What's in a name? Everything

Please look at the picture above. No, this is not a joke, but it is a drill. What’s wrong with this picture? Do you think that there’s anything wrong with the picture? If you don’t see anything wrong with the picture, I do, it’s the name of the actual company. After riding past this construction site and laughing to the point of tears, I felt inspired to share this with you all. If someone asked you what company do you work for, how would you tell them that you work for “Hoar Management Group”? There’s no way of saying this with a serious face and not have the person on the other end laugh at you. Therefore, thanks to this company’s blunder the subject of this week’s blog, “What’s in a name? Everything!”

Many people believe that creating a “name” for their theme, event, or otherwise, is a simple process and does not hold any weight. However, contrary to popular belief, when planning an event, theme, business or otherwise, you need to think hard about your name and then work backwards from there. What is the lasting impression would you want to leave for your guests? If they wanted to describe your event, what three adjectives would they use? Remember, you only get one chance to make a lasting impression and promoting your event with the right key is essential.

If at all possible, try to close your eyes and imagine your event then write down the words that describe your activity. If you’re creative, draw a sketch of your event and try to determine a name that would fit the drawing you just completed. Do what you can to create a name and a theme that fits the personality of the location, the host (or business), and what people may want to get out it. Remember that it should be easy to remember, easy to understand, and can transcend the thought patterns of your oldest to the youngest guest. For example, if you want to create a theme which is “timeless”- then you wouldn’t decorate or create a scene that is based on current trends. You would actually create an atmosphere that is classical with clean lines and streamlined furniture that leave your guests wanting more.

So what’s in a name? I would say everything, so much so, that your name begins the path to create your brand, your journey, your life. Next time you just “come up” with a name for a business, event, or otherwise, remember the picture above, do you want people to laugh your name or actually “get it”. I hope you enjoyed this little tidbit and laugh, For more tips, stay tuned next week as we provide other tips on how to save your event and your sanity. If you are looking for an event planner to assist you in creating an awesome event, please visit our website at http://www.nov8iveevents.com/.

I must be about my business

It’s been on my mind for awhile the fact that I have not maintained my blog site like I should have. Since my last official blog entry in January- a lot of things have been occurring via business and otherwise (personal, sorority life, etc.). I have a new pet, have some serious inventory to move with another business venture (http://www.obamart.net/) and lost the files that had the potential blog topics and entries I had for this site (sigh).

However, I must remember one of my favorite quotes that I wrote a very long time ago: I must be about my business. This statement is no where near grammatically correct, but it does make a lot of sense. We must always be about our business. How can we make our business grow, how can we expand, how can we achieve our goals, how can we make the best decisions for our business? Entrepreneurs should ask themselves these questions at least on a weekly basis. To be most effective, I would say that you really should ask these questions everyday. I know that you may be thinking “I don’t have time to ask myself those questions”, but I say a perfect time would be either when you first wake up or when you get ready to retire for the evening. Keeping these questions in mind helps you remind yourself the purpose of being in business and what you can do to take it to the next level. I've been viewing other people's blogs, listening to Pam Perry and Karen Taylor Bass on Blogtalkradio.com.

The theme for the rest of this year and 2010 will be to Elevate Ourselves to the Next Level. Of course, Nov8ive Events and Designs, LLC will be in the forefront of this new movement. Our new blogs will encourage you to do the elevate yourself by not only providing event planning tips, but also motivational thoughts, cost-saving suggestions, and overall business advice on our blog. Stay tuned because some topics already penned for discussion include:

1. Keep America Meeting
2. Raising Money by Raising Hell
3. Make a Strong Impact & Lasting Impression with Color
4. Is all Press Good Press?
5. Elevate Your Game, Elevate Your Business

For more tips, stay tuned next week (I promise it will be next week) as we provide other tips on how to save your event and your sanity. If you are looking for an event planner to assist you in creating an awesome event or if you are interested in a Journey from History to Hope art print, please visit our website at http://www.nov8iveevents.com/.

I know that I have been gone for awhile, but I have been busy chugging along and working on various projects such as this. In celebration for our 44th President, Barack Obama, this historical art piece centers our President of the United States among some of our noted African-American Leaders. This art piece is being sold on www.obamart.net and it is a perfect opportunity to be used for teachers and students alike from Black History Month and beyond. Please check out our website and read the press release below regarding this project. Stay tuned, I will be back next week with new posts and more ways to help your next event become a success. Remember, don't be a stranger and if you have any questions or would like to talk with our firm on how we can be of assistance to you, please reach us at our website, www.nov8iveevents.com.

Obama Inspires Artistic Tuskegee Artist

President Barack Obama has been captured on canvas by a renowned artist whose prior artwork is collected by rich and famous individuals in the United States and other countries. A masterful painter and sculptor, Dr. Ronald McDowell’s creations are also on display in parks and university campuses.

McDowell’s tribute to our U.S. President which is entitled, A Journey from History to Hope, artistically places President-elect Obama in the company of historical icons Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, Dr. George Washington Carver, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks.

The painting has been adapted to limited edition lithographs that are available to the
public for $35 per print. Limited Signed and numbered copies are available for $125 and giclees (reproductions on canvas) are available for $225.


Purchases may be made online at www.obamart.net . The site also provides a bio
on the artist.

Questions concerning the artwork or requests for interviews should be directed to
Noah Hopkins at 205.567.6397 or noah744@bellsouth.net.

Global Entrepreneurship Week- What did you do?

Since this is a few days before Thanksgiving, and I am attempting to write my entries on a weekly basis, this week I will write two. This past week- November 16-23 was Global Entrepreneurship Week. The official website is www.unleashingideas.org and if you get an opportunity, please take a look at it. In addition, last week, I attended the Booker T. Washington Economic Summit here in Tuskegee, Alabama which celebrated the Global Entrepreneurship week. It was a jammed pack summit with excellent networking opportunities and educational sessions. I had an opportunity to meet some of the wealthiest and powerful minority businessmen and women around the country. I received the chance to speak with Dr. Randal Pinkett, winner of The Apprentice, Season 4, and Dr. Farrah Gray, the child prodigy that became a millionaire at 14. Receiving their words and their energy inspired me to continue on my journey and hopefully take you all with me. If you have an opportunity, especially for those of you who are young or young at heart, read their books, Campus CEO (Dr. Pinkett) and Realionaire (Dr. Gray). It will not only inspire you, but it will also make you realize that despite your conditions, you can rise above them with the proper attitude and fortitude.

When Meetings Gone Wild!!

This is a story about a meeting that went horribly wrong in a terribly short amount of time. A grave error in judgement caused this meeting to go from productive to unproductive in a matter of minutes. What was this grave error, you ask? A lack of order!! How can you maintain order in a meeting? By utilizing parliamentary procedures and referring to Robert's Rules of Order. What are Robert's Rules of Order? According to the National Association of Parliamentarians (http://parliamentarians.org/definition.php), the objective of Robert's Rules of Order is to:

• establish the purpose and structure of organizations;


• define membership classifications, rights, and obligations; and


• define rules and procedures for conducting business.
  

There are countless websites that explain Robert's Rules of Order and provide shortcuts to running a meeting from beginning to adjournment. When presiding over a meeting, it is imperative that the officer knows the basics of Robert's Rules of Order and maintain order throughout the meeting. It not only keeps the agenda moving, but it keeps everyone on task and avoid people from "jumping on their soapbox". With a simple, "You're out of order", you can drop-kick anyone who decides to jump on their soapbox, especially if they're out of turn. That's the beauty of knowing and utilizing these rules.



I personally suggest that if you are conducting a business meeting that you have a parliamentarian present to assist the presiding officer with the meeting. This person should be forceful, yet tactful when the meeting or individuals begin to get out of hand. Just in case there is a question of a motion, I would also suggest that this officer possess the latest edition (10th) of Robert's Rules of Order and have it present at every meeting.



Take a minute to review websites from Certified & Registered Parliamentarians such as Jim Slaughter (http://www.jimslaughter.com/). His website features some basic terms, procedures for parliamentarians and cheat sheets on meeting motions. Also look at the National Association of Parliamentarians website (http://www.parliamentarians.org/) when looking for basic guidelines. The moral of this story is that your blood pressure will greatly reduce and your meeting will run seamlessly when you use Robert's Rules of Order.

For more tips, stay tuned next week as we provide other tips on how to save your event and your sanity. If you are looking for an event planner to assist you in creating proper signage and other event needs, please visit our website at http://www.nov8iveevents.com/.

Signage Is Key!

Proper signage is key to any business succeeding. This is the same for any event where directional signage is necessary. If you don't have a sign to direct you to where you're going, not only can it cause visitors to become confused, but frustrated and ready to leave.



I've been at events where phases of the program progressed through several floors of the building. There were no signs telling me where I needed to be or the time to be there. I also arrived early so that I could complete a walk through and know where I needed to go before the crowds arrived. I also called in advance since the building had multiple sections, each building with at least 4 floors. It would have been very easy to get lost in such a building. After speaking with a few of the attendees, many stated that they were late or missed a session because they did not know where to go. This could have been easily avoided with a sign directing them to the session. Unfortunately, most conference attendees do not think that far in advance, and are just happy to arrive at the building. So for this week's advice, signage is key and here are a few tips on how signage can help you in any event:

• Make your sign large enough for people to read (also, use a plain font that can be easy to read)


• If possible, ask the facility if they have an easel or a board where you can post your signs if they do not have a sign board that you can use


• Obtain a map of your building and make copies for each of your staff members just in case they are asked pertinent questions such as: Where's the elevator? Where's the bathroom? Where's the parking lot?


• Type your signs, try to avoid writing them. Not only does this look unprofessional, but it can make your signs hard to read

For more tips, stay tuned next week as we provide other tips on how to save your event and your sanity. If you are looking for an event planner to assist you in creating proper signage and other event needs, please visit our website at http://www.nov8iveevents.com/.

Your Registration Can Make or Break Your Event

When you attend an event, your overall experience can be 1 of 2 ways, it can be a glorious or a horrible occurrence. One of the first experiences you have when you attend a special event is the registration process.

That's why this week, I would like to focus on your registration and how it can make or break your event. I've attended events where the registration process was disorganized and unfriendly. This caused unnecessary stress on my part as well as the event organizers, and I made sure they knew about my displeasure during an event evaluation. When this occurs, your attendees speak about their experience and everyone in marketing knows that if one person has a bad experience, they tell upwards of 10 or more people. Those people tell 10 people, and before you know it, 100 people know that your registration process sucks!!

However, this can be avoided if you remember one simple rule: “Your registration can make or break your event”. Logistics are key when setting up your registration process. Here are some simple tips to ensure that your registration works well for any event:

· Know your audience
o How many attendees do you have registered?
o Do they have any special needs (dietary, handicaps, etc)?
o Will you need extra space for attendees with wheelchairs?

· Have a copy of your completed registration forms available just in case there is no record of a registration on your sign-in sheet
o Keep all returned registration pages in a notebook at the registration table showing when the person registered and when they paid
o Remember that clerical accidents can occur, names can be misspelled or not added to your list. It’s far easier to be safe rather than have an unhappy guest.

· Utilize your resources
o Speak with your site contact and make sure they have your tables setup prior to the event, that way you know the location and can move, if necessary
o Ask volunteers to come early to help you setup
o Consult with your registration staff prior to the registration day

· Preparation is Key
o Prepare all pre-paid name badges and alphabetize them for each of your pre-paid registered guests
o Have extra badges available for on-site registration
o Organize your registration bags/gift prior to the event (use your volunteers to stuff inserts into the bags)
o Have a timeline available for consistent coverage of your registration table throughout the registration time (you don’t want someone coming to register late and there’s no one supervising the table also this helps you avoid materials from “walking”)
o Have an established process on how to accept on-site registration (collecting funds, processing payments, dispersing refunds, distribution of conference materials, etc.)
o Establish a supervisor or a contact person to make a decision in case of any issues
o Collect the contact information and hotel room numbers of all of your registration table workers (people can become ill or they can oversleep)
o Have alternate registration workers available and trained to step in place a worker does not appear

Hopefully, with this information, you will create an inviting atmosphere for your guests as they register for your event. If your guests are computer savvy, a great website for online registration is http://www.eventbrite.com/.

For more tips, stay tuned next week as we provide other tips on how to save your event and your sanity. If you are looking for an event planner to assist you in your registration and other event needs, please visit our website at http://www.nov8iveevents.com/.