Here is a link to register for the event and additional information:

We are honored to have Claudette Bouton, Qualena Odom-Royes, CSEP, CMP and Terry Singleton, CSEP as the educational speakers for the Plan Your Meetings LIVE ATLANTA 2010 event.

You do not want to miss this!

Plan Your Meetings is proud to bring our newly formatted educational and interactive event to the Hilton Atlanta Marietta Hotel and Conference Center, April 20, 2010 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., followed by a complimentary planner appreciation cocktail reception.  We understand the struggle of being able to leave the office, so as part of our reformation we’ve shortened our events, while providing increased education and networking opportunities for you.

The educational breakout, entitled “Everything you always wanted to know about meetings, but never had the chance to ask,” will consist of a town hall-style question & answer session.  Claudette Bouton, Qualena Odom-Royes, CSEP, CMP and Terry Singleton, CSEP are prepared to tackle all of your professional meeting questions and challenges.

You will earn continuing education units (CEUs) toward your CMP and CSEP titles by attending this event. Also, as a special take-away gift, each attending planner will receive a PYM thumb drive, loaded with our popular ‘best practices’ editorial stories and planning information.

Space is limited, so register now to ensure your attendance!

Click here to register for our PYM LIVE ATLANTA Event, April 20, 2010 at the Hilton Marietta Hotel and Conference Center.

See you there!!!

Q

Plan Your Meetings (PYM) offers a free subscription to their annual publication (it’s great!), sends you meeting news information and best practices emails about once a week, and hosts educational tradeshows (PYM LIVE Events) all over the country that provide you with continuing education units toward earning your CMP or CSEP. You can also connect with them on many social network platforms – just pick your favorites and link to them. I assure you, you’re going to love all of it!

 Here is a link to subscribe: http://www.planyourmeetings.com/subscribe/, in the referred box please indicate “TheQSpotBlog”

I hope you will also register and join us at the next  PYM’s next LIVE Event in Atlanta (September 16th)! Here is a link to see more information: http://www.planyourmeetings.com/events/

You can find links to all of PYM’s social networks on the top right-hand side of the homepage: http://www.planyourmeetings.com/ my personal favorite is PYMConnect http://www.pymconnect.com/– which is like Facebook, but it’s designed specifically for meeting planners. I hope you “friend” me on it!

Let me know what you think, and how I may be of assistance answering any questions you may have. Thanks so much and happy planning!

Q

You can earn various certifications in event/meeting planning, that result in designations such as CSEP, CMP, CMM, CPCE, the list goes on.  (I will define a certification each Friday in my “Alphabet Soup”).  There are several organizations and schools offering certifications and certificates.  Before you spend the money, be sure you know exactly what you are earning at the end of your class or seminar.  Your future goals in the hospitality industry can help you decide whether to pursue Certification or a Certificate and in what!

This handout found on the ISES (International Special Events Society) website – www.isesatlanta.com is one of the best documents I have ever read that clearly indicates the differences between “Certification vs. Certificate” and the value of each.  You can find this at http://www.ises.com/pdf/Certification_vs_Certificate.pdf

I always use this handout during my Event Planning Certificate Open House for my course so that the students know exactly what they are earning when taking my course and what they can earn in the future. I hope it is helpful to you!

Q

It is helpful to plan your volunteering strategy before raising your hand. How much time do you have to devote? Are you more interested in a particular area of the industry (catering, weddings, corporate meeting planning), or looking for a wide base of experience in all areas? To avoid spreading yourself too thin or doing taks that you absolutely have no interest in, write down your goals and try to stay focused. Some ideas to get you started in where to look:

 Local Chapters of Trade Associations

Many have planning committees to coordinate their member events. This may be a great place to try out many roles. Consider ISES, NACE, MPI, HSMAI, convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, women’s business councils etc.

 Public Events

Look for upcoming events advertised in local magazines and other media. Many will be very happy to have volunteers and may have an existing volunteer program in place. For larger events, get in on the planning early by contacting them for next year after you read reviews in the media. This may get you planning as well as on-site experience.

Conferences, Conventions,  Tradeshows and Exhibitions

Many large conventions or conferences that come to your town often need assistance with registration, greeters, room monitors, etc.   Contact exhibit halls and ask for a member of client services. Small, regional venues may be more open to your inquiry than large venues.

 Weddings

If wedding planning is your direction of choice, your best route may be to contact a planner and ask if you may intern or shadow them. A planner may be more accommodating if you agree to working a certain number of hours in the office or during site visits, before accompanying him/her to a wedding. 

Specific Disciplines (catering, event design, floral etc.)

The same applies to volunteering in specific disciplines as to weddings. By working with one company on numerous occasions, you will earn greater responsibility and be exposed to different work situations.

 Concierge Services

A great way to learn about what your city has to offer is to volunteer to staff an info booth with your local convention and visitors bureau. You don’t need to know a lot to start – you will pick it up very quickly. But you will be surprised how much you will learn about local attractions, hotels, modes of transport and restaurants.

Now that you have some ideas where to look for volunteer opportunities start researching them today!  And stay tuned to this blog,  I will post credible volunteer opportunites as soon as I receive them. 

In the meantime, if you have any volunteer opportunities you would like to submit for consideration to be posted on this blog, send me an email. 

I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Q

See also:

Volunteering Part I: Why Volunteer?

Coming Soon:

Volunteering Part III: How to Make the Most From Your Volunteer Experience

As any member of the meeting planning or special events industry will tell you, the first thing people say when they hear what you do for a living is: “Oh wow, that sounds like fun!” And it is. At times. We may accompany clients to exotic destinations, brush with celebrities and plan happy occasions. It can also be extremely hard work, demanding your last reserve of physical and mental energy.

But for the right person, it is a world full of possibilities. Your creativity will blossom, problems become opportunities and that nagging perfectionism becomes an asset. That is where the real fun kicks in!

If a career in special events or meeting planning beckons you, I invite you follow along here at The Q Spot. I will be bringing you tips on further education and how to gain experience as well as meeting and event case studies, featured vendors and more. If you are willing to invest in yourself, a career in these industries will be rewarding, interesting and yes, maybe a teensy bit fun too.

Look forward to hearing from you,

Q