Organisers

Producers, Managers
and Convenors

PCO Association applauds NSW Government on policy launch

The NSW Government has released the much-anticipated NSW Regional Conferencing Strategy & Action Plan, which it says will drive more business events and visitors to rural and regional NSW. Deputy Premier John Barilaro, Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Adam Marshall, and Member for Tamworth, Kevin Anderson, launched the $6 million strategy with the aim of securing more conventions, meetings and…

Making Sponsorship Work

Many events struggle with sponsorship. It is not that they struggle to get sponsors, it is more that with the ever-evolving events industry, sponsorship does not work like it used to and we need to get better at making it work, writes Warwick Merry. Here are some key elements to keep in mind when dealing with sponsors. It’s not about you While it…

Industry expert piece – “Advice and tips on planning a conference menu”

So you’ve defined your event goals and booked the venue, now it’s time to focus your attention on selecting the all-important menu. The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC)’s event managers and chefs share advice and tips on planning and implementing a successful conference menu. 1. Assess your event and audience Your menu needs to reflect a solid understanding of…

The sell-out sign has gone up early for exhibition booths at the 2017 annual conference of the Professional Conference Organisers’ Association

The sell-out is the fifth in a row for the event and came five months ahead of the conference, to be held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre between  26 and 28 November 2017. Barry Neame, the PCO association president, said the clamour for the 60 booths illustrated the value suppliers placed on being able to build a…

The Ultimate Site Inspection

With so many new venues coming online across the country, we are often spoilt for choice when it comes to booking somewhere for the next staff conference or event. However despite the increase in options, venues are booking up well in advance these days, especially at peak times of the year. Even if, like our team, you have worked with…

PCO Association Hotel Advisory Committee News

Twelve months ago the PCO Association established a Hotel Advisory Committee. One of the committee’s objectives was to improve dialogue between PCO’s, Hotel Sales Teams and Hotel Revenue Managers and to work towards ways of improving the level of communication and standard of professionalism between all parties. Over the course of Advisory meetings many discussions took place on the issues…

Peter Sugg retires from PCO Association executive

Peter Sugg retires from PCO Association executive with pride. There were certainly some head winds when we started, however these eased with each passing year as support continued to grow. “I’m proud of what the Association has achieved and the way cost effective services have been set up and delivered for members. We developed an education and communication model that…

How You Magically Free Up 20 Minutes a Day

Oh the pain of email! If you’re like most Executive Assistants, you have to manage hundreds a day between your own and your executive’s inboxes. Even worse you’re so busy you don’t have time to explore more efficient ways of managing it all including contacts and calendar. When I speak at conferences about email overload and how to get more…

CENTIUM SOFTWARE RELEASES SOPHISTICATED SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING AUTOMATION TOOL

The EventsAIR Social Media Marketing Automation Tool, a first for the events industry, automates the upload and update of prospective attendees to a client’s Facebook and Twitter advertising platforms. As more and more meeting organisers turn to social media to market their events, the automation of these targeted prospect lists, or audiences, has become a crucial element of a meeting…

Success with Social Media for Events

Gone are the days of being able to get away without social media platforms for our events, but the frustration is still higher than ever. As a very busy MC, I am involved in many events a year. Each event has a social presence, but event planners are struggling to get the desired engagement, and show tangible ROI. Often you…