Meeting Planner Careers

More and more event planners are relying on their smart phones and tablets to conduct their business.  With the thousands of applications available for a variety of phones, it’s easy to see why.  The question becomes which ones to use and why.  Sorting through the countless apps can be a task in of itself so we’ve compiled a top 5 list that no Event/Meeting Planner should be without. 

Super Planner

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/super-planner-event-planning/id383727111?mt=8

A comprehensive event planning app includes a Capacity Calculator for estimating seating configurations for meeting venues, Food and Beverage Calculator to accurately estimate how much to serve, as well as Staffing and Audio Visual; making this the ideal app for all your event planning needs. ($9.99)

Mint

http://www.mint.com/

Never lose track of your expenses again with this app that consolidates all your financial data in one place.  This application will help you create a budget and keep tabs on your event expenditures so you know how much money you have left to spend.  All of your transaction history is also stored so you can analyze and create reporting using easy-to- use graphs and charts.  (FREE)

Bump

www.bumptechnologies.com

Technology meets networking in this modern spin on exchanging business cards.  Avoid having a stack of business cards after an event by simply “bumping” your contact.  By simply tapping your smartphones together, you can seamlessly transfer all your contact information to each other and never fumble for another pen again.  (FREE)

Skype

www.skype.com

The same skype service you utilize for web chatting is available as an app too!  Save your cell minutes and use skype to make free phones and web chat over a Wi-Fi connection.   This handy app also allows you to send text message and check voicemails.  (FREE)

WeatherBug

http://weather.weatherbug.com/mobile/weatherbug-for-iphone.html

Nothing ruins an event like a rain storm.  Get the upper hand on mother nature and plan ahead.  The WeatherBug app gives up up-to-date and accurate weather forecasts so you can be aware of any inclement weather threatening your special event and have time to activate your contingency plans.  (FREE)

Video over the Web is nothing new. With the advent of YouTube and the ever-growing trend of “reality” TV, using video to push a message to the masses has gained worldwide appeal. If you think there is a need for viral video as a way to promote your next event, you may want to consider these ideas.

Pre-conference Shorts
Ask presenters to provide a short video clip that outlines what they’ll be presenting. Upload the videos to YouTube and post links from your site directly to these clips.

Skype Interviews
Prior to the event, use Skype and a Skype video capture program for capturing interview footage with your presenters. Post the videos to your Web site to help promote the event.

Event Venue Videos
Acquire video footage of the event venue and post it on YouTube, iTunes and your own Web site.

Stream the Event
While hosting the event, broadcast a live stream of the keynote presentations through your site. This can also provide two forms of revenue: First, provide a secure login that can be purchased at a reduced price for Web attendees. Secondarily, you can find corporate sponsorship to help underwrite the streaming and bandwidth costs.

Streamed Interviews
During the event, interview speakers and attendees and stream them live through your site. You can also archive these interviews and utilize them, with permission, as testimonials.