How To Run A Successful Event To Build A Better Business Network

How To Run A Successful Event

Events are a powerful tool for marketers to truly engage their consumers and leverage their brand. No matter what type of event you plan to run, there are a few points you need to remember to ensure your event is a success.
A successful Event Marketing Campaign is one that:

* Meets your brand objectives.
* Delivers a meaningful message directly to the target market.
* Complements your overall marketing plan.
* Provides a talking point amongst consumers.

The Strategy

Choosing the right event strategy for your product or service requires a thorough understanding of the brand objectives. You may require an experienced event agency partner if you do not have sufficient in-house resources to help you to achieve your goals. Look for a good team of experienced and creative minds who are ready to analyse every element of your product and service and its current position to design the best possible strategy. The following points should be considered:
Event Outcome

Clarity and agreement around the issue of event outcome is imperative. Key stake holders will have different views and perspectives of what they want out of an event. Defining and agreeing the desired event outcome means that the correct approach is taken. It means that the creative development of the event and the content to all work together to produce the right results. Ask yourself the following questions.

* What is the outcome you want for this event?
* What change do you want to effect?
* What tangible changes do you want? Eg Increase in sales, lead generation?
* What is the best thing/outcome that could happen as a result of this campaign?
* When the road show is over what do you want the guests to be saying about the event over coffee to their friends?
* What would be the ultimate sign of success for the event?

Target Market

Your target group are your guests. They could be prospective or existing clients or they could be staff. Again ask yourself: Who are they? Where are they? Why do you want them to attend? What do they like to do? How do we get their attention? What do they think/know/feel about your company now? What do you want them to think/know/feel about your company post the event?

Think about what events they have experienced before either with your organisation or with your competitors. What is their age group, are they an even mix of male and female? Understanding your audience is a good first step in the event planning process.
Message

A clear message is critical to the success of any event. Knowing exactly what you want to say is imperative. Its about what you want to say rather than how you want to say it at this stage? What is the main story you want to tell? What is imperative that they know when they leave? Communication of the message needs to be clear and concise. Consistency is key and your message needs to be included in each step from the invitation to web marketing campaign, to the event, the marketing collateral and the carefully planned post event strategy.
Brand Positioning

A good understanding of your brand position is crucial in building an event strategy. Is the event about a new product or service? Is it the launch of a new variable product or service? Are there set sales objectives for the product or service? Your brand position will assist in clarifying the best type of event your company needs and the most appropriate communication vehicle to engage your audience.
Creative

The creative development of the event can vary enormously. Considering the questions above certainly points you in the right direction to as to what kind of event will provide the most powerful result. It could be a national road show with international speakers or it could be a half day relationship building experience with key clients. A golf day, seminar series, exhibition, conference, experiential marketing campaign or any other various type of event should focus on leveraging your brand and provide a forum for you to connect with your target audience. Ask yourself how do we best represent the brand? How do we support above-the-line marketing strategies? How do we make it a memorable experience?
Planning

Finding your market and connecting with them in a memorable way is more than just guess work. It is staggering how many events are run with the minimum of planning. People are willing to invest significant money putting events on but they tend to overlook the need to invest in planning and smart thinking.

Planning is crucial to any event not matter how small and intimate it may be. Critical paths, risk assessments, measurable results, budget control are essential tools when planning a successful outcome. You need to plan on maximising the number of touch points with guests. Plan on results or you can guarantee you are planing on a disaster.
Implementation

With the correct planning the implementation of an event is the easy part. Ensure that every member of your event team have a run schedule of the event from start to finish so they aware of all timings. Rehearsals are imperative and why not consider professional speak training for all staff that will be presenting. An overall risk assessment is probably in the back of everyones minds but unless it is written down you are open to disaster. A good event company will also supply you with a thorough mitigation strategy to ensure you get a good result from your event no matter what.
Outcome

And weve come full circle. The results of your event should be measurable or how do you know if you have achieved good value for your investment. Events are all about building strong long term partnerships with your prospects and clients. When all of the above factors work together they create a truly powerful experience that not only moves people but motivates them to act. Remember your customers and staff holds your future in their hands. They control your revenue, your profitability and they are the central point on which your economic performance balances. Events are a powerful opportunity to leverage your brand and promote your services to this influential group.

Got some more queries? Why not check out the team at JH Events?

JH Events, Sydney Australia

Buying Skoda Rapid Take A Look At The Hits And Misses

Skoda has launched several models in the market with a fair share of wins and losses. Skoda Rapid is the latest addition from the auto company, and it does work in its class sans a few hiccups. It would be unfair to describe Rapid without mentioning the fact that it is similar to Volkswagen Vento in many ways. Skoda has designed the car impressively with a good number of induced features. Also, the car has been launched in three diesel and five petrol variants and priced according to features loaded. While the three models are almost same in both petrol and diesel, there are two automated variants, Elegance Automatic and Skoda Ambition Automatic, which are only available in the petrol version.

The hits in new Rapid:
The first-rate design: Rapid works in C segment sedans because of its designing. Although the comparison with Vento is inevitable, the higher end models feature high class inclusions like Anti Lock Braking system, dual SRS airbags and front and rear fog lamps. It”s a well built and strong European car for the Indian roads.

The first-rate price: Comparing strictly with Vento, Rapid offers a much better driving and comfort experience. The price by Skoda is truly commendable as the company has taken ample care to ensure maximum luxury in its class.
The First rate Automatic Transmission: If there”s one thing in Rapid that is awe-inspiring, it”s the automated transmission. There are different modes for different styles of driving with ample attention to the comfort-on-drive factor.
The first-rate Diesel Engine: You get the automated transmission on petrol version, but you cannot overlook the superb performance of the diesel variants. The car moves smoothly in traffic with loaded diesel engine and creates a torque of 250Nm.

The Misses in New Rapid:
Unimpressive Petrol engine: If the diesel engine offers you power and dependable drivability, the petrol engine will surely not satisfy you at that level. One expected Skoda to empower the petrol variants to a little larger extent.
Absence of certain features: If you take a look at the C segment of sedans on the Indian market, you will find many misses in Rapid. There are no parking sensors and no steering mounted controls, something which you will surely find in other sedans.

Unimpressive After sales service: This is probably not the concern with Rapid, but with all Skoda cars. The after sales service of Skoda is not at par with Maruti or Hyundai, which scares the class of consumers who look for quality services. People living in smaller cities will feel the main difference.

Shortcomings of diesel variants: You won”t get a diesel model with automated transmission, which is another disadvantage.

Skoda has managed to hold the market with this car after being praised for the mighty Superb. For those who loved Vento, they will surely love Rapid because it”s almost same as Vento with praiseworthy dynamics, brakes and chassis. On the whole, Skoda rapid is certainly a decent sedan with a few flips. It should continue to have an upright share on road.

Why Smartphones Are Popular

Cell phones have gained considerable popularity in the world. It is not surprising that it is the one gadget that accompanies more and more people. While many people still use cell phones as originally designed for making and receiving calls, a greater segment of society is beginning to see it as an instrument for productivity. For this reason, cell phones are constantly evolving to meet the new demands of society

Cell phones have over the years evolved into minicomputers or smartphones. For example, in 2008 for which data was available, out of the 1 billion camera phones shipped, smartphones which currently represent the high-end of the cell phone market, made up about 10% of the market or about 100 million units. Current smartphone brands on the market include BlackBerry, iPhone, Palm, Nokia and Samsung. These products are an- Internet-connected multimedia devices with a multi-touch screen or a sliding keyboard. The phones may function as a camera phone, portable media player, GPS navigator, and an internet client: with text messaging, email, web browsing and local Wi-Fi connectivity.

Interestingly, the rise in sales of smartphones will come at the expense of declining cell phone sales, currently 90% of the market. The bourgeoning of the smartphone market is much about the new technology as it is about the consumer. The smartphone- basically a pocket computer with cell phone capability-allows people to carry information and to access it everywhere they go. Just as portable lap top computers permitted desk-top users freedom of mobility, the smartphone allows its users the function of a desk-top PC with the portability of a laptop, and the utility of a cell phone.

It is to be expected that in every economic down turn people will shy away from luxury consumer spending such as the purchase of a smartphone. Rather, more and more people are opening up their wallets to smartphones. To be sure, the sales of iPhones, Blackberrys and other smartphone models are rising rapidly. It is estimated that smartphones will grow by 25% this year alone. Other new models have either come on the market or are expected to be launched during the course of this year. These new additions will certainly help to fuel the popularity and growth of the smartphone industry.

For a growing segment of the population, the social expectation is that one must stay connected and be reachable almost instantly by voice or email. The smartphone gives people that dual ability to stay connected, and therefore they can justify the cost of buying a smartphone. Smartphones are also seen as a status symbol. Just as it became socially unacceptable in the late 1990s not to have an email address, it will become increasingly unforgivable in the next several years not to communicate via smartphone.

The demand for smartphones can be attributed to the fact that they are perceived as being tools to enhance productivity in a society which is constantly on the move. Indeed smartphones were introduced to address a given market segment. For example, the RIM BlackBerry initially focused on enterprise/corporate customer email. Interestingly, it was the introduction of less business-oriented phones first by Blackberry that scored a hit with the general public and led to the widespread use of Blackberry which doubled its customer base from last year to 25 million. The smartphone wave is continuing to gain momentum, and although sales are rising fast, smart phone sales still account for only 25% of the total cell phone shipments this year in the US. However, the launching of new smartphones together with software offerings from companies such as RIM , Nokia, Apple, Microsoft, Google and others this year, smartphones will continue to make considerable inroads into the cell phone market.

Currently, smartphones are not cheap by any long shot. The handsets even with discounts from the wireless carriers typically cost a few hundred dollars, with the high-end going for several hundreds of dollars. Their data and calling service plans are typically up to a hundred dollars per month. One of the keys to lowering prices in the long-term is the breeding of vigorous competition among the brands. But considering that the market for smartphones is large, new entrants may find it expedient to identify a niche in the market rather than compete with the more established brands. However, the best avenue to making smart phones affordable to consumers is through innovation in smartphone technology that allows users to call and to connect to the internet no matter where they are at very reasonable cost.

It cannot be denied that even regular cell phones are getting smarter, and it’s only a matter of time before all cell phones have the advanced levels of functionality associated with today’s smartphones.

The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Adding 3d Secure To An E-commerce Website.

There is no doubt that 3D Secure and Verified by Visa are successful anti- fraud techniques and are definitely options that merchants should discuss with their internet payment provider. This added security step has been proven to reduce fraudulent transactions and increase consumer confidence when paying with credit cards online, but there are still many factors that need to be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not to add 3D Secure to a website.

Carl Buchalet CEO of Cashtronics payment systems explains how at Cashtronics they look at each merchant individually and decide whether or not 3D Secure is in the merchants best interest.

From our experience at Cashtronics the advantages of adding this extra security measure for merchants are clear:

Reduces the risk of fraudulent transactions.
Decreases the number of disputed transactions.
Shifts the financial liability away from the merchant.
Boosts some consumers confidence- often leading to increased sales.

Although there are clear anti-fraud benefits, they need to be carefully weighed against potential revenue losses and problems that can arise from using 3D Secure:

Additional Obstacles to purchase: Each security field that is added to an online form has been proven to dramatically lower the % of successfully completed transactions.
Poor Communication: Many customers have no idea what 3D Secure is; consequently they close the browser window, leading to lost sales.
Security Issues: Some banks require a customer to keep a card with a series of secret codes on it. This is often the same card that is used to authorize wire transfers on the bank account so cardholder then carries this card around with them, exposing them self to hard fraud.
Browser Problem: Sometimes the 3D secure request field is on the bottom of the screen and not seen by the customer- again causing high abandonment rate.
Unfriendly Protocol: The web browser connects to unfamiliar domain names and can cause extra delay and crashes.
Complicated Process: A password is often required and customers often forget it!
Added cost: Many payment providers charge an additional fee for 3D Secure.
NOT Fraud Proof: Many thieves catch cards in the postal mail, so they can usually set up 3D secure on their own fairly easily since they have new cards and enhanced information. Also even the 3D secure system has become the target of some phishing scams.

To reduce the problems that can arise with 3D secure merchants should ask potential internet payment providers the following:

1) Is adding this extra step in the best interest for the business given the field it operates in?
2) What are the additional fees for processing 3D Secure and Verified by Visa?
3) Are 3D secure transactions in house, as outsourcing adds to the cost & difficulty of the transaction and can reduce the level of security.
4) Does the payment provider have experience in processing this type of transaction?

In general, a payment provider should be able to give each merchant an idea of the volume of sales that they will loose depending on their industry, and will then calculate how much can be gained on charge backs and fraud by offering 3D Secure; then it is just a simple calculation to see which case yields a higher ROI.

Hr Consultant, Konsultan Hrd, Manajemen Sdm, Konsultan Sdm, Recruitment Hrd, Konsultan Hr Manajemen,

HR CONSULTANT, KONSULTAN HRD, MANAJEMEN SDM, KONSULTAN SDM, RECRUITMENT HRD, KONSULTAN HR MANAJEMEN, KONSULTAN PERSONALIA, MANAGEMENT HR CONSULTANT, HRD CONSULTANT, JOB DESCRIPTION CONSULTANT, SALARY GRADING CONSULTANT, KONSULTAN ORGANISASI, HRD MANAJEMEN, CALL: REKO HANDOYO (Business Consultant) PT. SIEN Consultant Jakarta, HP: 081389411679, 081932985325, 021-98567515, email: [emailprotected], [emailprotected], http://konsultan-manajemen.com

HR manajemen (manajemen sumber daya manusia) adalah bidang manajemen yang khusus mempelajari hubungan dan peranan manusia dalam organisasi perusahaan. HR manajemen lebih fokus membahas mengenai pengaturan peranan manusia dalam mewujudkan peranan yang optimal. Pengaturan itu meliputi masalah perencanaan, pengorganisasian, pengarahan, pengendalian, pengadaan, pengembangan, kompensasi, pengintegrasian, pemeliharaan, kedisiplinan, dan pemberhentian tenaga kerja untuk membantu terwujudnya tujuan perusahaan.
Peranan HR Manajemen dapat diringkas menjadi beberapa hal berikut:
1. menetapakan jumlah, kualitas tenaga kerja di perusahaan yang efektif sesuai dengan kebutuhan perusahaan berdasarkan job description, job spesicifation, job requirement, dan job evaluation.
2. Menetapkan penarikan, seleksi dan penempatan karyawan berdasarkan asas the right man in the right place and the right man in the right job.
3. Memonitor dan mengimplementasikan undang-undang dan peraturan yang berlaku mengenai ketenagakerjaan.
4. Menetapakan program kesejahteraan, pengembangan, promosi dan pemberhentian.

Fungsi pertama dari manajemen sumber daya manusia (HR manajemen) adalah pengadaan atau procurement. Proses pengadaan bukanlah proses yang mudah justru sebaliknya karena untuk mendapatkan dan menempatkan orang-orang yang kompeten, serasi, serta efektif tidaklah semudah membeli dan menempatkan mesin.
Karyawan adalah asset utama perusahaan yang menjadi perencana dan pelaku aktif dari setiap aktivitas organisasi. Pengadaan karyawan harus didasarkan pada prinsip apa baru siapa. Apa artinya kita harus terlebih dahulu menetapkan pekerjaan-pekerjaannya berdasarkan uraian pekerjaan. Siapa artinya kita baru mencari orang-orang yanng tepat untuk menduduki jabatan tersebut berdasarkan spesifikasi pekerjaan.
Job Analysis perlu dilakukan agar dapat mendesign organisasi serta menetapkan uraian pekerjaan dan evaluasi pekerjaan. Job Analysis adalah menganalisa dan mendesain pekerjaan apa saja yang harus dikerjakan, bagaimana mengerjakannya dan mengapa pekerjaan ini harus dilakukan.
SIEN Consultants adalah perusahaan konsultan manajemen dimana salah satu divisinya adalah services dibidang HR Manajemen yang meliputi:
a. HR Consultation
b. Training and Development
c. People and Organization Assessment
d. Manpower Supply and Outsourcing
e. Organization Development
f. Payroll Outsourcing
g. Business Process Development
h. Job Analysis
i. Employee Grading and Appraisal
Jika Anda membutuhkan informasi mengenai HR manajemen (manajemen sumber daya manusia) silahkan hubungi Business Consultants Mr. REKO HANDOYO untuk memberi informasi yang Anda butuhkan. Terimakasih.
CALL: REKO HANDOYO (Business Consultant) PT. SIEN Consultant Jakarta, HP: 081389411679, 081932985325, 021-98567515, email: [emailprotected], [emailprotected], http://konsultan-manajemen.com