PCMA Institute Blog

  • How to Moderate a Panel

    Moderating a panel discussion is a lot like being a TV talk show host. It’s a lot harder than it looks, and is an exercise in ‘planned spontaneity’ (think about that). A good panel discussion can…

  • When Should Venues Disclose Pricing?

    Today’s planners are used to getting information quickly, and that includes pricing and availability. If you withhold pricing until the client comes to your space, there’s a pretty good chance…

  • The Scary Numbers Behind the Marriott-Starwood Merger

    When Marriott announced in November, 2015, that it was merging with Starwood to create the world’s largest hotel company, it met with mixed reaction from meeting planners. Some worried about diminished competition for their business, while others brushed it aside as having little impact on them.

  • 3 NYC Event Agencies Named to Crains’ Best Places to Work List

    In addition to their ranking they all three have another commonality:  each has provided their employees training through Event Leadership Institute (ELI).  Employees of all three of the event planning firms cited the tuition reimbursement and the focus on employee development as one of their favorite perks.

  • Key Ingredients for Event Success – Part 1: Defining the “Why”

    Ok event holders (clients) and do-ers (planners) – it’s time to get real.  Whether you’re internal to an organization, independent, or part of an event agency, you know the critical part of the event process is defining the “why” of the event on the front-end and the second is taking the time to do a thorough debrief on the back-end…

  • In Search of Inspiration

    I am in the business of good ideas. Some people look at my business and see that I make flowers or print stationery or plan parties. I believe, however, that all of those things are actually by-products of what I actually sell – which are good ideas. And let me tell you…

  • ELI Featured Planner: Jeff Kalpak

    Howard Givner, Executive Director of ELI, sat down with Jeff Kalpak, President of Barkley Kalpak Agency, to find out more about his career in the event industry. Jeff has over 25 years…

  • Podium vs. Lectern: What’s In A Name?

    If I asked 1,000 event professionals to give me the name of the upright piece of furniture with the slanted top that a speaker stands behind to deliver her speech, the vast majority of you would say “Podium.” And you’d be wrong. But really…

  • Top 5 Hybrid Meeting Mistakes

    With so many meetings having some kind of online component, it’s no wonder that more and more planners are trying to get educated on the topic of hybrid and virtual meetings and events. Learn from those bold planners that…

  • Proving Your Value with Digital Credentials

    Last month I moderated a roundtable for heads of in-house event departments, and one of the main issues to arise was the challenge of proving the value of in-house planners. “Executives in my company still don’t know what we do,” said one person. “They think they could just…

  • The 4 Traits of a Successful Wedding Planner

    On TV or in the movies, it seems like a clever kit and a bossy demeanor is all it takes to quit your job as an accountant and become a wedding planner.  After planning and designing weddings for nearly 13 years, I can tell you that no major crisis was ever averted with the use of my…

  • Death to the 60″ Round

    The 60 inch, or 150 centimeter, round banquet table, seating 8 or 10 people, is possibly the worst invention in the history of the hospitality industry.  Having spent over 20 years producing events, I know I am risking…

  • Top Mistakes Planners Make When Ordering AV

    In the process of preparing the lessons for my upcoming 5 week online course, Technical Meeting & Event Production, I thought about the most common mistakes I’ve seen meeting and event planners make when it comes to ordering AV…

  • Why Event Planning Businesses Fail

    Nobody wants any advice on how to plan, design, execute and manage their events.  That part they have down cold.  It’s all the other stuff on the business side that proves challenging to them.

  • Are You Producing Yesterday’s Event?

    You’re in charge of the annual (insert your event here).  It’s long since become a staple of your organization’s calendar, the event around which everyone plans their schedule.  It takes up several months…

  • Landing The Million Dollar Event

    At some point in your tenure, if you run an event planning company or agency, you’ll aspire to land the really big project, the mega event, the million dollar event.  OK, it doesn’t have to be a million dollars; it can be $100,000, $250,000, etc.  The number is variable; the key element is…

  • The Debrief from Hell

    You’re sitting across the table from your client, pleasantly chatting about the event you produced for them two weeks ago. You’ve got lots of ideas on how to make it even better next year, and are even thinking about whether you should raise your fee next time, when your lead client contact drops the bomb on you…

  • When Content Is Everywhere, Curation Is King

    Twenty years ago, if you wanted to see an expert speaker in your field give a presentation, you had to go to an industry conference.  Likewise, if you wanted to read about new ideas you had to subscribe to a trade magazine.  There were really…

  • Giving Free Advice to Win New Business

    A few people are going to steal your ideas.

    Not a lot, and certainly not as many as people might think, but a few will.  Yet whatever that number is, it pales in comparison to the number of people who will hire you, recommend you, and rave about you as a result of…

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