An Introduction

Why invaluable partnerships is our new catch phrase.

A few months ago, we created a slight re-brand for the Elite Assistants business by adding the tagline 'Creating Invaluable Partnerships' to the logo. What you may not have noticed, is that this phrase has also been adopted as the main title theme for our 2016 Congress Series, which kicks off in Sydney in March 2016, and which has just been publicly launched in the past few weeks. But what is also incredibly exciting, is that we have also just launched an in-house training and development program called the EAN EA Partnership Model where this concept of value within a working partnership based relationship also has a really strong emphasis. Whilst the notion of forging strong and valuable partnerships is not a new one in the evolution of our theories, teachings and training, the importance of it has been reinforced so much in the past few years that we now see it as being the absolute key focus for much of what we are doing. As we evolve and grow in the coming years, our vison is for a support community and educational organisation that has this outcome as its core and absolute focus, so that irrespective of how the technical demands, business acumen and knowledge requirements within the role evolve, the overarching premise for how EAs and PAs can work alongside their executive in a strong and beneficial partnership underpins the understanding and rationale for each of these areas. For more information on this concept please keep your eyes out for more dedicated blogs and articles in coming months, but also see below now our article on In-House Training and Education as well as the Congress Update article which both explain how this theme is flowing through, and at the same time underpinning, what we are doing. In relation to our conferences, it is only a couple of weeks to go until our Melbourne conference and with over 130 EAs and PAs already registered to attend, we know it is again going to be an awesome event.

But again, if you can't attend, don't forget to come along to the Expo alongside the conference and of course the Networking Drinks held within the expo area on the evening of the first day of the conference. They both provide an amazing opportunity to Network with your peers but also to meet over 60 sensational businesses that have products or services that our exhibitors know EAs and PAs use. And that's the key to our efficiency and time saving proposition, unlike other exhibitions where only small elements might be relevant to senior support staff, you know that at this event all the exhibitors have EAs and PAs as existing and important clients.

Below you will see a link to the Event Calendar section of our website.

Whilst many of you know about this section, we were amazed to discover how many don't and hadn't realised that this is the easiest way to see everything that we have coming up at EAN. We recommend that you favorite this section in your browser and check back often, as new events are added automatically throughout the year.

Included in this month's newsletter we have updates about our Networking functions, with news about recent events (including any prize-winners at these) as well as details of events that have or are about to be secured in different states. And finally, in terms of EAN articles, we also have a feature this month on the upcoming exhibition in Melbourne with details of some of the more than 60 business that will be represented at the expo alongside. Thanks to all our partners, speakers and exhibitors for their contributions to this month's newsletter, we trust you will all enjoy reading and keeping abreast of what they and we are up to.

What's coming up at EAN?
Click on the link below to see a page that details every type of scheduled event, function or educational event we have scheduled in the diary to date.

At the time of writing we have over 130 EAs and PAs booked into attend the upcoming Melbourne conference on the 17th and 18th November which we are absolutely thrilled about and can't wait to host. And this means, that by the time the last of these events rolls into Perth in February, over 450 EAs and PAs will have already experienced this congress series after a capacity crowd in Sydney, really good attendances in Canberra and Brisbane and then another almost capacity crowd in Melbourne. Over the years our themes for our conferences have evolved organically and very naturally, mirroring our experiences with our members, our experiences with the executives that we get to interact with both at conferences and outside of these, and of course based on our own outlooks on how trends in the market are likely to keep evolving and changing.

Recent incarnations have included:

• 2016 Creating Invaluable Partnerships: Own Your Relationship - Own Your Value - Own your Development
• 2015 Executive Assistant Masterclass: Know what it takes to be the best and how to demonstrate the great worth and value you deliver for your business
• 2014 Executive Office Management: New Perspectives on the role of EAs and PAs
• 2013 The Empowered EA: The Executive's New Business Partner

Since 2008, the concept of partnership has never been far away from our conference programs and probably never will be, because at its core, the relationship between an EA and an executive is fundamental in terms of how successful they are in working together to achieve their goals.

In a recent conversation with panellists preparing for our upcoming Melbourne conference, we were examining the concept that all the intangible benefits that EAs and PAs bring to the working relationship are what actually defines the role today, whereas in the minds of many people in society, including many of your colleagues from HR through to other managers and even executives, what defines it is the obvious things you do, including correspondence, diary management, travel management etc. At the three conferences to date in the series, we've already had six great panels discussions that have covered this topic, as well as the very important and related topic of how to try and assess the value and importance of the work you do, and how it contributes to what the executive is trying to achieve, but it is clear from early discussions that our panellists in Melbourne are determined to take our discussions to a whole different level.

Other topics already raised in their discussions which may or may not feature in the final conference have included:

• Overcoming arbitrary payments levels in an organisation that fail to take into account what different EAs and PAs really do in their roles and actually contribute
• How to redefine the role and the nature of the relationship with the executive
• What is an EA's duty of care requirements and how should these be defined and even tracked
• The skills you need to help you build relationships when you are new to an organisation

If you are in Melbourne or Perth and haven't booked to attend this conference series yet, we strongly recommend you do.

The series is being really well received and we know it will be incredibly beneficial to anyone who does attend. Looking ahead to next year, our Creating Invaluable Partnerships program takes a really in-depth look at what it takes to forge a strong working relationship with an executive, including an overview of the 5 stages in the EAN EA Partnership Model as well as then expanding on how the other components of technical skills, knowledge, business acumen and interpersonal and social skills and understanding all back up and reinforce the strength of the partnership. Now in its tenth year, we are still to this day as excited as ever about our conference programs and really look forward to welcoming as many of you as possible at the events in the coming months and year.

With the EAN Melbourne conference all but sold out, we turn our attention now to the accompanying expo. The expo is always a popular event for conference attendees and visitors alike, with a great chance to meet with all of the industry suppliers that you don't normally get a chance to meet with under the one roof. This event is open to all EAs and PAs so we look forward to catching up with you at Melbourne's only expo for EAs & PAs at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins 17 & 18 November.

In the current business climate your network and your supplier contacts are more important than ever. We understand if your current budget doesn't allow you to come to the full conference, which is why we open the doors to the Expo free of charge. So come along to the Expo and meet with some great industry specific suppliers. This special event will be held at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins on the 17 & 18 November, where the best of Melbourne is bottled up for 2 truly special days. Visitors will be able to combine the perfect mix of socialising with friends whilst enjoying some of Melbourne's finest entertainment and perusing a plethora of industry specific suppliers all located in the decadent confines of the Sofitel.

Find out more about the Melbourne Expo below

At the event - which is absolutely FREE - you will be in a chance to win one of over 50 fabulous prizes on offer. The expo will bring you the types of suppliers you have told us make your job easier, including such diverse and relevant exhibitors as; Koncept Konnect, Heritage Hotel Management, Compass Group, South Wharf Meetings & Events, Noble Awards, P&O Cruises, View Hotels, Rydges Hotels & Resorts, Fresh Venture Group, The Lancemore Group, Tune Hotel, BeChallenged, Wyndham Hotel Group, TFE Hotels, South Wharf Events / Showtime Events, BridgeClimb, BE Geelong, Cliftons, Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, BE Victoria, Mantra Group, Signed Sealed Delivered, Monash Conference Centre, CVBS, IHG, Melbourne Business School, AVisual, The Hotel Network, Melbourne Short Stay Apartments, Uplift Events, Cultural Catering, Melbourne Racing Club, Peter Rowland Catering, Royce Hotel, Otao Kitchen, Solution Entertainment and many more.

You will be able to network with over 200 senior level EAs and PAs including delegates and speakers from the EAN Conference.

We recommend you go online here to pre-register for free to save you time on the day. So come along on November 17 & 18 to visit the 2015 Melbourne Expo where you can win some great prizes and meet with over 60 industry suppliers. Even if you are attending the Networking Function, why not come early to meet more of the exhibitors. Visitors who pre-register and visit the exhibition will go into the draw to win a delegate ticket to the Melbourne Congress in 2016.

As mentioned in our introduction this month, the nature of the partnership that evolves between assistants and executive is at the very core of everything we are focussing on with our conferences but also our more formal education and training. Career development is like life on a spectrum, a journey with no destination, where what you need to know can never be clearly defined because every day you will learn things that enhance and improve your understanding of your role and how to improve within it.

Part of that journey requires EAs and PAs to develop a strong partnership style relationship with their executives. This of course is in addition to your journey along the other spectrums of Business Acumen, Interpersonal and Social Skills, Technical Role Related Skills, Industry Knowledge etc, all of which are not of course separate and unrelated, rather intertwined and interdependent; the very essence of what it takes to become a rounded business person. And of course, as you develop these, and they enhance your abilities to anticipate the needs of your executive and support them in more positive ways, this obviously will help to strengthen the relationship you can forge with them within your partnership.

But there is also one aspect that we know EAs and PAs always question and it is how to speed up the process of becoming partners with their executives. To that end, we have created the EAN EA Partnership Model which is a specific training program to try and help EAs and PAs learn how to do that with their executives. Forging a relationship between an EA and executive that can evolve into a true working partnership is not easy, which is why so often they fail to deliver on their potential. Much of this relates to unspoken expectations, confused perceptions of boundaries, no shared beliefs around trust, respect and honesty, or even a lack of planning or thought around how the partnership should evolve.

Our Partnership Model program looks at all of these issues within a five stage program.

1. The relationship development stage - the 5 steps from developing mutual expectations about the purpose of the partnership through to your personal communications frameworks; everything you need to get right from the outset
2. Identifying the skills and traits needed to meet the partnership objectives
3. The delivery phase - mastering the management of the executive office
4. The assessment stage - performance measurement to ensure the partnership is delivering on expectations
5. The final stage - perpetual evolution and reassessment of opportunities

As you can imagine, this program is not designed to supplant or replace our other educational initiates, rather compliment those which are all about assisting you along the technical, skills, knowledge, business acumen and interpersonal skills spectrums, but we see this model as a great starting place for organisations looking to get some clear grounding principles for their staff and executives working together ahead of focussing on specific skills, knowledge or other requirements.

To that end, we have now also created a specific flyer for Learning & Development managers, HR managers or even executives who want to see how our different programs will fit together and benefit their staff and that can be downloaded using this link if you wish to share this with your colleagues.

EAN has officially turned 10 and the celebrations are starting to happen throughout the country! We kicked off the celebrations in Brisbane in October with Sydney's event being held in November. Other states are being scheduled and you will find out more about exact dates very soon! It is definitely a way that we can thank all those members who have helped make this Network what it is, so keep an eye out as the events will fill fast!

It continues to be frantic with all things EAN, and we are already planning for next year in all states. Here is an update on what has been happening and the ongoing schedule of events.

Brisbane

What a 10 Year Celebration we had in the beautiful city of Brisbane! A huge thank you to our wonderful Hotel Sponsor, Royal on the Park who EAN have had a long history with. We were delighted to be back by the pool with the EAN Brisbane members, to celebrate our 10 year anniversary with you guys. Members were able to relax and network and meet many new faces as well. Thanks also goes to The Styled Group and Darren Besgrove who themed the event. They are a spectacular company and one that can transform any event for you, so if you don't know of them, be sure to look them up! The night was livened up by Elegant Swing who added that extra wow factor to the evening and was sourced by Alan Casey Entertainment. Thanks heaps Alan.

Congratulations to our prize winners on the night:

• Linda Bouwman (Stanwell Corporation) and Melita O'Reilly (Westpac Private Bank) who both won complimentary 2016 EAN Brisbane Conference Delegate admissions
• A bottle of Veuve Champagne, compliments of EAN was won by Lisa Hamill (Rio Tinto)
• A bottle of Veuve Champagne, compliments of Cliftons was won by Kumari Casey (Metro North Hospital & Health Services)
• Tiffany James (Energex), Eliza Moore (Suncorp Group) and Jennifer Long (Bentleys) won a 12 month Full Membership with EAN
• Royal on the Park gave three gorgeous Royal signature teddy bears away and these went to Anna Cooke (Sparq Solutions), Katrina Lambert (Seqwater) and Natasha Douglas (PwC).

On September 15 & 16 we hosted the EAN Brisbane Congress & Exhibition and held a Networking Event on the evening of the 15th. We were delighted to welcome so many of the Brisbane EAs to the night and for those EAs who didn't have the opportunity to come along and see the Exhibition during the two days were able to meet many of the supplier and product companies on site.

IHG took a group of EAs to Sanctury Cove on a famil on Saturday 29 August. What a fantastic time they all had with reports coming back thick and fast about their travels! More events are already being scheduled for Brisbane and we look forward to catching up with you all again very soon.

Perth

Our next event for Perth is scheduled for 11 November and we are delighted that we have a huge number of EA Members coming along to celebrate with our host Crowne Plaza Perth. It is set to be an amazing evening and what else would you expect from IHG! An evening in Paris just sounds delightful and we are all looking forward to this wonderful event. Who doesn't love a champagne tower and a crepe station, we can't wait to see you all there! Don't forget we are also looking at hosting our 10 year celebration early in the New Year and more information about this will be sent out to you shortly.

Melbourne

Cliftons hosted our August networking night and we all took a trip to Hollywood! Yes, it was a movie trivia night and what fun was had - we definitely have the answer to 'Are EAs competitive' - that would be a YES! We had popcorn and choc tops not to mention jaffas and maltesers. Our host for the evening was Stephen Cox, the Sales & Marketing Director, who was hilarious and just made the night - our thanks to both Stephen and Cliftons for doing something a bit different and making us all laugh, which everyone needs!

If you haven't seen it as yet, you better get in quickly for our next event which is on 11 November at Bond - one of the newest, hottest venues in Melbourne. It will be a spectacular evening, and may even have some Bond girls and photo opportunities for you all! BE Geelong will be hosting the evening and will also be launching their new Planner Guide so please register now so you don't miss out! November also sees us at the EAN Melbourne Congress & Expo. We have loads of wonderful members already booked into the Conference and the expo is looking fabulous! We also have quite a number booked to come along to the Networking Event on the first evening, the 17 November. If you haven't heard about this yet, please register via the EAN website and meet loads of supplier companies that could assist you in your day to day role.

Sydney

On 8 October Cliftons hosted once again hosted a Movie Trivia night with the EA Sydney Members and what a fun night we had! Together with popcorn, choc tops, minties and even jaffas what more could you possibly want! The fabulous Stephen Cox, Sales & Marketing Director, hosted the evening (on his birthday!) and what a superb host he was! Thanks Stephen. Our thanks to Cliftons and their team for another sensational evening. Suzanne Palmer (Catholic Education Commission NSW) won a Bottle of Veuve compliments of Cliftons and Carrie Tambakis (Janssen Cilag) won a weekend getaway package for 2 at North Sydney Harbourview Hotel. Congratulations to you both!

The official launch of Elite Assistants was celebrated at the newly refurbished Cruise Bar on 23 September. Firstly a massive thank you to Cruise for being our Venue Sponsor and what a venue it was. With its newly transformed event space with a view like no other in Sydney, if you haven't had a chance to see it, it is a must for all! Elite is a recruitment company for Senior EAs and PAs. As you are aware the Elite Job Board has been around for several years and this is a new addition to that offering. We have heard from many of you about what you want in a recruitment company and you have asked if we could create that for you, so here it is! Information can be found at EliteAssistants.com.au or give them a call on 02 8402 5100.

There were lots of prizes at the launch party for Elite Assistants and some of the winners were:

• Kristy Meers (Port Jackson Partners) won 2016 Sydney Conference Ticket
• 10 Double Passes on board 'The Float' compliments of Starship Sydney & The Pontoon were wond by, Anne Formby (ClubsNSW), Jennifer Carpenter (Swiss Re), Nina Hoven (GWA B&K), Shana Pascoa (AVCAL), Rachel Henning (Foxtel), Anita Wright (NewForests), Margaret Crook (Westpac Group), Maria Tsoutis (ReachLocal), Minna Bennett (Axicorp) and Joanne O'Neill
• Carla Parton (Norske Skog) won a weekend getaway for 2 at North Sydney Harbourview Hotel
• Trish Eggins (BIS Industries) won the Family Day pass at Luna Park

A number of EAs gathered for a luncheon held by IHG at Holiday Inn Potts Point on a Friday afternoon in September to enjoy all that their amazing hotel has to offer. The guests were able to view the conference rooms along with some of the hotel suites with their amazing views. The chefs outdid themselves with a delightful array of seafood and tasty delights with a scrumptious dessert station event including a chocolate fondue!

On 27 August Regional Victoria came to town to launch their new Planners Guide. Our thanks for Business Events Victoria for hosting the event and bringing your guide to NSW. We have worked with BE VIC for many years in VIC, so having them in Sydney was fantastic for the NSW members. The night was held at ECQ Bar and overlooked the fabulous harbour, what better place to relax and network and learn more about the suppliers who were present from the Victoria region. Congratulations to all the prize winners on the night, there were far too many to mention all names, but you know who you are!

In August we also took a small group to Terrigal, Hunter Valley and Newcastle with IHG Crowne Plaza and were able to view each of their properties which were all stunning! The group were treated to all kinds of wonderful, including a lunch with Julie Goodwin and a surprise visit from Michael, who owns Hope Estate, who flew in on his helicopter to say hello and insisted on taking 3 ladies back to the hotel by, you guessed it, helicopter! The dinner at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley was nothing less than spectacular and the staff and company right along the way, second to none! Thank you again IHG! There is lots more in store for Sydney members and details will be out shortly.

Canberra

Our plans for the 10 year celebrations are under way for Australia's capital and we look forward to sharing more details with you very soon. We also have an event coming up which will be hosted by IHG who always have something amazing in store, so information for this event will be sent shortly. Additionally several more Partners are coming on board so we will have a number of new local venues for you to discover!

Adelaide

We have now officially had three Networking Events in Adelaide, the last two being with our wonderful hosts IHG.

Recently on 22 October InterContinental Hotel Adelaide hosted an evening with the EAN Members and it was delightful! Guests were treated to a special wine tasting in the InterContinental Club Lounge from the actual wine maker at Mollydooker Wines! This was followed by a visit to the Presidential Suite which was magnificent! Then there was dinner and our thanks to the wonderful chefs for the scrumptious food! Once again all were treated to the most amazing night and a big thank you to InterContinental for the evening! A massive thank you to Crowne Plaza who hosted the event on 3 September where we had a wonderful group of EAs in attendance. Guests were also treated to Endota Spa Hand Treatments throughout the evening and also sampled Bird in Hand wine from the local vineyard! Congratulations goes to Zoe Smith (People's Choice) who won a bottle of Bird in Hand Shiraz and Patricia Morotti (Santos) who won an Endota Spa Treatment.

We have a few other Partners who are also keen to host events in Adelaide, so we will keep you posted and send you more information as soon as they are finalised. Thank you again to all those who came along to the Networking events. We are continuing to meet more new members each time as well as catch up with existing members which is fantastic!

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Take the pressure off this year and book your drop-off corporate Christmas party today with Order-In. You'll be rewarded with more time to spend on your other pre-Christmas tasks instead. What's more, your boss will love the lower bottom line.

With the sound of Christmas carols just around the corner, there's no time like the present to organise your office Christmas party. There is an abundance of Christmas party options to choose from. But why not utilise your own corporate space and create a fabulous party with our drop-off Christmas party catering service? A drop-off party simply means we take care of the catering for you. Delectable finger food arrives on platters, heated and ready-to-eat. No chefs or kitchen is needed. And, wait staff are optional as the food can be placed on tables for staff to nibble at their leisure. From posh and premium to casual and every day - we have caterers and menus for any type of event.

Here are some useful tips we've pulled together from our most frequently asked questions to help make your Christmas event planning a breeze:

How long should a Christmas party be?

• Lunch time function - 2 to 3 hours
• Evening function - 3 to 4 hours

How much food will I need?

• 1-hour function - 6 pieces per person
• 2-hour function - 9 pieces per person
• 3-hour function - 12 pieces per person
• 4-hour function - 16 pieces per person

Hot versus cold food

A combination of both is best. Serve the hot first, followed by the cold.

Worried about food running out?

This needn't ever worry you again. Order a selection of tasty cheese and fruit platters to serve after the hot and cold finger food has been eaten, about an hour before your event wraps up. It's also a sensible choice when considering the responsible service of alcohol.

How much alcohol to order?

The first hour - allow three drinks per person, two serves of wine or beer and one softdrink. Each subsequent hour - allow two drinks per person. So that means to allow five drinks per person for a two-hour event. Remember, these are guidelines only and always have plenty of mineral water available.

Let our experienced events team manage your Christmas function. Enquire now > Ellen@orderin.com.au It's a simpler and easier way to hold a Christmas party than you ever thought possible.

Contact Order-In Ellen@orderin.com.au Web: www.orderin.com.au Phone: 1300 851 900

EAN are extremely excited to introduce The Publican Group as our Newest VIC Advertising Partner. Please see below their introduction and more information on what they have to offer.

The Publican Group Australia presents an innovative range of events spaces, restaurants and bars across Melbourne and Perth. The two impressive events venues in Melbourne are managed by their expert team, Melbourne Events Group. Contact them today to find out more about River's Edge Events and The Park info@melbourneeventsgroup.com.au or 03 8609 7272.

River's Edge Events is Melbourne's premium CBD, waterfront venue. Perfectly perched along Melbourne's Yarra River, River's Edge is located within walking distance of South Wharf, MCEC, Crown, Crowne Plaza and Southern Cross Station. From gala dinners, seminars, luncheons or lavish cocktail parties, River's Edge can host seating for up to 250 guests and standing room for 650. The luxurious open space boasts sweeping views of the river and city surrounds, with an incredible sight of the sunset during the long summer nights. It boasts an abundance of natural light through floor-to-ceiling glass expanses and the tones of slate, charcoal, silver and white provide a sophisticated and minimalist approach to design.

The Park is located within the highly sought after Albert Park Lake. Talk about a room with a view - The Park features dramatic floor-to-ceiling arched windows which capture serene water and sunset views and allows an abundance of natural light into the space. Be met with style and elegance at every angle, from our extravagant chandeliers to sleek tiled walls and a modern black-mirrored bar. Contemporary and understated in design, this boutique venue is intended as a blank canvas ready to create any style of event. At full capacity, the venue can accommodate over 1000 people cocktail style, or it can be divided to suit smaller, more intimate events. From gala dinners to conferences and cocktail parties catered by our expert Chef, The Park is an ideal setting for your next event.

Want to celebrate the festive season with your office co-workers but really only have the budget for sharing a relaxed restaurant meal? Perhaps you're all looking forward to a night out but don't have time to organise a big get together? Then why not let Join Luna Park do the hard work for you this year, and come along to the Big Top Christmas Ball on Friday 11 December 2015. See more online via their website

Get connected with free Wi-Fi during your stay at view hotels

At View Hotels we understand how important it is in this day and age to stay connected - so whether you're staying overnight, dining, conferencing or just enjoying a coffee, we are offering complimentary Wi-Fi throughout our Hotels for you to stay connected!Our fast, dedicated Wi-Fi service makes checking emails, logging onto Facebook or Instagram, connecting to work, reading the news or just browsing the net, so easy, and what's best is you don't have to worry about the cost.

New menu at LB's restaurant

LB's Harbourview Restaurant is located on the hotel's ground floor, featuring a new creative contemporary a la carte menu and a selection of the finest Australian wines. Whilst relaxing in LB's you will enjoy a unique view across some of the most beautiful terrace houses in North Sydney and over across Lavender Bay towards the harbour and city. Come in and put our Chefs to the test!

New Year special offer!

The New Year is quickly approaching so we would like to offer a special conference package rate to our clients who make a booking for 2016 during the month of November. Book now to receive our conference day package at a special rate of $60 per person which includes the following:

• Conference room set with note pads, pens, mints and iced water
• One 8 foot screen
• One whiteboard
• One flipchart
• Data projector
• Internet
• Arrival tea and coffee
• Morning tea
• Buffet lunch
• Afternoon tea
• *Terms and Conditions Apply

Christmas Parties by the River at Hamilton

Celebrate your end of year Christmas Party at the Brisbane Riverview Hotel! Whether you and your guests prefer a traditional dinner or a casual gathering, there are a variety of options available to meet your requirements, with the Brisbane River as your backdrop. Choose from the intimacy of the Newstead Room, the grandeur of the Hamilton Ballroom or relax with cocktails poolside. Let our team create the perfect occasion, meeting your style and budget. Click here to view our packages and menu options.

Christmas Day by the River at Hamilton

Celebrate the magic of Christmas Day with family and friends by the River at Hamilton - we will even do the cleaning up! Christmas day events start with our bountiful buffet breakfast and for lunch, your choice of dining includes Plates Restaurant featuring our Chef's degustation menu, or Hamilton Ballroom, offering our signature Christmas Buffet. Our Chef's showcase local seasonal produce, fresh seafood, carvery and plenty more for you to enjoy. Lunch celebrations include a visit from Santa and Christmas gifts for the kids! Avoid the stress, heat, working in the kitchen and general chaos of hosting Christmas at your place. Let us set the table, provide the food, get your drinks and do the wash up! Click here to view our packages and menu options.

Enjoy an Urban Escape by the River at Hamilton

Expecting friends or relatives? Or you simply want an Urban Escape? All of our rates are inclusive of free Wi-Fi, free parking, free use of our resort style pool, spa, sauna & gym and free use of our retro inspired bikes plus much more! Accommodation packages starting from $149 per room per night! www.viewhotels.com.au book direct for best rates guaranteed!

Unique spaces create great events and beautiful styling brings an event to life. Often the hardest part of putting together an event to remember is finding that one of a kind venue and styling it to reflect the mood and personality of your event.

Styling Your Christmas Event

Whether you are planning a Christmas party for hundreds of people or an intimate celebration there are some key styling tips that will help. The Stylesmiths is an Australian styling and Interior design company and their Creative Director Richard Misso has these three tips to help you create a great event as we plan for the Christmas party season.

• TIP 1: For a stronger punch try colour blocking. Pick two or three key colours to be dressed over a white tablecloth. Try adding colour blocking in the napkins and flowers, the use of colour blocking the flowers in a vase can work a treat.
• TIP 2: Keep floral centrepieces low so you can see the person opposite. Bon bons and Christmas foliage such as fresh ivy or holly will add Christmas flavour and sophistication. However, remember to keep the bon bons in a neutral colour, this will keep the theme sophisticated and glamorous.
• TIP 3: Don't apply too much colour in the hope of being festive, you can run the risk of looking tacky or like a children's Christmas party.

See how The Stylesmith stylist Kali Cavanagh, colour blocked the tables in The Laneway Rooms at InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto with turquoise and amber using glassware and made sure to keep the flower centrepieces not too high so as to not obstruct conversation across the table.

InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto combines unique and beautiful spaces with a dedicated events team to guide you through the process of planning your event. Alluvial Restaurant nestled underneath the soaring glass atrium plays host to memorable events as does the recently reimagined space, The Laneways Rooms, with its expansive street art installation showcased through the ballroom windows. From catering to entertainment to working with The Stylesmiths to design something remarkable, the team at InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto can help you create a night to remember.

For more information, please contact: InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto 495 Collins Street Melbourne +61 3 8627 1622 events.icm@ihg.com melbourne.intercontinental.com/christmasparties

*The Laneway Rooms were styled by The Stylesmiths Kali Cavanagh for this photoshoot.

Whether it be last minute styling to complete your Christmas Party look, finding a venue to 'wow' your clients this festive season, or sourcing entertainment to get the party started, Funktionality would love to assist. If you are looking for something different for your End Of Year celebration, look no further! Whether your Christmas Party is for staff or clients, it is important you achieve maximum impact from the event - sourcing the most suitable venue and styling and theming the function to make it as memorable as possible. So whether you want to create a Winter Woodland for your guests to inhabit, a funky neon extravaganza or simply stick to tradition, all would be a wonderful way to finish the year on a joyous note!

For further information on Funktionality's decor/theming/styling and entertainment, contact their team on P: 02 9557 8105, E: info@funktionality.com.au or visit W: www.funktionality.com.au.

Imagine, it's getting close to the holiday season. Business is winding down and your client receives a parcel from your company. They're quite impressed that your company values their clients so much. They open the parcel to find a mug splashed with your company's logo. Just what they wanted! They also find a note that reads:

Dear client, Thank you for doing business with us this year. We hope that you enjoy your holidays and we're looking forward to working with you next year.

Your client is just so impressed! They think, "How thoughtful! I feel truly valued and will definitely give them business in the future because they know me so well!" Any professional will know that this is not reality. This is just about the last thing your client would want from you. And it's a total waste of money for your company. It's really not the best gift they could receive. After all, how many logo mugs inhabit every office kitchen? And how many impersonal messages are sent out with them? If you really want to impress at work, then suggest gifts that are interesting, personal and cost effective. Sound impossible? It's far easier than you think!

Small gifts for big impact

If you're a business with lots of clients, or you have a very limited budget, then going for small, low cost gifts is going to be your best option. But you can still ensure that each gift produces a big impact and inspires loyalty to your business. Since you'll be sending out lots of gifts, you can't really go personal with your choice of gift. Gift cards are a fantastic option here. Think of something that's enjoyable for everyone, like a Book Depository gift card, where a little bit goes a long way. Because the gift is impersonal, make sure that you send it with a personalised card. You can still include your company's logo, after all, it is a corporate gift, but make the message personal. To do this in a cost effective way, pick up some customisable and printable cards or labels from the specialised Event Branding Solutions range from Avery Products. This way, you can easily include your logo whilst addressing your client by name and thanking them for something specific. Just in case you needed another reason to do this, Avery Products currently has an offer where you'll receive a $25 Coles Group & Myer gift card when you purchase $75 worth of Event Branding Solutions products. So that's an extra treat for you!

If you know them really well

If you know your clients really well, then it's ideal to get them a more personalised gift, just be sure to keep it professional. An easy way to do so is to focus your gifts on work. For example, if your client is always travelling, order some packing cells so that they can organise their suitcase. Or if your client is always onto the latest trends in work wear, jump onto the Happy Socks website and order them a few pairs. These sorts of gifts show that you've really taken the time to think about what they like and will leave your client feeling highly valued. Top it off with a personalised note on a label or card that can be incorporated into the wrapping.

Gifts that keep on giving

If you have particularly important clients, or a big budget, then you can go all out! It's important for businesses, particularly service based businesses, to always be front of mind. There's no better way to do this than with a perpetual gift. That way, your client will be thinking of you throughout the year. A food box is always a good choice. If your client is really healthy or time poor, try something like a box of seasonal fruit and veg, bread, spreads and flowers from The Little Grocery Service, which delivers to most areas in Sydney. You could send a box once a month and this would ensure that your client thinks of you with every meal they prepare. Another great food option is the monthly box from A Little Box of Yum, which will send a different mix of gourmet products to your client. For something really quirky, sign your client up to Quarterly. Each three months, they'll receive a box of goodies curated by a notable person or organisation. Curators include Nina Garcia for style savvy clients and Kevin Rose for tech gurus. Alternatively, you could create a quarterly box yourself, filled with goodies that your client is sure to love, and send it to them with printed labels featuring your company's logo.

Whatever you decide to give your clients, the key is in the age old saying, "It's the thought that counts!" So remember to add a personal touch and your logo to make sure that your client is thankful and ready to do more business going into a new year.

Dedicated event space complete with free and fast Wi-Fi and integrated audio visual capabilities makes Fraser Suites Perth the perfect place to hold a business presentation, meeting or event. With four interconnecting meeting rooms creating the Fraser Ballroom, an Executive Boardroom and a number of outdoors areas, the dedicated meeting and event space at Fraser Suites Perth is versatile and can be configured to meet your specific needs. All rooms offer vast natural light with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Swan River. We provide more than just a great venue to host your meeting. Our thoughtfully designed catering menus have been engineered by renowned Australian chef Pete Evans. Event guests can enjoy a variety of fresh and delicious menu selections with an emphasis on high quality, seasonal and local produce that is Paleo inspired.

Fraser Suites Perth also offers 236 fully furnished, luxurious apartments. Boasting exquisite interior design yet practical luxury, our world-class apartment hotel has a combination of studios, and one- and two-bedroom apartments. Our air-conditioned apartments feature opening floor to ceiling windows that capture panoramic views of the Swan River and surrounds. Fraser Suites Perth serviced apartments also feature state of the art home and entertainment systems with 40-inch LCD TVs, DVD players, iPod docking stations, as well as Nespresso machines. With stylish, practical kitchen facilities (with washing machines, dryers, ovens and microwaves) and open plan living and dining areas, you can relax in sophisticated comfort.

For enquiries on your next event please contact our experienced events team on 08 9261 0021 or email conference.perth@frasershospitality.com

South Wharf Meetings and Events (SWME) recently identified an opportunity to offer small meetings and events as an end-to-end process, with their new team of sales executives now managing each event, from enquiry and contract signing right through to event delivery and completion. Catering specifically for smaller meetings and events of up to 250 attendees, SWME seamlessly combines the facilities of Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) and Hilton Melbourne South Wharf, matching five star accommodation with MCEC's world-leading facilities in the one inner-city location.

MCEC recently completed industry-first research that examined the processes customers undertake when interacting with the venue. This research identified an opportunity for SWME to offer an end-to-end process, simplifying the event experience for their customers by providing one point of contact for all their event needs. Newly appointed SWME Manager, Katie Tinetti will lead the team of high-performing sales executives following four successful years leading the event and meetings sales department at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast. "I'm delighted that Katie has chosen to bring her unique skills and experience, along with a wealth of industry knowledge to the team," said MCEC Director of Customer Experience and Optimisation, Anne Jamieson.

"We are committed to aligning our business to the needs of our customers, to ensure we remain a truly customer-focussed organisation." - Katie Tinetti, SWME Manager

"We have planned for our current customers' needs, as well as future customers, as we prepare for our $210 million expansion and exciting new retail offerings in 2016," Ms Jamieson added. Designed for ultimate flexibility, with all 52 meeting rooms pre-fitted with cutting-edge technology, 396 Hilton hotel rooms, award-winning food and beverage and spectacular Yarra River views, SWME offers a truly unique meeting place.

Contact South Wharf Meetings and Events
1 Convention Centre Place
South Wharf Victoria 3006
Phone: +61 3 9235 8222
Email: southwharfmeetings@mcec.com.au
Web: mcec.com.au/plan-an-event/rooms/south-wharf-meetings-and-events

Whether you are booking a meeting, conference or event, TFE Hotels offers you more ways to meet with a variety of professional venues, great facilities and friendly service. TFE Hotels specialises in providing flexibility, from boardroom meetings, to seminars, functions, conferences large scale events and weddings, rooms can be partitioned, combined and configured into theatre-style, u-shape, and dinner and boardroom set-ups, making TFE Hotels the perfect choice. TFE Hotels recently launched an early bird conference and events campaign for 2016, which will take the stress out of planning 2016 conference or events when booking before 31 December 2015.

Book, Save and Win for your 2016 Events

TFE Hotels will offer you more ways to meet in Australia and New Zealand with an array of outstanding venues; great facilities including AV gear, technical assistance, catering and accommodation, with professional, experienced and friendly team dedicated to making your event a standout success. If you spend $2,500 or more you can receive your choice of up to four value add-ons, such as complimentary meeting room Wi-Fi, a complimentary data projector, half hour canapés post-event, or a hotel restaurant voucher to the value of $100. Additionally, for every 20 rooms booked, you will receive one complimentary room and a $200 rebate on the total bill when you book your next conference. You'll also be in with the chance of winning a 5-night stay at any TFE Hotel in Australia and New Zealand.

TFE Hotels' brands include: Adina Apartment Hotels, Medina Serviced Apartments, Rendezvous Hotels, Vibe Hotels, Travelodge Hotels and TFE Hotels Collection. For more information and to book email meet@tfehotels.com or visit TFEhotels.com/bookearly.

As an Executive Assistant, we understand your days are full of many tasks - so let us help you out by planning your next event! At The Ternary, our events team are here to tailor-make an experience that your guests are sure to remember, utilising our stunning selection of indoor and outdoor spaces, including poolside and harbour view terraces that are sure to impress your guests. From a bespoke end of year event, to your next completely themed launch, together we will help you create a memorable experience. To start your event in the best way possible, please contact us today so we can plan an unforgettable experience for you.

The Ternary Events Team:
+61 2 9288 7116 | H1181-SL4@accor.com
Level 1, Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour
70-100 Murray Street, Darling Harbour
website: theternary.com.au
facebook: theternary
instagram: @theternary

A significant increase in the number of bookings at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre is testament to the changing face of Perth and the keen interest from national and international event organisers. General manager Nigel Keen said there had been a surge of activity which in turn had led to a boost in the value of events. "Comparing our most recent figures with those from October 2014, we've seen a 28 per cent increase in revenue on confirmed business for January to June 2016," he said. "The first half of 2015 was a busy time, but there's a real sense of excitement at the moment thanks to some key events which will grace our shores next year."

Preparations have begun for what has been described as 'the world's most important liquid natural gas conference'. Dubbed LNG 18, the conference will bring together 5000 participants and 250 exhibitors from 60 different countries. In March, around 2000 people will head to Perth for a joint event - the 17th Ottawa Conference held alongside the 2016 Australian and New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators Conference. "While those extraordinary international gatherings are sure to showcase the capabilities of the PCEC, there are a number of prestigious national business events on the cards too," Mr Keen said. "The Australia and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science and The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand will host 900 delegates for its annual scientific meetings, with a further 650 people expected to travel for the Australia Pain Society's yearly event in March. Conferences like these don't just show up on our doorstep. It takes a lot of hard work by both the organising committees and our colleagues at Perth Convention Bureau, who provide vital assistance to streamline what can often be a very competitive and challenging process."

Mr Keen said such events had positive flow-on effects for the hospitality and tourism industries, as well as for the wider economy. Importantly, they will provide true legacies for business and economic development in Western Australia. "The Perth skyline is dotted with cranes working on brand new hotels and major infrastructure projects which are truly changing the face of Perth," he said. "For business visitors and delegates, the $2.6 billion Elizabeth Quay - which is adjacent to the PCEC - will offer a variety of options for work or play from early next year. "Three brand new hotels are on track to open in coming months, with a further 15 accommodation developments to welcome their first guests by the end of 2018."

For more information about holding your next business event or conference in Perth, visit www.pcb.com.au or www.pcec.com.au.

Contact:

Nigel Keen, General Manager
Nigel.Keen@pcec.com.au
08 9338 0301

Meg Coffey, PR & Marketing
meg@coffeyandtea.com
0447 555 310

IHG have provided numerous Special Offers to our EAN Members across Australia. These special offers come from some of their venues throughout NSW and VIC. To view these, please login to your account and access your Special Offers via the Member Resources.