Final

As the semester comes to an end, so does this blog.

I want to take this time to thank our teacher Angela for providing such incredible guidance and experiences through the Volunteer, Marketing and Administration courses this semester. Although I know that teaching our class must be frustrating at times due to the lack of attention, I know that I and many others have learned a lot and appreciate the patience and dedication that Angela put into our education. Thank you for your time and passion!

As I think of my future as an event planner, I can't imagine it without an event blog! Who knew that Angela would be right in knowing that blogging would become something that we enjoy. I believe that maintaining an event blog will not only act as a marketing, but also keep me more in tuned with what's hot for events. It will encourage me to keep learning and to provide my readers with only the best, which in turn will benefit me and make me a better event planner! And for this too, I thank you Angela!

enjoy life & be happy!

Event Admin.

Earlier this semester, the year 2 class of Rec & Leisure planned and implemented a flash mob as a kick-off event for the Waterloo Region Food Bank Fall Food Drive. Overall the event was a success. However, it was only a couple weeks ago that the final video was completed. By the time the class saw the video, I had almost forgot that one was being made!

As the project coordinator, I should have followed up with the classmates responsible for contacting the broadcast students. A week after the event should have been when the first follow-up was done. However, once the event was over and we had talked about it as a class, everyone including myself felt it was over. Yet because the flash mob was over, it doesn't mean that the work for it was.

Through the events that we have done previously as a class, we have not had to worry about any follow-ups other than reflection. Because we had not previously dealt with videography, it was something that we didn't fully comprehend or understand. The importance of having the video sooner for marketing purposes would have benefitted the Waterloo Region Food Bank in their efforts to raise money and food for the Fall Food Drive.

When planning events, the administration aspect starts from the beginning of planning stages, to following up afterwards until everything is complete. Perhaps to better address the final follow up administration processes for the flash mob, contact information and responsibilities should have been passed on to the project coordinator. This would be beneficial because the follow up would be direct rather than having a middle man.

Administration processes can be hard to understand until actually experiencing it, and learning from mistakes and trying new things. The flash mob proved to be a learning experience in event, marketing, and administration aspects!

enjoy life and be happy

Poor Computing Systems (Admin)

Currently, I am completing my first placement at a municipal setting. I wouldn't say that my expectations for the placement were high, but they also weren't met. There are a few things within my placement that correlate with the computer systems which inhibit my ability, and I'm sure others' abilities, to work effectively and efficiently.

First of which is the computer in general that I am working on. It is very slow! The time that it takes to load pages, open documents, and function, wastes a lot of time. This causes projects to take longer than necessary, and results in less work getting done.

Secondly is the internet settings. When researching or searching for ideas, it is very difficult as the majority of internet websites are blocked. Blocking social media such as facebook is sensible as many people waste time on these sites, but many sites that are not social media are blocked as well. This makes research very difficult. As well, when doing projects such as creating summer camp themes and crafts, it is very hard to use the internet while at placement as a resource. In turn, a lot of internet research from home is necessary to complete placement tasks.

Third, and last for this blog, is the Microsoft Office. My placement uses Microsoft Office 2003. Currently, Microsoft has more recent 2007 and 2010 editions. From being a student at Conestoga College which provides industry standard training, it is difficult to compute on an edition of Microsoft that is out of date. Many features are harder to find because of the layout, and many things are much more difficult to do. Combined with the first issue, slow computers, creating quality work takes much more time.

All of these issues combined create a very frustrating work environment. It is difficult to do projects in timely manners that are of high quality. These frustrations also make the actual projects more tedious and less desirable to do. In turn, placement is not very fun.

Simply having better computer systems would create a better work environment for everyone, and allow more work to be done!

enjoy life & be happy

'Tis the Season for Giving

It's that time of year again and holiday shopping is on the mind. Some people have already finished their shopping, or at least begun. I on the other hand just started thinking about what on earth I can get for everyone on my list.

First, I will begin at my church's Christmas Bazaar; hopefully I win a lot of gifts! And then I will continue on to Winners, Homesense, and Marshalls; they're all run by the same company. And a great way that they're able to entice people to shop there for Christmas is by giving employees 20% off coupons for family and friends. Luckily, I have a friend who works at Winners who gave me the coupon. I will most definitely be checking it out. For one, it may be a one stop shop as they have so many departments for everyone, and second, I just love shopping and finding cool new things there!

However, when I listen to the radio, I always hear the commercial for the Shopping Channel. One stop shop from home. Sounds great, and so easy! But I question how reliable the products are since I wouldn't be able to see and feel things in person. But golly gosh their commercial entices me to check it out!

I do know for sure that I will give my parents the gift of giving; sending animals, seeds, school supplies etc. to countries in the world that need them. My parents will get a card to let them know what they have sent over. What I love is that these are not just materialistic items being sent over, they provide the opportunity to to make money, be independent, and make a living. That's a real gift!

And just today I was told that with the World Wildlife Fund, a gift option that they have created is symbolically adopting an animal. By doing this, the proceeds support the WWF conservation efforts, and in return, the person recieving the gift gets a plush animal, adoption certificate, and details of the gift's support. I think this will be an easy gift that I can feel really good about giving to my niece and nephews; not to mention that it will help teach them to gift to others!

The favourite gifts I give are the ones that help others who need it most. For my family, we are quite privileged, so these are the best gifts for us.

Happy shopping!

live life and be happy

Micky D's

McDonald's restaurants over the years have gone through many renovations; currently they have a high-class restaurant feel. However, I remember when I was a little girl, and the McDonald's in my hometown was the best! I say the best because it was unique, different than others. People would actually drive out of their town to come to "my" McDonalds.

Do you remember when McDonald's had pizza Happy Meals? Yes, individual pizzas! And they had McDonalds cookies (similar to arrowroot but in McDonald shapes) that came with your Happy Meal.

So those were highlights of McDonalds, but the best part, the Play Place. Yah, there are still Play Places at McDonalds, but not like mine used to be. There was a Party Caboose where we would have birthday parties (with Happy Meal of choice; pizza). That was located on one side of the Play Place. And when we finished eating, we would go play. The house was built in the wall. Kids would pee in there all the time. But that was the best! I remember a small location you could climb up to in the wall and fit 4-5 kids! And then you would come out at the top of the wall, and you could slide down. And there was a Ball Pit! What a time to be a kid!

Now all McDonalds look and feel the same. I suppose there are legal reasons as to why the Play Places have changed, but the fun and child-centered environment has come to be unimportant. They now seem to focus on McCafe. I suppose a technique to attract the Tim Horton's goers.

But when does change become too much?

What ever happened to



emjoy life and be happy

Scams

I recently attended the Wedding Dreams Show hosted by Grand River Shows. I was so excited to go for a couple reasons; to see how the whole event came together, and to learn more about weddings! Now I'm not engaged, but I think that wedding planning is a career opportunity for me, so I went. Despite all of the awkward "when is the date" questions, the show overall was great!

One exciting booth that I looked at was the Dinner 4 Two booth. I entered to win a trip that they were giving away, and also recieved a small reusable bag with a matching pot holder. Everything was so cute and well put together, and seemed to be well marketed due to their logo and design.

A friend who had also gone to the show had asked me a few days later if I had recieved a call from Dinner 4 Two. I hadn't at the time, and she told me about the phone call, and then about her internet research and reviews that all concluded to their whole presentation being a scam.

When I got the call, it was very exciting. They told me that my boyfriend and I would be given free items including matching aprons and the choice of a few trips and wedding bands; all for FREE! All we had to do was attend a short culinary demonstration. There was no obligation to buy, and we would still get the free gifts.

Because I was already told this was a scam from a trustworthy friend, I didn't let the excitement get the best of me. I asked if they would be able to email me the details so that I could have it in writing. However, emailing was not an option for them. They said I could check their website but that all of the information wouldn't be on there so I had to write it down myself. Really the whole thing felt like a scam, but I understand how they would easily take advantage of vulnerable young couples.

In the reviews I read, their presentation techniques included scare tactics; telling the couples that all other cookware was dangerous to their health, but theirs was not. Also, they didn't mention the extra costs that people would be charged. And all of their "free" gifts and trips, had high sky additional fees, which really just paid for the trips; not so free anymore.

Moral of the story, always be on your guard. People will try to sell you products and services and entice you with gifts that have hidden costs. The whole thing sounds so exciting, and they seem like professionals, so it is easy to fall into their traps. However, reviews have shown that the cookware that people spent lots of money on were not special, and wore down just as, if not faster than any other cookware.

Beware of what you hear; do your own reserach; and consult others advice before committing to such expenses!

enjoy life and be happy!

MicroVolunteering

With such busy lives these days, its hard to find time to go out and volunteer, but somehow there is enough time to sit in front of the computer and use social media.

Koodo, yes the phone company, has this new way of volunteering; microvolunteering!

It's pretty cool. You just go to the KoodoNation website to get started! It works in two ways, either you post a volunteer opportunity, or you choose to volunteer.

The purpose is to create a larger community that provides ways for younger or computer savy individuals to get involved from home. You join a team, sign up, and look for a volunteer opportunity that you want to do. They are all tasks that use the computer and that don't need a big time commitment. The goals and outcomes of that tasks are identified so that you know exactly what you need to do!

The goal of microvolunteering is to get people to spend as much time volunteering as they do on facebook.

I think that this is going to be the next big thing and change the world!

enjoy life and be happy

Homework

Everyday my brother comes home after school. He will often play with the dog, skateboard on the driveway, and watch T.V. or hang out with his friends. However, once the night goes on, usually after dinner, he will get out his homework. Sometimes it is math, or science, or even french. Now oddly enough, everytime he gets his binder and opens it to his homework sheets, he always asks "how do I do this?" or "what does this mean?". My first instinct is well don't your teachers teach you anything?! But then I remind myself that yes, they probably do teach the class what they need to know.

So perhaps the issue is really a lack of paying attention in class; too much talking, doodling, day dreaming, starring at the girl of the week, etc. But that may not be it. Perhaps he's a genius and know that when he comes home, he or my brothers or my father or sometimes my mother will actually help him with his homework. By help him I mean that he scams us into doing his homework for him. We try to teach him new techniques or new ways of thinking, and the result is that we've done all the work!

But perhaps it's neither of the above. Is media getting in the way? Is it too distracting? He's doing his french homework, or he was when I began writing this post. The homework is to identify the root word; easy right? Well he has done one word, said "I don't get it" and then continued to play on his iPod. After a few minutes, he announced "I really need to concentrate!" Hooray I thought! By George he's figured out his own problem! And here I am, sitting at the dining room table typing this blog next to my brother with his homework out in front of him, and he is simply reading what I am writing and eating a pencil (gross).

And although he is following along with what I am writing.. he hasn't gotten the hint...

GET TO WORK YOU LAZY A**!!

(and now he has called me a name and asked for my help..)

enjoy life and be happy

Social Media

Technology is advancing at an incredible rate, and with technology comes social media. There are so many different types of social media that to know and frequently use them would have to be your full-time job! The social media that I use include my student email, personal email, Facebook, Pinterest, this blog, and an e-Portfolio. And these alone are difficult for me to keep up with! But I barely use any social media compared to others. Some also use Twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace, Flickr, and YouTube to list a few.

However, for the younger generations, social media is a main means of communication and has become a popular pastime for them. This means that going into the field of Recreation and Leisure, or any career, knowing how to use and utilize the most current social media tools is vital! Not only that, but you have to use them well. And to do so, you have to be willing to learn and accept change because what's popular today can easily be different tomorrow.

enjoy life and be happy

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I could have posted this blog a full month ago,

but here I am on October 19th, about to talk about Christmas!

Not Halloween which is less than 2 weeks away, but yes, Christmas.

It's everywhere!

The dollarstores already have an aisle of ornaments and decorations up, Smart Set has begun to receive their holiday collection, and crafters keep pinning winter craft ideas on Pinterest! A friend asked me earlier this week what I was planning to get everyone for Christmas. How am I supposed to know that when I can't even get my head wrapped around Halloween yet? And my youngest brother sits next to me starring at my laptop, just awaiting the day that I get a new one so that he can have mine. This day he is waiting for is none other than Christmas!

Marketing is most often used to promote places and events to attract people to them, or to sell products. Is Christmas going to be forgotten without all of the advanced warning of decorations in the stores? And does commercializing the day take away from it's meaning?

I understand that people like to decorate their houses for the season, of which some are much more extravagant than others. And many people will spend a lot of money on gifts for their friends and family. Christmas is the time of year that people spend the most money. I'm not surprised. There are decorations, big meals, gifts, outfits, parties, photo ops and so on. In the excitement of Christmas and planning and shopping, marketing that can easily go unnoticed are those for charities.

"Tis the season for giving"

Charities do not have a lot of money to put towards marketing, and competing with Christmas commercializing means that what they do have is not enough.

Taking the time to remember what the season is all about, reminding others about the opportunities to give to those in need, and providing the assistance that you can will make a difference. Do your best not to get caught up in the sparkle and glitter of the season, and remember the reason for it!



enjoy life and be happy

Blogs

I never really understood blogging until I started doing it myself

(and I'm still learning and perfecting it).

And I never knew that blogs were like a marketing tool!

A good blog, as my teacher says, includes pictures, hyperlinks, labels, and has a topic.  And most often, when blogging about a certain topic, the blogger will use or refer to other resources. If you're reading that blog, you may be apt to follow the links to other sites; Voila! Free marketing!

Shell Design Weddings has a blog. Although the blogs are about weddings or events, you can see that there are links to other professionals in the wedding planning business. Also there are links to the places she's gone, which are nice places to hold a wedding or wedding events, or even just general events. This provides free marketing for the people and places that they are linking as well as advertising their own business by creating a diverse and interactive blog.

Another type of blog that has recently peaked my interest through Pinterest are craft blogs! Not that I have started following any craft blogs in particular, one that I stumbled upon is named MADE. This blogger posts about crafts, the wedding she had just attended, as well as shows that she attends. She links the shows and places that she goes, and includes many pictures of each. Again, free marketing for others!

 Including links in a blog that are relevant aren't only free marketing, but proper blogging ettiquette. So if you've got something that people are buzzing about, creating a website can be a dual marketing technique if it gets into some blogs!

enjoy life and be happy

Marketing Plans

A new initiative, Be Part of the Discussion, that I had the privilege in helping to plan and develop over the summer had its first session on Wednesday.

I attended it, not only because it was the only session I would be able to attend this semester, but also to see how it went. I'll be honest, there were less people than planned for. In fact, there was only me, the facilitator, and 2 other people. Not quite the turn out that we had hoped for.

But, the marketing plan that had been developed was not fully followed through.

The marketing tools that were used included it's website and the posters around the school, and the LCD mini commercials.

However, because this was a new initiative, we had planned on having a Launch.

The Launch

To happen: September 15

Included: Showing 3 TED videos and handing out lollypops (which relate to the last video) with a reminder to attend the sessions

Didn't happen: because of the Support Staff Strike

Also, there were supposed to be "condor feet" as a marketing method.

Condor Feet

To happen: Day of the session

Included: Posting "condor feet" around the school with more details about the day's session, and leading students to the drop-in session

Didn't happen: because time ran out, and they couldn't be posted in time

Although these marketing techniques fell through for uncontrollable reasons, I believe that they would have made a difference in the turn out of the first session. Also, during the session, I realised that there should also be a "Welcome, Come In" sign at the door, which wasn't in the marketing plan, but will now be added.

The new initiative holds a session every other week. Although for this semester the Launch has been missed, the future sessions can still utilize the "condor feet" marketing method.

And the Launch can be done in the Winter semester!

I am interested to see what the outcomes will be when the marketing plan is followed. My belief is that the marketing will make a huge impact on whether or not people attend!

enjoy life and be happy

True or False

Marketing is great!
But it's really easy to make a bad impression if it's false marketing!

This is what I had for lunch earlier this week, from the cafeteria at the school.

Veggies, Pita bread and Hummus, Oh My!



Sarcasm aside, I was really excited about this lunch! But if you look at the label carefully, my excitement turned into disappointment quite fast.

The top right corner of the label reads:

under 3

and then if you squint your eyes and read underneath that, it says:

<$3 <300 calories



And then if you look in the middle, just under the title, you see a

BLACK BLOB

To the left of that you see

3 10

But if you squit and look really hard (maybe not in the picture, but in real life)

you see that under the black blob it originally says:

1.99

My first thought was "I should complain!"

But I was in a rush and in no mood to argue with the cashier, who I'm sure isn't the one that changed the price, so I let it be.

Before even knowing that this small package was available, I had thought of going to the pita station and asking for pita bread and hummus (which I was sure they wouldn't have a price for). And so I thought, well I could negotiate with them and I think $2.00 would be a fair price to pay.

Ironic enough, I was right! Originally that is.. before they increased their prices.

However, with all this said, I know that the school cafeteria is a rip-off. They claim to have "prices for a student budget", but we all know that's not true, unless you're a student who has won the lottery I guess.

But the kicker, what really got to me was the fact that they changed the price on a label that advertises under $3. If they're going to cross out the original price, then they should at least have the decency to cross out the promotion in the corner.

And now that I think of it, not that I count my calorie intake, but how can I even be sure that it is less than 300 calories!?

This encounter with false marketing has left a negative impression on me about the school cafeteria. And it also reminds me of the importance of marketing, and doing it right!

enjoy life and be happy!

Flash Mob

What: Waterloo Flash Mobs Occur
When: Monday October 3, 2011
Where: Bob's Valumart, Bridgeport Sobeys, Columbia Sobeys
Who: Conestoga College's Recreation and Leisure Services Students
Why: Kick-off Waterloo Region Food Bank's Fall Food Drive


Although the Recreation and Leisure Services students only had 2 weeks to prepare a Flash Mob, it was pulled off just as they wanted! Through their efforts, they were able to successfully promote the Food Bank of the Waterloo Region and the Fall Food Drive.


A lot of work went into creating a successful event. Planning, marketing, multi-media, research and of course choreography were all important aspects of creating the event. Yet with just more than 40 students, it is hard for everyone to feel that they make an equal contribution towards the event.


However, even the little things such as pressing play for the music or organizing the transportation from store to store are necessary pieces that contribute to a great event.


But perhaps an event that only has 2 weeks of planning is better off with a smaller group of people so that everyone is happy with their amount of contribution. Also, with such a small timeframe, less people in the planning process may be better because concrete decisions would be made easier. For a larger event that has more planning time, a larger amount of people planning would be beneficial because their would be many more tasks to delegate.


Regardless of how many people were in the planning stages, the event was a success, although there is always room for improvement. A brief How-To-Flash-Mob is below.


The ABC's of Flash Mobs
Awesome participants
Big ideas
Choreographers
Delegated tasks
Enthusiastic planners
Frequent choreography practice
Great cause (eg. Kick-off Food Drive)
Helping hands
Inconspicuous marketing
Journalists/interviews (for media releases afterwards)
Kids (so its more spontaneous!)
Locations that are happy to host your flash mob
Media Releases
Network of people
Organization
Photography
Quick-witted leaders
Research
Spontaneous
Teamwork
Upbeat music
Videography (professional and amateur)
Wandering standbys
X-treme passion
Youtube
Zany amounts of fun

enjoy life and be happy

The Selling Point

Why do you decide to buy something?

Commercials tell you "Only $8 a month", or "If you don't have an iPhone, you don't have an iPhone".

Is it the low cost that sells the product or is it the many features? Or perhaps it's the quality.

But I think the real selling point is opinion.

If it's good, they'll tell 10 people.

If it's bad, they'll tell 20.

You see the Netflix commercials all the time. Unlimited movies and shows at your fingertips for only $8 a month. What a deal! But desire to buy into this marketing doesn't seem to be enough for some people. Yet once they hear that it is awesome from a few people that already pay for the service, joining the band-wagon now seems sensible.

And then there is that common debate: not whether the chiken or the egg came first, but Blackberry or iPhone?

I see the iPhone commercials as a marketing technique but don't consider changing my Blackberry. This is partially because I am so comfortable with my Blackberry, but also because an iPhone monthly plan would be much more expensive. However I know a few friends who have made the switch for one reason or another. And then I have family that swear by their iPhones. The amount of good reviews that I have heard from my family and friends has caused my thought process to change. I am now eligable to upgrade my phone, and here I am, waiting for the iPhone 5 before I make the switch.

Now word of mouth may not be a selling point for everyone, but I am positive that it is a valuable marketing strategy that is highly effective for more than just myself!

enjoy life and be happy.

Marketing

Less is more.

Or is more better?

Retail seems to market so much. Emails, emails and more emails. And sometimes pamphlets in the mail. Then when you go into a store, there is signage everywhere. In the windows, hanging from the ceiling, on the tables and the walls, and if you're lucky, you may get an extra pamphlet in your take home bag. And what about reusable bags with the logos or names! And we haven't even gotten to the TV and radio commercials. And for those who read the newspaper, there are flyers.

Are all of these marketing techniques beneficial for the company? They do not come cheap. Marketing costs money. The more marketing techniques, the more money to dish out and money is often tight.

So is one method better than the others? The different marketing techniques target different demographics or audiences. Newspaper flyers would not be best for youth just as emails would not be best for seniors.

In conclusion, selective marketing that best suits your target audience is most beneficial, right?

Easier said than done.

How do you market an event that you want people to know about without telling anyone about it? A great example would be a Flash Mob!

Or is the Flash Mob the marketing for a bigger purpose? So you don't have to market the Flash Mob because it is the marketing?

Or is there promotion needed the day of?

Stay tuned to find out How to Market the Unmarketable!

enjoy life and be happy!

Television Tangents

How often can you watch one channel?

Can you watch a marathon of the same show for hours, even if you have seen some of the episodes?

Does it have to be your favourite show?

Marathons of Auction Hunters, Cake Boss, The Big Bang Theory to name a few.

Sure, why not right? If you have the time or need a lazy day. Or perhaps it's laundry day and you change your laundry over during commercials.

Or do you watch the commercials? Perhaps you've now memorised the commercials because channels seem to replay the same commercials over and over again. Have they run out of ads to show the viewer, or is it a marketing scheme?

Have you ever thought about the commercials you see. Some promote the qualities of the product, or the benefits that result from it. Some give the history of the product, and some advertise the experience that comes with the product.

That last one about experience is promoting their product, but they are promoting recreation and leisure too!

"Buy this product and you'll have a good time."

Does that encourage you to go out and get their product?



Did you realise that recreation is their selling point? But you don't really need their product to engage in recreation. You can do that on your own, with your friends or family, or with a new group of people that you have yet to meet.

You have access to recreation all the time!

You may not realize it, but you are caught in a cycle of recreation and leisure. A field that you probably don't know is real! Whether it is marketing that pulls you in, or it's your own motivation, you do partake in Recreation and Leisure daily by simply doing things that you enjoy, that make you happy, or that help you feel a sense of ease.

Perhaps your recreation and leisure moments are walking the dog, playing sports, reading this blog, or even watching TV (commercials included)!

enjoy life and be happy!