We were recently contacted by Build A Sign to try out their service.

Since we were elbow deep in planning our Chicago event, it was perfect timing.

There is so much that goes into planning a networking event for 60 women; finalizing the menu, finding a speaker, working with sponsors, stuffing swag bags, organizing door prizes, and then of course outlining the flow of events.

One thing we were a little short on was signage. Every event should have a sign or two to promote the brand and we were in need of a few GLO signs.

We worked with Build A Sign to create custom signs for our event and we couldn’t be happier;

Tina and Erica, Co-Founders

Chicago Team

We also had magnetic custom bumper stickers made.

Since I’m not a huge fan of the sticky bumper stickers, these are perfect to use.

They don’t damage your car and it’s a great way to advertise your business.

Build A Sign’s bumper magnets are made from durable magnets that will look great and last for years.

They also have many different sign options from yard signs, banners to sandwich boards.

They are great for building your brand, tabling at an event, or just for fun!

Interested in having custom signs made or your own bumper stickers? 

Check out these great styles at www.buildasign.com or make your own!

Disclosure: We were sent custom signs and magnetic bumper stickers to review. We were not compensated for writing this post. All opinions expressed are our own and not influenced in any way.

This sort of approach probably won’t help you build brand relationships.

Join Girl’s Lunch Out this Thursday, February 16th at 1pm ET for a Twitter party about creating successful relationships with brands.

We’ll be sharing tips for promoting your blog with professionalism and flair, writing an effective pitch, review/giveaway do’s and don’ts, and much more!

Plus we have four special guests, who are also our Chicago Sponsors!

Andrea Meyer is the PR Manager for Verizon Wireless in the Illinois/Wisconsin region.

Nicolena Little is a Social Media Strategist with Identity.

Jennifer Kedinger is the Social Media Marketing Manager at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

Sara Altier is the Chicago Event Evangelist for Eventbrite.

Twitter Party Details:

• Date: Thursday, February 16th
• Time: 1 – 2pm ET
• Hashtag: #GLOParty
• Host: @GirlsLunchOut, @vzwandrea  @HyattChicago @nikki_little & @BriteChicago
• Tweetgrid link: http://bit.ly/xC2Ms7

It’s a great way to break up your day, find new friends and hopefully walk away with a new idea or two!

Join us and spread the word:

Join @Girlslunchout 2/16 1pm ET! ‘Working W/Brands’ Twitter Party w/panelists @nikki_little @vzwandrea @HyattChicago @BriteChicago #GLOParty

OR

Join @Girlslunchout 2/16 @ 1pm ET! ‘Working W/Brands’ Twitter Party! Lots of tips & ideas from our panelists! http://bit.ly/xNrzCx #GLOParty

If you have a specific question, please let us know. Leave a comment or send an email to girlslunchout@gmail.com.

See you at the party!

OneHope was founded in 2007, by eight individuals who are passionate about making a difference.

Not only does OneHope wine create amazing reds and whites, they also give back.  In fact, they give 50% back.

From fighting breast cancer to AIDS, raising awareness for autism and supporting our troops, OneHope has raised over $600,000 for charities to date.

The lucky ladies attending our February 18th Chicago event will get to experience OneHope wine first hand.  OneHope will be doing a tasting during our event!

For more information about OneHope , visit http://OneHopeWine.com or follow OneHope on twitter @ONEHOPEWINE.

Cheers!

We are very happy to announce that Verizon Wireless is our official Gold Sponsor of our first Girls Lunch Out Chicago event on February 18th!

I know that when I leave the house, staying connected is a little bit of an addiction of mine, having a smart phone has changed my life in many ways.  I know many of you feel the same way, somedays don’t you wonder how you managed your life without it?

Working with Verizon getting ready for our upcoming event, we are so excited to get our hands one some of the new, fun gadgets they are showcasing, but I warn you, some of the services and features will become a “Must Have” for you!  Who doesn’t love to play with new technology?

An added bonus? Verizon will have some amazing giveaways and swag goodies for our attendees!

Verizon Wireless is an official GOLD sponsor of our next Girls Lunch Out Chicago event.  Be sure to follow Verizon on Twitter, Facebook and Verizon’s Midwest Blog to be the first to know about updates and their special offers and deals going on!

From one busy woman to another, let’s chat openly and honestly about attending events and conferences. Yes, they’re important for networking and personal/professional development (and let’s be real, the addition of good food and fun drinks doesn’t hurt), but they often add to our already lengthy “reasons why I’m stressed” list.

Not only do they pull us away from our work, and also our families if they last multiple days, but it’s stressful knowing that we have to maximize the opportunity to get as much value as possible out of attending.

Here are some questions that may immediately pop in your mind before attending events:

• How can I easily keep track of all the new people I meet?
• How do I make sure to stay in touch with my coworkers and/or friends who are also attending?
• How can I best capture my expenses and everything I learn?
• What’s the most efficient way to share my experience with my online networks?

Sound familiar? Thankfully, mobile apps will help solve most event-related challenges.

Nowadays, there’s a mobile app for just about everything. You can even use some if you haven’t upgraded your tech to a new smartphone or tablet just yet. Here are six apps that will give you a better experience at the next event or conference you attend (which is hopefully the February 18 GLO Chicago event!):

Evernote

The tagline on the Evernote website is “Remember Everything” – and that’s exactly what this app helps you do. You can create different notes for different needs, all of which are accessible from any device or computer you use. In addition to creating text notes, you can snap a photo or record audio. Think of all the ways you could use this app at an event or conference! Taking speaker notes just got a whole lot easier.

GroupMe

The beauty of GroupMe is that it works with nearly all devices via push notifications or SMS. It basically gives you group text messaging capabilities. You create groups with people already in your contacts, and when you send a message, everyone in that group receives it. You can also share photos. You can name the group based on the event or conference you’re attending. GroupMe really comes in handy for multi-day events and conferences, such as BlogHer or SXSW.

Expensify

Just like GroupMe, Expensify works with several devices, as well as the iPad. It allows you to capture expenses, mileage, business cards and receipts from anywhere. This app may be your next best friend when you attend a work-related event or conference. With the eReceipt guarantee, users can upload bank or credit card transactions, and it will provide a guaranteed receipt for purchases under $75 (even accepted by the IRS) with the transaction details and a QR code embedded with the information.

QuickVoice® Recorder

The QuickVoice Recorder is a digital recorder for the iPhone and iPad that lets you use other apps while it’s recording in the background. It features adjustable recording options, pause and resume in the same audio file, a “visual voicemail” interface that lets you rewind/fast forward and voice email capability up to five MB. This will come in handy if you want to record or interview a speaker, or record notes versus typing or writing them out.

Instagram

As noted on the Instagram website, this app is a fun, fast and beautiful way to share your life in pictures. You can apply filters to your photos and send them straight to Facebook, Twitter and Flickr, as well as share them with your Instagram connections. Instagram gives you a whole new way to capture and share memories at events and conferences through photos. And the beauty is you can share these great shots with your social networks without having to leave the app.

Scan to PDF

Scan to PDF lets you take a picture of anything and convert it to a PDF that you can share or upload to Google Docs. At an event or conference, this app will come in handy for storing and sharing info without having to carry around or worry about losing business cards or conference schedules.

Are any of these apps on your favorites list? What other apps do you love using at events and conferences?

Andrea Meyer is the PR manager for Verizon Wireless in the Illinois/Wisconsin region. Connect with her on Twitter at @VZWandrea and stay up-to-date on Verizon Midwest news at the VZW Midwest Area