Making Your Event "GREEN"

Going “green” is the new trend almost everywhere, even in the world of event planning.  It’s becoming so popular that it’s starting to be called a lifestyle instead of a trend because it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. 

If you’re wondering how you can help the environment while making your event as environmental friendly as possible, here are a few things you can incorporate into your event:

·       Include organic food in your menu

·       Make invitations out of recycled paper

·       Supply eco-friendly wines

·       Make sure to buy flowers that are free of pesticides

·       For party favors, include a jar that’s available for people to donate to your favorite charity

However, if you are looking to plan a “green” corporate event, there are many options to help with that as well.  GREEN EVENTS SOURCE is a website just for that.  They have a program for event planners that is designed to take the guesswork out of greening meetings, conferences and special events.  They do this through:

·       Targeted Training and Education Programs:  They train your staff, attendees, members, management, exhibitors and others about various aspects of green events or to help design a custom training program to specifically meet your needs.

·       Consulting and Planning:  They help your company establish a plan to green your meetings and events, or even help you develop and implement an organization-wide initiative.

·       Event Management and Coordination:  They have the experience and know-how to manage and coordinate your event and do it with the utmost attention to environmental impact.

For more information about the companys products or services, check out this link.

So, if you want to clean up your event and make it more friendly for the environment, there are countless tools and resources available online just for that.  I decided to discuss a couple of my favorites.  I hope they help!

SOURCES:

http://archive.clubnewsmaker.net/activate/www.clubnewsmaker.net/activate/e_article002032922.html

http://www.greeneventsource.com/eventplanners.php

 http://www.cosmicyou.us/events/cosmicyou-21-day-go-green-challenge-vow-by-dna-wake-up

Use Social Media to Market the RIGHT Way

Marketing your products or services using social media can be very beneficial.  The only problem is that people think that just making a Facebook page or Twitter account and posting a few statuses will get your product out for everyone to see.  That would be great, but unfortunately, that’s not how social media works.  Dave Kerpen, chairman of Likeable Media & founder of offshoot Likeable Local has come up with seven moves that work when using social media to market your business.

1.) Listen, Then Talk

            -See what your customers or prospects are   talking about

            -Try to respond to posts that are relevant to you or your business

           

2.) Respond to Everyone

            -When you get a message, respond

            -Don’t pick out certain people to respond too

            -60% of brands don’t respond to customers or prospects

            -By responding, you’ll stand out from competition

3.) Tell, Don’t Sell

            -Tell personal stories that are relatable

                        -Your humble beginning

                        -Leadership characteristics

                        -Customers overcoming obstacles

            -Try to get testimonials from customers & employees

4.) Be Yourself

-Kerpen states, “When I am authentic, when I am vulnerable, when I am me, customers want to do business with me”

-Basically, don’t put on a front

5.) Advertise (Better)

            -use social media but research how to make it better

            -target the right people by finding your target market

            -use correct keywords to be found easier in search

-“What’s cooler than reaching a billion people on Facebook?  Reaching the right 1,000, the right 100, the right 10, the right one.” –Dave Kerpen

6.) Give Stuff Away

            -People LOVE free

            -Not just free products, but information

                        -webinars

                        -good content

                        -articles

7.) Be Grateful

            -Constantly thank customers and partners on social media posts

-According to donorschoose.org, of those that received a thank you note, 38% were more likely to donate again.

 

Social media is a very valuable tool in today’s marketplace, but it’s important to research your target market in order to get the best results possible when using it.  By knowing the target market, you’re able to place your ads on the right sites in order to bring in traffic.  I also want to add these tips are important for using social media, but it’s also important to know which social media is the best to use for your company.  Blogging could be more effective than Facebook.  It’s all in your research.

For more information, you can check out the website below.

http://www.inc.com/allison-fass/dave-kerpen-social-media-moves-that-work.html?nav=featured

Picture Sources

http://www.pinnaclecart.com/blog/2012/12/21/6-ways-to-make-social-media-work-for-your-ecommerce-business/

http://www.onesocialmedia.com/blog/

http://heidicohen.com/social-media-marketer-favorite-non-social-media-tool/