Updated: Special Offers

We've just updated our Special Offers page with some new deals from hotels and venues.

Take a look and give us a call if you'd like to take advantage of any of these offers.

In Any Event UK

Vote for In Any Event UK

Vote for In Any Event UK (your favourite conference and event organisers) in the Meetings and Incentive Travel industry awards by clicking here. Enter In Any Event UK into category H: Best Event Management Company (less than 40 employees).

Understanding BS8901 Seminar - Sustainable Event Certification

Booking is now LIVE for In Any Event UK's Understanding BS 8901 seminar.

Understanding BS 8901
Monday 8th February 2010
Folly Farm Conference Centre, Bristol

Sustainable Event Certification (SEC) in association with In Any Event UK is pleased to announce a one day course on BS 8901, the new British Standard which deals with sustainability management within the events industry.

The standard is designed to help organisations in the events industry improve their sustainability. It prescribes a management system framework and specific requirements which organisations need to implement within their organisation.

This one day course will help you understand what the standard is about and whether it is important to your organisation. It will explain the essential requirements of the standard and will help you determine how easy it will be for you to achieve BS 8901.

The course is structured around interactive group work, discussions and presentations and will be delivered by a facilitator who is directly involved in the development of BS 8901.

Who should attend?

· Event managers working on behalf of public sector and corporate clients
· Senior managers from suppliers and contractors in the events industry including catering, logistics, lighting, exhibitions, security, venues etc
· Event clients and sponsors who are looking to improve the sustainability of their events
· Senior executives in experiential and communications management
· Anyone considering the adoption of ISO 9001 on quality management or ISO 14001 on environmental management
· Anyone whose clients have mentioned BS 8901 or ISO 14001
· Organizations planning to tender for 2012 Olympic contracts
· Individuals already involved in implementing BS 8901

Topics

· What is sustainability?
· The drivers for sustainability and for BS 8901
· What is BS 8901?
· The framework of BS 8901
· Evaluating sustainability issues and engaging with stakeholders
· Setting objectives and targets and allocating responsibilities
· How to achieve certification to BS 8901
· Your next steps

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, delegates will understand:

· The concept of sustainability and why it is becoming a real business issue
· The requirements of BS 8901 including key concepts and definitions
· The most critical and difficult parts of BS 8901 including sustainability issue identification and stakeholder engagement
· The relationship between BS 8901 and ISO 9001 on quality management and ISO 14001 on environmental management
· The process to achieve certification to BS 8901

At the end of the course, we will develop an action plan to help you achieve BS 8901 certification and you will be provided with some key tools to help you get started.

If you are interested in attending the course then we would be pleased to hear from you so that we can provide more information and let you know the date of the course.

The cost of the course is £275 + VAT per delegate which includes refreshments and lunch.

Click here to book online today!

Corporate Events in the Economic Downturn

As event organisers, we have really noticed the changes businesses are making during the recession. For example, in 2009, many companies have had to cut costs to address sales shortfalls but, for 2010 and beyond, they must address their sales and marketing strategies to deliver effective returns.

Events have been and will continue to be a successful sales and marketing medium.

We have found that during the tougher times, understandably, companies are hesitant to commit to budgets and are more cautious about guaranteeing returns. They are also concerned about the perception of hosting impressive events. These companies are in danger of underestimating and ignoring the value face-to-face meetings produce.

With every recession companies cut costs and the marketing gurus say that those who invest in sales and marketing will come out the other side stronger and more successful. This message is not always listened to.

Now, more than ever before, is the time to act. Sales are key to keeping a business afloat and live events, on whatever scale, are one of the best ways to produce sales and enhance your bottom line.

The real key to putting on a successful event to boost sales and business exposure is to work with event organisers who can execute a low budget event with a different approach and emphasis.

It might seem to some that working with specialist event organisers will be expensive and that many agencies cannot put on a low-cost event. This is quite the opposite, as venues, AV companies and other event suppliers are working together with event agencies to ensure that competitive (and budget conscious) rates are supplied during the current economic climate.

At In Any Event UK we have plenty of experience of working with budget-constrained companies, looking to host an impressive event. Contact us to find out how we can save you money and help out with your next event!

Bin Free Office

This morning we implemented our "Bin Free" office policy. We have removed all the bins from by peoples' desks and now have a central waste area.

All paper, magazines and brochures are put in the paper recycling box. As always, confidential or sensitive information is shredded and the waste from this is also recycled.

We also have designated waste boxes for cardboard, plastic, glass and tins and we plan on introducing a food waste bin so that we can compost items such as used tea bags and old coffee granules.

We're continuing to look for ways to make our office more sustainable so let us know if you have any suggestions!

Keen to be Green Seminar mentioned in Bristol Evening Post

Our Keen to be Green event has had a mention in the Bristol Evening Post this weekend.

At In Any Event UK we take sustainability for events seriously. Business and corporate events can be run in a more environmentally friendly way and help to cut down on business' carbon footprints.

A Bristol-based company has organised a seminar which will offer companies advice about running events in an environmentally friendly way.

Events management company In Any Event UK, based in Westbury-on-Trym, will hold the half-day seminar in Exeter on January 19.

The talk will be based around the Government Office South West Greener Events Guide and will show venues the benefits of becoming more environmentally aware.

Victoria Hancock, from In Any Event UK, said: "We have already adopted the greener events policy as part of our corporate responsibility and recognise the importance of this for the events industry as a whole."

For information and to register for the seminar, visit www.eazybook.com/keentobegreen or call In Any Event UK on 0117 962 4577.


Read the article and post comments here.

Chris' Shock Announcement

Shocking news. We've just found out that Chris fancies Gail Platt from Corrie and Sue Barker!






We thought better of you, Chris!

New Conference Venue

As part of our free venue finding service we can recommend the perfect venues for your event.

We've just received details of a wonderful country house conference venue in Berkshire. Donnington Grove is set on the outskirts of Newbury and is overlooked by the historic Donnington Castle.

We can help you access some great special conference offers at this and other venues, so if you're in need of somewhere to hold your next event then get in touch with us now!

Meeting & Incentive Travel Awards

The Meeting & Incentive Travel Industry Awards are coming up.

Vote for your favourite categories on this form (not forgetting In Any Event UK as your favourite event organisers!).

NHS Conference in March 2010

In Any Event UK will be working together with NHS West Midlands to organise their Student Recruitment & Retention Conference in March 2010.

The NHS will be using services including our free venue-finding service, conference organisation and our online delegate registration system, Eazybook.

Planning has begun and we're all very pleased to be working with another healthcare organisation.

Employee Update

We're pleased to announce that we have a new employee.

Louise Boyse has joined us from a Sales & Marketing position and has previously worked in event teams at various South West venues.

Louise will be helping with the venue finding team and also working on our sales and marketing. We're all very excited to have a new face in the office!

Venue of the Month

With the launch of our new website, the infamous In Any Event UK Venue of the Month has returned and with it comes a fantastic competition where you can win a great prize from each of our featured venues.

This month we're pleased to announce that our Venue of the Month is the Marriott St Pierre hotel located in Chepstow. You can find some more information about this superb hotel and see the competition details by clicking here.

Launch of New Website!

We've been busily working away on improving our website and are proud to announce that it is now live!

You'll notice that we have improved the navigation and have added a lot more information, as well as new case studies.

Our Venue of the Month feature returns, as well as the competition where you can win Bed and Breakfast stays, a romantic dinner for two or even activity breaks - so stay tuned!

We'd love to find out your thoughts on the new look so please leave us a comment or send an us an email!

Association of Healthcare Communicators Conference

The Association of Healthcare Communicators have appointed In Any Event UK to manage their national conference in 2010.

We are delighted to continue our successful relationship with them which began in 2004.

New Employee

In Any Event UK are pleased to say that we have a new project manager on board called Ben.

Ben is a member of the events team. He has six years experience in event management and previously worked as Senior Events Organiser for the Healthcare Financial Management Association organising and running the Association's programme of events and conferences, which ranged from single day events to multi-day residential conferences with evening entertainment and large exhibitions. Ben studied Business Studies and French in Nottingham.

Conferences on the Move

"Conferences on the Move" is an exciting new concept and we have just completed four events for two global healthcare and consumer goods companies. These took place around Provence in France and the Oxfordshire countryside.

"Conferences on the Move" are a creative and innovative way to hold team meetings or training. The idea is to keep your delegates' minds active and provides a different setting for the different parts of your event. This is a fantastic way to deliver training or team building.

In Any Event UK are more than happy to chat to you about the concept if you have any questions or think this might be something you are interested in running.

SWRDA Appoint IAE as Venue Finder

We're pleased to say that the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) have appointed In Any Event UK to manage their entire venue finding requirements.

This service will be centralised and will commence from November 2009.

We're all excited to begin working with this fantastic South West government agency.

Customer Incentive Schemes

The retail sector has cottoned on to the idea of incentive schemes to hook in new customers and keep existing ones buying with them.

The Boots advantage card and Tesco Clubcard are two incredibly successful examples. They’re easy for the customer to use and offer financial rewards for staying loyal to one retail brand.

When we look at the benefits that incentive schemes seem to offer to the provider, it seems foolish to not offer some sort of loyalty system to your customers, whatever the industry.
Incentive schemes can offer:

§ A competitive edge
§ Increased repeat business
§ Expansion of your customer database
§ Increased brand awareness

But can such an idea be transferred into other industries?

It seems that the answer to this is unclear. In business-to-business interactions, many organisations are unable to accept incentives or gifts for loyalty due to the sector they work in.
In addition to this, the majority of people would say that it is the quality of service that keeps them going back to the same company, rather than rewards.

If a scheme appears complicated, understandably, it would mean that customers are much less likely to participate.
The Boots and Tesco card schemes prove extremely popular partially due to the simplicity: the customer does not have to keep track of their reward points and the retailers lets them know how to use the points effectively.

The main issue to look at when introducing incentive or loyalty schemes would be whether or not your customers are interested in receiving rewards for their loyalty and would it really benefit your business sector?

We'd love to hear your opinions on this and reasons why you signed up for certain incentive or loyalty schemes.

Credit Crunch Conferences – Saving Money for Events in the Current Economic Climate

You may believe that doing all the hard work yourself is the cheapest and easiest way to go about planning a successful event. In fact, it is more likely to cost more - not only due to higher direct costs, but also in lost time and productivity.

Using a free venue-finding agency, such as In Any Event UK, can save you both time and money. We have years of experience in negotiating rates so that you get the best deal.

Some of our top money saving tips include:

§ Ask for jugs of tap water instead of bottled water – this is not only cheaper but better for the environment too as you are doing away with plastic bottles

§ Always check what is included in any rates you are given – they may sometimes include optional extras which you do not need

§ Find out if AV equipment is included in the price, if not, ask if it can be included

§ Choose the right layout for your seating plan – different layouts require different sized rooms which might increase your costs so it is important to think about how you want your delegates to interact with each other or the speaker

§ The larger your request the more power you have for negotiation on added extras and rates. If you have a series of bookings, highlight this at enquiry stage

§ Plan your event during the off peak seasons and days: Mondays and Fridays are especially good days as well as weekends. Peak seasons cost more and the venue may not have the time or the staff to devote to your meeting

§ Don’t accept the first rate that they quote: ask them questions such as ‘what is this reduced from’ or ‘what is your rack rate’. From this you can then see what sort of saving you have made

§ If working to a budget, offer the venue your overall budget and ask them to try and put a package together within this set amount

§ Simple hot lunches often cost less than a buffet and perhaps ask for biscuits or pastries to be included in your coffee breaks or taken out to cut costs


ASK! Always ask even if it is for something you do not think they will offer you. You won’t get it if you don’t ask.

Ensure that all negotiations and concessions are put in writing to avoid confusion and frustration at the time of confirming or settling your bills.

In these harder times, venues need to be accommodating to customers so there are better chances of negotiation and the addition of optional extras into the price, so take advantage today!