Our Month in Pictures

Happy Sunday! With a new week starting and a new month underway, we'd like to give you a little peek into the personal lives of the Paragon Events team while they work hard in and out of the office...

Our November in Photos!

Christina got cozy with the La Mystique team...

Jaclyn brought her adorable Shiba puppy Doobie to say hello.

The team got together for a staff retreat in Miami and looked gorgeous while doing it!

We passed this vehicle while driving to the staff retreat... got milk?

This guy fell from ceiling and landed on Kristen's desk before crawling into Christina's lap last week. They named it Pete. Free Facebook shoutout to the first person who can determine what it is!

Kristen discovered that the entire staff is addicted to Dunkin' Donuts coffee.

Summer could literally go into labor at any moment!

We work hard, but we play hard too! Thanks for reading.

Event Planners Turned Crisis Managers

Handy Dandy Event Planner's Emergency Kit

An emergency situation can completely unravel even the most flawlessly coordinated event. And often times, it is the event coordinator is who is suddenly turned to in the case of an emergency. You've had the answers for everything up until now, and now you're being looked to in cases of dangerous weather or accidental injury. Don't panic! We've put together a handy list of tips to keep your event running smoothly even in rough waters.

1. Be aware of potential crises. Even though it's not likely that a tornado will tear through your reception hall during your event, it's wise to be aware of the possibility. Check weather conditions and do a quick search for potential hazards around your venue. Is there an airport nearby? A power plant? An ocean? It may feel silly, but a few minutes of preparation could make a difference during crisis.

2. Have a plan. Prepare for emergencies ahead of time and have a plan in place. Learn floorplans, locate fire extinguishers and fire alarms, design an evacuation procedure.  Learn the correct venue staff to contact in case of injury. Having an emergency plan in place will help keep you calm in stressful situations.

3. Know the basics. Educate yourself on simple rules of safety during emergency situations so you're able share with others. Stay away from windows during storms. Don't take cover beneath heavy items or architecture that could collapse or fall. Don't use elevators during a fire. Don't go back inside a dangerous building until safety officials have deemed it safe. Knowing these things can save lives.

4. Make friends with local emergency responders. Weeks before your event, call the local fire department, police department, and EMS and introduce yourself. Let them know the date and location of your event and how many guests will be attending. Learn the names of these responders. It's likely that they have assisted at your venue before and can offer customized safety advice. It's also likely that these people will respond to your emergency with extra care if they remember your effort to plan ahead and remember their names. Every little bit helps!

5. Learn from others' mistakes. You never think it will happen to you, but there are thousands of newspaper articles and YouTube videos reminding us that emergency situations do occur at events, and more often than you think. Read up on both positive and negative handlings of crises during events. What went wrong? What was done right? Before you are faced with your own experience, educate yourself with the mistakes of others.

Spread the word about your commitment to safety! Don't forget to tell your clients about your emergency preparedness! It's not something people like to think about, but your customers will appreciate that you took the time to think it through.

Now go manage some crises!

Sources: Meetings Net

It's Time to Get On Board!

Event planners, it is time to hop on board the mobile technology train, because this industry trend is officially leaving the station at high speed.

A recent survey taken by e-mail blast experts Constant Contact has revealed that a vast majority of small business owners plan to use mobile apps to market their events in the new year. 81% of those surveyed responded with the expectation to utilize this new technology for event marketing and organization in 2013.

Constant Contact polled almost 300 event planners and business owners about their use of technology surrounding their events. Interestingly, of the 81% who expressed strong interest in utilizing mobile apps for events in 2013, 90% also responded that they first need to learn how to use these apps and what exactly they can do for their businesses.

Mobile event apps can simplify online registration, payment processing, reminder notifications, event schedules, online check-in, and social media interaction. Users can easily upload photos and post comments that are then automatically added to a business' Facebook page or Twitter feed.

These features are time-saving and efficient, but judging from the results of the Constant Contact survey, users have some serious exploration and training to undergo before they are used to the maximum benefit.

We think event apps are going to take the industry by storm over the next few months and we're excited to be a part of it as Paragon explores how mobile event marketing and coordination can create success for our clients!

For more statistics from the Constant Contact survey, click here.

Are You Breaking the Law While Hosting a RAFFLE?!

Raffle Laws in Florida

Did you know that Florida law has the power to regulate how your organization conducts raffles and other games of chance at your events? There are laws regarding how you can advertise the raffle, select winners, and organize their drawings. As event planners, we know that having games, raffles, and of course prizes are all fabulous ways to get your attendees excited about the event. After finding an interesting article on this topic, I also know that not following the law concerning raffling can cause your organization to face a misdemeanor in the second degree. It is imperative that you know the rules on raffling!

Some “fun facts” about the law:

• Any brochures, notices, or tickets must clearly state the full name of the organization holding the drawing and its place of business
• These materials must also state the date, hour, and place at which the winners will be chosen
• Raffle organizers cannot show favoritism in any way to people who may have donated money to your organization. No bias allowed!
• No discrimination against those who did not donate ANYTHING to the charitable group
• Under Florida law, your organization is not allowed to require an entry fee (You can, however, suggest a minimum donation)

Each state varies in regard to their laws on gaming. Make sure your drawing is fair and honest, with each and every ticket equally likely to be chosen! From personal experience, we can tell you that raffle gaming is a great, lighted-hearted source of entertainment for your attendees, just make sure it is fun for you too and follow your state’s laws!

To read the full article click this link: http://www.ehow.com/list_6019423_florida-raffle-laws.html

How to Increase Attendance at Your Next Event

Christina Mathis
Successful Meetings Magazine Blog- New Members

Growing the participation in your event is more important now than ever, as featured in an article in Successful Meetings Magazine by Andrea Doyle. The article highlighted American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Burba Hotel Networks strategies to set events apart from other competitors. The goal is to bring suppliers and retailers together and draw a high number of attendees.

One of core strategies in increasing the number of participants is by partnering with the attendees. It is essential to invest time into learning what’s important to possible attendees and reaching out to make them feel like part of the event. The best way to accomplish this is by dedicating time to meet with them, key in on their needs and then attempting to incorporate them into the events. This becomes a free extension for marketing because the event now has people talking. Attendees are also attracted by low session costs involved with an event which allows a premium charge for exhibitor booths.

Another crucial component that can make an event so strong is getting potential participants involved early and putting an extra focus on first time attendees and exhibitors. By giving these first timers special attention they feel more comfortable networking. Take the time to go the extra mile and arrange speed-meets, gathering points, and allotted areas for new product launches that are easy to spot. It is imperative to satisfy attendees and exhibitors’ expectations in their quest to network.

The final component is incorporating high profile speakers and embracing the social media aspect. The key is to add interest by choosing individuals that have a connection to the industry. It is also important to save materials from previous events, by producing new URLs each year. This enables a company to build and produce content that helps people make a decision to attend that years event.

All these factors pave the way for a company to succeed in increasing the participation of new attendees. The time and care invested in these areas leave a lasting mark in people’s minds and an excitement for more.

Mobile Event Apps Taking Over

Mobile Event Apps Taking Over:

7 Pitfalls to Avoid

Cave paintings -> Stone and hisel -> Pen and paper -> Computer -> SmartPhone. 

This is a general progression of how humans have grown to write and communicate, and the technology developed throughout time. Within the last 15 years, the ways of communication have been changing more rapidly than ever and it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with. It took thousands of years to go from cave painting to pen and paper, but only a fraction of that to jump all the way to the computer, cell phone, iPad, iPod, Skype, and every other piece of modern technology you can think of. But where does that rapid incline leave us today?

With the shift of technology to mobile devices, the latest and greatest trend for meeting and event planners is to have a mobile event app. Since the market is competitive and elite, planners need to have any edge they can to make their event the best, and often feel that technology is the way to do that. A combination of trends and competition leave planners scrambling trying to figure out this whole ‘mobile app thing,’ but that might not be the best idea.

Michael Shapiro wrote an article sharing the 7 common pitfalls to avoid when creating/using an event app. To have a successful app, it takes patience and persistence and is unique from a website or booklet, not just spewed information from each. The point of an app is to have an easy way to view information quickly and on the go but more often than not, the apps end up being counterproductive. Understanding how to avoid the following 7 points will help you create a truly successful event app and increase engagement so it can benefit you and the viewer:

1. App Envy- Create an app to solve an existing problem or because it fits in your corporate strategy, not because everyone else has one. This should be a business decision, not an experiment with cool gadgetry.
   
   
2. Feature Frenzy- Don’t get caught up in offering everything. 80% of engagement comes from 20% of the features. According to SwiftMobile, the most viewed feature is the session information page, not the fancy extra additions.
   
   
3. User-Friendly- Apps are all about usage and they need to be easy to use or they are pointless. If the navigation is too difficult or takes too long to find relevant information, that person will not visit that page again. A suggestion is to track views and see which pages are getting the most, and how many second-time viewers there are. Also, avoid password protection. That just adds another step people don’t want to deal with. Don’t be afraid to ask viewers for feedback. That is the best way to see what is working or not working.
   
   
4. Budget Busting- This isn’t one of those products where you get what you pay for. There are a ton of great apps you can get made in the low-mid price range. Don’t waste your money on customized features that almost nobody is going use, or be too complicated for anyone to figure out. User-friendliness should be the goal and a lot of times the more expensive the app, the more complicated it is to use.
5. Failing to Promote- Introducing any app requires a lot of promotion to make successful. People need several reminders in different ways to encourage them to try something new and explore this new app and this needs to be budgeted for up front. People generally don not like change so find a reason for them to use your event app over just looking at a website or program book. SwiftMobile recommends at least 3 announcements to get the word out; An e-mail sent ASAP, a second blast 2 days before the events, and an announcement the day of the event. Each should include a link and brief demo video.
   
   
6. Underestimating Sponsorship Potential- Most people just try to generate enough sponsorships for the cost of development, but why stop there? If you can show your app has high engagement, sponsors are going to want to be a part of that. To do that, make the app interactive for attendees and sponsors. Shapiro suggested letting sponsors have access to their profile and update their own information.
   
   
7. Rushing to Judgment- If your app isn’t the next global sensation, don’t freak out! Slow adoption in the first year is completely normal. The main aspect to pay attention to is usage. If the same people are returning to the app, that means it is a great app that people like to use once they have tried it and all you have to do is have it reach to more people.

PARAGON EVENTS MEETING PLANNER FOR REIGNING WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS

Paragon Events Meeting Planner for Reigning World Series Champions

St. Louis Cardinals hire Paragon Events Inc. for their annual mix and mingle dinner event with the team’s marketing partners. 

DELRAY BEACH, FLA -- Major League Baseball’s 2011 World Series Champions, the St. Louis Cardinals, team up with Paragon Events, a full- service event provider and destination management firm, to orchestrate their annual Beach-side Dinner Party. Guests include the team’s players and marketing partners as well as radio hosts and members of the media. 

This year’s venue, The Colony Cabana Club, sits on a portion of Delray Beach’s private oceanfront. It’s the perfect backdrop for this mix and mingle. 

“We are always excited to play host to the St. Louis Cardinals while they soak up the sun in South Florida. The guests are always so appreciative of our service and we enjoy getting to see some old and new faces during their events. We are very proud to be chosen again to provide our services for this most prestigious event. Welcome back and GO Cardinals,” Renee Radabaugh, CEO and Founder, Paragon Events. 

This will be Paragon Events’ fifth year planning the St. Louis Cardinals’ Spring Training Dinner Party. 

“We are so thrilled to have the expertise of a great event planning partner in South Florida. Year after year, Paragon Events continues to deliver the top-notch service we expect. The beach-side dinner bash is an important time for all business partners and members of this organization to come together, prepare for the upcoming season and have a little fun,” Kristin Casey, Manager of Promotions & Account Coordinator, St. Louis Cardinals.  

Each spring, the Cardinals flock down to Jupiter, Florida for Spring Training.

Fans can follow all the warm weather action on the team’s flagship station KMOX (AM 1120) and on the Cardinals Radio Network. 

Paragon Events, founded in 1989, is a full-service Event Planning and Destination Management firm. Other services include Hotel Procurement, Event Marketing, Entertainment, Association Management and Conference Website Design.  Please visit www.paragon-events.com or call 561-243-3073 to see what we can do for you.