How to beat the winter blues --

Welcome to Planner's Pointer's Planners Pointers is a blog and talk cast to help beginning event planners with their event planning. Give them ideas on planning better events, books to read and websites to discover.

This Sunday morning at 2:00 am, we will "fall back" as Daylight Savings Time comes to a close. 

I have often wondered how Daylight Savings Time came to be and this is what I learned.  Daylight Savings Time was started during World War I in order to save energy for the war production.  It was mandatory during that time and again during World War II.  Between the wars and after World War II it was up to the states to determined if they wanted to go by Daylight Savings Time.  In 1966 Daylight Savings Time became the law of the land with the passage of Uniform Time Act.  In 2007. in order to save more energy four weeks were added to the time period that ranges from the second Sunday of March to the first week of November.

What I notice the most about when we go back to "regular time" in November is not only does the day seem so much shorter is that people's moods seem to change.  While, seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression as a result of lack of light, effects only 4-6 % of the population, many of us still seem to feel "a little blue" during the winter months.  Here a couple of things that I do during the winter to keep me going.

1. Go outside for a short walk.  Even in colder weather a walk around the block can  lift the spirits.

2. Watch your diet.  I know that a bag of chips and onion dip are great additions to an evening of TV watching, but they will cause you problems in the long run.

3. Keep in contact with your family and friends.  No, not with Facebook, but face to face.  Yes, snow happens, but not every snow flake is a blizzard in the making.  Play cards, share a meal, go to a movie, take in a museum all these things make for a great time together. 

Before you know it, or just in time, depending on how you look at it.  Spring arrives.  Keep the faith.

Planner's Pointers is written by me, Mary Pam Kilgore, of Kilgore Business Services, LLC  You may reach me through my website www.kilgorebusiness.com  You can find my blog at http://plannerspointers.blogspot.com/

Setting the Table

Ah, one of my favorite places to host an elegant event, the Carnegie Music Hall, Pittsburgh, PA.

From time to time I  like to share words commonly used by professionals. The words along with their meaning will be from the APEX Industry Glossary maintained by the Convention Industry Council

The Convention Industry Council is the organization of 33 associations coming together to exchange information among the meetings, convention and exhibitions industry. One of the initiatives is APEX, Accepted Practices Exchange to develop practices that reach industry wide. One of the practices is a glossary of terms used in the industry. The goal of the glossary is to standardize the definitions of words used by the meetings industry

While you are looking at the picture, here are a few terms for describing different items on the table.

Napery is another name for table linen

Place Setting or Cover:  A combination of flatware, glassware and china.

Double Cloth: Use of two tablecloths on a banquet table for decorative purposes, to muffle sound, or to attach to skirting.  Usually two different colors are used. 

Overlay:  A second smaller tablecloth used for decorative purposes at banquets

Banquet Round:  Round table used for meal service; depending on the diameter, can comfortably seat up to 12 persons. A round for 8 is usually 60-inches in diameter, and a round for 10 is usually 72-inches in diameter. Rounds that are 66 inches in diameter may also be found in use for tables of 8-10. 

Just add people and you have a beautiful event.

Planner's Pointers is written by, Mary Pam Kilgore, CMP, of Kilgore Business Services, LLC  You may Mary Pam through her website www.kilgorebusiness.com  You can find my blog at http://plannerspointers.blogspot.com/  You can reach me by phone at 412-260-4178.  Follow me on Twitter @marypam.

Home Office Kryptonite

Welcome to Planner's Pointer's!

Today we are going to talk about home office Kryptonite.  Remember Superman?  He leaps over tall buildings in a single bound?  He could stop a bullet.  And as we learned in the first Superman movie that came out in the 70s, Superman can turn back time.  But he had one weakness:  Kryptonite, a mineral from his own planet that would zap his powers and if exposed to it long enough would eventually kill him.

We aren't talking about issues that could hurt us physically, but what about those distractions that happen every day.  Things that grab our attention, and because we don't let them, won't let us go.  Time grabbers, home office Kryptonite in other words.

1. Daydreaming -- that's what our teachers called it when we were kids. Thinking about other things when you are working on a project.  For example:  You are working on a client's project.  You are getting paid to do this but sometimes your mind wanders and you think you should be doing something else. Another project, perhaps or taking the dog for a walk.  I like timers.  When you start working on project, set the timer for 45 minutes.  See where you are with the project at that time.  Still moving ahead, or stuck and thinking about laundry?  If you are moving ahead, set the time for another 30 minutes.  If not, take a break, 5 minutes and get up and move around.  I am a list maker. When I start thinking of other things I I add it to the list, then I don't have to remember it anymore.  It's on the list of things I am going to do later.

2. Email  Email is a trap if you let it.  There have been several articles about email organization like schedule reading times.  Morning, and later in the afternoon.  Unless you are expecting an email.  The same could be and should be said about Facebook and Twitter.  A word here about phone calls.  Answering services, Answering machines, caller ID and voice mail have been around in some cases 30 or more years.  Turn your ringer off if you want, put on headphones.  Screening doesn't have the negative connation that it has had in the past.

4.  "Oh look Shinny!"  You are on the Internet doing some researching when one link leads to another and before you know it you have spent two hours on an entirely different topic then when you started.  Or you are at a really large website let's say something like istockphoto.com and Internet Movie Data Base. 

5. Television  This is my personal Kryptonite.  My computer has a TV tuner in it and if I turn it on it is hard for me to turn it off.  Yes I can put what I am working on in front of me and still hear it.  

How do I handle life's interruptions?  I make lists and have a plan for the day.  For some things like Internet searches I will set a timer.  I screen calls.  I have days that are office only.

Planner's Pointers is written by Mary Pam Kilgore, of Kilgore Business Services, LLC. You may reach me through my website www.kilgorebusiness.com  or marypamkilgore@gmail.com  You can reach me by phone at 412-260-4178.  Follow me on Twitter @marypam.  Copyright 2010

Looking for work? Interview with Dawn Penfold, Meetingjobs.com

Welcome to Planner's Pointer's Planners Pointers is a blog and talk cast to help beginning event planners with their event planning. Give them ideas on planning better events, books to read and websites to discover.

I teach a class at Allegheny County Community College called "Event Planning as a Career. One of the most often asked questions I get from my students is are there jobs out there… I took this question to Dawn Penfold, CMP and president of http://www.meetingjobs.com/   I interviewed her on my Talkshoe radio channel.  I thought I would share the link with you so you could hear her comments and tips about finding a job as a planner in today's economy.  Here is the link to the Planners Pointers Radio Show:

http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/73353

How to Plan a 7 Course Meal

Did you ever wonder what a seven course dinner was?  Ever wonder how it was served?  Today we are going to take a look at How to Plan a Seven Course Meal

Before we explain each course -- let's look at the courses has a whole

First Course: appetizer

Second Course: soup

Third Course: salad

Fourth Course: sorbet to cleanse the palate

Fifth course: fish or poultry

Sixth Course: red meat, fish or poultry with vegetables

Seventh Course: dessert

I know what you are thinking.  How can people each all that food!! Or have all that time! Or take all that time. 

Biggest tip I learned is to give the dinner a theme.  That helps you choose what types of food you would like to serve. Also remember these are smaller portions.  For example the meat course portion should be 4 oz of meat. 

Break it down by course --

1. Appetizer course -- Small and light  If you were doing something with an Italian theme you might do an antipasto. Or if you could do a shrimp cocktail.

2. Soup course:  You may use a cream based or clear soup such as a chicken stock based soup or a vegetable soup. Avoid heavy soups.

3. Salad course:  For example use different varieties of lettuce with a nice vinaigrette and a few crotons  Also keep the amount of salad dressing to a minimum.

4. Cleanse the palate course with sorbet like a lemon or a lime.

5. Fifth Course fish or poultry.  In one of the things I read some called it the first main course.  You could serve a baked fish such as Orange Ruffy or baked chicken such as chicken picatta.  Make sure that the fish or poultry used in this course don't overpower the Meat Course

6. Meat Course This could include fish, poultry, red meat including beef or pork with vegetables and potatoes.  If you bake the fish or chicken in the fifth course then you choose a different method here like broiled or grilled.  Again keep meat portions small.  4 ounces will do nicely.  Adding the vegetable helps cleanse the palate and aid digestion.

7. Dessert.  Something lavish and memorable.  Anything chocolate would work such as Chocolate cake or chocolate silk pie.  You could also do make your own sundaes

Some hints:  Serve foods that compliment each other.  This is a meal that is served and not done family style so people won't over load on one thing. 

Each course is to have its own wine.  A good way to way to do this without sending everyone home tipsy is to visit a wine store and go over the menu with the sommelier to discuss what wines and how much to serve each person.

Also please allow enough time to enjoy the meal

As Julia Child used to say "Bon Appetite!"

That's the Planners Pointer for today.

Planner's Pointers is written by, Mary Pam Kilgore, CMP  owner of Kilgore Business Services, LLC  You may reach me through my website www.kilgorebusiness.com  You can find my blog at http://plannerspointers.blogspot.com/  You can reach me by phone at 412-260-4178.  Follow me on Twitter @marypam.  

On Line Calendar Setting -- Doodle.com When is Good.net

Welcome to Planner's Pointer's Planners Pointers is a blog and talk cast to help beginning event planners with their event planning. Give them ideas on planning better events, books to read and websites to discover.

You get into your office and look at your to do list.  There are two items: 1. emailing your executive committee to schedule a date for a committee conference call.  2. Herding cats.  You decide on the second choice first because it's easier and less time consuming.

Take heart!  Help is on the way!  There are two, and probably more, ways of scheduling meetings, conference calls and other one to one meetings on the Internet.  One is Doodle.com and the other is WhenIsGood.net.

Here are the easy things to remember.  Both are free, but you can purchase subscriptions from the companies.  Both are easy to use, although WhenIsGood.net seem a little easier than Doodle.

Where they differ is that Doodle has you create an account, WhenIsGood doesn't, although you can.  By creating an account you can keep track of the scheduling that you have done.

Another way they differ slightly is WhenIsGood gives you a range of dates and times in which you simply select the times, while Doodle.com gives you a range of dates to select, but you have to do an additional step of adding the times.  Both gives you the option of creating the email response yourself with the information, or selecting to have them send the email.  If you choose to have the program send the email, both methods call up your email account with the information and you add the email addresses.  I like this choice myself since the url information will be correct and I don't have to cut and paste or worry about typos.  Doodle goes one step further and allows you to both Tweet and add the info to Facebook.

Doodle sends email updates when someone responds to the poll automatically, WhenIsGood has that as an option.  I like the updates since it keeps me informed about who has responded without logging in the website.

Give these tools a try! I like both of these website tools.  They save me time and frustration. 

Planner's Pointers is produced by me, Mary Pam Kilgore, of Kilgore Business Services, LLC  You may reach me through my website www.kilgorebusiness.com  You can find my blog at http://plannerspointers.blogspot.com/  You can reach me by phone at 412-260-4178.  Follow me on Twitter @marypam

Off the beaten track holiday stops

Welcome to Planner's Pointer's Planners!

Holiday Activities are in the air!  In Pittsburgh there are several favorites like ice skating at the PPG Place rink, visiting the holiday displays at the Carnegie Museum and shopping at places like the Tanger Outlets. Today we are talking about shops and museums near these near places that are worth the trip and  make the visit even more special

Going to Downtown Pittsburgh -- Checking out the bargins at Macy's, Sak's, and other downtown stores?  Going ice skating at the PPG Place rink?  How about adding a visit to ToonSeum.  Located on the heart of the Pittsburgh's Cultural District, ToonSeum's goal is to create awareness and appreciation for the art of  cartooning.  The ToonSeum offers workshops for people of all ages and skill and exhibitions of original cartoon art.  To learn more about ToonSeum log on the website www.toonseum.org or call 412-232-0199

Tanger Outlets opened a little more than a year ago.  Located across the street from the Meadowlands Casino on Racetrack Road in Washington PA.  With 75 name brand stores there is loads of holiday shopping fun to be had.  While you are there save some time to go around the corner to Quail Acres located at the corner of Racetrack Road and Route 19.  Quail Acres has several delightful boutiques that are a worthwhile addition to your holiday shopping.  Artemis Botanicals Bath Shop has beautiful hand made soap.  There is even a great store for dogs called "Dogs Rule."

There are several other off the beaten track shopping areas and museums in Pittsburgh.  We hope to tell you more about them in 2011.

Planner's Pointers is written by me, Mary Pam Kilgore, of Kilgore Business Services, LLC  You may reach me through my website www.kilgorebusiness.com  You can find my blog at http://plannerspointers.blogspot.com/

Old Technology meet Smart Phones

Welcome to Planner's Pointer's Planners Pointers is a blog and talk cast to help beginning event planners with their event planning. Give them ideas on planning better events, books to read and websites to discover.

I was entering business card information into my contacts lists when I noticed that one of my new contacts had a phone number that spelled out a word.  What an idea!  I have always thought that being able have a phone number such as 1-800-MEETING would be really cool memory hook.  Then I looked at my smart phone and realized that it wouldn't work.  Why?  Because the keypad of on my smart phone isn't the same as a regular phone. 

The telephone keypad layout that is most familiar to us in the United States has been around since the 1960s when touch tone dialing was introduced.  There is lots of information on the web about how the keypad was developed.  One of the most interesting things that I learned was the letter assignment to particular number isn't standardized across the world. 

My Planners Pointers tip for today is:  If you want to use a phone number that spells a word -- great!  Just make sure you add the corresponding numbers on your business cards.  For example:  WORD = 9673

Planner's Pointers is written by, Mary Pam Kilgore, of Kilgore Business Services, LLC  You may reach me through my website www.kilgorebusiness.com  You can find my blog at http://plannerspointers.blogspot.com/  You can reach me by phone at 412-260-4178.  Follow me on Twitter @marypam.  

QR Codes and Event Planning

The is the QR Code for Planners Pointers

Welcome to Planner's Pointer's Planners Pointers is a blog and talk cast to help beginning event planners with their event planning. Give them ideas on planning better events, books to read and websites to discover.

Today we are talking about QR Code. QR or Quick Response Code was develop in the 90s for a Japanese car manufacturer as a way of tracking inventory. They discovered uses outside of manufacturing, QR Codes caught hold in first Japan, then Europe and finally the US. 

Since you can imbed a website or other information into the code, QR Codes have found their way into the event marketing.  There are many ways QR Codes can help the planner.  I came up with 7 to start the list. 

1. Add the QR Code to the event flyer, billboard or invitation.  Have the link go to a short video about the event, conference, trade show.  Add a testimonial from an attendee, info about early bird registration and you have a compelling message.

2. Add the QR Code to a postcard or billboard.  Have it link back to the event website.

3. Another idea for the postcard or a print invitation is to link to the registration page for almost instant registrations.

4. Along those same lines, add a QR Code with a promo code for a price reduction for people to use when they register.  You could even put this one on the website or Facebook page.

5. Add the QR Code to your business card.  With a link to the wed site or VCard information. 

6. Add a unique code for each attendee name badge and imbed contact information.  Vendors can scan badges to collect information and you can scan badges as people enter sessions as a way of keeping track of attendance for CEU's.  Also, it could as a deterrent to prevent badge scalping.

7.  Add a QR Code to the Exhibitor page to a convention or conference website and link it to an image of the exhibit floor so that vendors can see the layout.  Or a short video showing possible booth layouts. 

I am sure there are more.  A great website that I found for all things QR Code is www.qrstuff.com  Notice please I didn't cover how QR Codes work or how to find the correct scanner for your smart phone or Iphone since Qrstuff.com covers all of that information.

Scan this QR Code to get the prize!

Planner's Pointers is produced by me, Mary Pam Kilgore, of Kilgore Business Services, LLC  You may reach me through my website www.kilgorebusiness.com  You can find my blog at http://plannerspointers.blogspot.com/  You can reach me by phone at 412-260-4178.  Follow me on Twitter.  Copyright 2010

APEX Definition: Release

Welcome to Planner's Pointer's Planners Pointers is a blog and talk cast to help beginning event planners with their event planning. Give them ideas on planning better events, books to read and websites to discover.

Today's term from the Convention Industry Council's APEX Glossary is:  Release.  There are two definitions I would like to discuss.

The first definition I would like to focus on is: A signed form giving permission to use a person’s name, picture, or statement (often in an advertisement).

In this day of instant posting on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and YouTube of pictures and videos we forget sometimes to ask for permission.  While we think the permission can be implied -- if they didn't want to be in the picture, then don't stand there -- I really think it doesn't hurt anything to simply ask if this is OK. 

When I attended Pennsylvania Governor's Conference for Women I noticed that on back of the badge was a photo release.  While it wasn't signed, it was implied that since I was an attendee, if my picture were taken that it could be used for promotional purposes.  What a great idea! 

Another definition for release is: Form signed by presenter allowing recording of presentation.  One of the ways that organizations have made additional money at conferences for years is recording the proceedings and then selling them.  In recent years companies that recorded the conference and then offered them as downloads.  Free for attendees or a small fee. 

When I worked in radio I used to record the live music performances I had performers sign releases even though the broadcast may have never been used again.  If the broadcast is recorded for later use, the release is especially important since it means the performer is satisfied with their performance.

Release.  One word with two similar meanings but based in one word: permission.

Planner's Pointers is written by me, Mary Pam Kilgore, of Kilgore Business Services, LLC  You may reach me through my website www.kilgorebusiness.com You can find my blog at http://plannerspointers.blogspot.com/

Daylight Saving Time

Welcome to Planner's Pointer's Planners Pointers is a blog and talk cast to help beginning event planners with their event planning. Give them ideas on planning better events, books to read and websites to discover.


This Sunday morning at 2:00 am, we will "fall back" as Daylight Savings Time comes to a close.

I have often wondered how Daylight Savings Time came to be and this is what I learned. Daylight Savings Time was started during World War I in order to save energy for the war production. It was mandatory during that time and again during World War II. Between the wars and after World War II it was up to the states to determined if they wanted to go by Daylight Savings Time. In 1966 Daylight Savings Time became the law of the land with the passage of Uniform Time Act. In 2007. in order to save more energy four weeks were added to the time period that ranges from the second Sunday of March to the first week of November.

What I notice the most about when we go back to "regular time" in November is not only does the day seem so much shorter is that people's moods seem to change. While, seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression as a result of lack of light, effects only 4-6 % of the population, many of us still seem to feel "a little blue" during the winter months. Here a couple of things that I do during the winter to keep me going.

1. Go outside for a short walk. Even in colder weather a walk around the block can lift the spirits.

2. Watch your diet. I know that a bag of chips and onion dip are great additions to an evening of TV watching, but they will cause you problems in the long run.

3. Keep in contact with your family and friends. No, not with Facebook, but face to face. Yes, snow happens, but not every snow flake is a blizzard in the making. Play cards, share a meal, go to a movie, take in a museum all these things make for a great time together.

Before you know it, or just in time, depending on how you look at it. Spring arrives. Keep the faith.

Planner's Pointers is written by me, Mary Pam Kilgore, of Kilgore Business Services, LLC You may reach me through my website http://www.kilgorebusiness.co/m You can find my blog at http://plannerspointers.blogspot.com/

Job Websites to discover

Welcome to Planner's Pointer's Planners Pointers is a blog and talk cast to help beginning event planners with their event planning. Give them ideas on planning better events, books to read and websites to discover.


Looking for work? Here are some websites that have job postings --

http://www.meetingjobs.com/ A free site to post your resume. Additionally meeting jobs have both full and part time job postings. Also the site offers webinars on how to get jobs.

www.mpiwebs.org Meeting Professionals International has job postings on their site. Postings less than 15 days old are for members only after that they are available for non members.

http://www.pcma.org/  Professional Convention Management Association posts jobs for those seeking jobs in the convention and trade show areas.

www.asaecenter.org American Society of Association Executives helps those in the association and non profit world with education and job postings. You don't have to be a member to access the job board.

If you are looking to be a meeting and event planner reading the job boards on these websites shows you what the characteristics and skills are needed to be a good planner. Also it tells you the scope of the meeting planning profession.

Planner's Pointers is written by me, Mary Pam Kilgore, of Kilgore Business Services, LLC You may reach me through my website http://www.kilgorebusiness.com/ You can find my blog at http://plannerspointers.blogspot.com/

Team Work works miracles

Welcome to Planner's Pointer's Planners Pointers is a blog and talk cast to help beginning event planners with their event planning. Give them ideas on planning better events, books to read and websites to discover.
Last week we all marveled as we watch to both TV and the live stream on the Internet as the Chilean miners, all 33 of them, were rescued.

Team work works miracles. As I read and watched the news of the mine accident since August it never seemed to me that no one lost hope. They continued to work to drill the rescue shaft never losing sight of the goal. The miners themselves were always reported as being in both good health and good spirits. In a world where everyone seems to be out for themselves the absolute solidarity shown during the long rescue mission was impressive. Everyone, rescuer and miner, had the same goal. How did they do that? Communication. The miners always had some idea of what was going on high above their heads, and the rescuers knew what was happening below them.

You never do an event yourself. Clients, committees, catering sales managers, banquet staff, your staff, hotel staff, many others and you work together and share in the success of an event because everyone has the same goal. Getting everyone sharing the same goal is your job as the planner. How does that happen? Communication. Communication meaning both listening and speaking. Keeping everyone informed of changes, listening to new ideas on how to achieve the best results provide some of the necessary elements for developing a good team.

Team work works miracles.

Planner's Pointers is written by me, Mary Pam Kilgore, of Kilgore Business Services, LLC You may reach me through my website www.kilgorebusiness.com You can find my blog at http://plannerspointers.blogspot.com/ 

Travel Safety

Welcome to Planner's Pointer's Planners Pointers is a blog and talk cast to help beginning event planners with their event planning. Give them ideas on planning better events, books to read and websites to discover.

The idea for this post came to me when I was at a hotel recently. At the registration desk there was a flyer being given to guests about leaving valuables in their cars. With the holiday season travel about to kick in, I thought I would go over "Ten Tips for Traveling Safely."

1. Travel Light. Remember the scene out of "Up in the Air" where the character Natalie, played by Anna Kendrick, brings this huge suitcase and Ryan Bingham, played by George Clooney, throws half of the stuff away and gets her a newer smaller suitcase? Remember separates, mix and match is the way to go. Here is a video about an efficient way to pack a bag. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BL9qmFRbd4

2. Don't leave valuables in your hotel room. If you aren't wearing them, then the best place is the hotel safe.

3. Along with valuables, do you really need to bring your computer? With hotel business centers and smart phones with email, leaving the laptop at home might be an option.

4. Along with leaving valuables at home, also leave behind your social security and library cards.

5. Cashier checks and one or two credit cards may be all you need when you travel. Leave unnecessary credit cards at home. Don't carry large amounts of cash.

6. If you are traveling by car, please make sure you bring everything into the car including your GPS and other things you might leave behind by under normal circumstances.

7. When you go out, be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or in a group. Also remember to remove your name badge when you are leaving the conference site.

8. I hate to sound like your mother, but don't accept drinks from strangers.

9. If you are going to be gone for an extended period, place valuables in a safety deposit box along with important papers.

10. Leave your itinerary along with your cell phone number with a friend or family member.

Planner's Pointers is produced by me, Mary Pam Kilgore, of Kilgore Business Services, LLC You may reach me through my website http://www.kilgorebusiness.com/ You can find my blog at http://plannerspointers.blogspot.com/  Copywrite 2010 Mary Pam Kilgore, Kilgore Business Services, LLC, This article may be reproduce in full as long as the byline is included.