We are looking to hear from our members! We want to hear what value you receive from your involvement with ISES? What is your favorite thing about ISES Dallas programs, membership, special programs involvement? Whatever you like about ISES and ISES Dallas let us know and your quote might be selected to be featured on the ISES Dallas website!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Rising Star Scholarships to TSE 2011 Available from SEARCH Foundation
The SEARCH Foundation has teamed up with The Special Event (TSE) to provide each ISES chapter the opportunity to submit one (1) scholarship application for the Full Education Package registration at this year’s TSE conference (events not included) in Phoenix, Arizona January 25-28, 2011.
Contact Yvette Audrain, ISES Dallas President, to obtain an application. Applications need to be submitted to Yvette no later than November 5, 2010.
Each recipient will be nominated and selected by their individual chapter and then approved by SEARCH. This scholarship was made possible by the merging of ISEF (International Special Events Foundation) into the SEARCH Foundation in December 2009. The SEARCH Foundation is committed to fulfilling the continuing education principles established by ISEF and following the ISES mission statement.
Contact Yvette Audrain, ISES Dallas President, to obtain an application. Applications need to be submitted to Yvette no later than November 5, 2010.
Each recipient will be nominated and selected by their individual chapter and then approved by SEARCH. This scholarship was made possible by the merging of ISEF (International Special Events Foundation) into the SEARCH Foundation in December 2009. The SEARCH Foundation is committed to fulfilling the continuing education principles established by ISEF and following the ISES mission statement.
Monday, October 18, 2010
“So You Think You Can Plan - Play Stump the Panel”
Do you have a wacky, one-of-a-kind event industry experience or dilemma you want to share with your fellow ISES Members?
Have you ever wondered what your colleagues would do in that same situation?
Do you want to throw one of your crazy experiences at a Panel of ISES Professionals and see if they can talk their way out of it??
For the November 15th Bi-Monthly Event Program, we’re asking you ISES members to submit your most ridiculous event experiences. Then, our Panel will have to come up with their own resolutions to your problem/situation – What would they have done if they were in your shoes? Submit your story to Emily Mead at emily@significanteventsoftexas.com. All submissions will remain anonymous.
Monday, October 11, 2010
ADME Awards judges needed.
The Association of Destination Management Executives is looking to find a panel of 4-6 judges to help judge one of their awards categories for the year. If you are interested, please contact Darcie Wooten of Ultimate Ventures to schedule a date and time.
September Program Sponsor Recap
“A Wedding for All Seasons: An Evening with Sasha Souza”
By Ashley Holder
The Hilton Anatole hosted ISES Dallas and its guests for the September program about wedding design presented by Sasha Souza. Sasha Souza is the owner of Sasha Souza Events in California and does events all over the world.
VIP guests had the opportunity to go up to Nana to visit in a more intimate environment with Sasha over cocktails. Once the VIP time was over, everyone headed downstairs to the Wedgwood Room for socializing and to see the entries to the Design Board Competition. Guests entering into the event walked through the entries from event planners, florists and more.
Stunning pictures of the weddings and dreams weddings were perfectly presented on poster boards. In the reception area, guests were treated to beautiful ladies dressed in amazing wedding gowns compliments of Triple Play Staffing and The White Gown Showroom respectively. Elan Make Up showed off their skills with a make up brush by doing the models’ make up for the evening. CORT Event Furnishings provided luxurious furniture for guests to perch on as they talked to others.
Stunning pictures of the weddings and dreams weddings were perfectly presented on poster boards. In the reception area, guests were treated to beautiful ladies dressed in amazing wedding gowns compliments of Triple Play Staffing and The White Gown Showroom respectively. Elan Make Up showed off their skills with a make up brush by doing the models’ make up for the evening. CORT Event Furnishings provided luxurious furniture for guests to perch on as they talked to others.
Finally the doors swung open and guests filed into the ballroom where they were transported to a fairy tale wedding. The four seasons were represented by groups of tables which were adored with lavish centerpieces varied from beautiful arrangements of roses, calla lilies, and orchids and more provided by Out of the Garden. Each tabletop testified to how tabletop décor such as china and glassware can carry through with a theme down to the smallest details. Ducky-Bob’s Event Specialists provided the tabletop items and linens. The chargers furthered the décor by being customized with removable stick-ons of excerpts from Sasha Souza’s book, Signature Sasha: Magnificent Weddings by Design. Menu cards, signage and graphic design were all compliments of Orange Spot, Pink Nose. The focal point to the room however was the stunning cake provided by Frosted Art Bakery. We all know lighting is what really transforms a room. Beyond provided all the lighting including uplighting which shifted color throughout the event which morphed the ambience to make it seem like an entirely different room. Gobos kindly provided by In-Light Gobos used blank wall space to show quotes from Sasha’s book. Glenn Roush of Roush Productions was our amazing emcee and provided the entertainment for the evening which added a special touch to the program. The wonderful staff of PSAV made sure we had everything we needed for the sound and visual for the program. All the photos are compliments of Mallouf Photography. Value of Work
Hilton Anatole $10,000
Out of the Garden $7,500
Orange Spot, Pink Nose $2,600
Beyond $3,920
Roush Productions $1,000
Frosted Art Bakery $1,000
Mallouf Photography $500
Triple Play Staffing $750
In-Light Gobos $528
PSAV $2,745
Total $34,989
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
"Crossing the Fine Line - Remaining Ethical in Sticky Situations"
By Melanie Goodwin, Program Manager at Ultimate Ventures
The event industry is rife with ethical gray areas which we encounter every day. The creative, collaborative and interconnected nature of our business can often produce blurry lines that are easy to cross - even when trying to do the right thing. The best way to navigate these issues is to remain aware and recognize delicate situations.
Some of the most common situations which arise in this industry are questions of creative/intellectual property, discounts, and direct contact with vendors.
Doing It Yourself
People are a service company's greatest resource. The majority of a company's budget is often spent on acquiring, keeping, and developing their staff. Therefore, the ideas and work created by staff are the intellectual property of the company and thus also of great value to a company - and thus belong to that company.
If a company proposes an excellent event idea, reproducing it without them in order to save money is crossing the line. Taking another company's intellectual property without compensating them in any way is a form of theft. While many escape prosecution, it is still an infringement on the company's rights; without them you would never have thought of that exact idea.
If one absolutely cannot afford to pay the company to create the event, let them know that their idea is wonderful but it's not within the budget. Most companies will be happy to work to maintain the essence of the event while reducing cost, especially since the pains of the recent recession are so fresh in everyone's minds. Alternatively they may be willing to consent to the use of their idea for a consultation fee compensating them for their time, effort, and creative services.
Going Direct
If the knowledge of a service is learned through an agent, event planner or provider, be certain to book the service through them each and every time. Planners spend a lot of time and money researching, finding and vetting quality providers. Booking someone directly takes advantage of the situation and may jeopardize the vendor's contract with the planner. This is especially true when dealing with entertainment.
While it may appear to be cheaper to go direct that isn't always the case. Planners and agents often receive volume discount rates that are not available to everyone. Therefore, even after paying a management fee or commission to the planner the total amount may still be the same as if you booked directly. Even if this isn't the case, the total amount spent may not be much more than a direct booking rate once the value of one's time is factored in. Time is money and if using a third party saves time then it may be the most economical choice in the long run.
And if a vendor is approached by a client who wants to "cut out the middleman" and book directly, they should watch out! If the client does not respect their planner's time and creativity, chances are they will treat others with the same lack of respect.
In this situation, the vendor should let the client know that their business is valuable, but they must book through the planner who originally referred them. This will protect any long term, repeat business from the planner and maintain the vendor's reputation as a professional and honest provider.
Taking Advantage of Vendors
Especially in this economy, everyone needs the best deal they can get, therefore many clients must request multiple bids, special discounted pricing and complimentary services. Special discounted pricing is generally an accepted practice in this industry for clients who bring high volume, off-season or repeat business. It is fair to request discounted rates and other concessions from a frequently utilized vendor, or if the event is taking place during a slow time (mid-week, off season, etc.) However, demanding that a one time vendor slashes rates drastically or dangling "future business" in order to gain discounts is a sticky situation. If one can contract that future business at the same time it is reasonable to request some discounts. But if the future business is hypothetical, it isn't fair to use it to negotiate volume pricing. Try to insure that the situation is a win-win for everyone by working with quality vendors who will work with you to reduce costs while still making the event profitable for everyone.
The increased presence of "strategic buying" and "purchasing" departments has caused a rise in the number of planners who are required to obtain multiple bids for a service. If required to request multiple bids try to truly consider each company's proposal and give them a fair shot at the business, If possible request only their standard pricing and information for due diligence purposes rather than requesting a detailed, customized quote - especially if there is no real intention of using their services. Nothing stings more than staying up all night to create a customized bid that just ends up unread in someone's recycling bin. Respect a vendor's time and they'll respect your business more; and also be willing to stay up all night for you when you really need it.
Trash Talking the Competition
Momma said it best: "If you can't say something nice don't say anything at all". Trash talking the competition reflects badly on anyone - and can damage relationships in this tightly knit industry. It is one thing to educate clients on "what sets you apart from the competition"; but referring directly to a competitor, insulting them or spreading negative gossip is counterproductive. Plus - the company you trash today may be the company you need a job from tomorrow.
It's easy to find oneself in an ethical gray area, and we will all make mistakes from time to time. As long as everyone strives to create win-win situations for themselves, vendors and clients a lot of hassle can be avoided.
Design Board Competition Winners!
We would first like to say thank you to all the planners and designers who submitted boards:
Julian Leaver CWP
Joy Cook
Melanie Goodwin DMCP
Amanda Jameson
Yvette Audrain CPCE, CSEP
Marla Watson-Werst CSEP, CTA
Dana Carroll CWC
Stacey Murdoch
Howard Eckhart CSEP, TMF
We had two categories and two amazing winners!
Sasha Souza selected her favorite and awarded Julian Leaver CWP with that award of the evening
The crowd voted and selected Howard Eckhart, CSEP, TMF.
Congratulations to both of you and thank you again to all of our participants!
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