Contributed by Zoe Boath, Meeting Planner Assistant

In my time as the face behind Encore’s social media presence, I have come across many interesting articles, videos, and quotes that have been inspirational as a meeting planner. One video that captured my attention was a five-minute clip of a small herd of sheep. I was intrigued by the fact that instead of the sheep being herded by a sheepdog, they were being corralled in the pasture by something much smaller: a rabbit. According to the caption on the video, the rabbit had learned the craft by watching the sheepdog, and decided to try it out for herself. Watching the video, it was apparent that the rabbit really know what she was doing, and had the respect of the sheep to do what this creature a fraction of their size wanted them to do. And let’s be honest, unlike the sheepdog who would be able to nip at a sheep who tried to defy it, the rabbit had no such abilities yet was still a success at what it did.

As I watched this video, I became inspired. I can easily see the connections between each of the characters in the clip to any business or workforce. The sheep depict the every-day worker, as they are the largest group, who do the work that needs to get done in order for the business to grow. The rabbit is the boss, who has the ability to instruct and guide the sheep, or workers. Without the rabbit, the sheep would not know what to do on their own, and would not have the guidance they need to be successful. The sheepdog in the corner of the screen represents the partners of a company. They supervise the bosses, but have at one time been in the same position of the boss, or rabbit, so they know what it takes to lead and instruct those who need help. The farmer represents the executives in the company. They oversee the whole business and make the decisions that will lead the company in the best direction for growth. All four groups work together to create one company that has the same goal, mindset, and ability to grow.

I found this video really spoke to how a company needs to be formed and the people utilized. However, as someone who has spent the past six years of her life in different jobs that spanned from working in a bakery, to a clothing store, to a big corporate business, to a small incentive event company, I have seen it all.  Unfortunately, not all of these companies had the structure and ability to lead that I could see in the video. I see now how some of the executives and partners would profit from a leadership meeting, where they would have the chance to learn tips and tools to successfully lead the workers so that everyone works to their best abilities. Additionally, allowing the workers to see that they are appreciated for their time and effort through an incentive trip or companywide event would make for happier employees and therefore a better working company.

The rabbit had the respect of the sheep, which allowed her to instruct them without needing the teeth that a sheepdog could use. She also had the trust of the sheepdog and farmer, which allowed her to act on her own while having in mind the same goal as her bosses. This relationship is instrumental to the growth of a company, but needs to be nurtured through constant conversation, appraisals, and incentives to all members of the company.

If you’ve had a chance to watch my bio video, you already know the most rewarding part of what I do as a planner is sourcing world-class incentive trips that attendees remember for their lifetime.  I truly mean that. It makes me realize that everything I put into this job I love so much is worthwhile. So, what do I keep in mind when conceptualizing a trip? Here is a brief snapshot:

• Is the location safe? The safety of my attendees is always my first priority. I’ve had to pass up some unique location ideas because of turmoil in the area. I’ll look at them again when things settle down.
• Keep in mind your audience. Do they like activities? Golf? Shopping? Or as they do in many cases, do they want it all?
• When is the trip? Weather can make all the difference in whether attendees have a great experience.
• Does the location have high quality and likeable cuisine? Will it support your program with enough dining and offsite venue options?
• How will the attendees get there? It is important to keep in mind the travel to trip ratio. It isn’t fair to fly guests too far for too short a trip. Also, is there enough lift to get the attendees to the destination efficiently? If not, how cost effective would it be to add lift?
• And one of my favorites, how can I take the essence and culture of the destination and weave it into the trip to create an amazing experience?

If you can select a location that accomplishes all this and develop an itinerary that strikes a chord with your client, you just might have done it!

Takin’ it to the streets‽…

I’m here in San Jose to meet with some companies about future business.  So far, I’ve had two cancellations…and am wanting to make the MOST out of my time  here.  SO… yesterday at dinner I suggested to my colleague that I we should just go buy a bunch of YELLOW poster-board and ask for a meeting with a Vice President from the side of the road.  And… that is what I’m going to do.

#ProjectYellow will commence at 8am today over breakfast.  Strategy and Message will be discussed… Eggs and oatmeal will be eaten, and by golly I WILL get those meetings back!

Follow me on Twitter @IncentiveGal1 for updates throughout the day… pictures, video…and the “things people say” … Use the buttons below to Twitter this and post it to Facebook…Teamwork!

PS…I love ellipses

Think of the last time you experienced an event that created an unforgettable sense of awe. All of the components of the event so well orchestrated that there is an undeniable and somewhat inexplicable presence felt by all attendees.

Katie Burney : Director of Sales

Katie has worked for Encore for eight years. In the last three years in her role as senior project manager, she has been responsible for managing the planning, execution and reconciliation of large scale distributor incentives, high profile c-level meetings, and strategic customer relationship building retreats.

The ‘doer’, dog lover, body building enthusiast, in search of the perfect lip gloss. “Go big or go home, baby!”

Katie’s attention to detail and creativity have enabled her to develop and execute memorable events. Katie has been in the meetings and events industry for 8 years and is enjoying her recent position as Director of Sales and marketing. She received her degree in Broadcast Journalism from Colorado State University.

Dawn Forkner : Senior Event Planner

Dawn has been an integral part of team Encore since 2008.  She is thoughtful in her communication, detailed in her follow up and a tough contract negotiator. Dawn has traveled all over the world planning incentives, c-level meetings and is an effective part of the team planning large conventions.

Avid yogi, favorite food is gnocchi, prefer to write in different colored pen every day. “The devil is in the details.”

Her favorite part of her job is making all the little pieces come together, and feels that being prepared on the front end translates into flawlessly executed programs. The two most important things Dawn would never travel to a program without are her cell phone and comfy shoes.  She received her degree in Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) with an emphasis in Marketing from the University of Colorado, Denver.