CASE STUDY: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS BUYOUT

Case Study: Universal Studios Buyout The Scenario: A large public company decided to have an Award Function for 2600 people in Orlando, Florida. Our Team, after an extensive search, secured Universal Studios for a private function. The Result: • Full Buyout of Universal Studios Orlando: Guests were treated to a private evening in Universal Orlando. • Food stations for a full dinner were set in "New York" Area • PE Staff were provided throughout Park to support guests needs • 6 stations of entertainment- including a 9 piece band were placed throughout Universal • EMT was secured for "just-in-case" • Credentials were created for all guests • Pre-event announcements, invitations and registration was provided • RSVP services and confirmations were handled • Transportation and Parking was provided • We designed a theatrical opening that included key executives to "Kick-Off" the event The Outcome: Guests were introduced to a once in a lifetime private experience that highlighted the award recipients while recognizing the hard work of all of the other staff/participants.

INCENTIVE GIFTS

With the struggling economy and budgets constantly being cut, companies are eliminating gift giving right away without thinking through the ways that it could impact their business and staff. Incentive gifts have always been implemented in a company's budget. They are usually used to keep employee's morale up and enhance performance in the workplace. Unfortunately, with the struggling economy and budgets constantly being cut, companies are eliminating gift giving right away without thinking through the ways that it could impact their business and staff. To make sure they can keep their employees motivated, companies should not remove their incentive programs due to the economy, they should tweak it instead to conform to the new economy. One way incentive programs can be changed is by giving fewer gifts and spread them throughout the year. Knowing that there will only be a select few recognized, staff members will have a bigger push to prove themselves, which will result in improved performance, sales boosts, and better customer service. Being creative and finding inexpensive gift ideas is also a good way businesses can modify their budget. One way you can buy affordable gifts and help others is by buying them through The Helping Hand Rewards. According to Incentive Magazine, the Helping Hands Rewards "markets items to corporations that are made by underprivileged or at-risk women and men in the U.S. and less developed countries." Not only do these companies help people who are unable to get hired by anyone else due to previous work or legal records, they help them build up their resumes, teach them how to improve their work ethics and prepare them for future jobs. Products from the vendors include anything from candle sets and jewelry to spa baskets, and gourmet food items that come from all over the world. Another easy way companies can reward their employees is by giving out gift cards. Popular gift cards from retailers and restaurants around where the company is located can not only help boost the area's economy, but people are more likely to associate it with a gift and not think of it as cash. So instead of getting rid of gifts from your company budget, just be creative. Awarding inexpensive gifts can still guarantee a good work environment while implementing a condensed budget.

RECOGNITION JUNKIES

Recognition Is Becoming the Key to Success for Many Companies today in the Face of an Economic Downturn "People are recognition junkies…No one can ever get too much," according to Derek Irvine, chief marketing officer of Globoforce. Recognition is becoming the key to success for many companies today in the face of an economic downturn. The state of the economy may have sparked a new form of awareness for management teams to show appreciation for their employees. Instead of offering employees bonuses that they cannot afford, companies are beginning to realize that non-monetary forms of motivation are just as beneficial, if not better. Reinforcement and incentives are the things that mold behavior and create positive change. When employees are praised for their accomplishments and they believe their work is being recognized, good things happen. Unconventional forms of motivation are creating positive change and becoming a win-win for both the company and the employee. However, it is important for management teams to realize that all of their employees are different and they must come up with "creative ways" to motivate their diverse work force on a personal level. When people enjoy working for you, you never need to worry about underperformance. Often times, monetary incentives are overlooked and only help short term goals. Paragon Events offers full service destination support for all of your motivational needs, whether you would like to plan a day trip to the beach, an adventure to a theme park, or a night out on the town for your employees and their families, these creative incentives will provide your employees with an experience they will not forget. At Paragon Events, we understand that appreciated employees increase productivity! When employees are motivated to perform in a certain way, management will constantly see the results they expect. It is easy for an employee to do something right one time, but in order to maintain a strong and consistent workforce, recognition is the number one motivator.

MAKE YOUR NEXT FLIGHT EASIER

8 Essential Tips to Make Your Next Flight Easier, by Harry R. Weber (AP airlines writer)Airport VIP lounges are not restricted to just members. Several airlines offer one day or monthly passes. 2) Don’t fret the annoying checked bag fee when bringing strollers and infant car seats. Airline personnel will put those items on the plane for you for free when you get to your gate, and they will not count against your carry-on bag allowance. 3) You don’t have to pay big bucks to fly in business class. Several airlines offer deeply discounted rates on upgrades to business class on the day of travel if there are seats in the front cabin still available. 4) You don’t have to pay big bucks to fly period. Rick Seaney of farecompare.com says the best time to shop domestic tickets is Tuesday afternoon because airlines typically file sales Monday evening and other airlines match Tuesday through noon. 5) Don’t worry about printing out your boarding pass at home. At some airports and with some airlines, travelers with Web-enable mobile devices like BlackBerry of iPhone can download their boarding passes, then hand over the devices for scanning by federal security screeners and airline gate agents. 6) Traveling doesn’t have to be a hassle. If you fly at off-peak times like in the early morning hours on Tuesdays, Wednesday, or Saturdays, flights are less full, and often the lines at security are much shorter. 7) Speeding through security is easy if you pack certain items in your carry-on bags before reaching a checkpoint. 8) If you’ve ever wondered how close you are to your destination or how long the security line is at your airport, you don’t have to be in the dark. You can track your online by entering the flight number at flightaware.com

HOW THE MORIKAMI MUSEUM CAN HELP YOU GROW YOUR BUSINESS

Research consistently shows that an investment in arts and culture benefits the community. The investment can also create a positive impact on a corporations brand position, image, and revenue stream. I recently was reading the Morikami Museum’s Spring 2010 Newsletter. It had a very interesting article that I thought I would share. It reads as follows: Research consistently shows that an investment in arts and culture benefits the community. The investment can also create a positive impact on a corporations brand position, image, and revenue stream. EXPOSURE The Morikami welcomes over 170,000 visitors each year. Some of our signature festivals and events draw a crowd of over 7,000 people in one day! Few facilities can boast this level of exposure. We can show you our demographic research to help you decide which events, programs or time of year would benefit your business. When you need to reach a select clientele, your audience is within our reach. The exposure will help you build your brand position and show the value you place on community involvement and quality of life. BOOST EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY Employees are most productive when they are happy and healthy. The challenge is how to keep employees at the top of their game when the job demands more with fewer resources. There are clear benefits to employers who choose to invest in employee wellness programs. These include decreased corporate health costs, reduced absenteeism, maximized employee effectiveness, increased morale, and enhanced corporate image and retention, and an improved bottom line. How can the Morikami help? Our “Stroll for Well-being” program, developed with FAU’s Lynn College of Nursing, is proven to alleviate low levels of stress and depression. The feedback we have received is overwhelmingly positive! Volunteer committees are another way to engage employees in the community and provide them with an opportunity to share their skills and grow their network. From business development t marketing, finance and operations, we have committees that are in search of professional guidance. This is a wonderful way for employees to connect with other professional while working to better our community. MEANINGFUL CLIENT INCENTIVES Corporate memberships and sponsorships offer complimentary admission to the Morikami and free or discounted tickets to special events. What better way to reward your clients than to treat them to a memorable day or event at our museum. With over 100 programs each year, we are confidant we can identify the activities that meet the interests of your company’s stakeholders.

THE REAL RULES OF NETWORKING

Now, as we all know, networking is a hugely integral part of any business. It’s about making connections and keeping those connections growing. You can network with anyone from your dog groomer to a high level CEO (if you’re lucky enough to meet one!) Now, as we all know, networking is a hugely integral part of any business. It’s about making connections and keeping those connections growing. You can network with anyone from your dog groomer to a high level CEO (if you’re lucky enough to meet one!) Everyone knows the typical version of “Networking Tips,” dress for success, have a firm handshake, don’t monopolize the conversation, etc., but to most people these are pretty much common sense. Here are a couple of things you may NOT have thought about in regards to networking. Here are some tips to keep your mind open to networking in unexpected places. 1. You can network anywhere, anytime, with anyone. You never know who you’re going to meet or who someone you meet might know. Be open to opportunities whenever and wherever they may arise. 2. Looks can be deceiving. Just because someone isn’t dressed to the 9’s, doesn’t mean that you aren’t a useful connection to one  another. 3. Networking can be done anywhere. At a specialized “mixer” or at your kids soccer game. Always keep yourself open. 4. It’s not always about what someone can do for you. Pay it forward and at some point it will come back to you. It’s better to be   owed a favor than to owe one! 5. Be approachable and friendly. Whenever you step out of your house you never know who you could meet, so be friendly and be someone people want to talk to. 6. Don’t tune out because someone is in a different field than you. Many people have multiple needs in their businesses and may be able to recommend you to a client or friend. 7. Don’t assume. Assumptions lead to missed opportunities, and no one likes that! These are just a few tips to keep in mind. Whenever you’re out, treat everyone you meet as if they’re a future business opportunity, you never know who you might meet!

IS MEXICO THE NEXT GENERATION?

With new meeting rooms and a 25,300 sq ft convention centre, it is easy to see why Huatulco, Mexico is the new hot spot for company meetings and teambuilding sessions. There is always something for everyone here. “Today’s meeting trends are boutique hotels, designer resorts, modern art and architecture” states Prevue magazine. In the heart of Huatulco, Mexico is beautiful, sparkling Tandolunda Bay. Tandolunda Bay is a lovely spot where the most sophisticated resorts are set along the coastline. A former fishing village, this quiet and laid back nine-bay region preserves and promotes an authentic Mexican experience. With the Mexican Pipeline (Puerto Escondido), snorkeling, turtle releases and regional specialties, it’s hard not to see why the masses are coming to this funky market town for company meeting. There are several resorts in the area that cater to such company meetings, one of the most exciting being Hotel Quinta Real Huatulco, which is poised right on the hillside of Huatulco. Here, groups can rent multiple catamarans for up to three hundred people and teambuilding sailboat regattas can hold up to one hundred and fifty people. “It’s great because it’s the first time for many people to learn how to sail a boat on their own,” says sales manager Susana Goche. “They have more fun when they’re actually holding the sails and steering the boat. ”Planners for company meetings “often request excursions that include interaction with the locals, such as the Amazing Farming Race and the Jeep Rally to San Sebastian tour. The Amazing Race is when participants visit different working ranches and learn how to saddle horses and ride them, and play games where they run and catch chickens and rabbits. In the Jeep Rally to San Sebastian tour, groups are divided up to walk around the mountain village, where no one speaks English, and ask a series of prescribed questions. The quickest group back with the correct answers wins.” (Dawna L. Robertson, Prevue Magazine) With new meeting rooms and a 25,300 sq ft convention centre, it is easy to see why Huatulco, Mexico is the new hot spot for company meetings and teambuilding sessions. There is always something for everyone here.

GOING GREEN - WHAT'S ALL THE HYPE ABOUT?

What have you done to go GREEN and help save the environment? Every ton of paper saves 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 380 gallons of oil, 60 pounds of air pollution and enough electricity to power the average house for 6 months. HYPE: If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars. Not only does going green save energy and our planet, it also contributes to your personal savings and improved health! What are some of the changes I have made? *I have replaced all of the lights in my house with compact fluorescent light bulbs. Fact: ENERGY STAR qualified light bulbs use 75% less energy than standard incandescent light bulbs and last 10 times longer. They also save $30+ in electricity costs in each bulbs lifetime. *Eating organic fruits and vegetables Fact: Purchasing from local farmers keeps money in the local economy. Health Benefit: Organic food is free of pesticides and antibiotics. * Recycling scrap paper at work and recycling cans and bottles at home. Fact: It takes 2-3.5 tons of trees to make 1 ton of paper. The recycling of paper will save 60% energy. If offices across the country increased 2-sided photocopying, 15 million trees could be saved. Fact: The recycling of aluminum will save 95% energy and reduce pollution by 95%. The recycling of one aluminum can will save enough energy to run a TV for 6 hours. Fact: The recycling of glass will save 50% energy, generate 20% less air pollution and 50% less water pollution * Turning off the lights and the fans when I am not in the room. Fact: By turning off and un-plugging non essential lights and appliances, the electricity generated by fossil fuels for a single home puts more carbon dioxide into the air than 2 average cars. * Driving my car less Fact: Saves money on gas. Health Benefit: Biking, rollerblading and walking to nearby stores and restaurants improves cardiovascular health. * I just moved into a new place, so for large pieces of furniture I have been searching Craigslist.com. On the weekends, I wake up early to take my dog for a walk, in search of some cool garage sales too! Fact: Buy used. Buy Local. Know where your money is going and what it is being spent on. *I went and got a library card. I also rent DVD’s from the library. They have some really good movies in stock and they’re free! Fact: This saves money, ink and paper that go into printing new books. What I intend to do: *Buy a water filter to purify tap water and pour it into reusable water bottles when I’m on the go! Fact: Bottled water is expensive and generates large amount of container waste. Fact: We create enough plastic water bottles to give each American 167 bottles each. Fact: Only 23% of water bottles are recycled, leaving 38 billion bottles to landfills. Fact: It takes 700 years for a plastic bottle to start to decompose. Fact: We create enough plastic water bottles to use 1.5 million barrels of oil per year. That’s enough oil to fuel 100,000 cars per year! Fact: We use enough plastic to wrap all of Texas every year. *Make my own toxic free cleaning products with vinegar, baking soda, lemon, soap and water. Fact: Making your own cleaning products saves money, time and packaging and improves indoor air quality. By starting small you can make a BIG difference!

MISSION: IMPOSSIBILITY

In the event planning industry there is a saying…”Anything that Can Go Wrong…Will Go Wrong – ON SITE!” In the event planning industry there is a saying…”Anything that Can Go Wrong…Will Go Wrong – ON SITE!” So, as a corporate event coordinator it is your job to make sure that all plans are as firm as a rock and of course have a backup…but what happens when something goes wrong and there is nothing short of a miracle that can be done to fix it? My co-workers and I found ourselves asking that very question a few short months ago! It’s early spring and as usual another flawlessly executed event was about to conclude, and we faced a huge problem; a force majeure. Was it an Act of God? NO! An Act of Terrorism? Probably Not! Was it an Act of War? You guessed it…No! So what on earth could have gone so wrong to make us squirm? So glad you asked! Well the short story is that the airlines did us in! In a matter of a few hours American Airlines had cancelled almost a thousand flights….and it seems that almost every one of our 350 attendees were scheduled to be on those flights the very next morning! The hotel was sold out, the CEO of the company hosting the meeting instructed us not to book tickets for anyone that were scheduled to leave before the conference finished, and ticket prices from other airlines were skyrocketing! So even though this wasn’t our mistake…it was now our problem! How did we fix it you ask? Well…we became travel agents at the drop of a dime and re-booked over 75 flights, begged for any late check-outs we could get and any rooms the hotel could spare! Needless to say…the fact that I am writing to you today proves that we lived through it, but this episode just confirms my reasoning for why everyone should hire an event planner, especially a Paragon Event Planner!

I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM, WE ALL SCREAM FOR...CHEESECAKE?

I am sure that I speak for most when I say that dessert is definitely the most important part of a meal…at least when the meal is awarded to you by your company for a years’ worth of excellent work! I am sure that I speak for most when I say that dessert is definitely the most important part of a meal…at least when the meal is awarded to you by your company for a years’ worth of excellent work! About a week or so ago, Paragon Events coordinated a “Hospital of the Year Luncheon” in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was a fairly simple event to coordinate, and there really wasn’t much that could go wrong. As a co-worker and I helped our client prepare for his opening remarks, we grabbed our Banquet Captain and his BEO’s and double checked what was on the menu for lunch. Our client decided that he would share what was in store for the group during his opening statements… “We have London broil for lunch, and better yet…Cheesecake for dessert!” The crowd went wild! One might have thought that cheesecake was better than gold…considering the reaction. So as the luncheon proceeded it was called to our attention that cheesecake was never on the menu, never supposed to be served, and the hotel definitely didn’t have enough for our group! In all actuality, our cheesecake…was for the other group in house. As the hotel staff began serving the final course of the meal, they served about half of the crowd cheesecake and the other half black forest cake. When half of the room received their black forest cake, you could just see the disappointment in their faces. Some even refused the tasty treats! Thankfully in our travels around the town the day before we had stumbled upon an actual Cheesecake Factory (not the restaurant, but a factory of the much sought after dessert!) We received approval from our client to order a few cakes and have them delivered to the Hospital the next afternoon. We were able to do all of this before the luncheon concluded, and our client was able to make the announcement to the crowd! Once again the crowd roared in excitement…and it just proves my theory that dessert is definitely the most important part of a meal!

PEANUT ISLAND

Who knew you could find so much to do on one tiny little man made island! In the past, Peanut Island was used as a JFK Cuban Missile Crisis Bunker and a Coast Guard Station. Over the years it has shifted into a public park with lots to do. With over 20 campsites, a picnic area, and the Maritime Museum; Peanut Island has become the place to play! On either side of the inlet you can find dining, shopping, and lodging, making this the perfect destination for your next teambuilding event. Recently we had a client looking to host a teambuilding program, but wanted it to be something out of the ordinary, out of the office, and out of this world. We made the suggestion to take this group to Peanut Island for a Kayak Teambuilding. Of course, a day on the water seemed like the perfect thing for this group to do, Paragon got to work! A plan was in place, and time to execute the fun. As everyone gathered at the marina you could tell that the excitement was building. Teams had been pre-selected and believe me; it only got more interesting as the pairs found out who their kayak mate would be. The guides gave some instruction and after that they were off! The group participated in team challenges while in the water and surprisingly…no one ended up in the inlet! Once the group arrived at Peanut Island Park they had some refreshments and of course more teambuilding! The dynamics of the activity changed drastically, in the water they all seemed to be somewhat “in the same boat” no one knew really what to expect, but once their feet touched land it was a whole new ball game….literally. By the end of the program you could tell that the group had a whole new outlook on work. They had faced challenges together, come up with solutions together, and had fun with each other. A true teambuilding success story!

OUR PLANNERS APPROACH TO A BETTER RFP"

Profile - Include information about your company or organization sponsoring the event (let us know if you do not want your company name mentioned, if confidentiality is required).     Space - We do the homework and ask the pertinent questions of your event to anticipate growth and/or attrition in attendance from the previous year or event.  History - We include a history of the event, such as where it was held before, how many rooms were used, the specs on your concession requests, etc.  We also recommend additional concessions you might not have considered.  Key Specs - Specs for F&B and A/V must be very detailed, including setup times between events and desired pre-set time