Here it is, already July. I hope everyone had a stress free End of Financial Year. We had a few clients who had EOFY functions, so it couldn’t have been stressful for everyone!
Things here are ramping up as we head toward the end of the year. I'd like to welcome Lucy Ohl, who joined us at the end of May, and has been doing a fantastic job. Already she is talking about sorting out our office procedures manual - how wonderful!
We are working with some new clients as well - the Institute of Hospital Engineers for their 2009 meeting, and a Brisbane City Council initiative - a Parking Workshop for all those Council Parking Officers (nationally!) at the end of the year. No, we won’t be revealing the date or venue to anyone who has ever gotten a parking ticket! We are also now looking after all of CoreNet Global’s Brisbane Chapter events until the end of March 2009, which will be great!
As well as all of this, we have taken the leap and will be putting on our own NETWORX Conference on 31 October - it's called evolve_08. Some of you may be aware that we run NETWORX Marketers Meetings, and have done so in Queensland since 2005. The feedback has overwhelmingly been that there isn't enough information out there for Marketers in Brisbane that is a bit edgy - new digital technologies, social networking and how to use it to market your business, viral and guerilla marketing. We already have some great people who have confirmed they will be speaking - if this interests you, you can see more at www.icebergevents.com/evolve08
The girls and I (and everyone's partners and children) are heading off to Tangalooma Island Resort in a couple of weeks for some team building, business strategy, and general fun. We've done this before, but with the new girls on the team, it’s a good time for us to be practicing what we preach, with regard to getting your people together…. I know we'll have some great photos of Lisa going sand tobogganing to share after that one… (I doubt it - I'm fairly sure Lisa isn't into sand).
Talk soon
J ;-)
FEATURE ARTICLE
Staff Retreats - justified, or junket?
Feature article by Jodie Parker
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".
{Read more}
CONFERENCE VENUES AND SPECIAL OFFERS
Rediscover Sea World Resort on the Gold Coast with it's September Special
Now is the perfect time to rediscover Australia’s leading theme park resort after its multi-million dollar room, conference venues and lobby upgrade, and new Kids "WaterPlay" area. With the amazing September Special offer including free Shark Bay Experience and exclusive discounts to Sea World, to name a couple, getting the team away has never been so easy, and fun! {Read more}
A truly rewarding experience at Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove until December
With it's 1940's inspired grand homestead design, surrounded by championship golf courses, extensive recreational facilities, and a 300 berth marina and Marine Village, it is one of Australia’s premier leisure, conference and incentive destinations. Book your next conference or event between now and December and they'll reward your group with one of three exclusive offers (valued up to $500 each). {Read more}
Tangalooma Island Resort - Special Offers for July and August
Located on Moreton Island, the third largest sand island in the world, Tangalooma Island Resort is only a 75 minute cruise across Moreton Bay on a high speed catamaran from Brisbane. The resort is a perfect destination for corporate delegates seeking a unique adventure, educational or nature based experience in a truly relaxed environment - right on Brisbane’s doorstep! Book any conference for travel between July & August 2008 and receive VIP Dolphin feeding and a FREE Whale Watching Cruise or Quad Bike Tour for all overnight delegates valued at $58 per person.
{Read more}
A Winter Warmer at Quay West Suites Brisbane
Enjoy the sophisticaton of three versatile function rooms, all with plenty of natural light. The Caulfield Room features whitewash timber shutters and an adjoining gallery area for refreshments. The McMahon's Room features floor-to-ceiling glass and adjoins the Private Dining Room. Check out the special Day Delegate Package for conferences booked in July. {Read More}
The above venues would love to host you and your group. If you would like Iceberg Events to provide you with a no obligation proposal for any of the above conference offers, please contact us on 07 3876 4988.
ICEBERG EVENTS AROUND THE TRAPS
Welcome to Lucy Ohl, our new Event Assistant
Lucy Ohl loves to organise anything she can get her hands on, and so it has been a natural progression to an event management company after spending the past couple of years in various administration roles and as a personal assistant. Lucy’s event assistant role sees her supporting the Iceberg Events team. She enjoys assisting delegates with their registrations and their requirements over the phone. She loves meeting new people at events where she will meet and greet them at registration. {Read more}
Rediscover Sea World Resort Familarisation
We've discussed before how important it is to "familiarise" potential conference venues. Emma Tooth and Lisa Ma recently went along to Seaworld Resort's Rediscover Famil in May, and had an amazing time exploring the new refurbishments, Shark Bay experience, offsite dinner at Sea World's Dolphin Cove, Dolphin Cove show and dinner, and the next morning had breakfast with a special visit from a couple of the Sesame Street characters!
{View photos} {Sea World Resort's Sept Offer}
Introducing the Iceberg Events team!
With two new staff members, we're happy to say we've got a great team of wonderful people! We're all excited about our own Staff Retreat coming up in a couple of weeks at Tangalooma Island Resort. Just in case you haven't met us all yet, we have...
Jodie Parker, the managing director and professional conference organiser; Lisa Ma, event coordinator and graphic designer; Emma Tooth, event coordinator; and Lucy Ohl, event assistant.
Subtropical Cities Conference 2008 - From Fault-Lines to Sight-Lines, Brisbane
"Since 2006, design approaches to subtropical cities have broadened while the issues of living sustainably have become more focused, particularly around the impact of climate change on cities, ecological footprints and sensitivity to local distinctiveness. The 2008 Conference seeks to clear the opacity associated with the fault lines by providing clarity and vision for subtropical urbanism in 2020. The Conference will offer an exhilarating setting to share and debate ideas; ideas about what subtropical urbanism could be by 2020." Professor Helen Armstrong, Conference Chair.
{Visit conference website}
Australasian Sponsorship Marketing Association 2008 Conference, Gold Coast
"This year the conference is being developed to take the discipline of sponsorship marketing to the next dimension. The conference has been updated to include cutting-edge keynotes, panels, and roundtables addressing the hot industry topics. We will also be introducing advanced closed-session streams facilitated by leading industry figures and high-profile speakers for sponsors and rights-holders alike, increased networking opportunities and an innovative social program." Philip Whittaker, ASMA President. {View conference website}
International Symposium of Spray Dried Dairy Products 2009, Melbourne
"Following the theme of the previous highly successful symposia in this series, held in Rennes (2001), Cork (2004) and San Francisco (2007) this meeting aims to bring together research and industry leaders to share ideas and information about new developments in two complementary fields of science and technology – the manufacture of dairy powders and the functionality of these products as food ingredients." Dr Martin Palmer, Conference Convener.
{View conference website}
We're sure you would agree that there's some really interesting conferences out there!
We love delivering the conference website as part of the project, and we hope you enjoy some of our website work above.
NETWORX MARKETERS MEETINGS
The latest in online marketing strategies draws a big crowd at the last Networx event
Did you know that 68% of Search Engine users click results on the first page of search? Did you know only 8% of Search Engine users review more than the first three pages prior to clicking on a result? These are the sorts of things that Networx attendees learnt from Llew Jury, managing director of Reload Consulting on 25th June, at the Reload with the Latest Online Marketing Strategies event. Llew looked at a number of case studies for the event across a range of industries and explained their online marketing style, SEO footprint, Web 2.0 techniques and other success stories. {Read more}
Beyond Web 2.0 - Networx event on 30 July, hosted by Liquid Interactive
The evening will explore revolutionary technologies and trends and how these will impact, and have already impacted, upon the way the web is used. The evening will immerse participants in a variety of the latest interactive digital applications, allowing them to experience first-hand, the benefits of digital evolution. This technology could be used by marketing, communications and event marketing management professionals who want to use interactive placement marketing within their exhibit programs and optimise results in trade shows and displays.
{Info and booking details}
evolve_08 - Marketing and Communications Conference, 31 October
Need to be across the key trends and latest thinking in marketing, media, online and branding? But just don’t have the time? Then attend evolve_08. This is an event is for marketing and communication professionals, and business entrepreneurs. So it focuses on the real issues and trends you will be facing every day, in online, email, advertising, social trends, database building, media, design and idea generation. Following the success of last year's inaugural evolve conference in Melbourne, the 2008 event will be proudly hosted by Brisbane.
{View conference website}
Iceberg Events proudly manage the Networx Marketers Meetings in Brisbane. It was founded by Kimberly Palmer in Melbourne, and the monthly networking events for marketing and communication professionals are held in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Add yourself to the Networx mailing list.
REFER A FRIEND, RECEIVE A BLOOM | TIP FROM THE ICEBERG | OUR SERVICES
Exclusive Offer from Edible Blooms: 10% off to Iceberg readers
Kelly Baker, Managing Director of Edible Blooms is exclusively offering all Iceberg readers 10% off the Edible Blooms range. Imagine giving your female or male friend, colleague or client a Hazelnut Heaven (pictured above). They will be delighted! To get the discount, enter ICEBERG into the promo code field when checking out. ICEBERG must be entered in caps to be valid. {www.edibleblooms.com.au}
Want to receive an Edible Bloom?
Then refer a friend - or someone who has a conference! You may know of someone who is thinking of holding a conference or staff retreat, please think of us so we can help with a quote or proposal! {For full details}
Thinking of Brisbane to hold your next conference? You'd better hurry...
If I had a whole lot of money, I’d be building a new hotel with a conference floor in Brisbane right about now. Conference space in Brisbane is at a premium at the moment. It is near impossible to get specific dates for your meetings in Brisbane with under 12-18 months lead time at the moment. If you are flexible on dates, you might be ok, but if you can’t move your dates, you could be in trouble! Most hotels in Brisbane are at around 90-95% occupancy every night of the week these days.
We know that the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre is extending their space, and it was recently revealed that a new Westin Hotel will be built in the Brisbane CBD. This is great, but what about those short lead time meetings that need space now? My tip? Get organised, and be flexible.
We love organising conferences. Here are some of the things we can do...
Outsourcing the event management is a great way to free up your staff's time and let you enjoy the event. We look after events such as Staff Conferences or Retreats, Franchisee Conferences, Group or Association Conferences.
News, Articles + Blog 
Staff Retreats - justified, or junket?
