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 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! 

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? Week commencing 29 May 2017

Welcome to another week, this post is bought to you by a newbie, my name is Emma, I am currently at Cloud 9 helping out, getting some invaluable experience and knowledge from Paula and the rest of the amazing team! I am just about to go into my 4^th year of study at university, and somehow managed to flip my whole degree over in my 3^rd year deciding I no longer wanted to do a specialist PR degree I wanted to do what I enjoyed and have a go events and exhibition management! 

First event I ever organised was a tea party for my hostess badge at brownies, I baked and prepared food, made tea and coffee, all of this was a pretty big deal for a 7-year-old. Since then I have helped to organise my school prom which was a complete nightmare as Venue finding was almost impossible on such short notice during prom season! But it turned out well and we got a lovely location, despite the Olympic torch touring through Nottingham that day and many the roads we needed to get to the venue being closed, but we all got there in the end!
In the 3 years, I have attended Birmingham City University, I have had the chance to have a go at everything the media communication degree offers, such as: Print design and copy writing, PR, TV, photography, radio, marketing, events, new media and coding and some film making. I have done some of these things reluctantly, however, I am so grateful I’ve had these opportunities to try everything and know what I enjoy and am good at. It’s through these exploratory years I have stumbled into the world of events, right before it all starts to matter, for my final year of study! 

As long as I can remember I have always liked to plan, it doesn’t matter what for I always generate a plan of action, so naturally now my diary is my life. So understandably I’ve got my eyes and heart set on a career path with deep roots in planning ahead and being as organised as possible. Originally events was not the pathway I was going to take I wanted to study fashion communication at Nottingham Trent. After I reviewed all my options alongside my A-level results I decided the broad discipline of PR was probably a better fit with more diversity and potentially more opportunities long term. I really enjoy PR but since having a multitude of options to specialise the route of my degree I have ended up taking the path of events/exhibition management and visual design. 

One reason I have changed my mind is that Venue finding is a practice I have always found so interesting, understanding needs of the client to find the perfect space to bring your vision to life is so exciting to me. I am forever looking at hotels in various locations globally, either planning a holiday or a trip or simply being nosy to see what style and facilities they can offer. So, venue finding never feels like work to me when I get to research venues!

Much like the rest of the creative sectors the events industry is forever developing, utilising trends and evolving to fit with and use new media developments too. The opportunity to work in such a diverse environment is a challenge I will welcome with open arms!

The events industry has always sounded very glamourous, lots of travel, lots of meetings, having clients, it really does sound exciting. I now understand after experiencing it somewhat It may not always be glamorous and fun day to day, but the events industry is one which pushes you to challenge yourself. The more you get out of your comfort zone the better your work I find. You have to put so much more into the job, more research, more time, more understanding and ultimately it all leads to a better sense of achievement afterwards too.

 As a community #EventsProfs are so supportive and interconnected, there is competition but mostly companionship, that is a dynamic I wanted to be a part of!

What's Floating Around? 26 September 2016

Welcome to another week and we have been so manic that we have missed a couple of weeks with our news so please forgive us as we tell you what we have been up to!

There is never a dull moment at Cloud 9 so here goes...

The National Acute Pain Symposium in Chester on 14/15 September was a pretty big event over two days for 250 medical professionals took up a big chunk of our time with main plenary sessions, workshops, socials and last week we have been in major evaluation mode for the event as well as issuing attendance certificates and tying up the details of the event - and sourcing a venue for 2017 as the event is growing considerably.

We've also been prepping for the 2017 CHS Awards which we run on behalf of Emma Cartmell and her team at the Conference and Hospitality Show, which is set to launch in October and is scheduled for next Spring at the Royal Armouries in Leeds.

The new look Fresh Awards is also now live and up and running for entries so as well as coordinating around 50 judges on six juries and sourcing a venue to take all the work we will be amassing, its been a bit of a challenge to cover it all.

Preparing for the Midlands Media Awards which take place on 20 October at the Rep in Birmingham is also a priority at present and scripts, logistics and formats all take time to ensure the 2016 event is a success.

We've also been tying up our Ambassadors Programme and in October we will be pleased to announce our nine new additions to the Cloud 9 team, each of whom will be based in a different location in the UK.

Add in our "All Wrapped Up" Campaign, securing venues for Christmas Parties for numerous clients and our usual round of Venue Finding and you can see we have been a little manic.

However, we wouldn't have it any other way...

Have a great week and look out, we will be back next week!

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 18 July 2016

Welcome to another week and this week at Cloud 9 Towers we are being joined by Libby Simpson who is here on a week’s work experience. Whilst we won’t be asking her to do any venue finding this week, we are conscious we do want her to get a taste of what it’s like in our company. 

We like to think we are pretty nice people and we won’t be asking Libby to do anything that any member of the team would do as part of their normal work routine, but what makes a good experience for both an employer and those undertaking what can be their first encounter on a work experience placement?

Work experience is the ideal learning opportunity for young people, and can often kick-start a career or learning curve. The key is to show enthusiasm, according to the experts.

Around 80% of employers think work experience is essential, according to a survey by the City & Guilds vocational training organisation, and two-thirds of employers would be more likely to hire a young person with work experience over someone who hasn’t had any.

There is plenty of research to say why work experience is vital, and with stints in the workplace, young people can begin to build their own networks to make use of in the future. But to capitalise on the experience, a young person braving an office or work site for the first time needs to know how to prepare and how to use and learn from the experience.

Youngsters might sit in the wrong seat or feel awkward, dress inappropriately or not fully understand the task they have been assigned, but they might also learn how to react to situations and pick up well on what they should be doing. Smaller companies, like Cloud 9 Event Management, might offer a broader taste of work than large organisations with lots of different departments.

It is a simple enough concept and work experience should be what it says on the tin, proper work experience and not being treated like a skivvy or only making the tea. So here at Cloud 9 whilst we don’t want to bore Libby to death, our pile of hotel and venue brochures is getting seriously close to collapse, it’s that high. Especially post Meetings Show when certain members of the team seemed to collect information from just about every exhibitor! So we are hoping that a little geography lesson along with a little filing might be a good place to start.

This will also help us with some research for our daily #VenueTipoftheDay posts on social media and help organise our Venue storage cloud, on which we post the latest information on venues by region in the UK and then globally for our venue finding division.

It won’t all be filing though, social media plays a big part here and if nothing else, we do know that youngsters embrace this well so that will also be key for Libby here.

And you never know, we might just persuade her to write a blog for us for next week.

Have a great week and enjoy!