Showing posts with label Eco Friendly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eco Friendly. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Green Trends in the Event Industry | Catering


Today we will continue our conversation about Green Trends in the Event Industry.

This time let’s talk about Catering.

First of all, Catering is about serving food and/or beverages, so it’s important that serving surfaces are made of environmentally friendly materials. Buy or build your tables, bar stations, chairs, etc. from Earth friendly material, such as reclaimed wood, bamboo, and recycled plastic. Also, tables that can be used without linen are great to reduce costs.
Use vegetable based ink to print menus, seat placements, signs and invitations.
Low wattage light fixtures will not only save you money by using less electricity, but also by emitting less heat, this will lower air conditioning costs.
For your menu, you could use natural, locally grown, preferably organic foods. Sometimes national producers of organic foods may raise prices, because the cost of organic food is much higher. So, instead of using well-known brands, visit your local farmers market, speak to vendors there, and check if they can cut you a deal with a long term contact. You may also check if a farmer would grow organic produce for you, in exchange for a promise/contact. Some catering businesses start to grow produce themselves, “in house” as we call it. This may be a great selling point for your business; if you would know exactly where the food comes from and how it was grown.
While serving, opt for glass bottles instead of plastic, they can be easily recycled. The same goes for dishes, stemware and silverware, use the ones that can be washed and used for the next function. Using, paper and plastic serving tools add to waste and increase cleanup effort.
Use pitchers instead of single serve bottles, rarely a customer would finish the entire bottle of water or soda during a meal. By offering a pitcher, you will reduce waste and save the cost of bottles that were thrown out half full. Also, ask guests whether they want water, instead of automatically bringing the water to them, by doing so, you will save gallons of water, plus you will have fewer glasses to wash at the end.
Try to use Energy Star Certified appliances in your business; they reduce energy cost and usually are more efficient.
If your catering business has a delivery car, opt for a vehicle that is fuel efficient and is the right size for the job.
We would like to mention that being Green is extremely popular today, if you adhere to environmentally friendly standards, you can use them to promote your business. Rest assured some clients will choose you over another caterer just because you use Earth friendly techniques.
Inspherio can also help your Catering business to be more environmentally friendly. Inspherio can optimize your schedule; send contracts to your clients, so you will have fewer trips to take every day. Our unique KYE form with customizable questions for your clients can build exclusive menu for your client, you would know exactly how many people to prepare for, what foods to stay away from and what foods/ beverages guests liked the most at the previous event. You can easily prepare for your event and wow your client, all without leaving your office. So, what are you waiting for? Check out what Inspherio can do for YOU now by clicking here!

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Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Green Trends in the Event Industry | Part 1

Everyone talks about being “Green” and "environmentally friendly" nowadays.  You may be wondering how your business could also be more sustainable by adopting some Green Business Strategies like these:

First, reduce your carbon footprint.
How? Try to use less paper in your office, add a note to your e-mail signature that invites the reader to consider twice before printing your e-mail.  Be sure to follow what you preach, do not print web documents unless absolutely needed. Even most legal matters, like contracts, for instance, no longer require faxing or mailing the paper version; with Inspherio you can send an electronic version of your contract and your client can e-sign it online from anywhere. The best part is that Inspherio keeps all the records for you. So you don’t have to keep bulky shelves made out of wood or other labor-consuming material.

Use modern means of communication to reduce commute. Skype is a great option if you need to speak to your client and, maybe even show samples of your work. A quick meeting that lasts 20-30 minutes is usually not worth sitting in traffic for 30-40 minutes. Think of the gas and parking expenses you would save if you could eliminate most of your in-person meetings. If you are a Wedding Planner, you can make a video of the room setup to keep your bride’s mind at ease, and e-mail it to her to confirm the details. See? She did not have to drive across town! What a great service you have provided!

Stay tuned for more Trends every Wednesday.
For more ways to be "green" in your business visit our website and blog, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook!
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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

7 Better Business Tools

Think about all the tools you need to complete a simple task - like cooking a dinner for example: pots, pans, spatulas etc. There is a tool for every task. Have you ever tried to use the wrong tool? If so, it is likely it was not the outcome you hoped for.


So, to continue our discussion about Organizing your Business, we will be talking about Tools today.

If you have read our previous blogs you would have learned about separating your business into departments and keeping all of your files organized and up to date. So, what’s next?
Look through the files and Departments. Are you using the most up to date tools available?
Does the speed of your Internet meet your business requirements? If not, call your internet provider right now!
Do you have many different ways to be reached by your clients?
Make sure that your phone works and the phone number is listed correctly in the directories of your choice, including your website!
Do you even have a website? If you don’t your business is too 1990s! Get it fixed, get a website! Inspherio can give you one for free as part of our basic package.
Do you participate in social media? If for some reason you do not, (I hope you do, since you are reading this blog), you may be underestimating its power. Harnessing Social Media may be one of the greatest investments you can make. While it takes quite a bit of time, it will pay off in the long run.
Access your clientele. How do your clients prefer to be contacted? Is it e-mail, phone or, maybe Twitter? Be sure to know that and set up all means of contact to be available on the go: smartphone, tablet or laptop. You never know when your client will need your assistance. In the modern world there is nothing that makes more difference in winning business like great Customer Service! Inspherio allows you to keep all your clients’ information at your fingertips, no matter where, you will never be caught off guard again.
Do you still use paper receipts and bill your clients via paper bills? I have news for you: while you are waiting in line at the post office; your competitors are closing deals with their next clients. Is that really what you want? Send your next bill with this automated feature via Inspherio and move on with your day!
Ditch the paper calendar! Get a shared calendar that you can access anywhere, anytime and even set up a reminder for the task to be performed. It will be especially beneficial if you have a group of people working with you in different locations, give access to the calendar maintenance to your key staff to in order keep everyone up to date.
What is the tool that saves you time the most? Share with us, we’d love to hear from you!
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Monday, June 25, 2012

4 simple steps you can take NOW to Organize your Business: How to Manage your Files for Event Professionals


Let’s continue our topic, “How to organize your business."

In previous blog we recommended that you divide your business into departments/divisions listing all the activities that keep your business running.
Now that you have a list of all departments, create a folder/drawer/shelf (depending on your business volume) for each department.  Keep it neat, too! By creating a designated space for each of the activities, you can streamline your search process.
Make it a habit to go over certain files in regular intervals.
When you go through the file whether a paper file, or digital one;  get rid of old documents, papers, invoices etc. To file and dispose responsibly, you could use a shredder and recycle old paper.  Even better - stick with digital format; this saves paper and space.  Also, make sure that all invoices have been paid, contracts signed, meetings arranged, supplies ordered, etc.
If there is more than one person involved in your business,this will be a good time to share the responsibilities.  Sit down and go over what responsibility will be performed by whom, if you haven’t done so yet. Divide and conquer together! Feel free to delegate, but be sure to follow up that all tasks are completed to your satisfaction. We will talk more about delegating responsibilities in our future posts.
Also, use a scanner and transfer all old contracts, leads,receipts and magazine clippings to digital format. To prevent data loss use cloud data storage! See what Inspherio has to offer!
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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Destination Wedding: 7 Rules About Southern Wedding Planning



More and more couples choose to travel for their wedding outside of their hometown. There are different reasons why. Sometimes they don’t want to play favorites if one or both of them are not from the town they live in or their families are scattered across the country. The number one reason is to pick an unforgettable destination that will be remembered by the couple and their guests.

South Carolina has become a very popular destination for a wedding. No wonder! Great weather, beaches, lavish parks make perfect backdrops for the wedding pictures. Places like Charleston offer great historic locations for wedding receptions and ceremonies.
So, what if you have to plan a wedding in a south? Where do you start to ensure that the wedding will be not just a party with lots of food, but a very special occasion, the one people talk about way after honeymooners returned home?
Here are few things to remember.
If you are a Wedding planner, DJ or any other wedding related professional, please, make sure that your fees and your budget are clearly discussed with the couple or the other responsible party. Do not surpass your budget; do not add any last minute fees. That will ruin the day. The comprehensive collaborative platform of Inspherio allows you to do just that, set your prices and let your client see them clearly with our Client Portal tool.
Most southerners don’t like sit-down dinners, buffet  may be more appropriate. Make sure that set up of the tables and stations allows for a good traffic flow, yet make sure that there are places to gather. Southerners like to congregate and chat. Ample elbow room around a bar station usually does the trick.
For the menu, stick with simple comfort dishes, nothing over-the-top. A roast-beef carving station with lots of side dishes is a loved staple.
Outline the time when the reception will end, it is a courtesy that will be welcomed by both guests and the staff servicing the wedding.
If a wedding is outdoors, take measures to ensure proper airflow;  fans, ice sculptures and lots of cold beverages (ice tea is best) will make your clients more comfortable.
These are just few things that we could come up with. For more Tips and Tricks visit our other blog posts.
Of course, every event is different and takes a lot of collaboration, communication and hard work.
We know you work hard, that is why we’ve created the communication tool, called Inspherio. Like no other platform out there it allows you to manage your clients’ information from anywhere, add special notes and to keep a history of your client’s events. Anticipate your clients’ wishes and wow them with your attention to detail. 
Get Inspherio today!





Pictures source: Pinterest.
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Monday, June 18, 2012

Why a Cloud Based Solution?







Every day we are more and more involved in the IT revolution. Our phones now talk to us, TVs can order movies, refrigerators can tell your power company how much power it used in a day while ordering groceries from a supermarket nearby, and those are just a few examples. Yet, everyday there is something new appearing on the market. Now more than ever we need to keep up with the growing demand of the customers for that famous “I want it now!” kind of service. The only way to keep up with it is to stay mobile.
However, according to the research conducted by Mark Fieldeman, contributor of Forbes magazine, it’s not that easy as it seems. 84 percent of traveling executives and managers report that they cannot work effectively on collaborative projects while on-the-go, despite increased enterprise adoption of iPads and smartphones. Of the executives surveyed, more than half (56 percent) admitted to project delays or missed deadlines because of poor mobile collaboration, and 38 percent missed business opportunities altogether. Half of all respondents reported difficulties in getting input from colleagues in a timely manner with 41 percent working off potentially out-of-date documents.
Clearly, there are several challenges for our increasingly mobile workforce that need to be addressed. Our effectiveness in the future workplace depends on us getting it right. Ignoring the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) mobile trend is only causing employees to circumvent the rules which places your organization at risk.
Inspherio is a completely cloud based software solution. Give yourself an edge over the competitors! With Inspherio you will never have to tell your potential client that you will get back with the quote, send a quote right from your phone, tablet or any other device, receive the response and lock in the contract without any downtime or without calling your assistant. This is just a one of the things you can do to stay ahead of the competition. Please, check out our website to see more: www.inspherio.com.

For more about Trends in Cloud Data storage click here


Photo courtesy of All Things D.
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Thursday, June 14, 2012

Wedding Decor Trends


The official start of summer is just a few days away.  While our fellow wedding planners are busy working on their next magnificent event, let’s take a moment and see what trends are out there.
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of a wedding? 

Of course, it’s a bride dressed to the latest season’s fashion. We will talk about dresses some other time.
What is the second thing?
What about wedding decorations?
There are few parallel trends this season when it comes to wedding décor. Some go with glamour, decorative lights, but the trend that stands out the most; is natural, organic weddings.
All decorations should look natural as if they were put together in a bliss by loving family members, featuring fresh flowers from the garden nearby, organic textures, such as burlap, tree bark, rocks, fruits, vegetables and, of course, candles.

Flowers have been a wedding staple since the beginning of times. So what is new this season? The trends this season is unexpected flower arrangements, whether that flowers hanging from the ceiling in place of a chandelier or centerpiece flowers submerged in water, which gives them that magnifying fresh look that any wedding decorator is striving to achieve.
Of course any wedding look takes lots or preparations and coordination. To help yourself put your next event together, stay organized with Inspherio, one of a kind, cloud based software that does most of the work for you, so you can dream and stay inspired!
Check it out at www.inspherio.com.
 


Pictures source: Pinterest.com
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012

What's trending this wedding season?

So one benefit of working alongside the wedding industry is learning what’s hot and what’s not! And this season, natural beauty is in! We are noticing a lot of brides getting their inspirations from the beauty of nature around them.

The color of choice is anything pastel! Our color of choice - sea green! You can make it classic and elegant adding pearls and cream. Or make it a beach wedding and add seashells and seahorses. The color is as versatile as your wedding choices!

  
Image Credits: Ring: StyleCaster Heart Soaps: Sophie's Favors Shoes: Kvoll as seen on Wedding Bee Color Board Gown: Tim Walker Photography  (http://www.greenbrideguide.com/blogs/seasonal-decor)


Sticking with nature, why not protect it while you’re at it! You wouldn’t believe how easy it is to incorporate eco-friendly ideas into your wedding! Starting with outdoor receptions! Celebrate the happiest day of your life with the sweet smells of nature, taking in every smell as a memory. Centerpieces made of fruit and flowers give your wedding a casual but elegant feel and easily incorporate your wedding colors. Last but not least, wedding favors are taking an eco-friendly turn! Mason jars filled with seeds of herbs and decorated in the wedding colors is becoming a big hit. If your guests are into the organic lifestyle, then this is for you! And if not, who doesn’t love a mason jar!




   

Image Credit: Row 1: Left: bklynbrideonline.com Middle: vintageindie.typepad.com Right: IntimateWeddings.com  Row 2: Left  wedding.blogdig.net  Middle: IntimateWeddings.com Right: Brides.com   Row 3: Left , Middle, Right - All from Brides.com  (http://ashleysbrideguide.com/the_wedding_scoop/article/eco-friendly-tablescape-wedding-inspiration)

Is it me or are mason jars the most versatile accessory? Not only can you drink out of them, you can decorate them any way imaginable! We are seeing everything from His & Her jars, centerpieces, hanging lanterns, wedding favors, to lighting the way down the aisle. Then on top of that, you can fill them with anything from flowers to candy; the possibilities are endless! Best part about it, mason jars are inexpensive! Everyone loves to save a buck or two these days!


   Image Credits: Summer Living , Orange and Blossom , wedloft , Kate Miller Events , Ruffled Blog , wedloft by wedding window , Intimate Weddings , Seven Seven Inspire , Vintage Rose Garden (http://www.weddingsbylilly.com/wedding-ideas-inspiration/mason-jar-ideas-for-weddings/)


As you could see, this season is all about capturing the beauty of what’s around us and just living in the moment as two lives become one. 
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