Two interesting new sites that have passed by my desk are:

GLOBAL EVENT RESOURCES
A partnership of media leaders (one of which is BizBash Media) in the event planning industry from around the globe. Their aim is to share information and give their audiences easy access to the best news and resources from all over the world. So, if you’re planning an event in a foreign country, it’s never been easier to get caught up on the local industry news.

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
Past-President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps
. Befriend me at Events Network

Perhaps it’s symbolic. Right around the same time as our little adventure, Miss Rachel Globus the editor of the awesome event rag Event Solutions, asked me to be the contributing writer for their monthly It Report column.Oooh, how delightful! I get to report on trends, ideas, concepts, oh my. Make sure to read my first column in November’s issue…and tell me what you think.

So a few little changes and more to report on. Let the journey begin. And stay tuned for part ii of my shiny new ride.

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
Past-President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps
. Befriend me at Events Network

Muchos thank yous to Meetings magazine for naming me as a person to follow on Twitter. Mooooi! I feel very special to be considered in the same category as some of the other great event tweeters on their list.

It got me thinking…I’d love to create a list of some of the inspiring people on Twitter. So here’s my list. I’m positive I’ve missed a great number of amazing people (my memory is not so good), so please let me know who you follow in the comments section.

Meeting & Event Tweeple
@MichaelMcCurry – Creative thinker by nature,Event Mgr by trade,Harley Rider Musician/Songwriter loves gadgets,bears football & wants to network! Social Media rocks!
@GregRuby – Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) in Baltimore (the Greatest City in America). All about trade shows|meetings|events|CVBs|Hotels|Tourism! Opinions my own.
@MitchtheFielder – Mitch Fielder is meeting and event professional, a dreamer, and is a musician.
@lizkingevents – I think BIG!
@spkrinteractive – Professional Speakers in Digital Form
@KenaSiu – Outgoing nomad specialized in Event Planning. Photography, Music, Cyberactivism, Food and my Blog are my hobbies @ http://desdemisojos-kenasiu.blogspot.com/
@mandiengram – Destination + tourism marketer @columbiasc. Marketing, social media, travel + community enthusiast. Introverted textrovert.
@MeetingsGal – Meeting Planner , CMM, CMP
@MsStallings – Coordinator to corporate relations and expositions at a not-for-profit association. Here to learn and share. Any opinions are purely personal.
@samueljsmith – Job: Hero, Sherpa and Dad to baby Julia. Previously, with Spotme (www.spotme.com). Interested in Event Tech, Meeting Design, Mar Com and New Ventures.
@GroupsIntl – We’re changing the meetings and events landscape…one day at a time!
@PinkDeb – CEO and Creative Director of Pink Inc. We design & build Tension Fabric Structures for events, exhibits, interiors, for agencies, architects, designers
@EmilieBarta – I get paid to talk for a living…as a Trade Show Presenter, TV Program Host, Narrator, Actress, and Voiceover Artist.
@GreenA_V – Owner of Pulse Staging, green/socially responsible AV for conferences/meetings/events. Smiles always included.
@tojulius – Digital Nomad and Head of blur Marketing #crowdsourcing #online #offline #EventGeek #blogging #community #environment #triiibes #blur’d #MissSilvia
@KarenBrown – Conference and Event Manager, Producer for technical training seminars
@psalinger – background in creating great events and strategies for experiences
@PYMLive – I’m KC Sanders, editor of Plan Your Meetings, an interactive educational resource for meeting and event professionals. Got a story? I’d love to hear it.
@mmcallen – “Do not fear mistakes. There are none.” – Miles Davis
@corbinball – Award winning meetings technology speaker, consultant and writer. Editor of TechTalk News.
@beevents – Creative Strategy and Design Company chasing + creating the future of events
@jessicalevin – I’m a Professional Services Marketer, Meeting Planner, connector of people, speaker, matchmaker and lover of kitchen gadgets and cake.
@sparkliatti – Event Designer — Blogger –Twitterer — Lover of all things pork — Type AB personality
@WillBroome – CEO worldlaunch.com, President ISES UK, would be rock star but not quite talented or good looking enough (but almost!) seeks world domination (in a good way!).
@iandavmcg – Executive Director, Strategy WW – GPJ Experience Marketing, Event / Experiential / Entertainment / Digital Marketer, ENTJ, Sailor, Geek, Scorpio, Dad
@liesegardner – Marketing pro working with all types of event cos. Fueled by Urth coffee, creative solutions, fast company and slow food.
@candicebest – Candice Best is a publicist and owner of Best PR Boutique, a PR firm covering premium brands from fashion to film. Best PR has life.style.covered.
@ChefBrent – Chef, Husband, All Seasons Catering Co – Owner, Catersource Forum Groupie, Wine Lover
@lvwedconcierge – Wedding Planner Saving the World Creating One Stylish, Fabulous Las Vegas Wedding at a Time!
@Velvet_Rope – Event Design and Coordination
@cynthiamartyn – Toronto Wedding Planner & Owner of Sash & Bustle Boutique, Opening September 2009 in Toronto | www.sashandbustle.com
@abcddesigns – Weddings, New Babies, Big Announcements – Milestones in life set the tone. Bespoke Stationery Wardrobes, fitted especially for you!
@pnv123 – Partner in an event and meeting planning, production and management boutique
@ABCeyEvents – Owner and founder of ABCey Events, a premier Event Management firm that services the San Francisco Bay Area www.abcey.com
@DLSHdesign – We are an intimate, award-winning graphic design studio, specializing in smart solutions for businesses and fresh designs for special events.
@ShowTecAE – Account Executive @ Showtec. We provide Design, Production, Lighting, Audio, Video, Special Effects, Scenic, Decor, Furnishings and Florals. Also Theatre Geek
@KeepMeeting – Campaign to underscore the value of meetings and events to the U.S. economy. Thx to all for a great #rallyday on May 12! Let’s keep talking about our value!
@conventionplani – The commission-free search engine’s official account. Convention, event planning resources for meeting planners. FREE! Ashley Spitzer is your friendly tweeter.
@seanlow – President of Preston Bailey Design, Inc. and business consultant
@MichelleRagoLtd – Global Event Planning & Design Firm
@5elementevents – Event Marketing, Design & Production. Since 2003, 5th Element Events has worked with top tiered brands designing custom event experiences!

Industry Rags
@special_events – The International Resource for Event Professionals
@rachelES – Editor in chief and education director of Event Solutions magazine, conference and tradeshow
@DavidAdler – BizBash Media, CEO
@MeetingsMHJ – A publication for professionals in Minnesota’s hospitality industry.
@Eventmagazine – Event magazine is the leading publication for the event industry

MPI Folks
@MPIRandyC – Randy Crabtree, Membership Master Storyteller for Meeting Professionals International
@TNMPI – Meeting Professionals International Tennessee Chapter
@MPIGOA – Greater Orlando Area Chapter
@aprilbroussard – Consultant & Speaker for Social Media and Meeting Industry (from North Florida MPI Chapter)
@meetingplanning – Director of Marketing and Communications for the Greater Orlando MPI Chapter
@jtauvaa – Vice President, Member Care & Chapter Business Management for MPI
@Alanjbaptista – Director of Community Development for MPI
@VonInMPIs – Regional Sales Manager for Meeting Professionals International
@MPIevents – Meeting Professionals International’s main conference page, for WEC, MeetDifferent, EMEC, GMEC, etc.
@BMACMPI – I am blessed to have family, friends and colleagues who want to make a difference for their communities and world. How can I help?
@DigLiberry – I’m Marj Atkinson, Research Manager for Meeting Professionals International.
@MPIOH – MPI Ohio is an association of the meetings industry. MPI has 20K members worldwide and 350 in Ohio.
@MPIGermany – DialogTag 2009, the annual conference of the Germany Meetings and Events Professionals
@mpiheartland – MPI Heartland Chapter, news, events, updates
@mpineny – Building an inspired, global meeting and events industry community is the vision of Meeting Professionals International (MPI).
@MPIEurope – MPI Europe
@MPIOC – MPI Orange County
@MPI_THCC – MPI Texas Hill Country Chapter will be the leading force in positioning meetings and events as a key strategic component for organizational success.
@MPIMN – MPI MN

ISES Peeps
@ISESDallas – Dallas Special Events Professionals
@ISESToronto – Educate, advance & promote the special events industry across the GTA
@ISES_Columbus – ISES Columbus is the local Columbus, Ohio chapter of the International Special Events Society.
@ises_orlando – ISES Orlando
@ISESSFLC – ISES’ is an org. for event professionals that provides education and networking opportunities in SoFla /Caribbean
@ISES_Denver – The Colorado Chapter of ISES promoting proffessionalism & education within the special events industry
@ISESArizona – The Arizona chapter of the International Special Events Society (ISES), bringing together all members of the Arizona event industry.
@ISES_NCC – Stay up to date on the latest and greatest infomation about our Chapter!
@isesatlanta – Atlanta Chapter of the International Special Events Society (ISES)
@ISESDetroit – ISES Detroit

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
Past-President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps
. Befriend me at Events Network

If you’re participating in the twice weekly #eventprofs chats on Twitter, well…kudos to you! The chats have gained incredible momentum (thanks to you) since they started a few months ago – heck, we’ve even been mentioned in The Twitter Book by O’Reilly Media. But more importantly, the hashtag #eventprofs lives beyond the chat and has been used to document conversations and tweets relevant to our industry. Do a search for eventprofs and you’ll find an extensive archive of stories, statistics and news for event professionals, by event professionals.

I was delighted to learn about Robert Swanwick’s interview with MPI’s magazine One+. In it, Robert, who also recently started #spkrchat, talks about how #eventprofs got started and how it brings value to all those who participate.

(excerpt from MPI’s One+ ONSITE magazine from WEC09)

A big thank you to Robert for helping to spread the #eventprofs message!

Are you interested in learning more?
Join the #eventprofs chat – instructions here
Check out our wiki
Become a Facebook fan

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
Past-President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps
. Befriend me at Events Network

I’ve just come back to my desk after handing out cigars. You see, Event Solutions Magazine just posted their Top 10 Blogs for Event Design Inspiration. A deliciously decadent list of great blogs – many of which I subscribe to…a few more that I plan on following. Little ‘ol ready2spark is honored to be a part of this esteemed round up. A big thank you to Rachel Globus and the rest of the Event Solutions team for thinking of us!

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps
. Befriend me at Events Network

There’s an art and a strategy to getting exposure for your company or event. Half the battle is understanding how the press thinks so you can get your foot in the door. The other half is determining what you’re going to say to connect with your audience once you’ve landed on the pages.

In last Tuesday’s Twitter EventProfs chat, Rachel Globus, Editor in Chief of Event Solutions Magazine and co-founder of The Social Media Workshop was our guest expert – providing ideas and insights on how to conquer the ‘getting press’ battle. And, I’m so delighted to say that she’s recapped her recommendations for ready2spark readers below:

1.Magazines are puzzles.
Each type of article they run is a uniquely shaped piece. To get in, figure out how you can be the right shape to fit into the puzzle. Say you just ran a successful fundraising event. You could blast a generic press release and hope that of the hundreds of emails that appear in an editor’s inbox, she’ll take the time to open yours, read it in its entirety and contemplate how she could make it part of her next issue. Or, you could learn that, for example, Event Solutions runs a monthly column, “It Report,” on event design trends and show the editor how your centerpiece concept fits right into their next article.

2. Read their editorial calendar.

With ruffles being seen from the runway to the living room, the Lilybelle Chair Sleeve by Wildflower Linen is beautifully on-trend.

Event magazine source: Event Solutions

Photography by: Lauren Hillary Photography

–

About Wildflower Linen

Owner Youngsong Martin brought haute couture to the table by creating some of the most decadent costumes for chairs and tabletops. Renowned for her stunning creations, her linens have graced the pages of some of the most prominent bridal and event publications and the tables of some of the most sought after events. From chair corsets to chair tutus, it’s not hard to imagine seeing her linens cantering down runways. Youngsong’s fashion design training is evident in everything she produces. Take some time to flip through her online portfolio. It will be one of the most entertaining things you do all day.

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps