GMIC Has Green Meetings Directory

Located at www.GreenMeetingsDirectory.com, the Green Meetings Directory includes text as well as video listings, both of which feature complete product and service offerings and supplier contact information.

"Through the use of the Green Meetings Directory, planners who are familiar with the integrity of the GMIC community can now easily connect with organizations that are striving to be sustainable," said GMIC Board President Amy Spatrisano.

For more information about the Green Meetings Directory, which is searchable by category, company name or worldwide location, visit www.GreenMeetingsDirectory.com or www.GreenMeetings.info

The Facebook Fan Dilemma

Clients always ask us whether they should have a Facebook page for their meeting. There is no universal answer to this question. I always tell them that it really depends on what you have to offer and who you are trying to reach.

Organizations really struggle with their messaging on Facebook. I think the reason for this quandary is that, more than other mediums, Facebook is still a social – not business or professional – networking site.

To become a fan of a company or organization on Facebook is a very public choice, because it announces to your entire network that you feel a kinship with that particular company or cause. It also means that you get frequent – and sometimes too much so – updates from that page in your news feed. As a result, I know that I personally hesitate to become a fan of anything that doesn’t mean a lot to me.

All this is not to say that Facebook fan pages can’t be part of a coordinated event marketing strategy. Depending on your cause and the demographics of your audience, Facebook can be quite effective. (I think the Obama campaign would agree.) Research firm eMarketer recently published some interesting data on why Facebook users become brand fans.

With one quarter of respondents expecting coupons and promotions, this data demonstrates that organizations with a Facebook fan page must have a clear sense of purpose and offer their fans some benefits to keep them happy and engaged. Marketing agency Ignite Social Media recommends that you answer the following questions when getting started with Facebook.

• What do your fans value?
• What do your fans like talking about?
• What can you offer your fans that you can't offer them elsewhere?
• How will you consistently provide this value proposition?

In Honor of Earth Day...

Here are some Carbon Footprint Reduction Tips for Work & Home!

Tips for Reducing Your Carbon Footprint at Work:

There are many improvements to be made at your workplace as well. Small changes can be implemented to even make a positive impact on the climate, such as:

At your Office

• Only print as many copies as absolutely needed. Instead of having each employee have their own files, create a central filing system to avoid having to make many copies of the same documents.
• Use smaller fonts when printing internal documents to save paper and ink.
• Recycle everything, including ink cartridges and toner. Ask local suppliers if they can deliver supplies in reusable bins rather than cardboard boxes.
• Turn off and unplug equipment when not in use.
• Telecommute whenever possible, but make a commitment to do it at least one day per week.

For your Meetings

• Ask your caterer for biodegradable tableware (plates, cups, utensils, etc.), or use china and metal silverware.
• Monitor meeting room temperatures. Turn the heat down a few degrees in winter and up a few degrees in summer, and encourage attendees to dress in layers.
• Make sure lights and AV equipment in session rooms are turned off when not in use. Ask your AV provider to unplug equipment at night.
• Offer a carbon-offset donation on your registration form. Many companies will plant trees for as little as 50 cents each.
• Provide materials that are eco-friendly: recyclable, printed on recycled paper, or go paperless altogether.

Tips for Reducing Your Carbon Footprint at Home:

Carbon emission from your home is directly correlated to everyday energy consumption. One way to reduce your carbon footprint is to improve energy efficiency inside your home. Some simple solutions with major impact include

• When appliances are not in use, turn them off and unplug them. Even small appliances like cell phone chargers waste energy when plugged in all day.
• Take shorter, cooler showers and turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.
• Recycle everything you can.
• Replace incandescent light bulbs with CFL low energy bulbs, which use just 20% of the energy of a normal light bulb and last 15 times longer.
  
• When replacing older appliances, always opt for appliances that use less power and receive a good energy rating.
  

Want to Learn More? Additional Resources:

www.carbonfootprint.com
whatsmycarbonfootprint.com
coolaustin.org

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Is Meeting Swag a Conflict of Interest?

Promotional items (also known as "swag") are commonplace at most large meetings. You can have your logo emblazoned on anything from pens to popsicles, and many sponsors and exhibitors use swag to drive traffic to their booth and increase interest in their products.

Today, one medical society is cracking down on both the manner and the medium. The Council of Medical Specialty Societies, which includes 32 medical societies with over 650,000 members, argues that when doctors accept promotional items emblazoned with corporate logos it constitutes a conflict of interest. Among other guidelines, the CMSS code requires organizations to "ban company or product names and logos from pens, bags and other giveaways at conferences."

Read the full article at MSNBC.com.

When a Natural Disaster Strikes

Last week, I was managing a 2,400-delegate international conference in Atlanta. The conference went superbly, with very few unexpected events or unplanned disruptions.

Just as we were planning our departure, however, Mother Nature threw a monkey wrench into things with the eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano. This particular conference is approximately 40% graduate students and 25% European delegates, for whom being stranded unexpectedly poses financial and logistical stresses.

Convention managers are under no obligation to accommodate stranded attendees in a natural or other disaster. Like many organizations, however, this group felt obligated to their community and asked us to provide logistical and financial support for people who were truly stranded. Though this conference does not have a written emergency plan, our team immediately took action in the following ways:

• Pushed out accurate information early and often, using Twitter and the conference hashtag. Circulated a new Twitter hashtag to allow stranded conference travelers to keep in touch with one another.
• Contacted the hotel immediately to confirm the availability of hotel rooms at the conference rate through the weekend.
• Set up a stranded traveler help desk to provide moral support and resources.
• Provided a roommate matching service, pairing empty beds with needy travelers.
• Developed an official meeting point outside of the conference venue, with basic necessities such as meals and work space.
• Set up an information page on the conference website (check out our page at http://www.chi2010.org/v/) with continuously updated information and resources.

Today, five days after the first eruption, nearly 200 delegates remain in the US awaiting flights back to Europe. Our communications plan continues to evolve, but because we were able to respond quickly our delegates had accurate information while they scrambled to make plans.