Association Meetings

How To Live Blog (Or Twitter) An Event Effectively

This is a great post that recaps how to blog/twitter and event.  My favorite tip was to offer a recap at the end ... what was yours?

Check it out ...
How To Live Blog (Or Twitter) An Event Effectively

10 Things Meeting Planners Should Know about International Meetings

Image via Wikipedia

As I am in the middle of planning my first European meeting, I found this blog post most helpful. 

My number one recommendation when planning an international meeting is to develop a local support team that you can rely on to help guide you through the process.  Using MPI as a starting point to connect with other meeting planners who know the ropes is a good place to start!

A second recommendation that I would add to the list is the use of photos!  A picture speaks a thousand words especially in other languages.  Pictures help even when English is the common language as different cultures use different words for an item.  Beamer for example is often used for an LCD Projector. 

What tips or suggestions would you add?

10 Things Meeting Planners Should Know about International Meetings

Nonprofits' Most Missed Marketing Tool -- Email Signatures

How many people do you communicate with each day by email?  Now add in all those on your staff.  Are you using each and every one of those message as a way to promote your upcoming event? 

Each time you send out an email you have the opportunity within your signature to provide information in a quick and useful way.  The article below has some great suggestions on how to make the most of this very simple marketing tool.

Nonprofits' Most Missed Marketing Tool -- Email Signatures

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Example of one of my many email signatures:

Julie K. Hewett, CMP
IAMSE Association Manager

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
International Association of Medical Science Educators
626 Main St
Barboursville WV 25504 U.S.A.
Tel: +1-304-733-1270  Fax: +1-304-733-6203

Online: www.iamse.org

13th Annual Meeting - Leiden, The Netherlands - June 29-July 3, 2009 www.iamseconference.org

Acronym: Got 5 minutes to spread the word?

In reading this blog I got to thinking, how can this same idea be applied to your meeting?  What activities can you do in 5 minutes to spread the word about your meeting?

Here are some of my ideas:

* Send a meeting highlight to potential attendees to encourage registration
* Add your meeting to the LinkedIN Events
* Create an event in Facebook and invite your friends
* Create a Twitter group to post update
* Share pictures on Flickr of the conference location

Acronym: Got 5 minutes to spread the word?

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What other ideas do you have for a 5 minute update?

More Email Tips .. from Seth Godin

Today's blog by Seth Godin has some very good tips on how to send personal email and not be seen as a spammer.  As an Association Planner I found the tips very helpful and a good reminder of common sense issues .....

Seth's Blog: How to send a personal email

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Google Maps: 100+ Best Tools and Mashups

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeAs a Meeting Planner I am always looking for resources to make my job easier.  But also tools that can be used to assist members while attending the meetings.  Google Maps has so many things to offer in this area, allowing you to educate your members about the meeting location before they arrive.  Some of the best can be found in this Mashup blog ... Enjoy!

Google Maps: 100 Best Tools and Mashups

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What does your email look like?

Image via WikipediaAs a non-profit association meeting planner I rely on email A LOT to communicate with meeting attendees.  Having been spoiled by some very nicely designed html email messages I know how much I hate to send plain text messages.  Pictures say a thousands words and by not being able to use them in an email message, you are really missing out on something.

The problem however with html email messages is that not every system looks the same!  Plus many email servers will block html messages. 

Today however I read this very informative blog on resources to help you send successful html messages:

Check out:

Kivi's Nonprofit Communication Blog