Expert Advice

What’s the True Cost of Free?
04/30/13
Giving away free products and services is a time-honored technique for building business. In earlier American history, soap guy Benjamin T. Babbitt in the 19th century was one of the first known people – though not the first ever – to market by giving...
Fabulous Fundraising Events
04/1/13
At the end of each year, we do a massive decompression to examine completed work to both acknowledge what worked and look at what could be improved. There is a fair share that we plan to do differently in 2013, especially when considering fundraising...
Must Haves for Events on a Budget
04/1/13
There are many simple and easy ways to create a memorable occasion without breaking the bank. From linen choices to servers’ uniforms, it’s the small, thoughtful-yet inexpensive-details that can give a luxury feel to any event.Linens & Tables...
Even Though It's Already March, You Can Still Accomplish Your New Year’s Business Resolutions
03/13/13
Once the excitement of Christmas and New Year’s is over, the winter doldrums can really set in. Except for some flowers and chocolates on Valentine’s Day there doesn’t seem to be much to recommend January and February. This is your golden opportunity to...
Less Is More
12/18/12
No longer just a witty quip or trendy mantra, “less is more” is the new normal, particularly when it comes to corporate events. While planners’ budgets get smaller and smaller, guest lists and menus stay the same and sometimes even increase. Although...
Meeting Notes- Affair With Flair Invitations
12/14/12
Lisa Cook and Leslie Williams-Heins know how to throw a party, and did just that for the 30th anniversary of owning and operating Denverbased Affair With Flair. This was one of those invites that couldn’t slip by guests due...
Every Cloud has a Silver Lining
10/30/12
Although many businesses in our industry have struggled through the past few years of economic downturn, I believe some good practices have emerged as well. For example, many companies have reevaluated who they are, what they want to provide in the...
Top Five Meeting Planning Pet Peeves
10/11/12
I was going to give you my top 10 (and I could probably even go on longer than that), but I was only given 600 words-so you just get the first five. This isn’t meant to be a “rip on the hotel” article, but more of an “opportunity for improvement” article...
Customer Service, Come Back!
10/4/12
Disintermediation. That's a long and very officious term for a simple concept: Get rid of the middleman. And while getting rid of the middleman may have helped a lot of companies' bottom lines, it may have caused a lot of other headaches. As we've cut...

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A Matter of Time- Tips for Negotiations
12/19/12
How much would history have changed if time never ran out in negotiations? Were there bad decisions made throughout the history of the world that came down to a deadline? Most certainly. When the clock is ticking, it’s an odd phenomenon that people...