Here's an article I just found with some useful tips on planning a kids' Halloween party: http://ping.fm/CTpUR

Why Meetings Matter

There has been a lot of buzz in the press lately about how the economy, and in particular the perception of corporate events as frivolous, have effected the meeting and event industry. I've noticed some companies tightening budgets, being more cautious about event spending, and waiting until the last minute to firm up plans. Luckily, in part because I offer an excellent service at affordable prices, my business hasn't taken a huge hit, and I've made up the difference in other areas. But many event related businesses have suffered.

Now the National Speakers Association (NSA) and the Global Speakers Federation (GSF) have teamed up to create a campaign to "reinforce the message, that contrary to media and political backlash, Meetings Matter." Their website promotes the idea that corporate meetings and events "develop leaders and a workforce ready to invent a profitable future for America... and help drive a vibrant and productive economy."

The US Travel Association has developed a similar approach, and developed a website on the idea that "Meetings Mean Business". For example, they point out that "For every dollar invested in business travel, companies realize $12.50 in incremental revenue."

If you're in an event related business or job, and concerned about cutbacks, there's a wealth of information out there on the true value of corporate events and how they relate to the bottom line. It's not just about lavish, extravagant, or frivolous spending: it really is about an investment in the bottom line.

Holiday Party Planning Tips

Current trends say that even with the downturn in the economy and tight budgets, most companies are still having parties for the holidays, even it they are scaled back a bit. I just came across a useful article on low budget party planning for the holidays.

Some of the main tips include:

1. Book early for the best deals and dates -- and be flexible.

2. Seek support from on-site event planners.

3. Take advantage of seasonal promotions and packages.

4. Look for distinctive locations and activities.

5. Remember, low-key doesn't mean low quality.

You can check out the entire article HERE.

There's a great video profile on me that currently is front and center on the Peoria Journal Star website, at www.pjstar.com

Just set up a new account on Eventful, and listed my upcoming 5 Points show: http://ping.fm/Y6Yms

Social Media Event Planning and a Fundraising Opportunity

We all know online social media is the big craze these days. But what does it mean for our businesses? Well, if you plan meetings, conferences, or other events, I just came across a useful article in the Indianapolis Examiner on "15 Ways Social Media Can Make Your Next Event a Smashing Success". It does a nice job of summarizing the wide variety of social media tools that are either directly related to or that can be used for event planning. Some of the more interesting ones include event planning sites like Upcoming (just used this on myself!) and Eventful, to ways share photos and video on Twitter.

On another topic, we've just announced a really unique opportunity tied to my upcoming show, The ART of Magic! at Five Points in Washington, IL. We're allowing local community organizations and charities to partner with us, using the show as a fundraising vehicle for their groups. In a nutshell, they help us sell tickets to the show, and in return, they get a generous cut of the price of each ticket they sell. If you're part of a group that might benefit, send me an email right away for details.

New Conference Communication Resource

Hey, meeting and event planners, if you're planning a large conference of any kind, here's a really interesting new resource I just stumbled across that may make your life a whole lot easier. GuestAssist is a mobile phone/ text based, interactive communication system that allows conference planners, staff, attendees, and others to communicate in a variety of useful ways. Here are just a few uses:

• Questions can be answered
• Information can be sent or downloaded
• Schedules can be updated
• Alerts and updates can be sent
• Feedback can be given

Communications can be targeted to specific groups or individuals, all attendees, or can be used by attendees to reach event organizers for questions or feedback. Feel free to check it out at: www.guestassist.net.

Upcoming Public Appearances

Well, my show at the Apollo Theatre in Peoria went well. And now that it's over, I'm looking forward to a few other public performances in the coming months.

• July 11 and 12th I'll be doing two shows each day at this year's Marshall-Putnam County Fair.
• On July 17, I'm performing in a special FREE CONCERT at 5 Points Washington, called The Art of Music and Magic.
• On August 1, I'll be performing at 2-Cylinder Days at the John Deere Historic Site in Grand Detour, IL.
  
• And I'm really excited to announce we've just confirmed I'll also be back at 5 Points Washington for my own The ART of Magic! one man theatre show on September 19.

Since most of my work in the past few years has been at private and corporate events, it's a little more rare to be able to see me at public venues, so I'm really glad to let everyone know about these. If you need more information about any of these events, feel free to call me at 309-647-3692, or send me an email.

Social Media and Networking

I'm always looking for better ways to stay in touch with my clients, friends, and anyone else interested in my entertainment programs and events.

I just found an interesting statistic. According to a recent survey, a majority of meeting planners are using online social media sites as ways of keeping touch with customers and event attendees. 61% use Facebook, 58% for LinkedIn, but only 13% are on Twitter.

If you're on one of the social media sites, and you'd like to stay in touch, keep up to date on my activities, or just follow me on any of my various social media pages, you can become a "friend" on my MySpace page, or my Facebook page, connect with me on LinkedIn, or follow my "tweets" on Twitter.

Oh, and if you'd like to stay up to date more directly, you can subscribe to my email list, and receive my email newsletter The Magic Word, by sending me an email asking to be added to the list. For immediate attention, put "Subscribe to MW" in the subject line.

PeoriaMagician.com

I now have a new version of my website, specifically for the Peoria area. It's at www.peoriamagician.com. It has some subtle differences from my main site, including my promo video: UNFORGETTABLE EVENT ENTERTAINMENT on the homepage.

I also just learned about a new tool for helping to integrate your social networking. If you use more than one social networking site, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or MySpace, Ping.fm is a way to update all of them at once! How cool is that? (I got this tip from my friend and business associate, Cindy Fleming, President and founder of VisionShift. Thanks, Cindy!)

Here's my video, in case you haven't seen it: