What's Floating Around Cloud 9? May 2019

Welcome to another week and its another manic one here at Cloud 9 Towers, with all manner of client events on the go, and Janet out of action having broken her wrist!

Our Famtastic MICE lunches are starting to get booked up and our Fresh Adventures progranme is expanding as well. What with the script for CHS Awards and AIEA activity, it's a bit crackers to say the least! 

With event management,  venue finding, new business meetings, websites to update, social media and the endless stream of emails, it can be tricky to squeeze everything in.

So we could use this week's blog to wax lyrical about time management and also to save a bit of time  - we could just blatantly pinch the online offering of some training company. But instead and to keep it personal, we thought we would share our tips for keeping all of those plates spinning! 

Our first rule here is about the deluge of emails. There was life before emails and electronic communication which our younger team don't seem to fully appreciate, but we spoke to people, we telephoned them, we visited them and if needs be, we then wrote to them afterwards to confirm exactly what we had spoken about. This process could have taken a couple of days and factor in postage and weekends and sometimes it could be almost a week. Whilst we appreciate we live in a society where everyone, including clients, wants everything now, but the world really won't end if you leave your emails a little while. 

That first half an hour in a morning allows you to focus on what you need to do that day and catch up on anything you may have missed. We also use this time to look at our social media and make sure everything that should be up to date, is up to date. If anything really is that urgent, then call us. Or text us, tweet us, What's App, or message us. Just don't email us unless you really need to, and whatever you do, don't fax us. We're not sure how the fax even works any more!

Next up is sharing. No matter how experienced or knowledgeable you think you are, it's important to remember that you are still always continually learning and whatever you think you know, there is probably someone else who knows as much if not more. It doesn't matter if you have always done something in the same way for years and years. Getting a fresh perspective on how to work differently and more efficiently can be a really useful thing especially when you have a lot on. It may be sound obvious, but it's something that many managers often forget, especially when it comes to how they manage their time. In fact, some of our biggest time management mistakes are simply caused because you don't know any better and don't welcome outside ideas.

Also sharing skills can be a massive help. Assign tasks to those who are pretty good at that particular aspect of a project and ensure those that need some help with certain tasks or some additional training in that area, understand why things are done in certain ways.

That way everyone benefits...and even though every project at Cloud 9 has someone to lead it, every project, event and client we have are collectively discussed to make sure we are using each of our own particular skill set. Communication is also vital and it doesn't matter how great your external communication is with clients, if people don't understand what is happening internally, then you have no or little excuse when things go wrong.

Whilst we all might complain about the sheer number of emails we all get everyday, BCC has become our friend here at Cloud 9. Forget Blind Carbon Copy the original glossary of BCC, as here it stands for Better Clouds Connected. On a large proportion of our daily emails we BCC in at least another person or a couple of people in the team.

The couple of seconds it takes to do this, and to briefly scan an email that's been sent out, can firstly stop having to have unnecessary meetings but also means that if one of the team is suddenly kidnapped by aliens or worse still, run over by the No.47 bus, then as sad as we would be, at least one other person on the team has a fighting chance of picking up a project to ensures its successful continuation!

So knowledge is power and sharing key. We're also list maniacs here. One a week which we are collectively responsible for. It's amazing what you can do with the power of a few bodies all pitching in and a central reserve or platform like SLACK is a god send! 

 

Just ask any of our clients! So, have a great week, see you soon!

What's Floating Around? 25 March 2019

Welcome to another week and it occurs to us sometimes (and we do check the stats) that some weeks we get very few hits, views or even visitors to our little blog site. 

Now, we could take this very personally here at Cloud 9 Towers, as we have been blogging since 2011 and we average about 49-50 blogs a year, which in itself is a pretty impressive number, as that equates to over 400 blogs.

But the time it takes to find suitable content and look up relevant information to include cannot be ignored and we reckon, with around 400 blogs, an each one taking around half an hour or so to write, and then put online, comes to at least 200 hours - and that is probably a pretty low estimate.

Just think what we could have done with all of that time?!

Blogging for us has never been about a vanity project or a chance to blow off steam about any particular subject, it's been basically to try and help our SEO and by bloggging externally and then changing some of the key words and content on our own website, trying to improve our rankings a little - and get some new business. 

We like to think we are fairly well informed and know our stuff, but we must be doing something wrong as we are just not getting an audience of any note. If however, you do check in with us often then thank you! 

Clearly, our blogs are not bringing in the bacon so to speak and as Albert Einstein is credited with saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” 

So, to anyone who is still reading - and again, we thank you, this will be our last hurrah! No more blogs externally - not unless we get in to triple figures! 

What's Floating Around? 18 March 2019

Welcome to another week and here at Cloud 9 Towers we do like to stay on top of new hotels and venues for our clients -this way we can offer the very best free venue finding service possible. With this in mind we thought we would share some of the hottest new hotels and venues around so here goes.. 

 Fingal, a former shabby ship, has now found a permanent home in Edinburgh’s historic Port of Leith following a £5million development project. Offering beautiful cabins, dining and entertaining space, choose from a luxury cabin with private deck, a duplex cabin with comfortable living space or the stunning Skerryvore Suite with extensive outdoor space for events.

From the Marriott group, and set in The Duke of Marlborough’s former country estate, The Langley has been undergoing a complete multi-million-pound renovation over the last five years. As an exquisite 41-room boutique hotel and spa, set within 500 acres of idyllic Buckinghamshire countryside and one of the most exciting UK hotel launches of 2019. With stunning interior design by Dennis Irvine Studio, with original features at the heart of designs and a world-class Sisley spa facility, The Langley is set to be a great venue. 

One of the most talked-about openings of 2019, Grantley Hall is a 17th century Palladian-designed property in the heart of the idyllic Yorkshire countryside, complete with a lake and English Heritage-listed Japanese Garden, and looks amazing. Check into one of 47 rooms and suites, seven diverse drinking and dining venues, a state-of-the-art conference and event spaces plus a tranquil spa and fitness centre.

Monkey Island Estate, a seven-acre island sitting in the river Thames in Bray, Berkshire, has been given a new lease of life as a 30-bedroom hotel by YTL Hotels and looks just amazing. The island, accessible only by boat or footbridge, has an 800-year history but is bang up to date for a great range of events.

So that's it for this week, and have a good one! 

What's Floating Around? 25 February 2019

Welcome to another week and as we had a conversation with a potential new client last week, we thought we would raise the subject of venue finding and why using an agency is essential for many clients. 

Here at Cloud 9 Towers, we offer free venue finding for clients and we know from personal experience that our services are invaluable in terms of both cost and time saving efforts.

If you’ve ever needed to book a venue for a meeting or event, then you’ll know it can be a time-consuming and, sometimes, daunting experience and the range of options is vast. 

With so many different types of venues to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start and to ask the questions that really matter. Venue-finding agencies have the experience and knowledge of hundreds of venues and are skilled at placing the right type of event at the most suitable venue, and keeping up to date with new venues or refurbishments is part of our job

Additionally, using an agency will save you masses of time as the agency will take your brief and do all venue searching and negotiating for you - and most will be able to come back to you with a range of options within 24 hours.  As most agencies have great relationships with venues, it enables them to negotiate and due to the sheer buying power, they can normally get you much better rates, or complimentary upgrades.

When it comes to site visits, agents can do all of the ground work on your behalf, or if you are considering a couple of options, schedule meetings that work for you so you can make an informed choice - and even do simple things that might escape you, like a chair check! It might sound daft, but if you have delegates sat down for an eight hour conference, the last thing anyone needs a numb bum!

Whilst you are making a decision about the right venue for you to use, the last thing you want is continual stream of calls chasing you to see if you have made a decision, and using an agency takes all of that stress away - they will chase us instead!

We'll also consider everything you need is included or can be arranged, from additional syndicate rooms to AV and we'll check that contract to make sure there are no hidden charges or lurking extras that can come as a surprise, and this is especially useful if you need to cancel an event. 

More often that not, an agency like Cloud 9 can negotiate better cancellation charges or find another event to fill the space so its also a reassuring service in the unlikely event you have to pull an event, and in the case of a really short lead time, agencies can source somewhere quickly and efficiently 

And we are free. 100% of the time, so there really is no down side to using an agency, and the more we work with clients, the more we understand your business and your needs so it makes our job easier as times goes on, and means we can propose more suitable venues each and every time. 

So why not give us a go with your next event enquiry no matter the event. Email paula@cloud9em.co.uk or call +44(0) 203 858 7809 - we can source venues, locally, nationally or internationally and we are fast, friendly and effective.

Have a great week and we look forward to hearing from you! 

Whaht's Floating Around? 18 February 2019

Welcome to another week #eventprofs and we're in major Awards mode here at Cloud 9 Towers, as next Sunday night is the big one - the Oscars - what a great event that must be to organise - although probably a logistical nightmare, given the prolific nature of the event, and those who attend. 

The M&IT Awards are also just around the corner, set for 1 March with the Conference News Agency Awards on 21 March, so lot's of opportunities for recognition for both agents and suppliers to get glammed up

- and - a little closer to home for us, is the CHS Awards 2019 which are now open for entries.

The Conference and Hospitality Show (CHS) Awards which showcase the best of the UK hospitality industry - from hotels and venues to suppliers and buyers – is now in its fifth year, recognise and celebrate groups and individuals that don’t normally get an opportunity to share excellence, across a variety of different disciplines.  

To commemorate this landmark anniversary, and in recognition of the 10^th anniversary of the Conference and Hospitality Show, organisers have introduced ten new categories.

Alongside established award categories for Best Independent Venue or Hotel, Best Catering Provider and Best External Event Space, new for 2019 are Rising Star, Lifetime Achievement, Best UK Conventions Centre and Best Conference Planner Awards.  

The awards are judged by an independent panel of 50 event and hospitality professionals from leading agencies across the UK.  The awards are free to enter, and nominees can enter as many categories they like and there is a relevant award for every individual, venue, event space, organisation or supplier involved in the industry. 

The CHS 2019 Awards are open for entries and details of the categories and entry criteria are all available online at www.chsawards.co.uk   The timeline for the CHS 2019 Awards is:

Friday 1^st March 2019           Deadline for CHS 2019 Awards

Tuesday 30^th April 2019        Shortlist Announced at The Conference & Hospitality Show 

Thursday 6^th June 2109        CHS 2109 Awards at Royal Armouries, Leeds

Have a great week and think #Awards! 

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 4 February 2019

Welcome to another week and as busy venue finders here at Cloud 9 Towers we like to stay ahead of new venues and hotels for our clients, so we thought it timely to take a look at some of the new launches happening this month.

Vintry & Mercer, which officially opens in London today,  is named after two of the City’s historic guilds: vinters, who traded fine wines, and mercers, who sold fine silks, and both trades will be reflected in the hotel’s interior. 

The hotel will feature three food and beverage outlets: Vintry Kitchen, which will serve an Asian-inspired menu of small plates; and the Mercer Roof Terrace, which will have a covered, glass-walled area as well as an outside space, with some dishes prepared in a charcoal oven. The DND (Do Not Disturb) cocktail bar will be located in the basement, a 60-cover space inspired by New York bars of the 1920 and whilst it's not a huge property, it has three great spaces for intimate meetings and events. 

Step inside and discover an indulgent city hideaway with the new Belmond Cadogan which opens this month in Chelsea, where every detail weaves together past and present. If walls could talk, the new walls would have some captivating stories to tell as the site of the new hotel has long been a playground for socialites and bohemians like Oscar Wilde and Lillie Langtry. They are marking their launch and celebrating past and heritage while offering modern, understated luxury. From the world-class restaurants and tranquil garden to quirky design details and in-room libraries, they can host key business lunches, with a  private dining room and the space can accommodation for up to 50 guests, the space can be divided into two sections and the Lounge can be used as an additional breakout area.

Set to open on Valentines Day, Monkey Island Estate lies on a picturesque island in the River Thames in the historic village of Bray, Berkshire. The island has a rich history centuries old, and has been the haunt of monarchs, aristocrats and artists, along with writers, famous performers and Berkshire locals and now is home to one of the finest hotels in Bray. The two grade I listed heritage pavilions which form the property were originally commissioned as a fishing retreat in 1723 by the third Duke of Marlborough. These have been completely restored and renovated, with beautifully landscaped gardens and picturesque views of the River Thames. Set across seven acres, Monkey Island Estate features 27 exquisite guestrooms and three sumptuous suites, and featuring the stately and spacious Ballroom, the graceful River Room and the more intimate Spencer Suite and Boardroom, so great for events of all sizes.

Also opening this month is the new Hampton by Hilton Stockton on Tees, based in the heart of Northshore, opposite Teesdale Business Area, surrounded by the stunning countryside of North Yorkshire Moors, County Durham. Enjoy easy access to major roads: the North A19 and A1, the South A1 and A19 and West to Darlington A66 as well as the Tees Valley area to the east. You can explore the dramatic east coast towards Whitby and Scarborough. Local attractions include Tees Valley Barrage and International White Water Centre, the Globe Theatre (opening 2019) Stockton International Riverside Festival, Tees Valley and many more. The hotel rooms are fresh and modern spaces with a microwave, mini-fridge, 50-inch HDTV, coffeemaker, and a work desk with ergonomic chair. Feel rested after a great night’s sleep on the comfy bed, and stay connected with free WiFi and plenty of device-charging spots.  There is no meeting space at this hotel but it does have a business centre and is ideal for those looking for somewhere quiet to work.

There are lots of new hotels and venues coming soon, and do please remember to check back with us and shout if you need a venue for any occasion, locally, nationally or internationally.

Have a great week!

What's Floating Around Cloud 9?

 

Welcome to another busy year ahead and please remember if you are planning any events then get in touch and take advantage of our free venue finding service - locally, nationally and internationally sourcing the best venues and the best rates for you and your next event. Additionally, if you need any event logistics or management support please let us know as we are always happy to help.

T + (44) 0203 858 7808 

 

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 3 December 2018

Welcome to another week and the countdown to the Big Day! We can't quite believe how quickly this year has gone, but certainly this time last year all of the chatter was about GDPR and were we prepared for it moving forward, following the law change back in May.

Here at Cloud 9 Towers we duly did our research and undertook training to make sure that we were compliant should any issues arrive, but six months on, has anyone really noticed any major changes in how we all operate?We are still getting unsolicited emails, and occasionally we do ask to be removed from lists, but we did that before anyway. 

The level of hysteria around GDPR which was a bit like that of the Millennium Bug a few years ago, has been embraced by some but clearly ignored by many. However the reality is that its all so complex that the formal legislation will take years to implement and enforce properly and however prepared we are, or think we are, we probably are not prepared at all.  If that doesn't make sense try reading it through in full - you would need to be a legal expert to truly understand it.

Instead of relying only on targeted advertising, marketers have been forced to rethink their approach and because of this, personalisation in marketing has grown. Since GDPR became enforceable, the number of third-party cookies found on news websites in Europe has declined by 22%, according to a study by Reuters Institute, meaning marketers really have changed the way they track consumers.

The fuller effects of GDPR are perhaps more likely to be felt much further down the line and months ahead as people either become complacent, or decide to ignore the law and its perhaps less of an issue on our industry as its very people focused and B2B orientated. 

Ask how many suppliers business cards any agent has and they will probably tell you hundreds if not thousands and most of these probably end up in a box or a drawer. However, ask the same question to suppliers and you will probably find agents names on a mailing list, whether they met them at a trade show or a forum or if they have been scanned. 

Ironically enough, we still get the odd email from a supplier where we are just one of an endless list of agents who have been cc'd in and we always wonder what has happened to the person who hit send! Did the GDPR police come and take them away?!

 

 With Christmas just around the corner and festive campaigns well underway, most mail houses are currently seasonally busy but we do wonder how Santa is getting on now he has to be GDPR compliant?

Have a great week #eventprofs

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 5 November 2018

Welcome to another week and we seem a little in Racecourses at present here at Cloud 9 Towers. We held the My Sight Notts Fireworks Event yesterday at Nottingham Racecourse and we're off to Warwick Racecourse this week to take a look on a site visit for a client. 

And, not only that but the AIEA are holding a race night next April in Ascot so its horses, racing and courses!

Jockey Club Venues with whom we work on venue finding (which don't forget we do for free here) has fifteen iconic venues in fourteen locations  across the portfolio along with the fabulous and historic Rooms in Newmarket.

The Jockey Club Rooms have been at the heart of British horse-racing for over 250 years. As a private members club, few people have stepped inside and seen the magnificent interiors, which house an unparalleled collection of British racing memorabilia, but luckily we enjoyed a fam trip there a few years ago so we have seen how stunning it is first hand.

Racecourses in addition to their normal fixtures are often overlooked when it comes to holding meetings and events, but there are lots of great reasons to consider them for your next event.

Parking is never an issue and usually free for delegates, the spaces are vast and the views great - and most of the venues have smaller and more intimate spaces available as well. 

Nottingham Racecourse for instance is ideal for corporate or private events, a company dinner, conferences, team building or even outdoor event and the sense of scale and space, with green views across the track, Colwick Park and the Trent Valley make it a great location. 

In addition to the outside space, there are four great rooms available at Nottingham Racecourse so depending on the size of your next event, something for everyone. 

That's what we call a good result so please do ask us if you want additional details and we can help you cross the finishing line in style.

Tally Ho & Have a Great Week! 

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 10 September 2018

Welcome to another week and it's the big 5-0 for Paula so a bit of a milestone birthday and a good excuse to take stock and see what sort of challenge here at Cloud 9 Towers we can set to mark the occasion. Not on usual tone we know #Eventprofs, but hey, we are forgiven yes?

Apparently, there are 50 key things you should try before you are 50 according to most of the articles and features on line, and whilst they are not all identical lists, they are all pretty similar and include the following......

1.Buy a house 2. Have kids 3. Get married 4. Fall in love 5. Eat fish and chips on the pier 6. Donate blood 7. Read 100 books 8. See your favourite band live 9. Learn a language 10. Attend a music festival 11. Own a dog 12. Learn to say no to your mother 13. Stay out all night partying 14. See the Northern Lights 15. Visit Stonehenge 16. Remember where the petrol cap is17. Travel somewhere alone 18. Sleep underneath the stars 19. Watch a meteor shower 20. Dance in the rain 21. Become an expert at something 22. Quit a job 23. See a volcano 24. Visit all seven continents 25. Throw a coin in the Trevi fountain26. Take a helicopter ride 27. Have sex on a beach 28. Swim with dolphins 29. Go skinny dipping  30. Ride a gondola in Venice 31. Make a snow angel 32. Take part in a protest 33. Own your own business 34. Go in a hot air balloon 35. Ride an elephant 36. Climb Snowdonia 37. Jump into a pool fully clothed 38. Backpack across Europe 39. Perfect a signature dish 40. Drink beer at Oktoberfest 41. Run a marathon 42. Get a tattoo 43. Ride a Vespa 44. Watch comedy at Edinburgh Fringe 45. Write a novel 46. Write a journal 47. Spend a month technology free 48. Try drugs 49. Have a threesome 50. Go to an airport and pick a random flight 

I like to consider myself pretty worldly but on checking against this list, sadly, I am only coming in at 29 out of 50....and I'm relieved that some of them can stay unchecked!

So, no tattoos, no running a marathon or mountain climbing and as I won't go anywhere I can’t plug my hairdryer or straightening irons in, no backpacking or slumming it anywhere!

On hitting 50, the list changes to the following : 1. Karaoke. 2 Go on a road trip with friends.  3. Dramatically change your hairstyle or look. 4.Learn a new language. 5. Formally learn a style of dance.6.Get a tattoo 7. Travel to an exotic destination. 8.Go skinny dipping 9.Build something yourself (Ikea assembly, while impressive, doesn’t count). 10. Help fix an issue that has always bothered you through volunteering.11.Learn about your family history. 12.Scuba dive. 13.Buy the car you’ve always wanted — or at least test drive it. 14.Find an old school friend.15.Become something of an expert in something you’ve always found interesting.16.Climb a mountain 17.Single ladies: Ask someone out on a date.18.Fellas: Make a brand new friend without your wife or significant other. 19.Pull an all-nighter 20.Splurge on something extravagant 21.Go ziplining 22.Join a flash mob. 23.Take a job that feels a bit outside your comfort zone 24.Have a meal at one of the world’s top restaurants.25.Conquer one of your biggest fears 26. Participate in one of the world’s most well-known festivals: Mardi Gras, Oktoberfest, Running of the Bulls and the like 27. Tell someone what you REALLY think of them. 28.Fly first class 29.Become a mentor 30.Go skydiving 31.Master public speaking. 32.Repair something all by yourself 33.Have an honest-to-goodness adventure 34 Go on a trip by yourself 35 Live abroad — we’re not talking about a week-long vacation 36 Get really good at a bar game.37 Read that classic you’ve faked having read for years 38 Have sex or engage in a sex act in an unusual place.39 Throw a party that has people talking for weeks 40 Go camping.41 Teach someone how to do something you’re really good at doing.42 Get a custom dress or suit 43 Gamble (but like our friend Kenny Rogers would say, know when to fold them). 44 If single, go on a blind date.45 Own something that makes you feel like a millionaire 46 Travel for a concert 47 Forgive someone for hurting you.48 Make an elaborate and wildly impressive meal for guests 49 Cultivate a green thumb, 50 Participate in a movement you believe in.

The list of things to do at 50 gives me a better score already as I come in at 33 out of 50 but there are still no plans for a tattoo, and my thumb will only be green if I stick it in some green paint - plants come to me to die! 

So with the standard lists out of the window there is only one thing to do for this #eventprofs

Undertake 50 fams in one year....

Now, as we have not managed to bend the time/space continuum here at Cloud 9 Towers, most viewers will spot that with Christmas and Holidays, Client, Work, Friends and Family commitments, it's highly unlikely that I will manage to cram in 50 pure fams into a single year.

On this basis fellow industry colleagues, I hope you will allow a little latitude for the mission ahead as the plan is to include Trade Shows, site visits and where possible combinations of different venues

The official countdown starts tomorrow, Tuesday 11 September 2018.....so let's see how it goes...

365 Days 50 Fams

Have a great week......