http://smartmeetings.com/articles 2009-10-29T23:37:57Z Mr. Smart E. Pants http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/certain-schedules 2009-10-29T23:37:57Z Mr. Smart E. Pants

Dear Mr. Smart E. Pants, My company will be starting a new program next year that will require me to arrange appointments between roughly 150 attendees over a period of three days. It is hard enough to get the attendees to follow basic registration guidelines and my head is spinning at the thought of scheduling that many appointments. HELP! —Jenny Kim, Dallas

Jenny, I can feel your pain. Setting up specific appointments between attendees can be a frustrating, time-consuming and complicated task. You have to take into consideration the length of appointments, breaks, spreading them out evenly and, god forbid, the dreaded double booking. Luckily there are options now that can make your new program a great success while relieving much of the stress on you.My preferred tool for setting up appointments is part of Certain Events, a software solution cre... http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/certain-schedules http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/green-hotels-our-future-realized 2009-10-29T20:49:28Z Jen Harpaz

One “trend” that is here to stay

They are finding their way. Hotels and resorts of all sizes, in a varied array of geographical locations and markets are, indeed, finding their way to a more environmentally sustainable future. Many hospitality professionals have questioned whether or not the greening of hotels is a trend. The answer is a definite, “No.” (Because a trend would imply a passing fad, and this is one change in the industry that is here to stay.) Dedicated hospitality companies, owners and managers of ... http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/green-hotels-our-future-realized http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/surefire-tips-for-taming-meeting-monsters 2009-10-26T20:15:48Z Mike Song, Tim Burress and Vicki Halsey

And getting productive meetings back on track

Argh! You have planned this meeting for two months and finally all the key players are here—well, except for the ones who are late! All you have to do is work through the agenda, get a decision made and your dream project is on its way.Suddenly, disaster strikes as strong “personalities” come into play. Before you know it, your meeting is bogged down, your agenda is out the window and you’re left watching your project dwindle away.Your meeting is a casualty of “m... http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/surefire-tips-for-taming-meeting-monsters http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/leadership-vs-power 2009-10-26T19:30:13Z Robert Wilson

What is your motivation for leadership?

King George III asked Benjamin West, his American painter, what George Washington would do if he prevailed in the Revolutionary War. West replied, “He will return to his farm. “The British monarch incredulously said, “If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world.  “On December 23, 1783 Washington did just that and retired to Mount Vernon – despite the encouragement of many to stay in power and the willingness of Americans to crown him king. Thir... http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/leadership-vs-power http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/tech-savvy-hotels 2009-10-27T18:48:39Z Talia Salem

These hotels have technology down pat

Hotels have had to do a sprint to the finish as they catch up with the ever-evolving technology world. Some brands have worked hard to keep pace with the speedy technology monster while other brands have been panting all the way to the finish line or been left in the dust. Here are our top five tech-savvy hotel brands (ordered alphabetically) and a little bit about why we think they are.Andaz: This new Hyatt brand has a stylish and modern slant offering complimentary Wi-Fi, 42-inch flat-scree... http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/tech-savvy-hotels http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/many-tweetful-returns 2009-10-16T21:34:21Z John Anderson

Tweet (and retweet) your way to success

 So you want to become a successful Web 2.0 marketer? If you’re thinking that all you need to do is sign up for a Twitter account and start tweeting about your exploits, think again. Of course, signing up and staying active with regular tweets (and retweets) is half the battle: just having a presence, with your company or professional brand bouncing around cyberspace, is invaluable. But if you spend two hours each day to effectively manage your social marketing program (the amount of ti... http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/many-tweetful-returns http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/the-show-goes-on 2009-10-16T21:27:03Z John Anderson

Ready. Set. Meet.

It’s been said that the No. 1 fear among people is public speaking, just ahead of death at No. 2. Which means—as Jerry Seinfeld once quipped—that most people at a funeral would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy. So having a microphone shoved into your hand as you’re thrown onto a stage can be a tad stressful, as some company officers and representatives at a meeting can attest. At the same time, the attention level of attendees at a meeting is often depend... http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/the-show-goes-on http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/interview-with-jill-stark-ccte-cgmp 2009-10-16T21:20:40Z Carolyn Koenig

Interview with Jill Stark, CCTE, CGMPSenior Events Planner, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryPresident, Society of Government Meeting Professionals San Francisco-Bay Area ChapterBerkeley, Calif.

Jill Stark has been with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for the past five years. She has 21 years’ experience in government event planning and travel management, including such organizations as EG&G Energy Measurements, Livermore Lab, Stanford University and the University of California Office of the President. Last June, she was elected president of the Society of Government Meeting Professionals San Francisco-Bay Area Chapter.Q: What kinds of meetings do you plan? How d... http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/interview-with-jill-stark-ccte-cgmp http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/smart-sites-november-2009 2009-10-16T21:14:20Z John Anderson

Hotel Distrito Capital and The Bravern

Capital ImprovementsThere’s a certain type of hotel appearing on the urban landscape in cities from Vancouver to Veracruz, designed to appeal to a certain type of business traveler—the ones with the iPods tucked into the pockets of their suit coats. They’re hip, happening and men- or women-about-town, and they prefer a hotel that reflects their lifestyle. For those of them traveling to Mexico City, the new Hotel Distrito Capital should fit them perfectly. Part of Grupo Habit... http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/smart-sites-november-2009 http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/not-all-talk 2009-10-16T21:10:28Z Macie Schreibman

Visualize your meetings

It seems that Vanilla Ice had the meetings industry pegged from the start. As he sang his most-famous hit in 1990, he told his listeners to “stop, collaborate and listen”—and, when you think about it, that’s just what meetings are all about. As the fundamental idea behind a face-to-face meeting is interaction and collaboration, it also seems that there’s a new rapper in town: Jay Smethurst, founder and illustrator for Illumination Galleries, a meeting design comp... http://smartmeetings.com/articles/show/not-all-talk