Top Reasons Why We Love Google

2009-12-09T15:49:00.000-08:00

This post is adapted from a blog co written by McKenzie Lawton and Melanie Wong. You can read their blog in its entirety here.

1. Synchronize, synchronize, synchronize

By using Google apps such as Google Calendar, Google Docs, and Google reader we are able to share and access our calendars, important info and blogs from anywhere, anytime.

2. Fast and Free

To "Google", the latest synonym for search, allowing you to get all the information that you need in milliseconds. The best part? Its free. And did you know Google is attempting to make the internet even faster?

3. Personalization

Everything from Google Chrome to your iGoogle page allows you customize it to your aesthetic preferences and usage patterns

4. Innovation

Google lets us contribute to their latest innovations such as the Google Wave and other web protocol. Listening to their users makes us happy and helps them succeed.

5. There's an app for that

Check out some of Google's applications to help enhance YOUR Google experience.

What do you use Google to help you with in your daily life?

Twitter Bigger Than Barack?

2009-12-03T13:15:00.001-08:00

According to the Global Language Monitor, it is. Their recently conducted poll for the most used words of 2009 put Twitter as the number one word of the year, followed by Barack Obama and H1N1. What I find striking is the contrast between the big and the little. When people say the president's name, they generally say it in reference to large scale issues: healthcare, national security, taxes - things that affect us not only now, but for years to come. Swine flu is an international epidemic. Yet Twitter is used for the super short term: the latest breaking news, a sale or special that will only last 2 hours, a joke that is momentarily amusing. Have we experienced a paradigm shift, where the little has captured our attention more than the big, or are we simply tweeting away to distract ourselves from the larger woes of the world? What do you think accounts for the mega success of Twitter? Is it a passing trend or here to stay?

Next Aid World Aids Day Event 11.25.09

2009-11-18T11:39:00.001-08:00

Humanitarian organization NextAid presents its second annual World AIDS Day 2009 Event. The multi-date fundraising campaign in cities across the U.S. will begin here in San Francisco on November 25, 2009 and continue throughout the month of December.

World AIDS Day is a globally recognized day, which takes place every year on December 1st to bring attention to the global AIDS epidemic. This year marks the 21st annual anniversary of World AIDS Day with the theme of "Universal Access and Human Rights."

NextAid's mission is to improve the lives of children and youth in Africa by promoting and implementing sustainable notions. Through music events and public education initiatives, NextAid provides empowering opportunities for concerned individuals to make a difference.

The funds raised from the campaign of events will go towards two of NextAid's current projects:

The Kawangware Street Children & Youth Project in Nairobi, Kenya
The goGogetters program and NextAid's "Send a Child to School" campaign in South Africa

From mega-events like Miami's annual Winter Music Conference to small clubs and through benefits and other music-related activities, NextAid channels the positive energy on the dance floor across the globe to children in Africa, thus providing an opportunity for us to use the Beats of a Generation to Provide Hope for the Next.

The official kick-off of NextAid World AIDS Day 2009 will take place at San Francisco's Supperclub. Headlining are D:FUSEe and Sen-Sei along with Rooz, DJ Bo, Fil Lattorre, Dmitri SFC and DJ Dom.

This World AIDS Day will start at 9:00pm and go until 2:00am on November 25th. Tickets are $10 before 10:00pm and also all night long with RSVP to worldaidsdaysf@nextaid.org

Click here for more more information on the venue or visit http://www.nextaid.org for more ways you can help.

"Every 14 seconds, an African child loses a parent to AIDS, and every day, more than

6,000 young Africans aged 15 - 24 acquire the HIV virus. After more than two decades of

AIDS devastating the continent where life began, only 10% of the 15 million AIDS

orphans are receiving any kind of public support. The enormity of the AIDS pandemic

demands a response from every corner of society. NextAid believes that focusing on

children is the most effective way to impact this crisis and uses the collective energy

generated on the dance floor to make a difference"

SFMusicTech Summit

2009-11-13T16:56:00.000-08:00

From musicians twittering their every move and thought to artists like Nine Inch Nails releasing their entire album for donation based download, the music industry has become irrefutably intertwined with technology. The SFMusicTech Summit is a full day seminar followed by a cocktail reception where the leaders in technology and music will address the changing world of the industry and how it affects the consumers, the producers and everyone in between.

Whether this is evolution is positive (fans can now interact more directly with the artists they love, and local artists are able to gain a following without the giant recording company middleman) or negative (do you miss the old days of perusing the record store?), one thing is indisputable – it’s happening, it’s happening fast, and the greatest power through all of these changes is knowledge. Come get informed! Speakers include:

* David Basskin - President, (CMMRA)
* Anthony Batt - Founder/Chief Creative Officer, Buzz Media
* Gabe Benveniste - Founder/CEO, SonicLiving
* Chris Buttner - Founder/President, PRThatRocks.com
* Tom Conrad - Chief Technical Officer, Pandora
* Ethan Diamond - Founder/CEO, Bandcamp
* Duncan Freeman - Founder/President, Band Metrics
* Matt Goldberg - Founder, Volume 11/Mngr, Seconds on End
* Lucas Gonze - Creator, Wax MP3
* Ian Hogarth - Co-Founder, Songkick
* Steve Jang - Entrepreneur / Technologist
* Rob Kaye - Founder and Lead Developer, MusicBrainz
* Zoe Keating - Cellist and Composer
* Zahavah Levine - Chief Counsel, YouTube
* Sandy Pearlman - Legendary Music Producer
* Paul Resnikoff - Founder and Publisher, Digital Music News
* Meliza Solan - Producer, VatorNews
* Gordon Taylor - Web Applications Programmer, SF Opera
* Tim Quirk - VP of Music Programming, Rhapsody
* Anthony Volodkin - Founder/CEO, The Hype Machine
* Brian Zisk - Executive Producer, SF MusicTech
...with more being added every day!

For additional information and to purchase tickets click here. Enter ABCEYDISCOUNT at checkout to receive an additional 15% off.

Where do you think the music industry is going? Do you think forums like twitter bring us closer to the artist or further from the music? Discuss in the comments section.

Beyond the Bedroom: Sex and A Healthier You!

2009-11-13T11:58:00.000-08:00

Attention Ladies! On Thursday, November 19th we'll be hosting an event at Bacar in conjunction with sexandahealthieryou.org. Are you ready for a night of girl talk?? This will be a great opportunity to answer some of those burning questions you might have that you just didn't feel comfortable talking to your health care provider or partner about. Don’t worry – it’s not clinical or scary, and you can just sit and listen if you don’t feel like talking!

Discussions in the past have covered everything from the differences between the male and female orgasm cycle, how social and cultural issues come into play when communicating about sex and health issues, why you should ask how certain medications affect contraception and desire, how to pick the best health care provider, and how to reignite intimacy in a long term relationship. Catering will be provided, so come hungry!

For a sneak peek on what we’ll be talking about, check out www.sexandahealthieryou.org

See below for more info and please let me know if you can make it so we can plan accordingly. And please free to invite other ladies!

Please RSVP to me at events@abcey.com or at 877.435.4036. Hurry, spots are filling up quickly!

Hope to see you all there,
Amanda

Thursday, November 19th, 7pm
448 Brannan St. San Francisco, CA 94107

Schedule:
7:00-7:30: Guests arrive, sign in, mingle and get something to eat
7:30: Brief introduction by Host and then hand over to Nurse Practitioner
7:30-9:00/9:30: Discussion

The SF Bead and Design Show

2009-11-10T14:51:00.000-08:00

LADIES: We're very excited to be working on the SF Bead and Design Show on November 20th-22nd at Hotel Whitcomb. Network with 150 artisans from around the world! Enjoy an assortment of glass beads, hand-woven clothing, ethnographic textiles, silk tapestries, Bohemian crystals, gemstones, designer jewelry, gold and silver, art, clothing, and interior decor.

SAN FRANCISCO BEAD AND DESIGN SHOW NOVEMBER 20-22, 2009

“…its creative spirit continues to move people in a very personal way…”

Garan-Beadagio, promoter of To Bead True Blue and Pasadena Bead and Design Show has launched a new and important exhibition, called San Francisco Bead and Design Show. It is November 20 - 22, 2009, at Hotel Whitcomb, 1231 Market Street, San Francisco.

The show will further expand Garan-Beadagio’s trademark theme of “bead and design”, showcasing fine handwork in a range of styles, ethnographic, abstract, impressionistic, figurative; single-media artisans to interdisciplinary artisans working across various materials, handwork techniques, and visual art forms.

Each exhibitor is chosen “by invitation only”, which makes for quality and balance. One hundred and fifty exhibitors from around the world, many with prominent international standing, will display and sell original design products, including contemporary, vintage, and antique beads, art clothing, designer jewelry, gold and silversmithing, metalwork, lapidary, textiles, ceramics, enamel, polymer clay, gemstones, antiquities, handwovens, millinery, embroideries, hand-painted silks, embellishments, and interior décor.

Garan-Beadagio CEO Anna K. Johnson believes the show’s theme, location and timing make a wonderful opportunity. “San Francisco is one of the great cities of the world and Hotel Whitcomb offers an authentic la belle époque experience. Attendees will enjoy an extravagant assortment of everything from handmade hats to thousand-year-old carved amber beads.”

She says this is an important not-to-miss engagement to meet the artisans and see how they have taken their art to higher levels by reviving lost techniques. It is also an opportunity to take a workshop, such as precious metal clay, jewelry design, chainemaille, bead making, wool felting, and silk ribbon work.

“We are seeing an increasing awareness that we are not separate from nature. There is a realization that ancient bead design was a sustainable art, inspired by natural materials, colors, and patterns –it was the original handwork and its creative spirit continues to move people in a very personal way.”

November 20 - 22, 2009, 12-8 Friday, 10-6 Saturday, and 10-5 Sunday. Open to public, $10 admission. Register online or at the door. Public transportation including Civic Center Bart Station at the hotel’s front entrance. $7 valet parking for attendees. For details go to sanfranciscobeadanddesignshow.com.

Social Media: A Fad?

2009-11-04T09:47:00.000-08:00

Is social media a fad? The trends do seem to fade just as fast as they come. Many argue that Twitter is just a fleeting craze like Myspace and other once popular social media sites (Remember Friendster?) Will it get left in the digital dust? According to generation y and z, email is becoming passe. Do you think we will still be utilizing YouTube in a year or two, or will some new video sharing site take over? Many are already making their mark.

While the technology is changing as fast as we can keep up with it, the changes in our communication skills are here to stay.

This video by Socialnomics shows social media is bigger than you think.

The facts in this video demonstrate that social media is too entrenched in our lives to be just a fad. It certainly is a fundamental shift in the way we communicate. So, just how has social media changed our communication skills? Or rather, should the question be how has social media killed our communication skills?

Yes, social media is replacing many of our personal interactions and thus "killing" our communication skills. However, for those new to the social media marketing world, it is less of a matter of loss of communication but a matter of learning a whole new language and etiquette. Creating different accounts, becoming a member of a different online communities and everything else that goes along with social media marketing had developed into a full time task. Online marketing is important for startups as well as those with already established companies in order to keep up with competition. So in this sense, we are actually growing our communication abilities.

The backlash of using social media, however, comes from the supposed loss of proper communication skills. The backlash movement is a popular topic for social media users. For example, there are countless posts and blogs stressing the importance of maintaining the integrity of face-to-face interaction in our online relationships. Those who do not comply with the anti-automated etiquette of social media are looked down upon for breaking the rules of conduct.

It is a balancing act between quick and constant communication with content and quality. Another example is the use of "ghostwriters" (those writing tweets for another) on Twitter. Ghostwriting has become an ethical debate due to the same loss of interface. Some businesses have even banned social networks in the office as they can take away from employees interacting in their real-world environments. And almost all of us would sooner send an email than make a phone call. What ever happened to the days of junior high when you talk to your crush on the phone for 6 hours straight...will that ever happen again?;)

But the question remains...is this a bad thing?

What it comes down to: Isn't it better that people engage online than not at all?

Epitomics Meeting 10.11.09

2009-11-03T14:49:00.001-08:00

Sorry for the delay on our most recent event, but we've been busy prepping for Holiday Season!

ABCey Events was recently hired for Event Management Services including Decor, Florals and Rentals for Epitomics, an emerging Biotech company that specializes in Antibody Technology. Chinese Dignitaries came to hear an hour long presentation by the CEO and Founder, Guo-Liang Yu. Biotechnologist and entrepreneur Dr. Guo-Liang Yu has more than 12 years of experience in Genomics and 24 years of experience in Life Sciences research. Before cofounding Epitomics, Dr. Yu was Senior Vice-President of Research and Development at Mendel Biotechnology Inc.

This was a quick and small event for us, but still a great company to work for and it went off without a hitch!

Thank you Epitomics! We hope it was a great success.

Do You Hate Sales and Cold Calling As Much As We Do?

2009-10-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from Entrepreneur by Barry Farber: Move from "I Hate" To "I Love to Sell." Five great tips for those of you out there who hate cold calling and sales as much as we do!

It would be great to wake up every day full of enthusiasm about moving your business forward through the sales process. But there are days when we get tired of sales calls to new prospects and feel as if what we used to love has morphed into a feeling of "I hate to sell." No need to worry; it's normal. And there's not a top sales producer I know that hasn't gotten into a rut once in a while. You just have to figure out how to get out of it.

Here are some ways to turn your "I hate selling" days around:

1. Show up. Activity that introduces you to new contacts not only can open up more opportunities for business but also give you that boost of energy that accompanies adding qualified prospects to your pipeline. How many times have you been on your way to a sales meeting or networking event thinking to yourself "this is a waste of my time," only to meet a person who brought you significant business several months later?

2. It's not about you. If you think selling has to do with how well you can talk, then you're missing out on a huge part of your business. After you show up, shut up--doing so might help you love selling. Every time you're with prospects or customers and they start asking questions about you, answer quickly and then turn it around with questions to get them talking about themselves. Since so many people love talking about themselves, you're in no danger of listening yourself out of a sale. Nobody's ever said, "I don't like her; she listens to me too much!"

3.Attitude is king. Maybe you've heard over and over that attitude is everything. Well, there's a reason for that. When you have a negative attitude people pick up on that, and it's contagious. Every day you wake up, your attitude that day has more to do with your sales success than any other factor. Let this knowledge influence your choices: Read positive materials and surround yourself with people who drive you and inspire you. A study of top executives determined the four attributes that contributed to their success were knowledge, experience, intelligence and attitude. When the executives were asked to rank them by importance, knowledge, experience, and intelligence together only comprised 7 percent, while attitude determined 93 percent of their success.

4.Plant seeds in the right soil. One of the biggest factors that contributes to your attitude about selling is rejection. The more rejection we experience, the more we feel like what we're selling is of little value or worth. Many times rejection has more to do with whom you're calling on to make a sale. When the person isn't qualified to make the decision or doesn't have a real need for your services, you have to learn to walk away and move on to more worthwhile accounts. Imagine planting seeds in the desert--it can be very frustrating. If you employ the advice from tip No. 2 above, "It's not about you," you'll know the person you're speaking to and can target questions to determine where your product could be of service.

5. Hard work. This is one of the best ways to beat the salesman blues. It makes up for our deficiencies. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.

Facebook Fan Page- Live Feed

2009-10-26T15:37:00.000-07:00

ABCey Events: Private and Corporate Event Planning, Production & Management on Facebook

Beats for Boobs This Friday at 111 Minna!

2009-10-19T17:29:00.000-07:00

Beats for Boobs (http://www.beatsforboobs.org), will host its 6th annual fundraiser on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23rd @ 111 Minna Gallery, 6 p.m. - 2 a.m. Beats for Boobs is an annual fundraising event that raises community awareness for breast cancer through a collective celebration of art, fashion, food and music.

This year will be the biggest yet!! B4B hopes to raise over $25,000. (Last year Beats for Boobs raised over $16,800 for the breast cancer cause). How are they doing this? With YOU, YOU, AND YOU!

What else are they up to this year?

- This year the event will be held on a Friday for the very first time.
- Beyond the four walls of their home away from home, 111 Minna, B4B's is hosting an array of entertainment and performances in the Minna alley which we will be taking over in full this year also for the first time!
- Loads of FOOD, EDUCATIONAL GAMES, FASHION, ART and BEATS to boot for the boobie!

Please take a minute to peruse and join (if you haven't already) the FB fan page. You can see photos from past years, videos, and loads of detail and updates as to this year's goals and event details. We also have a list of the organizations to whom funds will go from this 100% volunteer and charitable event!

Become a Fan: http://www.facebook.com/beatsforboobs

"GREEN IS THE NEW PINK" is the theme this year! Knowing that environmental toxins are one of the leading causes of disease, cancer, birth defects, asthma, and reproductive harm, Beats for Boobs will help educate people on how to reduce exposure in their own lives and live at a higher level of health & wellness. The best cure for breast cancer is prevention.

Why wait in line when you can pre-purchase VIP Tickets and VIP Packages on their website: http://www.beatsforboobs.org. Music, food, fashion and live performances will be provided by the following sponsors, contributors and volunteers who make this annual event possible:

Did You Hear? The Recession's Over and It's Almost Holiday Time!

2009-10-13T17:11:00.000-07:00

Did you hear? The recession's over!

While this statement said by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is highly criticized, there do seem to be whispers of our economy turning around. No matter what industry, we are all looking forward to emerging from these challenging times.

Polls are finding that the outlook on the economy is brightening, so LET'S CELEBRATE! Believe it or not, summer is over and the holidays are sneaking up on us. You may have missed our latest offer, so we are extending our discount of 5% off our management fee until October 31st.

ABCey Events provides an extensive range of event management services including all aspects of event planning and production, on-site management, and event marketing including Social Media and PR. For a detailed list, please visit http://www.abcey.com/services/services.php or download our Services PDF.

We leverage our relationships and extensive network of strategic partners and professionals to provide our clients with the highest quality service. Our local experience in San Francisco enables us to recommend venues that deliver the proper setting and ambiance for events of all sizes and budgets, for groups ranging from 50 to over 1000.

ABCey’s customer base includes clients in the following markets and industries: Technology, Financial Services, Insurance, Entertainment, Venture Capital, Health Care, Pharmaceutical, and Non-for-Profit Organizations and Associations.

ABCey Events was most recently hired to produce the Michael Moore Event here in the heart of San Francisco’s financial district, Justin Herman Plaza. He was in town promoting his latest venture and his assessment of American economic policy, Capitalism: A Love Story. Michael Moore spoke to over 1000 people and also gave out 300 Boxed Lunches to guests. The Specialty’s on Spear St. reportedly had their biggest one day sale ever!

We were hired for our event planning and management services including Audio and Equipment, Rentals, Catering, Social Media, and Street Team Promotions.

Click here to view the online photo gallery!

http://www.abcey.com/portfolio.php

Capitalism: A Love Story- In Theatres Now

www.capitalismalovestory.com

Corporate Clients:

* Epitomics

* Reply.com

* Michael Moore

* Adobe

* Admiral Insurance

* Charles Schwab

* Macy’s

* The Study Group

* Belkin

* NextAid

ABCey Events was most recently hired to produce the Michael Moore Event here in the heart of San Francisco’s financial district, Justin Herman Plaza. He was in town promoting Capitalism: A Love Story, his latest venture and assessment of American economic policy. Michael Moore spoke to over 1000 people and also gave out 300 Boxed Lunches to guests. The Specialty’s on Spear St. reportedly had their biggest one day sales ever!

We were hired for our event planning and management services including Audio and Equipment, Rentals, Catering, Social Media, and Street Team Promotions.

Capitalism: A Love Story- In Theatres Now
WW.CAPITALISMALOVESTORY.COM

BizTechDay 09' -The Hottest Entrepreneur Conference in the West

2009-10-08T17:02:00.000-07:00

Are you an Entrepreneur with a great idea, but not sure how to reach more customers, investors, or both? Or are you a Small Business Owner with a great product and service, but feel like your marketing just isn’t working and you are wasting a great deal of time and money?

If you answered "YES" to any of the questions above, please come join me at BizTechDay 2009.

When: October 22-23,2009 (Thursday & Friday)

Where: Hyatt Regency SFO, Burlingame

BizTechDay 2009 is a practical, hands-on and experiential Small Business Strategy, Social Media and networking conference where expert speakers and business leaders (from Google, Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Yelp, Virgin America, Elance, Constant Contact, Justin.TV, WordPress, CBS 5, and Comcast Business Class) share their insights and experience and help your business get up to speed in this economic downturn.

Tim Ferriss (the author of 4-Hour Workweek) and Kevin Rose (Founder of Digg.com) will be joining this year!

Through high-impact keynotes & panels, small group executive round table sessions, hands on demos and one-on-one meetings, you will learn about Raising Money, Selling and Social Media Marketing for your business:

MONEY TRACK
* How to Raise $100,000 to 3 Million. Meet Paypal Angel Investor and Founder of the Keiretsu Forum.
* How to Raise $5000 - $100,000 for Your Business.
* How to Access Investment Capital and Make the Federal Stimulus Program Work for You. Meet Experts from the Governor's office.
* Building Partnerships with Fortune 500 Companies

MARKETING/SELLING TRACK
* Building a Strong Business Brand. Meet Experts from Google, Yelp, Linkedin, Facebook & Twitter
* Securing Your Number One Spot on Google
* Selling to the Baby Boomer and GenY Communities
* Selling to Women & the LGBT Communities
* How to Make the Media Love You - Join Sue Kwon, Emmy Award Journalist with CBS 5
* 13 Things All Business Owners Must Know About a Compelling Business Website
* How to Use an Email Marketing Campaign to Build Your Database and Close Sales

SOCIAL MEDIA TRACK
* Twittering with the Star with Kevin Rose & Tim Ferriss
* How to Get Media, Celebrity or Blogger Attention for Your Business
* Strategies of Building Your Online Community from Zero to Millions
* Turning Visitors into Customers Using Viral Videos
* How to Market Your Business on Facebook
* How to Make Money on Twitter

Here's the list of speakers you will meet at BizTechDay 2009:
* Tim Ferriss - New York Times Best Selling Author of the Four Hour Workweek
* Kevin Rose - Founder of Digg.com
* Porter Gale - VP Marketing at Virgin America
* Michael Gerber - World's No 1 Small Business Guru per Inc Magazine and the New York Times Best Selling Author of the E-Myth
* Matt Mullenweg - Founder of WordPress
* Kevin Hartz - Paypal Angel Investor
* Fabio Rosati - CEO of Elance
* Joel Comm - Creator of iFart iPhone App - Over 1 Million downloads
* Gary Swart - CEO of oDesk
* Mark O'Leary - Regional VP for Business Services for Comcast
* Randy Williams, Founder of Keiretsu Forum. The World's largest angel investor network - over $180m invested in 200 companies
* Chris Larsen - Founder of Prosper.com
* Michelle Broderick - Director of Marketing at Yelp
* Alison Covarrubias - Founder & CEO of Hatch Network
* Julie Castro Abrams - CEO of Women's Initiative
* Justin Kan - Founder of Justin.TV
* Ramon Ray - Chief Editor of SmallBizTechnology.com

And 40+ more thought leaders and successful entrepreneurs.

Plus, you can sign up for one-on-one consultations on Raising Money, Social Media Marketing Strategy, Blogging, SEO, Paid Search Marketing, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and many other essential business topics.

COST
* Regular Conference Pass: $595

Click here to register. Use this Discount Code: "AmandaCeyVIP" for $200 off.

Favorite iPhone Applications for Business

2009-10-02T15:02:00.000-07:00

The iPhone application slogan: "there is an app for that" has rung true. Everything from MyStarbucks to BubbleWrap (Yes, you actually pop bubbles with your finger on your touchscreen) has made the iPhone capable of pretty much anything you can imagine.

However, while many of these applications are just for fun and humor, they can also turn your phone into a powerful tool for business. There are a multitude of lists out there to find the best apps for entrepreneurs and business owners. But with hundreds of new apps coming out every day, it is hard to stay up to date on the newest versions.

Here are our most recent top ten (in no particular order):

Blog Press ($2.99)

Our blogging app of choice. use this app to write blogs, upload pics, everything you can do on a computer on the go. So next time a wave of inspiration overcomes you, or you just to to share your latest news, you don't have to wait until you get home to do so.

Sugar Sync (Free)

SugarSync allows you to access all of the files on your home computer without having to store any of it on your iPhone! This app works in conjunction with SugarSync desktop software which you can download as well for either a mac or a PC.

Tweetie ($2.99)

Twitter is all about real-time updates...so don't let an opportunity to share pass you by. This is the highest rated twitter app.

Share Services ($4.99 LiteVersion Free)

Twitter, Skype Chat, Facebook, Google Talk, Yahoo, MSN and AOL and many more. This app does it all. Messages are free so save on MMS and SMS (50% off in anticipation of next release)

JotNot (2.99)

Converts your iPhone into a portable scanner. Quickly copy paper, letters, notes, receipts...whatever!

Biz Cards ($3.99)

Add new business cards by snapping a photo. Also, can scan your business card and extract text so you can easily text message or email information.

Bump (Free)

Swap other contact info by "bumping" two iPhones together. Information is automatically saved to your contacts and photos to your camera roll.

Business News ($0.99)

In this industry it is so important to stay up to date on the latest news. Catch up on your favorite news provider while you wait in line with this app.

Analytics App ($5.99)

Gives you anytime access to your google analytics data. Must have a google analytics account to use this app but its free to download. Stay informed on the activity on your site all the time.

TechCrunch also gives a good list of both business and personal apps too: The 35 best iPhone Apps of the Year (So Far)

Any other great suggestions? Add your favorite app in a comment below!

Apple App Store

The YR Wall for Your Next Event!

2009-10-01T15:35:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to see this recently, the YR Wall! What is it you ask? The YR Wall is an interactive drawing art tool where users create virtual digital graffiti on a large wall using a modified spray paint can. It is basically graffiti with a can that contains no paint, only a button and IR light source which is tracked using a computer vision system. No paint, therefore no drips and no damage! And no arrests;)

It's an attention-grabbing combination of physical and digital, and of performance and play which makes for a very enticing offering for event planners like myself and our novelty-seeking clients.

By pressing the faux spray can's button, users draw on the wall much like using their computer's draw function, but without the mouse and on a much larger scale. A pop-up interface provides an array of digital paint colors and also allows users to select themes like nature or urban; grabbing images from these themes to add to their piece. Artistic digital creations can then be saved, recalled and played back, as well as utilized in a number of other ways to create unique and personal mementos of their digital graffiti experience.

This way the user can work with digital paint to create their own digital graffiti art. No more swapping paint cans to change color or having to wear a face mask and gloves. This is entirely environmentally friendly and accessible by anyone without any prior computer or graffiti skills. Oh, the excitement of working in a virtual envirornment.

YrWall 2008 Showreel - Interactive Digital Graffiti Wall from Lumacoustics on Vimeo.

YrWall, which can be hired short- or long-term or installed bespoke, has already been quite a hit at events like the UK's Secret Garden Party. They have also recently worked with Daydream Network and Royal Albert Hall on an exciting new exhibition. Adding to the concept's appeal and branding opportunities, people can receive a free digital copy of their art to share with friends, or can have their design printed on t-shirts and stickers right after they've finished their piece. Virtual postcards can be sent as well.

YR Wall Website

Facebook Lite

2009-09-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

The competition between social networking sites never ceases to slow. As fast as these sites can change and develop features, other social medias are not far behind. Remember Bulletin Board System (BBS) or Friendster before Myspace and Facebook? And Facebook before Twitter?

While our different networking sites do have their aesthetic as well as functional differences, they do seem to be converging.

Facebook has developed an entire new interface to step up the competition...

This simpler, no-extras alternative is aimed at users around the world that are new to social networking as well as to those users with low bandwidth. It also may appeal to users tired of all the distractions and unused non-essentials on the regular interface.

Not to mention, Facebook also added Twitter-like features to its established version. Users can now “tag” friends or companies that they mention in status updates with the same "@" tag. Tagging on Twitter allows us to interconnect and expand our networks quickly and easily. It provides a real-time index of our contacts and Facebook was
smart to adopt the same capabilities.

The question remains, is it a partnership or a competition that drives the two together? Last fall Facebook made an unsuccessful attempt to acquire Twitter. Facebook spokeswoman Meredith Chin played down the appearance of competition saying the changes are simply in response to the "evolution of how people are communicating online". Still, others argue that the two social networks are threats to each other and they are in direct competition. Twitter founder, Biz Stone says: "Our services are complimentary to mobile networks, social networks, search engines, software platforms, television networks and maybe a few more we haven't thought of yet."

Check out this NY Times Article titled, "Facebook is Going for Some Twitter Sensibility."

In an effort to acquire those who prefer the simplicity or real-time aspect of Twitter, Facebook has got us thinking... will there ever be a "one-stop" social networking site?

Check out the new version and let me know what you think.

Viral Loop: The application

2009-09-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

This week Facebook has crossed the 3 million user threshold. Making Facebook surpass the U.S. population in number!

All those users...and all that time...what is it worth?

This is the question Fast Company magazine writer, Adam Penenberg addresses in his upcoming book: Viral Loop: From Facebook to Twitter, How Today's Smartest Businesses Grow Themselves. (Read an excerpt here)

Peneberg also created an application for Facebook to model this question. The app gives you your dollar worth according to your level activity, the activity level of your friends, your influence plus Facebook's current overall worth.

Get the application for your Facebook and see how much you're worth. Is our time and energy spent on Facebook really worth a monetary value? Is it significant enough to be considered in our finances?

The tried cliché of it's not what you know but who you know is true more than not. Our networks definitely do possess extraordinary worth. What would we have without them?

While this application may or may not be an accurate depiction of that value, it's definitely entertaining.

This leaderboard shows the most valuable players in the viral loop game:

How Much Is Too Much (Social Media)?

2009-09-25T10:22:00.000-07:00

Alright, I know what you're thinking? How many more times are you going to post your stupid events to Facebook and Twitter? Then blog about it? Then post to your Facebook and Twitter telling us that you've blogged about your event? Then Facebook and Twitter about what people said in your blog?? Wash, rinse, repeat! ;)

I am admittedly super annoyed when I get multiple requests to parties. I actually had to shut off my Facebook inbox from forwarding to my regular email because I can't control how much party spam I get. Is it diluting your brand if you over invite? What's really good if there's always someone sending you an invite to the best party? I wanted to write to clarify my social media strategy. Maybe it needs some
improvement, so I welcome the critiques.

When I have an event to promote, I post messages from my primary Amanda Cey account, and then I post to my ABCey Events Company Fan page, and then I may even invite you to my event. Some of you are on Facebook ALL day, so you may see some of my posts once or twice, or even three times.

Others aren't on Facebook all day or have a larger network of friends, so they may only see my posts once or even not at all. It's also true that the larger the networks you have, the less frequent you will receive messages. Basically, I want you to know what I'm doing...I have a business and I want to expand my online networks and visibility, especially when I am being compensated by corporations to do so.

It could be perceived as annoying to some who do witness my pre-event, during event, and post-event posts, but in my defense, I am harnessing the strength of social media. ABCey Events has been hired recently to promote private events and companies via social media, so it's been very exciting to do something that I would have naturally
already done. Although, maybe now I'm doing it just a little bit more!

I would also like to apologize for those who have received multiple requests to my group or fan page. We've got a good system down now and I assure you that if you've been invited once, and you decline...you won't be asked again to join.

Thank you to all that have contributed in the past and given feedback. I hope I can continue to provide interesting topics for conversation and debate. I learn from many of your posts as well and love how much I've learned this year from my online community...

Till' next time!

Michael Moore Speaks on Capitalism: A Love Story @Justin Herman Plaza, SF

2009-09-23T14:52:00.000-07:00

This past week was a crazy one. ABCey Events received a call on Sunday night from BestEvents LA asking us to screen Michael Moore's new film on Alcatraz?? It may not have been an issue, but the event was set for Thursday, September 17th! While we weren't able to work that kind of magic, we were able to put together an event at Justin Herman Plaza where he spoke to almost 1000 people about his film and his assessment of American economic policy in his latest offering, Capitalism: A Love Story.

We were hired for our event planning and management services including Audio and Equipment, Rentals, Catering, Social Media,and Street Team Promotions.

We also just learned that Specialty's on Spear St. had their biggest one day sale EVER! Thanks to Michael Moore and feeding San Francisco. While the purpose was supposed to be a "Bankers Lunch" there were over 300 people who lucked out on the boxed lunches.

The film was also screened throughout the eve at the Metreon Theatre, the Commonwealth Club and at the Clay Theatre on Fillmore. Mr. Moore also squeezed in quite a few interviews in between.

No stranger to controversy—on the contrary, he courts it with the passion of a man possessed— Michael Moore has never minced words in his rabblerousing tirades against on-screen targets including the NRA, America’s private health-care providers and the Bush administration. So it should come as no surprise that the Michigan-born documentarian, 55, is equally blunt in his latest offering.

With both humor and outrage, Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story explores a taboo question:

What is the price that America pays for its love of capitalism? Years ago, that love seemed so innocent. Today, however, the American dream is looking more like a nightmare as families pay the price with their jobs, their homes and their savings. Moore takes us into the homes of ordinary people whose lives have been turned upside down; and he goes looking for explanations in Washington, DC and elsewhere. What he finds are the all-too-familiar symptoms of a love affair gone astray: lies, abuse, betrayal… and 14,000 jobs being lost every day.

IN THEATRES EVERYWHERE
ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2!
WWW.CAPITALISMALOVESTORY.COM

Click here to see the full picture galley on the ABCey Events Website.

Event Profs Twitter Chat

2009-09-21T20:24:00.000-07:00

I recently moderated my first Twitter Chat for #Eventprofs. For those who don't know or have not participated yet, it is a thriving community of progressive event professionals, connecting via Twitter to share ideas, debate topics and collaborate for industry growth.

This group was started by Lara McCulloch who has served as President of ISES in Toronto and also is the Director of Marketing at Regal Tent Productions. She's got a really cool event blog too!

I had the opportunity to chat with a variety of Event Industry vets with varying perspectives on the topic for the eve. I went ahead and just summarized the chat so that it would be readable, so you all may see your comments kind of mixed throughout!

Creative Proposals: Should we as event planners submit full creative proposals to a new client before signing a contract? Is it possible to just give them a little while keeping the rest of the cards in your back pocket? They must be comprehensive but consensus says you don't need to give it all away.

The issue: We're asked to spend days or even possibly weeks on crafting these time consuming creative ideas for an event, all the while there are other contenders, sometimes many. This is fine and I encourage clients to do their due dillengence. However, if a client likes your ideas but has someone willing to do it cheaper, they can take your ideas and have the lower priced competitor execute. We have no regulations and we don't charge to write a proposal as done in other industries, so we're prone to be taken advantage of.

Proprietary Clauses and Charging: Can we put a proprietary clause in? And can we charge a fee and then have it go towards our management fee? Why can't we add an intellectual property clause in stating there's a fee if used without permission and actually bill a client for it. Lawyers cost & ideas travel fast, wouldn't it be hard to press charges?

If every company charges a design fee, how does the client justify paying multiple bidders including those who don't win? I personally think the client should refund the losers and have the winning bidder take it out of the management fee. I mentioned that recently I had to actually pay a $50 fee to submit an RFP...what kind of craziness is that??

The Event Planning Industry: Are we that unstructured that we can't make change? Do we have no rules and will we ever be a legit industry. Has it just grown without standards and will it take MASSIVE efforts to change?

The Idea or the Relationship?: We are in the relationship business. Ideas are huge, but will you win the bid if they don't like you? I'd have to say it's definetly a mix of both. You have to have good ideas and you have to do everything in your power to make them happy. Successful proposals are based on value. Events are commoditized. What do you offer that is unique and compelling? Isn't that the very problem...a succesful proposal will be unique and compelling; then they take your idea!!

Our group consisted of:

@Mizcity- Native NYC Psychologist -Event Planner, enjoys good times with good people.

@GreenA_V- Owner and Chief AVGirl of Pulse Staging, (green) AV Production for meetings & events. Happy Tweets come from Happy Tweeps :-)

@CiaraDaykin- Rockstar Wedding Planner and Event Planner. Wedding planning and planner of live speaking events for entrepreneurs. Coach to wedding planners.

@PinkDeb- CEO and Creative Director of Pink Inc. We design & build Tension Fabric Structures for events, exhibits, interiors, for agencies, architects, designers

@Ready2Spark- brand strategist turned event professional, industry advocate, founder of Eventprofs + social media lover . blog author . speaker . and sky diver

@Train2Meet- Meetings & Events Industry Trainer/Speaker/Facilitator, Consultant, International Planner, and all around lover of all things meetings/events related

@dwheeler11- Sci-fi/80s alt music geek, working for Sybase managing events and social media marketing.

@AprilBroussard- # Bio Consultant, Speaker, Social Media Addict, Writer, Lover of Sweet Tea and Ballroom Dancing, Christian

@AKthe5th- No bio on your Twitter page AK? http://www.5thelementevents.com/

@MichaelMcCurry- Creative thinker by nature,Event Mgr by trade,Harley Rider Musician/Songwriter & blogger -- Social Media advocate that loves gadgets,bears football & the Cubs!

@Laurie360- No bio on Twitter page? C'mon Laurie;)

@JimPelley- Funny Speaker【ツ】 / Humor Expert / Event Coach / Love Folsom Bike Trails / working to be more green / Culinary Cowboy

@JaredGoldberg- Community Manager for @5ElementEvents. My passions are music (trained vocalist), events and graphic design. I don't like perfume or brown socks.

@iandavmcg- # Bio Executive Director, Strategy - GPJ Experience Marketing, Event / Experiential / Entertainment / Digital Marketer, AMA VP, ENTJ, Sailor, Geek, Scorpio, Dad

Thanks everyone for participating!

You're invited to join the #Eventprofs chat on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 9:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. EST / 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. PST and Thursday 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. EST / 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. PST for our Event Professionals virtual tweetchat.
ce

Rainn Wilson ('Dwight' on The Office) Joins Reply.com at Fundraiser for Mona Foundation

2009-08-24T12:46:00.000-07:00

We are really excited to share news, info and pictures from our most recent event for Reply!com and the Mona Foundation. ABCey Events was hired to produce and manage this event that took place Saturday, August 15th at the home of Gouya and Payam Zamani, Founder and CEO of Reply!com. Emmy-nominated Rainn Wilson from the office spoke to the crowd and encouraged involvement and support for educational initiatives that raise the status of women and girls in the U.S. and abroad.

You can view some of the pictures here, or check out the portfolio on the ABCey Events website for the rest!

We had great entertainment including a very well known SF based DJ (Kramer), Henna tattoo's for the kids and also a silk jewelry making station for the girls provided by my new jewelry line, ABCey Designs.

Other entertainment included fire dancers who hula-hooped, spun poi and taught the kids a few moves. It was a big hit! The decor and lighting made the house look amazing, although it really didn't need much. Drinks were given specialty Reply!com names and guests were served some tasty hors d'ouevres made from only local and organic ingredients.

Here's the Press Release that just went out.

Emmy-nominated actor Rainn Wilson, who plays Dwight Schrute on NBC's hit show The Office, headlined a fundraising gathering of more than 120 attendees Saturday night, August 15, at the home of Gouya and Payam Zamani, Founder & CEO of Reply.com. The event garnered contributions for the Mona Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports social and economic development projects focused on the education of underprivileged children. Reply.com committed $80,000 - part of an overall donation of more than $100,000 raised at the event - to the Mona Foundation to aid the education of hundreds of children at two schools in towns ravaged by Hurricane Ike in Haiti over two years ago.

Rainn Wilson, himself an active advocate of the Mona Foundation, spoke to the crowd and encouraged them to support these projects. The foundation supports educational initiatives that raise the status of women and girls in the U.S. and abroad.

"We can all, as individuals and corporations, sacrifice a little more for the betterment of the world. A line item in our annual budgets that may represent an insignificant percentage of our profits can offer a chance for a better life to hundreds, if not thousands, of children," said Payam Zamani. "Let our hearts and deeds be directed toward the welfare of humanity."

The event and financial support extends Reply.com's commitment to donating a consistent portion of its earnings to the cause on an ongoing basis. As part of an effort to further the Mona Foundation's global initiatives, Payam and Gouya Zamani have already visited Ruaha Secondary School in Tanzania and will be visiting Zunuzi and New Horizon schools in Haiti this fall.

"We are thrilled that Reply.com has been able to mobilize support for the foundation and children in Haiti," said Mahnaz Javid, one of the founders and the President of Mona Foundation. "These contributions will go a long way towards providing the necessary support that will allow these two schools to grow and expand their roles in the communities they serve."

The Mona Foundation (www.monafoundation.org) is named after Mona Mahmoudnezhad, a 16-year-old Iranian girl who was hanged in 1983 for practicing the Baha'i faith (www.bahai.org). Before her execution, Mona was known for her work with orphans and commitment to the education of children. Today, the secular foundation she inspired supports over 40 educational initiatives around the world.

About Reply!, Inc.

Reply.com is the leading online marketing platform for the acquisition of locally-targeted and category-specific consumers on a cost-per-click or cost-per-lead basis. By eliminating the need for complex and expensive online marketing infrastructures and large teams of experts, Reply.com makes Internet marketing available to businesses of all sizes. Reply! provides a highly-profitable alternative to online marketing solutions offered by major search engines and ad networks. To learn more about Reply!, visit www.reply.com.

The Fine Art of Power-Pointing

2009-08-07T15:20:00.000-07:00

This post is adapted from a chapter in Guy Kawasaki's book "The Art of The Start." I recently read it and it has some really great tips and advice for young entrepeneurs. If any of you need to create a powerpoint for pitching your company to either investors or clients, here is the suggested formula buy our favorite "Guy."

First off, the 10/20/30 Rule:

10 = The Number of Slides
I won't go into detail about the specifications for each slide. {Buy Guy's book it's GREAT} But this is the appropriate length for the power point. Long enough to create substance but not too long to lose your audience's attention.

20 = The Length {in minutes} of Your Presentation
This gives you some of an idea about how long you will spend on each slide. Approximately 2 minutes per slide. Basically your not going to be sitting on one slide for too long, nor is your entire presentation going to last longer that 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, you are going to slowly lose the {undivided, focused} attention of your audience.

30 = The FONT size you should use
You may have realized that 30 pt. font isn't going to allow you to put much text on your slides, and you shouldn't. The powerpoint is there just to assist you in speaking, not to take the place of speaking. Your audience shouldn't be able to understand the presentation without you to fill in the gaps.

A few other tips from Guy

Use a dark background- this suggests seriousness and substance
Use bullet points - Not line after line of bullet points, but a slide title followed by bullet points {aka you shouldn't have to explain a bullet within a bullet}
Put your company header at the top of each page- repetition, 'nuff said

For more buy Guy's Book "The Art of the Start" It's a great read!

The art of start

View more documents from whatidiscover.

How to stay "LinkedIn"

2009-08-07T08:36:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel as though we get so caught up in the rapidly growing twitter that we forget about one of the best online networking sites: LinkedIn. It has proven sustainability and is an amazing way to grow your professional network. While not as zippy or hip as twitter, LinkedIn has all the basics you need. I recently read a blog post about what's going to be the next big thing for online networking and it made me think... what about using the ones that already exist to their fullest potential. In this blog post I will talk about ways I have used LinkedIn... as well as ways that other successful entrepreneurs suggest it be used.

ABCey's Favorite Things About LinkedIn

140 Characters +
First off, there is something to be said for a sentence or paragraph longer than 140 characters. Don't get me wrong, twitter is a great way to spread information fast, but two of my favorite things about LinkedIn are the discussion groups and recommendations. The discussion groups allow you to pose questions directly to others in your field and receive answers. You can read other discussion threads for inspiration or connect with those in your area. It leaves endless possibilities. Another thing I love about LinkedIn is the ability to write recommendations. There is nothing that speaks to your character and work ethic more than a recommendation from a past employer. It really allows people to get to know you more than a one line bio.

Search Field
The search field on LinkedIn has really helped me to connect with the exact people I want to connect with. For example, you can search not only by company but by job title, allowing you to quickly find the relevant person in the company to your needs. Unlike a twitter account, CEO's are on LinkedIn.

Guy Kawasaki's Favorite Things About LinkedIn
{This is a shortened version of his blog post, which you can find here}

LinkedIn Can Help You:
1. Increase Visibility
2. Improve Connectability
3. Improve your Google PageRank.
4. Enhance your search engine results.
5. Perform blind, “reverse,” and company reference checks.
6. Increase the relevancy of your job search.
7. Make your interview go smoother.
8. Gauge the health of a company.
9. Gauge the health of an industry.
10. Track startups.
11. Ask for advice.

Mashable's Favorite Things About LinkedIn
{This is a shortened version of an article- find the full version here}
Quick Lookup Look up who you are having that next business meeting with. You’ll be able to break the ice right away.

1. Q&A – Post questions to others in your industry.
2. Recommendations – Have clients or co-workers post recommendations, which future employers and clients can view to gauge your skill and level of trustworthiness.
3. Background checks – Look up potential new hires or freelancers. This should be right up there in an HR manager’s toolbelt.
4. See what your competition is up to
5. Introductions – Use people you already know to help make introductions. It’s a great way to get in the door with a company you need to contact.
6. Open Networking – Go out and become a LION! You are an open networker.

Reaching out- For the Future!

2009-07-23T16:30:00.000-07:00

We recently came across a blog article about all of the ways to support charity through social media. Being our social media loving selves, we promptly posted this link to twitter. But then, on second thought, we realized the purpose of this blog was not to talk about social media, but to explain how to harness the power of social media to promote charities.

One of the local charities that we are excited about is NextAid, a charity dedicated to helping children in Africa affected by AIDS. ABCey Events organized a fundraiser called "A Night for Nextaid" at Vessel here in San Francisco back in July of 2007. We also helped spread the word for another fundraiser called "Reflections" at Levende Lounge in March of 2008. They are a great organization and always happy to help support them!

Cafe Cocomo is hosting their 5th annual event to support NextAid on July 26th from 12:00 pm to 2:00 am. In addition to supporting a great charity, come listen to some great music by some of SF's hottest DJ's. The ticket price is $10 ahead, and goes up to $15 at the door. You'll also receive a raffle ticket upon entry before 3pm. Click here to learn more about NextAid.

Here is the facebook page for the event.

So hop to it! Tweet, Retweet, blog, update your facebook status about this charity or any other you are passionate about.a

Two people you must know about if you are an Entrepeneur

2009-07-18T23:56:00.000-07:00

I've recently been really inspired by two pretty well known superstars here in the SF Bay Area- Guy Kawasaki and Tony Robbins. I have to admit that I really wasn't super exposed to either of them until I recently started following them on Twitter. I had heard of them, but now I've gotten to know them -virtually at least;) And I still think I might be 10 years behind the bandwagon, but for those who are behind me, I hope this is an inspiration for you to get to know them too.

1.Guy Kawasaki:
If technology entrepreneurs have a guru, it surely must be Guy Kawasaki. For about two decades, Guy’s been advising entrepreneurs in one way or another. First as an evangelist for Apple, he courted software entrepreneurs and developers to write code for the Macintosh. Guy later tried his own hand at entrepreneurship, and eventually returned to Cupertino as an Apple Fellow. In the late 90’s, Guy jumped ship from Apple again to launch Garage Technology Ventures. Garage went through several incarnations before turning into the venture capital fund that it is today. Guy spreads his vision of entrepreneurship though books including The Art of the Start, speaking engagements, investing and blogging.

If you are an entrepeneur, this GUY should be a household name...

I am still fascinated by the recent hacking of his twitter page and how it was used in an attempt to distribute malware to his almost 140,000 followers.

All things guy-
http://www.tonyrobbins.com/
http://twitter.com/tonyrobbins
http://www.tonyrobbinsblog.com/

2. Tony Robbins
Anthony Robbins (Tony Robbins) is a best selling self help author, motivational speaker, and advisor to many world leaders, sports professionals and business people. He is an internationally recognized personality and has appeared on countless infomercials, television interviews, talk shows, radio programs, and has even appeared as himself in the romantic comedy "Shallow Hal" starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Jack Black.

I'm going to his 4 day seminar in a few weeks! Conquer Today's Challenges. Take Control Now.
July 30th- August 2nd, 2009 San Jose, CA
http://www.tonyrobbins.com/UpwEvents/Default.aspx?AID=10431277&PID=3199377

NBC has also picked up eight episodes of a new reality series starring our famed life strategist Tony Robbins. The as-yet untitled show (tentative title: "Breakthrough with Tony Robbins") will follow Robbins as he takes participants and helps them face personal challenges; the pilot, for example, focused on someone who was a lifelong stutterer -- and who, by the end of the episode, was speaking in front of a public audience.

All things Tony-
http://www.tonyrobbins.com/
http://twitter.com/tonyrobbins
http://www.tonyrobbinsblog.com/

How he inspired a Pimp:

Hidden Treasure: RF 80

2009-07-16T01:24:00.000-07:00

As if we didn't have enough reasons to love Robert Fountain (his printed velon, his award winning table settings), we were lucky enough to visit his new event space in San Francisco. Event studio by day, event venue by night, Robert has beautifully transformed the space to work for both.

We first became aware of the venue via Lara McCulloch's blog, and decided to go check out the space ourselves.

When we saw the space, RF 80 had just hosted a baby shower. It showed us that there is really a large range of events that this space can host. Its multi functional and flexible: it looks good during the day and at night.

Another great thing about this space is being an event designer himself, Robert knows the hurdles event designers face when trying to make a venue work for their event. He allows you to have full use of the ceilings and walls, he is flexible with vendors, and there's even a "green room" for event entertainment. RF 80 is also equipped with lighting and a DJ sound board. One thing that we would've liked to have seen would be a bar, as this has to be arranged for each event.

This is a great addition to the San Francisco Event world and will think of this space to use for many of our events!

Cool new feature on Facebook- live fan page feed!

2009-07-08T22:29:00.001-07:00

ABCey Events: Private and Corporate Event Planning, Production & Management on Facebook

Nothing like a little face-to-face

2009-07-05T14:54:00.000-07:00

Why now, more than ever, we need to remember the value of real life meetings.

I might be just a little biased being an event planner, but I'd like to stress the importance of meetings and events as they are a crucial business practice. We need to keep meeting! In a social media frenzied world, it's easy to lose yourself in online conferencing, chatting and communication.

The idea of reality has become so blurred that some may have forgotten the true benefits of meeting in person. Now don’t get us wrong, we are all for using social media to further your business, but when it comes down to it, there is no real substitute for face time. Corporate meetings enhance employee and partner performance, fuel company growth and profitability, support the needs of local communities and aid the American economy as a whole.

Check this video out...Ben Stein talks about the importance of business meetings.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Image via www.citehr.com

Keep America Meeting's petition gained more than 22,000 signature in support of the events industry that the USTA delivered to the Senate Commerce Committee in May. TBA Global's new whitepaper “The Value of Meetings” shows the perception issue facing the meetings industry and how companies can make their meetings more appropriate and effective during these times.

http://www.keepamericameeting.org

Here are some of the reasons why face-to-face meetings are still important:

Numbers Don't Lie
While its hard to exactly quantify the importance of face-to-face meetings, it is clear that many people still believe they are an integral part to successful business practice. In an article by Richard Arvey, a professor in organizational behavioral phycology, he discusses a research project conducted by Hilton Hotels. In their findings, they showed that 85% of people believe that face-to-face meetings are "more likely to result in breakthrough thinking" and 82% believe that "meetings bring out the best in people". (asiaone.com)

Conference Calls Just Don't Cut It
Think a conference call might be a substitute for meetings? Think again. Conference calls allow for people to become easily distracted and unfocused. Look at these further findings from Hilton Hotels to really understand the ineffectiveness of a conference call:
During a conference call:
81% Admit to checking their email,
75% Admit to having sideline conversations with colleagues, and
35% Admit to going to the restroom!
(asiaone.com)

Efficiency
There is no doubt that in person meetings are the most time efficient. You can give and receive feedback in the moment, and will probably arrive at the same page more quickly than back and forth emailing.

Our Social Media Strategy for your Next Event

2009-06-30T18:14:00.000-07:00

Planning an event? Social Media technologies such as blogs,micro-blogging,wikis, podcasts,video,RSS,forums,social networks,and online communities can help. ABCey Events will help you accomplish your program goals through a detailed social media strategy.

Here's how we'll do it:

• Build brand visibility and equity
• Gain insight into event attendees
• Promote products and services, speakers and sponsors
• Influence communities
• Increase Web site traffic for event
• Drive innovation

1. We will start talking/tweeting about your event in advance. Building anticipation, expectation, and sharing the news is vital.

2. Add event to FaceBook (Create fan and group Page), Twitter, and LinkedIn (create group) - Use all the community tools to share the event date and details, not just for logistical reasons but also social proof. Create social media event. Identify target market and invite them to join.

3. Blog, Tweet, leading up to event - Keep up the momentum and the information flow and help grow the anticipation of the event. We will have lots to talk about and can communicate directly with the speakers!

4. Add opt-in to event registration - A crucial step is to get people onto an event email list, so you do not lose contact with anyone. We can set link the facebook page to the registration.

5. Gather Questions - When we get the persons opt-in details, we will get them to provide questions they have, these become fodder for your presentations.

6. Go viral with send to friend and tweet-this - Use WordPress plugins, FaceBook features, Twitter, to get attendees to spread the word. Make it easy and people will bring along friends, growing your participation and also making more likely to attend and get value out of the event. People want to stay consistent with their own recommendations.

7. Decide twitter hash tag and flickr tag for your event - Attendees build further buzz through back channel discussions, so make sure these can be found by aggregating chatter around one hashtag.

8. Use multimedia during the event - Share pictures before, during and after using Flickr tags/groups, TwitPic, Facebook groups and YouTube channels, and encourage attendees to the same Multimedia social media

9. Provide recordings and downloads - Downloads also have chance to go viral if you encourage sharing

10. Build your list for the next event - Benefit from the “compounding” effect

11. Follow up - Don’t leave your audience hanging. Use groups, forums discussion after event to consolidate your new community.

12. Gather feedback for how to improve - You want each event to build on the last one, learn each time. Social media is excellent for gathering feedback.

13. Call for Questions/Topics - Use crowdsourcing to create the next event.

14. Deliver what people want – We will start planning next event around supplied answers and you will be confident you are delivering what is needed and desired.

15. Keep communicating - Build anticipation early, consistently and often using Facebook, Twitter and your email list

Stripped. Minimalism at its best.

2009-06-24T11:22:00.000-07:00

Life is complicated; why should our surroundings be equally cluttered? These days it’s about simplifying your life. We’ve lost the paper when it comes to bills, lost the frills when it comes to design, and lost the yearn for extravagance. We don’t see minimalism as bare, we see it as simple.

Here are some of our favorite new products brought to us by Yanko Design to minimalize your life-- as well as our own tips to be on the fast track to minimalism.

Eat, Cook and Clean Up, All At The Same Table

http://www.yankodesign.com/

Visual Treats

http://www.yankodesign.com/

Wasteful Minimalism

http://www.yankodesign.com/

Designing Your Home
Halfway between your love for French country and your taste for Tuscan elegance you found yourself in well… ugly. For whatever project you’re working on, know your vision early, and stick to it.

Cooking Your Meal
This is a great chance to go green and minimalize at the same time. Pick an ingredient that is seasonal and local, and go with it! Let the flavor stand out. Sometimes less is more when it comes to food.

In Your Closet
Its time to let go. Some pieces will never leave, like your wedding gown. But your acid wash jeans? So long! Generally what I’ve heard is, if you haven’t worn it in a year, its time to give it away. And when it comes to getting dressed? Same rules apply. Keep it simple.

That said, we like a little bling too :)

Social Media- Your New Best Friend and Favorite Word

2009-06-21T18:46:00.000-07:00

What is social media?

Social media is content created by people using highly accessible and scalable publishing technologies. At its most basic sense, social media is a shift in how people discover, read and share news, information and content. It's a fusion of sociology and technology, transforming monologues (one to many) into dialogues (many to many) and is the democratization of information, transforming people from content readers into publishers. Social media has become extremely popular because it allows people to connect in the online world to form relationships for personal, political and business use. Businesses also refer to social media as user-generated content (UGC). –Wikipedia

If you are a living and breathing human being, it is highly likely that you are very familiar with the term social media and are also probably sick of it. I remember when the Ad Tech Conference was here in San Francicsco over a month ago…I couldn’t escape the term for the life of me. The social media environment changes so quickly and the pace of change is so fast that it's becoming increasingly difficult for professionals to keep up, let alone small business owners like myself who have other things to do and worry about.

It was incredible to see what happened this past week after the disputed Iranian presidential election results. Authorities shut down text messaging, blocked Facebook and YouTube and cut off the BBC Persian-language service, but they forgot about Twitter. The simple microblogging service enabled Iranians to tell the world what was happening on the streets of Tehran in real time, and also served as a vital means of communication among themselves.

I’ve been told to focus on the Big 3: Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In. Personally, this is all I can manage for the time being and think these are the most valuable social networks out there. I used to be an avid myspacer when I was younger, and do have a personal facebook page, but it has now all turned to business. It’s becoming more and more apparent each day that if you don’t keep up with this “social media era” per say, you will be left behind. The 90’s were about the World Wide Web of information and the power of linking web pages. “Today it’s about the World Wide Web of people and the power of the social graph. Online networks are fundamentally changing the way we live, work, and interact.” - Clara Shih, The Facebook Era.

For businesses, the opportunites are invaluable. Some of you may not like this, but it’s about turning strangers into friends and friends into customers.-@Bradleywill How often do you buy something from someone that you don’t know, like, or trust? Truth is, often sales are made after a relationship is established. Social media has already helped me source new business opportunities, target marketing messages, and transform communication with my prospects.

I’m still learning and have a feeling this is going to be a very long course that may never end. I’m learning all the rules on facebook and twitter etiquette (aka twitequette), reading books, blog’s, and PDF’s on the subject matter. I’m learning how to build my networks, community, and brand. I’m trying to create valuable content within my industry to engage others that are in my industry, and get my message across. I’m hoping that if I build up my networks enough on all these sites, the word of mouth referral process will take effect and I will never have to make awful sales calls again;)

With that said, hop on the bandwagon if you’re not already…

Become a fan of ABCey Events on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter, and Join my network on Linked In

“Social media means consumers have been given a larger seat at the table. And they’re never going back.” -@bobinmotion

Greening your Next Event

2009-06-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

ABCey Events can help you take a few easy steps to make your event greener. Planning Green meetings has become a major initiative for many professional meeting planners and corporate travel departments.

Choose a Local Venue:
When selecting that perfect setting, why not keep global warming in mind? We will work with you to select a convenient location also help to arrange for carpools or transportation options to the event as well. Encourage your guests to carpool and pair up people who live close to one another. For those who come by public transportation, bike, and foot give low-waste door prizes like a coupon for a cup of fair-trade, organic coffee from the locally-owned coffee shop, or a bag of freshly baked cookies made from organic flour and “Bird-Friendly” chocolate.

E-vite Your Guests:
Emailing invitations save paper and money, especially if you have an extended guest list. We can also use social media to create a group for your event and create buzz around it. There are many websites that provide free email invitation services, however if a printed copy is an absolute must, we can use postconsumer recycled paper or flower seed paper, which can actually be planted in your garden.

Local Food:
Depending on the type of food you are looking to serve, we will choose a restaurant or caterer from our list that uses food and ingredients from local farmers. We can also work with a local food bank to pick up or deliver any leftovers.

Grow some of your own food:
If you’ve never tried planting a vegetable garden before, now is the time to begin. Start with easy to grow vegetables such as: radish, squash, beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, peas, and herbs. Try growing your own “signature salad” for the event. Reduce the amount of meat you serve or consider a vegetarian menu:In relation to our diet, animal products are one of the largest contributors to global warming. Plan your menu so that there is less emphasis on large meat portions and replace with either tasty plant-based options, or with grass-fed, pasture-raised products instead.

Offer rainforest certified coffee and chocolate:
Organic, fair-trade and shade-grown products can still be problematic to our diminishing rain forests. Look for one of two seals: “Smithsonian Institute Bird-Friendly,” or “Rainforest-Friendly.” To accompany your coffee, don’t forget to serve organic cream, organic GMO-free soymilk and fair-trade, organic sugar.

Serve green drinks:
Organic spirits and “green” wines (sustainably grown) are becoming more popular and there are some excellent choices. Unfortunately, the “USDA Organic” label isn’t always enough to really know what is the best quality. Look for products from smaller companies that can be contacted for information on growing and production practices.

Use Reusable, Recyclable, or Biodegradable Tableware:
We can use cloth napkins and real tableware to reduce the amount of waste that will need to be disposed of. Alternatively, we can also provide post consumer recycled content paper napkins and biodegradable plates, cups and utensils, which will degrade faster than other types of single use tableware.

Buy in bulk and purchase and serve things with less packaging:
Don’t serve appetizers or drinks with throwaway plastic spoons, stirrers or bowls. Use biocompostable products like peppermint sticks or wooden popsicle stirrers for drinks. For food, try hollowed out cucumbers for individual appetizer bowls, a wide carrot slice when you need a spoon for something savory, and ice cream cone bowls with a thin biscotti spoon for dessert.

Clean up with green cleaning products:
Natural cleaning products are gaining in popularity and work well in the kitchen. Wash your tablecloths, napkins and towels, and clean counters, dishes and tabletops with biodegradable, earth-friendly detergent. Use only as much as needed. If you must use paper towels for cooking or cleaning, get unbleached, brown paper towels. And for whatever waste you have (hopefully, it's not too much), use biodegradable trash bags; either brown paper bags or biocompostable ones. Find all these products at natural foods stores, online, and even at some of the larger chain grocery stores.

Offset your Carbon Emissions:
Got leftover carbon waste? We all do. It comes from the energy used to do things like drive to the store to pick up party supplies, grow the food for the meal, and manufacture our chips and salsa. After reducing and recycling as much as possible, consider offsetting (mitigating) what’s left. Carbon offsets are payments you can make to a third party to remove or offset your own carbon emissions from the atmosphere. They can help to create new industries that work towards improving the Global Warming Diet and global warming in general, for example in areas such as renewable energy.