as a crowd favourite, with loud cheers coming from behind us… (Valley, City & Paddington)

The well-known Nelson Molloy (Valley and West End)

Tulipani put out some amazing outfits….

Then the finale of the rising designer who won the chance to open a store in the TCB building (Valley) – George Wu

Stunning garments the entire night, Brisbane sure does have some amazing designers at their fingertips.

Each year the MBFF gains more momentum and continues to improve to provide a better festival and opportunity to showcase fashion.

One little recommendation that may assist, but could prove to be expensive and logistics would need to be strongly considered, however it would be beneficial to have screens either side of the marquee to assist with people’s vision. This stems from the models not walking the length of the catwalk and the 3 screens at the far end of the marquee obstructing the view. Those at the entrance end of the marquee struggled to see, placing screens at intervals allow for a much more observational experience.

Congratulations Lindsay Bennett Marketing and team, again another sensational showcase of Brisbane’s fashion for another year.

Sim G

Heading Down To The Waterloo

The Waterloo – an iconic venue that has been on the corner of Ann St and Commercial Rd for over a total of 130 years (73 years as the title ‘Waterloo Hotel’).

A venue that has seen many famous bands and pubescent famous bands undertook a 6 million dollar facelift over the last two years, in a bid to vie for title of the ‘in place’ to be for Valley night life. With the next door neighbour (Emporium) taking socialites to the bottom end off the Valley for quite some time now, the Waterloo (along with other venues) have decided to create a hub of places in the eastern end of Fortitude Valley.

The lighting and décor is spectacular, modern vintage you would call it. Keeping in with current trends there are ‘pockets’ of space with unique décor for people to mingle and mull in their own group – almost creating ‘homeliness’ tailored to each person’s taste.

The cocktails were delightful, champagne vodka Redbull and Midori Splice, both sweet but tasteful. Unfortunately I was driving, so there was no room for multiple tastings. But the bar is lit up like a beacon, luring people to the core of the venue.

The staff were bringing around appetising food, but when asked what the items were only a blank face looked back at you with an explanation of “I am not sure, we usually work at the Regatta Hotel”.

This at times you can forgive, but the cardinal sin for any launch/ opening/ event is when the sound is ‘off’. The screeching echo sound in your ears is not what anyone would call fun. Also consider the type of entertainment for an opening night as I am not convinced this one was appropriate to the market within in the venue, however, if the entertainment was able to be heard it may have been a different story.

After speaking to the co-organisers of the night it was mentioned that there had been a sound check done earlier that night, but I had to ask “Was the sound check done with the band?” It seems apparent this may have been their downfall.

Now, there are important things that need to be considered when a venue is being refurbished, 4 ladies toilets for a venue capacity of over 300 is not exactly what I would call genius, with the line up out the door the ladies (or men) have a great view of the kitchen in action. Maybe this is a strategic move to take their minds off the fact that they wait for over 20 minutes to go to the ladies.

I am not sure I would be rushing back to book this venue anytime soon, traditionally opening nights are designed to exceed expectations, with key people attending it provides the opportunity to put your best foot forward.

In this instance Waterloo, you have a fantastic refurbished venue, but next time an event such as this presents itself to you please ensure that your entertainment and sound is perfect.

Sim G

Sienna Siana

The new Siana Valley has been tested on humans with no side effects.

The event: Valley Chamber of Commerce Networking Function

Whilst these events are rather boring, it was great to see the venue. Much more spacious than the city sister restaurant, lending more room for functions and private spaces.

The food was amazing – Naan bread, calamari, spring rolls, fish cakes – all ‘home-made’ taste and style.

Whilst the upstairs space is great for functions it is difficult to ensure the event is not segregated with all the ‘pockets’ of space. So maybe a networking function in this particular part of Siana is not the best.

I do however give Siana Valley a big thumbs up for their venue, this will be a contender for small to medium events in Brisbane.

Check it out yourself at www.siana.com.au

Sim G

Hole in one, or maybe two…. actually three

A lovely invite to a golf afternoon at Victoria Golf Complex was just what I need to get out of the office to breathe some fresh air.

After meeting with the lovely sales girls in the Caddy Shack, which traditionally has excellent pizzas, we had platters of sandwiches with Salmon, tuna and chicken wraps. Just what I needed to get me through the afternoon, at that point I had not eaten all day.

I diversified my skills into becoming a golf course navigator which would have been similar to rally driving if the golf cart could go faster. However, I was relieved to see that the first hole in our Ambrose afternoon was one stocked with wine.

Whilst we played with great enthusiasm and dedication we were one of the last groups to come in, but we scored multiple birdies and met par on most holes.

Some of the Vic Park golf coaches were on site to give pointers on improving your ‘swing’. It proved to be extremely helpful.

The evening was spent on the new deck off to the side of the newly refurbished garden marquee enjoying a BBQ buffet and drinks. The food was beautiful, exploding with taste and their vegetables were not overcooked. It was slightly cool but thankfully Vic Park had outdoor heaters scattered on the deck to keep us all warm.

It was a fantastic afternoon and a great way to entertain clients, team building days, or just to improve your game by taking lessons with a pro golfer.

Vic Park is definitely making the effort to step up and achieve higher results to become a preferred venue for Brisbane. The sales girls are easy to chat with and professional, the best person to speak with is the Sales Manager, Rachel Abbott on 07 3252 0666.

I will certainly be looking at this venue for future events.

Sim G