WHEN A CRISIS STRIKES.....

Renee Radabaugh, CEO and Founder Paragon Events, shares her four tips for managing a crisis in the event planning industry. Plus, her own crisis management story.

MORE IS MORE

It sounds simple enough, communicate regular updates to your clients; but this is a big point of contention in the business sector. In a world where communication is now a cornerstone, clients expect their hired service providers to be able to effectively communicate around the clock. When it comes to communication, less is not more. As a Director or Manager in any industry, it is safe to say the more you communicate with your client, the more your services will be appreciated.

In our ongoing Fall Formula survey, Updates, Good Response Time and Communication were all mentioned as top qualities a business partner must have. These same three nouns were also mentioned as frustrations often experienced when dealing in professional settings. So, it becomes quite obvious, if you want to be a top dog, you have to be willing and able to relay information at the drop of a hat. The good and the bad and the not so sure, clients want to know it all.

How can your business step up it's communication? Do you have a Communication Policy in place? Is there a game-plan for follow-ups? Have you asked your client their preferred method of communing? Emma Thompson says it best, "Any problem, big or small, always seems to start with bad communication."

WHAT'S YOUR FALL BUSINESS FORMULA

The metamorphosis from summer to fall brings a myriad of changes. The autumn air has a way of producing alterations in our fashion, climate, landscapes and recipes just to name a few. The fall also helps kick off football season and several favorite American holidays. For those of us in the business world, the change from summer to fall also initiates Fourth Quarter Business Decisions.
Hence, the official launch of Paragon Events' Fall Formula Sweepstakes. The Sweepstakes will provide participants with knowledgeable insights into this season's most important issues in the event planning industry. The nuggets of wisdom will be published bi-weekly on Thursdays right here on our blog. By taking part in the Sweepstakes, you'll also have a chance to win a new iPad 2; a piece of technology that Oprah Winfrey claims has completely changed the way she does business. Get involved in the conversation and help make your fall business plan and your event a stunning success.
And remember, as you break out the sweaters and whip up the season's first pot of chili, that just as the seasons are always changing, so is the way of the event planning world.

HOW SOCIAL MEDIA FITS INTO YOUR CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLAN

It seems that Social Media is everywhere these days; watching TV a little tweet pops up with a tweeters opinion of the show that I am watching. Magazine articles now have QR Codes. On the weekends, instead of hanging out with friends, our teens are on Facebook hanging out in the virtual world. Besides Social Media invading my personal life, this virtual world has become a "must have" in my business world.
I am 24 hours a day 7 days a week, connected in this cyber space. It makes you think, if the unexpected was to happen, if a crisis strikes, Social Media is a pretty important tool to have. In an instant, you can blast an update to event attendees, suppliers, vendors, staff and anyone else who could possibly need to know what is going on; when it is “Go Time” on Plan B.
So, when it comes to your Crisis Management Plan, is Social Media on the checklist?
Here are five ways to incorporate Social Media into your Crisis Management Plan:
•First things first, be actively engaged on at least one platform in Social Media.
•Create a Facebook Event Page for the event that you are planning. Instead of updating all of your Fans; you can update this single event page designated for everyone involved in the event, including attendees.
•Have a “Social Media Task Force” in place. At least one staff member who is in charge of updating your Social Media sites and mass texting everyone that needs to know. Depending on the crisis, updates should be sent out every 15 minutes with accurate information. Make sure you have a list of names and emails of everyone who needs to be informed on event day.
•Update all of your sites quick and easy with a Social Media Dashboard. A single program that updates all of your sites at once; saving a tremendous amount of time and increasing your efficiency even more.
•Depending on the crisis, you can use Twitter to retweet information from news outlets to your followers. This adds even more credibility to your brand and it shows you truly care about keeping your followers informed.
Don’t wait for a crisis to hit before you build your Social Media network. If used correctly and effectively during a crisis, Social Media can take your relationship building to the next level.

MEDICAL HISTORY TIMELINE VIDEO - Created by Paragon Events

This is a video created by Paragon Events, it was used at a presentation for the Northwest Medical Center CME Symposium. It shows a timeline of groundbreaking accomplishments, in the medical field.

LEADERS IN THE EVENT PLANNING BUSINESS NAME PARAGON EVENTS INC. THE MPI SEC 2012 MEETING FORWARD PLANNER

Experts in the industry choose Paragon Events Inc. to be their expert in the industry. Twenty applicants bid on the Southeast Educational Conference and after a challenging process of elimination, Paragon Events Inc. was chosen as the 2012 Meeting Forward event planner. The 20th annual SEC is a three day conference that attracts between 450-650 meeting planners and suppliers from around the world. An event known for its exceptional attendee experience and superior marketing value, Paragon Events Inc. is honored to plan this prestigous event.

The Southeast Educational Conference has developed into an event that is looked upon as a benchmark in the industry. Other markets are looking at the SEC as a prototype for producing a similar type event. MPI is a fabulous organization and the best advice I can give is "get engaged." There are a lot of B2B opportunities and great education and networking functions.We are truly excited to have been chosen the SEC meeting manager, Renee Radabaugh, CEO and Founder, Paragon Events. 

The 2012 conference will take place at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort, August 8th-10th. For more information on the 2012 SEC please contact Francesca Radabaugh, SEC Manager, at francescar@paragon-group.com or (561) 243-3073.

PARAGON EVENTS INC. EXPANDS INTO WASHINGTON, DC MARKET

Driven by increased demand for its offerings in the Washington, DC Metro area, Paragon Events Inc. expands its National Sales Team and appoints a new Regional Director. Paragon Events Inc., the leading provider of premier Corporate Event Planning, announces the appointment of Ms. Terry Bradley as Director of National Accounts Northeast. As a result of the nationwide increase in demand for Paragon Events' premier meeting and conference planning services, Ms. Bradley will serve as an executive- level liaison to this market. With this addition, Paragon Events Inc. secures a footprint in this emergent sector and meets the growing demands of the Washington, DC corporate and philanthropic events planning community. "Our remarkable and consistent growth is a result of our strong positioning and innovation in the event planning marketplace,"said Renee Christiansen Radabaugh, CEO and Founder, Paragon Events.
To learn more about Ms. Terry Bradley and her role with Paragon Events Inc. please click here.