Welcome

Hello again -

We have luckily had a bit of a lull in June/July/August - all the better because things are about to start cranking up for the end of the year!  Emma has been able to go on a well-needed holiday to New Zealand, Lisa is off to Fiji, and I'm about to have a baby (that's not much of a holiday!).

We have just recently organised the the International Nonprofit & Social Marketing Conference for 2010 which was co-hosted by QUT and Griffith University.

Coming up, we have Queensland Sugar celebrating 20 million tonnes of Sugar being sent to the Republic of Korea, the Australasian Society of Aerospace Medicine's (ASAM) Annual Conference & Scientific Meeting at the Shine Dome in Canberra, the Australian National Parking Steering Group's (ANPSG) Workshop in Hobart, and the Green Roofs Conference in Adelaide.  Busy!

We are also pleased to welcome back Cornett's IGA, Foot Locker Asia Pacific, the Australian Association of Practice Managers (AAPM) and the Brisbane Road Runners Club for their event in 2011 - all clients that we love working with.

Networx Marketers Meetings continue to do well, which is great!  I have (sadly) missed the last two - for the first time since we started them in Brisbane in 2005, but I love getting texts and messages from people there telling me how much they enjoy attending.   The next one coming up is 'The Art of Negotiation' on 25 August.

Emma and I are already looking forward to attending the Annual PCO Conference in Hobart in December - so much fun to be a delegate for a change!  I know that Lisa is looking forward to attending the ICOGRADA Design Week Brisbane for designers in October as well.

We have a great prize for one night's accommodation to Novotel Twin Waters Resort - make sure you enter!

Talk soon

J  ;-)

Conference Venues & Offers

Novotel Twin Waters Resort

Be in a chance to win one night’s accommodation with breakfast for 2 adults at Novotel Twin Waters Resort!

The Landing at Dockside

Overlooking the Brisbane River and the Dockside marina, this event experience is the ideal space to showcase what Brisbane has to offer.

Majestic Roof Garden Hotel

Exceptional design and
environmental features

Iceberg Events Around the Traps

Our CLIENT Events cOMING uP 

Recent Networx Marketers Meetings - MONTHLY NETWORKING EVENTS

Sponsorship vs Community Investment

When: 19 May 2010
Where: XXXX Alehouse, Milton

Upcoming event: 'The Art of Negotation', 6-8.30pm, Wednesday 25 August at The Landing at Dockside, Kangaroo Point More info | Book Now
 

Tip from THE Iceberg

Print and Design for Events

Though everything seems to be on-line these days, there are always still some printing requirements for events.

Have a think early on in the planning for your event about what collateral you are going to need to design and print.  Postcards?  Posters?  Registration forms?  Programs?  Books of Abstracts?

If you can get all of this down into a plan, with the anticipated quantities you'll need, your friendly printer will probably be able to give you a much better deal.  ;-)

Best wishes from the Iceberg girls

Exterior of Majestic Roof Garden Hotel

Culshaw's Grill Restaurant

Executive Deluxe Suite

ROOF GARDEN
High above the city streets, with panoramic views of the Adelaide Hills and city skyline, the designer roof garden is a unique sanctuary; the only one of its kind in Adelaide and a must see for any traveller.  Located on the upper most level of the Majestic Roof Garden Hotel, relax and enjoy the view.

Overlooking the roof garden on level 7 of the hotel, the Nandina Function rooms offer a perfect fusion of intimate space and natural light. One of Adelaide’s newest and most impressive venues, indulge in exquisite food, wine and superior service. The roof garden is a venue  . . . a meeting point . . . a haven.

CULSHAW’S GRILL
Welcome to Culshaw's Grill at the Majestic Roof Garden Hotel. It all starts with the food! Our Head Chef has carefully sourced the finest products South Australia has to offer to create the modern Australian menu. Couple it with friendly and informed service and an extensive wine list and you have yourself a complete restaurant experience.

At Culshaw’s Grill, food and wine is not our business, it is our pleasure.

Exclusive Offer

• 20% off room hire
• 25% discount in Culshaw's Grill for all delegates
• 10% commission on total function spend

Valid from now until 31 March 2011. Terms & Conditions apply.

For more information on how we can make your event one to remember, please contact Sandra functions@majestichotels.com.au or 08 8100 4494 and mention 'Iceberg Events'.

www.majestichotels.com.au

Have a think early on in the planning for your event about what collateral you are going to need to design and print.  Postcards?  Posters?  Registration forms?  Programs?  Books of Abstracts?

If you can get all of this down into a plan, with the anticipated quantities you'll need, your friendly printer will probably be able to give you a much better deal.  ;-)

Novotel Twin Waters Resort  Aerial View

Survivor Themed Conference Dinner

Accommodation Room - Novotel Twin Waters Resort

Segways Next to Aircraft - Team Building Activity

The resort’s seven purpose built conference rooms are designed to provide delegates with a great venue; top class accommodation, stylish and comfortable conference rooms, specialist technical and creative services, state-of-the-art facilities and, of course, Novotel is synonymous with personalised and friendly service.

At Novotel Twin Waters Resort every conference group can be confident their business can be mixed with pleasure, as the resort offers a range of outdoor conference options including beaches, the Eucalypt Clearing, the Circus Lawn and Lily’s on the Lagoon for a truly memorable and unique experience, plus exclusive access to a range of unique leisure team building activities.

Indulge in an amazing choice of activities including golf, tennis, water sports, yoga and spa treatments at the Lagoon Day Spa, or wine and dine your delegates at any of resort’s range of fine-dining and casual restaurants, pre-function and cocktail areas.

For an unrivalled experience treat the team to distinctive group activities. Fly high at Cirque Espace, a dedicated circus school unique to the region; the perfect team building activity for conference groups with gumption, ideal for building team skills, trust and communication 20 metres in the air. Also exclusive to the resort is Australia’s first two-wheel All Terrain Segway Xperience, perfect for a fun and relaxing end to a long hard day.

Or, for more of a challenge, switch to survivor mode with Xperience’s Lost Challenge. Pull the team together with a simulated air-crash survival scenario, complete with an amazing 22 metre Caribou Fuselage prop for realism.

Novotel Twin Water’s Resort understands that imagination and inventiveness is the key to pulling a team together. So mix your business with pleasure on the beautiful, sub-tropical Sunshine Coast, the perfect venue for meetings, conferences, incentives and gala events.

Chance to Win!
Be in a chance to win one night’s accommodation with breakfast for 2 adults at Novotel Twin Waters Resort. 

To enter, email us what your preferred team building activity would be, including your name, position, company, email address and contact number(s) to admin@icebergevents.com.au by Monday 30 August. The winner will be randomly drawn on Tuesday 31 August and notified by phone & email.

Conference Enquiries
For more information about conferencing at Novotel Twin Waters Resort and for the best available rates, call 07 5450 9582 and mention “Iceberg Events”.
Sharon White
Phone: 07 5450 9538
Email: conference@twinwatersresort.com.au

Overlooking the Brisbane River and the Dockside marina, this event experience is the ideal space to showcase what Brisbane has to offer. Your guests can arrive by boat, enjoy drinks and canapés on the terrace, and dance under the twinkle of fairy lights with the iconic Story Bridge adding sparkle to the view.

Catering for cocktail receptions from 30 to 1500 guests, and dining areas from 30 – 500, get away from the office for a day, and meet in our tranquil garden setting, bbq on our terrace and laugh the night away in our Comedy room. With 3 unique spaces, each with their own fantastic dance floor areas, we can offer tailored and all inclusive packages.  Design your whole event from the beginning with the help of our dedicated team, or let us do it for you.

Dining Packages start at $50 per person and Cocktail Packages start at $60 all inclusive.

Tailor an event to suit your style, taste and budget.

Please contact our Coordinators on (07) 3217 3646.
Email us on info@landingatdockside.com.au
44 Ferry street Dockside Kangaroo Point 4169
Download our menus, packages and photos landingatdockside.com.au

Fortunately for us, Clare from Lucid Photography saw that we needed help after we sent out our May Newsletter (and seeing our old team photo) and we quickly accepted her expertise in professional corporate photography. 

We were really happy with the results and we think she delivered quality corporate head shots that she describes as: "Well planned head shots [that] will capture your style and personality, with a smart, professional edge."

Here are the photos from the shoot, we hope you like them!

Above: Jodie Parker, Lisa Ma, Emma Tooth & Jasmine Russell

Above Left: Jodie Parker; Above Right: Lisa Ma

Above Left: Emma Tooth; Above Right: Jasmine Russell

More info

• About the Iceberg Events team
• Make an event enquiry
• Brisbane photographer Lucid Photography's website
• Corporate head shots photography

Only 10 accommodation rooms makes it very cozy - gorgeous rooms, all individually decorated.  My room (lucky me) had a spa in the bedroom!  Huge bathroom with his 'n' hers (his 'n' his??  Hers 'n' hers???) showers - love the heated towel rails (you don't get that often in Queensland, now do you?)

Oh - and the little window seats in your room (if you are on the first floor) with cushions, looking out into the valley.  Love it.

Books everywhere - lots of little spaces with bookshelves full of novels and coffee table books and "14000 things to make you happy" kind of books.  Love the library, to - perfect spot to curl up on the couch with one of their books (or one of your own) - or play Trivial Pursuit or Backgammon.  Nice.

Gorgeous day spa, which smells divine.  I think it was cinnamon and vanilla??  Not sure, but it was lovely.

Everything here is French influence - from the framed french newspapers on the wall, to the french Cooking Classes which you can take (I now know how to bone a chicken.  Who'd have thought!?)  We made our own lunch, which of course, was fantastic.

Executive groups of about 10 (any more and you'd need to twin share) - retreats, planning days, strategic meetings - would be perfect.  Apparently the restaurant will be opening to the public for lunch and dinner in the next little while - another great lunch spot in Montville!

A lovely Parisienne breakfast this morning before we went to see Spicers Tamarind - which is just up the road at Maleny, and is not even open yet.  Tamarind will have more conference space (around 30 people here), but it will be a while before the accommodation catches up - there's currently only six rooms being built, which will go up to fourteen in Stage 2.

Where Clovelly Estate is French influenced, Tamarind is Thai.  There will be a Thai Cooking School here (Tamarind was originally a Thai Cooking School - so they are building on that and adding accommodation).

Looking forward to seeing this one completed!

The hotel is beautiful, and the service is fantastic.  We were using a boardroom which had loads of natural light, but the main "conferencing" floor has HEAPS of space for trade displays as well as large meetings.

Michelle, our contact at the hotel, is wonderful to deal with - nothing is ever too much trouble.

We had a very fun dinner in Benihana's - the teppenyaki restaurant.  So much food, and so much fun!

We also had a staff dinner at Dracula's - not quite in the same league as Benihana's, but an experience, none-the-less.  The show was called "Vampirates", and the girls did enjoy the big fishbowl cocktails...

I wish I had have done this at the time - I'm sure that my memory would be clearer - but suffice to say that my overall impression and recollection is that we had a great weekend, and I'd highly recommend it!!

J  ;-)

Welcome

It's been a busy couple of months here at Iceberg Events, with the first quarter keeping us running with Cornett's IGA Staff Conference, Foot Locker Asia Pacific Team Week, RACQ International Women's Day Fun Run/Walk, the CoreNet Global Brisbane Chapter Symposium and AAPM Staff Development Day!  All great events and clients that we love working with.

We are very lucky to have had Jasmine Russell join the team - she hit the ground running, that's for sure, during this very busy period!

We got a bit of a breather in April, but May is ramping up already!  I've been travelling about all over the place looking at venues for events we have coming up in 2011 and 2012.  I spent a day or so in Newcastle which was surprising!  Not at all what I expected.  I also attended a trade show in Auckland where I met some great people, and got some fantastic ideas for clients looking to go off shore.

We also went away for our annual Strategy Weekend (the Iceberg girls and their partners) to the fabulous Couran Cove Island Resort - what a great place to spend some time thinking.

Couran Cove Island Resort have a great Winter Conference Special at the moment and all enquiries will go into a draw to win one night's accommodation including return ferry transfers, bike hire and buffet breakfast for 2 adults!

We've had three sold out Networx events in a row which is a bit of a record.  All of that social media activity, and SEO for the new Networx website seems to be paying off!  We held our March event at Iceworks Paddington and were really impressed with the space. They're giving away 2 tickets to their June LOL Luncheon!

Our next event coming up on Wednesday 19 May is perfect for gaining an unique insight into sponsorship and community engagement and investment.  We hope you can join us or pass the info onto anyone who you think may benefit.

Looking forward to the weather getting colder.

Conference Venues & Offers

Couran Cove - Special
Winter Conference Offer

Also be in a chance to go into
a draw to win a night's accommodation!

Iceworks Paddington

Contemporary function spaces offering individual charm.
Chance to win 2 tickets to the
LOL Luncheon on 18 June!

The new MCEC

Exceptional design and
environmental features

Iceberg Events Around the Traps

Staff Retreat at Couran Cove

Iceberg Events held their own
Strategy Weekend in April

MiCat Ferry

The TEC group that Jodie's a
member of held their meeting
on a boat

Scared Weird Little Guys

The girls were excited about meeting the entertainment
at the Foot Locker Asia Pacific
Awards Dinner

Our Work - Recent Events

Recent Networx Marketers Meetings - MONTHLY NETWORKING EVENTS

Build Personal Brand and
Buzz to Boost Business

When: 24 March 2010
Where: Iceworks Paddington

Maximising the Media

When: 28 April 2010
Where: Cloudland,
Fortitude Valley

Tip from THE Iceberg

Room Hire vs Catering Spend

Most venues will leverage the room hire on the space that you want to use against the amount you are
planning to spend on food & beverage (and maybe accommodation as well).

If they don't mention it in the proposal, see if they will waive the room hire charge if you get to a certain level of F&B spend, and make sure it's a level you are comfortable with!

Best wishes from the Iceberg girls
 

Many thanks to Ruth Appleby from the Newcastle Convention & Visitors Bureau, who really knew her stuff!  She managed to fit in heaps of potential venues for us, and even a couple that weren't on our agenda!

Though my client was Aviation related, there are many, many places that any group interested in Marine or Aquaculture would love - such as the Maritime Centre or the area around the Honeysuckle Boiler Shop which is being restored to become part of a larger precinct.

We were lucky enough to be staying at Crowne Plaza - right on the harbour, and also part of the Honeysuckle Development.  All of the rooms at Crowne Plaza are suites (nice!), and though it is a very looooong building (it looks like there is a mirror at the end of the hallway when you are going to your room - but no, the hallway really is that long), it's place on the harbour, with the walkway all along the water is lovely, and there are a heap of great restaurants very close by.

We saw some great function spaces such as Longworth House (beautiful for weddings, and a great tapas bar on Thurs/Fri/Sat nights), Fort Scratchley (where - if you want - your President/Chair/CEO could FIRE ONE OF THE GUNS as part of your event!!), and Newcastle Ocean Baths - where I just want to see some syncronised swimmers in neck-to-knee swimsuits and bathing caps.

Noah's on the Beach has a fabulous spot - with floor to ceiling glass in the conference room - but how could you concentrate with whales and dolphins frollicking in the surf right outside?

The Civic Precinct is also fantastic - what a great old theatre (would be fabulous for a Phantom of the Opera kind of event), and the City Hall (I do love a Town Hall - so much character - not at all like modern function rooms).

All in all - lots to see and do.  Highly recommended for groups that have been there and done that!

J  ;-)

Couran Cove Island Resort is the perfect destination for rewarding a job well done; for spoiling a high-performing team, or simply for getting down to business. Located on South Stradbroke Island, just a 40-minute ferry ride from the Gold Coast mainland, Couran Cove Island Resort offers conference groups the opportunity to do as much or as little as they like.

Themed events and dining venues range from forest clearings to beachfront, or for more intimate groups the Resort offers it’s ‘Spirit of Gwonda’ catamaran for private sunset cruises and dinners. Couran Cove Island Resort is perfect as a venue for an intimate gala-dinner, staged in the picturesque Mango Chapel, or the roomier Beach Pavilion for an awards presentation.

Luxury accommodation at Couran Cove Island Resort is situated overlooking either the marina or lagoon, with choices including Marine Deluxe Rooms, Marine Suites, 2-Bedroom Marine Lodges or 4-Bedroom Villas.

If the aim of your trip is to bring your team closer together, then why not have the onsite Sport & Recreation team facilitate an Island Challenge Treasure Hunt or a South Straddie Stranded activity.

The team at Couran Cove Island Resort are dedicated to making conferences and incentives memorable and enjoyable…for all the right reasons!

Special Winter Conference Offer

It’s a wonderful winter to conference at Couran Cove Island Resort! Special offer for conferences booked and held from 1 June - 31 August 2010. 

The all-inclusive residential conference package $249pp per night twin share includes:

Accommodation, ferry transfers, bike hire, in room internet, buffet breakfast, plus complete residential conference package including meeting room, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, standard AV and entertainment.

Plus, choose a reward of:

• 1 x 5 night holiday to give away
• 1 x ‘Greatest Athlete’ team building activity
• 1 x ‘Watersports Beach’ activity
• 1 x 1 hour cocktail party

Terms & Conditions apply. For more information please contact haleybrunell@couran.com or phone 07 5509 3030.

Chance to Win a Night's Accommodation

All enquiries received for the above Winter Conference Offer will go in the draw to win a night’s accommodation at Couran Cove Island Resort including return ferry transfers, bike hire and buffet breakfast for 2 adults. For more information please contact haleybrunell@couran.com or phone 07 5509 3030 and mention 'Iceberg Events'.

I've just cut this excerpt from the SmartCompany email that came out today:

Good meetings are scarce but you know when you are attending one. The agenda is clearly defined for everyone, everyone is focused and knows what's going on and everybody there has a sense of purpose contributing. It starts on time and ends promptly with the next steps marked out and confirmed for everyone. There may even be a sense of camaraderie. The alternative is a waste of time.

Meeting "do's":

• Circulate the agenda and reading material.
• Allocate roles. Someone has to chair the meeting, someone has to take minutes.
• Start and end on time.
• If a meeting is long, schedule breaks when people can check their email and phones.
• If people are shy or hesitate, find a way to draw them out.
• Making people look stupid is not kind or productive.
• Keep things on track and tightly focused.

Meeting "don'ts":

• Don't have clear roles about how to manage the meeting.
• If all the information can be captured in a simple group email, hold the meeting anyway.
• Interrupt people when they're talking.
• Be judgemental. Name and shame.
• Allow people to dominate the meeting.
• Start late and go over time.

It takes a bit of prep to have a good meeting, but it's so worth it in the long run!  Hope that helps!

J  ;-)

A functions package is available upon request and contains information and pictures and menus from each of the distinct areas in the Iceworks Precinct. To take your special functions to the next level Iceworks are also able to arrange music, guest speakers, and theming.  To request a function please email Sharyn Hallas at sharyn.hallas@iceworks.com.au or phone 07 3367 9800.

Prize Offer

Be in a chance to win two tickets to the LOL Ladies Luncheon on Friday 18 June 2010.  To enter, email us one of the function spaces available at the Iceworks Precinct, including your name, position, company, email address and contact number(s) to admin@icebergevents.com.au by Monday 8 June. Winner will be randomly drawn on Tuesday 9 June and notified by phone & email.  Thank you to all who entered, congratulations to the competition winner Kathy Pataczek!

Iceworks Precinct

Cnr Given Terrace & Dowse Streets
Paddington Qld 4064
iceworks.com.au

Need an event organiser? We can help.

Ooh - what fun.  I got to have a look at the new Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (MCEC) the other day.

So many fabulous spaces!  A massive auditorium, lots of other different sized rooms, many of which have natural light, the built in AV, and the REALLY COMFY chairs.  (I also liked the way some of the chairs were red, and some were black, and when they set the room they do this cool kind-of diagonal stripe kind of set up - hard to explain!).

The MCEC recently shone at this year's Australian Interior Design Awards, winning the National Award in the Public Design category and the Best of State Award in the Commercial Design category. The venue was also Highly Commended in the Environmentally Sustainable Design category.

As well as being the first ‘6 Star Green Star' environmentally rated convention and exhibition centre in the world, the MCEC has been the winner of numerous awards for its exceptional environmental and design features.

AND we got to also have a look at the Hilton South Wharf, which is literally on top of the new centre.  Not really any meeting space (well, a small board room, but that's all), but lovely rooms (with beds that you just want to jump on) and great bathrooms.  The Tapas Bar downstairs looks like it would be great fun on a Friday night, too.

Hopefully I get to use these great new additions to Melbourne soon! 

J  ;-)

I am looking forward to this year - it's going to be a lot of fun.  We have lots of work on all over the country this year - Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, Hobart....  We seem to be everywhere in 2010.

Sadly, we are losing our Kat shortly, who is off to pursue a new career as a travel agent - which she will be FANTASTIC at.  For one thing, she seems to have been everywhere already.  And for another - she is so lovely and engaging and helpful - people will be unable to resist going on their trips after she's talked to them about it!

Happily though, we have already found someone to take over - so Jasmine will be starting with us next week!  We are looking forward to getting to know Jasmine better, and introducing her to all of our lovely clients.

I recently attended the AGM for the PCO Association - I'll say it again - that is a VERY tough gig, and I think the people behind it are doing a great job.  They have made some positive changes to the industry already, and I'm happy to be behind them.

The girls and I are looking forward to going over the Tangalooma Island Resort next weekend too - all of us are there for a famil (even Jasmine!  Lucky girl).  A bit of dolphin feeding is the best way to get to know your colleagues, I always say.

Hope your 2010 is shaping up to be a good one.

J  ;-)

Emma & I have just returned from Canberra where we went to the PCO Association 2nd Annual Conference held at the National Convention Centre - and again, we had a great time.

The PCO Association (PCO stands for "Professional Conference Organiser", for those outside the industry), has been working very hard in a number of areas, and I'm really pleased that they are.  It needed to happen, but trying to organise a bunch of organisers would be a daunting task for anyone - so hats off to my competitors who are behind it.  I'm really pleased that they've put themselves out there.

One of the best things to come out of this conference is the launch of a specific venue contract for PCOs (which can be downloaded from the PCO Association website).  This is important because PCOs can get themselves in all kinds of strife, signing contracts on behalf of clients when acting as agent - this is something that has concerned me for some time.  I very much hope that all of the venues adopt this contract - so far IHG has done so, and hopefully the other big chains won't be far behind.

Another great thing is the Accreditation process that the PCO Association is putting in place.  It's very simple for someone to set themselves up and call themselves a conference organiser - all you need is a computer and a phone line - there is no barrier to entry.  And while I don't begrudge someone doing that (I did it myself, 14 years ago), I've had clients who have been burned by people who didn't really know what they were doing (though by the same token, I've had clients burned by people who should have known what they were doing, too!).  I think it's a great thing, and I've made the effort to get myself and the company accredited.

Next year is in Hobart - I'll definately be there.  Those Tassies know how to put on a good show.

J  ;-)

Welcome

The end of the year has rolled around again!  I guess that some of us are happy to see the end of 2009;  2010 has a much more optomistic feel about it. 

With all the talk of the GFC this year, the girls at Iceberg have still had a lot of fun.  We've met some fantastic people, and worked on some great events with some clients and suppliers whom we love working with. 

We've been accredited by the PCO (Professional Conference Organiser) Association and gotten behind this new group which is bringing a bit more credibility to our industry. 

We've done some beautiful branding for client events, and have started expanding our graphic design services to those that aren't event-related!

We've travelled and seen bits of the world that we didn't think we'd get a chance to see, and we're launched our new website which I hope will showcase what we do and bring more people to our door!

All the best to you and your family for the festive season.  Looking forward to seeing you in 2010.

Our Work - Recent Events

Spinal Injuries Association Conference 2009

When: 16 October 2009
Where: Brisbane Technology Park
Attendees: Approx 150

Institute of Hospital Engineering Australia 60th National Conference 2009

When: 9-12 Sept 2009
Where: Gold Coast International Hotel
Attendees: Approx 250

Photos of recent Networx Events we've organised

Tip of the Iceberg

Some may think it's corny (my husband included), but you just can't have Christmas without Christmas Carols.  There is nothing I love more than endless pop versions of classic carols (you can't go past "Mary's Boy Child" by Boney M, or Madonna's version of "Santa Baby"). 

Download a whole bunch of Xmas songs to your iPod, make a "Christmas" playlist, and put it on repeat for the big day.  Everyone will appreciate it.  It's the soundtrack to your life's memories (that's what I tell my husband, anyway).  ;-)   

All the best for the 2010,

From the Iceberg Events team!

Certified Event Manager CEM) is the peak professional standard for event managers.  CEM certification is based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative assessments of intelligence/academic ability, industry qualifications, experience and quality of delivery.

As the PCO Association says: 'The PCO Association encourages all Conference and Event Managers to strive for industry Accreditation, and we congratulate you on your commitment to providing the highest quality event management business practices, professional standards and dedication to continuous improvement.'

What is the PCO Association?

• The PCO Association as the leading body representing the interests of Professional Conference and Event Managers in Australia and New Zealand.
• It maintains an accreditation system to provide clients and industry with an assurance that the accredited member they are engaging is committed to the highest quality event management business practices, consistency and reliability in the delivery of services, professional standards and dedication to continuous improvement.
• It provides relevant industry training courses to increase the standard of professionalism of members.
• It developes best practice documentation for the use of members including standard contracts.
• It conducts an annual conference with content specific streams to address the individual needs of conference and event business owners and conference and event managers.

To speak with Jodie Parker about your next event, please contact us by completing the event enquiry form, email, or calling 07 3876 4988.

I recently got back from 2 weeks in Vietnam - what a fantastic experience! I was lucky enough to take my six year old, Max, on an Intrepid Family Adventure Tour - I can't tell you what a fantastic time we had!

Vietnam would be a fantastic destination for rewards or incentives for really high performing staff - such an adventure! So very different from your day to day life - I love doing things like that.

We learned so much about the history of Vietnam - not just the various conflicts that have happened (and there have been many!), but the culture and food history, and entertainment and pasttimes of the people, and how they make incense, mats, and conical hats!

We travelled from north to south - being able to spend time on boats (overnight on Ha Long Bay), motorbikes, bicycles, as well as travelling by overnight train on the Reunification Express.

I had clothes made in Hoi An (something that I could get addicted to, let me tell you), and we raced through the Cu Chi Tunnels.

Special thanks to Sonny, our guide. I don't think I ever would have attempted an adventure like that with a six year old, without someone like Sonny to make things happen so smoothly!

If anyone is interested in going to Vietnam, please let me know - if only so that I can re-live some of my adventures, and prolong the holiday....

J ;-)

Saw some great spaces - some I'd seen before, and some new ones. Special thanks to the beautiful Park Hyatt Canberra for putting me up, and showing me around. A great space, lots of natural light in conference rooms (I love that), and as always, the special concierge uniform. ;-)

Looked at various other properties, but one that stands out is the Diamante. Funky! Loved the music that was playing in the common spaces. Great accommodation rooms - reminded me a lot of the Henry Jones in Hobart.

The Realm Hotel is new, and sleek, beautiful. Doesn't seem to have a lot of space for pre-function, but I'm sure that they are creative about that.

Some great venues - such as the Boat House - for special occassions. Beautiful spot on the lake. so tranquil (except for the cockatoos!). I really enjoyed my time there.

Canberra is a great place for a meeting or conference - everything is so close, and easy to get to. And professional! I guess they have to be, with all those pollies. ;-)

Being involved in this has made me think more and more about the spaces that we create, and occupy, day to day.

If your office is a mess (like mine is), it's not a very nice place to be. Wouldn't it be better to design spaces that fit with what you are trying to achieve?

I'm sure I'm not saying anything new here. Architects and interior designers have know this stuff for a long time.

We recently ran a conference called Green Roofs - which was all about, you guessed it, growing gardens on the roof. The people attending were all landscape architects and designers, as well as some bureaucrats - but mostly they were outdoorsy sort of people.

Unfortunately, because their dates were fixed, the ONLY conference venue we could find in Brisbane on those dates that suited their program, was a hotel where the conference space has no natural light at all. This was not a space that I would have chosen for this particular group, if I had have had a choice. By 3.00 pm they were all restless - desperately wanting to see some sunlight!

The Networx Events hat we run monthly are always held in bars - the atmosphere that we want for these is relaxed and friendly - like you are having a drink with mates rather than networking. The music, the lighting, the layout of the room - all of this contributes to the atmosphere, and makes those events what they are.

I guess the moral is to pick a venue that suits your audience, and creates the atmosphere you are after. Common sense, really!

J ;-)

I was lucky enough to visit Mackay recently to check out the new Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre (MECC)  which is still under construction.

The $12 million waterfront project is expected to be open in July and will feature a cafe, public art works, children's waterplay and playground area, entertainment stage, boardwalk and picnic and barbeque areas.

On the tour of Mackay we also saw the Artspace and Sarina Sugarshed and travelled to the Pioneer Valley to Marian on the Q150 train.

Mackay is going off! I remember going there about ten years ago, and it was like a ghost town. I looked at the Entertainment Centre back then (the new Convention Centre is being built adjacent to the Entertainment Centre - it will all be one building eventually).

I ran an event there about three years ago, and I didn't recognise the place.

Going back last year, I didn't recognise it AGAIN. It has changed so much. There is so much construction and change going on.

Grinders Catering, who has the contract for Catering for the Convention Centre is fantastic - we got to sample a fantastic array of morning & afternoon tea pieces (the vegetarian tart was my absolute favourite). They will do an awesome job. It is fantastic to find such great food in a regional centre!

1. Don't print anything. Do it all via email. Invest in the design for a cool e-newsletter that will catch people's attention, and save the postage.
2. Cut back on theming for dinners. You can be really creative with props from Crazy Clarks, and let's face it, your guests will probably nick the centrepieces anyway. Perhaps invest in the services of a good creative person, but tell them to think outside the box with what you use for the theming. Or try having your dinner at a unique venue, that doesn't need to be themed!
3. Try using edible centrepieces - check out Edible Blooms. That way you can pay for a two course lunch/dinner, and people can eat the choccies (or fruit) from the middle of the table.
4. Twin share your staff accommodation. If they are used to being in single rooms, just tell them that the economy is dictating this. And it might be fun!
5. Some hotels are really feeling it, so now is the time to get some fantastic special deals!

Now is the time to keep your meetings going. The tough times are when everyone needs to band together and move in the same direction. Meetings give you the platform to spread some optimism instead of the doom and gloom, even if you do it on a budget.

J ;-)

Yaro Starak was our blogger expert, Dale Rankine the mobile phone apps developer from Moket, and Darren Sutton from digital agency XComm opened our eyes to what is coming up in the digital future.

Very cool was being able to project from Dale's Nokia phone on to the big screen - we've never done that before! Death by powerpoint, yes, but I've never seen anyone play a game on their mobile for the whole audience to see! Thanks to Fairchild Multimedia, who always make these things work.... (thanks John!)

Have also been inspired to get on to Twitter (yes, Dale, I'm one of your tweeps!). I can be followed on Twitter here: @jodieparker.

Promise, I'll be back soon. I saw a lot of cool new stuff when I went down to AIME (the Australasian Meetings & Incentives Expo) - will update soon!

J ;-)

Though, at the moment, there’s no getting around the fact that everyone is going to quote differently, one strategy which will go a long way towards helping you compare apples with apples is to have a consistent brief to all of your potential Event Managers.

SO – to make it easy – here’s what we need to know!

1. Dates.  What time of year are you looking at?  Are you flexible at all with your dates?  Even if you can just tell us the preferred month, and maybe days of the week (did you want it to run Thursday to Sunday?  Or not over a weekend?)  Does the event need to coincide with anything else?

2. Region & Venue.  Do you have a region and/or in mind?  A city, a state?   We’re happy to make suggestions, but we’ll get a better idea of what you’re looking for if you’ve got something in mind.

3. Number of people.  Just ballpark at this stage.  We know that sometimes this is a bit like “How long is a piece of String??” but your best guess will do.

4. What kind of event is this?  A conference?  A cocktail party?  An incentive for your staff?

5. Do your guests require accommodation/transfers/airfares?  If there is a significant amount of accommodation involved, your event manager can make commission on this from the venue - which will alter their quote to you.

6. Are your guests/delegates paying to attend?  Or is this all put on for them (lucky them!)

7. Rough program – how you see the event progressing.  This includes how much time you want to have for talking, and the kind of playing that you want to do.  Group Breakfasts?  Dinners?  With speakers?  When? 

8. Sponsors and trade displays – is this part of the equation?  How many trade displays?  How much in sponsorship dollars?

9. Presenters – are the people speaking or performing at this event professionals?  Will they need to be paid?  Or are we talking about presentations being made by your internal staff?

10. Budget (always – the bottom line!).  Do you need to make money on this event?  Do you want it to break even?  Or are you happy to kick in some cash to make it all happen?

Once we know all of those things (though we understand that events evolve as you go along) we can start to put together a quote for our services.  At Iceberg Events, we like to try to put a ballpark budget together for the entire event at this point – which will no doubt change, but it’s somewhere to start.  We figure that it’s all very well for you to know how much the event management is going to cost, but if you can’t see how much the whole project will cost, it doesn’t help you much, now does it?

Assign someone to be in charge of the project.
Whether this is someone on your existing team, someone you hire especially for the project, or an outsourced provider, the tasks they will need to undertake will be much the same.  Jodie Parker from Iceberg Events outlines here what you can expect from your Event Manager.

Work out why you are doing this & how you want the event to unfold
Your event manager needs to be able to listen to the objectives for your project (is this a serious conference with serious issues to discuss?  Is it an opportunity for franchisees to meet each other and talk off- line? 

Whatever the objective, your event manager needs to make some suggestions as to the best way to meet them.  He or she needs to help you with how to effectively program the meeting, so that it flows, is logistically as simple as possible, and meets those objectives you’ve set.

Program Development
Obviously, you know what you want said at this meeting.  Your event manager probably doesn’t have the expertise to put a program together specifically for your group.  What he or she can do, however, is help you program it, so it flows.

Your event manager can help you make sure you’re not cramming too much in to one day;  to make sure there is networking opportunities, and times out of the “classroom”;  to give time for the venue to re-set rooms, if that is what’s needed.

Project Plan & Timeline
Next, your event manager needs to work out a project plan and timeline, which shows all of the tasks which need to be undertaken for your conference to be a success, who’s responsibility it is to complete the various tasks, and by when.  You need to understand that if you haven’t worked out who the winners are for your awards night by a week before the event, then the trophies won’t be ready in time.

Source quotes from different suppliers
There are LOTS and LOTS of different suppliers to be used for each conference – from venues to audio visual providers, theming companies, photographers, caterers, trophy suppliers, transport (ground and air), accommodation….  The list goes on and on and on.

Budget
The budget will be an ever changing beast, as you refine what it is that you want to happen.  If your event manager is skilled at this, and if they have a good idea of what you want to happen in the first place, this can be kept in check.  Don’t expect this to be dead-on accurate first go – there are too many variables at play here.  Plus, you’ll probably change your mind about certain things!

Supplier negotiation
Your event manager should be able to negotiate the best deal possible with your suppliers.  An outsourced Event Manager probably uses a many of the same suppliers over and over again for other clients, and so can assure you of not only a good deal, but a quality product or service.

Sponsorship Package Development
Chances are, your conference is going to be at least partially funded by your suppliers.  What are they going to get for their money?

Your event manager needs to develop a sponsorship package, so that everyone knows what’s going on – what’s included in their package, and more specifically, what ISN’T included (no, you can’t hang that enormous banner at the entrance to the venue).

Your event manager needs to make sure that both you and the sponsor adhere to the agreement – and run interference in case anyone is unhappy for whatever reason. 

Speakers requirements
Your event manager will need to liaise with all of your presenters, and make sure that the AV equipment they need is available and that the room will be set up the way they need it to be.  Nothing worse that that presentation that refers to that 3 minute DVD being shown…. but no one thought to organize the DVD player.  That’s ok, you can run it through your laptop….  But there’s no audio organized from your computer, so no one can hear the sound….

Transport & Accommodation
One of the most important logistical aspects of your meeting is going to be Delegate Transport and Accommodation.  Airport transfers need to happen like clockwork, and everyone needs to arrive at the venue in time for you to start your meeting.  Likewise, it needs to work well going home – or it will leave a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.

Lock it all in
Confirm, confirm, confirm.  Your event manager needs to confirm all arrangements and contracts with suppliers, and all details with your delegates.  Delegates need letters which tell them their transport and accommodation details, and their itinerary.  Everyone needs to know what’s going on, for this to run smoothly.

Be there on the day
Your event manager should have by now developed a Bump & Run Sheet, which shows what’s happening at the event minute by minute – he or she should know what’s going on at all times!

If they’ve done their job right, there shouldn’t be anything really for them to do on the day….Crack open the champagne!  You’re there!

After the event
Though you’ll all want to fall in a heap at the end of this, there is a certain amount of tidying up to be done.  Accounts need to be settled, feedback needs to be collated, final reports need to be written.

Before you put all of that paperwork in an archive box, you’ll want to have a de-brief, to discuss what went well, and how you’d change it next year.  All of the stats for the event should be collated, so that things will be simple next year!

Ok, now you can crack open the champagne!

1. I don't think I've ever been a delegate before! I LOVE being a delegate. It's so easy! You don't have to get up early, particularly. And you get fed ALL the time. I can't believe I had about 2 hours to get ready for dinner! That's unheard of.
    
2. Besides just enjoying it, I learned a lot. It was a really good, sharing kind of atmosphere. I got to meet a lot of people (competitors) that I've heard a lot about, but have never had a conversation with.

The content had a couple of different streams - one being for owners, and others being for people who worked in the meetings industry. There were a couple of presentations which were a bit off-topic, but overall, I found it really interesting, and I'm really glad I went. PCO's can be so defensive of their clients and how they do things - it was so refreshing to have this kind of atmosphere around it.

I'll be going next year, and I'll be taking some of my staff too.

AND - you can have Natalie Cook helping you and your staff out, if you like! How awesome would that be? An Olympic Gold Medallist in Beach Volleyball, helping you run your company tournament?

But back to the events - corporate team building is good, but I want to throw a party at this place. It's really hard to do an organised beach party on a real beach (the councils get a bit touchy about it) - but you could certainly do it here. Play some Beach Boys music. Get everyone's shoes off. Have a BBQ. Put up some party lighting - some paper lanterns or tiki torches or something like that. It would be a great night.

I'm sure that being at QEII is a bit of a barrier for some people - but it's not really that far. Could probably be faster than trying to get to an inner city venue for a lot of people.

The following is the full interview on party tips:

What do you do?

Organise Conferences & Events for associations, corporates and government.

What does that entail?

Project management – lots of meetings, creating project plans, setting budgets, finding venues, designing programs, finding speakers/entertainers, selling tickets, having fun!

How would you describe yourself in full party mode?

Always smiling.

What are the essential ingredients of a great party?

Great atmosphere, great people, good food, good music!

Do you have a party philosophy?

Go with the flow. 

How do you keep a level head when something doesn’t go to plan?

Happens all the time.  You can only do what you can do.  Make the best of it!

Your top party tracks?

For conferences - "Blame it on the Boogie" and "Love Shack" are two tracks guaranteed to get people on the dance floor.

What’s the secret to being a great host?

Introducing people, and making them feel comfortable.  We try to do this as much as we can at our Networx events - making sure that everyone has someone to talk to.

What’s the secret to being a great guest?

Be gracious!  Someone has gone to a lot of effort to arrange this for you....

What are some surefire conversation starters?

I tend to use my accent (I'm Canadian) - if I say my last name (Parker) people are guaranteed to ask me where I'm from....

Strangest thing you’ve seen at a party?

A pet emu.  Roaming.  Free.  Amongst the guests.

Ever done anything embarrassing at a party and what was it?

Nothing that I'm going to say here.  ;-)

What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever worn to a party?

Does everything I wore in the 80s count?

One thing you should avoid wearing to a party?

Anything I wore in the 80s.

What’s your party outfit for the season?

Depends on the party!

What’s the best party you’ve ever been to and why?

They are all good - I love any party that I'm not organising.  Best Party (Conference Dinner) we've ever done for a client was an 80s night - 400 people in 80s gear - they didn't even take their seats - they went straight for the dancefloor.

The worst and why?

I can't stand any party where someone tries to sell you something.

Do you have a secret hangover cure?

It's no secret - pace yourself.

View the full interview with Jodie Parker in Style Magazine November 2008

On the contrary.

A conference could be what focuses your organisation, and defines where you’re going, and how you’re getting there.  Jodie Parker from Iceberg Events can tell you why.

Everyone works better with a deadline!
The conference can be the time that all those loose ends need to be finished by, so that you can present them to the franchisees with confidence.  Once you’ve booked that venue, and let everyone know, the clock is ticking.  Now, that’s motivation!

Use this to clarify your ideas
Nothing better than the thought of public speaking to help you get things straight in your head.  The Conference is where you can tell your franchisees about your strategic direction, new product lines and your new marketing campaign.  The thought of doing that publicly is enough to help you make a decision.

Give them a reason to get away from their business
Chances are, your franchisees are working hard to make a go of it – they definitely need some distance and some perspective, not to mention the opportunity to talk to a whole lot of people in the same boat as themselves.  They’ll love you for giving them a reason to get away, and helping them plan it.

Reward them for their hard work
This is your opportunity to publicly thank them for all that they do for the organisation.  Let them know that their contribution is valued and essential to the overall success of the brand!  An awards ceremony as part of the event is crucial for morale.

Give them all the same message
You really need all of your franchisees together to communicate and discuss the direction of the brand – so everyone is moving in the same direction.  That consistency is what makes your franchise work!   Now is the time to launch new marketing plans, new strategic directions, new structures to the organisation – so everyone has a chance to digest and discuss.

Get them talking
I’ve said it already, but the value of your franchisees all getting to know each other is so valuable, yet impossible to measure!   Having that support network of others might take some of the pressure off of you, as franchisor, as well.

Have an open forum
All that talking should be with you as franchisor as well.  The opportunity for you to hear what’s going on at the front line can’t be underestimated either.

They can also be great tools for revitalizing your business and your people.  Jodie Parker from Iceberg Events, has some tips for making that Franchisee Conference stress free and cost effective.
 
1. Have a think about what you want to say. 
The meeting needs to be structured to be effective.  Some ideas include:

• Review of last year's performance - where we've been, where we are going.  People like to see how they are faring against others in the group, or others in the industry - consider benchmarking against each other, and show the results at the meeting.
• Future directions - make sure everyone understands the big picture.
• Marketing plans - how is the word being spread?
• New products or services on the horizons.
• Internal policies - things everyone needs to know about "how we do things".
• HR and/or Safety legislation that people need to be aware of.

2. Provide a forum for your franchisees to speak. 
Schedule some time in for this, and make sure everyone knows that this space will be available.  While you don't want mud-slinging in front of the whole organisation, you may find a theme that can be rectified (with a solution provided by your people!)  If you're worried about what they might say - let them know that "General Business" needs to be tabled prior to the event, so you know what's coming, and can be prepared

3. Make time for networking and/or team building.
Some informal networking time will be much appreciated – franchisees can talk to each other, and find out what others do to make their business work.  They may find this to be the most practical part of the event!

4. Have an Awards Ceremony. 
Make sure everyone knows that results are recognised and appreciated.  Benchmarking activities throughout the year can provide the data for your awards night - make it the last night of the conference, and let everyone let their hair down.  Awards ceremonies can be notoriously long winded - keep an eye on the timing for this, so that there's time for fun and chatting as well.
 
5. Get your suppliers involved. 
They need to understand your business to work effectively with you.  They can also help reduce the costs for your event!

6. Work out where the majority of your people are.
- hold the event somewhere close by to minimise airfares and transfer costs.

7. Treat your franchisees like guests. 
As franchisor, you need to be hosting this event.  Franchisees need to take time away from their business to attend this meeting – they need to see it as worth their while.  Some franchisors make attendance at the annual meeting mandatory – wouldn’t it be better if they wanted to be there?

Hobart is definately all about the food. We've been to some awesome places. We started at Meadowbank Winery, where some of our group were lucky enough to take the "How to be a wine snob" course - so they could irritate us for the rest of our stay. ;-)

The outlook and the food was beautiful, and, of course, the wine! I really loved the interesting floor at the winery - it is a work of art in itself, telling the history of the area.

Hobart seems to be all about the local produce, and local artists. Pretty much everywhere we went, they told us how they supported the local community, which I think is great. If I'm going to take a group somewhere, I want them to be experiencing the best of that area.

From there, we had a look at venues such as the Old Woolstore, and the Henry Jones Art Hotel - Henry Jones in particular is so filled with fantastic art, and just being there is a history lesson unto itself.

Dinner that night was on the top floor of the Hotel Grand Chancellor - what a fantastic view!

Breakfast the next morning was entertaining with Phil Harris from Aardvark Adventures. Some very exiting Team Building and Adventure activities to be had in Hobart and around Tassie - what fun we could have! I hope he's reading this!!! Max loved the choccies - thanks.

One of the highlights would have to be the Cascade Brewery. Beer Tasting @ 10.00 am is a bit early for some, but what a fantastic setting, and wasn't my husband jealous. He can't complain though - I brought him home a pick & mix pack of all of his favourites.

Another definate highlight was Lark Distillery. Is there a pattern here? I seem to be overly enjoying the alcohol related sites. Strange. At Lark's we got to try their special Gin (nice G&T to start the night), Whiskey, Whiskey Liqueur (which I was ESPECIALLY partial to), and the Pepperberry Vodka. Nice! I highly recommend that one. The atmosphere in there was awesome - we didn't want to leave, we were having so much fun.

The next morning, we could hang out at Salamanca Markets - which were pretty good. I'm not much of a market person after having been involved with the Spring Hill Fair (I'm a bit marketed-out), but these were nice, and had a great atmosphere.

All of the accommodation that we looked at was considerably less expensive than what you would find on the mainland - so for the cost of a flight to Tassie, you could potentially save your meeting a whole lot of $$.

I'm a big fan of Tassie now. Thanks Claire!

I went to an all-girls school, so you can imagine the difficulty in tracking everyone down. A couple of very clever girls that I went to school with set up a group on Facebook, and at this point, there are 53 people from our year in the group, which is fantastic.

Most of them have gotten married and changed their names. This way, there are photos so we can tell who they are, even if their names fool us.

We had about 130 in our year, and I think we've found about 70 now, which isn't bad, but the vast majority have been found through Facebook. What a fantastic tool! In an age where everyone moves around so much, to be able to keep in touch with people like this is awesome.

I especially love how you can post photos and videos. There is no way I would have the time, or the inclination, to look at my cousin's photos of her trip to Peru - but on Facebook, I can look at them whenever I have time, with her captions and funny comments (and everyone else's too).

Facebook is a fabulous tool for events - getting groups of people together, publicising them before and after. I'll let you know how the reunion goes!

J ;-)

I had the opportunity to go to a Branding Workshop run by DAIS the other day at the Emporium Hotel in Fortitude Valley.

I had a fantastic morning - the workshop was great, and highly inspiring - making me rush back to the office with my notes and commit to doing lots of things that I've been meaning to do for a long time (Jack Perlinski is a great speaker!).

But as well as that, I was able to check out the Emporium Hotel - I haven't had a chance to see it until now.

What a cool space that cocktail bar is! Just the entry is incredible.

As well as that, I am waiting with bated breath for The Limes Hotel, also in the Valley, to open up. Limes will have a very cool roof garden and outdoor cinema (which I became aware of through the Green Roofs Australia Conference which we are currently working on).

It's nice to see some contemporary venues opening up in BrisVegas - we love it!

J ;-)

Brews Brothers, in Woolloongabba, can brew any kind of beer you like (for instance, if you like Corona, they have the recipe for it), bottle it, and label it with whatever you want.

Imagine making that part of your Sponsorship Package - for the Welcome Drinks at your conference or event, for instance.

Sponsorship of the Welcome Drinks doesn't just include signage, and the opportunity to get up and talk for 2 minutes.

You can also be serving beer in bottles branded with your logo - what a great marketing idea!

Now that is a talking point which your sponsor will appreciate!

J ;-)

The way to make it hard is to not be clear about what your sponsors receive for their money. If sponsorship packages are vague initially, it gives the sponsor the ability to push for more as the event comes closer.

When sponsors start pushing for more, you need to be cognisant of what your OTHER sponsors are getting. If the benefits of sponsorship are inconsistant with what they are paying, reletive to each other, you could have a problem on your hands.It's also important to have ONE version of your sponsorship packages - not multiple ones floating around!

Of course, things are going to change as you tweak the packages to suit the sponsor, but if you are consistant in your levels in the first place, it will be easier to negotiate.

How to do this?

Once you have worked out the structure for your meeting, make a list of all of the potential opportunities for sponsors. For instance:

1. Trade show
2. Signage on lectern
3. Morning tea sponsorship
4. Collateral in Satchels.

etc.

Then go through and work out which are going to be the most valuable to sponsors, which should be exclusive, and which you can give to everyone.

Create a tiered structure for the most expensive package down to the budget option.

Then get it out there and talk to your sponsors! Nothing can beat picking up the phone.

Good luck!

J ;)

We've just arrived back from hot and steamy Cairns. Luckily, we weren't in Mackay (which was the original plan)!  This is the second time we've worked with this particular group for their conference, and one of the things which the client wanted to do this year was spend the afternoon playing bowls.

The Edge Hill Bowlie was a great place to go on a Friday afternoon. The heat was intense, but nothing that a beer at each end couldn't cure.

A good day was had by all, aided by the open bar and some yummy cheese and bickies put on by a sponsor. We finished up with a BBQ dinner, and then we piled everyone back on the bus to take them home to the resort, where most of them ended up in the pool until well into the evening!

Bowls is an easy team building idea. Everyone can do it, it's not too strenuous, it facilitates people talking to one another and getting to know each other. They can be competitive if they want, but if they're not, it doesn't matter!

J ;-)

The worst possible thing that you can do on a staff retreat is make everyone work the whole time.

I know that seems contrary to what you are trying to achieve - you're paying all of this money so that everyone can go away and focus - come up with the solutions you need, find the extra effort required!

If you are taking people out of their normal habitat, you need to do some different things too! I've talked about Team Building before - but it doesn't need to be as structured as "activities".  

It could just be giving them the opportunity to have a casual dinner, with their families and colleagues, without talking about work (and believe me, their partners will be happy about that. Maybe even BAN the work conversations from the table).

It could be going to play bowls, or mini golf, or snorkeling (if you happen to be at an island destination).

There is no denying, though, that work needs to be done too.

If you are doing the brainstorming/creative type activities that are often done on retreats, let them wear whatever they like! No one wants to wear work clothes on a Sunday anyway.  Maybe they’ll think more creatively wearing board shorts.

Maybe try to avoid the conference room set up. Can you do the brainstorming thing somewhere comfy?  With Couches?  Or sun beds?

Can you have platters of food for people to pick at, rather than structured breaks?  You don't want the "structure" to get in the way of those creative ideas.

Make sure you have a way to capture all those ideas, too. Be it as simple as butchers paper or whiteboards, or someone in charge of minute-taking, or recording the entire discussion (may need a techie to do that one properly).

I think the best staff retreats are a little bit junket, and a little bit justified.  The balance there is what gives you the best outcomes.

How great is this for a group photo location?

Hamilton Island is a great location for a conference - to take people away just changes everything. This meeting had a lot more laughter as part of it than it ever has in the past - I'm sure that has a lot to do with the fact that you just can't be uptight on a tropical island. I don't think it's possible.

JP entertains some sponsors (or perhaps vice versa?)

 

The rooms have been recently refurbed - so even though generally your conference delegates will be in the Reef Hotel - which is a bit incongruous with the landscape (80s massive high rise in the middle of tropical paradise - but I guess they need that volume of accommodation to provide the conference facilities that they do) - the rooms are really lovely now. Gone is the salmon pink walls and cane furniture of the 80s - lovely white rooms with nice lighting and comfortable balcony furniture!

Still no internet access (except dialup!) in most of the accommodation rooms, which is tricky, but there is wireless access in the foyer, so that's something.

They've re-done the restaurant in the foyer of the Reef Hotel - and put in a really gorgeous pool. We had a casual bbq function there on the Friday night, and the food was fabulous! The delegates and suppliers had a fantastic night.

Some great awards were given out, and much fun was had by all!

Only issues really were a couple of delayed flights - mine was an hour late going there, and three hours delayed coming home. Luckily for us, the flights that the majority of delegates were on were all on schedule.

Also, we had a lady fall over at the loos near the Bougainvillea Marquee - lighting was pretty poor. Apparently they are in the process of building new loos there, so that will be rectified soon.

Anyone else had any experiences on HI? Good or bad - interested in hearing about it.

J ;-)

Brisbane, not surprisingly, has heaps of really good venues to use for functions. There is starting to be a lot more use of the river, which I love. I had a look at the new and improved State Library yesterday for a client - fantastic! An amphitheatre that has natural light (but you can still see the screen), and a great indoor/outdoor kind of area which would be great for cocktail parties or catering during the day.

The State Library also had a couple of River Decks would would seat maybe 40 people for a very classy & exclusive sit down dinner!

I talked about Riverlife in my last blog - wouldn't I love to do more stuff there.

The Brisbane Powerhouse is also a great space - the new deck (which also overlooks the river) is a beautiful spot for pre-function drinks. The grafitti on the walls makes it a bit grungy, and very cool.

We used the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) at Federation Square in Melbourne for the Fury Launch - That's a great spot too. So central, and lots of interactive things for your guests to do (the Pixar Exhibition was on while we were there - wouldn't my son have loved to see that!).

We're always on the lookout for new and exciting venues - let me know if you know of any we should take a look at!

J ;-)

We have a lot of clients who use their conference as an opportunity to get everyone in their organisation working together.  While some may roll their eyes, thinking that team building is a drag – trust me – there are some FABULOUS activities out there.

Take Foot Locker for example – we recently did a 3 hour team building exercise with their Store Managers at Crowne Plaza Royal Pines Resort.  A circuit of activities included Clay Target Shooting, Archery, a group of people balancing a bucket of water on top of a pole, balanced with ropes (you can imagine what happened with that one), a giant A-frame that one team member stood on while their team mates moved it over the finish line… Team Building isn’t all about high ropes courses anymore!

Or a group of IGA stores that we took to the local Bowls Club on a Friday afternoon.  Easy.  Everyone can play.  And a beer at each end ensures that everyone has a good time (within reason of course!)

There are so many different activities you can do – drumming workshops, Aboriginal dot paintings, Scavenger hunts like “The Amazing Race”.  Imagine all of your delegates doing “Survivor” type activities (modified for groups, age and ability) – all wearing “Buffs” for their teams – branded with your company logo?  Fun!  And definitely memorable.

And a photographer while all this is going on can capture enough images of people having fun for you to turn into a scroll at your gala dinner…  What a great end to a great event! 

Many thanks to Ray, Tony and Annette!