Ask BizBash Question Archive in New York City - Manhattan for Event Planners regarding Food, Rental and Gift Ideas, Design Inspiration, Business Entertaining strategies and Decor trends

When an event winds down, most guests just grab a gift bag and head for the exits. But if you’re not giving people anything (or if you are and want to end an experience on an extra-high note), here are some ways to keep attendees talking the next day.

Standing in a long cab or valet line can be a buzzkill. Chicago’s John G. Shedd Aquarium’s 2008 gala had eight kinds of entertainment throughout the night, including drummers from Rhythm Revolution and fire dancers from Pyrotechniq, who performed for guests waiting for their cars after the event. “This is something we do at Shedd Aquarium on a daily basis—engage guests while they are waiting for something, to make the time go faster and the wait not seem so long,” says Jennifer Baryl, senior director of the institution. MORE >>

06.29.09 9:00 AM

How Can You Make a Trade Show Booth Eco-Friendly?

A Sherwin-Williams booth
Photo: Courtesy of Sherwin Williams

Thanks to a burgeoning green products industry, there are plenty of eco-friendly options for trade show booths, from nontoxic paint to sustainable building materials. The challenge is sorting through them all to ﬁnd what really works, while remembering to consider important factors like transportation and reusability.

Sherwin-Williams created its ﬁrst eco-friendly trade show booth with Gallo Displays in Cleveland, Ohio, for the American Institute of Architects’ National Convention and Design Exposition in May 2008. Gallo used recycled aluminum framing and Plyboo, a wood alternative derived from bamboo. Although pleased with the results, the company made different choices when designing an exhibit for the January 2009 International Builders Show in Las Vegas. This booth was made primarily of BioBoard, a wood alternative made from recycled materials, with Plyboo and PaperStone (panels made of recycled paper) for counters. MORE >>

05.11.09 9:00 AM

How Do You Thank Speakers or Presenters?

NASA astronaut Dave Williams at ideaCity
Photo: Gene Driskell

Showing appreciation can be tricky these days. Lavish items might not feel appropriate in today’s cost-conscious climate—or get approved by the budget-watchers—but a handwritten note may not be a large enough show of thanks for a keynote speaker or M.C. Here are some memorable ways to show gratitude that strike the right chord.

To thank presenters for participating in Toronto’s ideaCity, a conference that bills itself as “Canada’s premier meeting of the minds,” conference manager Allison Munro sends them a set of DVDs documenting the gathering. “It’s a great reminder of the event and allows them to revisit their favorite parts,” she says. “Many presenters would ask for a copy of their presentation anyway, so it makes us as organizers seem really on the ball.” MORE >>

Health Industry Distributors Association, ideaCity, All Day Buffet

03.09.09 8:00 AM

Where Can You Find Up-and-Coming DJs?

DJ Rashida
Photo: WireImage

Big-name DJs bring a certain cachet to events—and a hefty price tag. But how do you ﬁnd the next Samantha Ronson or DJ AM? Brent Bolthouse, longtime DJ and founder of Los Angeles-based Bolthouse Vox Events, says the best way to ﬁnd new talent is in person at small venues. “We are constantly going to little clubs looking for good DJs,” he says. “Sometimes they don’t even know they can get $1,000 to DJ a party. They’re happy making a couple hundred.” Money aside, Bolthouse says the most important thing to watch isn’t the turntable but the dance ﬂoor: “It’s not about mixing; it’s looking at the crowd and seeing who rocks the crowd. You could be the best mixer, but you’re the worst DJ if the crowd isn’t having fun.” MORE >>

Condé Nast Traveler

01.07.09 10:00 AM

Which Bands Are a Bargain?

Noah Bless Music
Photo: Francine Daveta for BizBash

Hiring a great band in the tristate area isn’t hard—there are hundreds to choose from. But finding performers who will work within a small budget can be a bit more challenging. Here’s who planners recommend.

Heather Gere, director of special events for Citymeals-on-Wheels, has hired trombone player Noah Bless and his band, Noah Bless Music, to perform at the organization’s annual Chefs Tribute benefit for the past three years. Bless has played with Wynton Marsalis, Celia Cruz, and Lincoln Center’s Afro-Cuban jazz orchestra and is well versed in a wide range of music styles and has a roster of musicians he calls upon for events. “In addition to the musicians, they take care of the sound and audiovisual equipment. Overall the package costs us about 30 percent less than we have paid other outfits for band, sound, and AV in previous years,” Gere says. “And the fact that we are able to work directly with Noah rather than with a booking agent and save the cost of an agency fee helps a lot.” MORE >>

American Cancer Society, Citymeals-on-Wheels, Hearst Corporation

12.29.08 9:00 AM

What's a High-Tech Way to Gather Feedback?

Former Mansueto Ventures consumer marketing director Stephanie Rubin has conducted pre- and post-event surveys.
Photo: Courtesy of Stephanie Rubin

After the guests have gone home and the vendors have been paid, work often continues for planners gathering feedback on the logistics and programming of their events or meetings. Here are some software programs that survey attendees and compile responses.

For Lora Di Padova-Tannehill, director of scientific meetings for the American Society of Neuroradiology in Chicago, feedback is vital. An accrediting organization that determines future funding closely monitors the five executive-committee meetings and the 2,000-person convention she plans annually. “The evaluations of our programming need to validate that our education is providing improved quality of care to patients,” she says. Tannehill uses Web-based Survey Monkey to poll attendees on event logistics like housing, registration, food service, and venue selection. “The site is easy to develop and maintain responses and statistics for future use,” she says. “I like the features and versatility. I see it being used a lot more in the industry.” The site allows users to create surveys for free, with limits on the number of questions and responses allotted. A paid subscription with more options costs $19.95 per month. MORE >>

American Society of Neuroradiology, Inc. Magazine, Fast Company, Mansueto Ventures, JPMorgan Treasury Services

09.24.08 10:00 AM

Who Does Fantastic Flowers on the Cheap?

A centerpiece from VSF
Photo: Julie Skarratt

As prices climb and some budgets shrink, flowers are often one of the first things to be scaled back, or cut completely. Here are designers who planners say get more bloom for the buck.

Kathleen Somers, manager of special events for Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, turned to Georgewood Florist for the organization’s annual gala, held in June at the Pierre Hotel. Somers says owner Antonio Diorio maximized her $15,000 decor budget, creating 60 tall centerpieces with white lilies and burgundy peonies, plus additional arrangements for the cocktail reception and the registration and silent auction tables. “[Antonio] was a calming force for me during a crazy, hectic time, and on top of that, his flowers were gorgeous,” she says. The florist also donated a year’s worth of arrangements to the silent auction—one of the evening’s most profitable items. MORE >>

Catholic Charities, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation

09.08.08 9:00 AM

Who Can Produce a Cool Tribute Video?

Stills from a variety of tribute videos.
Photo: Courtesy of Lifefilm (top), Courtesy of Madprops (middle), Courtesy of Raw Films (bottom)

Honoring a retiring exec or an award winner with a video about their life’s work is a great idea, but only if the piece doesn’t move guests to check their BlackBerries or sneak off to the restroom. Here are three companies that specialize in these types of films and, if asked, will travel to make it happen.

With more than 20 years of combined film and television industry experience, Lifefilm Productions co-founders Peilin Chou and John Brancaccio use the same production professionals they worked with at companies such as Walt Disney Studios, MTV Networks, ESPN, and Bravo to craft their celebratory docs. The firm prides itself on delivering broadcast-quality, story-driven films that are truly entertaining. Past clients include C-level execs from Hasbro and real estate developer S.R. Weiner. Rates start at $5,000, with longer and more intensive projects ranging from $10,000 to $20,000. MORE >>

Walt Disney Company, MTV, ESPN, Bravo, Academy Awards, Saturday Night Live, VH1, A&E, E! Entertainment, NBC, Clinton Global Initiative, Miramax, Hasbro

07.09.08 9:00 AM

How Do You Welcome Out-of-Towners?

NYC & Company's visitors center.
Photo: Tara Greenwald for BizBash

Whether it’s a C.E.O. or hundreds of attendees coming to New York, a little local hospitality is always appreciated. Here are ways to thank people for coming, entertain them, or simply help them get oriented.

In April, Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages held its annual convention in New York, drawing 9,300 people from more than 120 countries. Lisa Dyson, the organization’s director of conference services, wanted a designated spot where attendees could get local information. She turned to NYC & Company, the city’s marketing and tourism organization, to set up and staff a welcome station at one of the event’s hotels. “This desk helped attendees with tours, restaurant recommendations, questions about the convention, and general directions on how to get from point A to point B,” she says. “It really helped our attendees out quite a bit to have a knowledgeable person to ask questions of in a very visible location.” MORE >>

The New Yorker, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, NYC & Company

06.23.08 9:30 AM

How Do You Keep Annual Events From Getting Stale?

Planners for Casey House's annual SnowBall keep things interesting with decor.
Photo: Gary Beechey for BizBash

“We hear from people during gala season who go to a lot of galas that a lot are boring and formulaic,” says Elaine Bowen, director of development for the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, which has hosted its annual Downtown Dinner in New York each May for the past four years. She and other planners of annual gatherings know that to ensure guests come back, each year has to be better than the last. So how do they keep their yearly rituals fresh?

Though the cultural council gala follows a typical formula—cocktail reception, dinner, and award ceremony—the event is anything but. Guests have come to expect the unexpected, like guerilla dancers infiltrating the crowd, an M.C. dressed as a clown, and a huge string art installation covering the dining room. “There are always spontaneous things happening,” says Bowen. Celebrity guests are also a draw—this spring, Mayor Michael Bloomberg was an honoree, as were playwright Edward Albee and artist Kiki Smith. MORE >>

Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Human Rights Campaign, Casey House

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