city-steam

by peter pearson

Don’t Miss the Royal Albert Hall, One of London’s Most Iconic Event Venues

When it comes to cultural entertainment, London has few shortcomings – a fact that’s apparent in the city’s impressive calendar of theatre, music and dance performances, not to mention its spectacular host of concert halls and event venues – one of the most iconic and versatile of them being the Royal Albert Hall. Inspired by the success of Prince Albert’s Great Exhibition, the Royal Albert Hall was opened in 1871 – ten years after the Prince’s death. Being largely influenced by ancient amphitheatres and notions of the arts, the oval structure’s terracotta walls are decorated on the outside with a frieze dedicated to “The Triumph of Arts and Sciences”. Today, the stunning venue stands as a testimony to the architectural and aesthetic achievements of the past, as well as the technological developments of the present; it even features the largest pipe organ in the British Isles.

The Royal Albert Hall hosts a wide variety of entertainment events, including classical, rock, pop and jazz music, sporting events, galas, banquets and balls and the world-famous Proms series. It has a capacity of 8000, but is typically packed with crowds during the summer months when the Promenade concerts take over. Thus, visitors have to the option to queue up on the day of an event in order to get cheap, last-minute tickets for the seat-less “Gods” level (the highest level in the hall), or to book in advance for seats up front.

The Royal Albert Hall has a year-round line-up of traditional and contemporary theatre, music and dance events. Upcoming performances include: the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on 15 March, the Classical Spectacular 2007 from 22 March – 25 March and the Cathcart Spring Prom concert on 17 May. There’s even a Ballroom Dancing Championships event being held in autumn!

If you’re planning to attend an event at the Royal Albert Hall in London, make sure you book a hotel in South Kensington. That way, you’ll be close to the venue and you’ll still remain well connected to other top London attractions such as Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum. Moreover, South Kensington is located right next to Knightsbridge, which, being home to the exclusively famous Harrods and Harvey Nichols department stores is one of the prime shopping districts of London.

So, during your next visit to London, book a hotel in South Kensington and attend a performance at one of the most iconic and atmospheric music venues in the world: the Royal Albert Hall.

Andrew Regan is an online, freelance journalist.

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by Rosa Menkman

5 Tips to Make the Most of Your Exhibition Stands

Exhibition stands can be a very effective marketing tool when used correctly. Exhibitions attract many different kinds of people that can help make your product, or company a success. As a result, it is important to make the most of your exhibition stands. Following these five tips should help you to have a successful exhibition.

Respect and give attention to all visitors at your stand. You should use the same philosophy as, “the customer is always right.” What that implies is that anyone visiting your stand should be given respect and attention. Showing disrespect or ignoring them will not yield the results you desire. There are many different types of people that come to exhibitions. Ensure that you don’t simply ignore certain demographics (like seniors, for example). Every person is important, so seek out the people who are wandering in the aisles and are not getting attention from anyone else. Talking to them and giving them respect is a great way to get them to remember your message.

Adjust to the types of visitors you will have. A great “pitch” can work wonders, but if the same pitch is used on media, buyers, advertising sales staff, specifiers, consultants, and all other visitors it will simply not be effective. Adjust your pitch to the type of visitor you are dealing with. Does an old person looking to buy your product care if Jessica Simpson endorses it? Does a young person want a job that is good for seniors? Keep these types of questions in mind when talking to your visitors.

Go after actual leads at the exhibition. Some exhibitors believe very strongly that they need to get “names” at an exhibition. This could not be more untrue. Names are not important; actual leads are. Actual qualified leads are visitors that have the capability to fulfill an organizational objective (such as a sale or job interview) and whom you have enough information about so you can respond to them specifically after the exhibition. It wouldn’t make sense to send a sales letter to a job applicant and a job application to a member of the media. Having accurate information about your visitors (besides just their names) is paramount.

Time limits should always be set. There will be many people visiting your stand. You cannot spend a great amount of time on one person, because then others will be neglected. Every person visiting is important and should thusly be given a due amount of consideration. A five-minute time limit for dealing with a visitor is a good idea. It ensures that the exhibition keeps moving, and that your specific stand does not get clogged up with too many people at once.

Follow up on your exhibition leads! This may seem like a no-brainer, but many people take the time and effort to set up a beautiful exhibition and do not follow up on their leads. Why even set up a stand if you won’t use the information you acquire? Exhibition stands are great ways to help the success of your company, so use your information wisely.