Planning a meeting or event is no easy task. Just ask any of the administrative staffers who are increasingly being asked to do it. One minor mistake -- a plane ticket that doesn't arrive on time, not enough vegetarian meals at the luncheon, the wrong kind of audio/visual equipment -- can mean big trouble. Now this handy little how-to guide takes secretaries and assistants through the entire process step-by-step. From site selection and registration do's and don’ts to negotiating with vendors and food and beverage planning, this book gives them everything they need to get a meeting planned right. Packed with floor plans, checklists, glossaries of industry-specific terms, lists of resources, and more, Planning Successful Meetings and Events is sure to transform any take-charge assistant into the Martha Stewart of meeting and event planning. It's a good thing.

This bestselling all-in-one guide to the event planning business is back and better than ever, fully updated and revised to reflect the very latest trends and best practices in the industry. This handy, comprehensive guide includes forms, checklists, and tips for managing events, as well as examples and case studies of both successful and unsuccessful events. Judy Allen (Toronto, ON, Canada) is founder and President of Judy Allen Productions, a full-service event planning production company.

"The Meeting Planning Process -- A Guide to Planning Successful Meetings" by Certified Meeting Professional Mary Jo Wiseman offers a common sense approach to managing the meeting planning process based on the knowledge and experience she garnered over a 20+ year career as a corporate meeting and event coordinator. The author's systematic approach to project management helped her to get and stay focused on the task at hand while handling multiple details, projects and deadlines throughout her career and she wants to share her secrets for success with others. The author firmly believes it is NOT just one person who makes a meeting or event happen, but rather a well led TEAM of dedicated, enthusiastic, talented individuals who come together to do what they do best to help organizations EXCEED PROGRAM OBJECTIVES and make them SHINE. It is the PROCESS or system used to get started that can either keep you on track or send you off the rails. This Guide offers a practical overview of the entire planning process for people just starting out in the business or meeting planning veterans alike, and offers keen insights and valuable tips to help CREATE the perfect EXPERIENCE for their audience by staying true to the basic elements of the planning process. It is intended to lead people through the proper steps and the sequence of tasks involved in planning a meeting such as: Establishing a Planning or Design Team; Developing an Overall Plan; Budgeting; Site Selection; Communications; Contract Review and more. The Guide also includes handy templates developed by the author -- a Meeting Time Line; Overall Plan; and Request for Proposal as well as descriptions and diagrams of possible room set-ups.

Expert advice on how to stage the perfect event every time "A terrific resource of information for anyone in the event-planning business." --James Spellos, CMP, President, Meeting U. Meeting & Event Planning For Dummies is a practical step-by-step guide to the strategies and techniques event-planning professionals use to bring people together. This comprehensive resource covers all the angles from the little details to the big picture to make sure your business meetings and special events come off without a hitch! Praise for Meeting & Event Planning For Dummies "Packed with valuable information in an easy-to-use format. [It] covers all the basics for the meeting planning novice." --Diane Silberstein, President, Diane Silberstein & Associates "A great resource book every event professional should have.... Checklist heaven! We all love our checklists, and this book is full of them!" --Cathy Breden, CAE, CMP

A study by MCI found that most professionals believe that over 50 percent of meeting time is wasted. More than 90 percent admit to daydreaming in meetings, 73 percent have brought other work, and 39 percent have fallen asleep. You might think that there would be fewer meetings. However, in the survey 46 percent said they attended more meetings than a year ago. Meetings cost time and money. Many meetings end with no results or outcome. How can you be sure you are using your time and money effectively? The answer: with proper training. Even MBA graduates have never had a course in how to plan, organize, and present an effective meeting. That is the subject of this new book which will teach the proper skills and training to get great results with every meeting, every time! You will learn the checklists for planning your meeting, setting the agenda, strategic planning, how the physical setting can be improved, how to properly open a meeting, handling difficult people and maintaining control, how to assess and evaluate your meetings, and the correct method to end a meeting. Good meetings don't just happen, they are planned and created. Atlantic Publishing is a small, independent publishing company based in Ocala, Florida. Founded over twenty years ago in the company presidentâe(tm)s garage, Atlantic Publishing has grown to become a renowned resource for non-fiction books. Today, over 450 titles are in print covering subjects such as small business, healthy living, management, finance, careers, and real estate. Atlantic Publishing prides itself on producing award winning, high-quality manuals that give readers up-to-date, pertinent information, real-world examples, and case studies with expert advice. Every book has resources, contact information, and web sites of the products or companies discussed.

The Event Planning Toolkit will help you rise to the occasion to plan and execute extraordinary meetings and events by getting organized, reducing time-wasting mistakes, and inspiring creativity. The Event Planning Toolkit provides the information you need to prepare and execute each aspect of your event with precision and enjoy the big day with less stress and fewer unpleasant surprises. It provides the assistance you need to make your event a real hit. Many people find the thought of planning an event to be an intimidating prospect. They think they’re not organized enough, or they don’t have the experience required to pull it off. But whatever the occasion, the path to success is straightforward; it’s a matter of thinking through the details and using a proven strategy to create an action plan and execute that plan on time and on budget. In this book, you will not only learn how to manage your scope, time, and resources, but also identify goals, create a budget, find the right venue, assemble an effective team, and much more. Use The Event Planning Toolkit to uncover some juicy nuggets of information that you can apply to your next event and give you the courage and confidence take on any new project or assignment that comes your way.