SEO Consultant – Is It Vital To Hire a Search Engine Optimization Consultant?

Search Engine Submission and Optimization are by far the most cost-effective ways to generate constant visitors on your web site.

There are many advantages to hiring a search engine optimization consultant who
will help you to get a better search engine ranking when a search is performed
on the internet.

This is vital for your business because it will help driving to your website
more targeted traffic that may not have been possible otherwise.

Search engine optimization through a SEO consultant would mean being able to
delegate him the optimization process freeing you to deal with other important
aspects of your online business operation.

In addition, you can also ask for Search Engine Optimization coaching. This allows you
to get valuable information on how to optimize your website and achieve a high ranking
for your targeted niche. A SEO consultant will also teach you some internet marketing
pitfalls that may break your business and motivation!

The SEO consultant does all the research which includes analysis of your competition
and identifying keywords as well as keyword phrases to optimize your website. You can
also get the SEO consultant to design and manage your pay per click advertising campaigns.

And finally, the SEO consultant will start a link building campaign to help you build your link popularity which is essential for a better search engine rankings.

If you’ve decided to SEO your website by yourself it comes down to how limited your time is and
how is your knowledge about search engine marketing. The secrets about search engine optimization is that there are no secrets!

However if you decide to SEO your web site yourself make sure to only employ ethical SEO methods and techniques that won’t jeopardize your website investment. Avoid cloaked doorway pages and on-page hidden texts that may get you site banned from the search engines.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to Search Engine Marketing Success. Discover The *Secret Formula* We’ve Used To Stay In Google’s Top 3 Rankings For Over 3 Years For Some Of The Toughest Keywords Around (18 MILLION Competitors!)

Download it free here: Search Engine Marketing Success [http://affordable-search-engine-optimization-services.com/seo-course.html]

KPO Consulting – A New Branch in Outsourcing

KPO consulting may also involve such services as document writing, legal advise, global filing, invalidation search, prior art searches, freedom of use search, executing standardized processes. Such processes require advanced analytical and technical skills, that is the job can be fulfilled only by the professionals in the field. The process itself is very lengthy, therefore US companies outsource each step of it, such as searching for prior art, preparing drawings of the patent, and so on. Only the final review and filing of the patent is done by a registered US attorney located in the United States.

The essence of outsourcing kpo consulting is that it eventually increases sale of goods and services to the clients of the business. The standards of kpo consulting staff demand wise management and speedy problem solving with the help of the most recent communication technologies. The studies suggest that the healthcare, pharmaceutical, biotechnology and intellectual-property rights industries have become much more efficient with the use of kpo consulting.

Although a new field of outsourcing, kpo consulting is quickly gaining popularity among the American businesses, the constantly growing need for flexibility, the limited amount of time needed for entering the market, as well as increased competition of the so-much globalized market together with certain cost pressures were all factors, which speeded the evolvement of kpo consulting.

The employees, who are normally hired to work at kpo consulting firms, usually possess a degree in higher education and extensive experience and expertise, allowing them to fulfill the tasks in the most efficient way.

Top Tips to Choosing & Using a Professional Home Staging Consultant

How To Find A Good Home Staging Consultant

So you’ve looked around your home, looked at your timeframe to sell and realistically looked at what resources & skills you have to get your home ready to sell.

You’ve seen the TV shows where the House Doctor waves her magic wand, the house doctor team whirl in and whirl out leaving a greatly improved property.

But what do you do if you can’t entice the House Doctor herself to come to you and makeover your home?

Well taking a quick look at the internet and typing in ‘Home Staging’ or ‘House Doctors’ into a search box will give you literally hundreds of thousands of results.

So how do you go about choosing a reputable and effective home staging consultant from a dodgy get-rich-quick merchant or a someone who just wants to dabble in interiors?

Here are my top tips to choosing and using a good home staging consultant who will get you the results you desire… a fast sale at a good price.

Tip 1: Know what it is you want/ need to achieve!

This may sound obvious… ‘Sell your home’ but take a look at your property realistically.

I always recommend that you start with a pen and paper. Walk through your property making some notes of the obvious things that you think may need doing.

A good friend or even a friendly Estate Agent could help you to identify problem areas.

Tip 2: Decide realistically what the scope of the work is

You just need a wash & brush up.
You need a little bit more in the way of painting & decorating.
You need a complete overhaul.
Tip 3: Be realistic about your own strengths & weaknesses:
WHAT MONEY DO I HAVE? WHAT AM I REALLY CAPABLE OF DOING? WHAT’S MY TIMEFRAME?

With this ‘clearer picture’ in mind you can also take a realistic view at your own resource:
How much time do you have to give the project?
What skills do you have to complete the work?
What money do you have to put into the process?
What is the timeframe? Sell by next year or next month!
It may be that although you do have the skills, ‘time’ is the issue
or

You have the skills and the time but limited resources… you are considering doing the work yourself.

“how long has your property been on the market”
“what size of property is it”
“What feedback have you had from the estate agents/ potential buyers?”
“What are other properties selling for? Is yours realistically priced?”
“Does your area draw a certain type of buyer? Family/ first time/ retired?”
“Does your property seem likely to appeal to that buyer?”
There are many other questions that you could be asked but all demonstrate a basic understanding of the process of gauging a new property and it’s issues.
You should be getting a ‘feel’ of the way that the Home Staging Consultant works.

Using the information from 1,2 & 3 you can work out whether you are looking for someone who can:

Prepare the report to tell you what to do – and you do the work.
Prepare a report and carry out some of the work for you.
Completely manage the whole process from report through to sale of property.
Tip 4: Now we come to those Home Staging Consultants.
DO THEY SOUND INTERESTED IN YOU AND YOUR PROJECT?

Don’t just choose to call the ones with the most attractive website:

Who are these consultants?
Where did they train or learn their skills? Have you heard of this training?
Do they show a portfolio of case studies of their work?
Do you think that their ‘before ‘ & ‘after’ pictures make a difference?
Do they show client endorsements?
Have they been in business long? Track record?
Do they give you information on how they charge/ organise their work/ produce reports?
Did they sound interested in you and your project?
Did they ask relevant questions?
Tip 5: A good Home Staging Consultant will start to give you advice and ideas before you pay anything:
Look at their website, look at their brochure or listen to their conversation… are they confident that they can help you, are they already talking positively about the project, have they looked at the photos that may be on the estate agents website?

Those consultants who are confident won’t be afraid of giving you ideas and advice for nothing… they know that because they do and sound confident, you can trust them!

How to Become a Qualified Person Consultant

If you are a Qualified Person with a full time position. You may be interested to know that there are many organizations that require the skills and expertise of a Qualified Person consultant.

The organisation may require periodic batch release and would only require a QP at these times. A company may have a large project and require a Qualified Person during this time to help with the work load. Some companies use Qualified Person consultants to improve the organisations knowledge in certain areas or to set up and run new departments within quality.

Whatever the reason QP contractors are a effective and smart solution to some of the problems faced by drug manufacturing companies.

Contracting as a Qualified Person can offer a flexible working week as well as a significant boots to your finances. Qualified Person consultants can command around £750/1000 per day and are able to offer their services to a number of clients at a time.

You may have the skills and experience to become a QP contract consultant, but what else will you need to do?

1. Form a Limited company

This is for tax and limited liability purposes.

A new company can be incorporated in two ways.

 Your solicitor can draw up the new company’s Memorandum & Articles of Association and submit this to Companies House.
 Use on online incorporation service to submit the paperwork to Companies House. (This option usually takes around a day).

2. Operate as a Sole Trader.

If you choose this option your will need to operate under an ‘umbrella’ company for tax purposes. This is easy to set up in conjunction with your agency, however this option could become expensive with time.

3. Find the right Agency.

This is an important part of Qualified Person Consultancy. You may have contacts within the industry and may wish to contract to them directly. This can be disastrous. Without a solid agreement between contractor and employers you leave your self open to all sorts of legal ramifications.
An agency provides a base to start you contracting carrier.
The right agency will provide you with a solid contractual terms of business between you and the client as well as on-going support. The right agency will have the contacts and the experience to find you work as and when you require it.

Once you have completed these three steps you will be well on your way to your first appointment. All you need to do now impress at your interview!

Matt Tong has built up relationships within the pharmaceutical industry in order to offer consultant QP services with expertise across the full spectrum of human and animal drugs/medicines. The consultants provide services in the areas of batch realise, facility audits, industry standards, QA/QC advice and regulatory assistance in the UK and Europe.

Clairvoyant Consultant

Do you want to know what the future has in store for you? Are you interested to know your luck when it comes to relationships, money, career and fortune? Whether you want to know if your spouse is cheating on you or if it is wise to start a new business in a certain locale, a clairvoyant consultant can help you.

A clairvoyant consultant is a person who has the ability to clearly see things and events that cannot be perceived by the different senses. The clairvoyant uses this ability to help those who are in need for answers to questions that are related to many aspects most especially love, money, and career. Nowadays, the number of clairvoyant consultants that provide readings continues to increase as more and more people find the need to understand some events in their lives that they could not easily figure out the answers to.

Aside from this, there is now a new trend on the Internet where anybody who is having software problems with his computer can seek support from a clairvoyant consultant instead of a technical support or a customer service representative. Some people prefer to call a clairvoyant consultant because they are fed up with technical support representatives who put them on hold for several hours and then pay fees only to be told later to reinstall the operating system. A clairvoyant consultant, however, can easily track down the source of the problem and give you possible solution.

Because of the power of the Internet, many clairvoyant consultants can now be easily found online. However, some are not very reliable. Take your time in searching and see if the clairvoyant consultant that you choose is a certified one so that you will not end up being taken advantage of.

Using a Parenting Plan Template

A parenting plan is a great way to show how your shared parenting works. If you do not know how to make one, consider using a parenting plan template.

A parenting plan is a wonderful tool that can help ease the pain,Guest Posting confusion and anxiety of divorce or separation situations. Making a parenting plan on your own without help can be difficult and overwhelming. There are, fortunately, parenting plan templates that can help you make an effective parenting plan.

Templates for parenting plans come in several different styles that help make shared parenting much easier and much more effective. While some parenting plan templates are generic and of basic design, there are some more detailed parenting plan templates that guide you step by step.

An effective parenting plan is essential for making divorce and child custody situations less stressful and better overall. Parenting plan templates make it much more simple to develop a parenting plan.

As you explore your options with templates for your parenting plan, keep in mind the things that will benefit your situation the most. A good parenting plan template should have sections for:

the child’s medical and educational information, as well as any special needs;

which parent is primarily responsible for the child’s residence and care or custody has been divided;

financial and child support information;

a schedule for regular visitation, as well as how holidays and vacations are divided;

how and which social events and doctor appointments are split between parents;

resolutions for possible disputes between parents; and

any other important documents or information specific to your child.

As you search for a parenting plan template and as you create a parenting plan that works, it is important to keep in mind the reason you are creating a parenting plan: your child. Your child’s well-being, health and welfare should always be your first priority.

Having a working parenting plan is important not only for both parents to know how custody and visitation is divided, but also to have for mediation or custody hearings so a mediator or judge can see how your child is being cared for.

Whether you know how make your own or you need help creating a parenting plan, there are many different kinds of templates and examples of parenting plans you can utilize to help you develop an effective parenting plan. Find a parenting plan template that works for you, your child’s other parent and, most importantly, your child. Custody X Change can help you create a great parenting plan with their parenting plan templates.

A Trading Plan Template Can Make the Difference

There is no better way to improve your trading than to take the first step and write a comprehensive trading plan.

Just as you wouldn’t tempt to drive across the country without some sort of map,Guest Posting you shouldn’t contemplate entering the stock market without a trading plan.A well designed trading plan provides you with a road map to achieve your financial goals as a trader. It also enables you to measure your growth as a trader both in the short and long term.Common sense would tell you that it is better to trade with a plan than without one. But the vast majority of novice and intermediate traders and investors will buy and sell stocks without a stock trading plan.The lack of a trading plan is one of the biggest differences between a novice, unsuccessful or struggling trader or and investor and the profitable traders and investors who have incredible, consistent success in the stock market. Creating a trading plan does not have to be a difficult task. Often the simplest trading strategies are the most effective. The simpler your trading strategy the more straight forward your share trading plan will be when you record it on paper.Most of us either have our own computer or we at least have access to one. So there is not excuse for not being able to record your trading plan on paper. If you are really keen you could even create a trading plan pdf.So what are some of the main benefits of trading with a trading plan? Well, to start with a trading plan that is designed correctly will be aligned with your trading experience, personality, mindset, risk tolerance, and financial goals.In addition, a trading plan can give you better control of your trading with decisions based on your plan and not on emotion. Your plan will tell you exactly what, when, and how to execute your trading decisions. It will also tell you when you should stand aside from the market when conditions do not suit your strategic edge.Designed right your plan will give you confidence to stick with your plan even during the lean times, particularly when you strike a series of losing trades. Another important feature of you trading plan will be your ability to plot your development as a trader or investor. Properly thought out, your plan should give you a suitable benchmark against which you can track and measure your progress, both from a financial and personal growth perspective.Remember, if you want to serious about your trading, you need to be able to compete with the market professionals. If you think you can get away with competing in the financial markets without a robust trading plan – your fooling yourselfIf you are not to sure where to start or think that it all sounds to difficult, do not despair. The best way to construct your complete trading plan is to start with a trading plan template. That way you are assured of covering all the critical elements of a robust trading plan.You can find them in many trading books. Stock trading plan templates are also available on many websites. But be warned. As with many things in life, “you get what you paid for”. For that reason be wary of cheap or free trading plan templates. They are more often than not incomplete, flawed or part of some trading company’s strategy to get you onto their mailing lists.Spending a few dollars to purchase a trading plan template or handbook is more than likely going to be money well spent. A decision that will repay its self many times over.

5 Diet Plan Saving Tips !

Guilty and frustrated from cheating on your diet plan? These diet plan saving tips will keep you on track!

It’s nine thirty at night and you have followed your new diet plan perfectly to a tee all day. A pizza advertisement comes on the commercial break of your favorite show and you notice it is close to your next mealtime.

Up to the kitchen you go to eat your next meal. When in the fridge pulling out your nicelyprepared diet plan meal,Guest Posting you notice some left over Fettuccini Alfredo your wife or roommate brought home. Sure looks good you think as you catch a little bit of saliva about to drip on your shirt!

“Just a little taste won’t hurt my diet plan,” you justify…

“ I’ve stuck to my diet plan all day……”

A little taste and before you know it you tell yourself the extra carbs and calories will be a good boost to your workout tomorrow!

An hour later your gut is stretching and Indigestion plagues you from cheating on your diet plan!!

“I should have stuck to my diet plan!” is going through your head as you lay down to have nightmares of a fat ass! “Tomorrow I’ll stick to my diet plan “, you chant in your head!But you fall from your diet plan only a day or two later!

The occasional stray from your diet plan can really add up!And billboards,tv’s, radios and people are everywhere pushing fast foods and junk to sabotage your diet plan!

Here are five diet plan saving tips to arm yourself against the onslaught of the Cheating War!

Diet Plan Tip #1 – Eat Slowly – Take your time when you sit down to eat.

The chances you will stuff yourself or overeat diminish and you will reach the point of satiety much more quickly if you eat slowly!

The more you are satisfied with what you have eaten the less likely you will continue to think of food. That chocolate Black Forest cake won’t be as tempting either!

Diet Plan Tip #2 – Have Delicious Meals That Fit Your Meal Plan Prepared Ahead Of Time.

Having meals prepared ahead of time makes it convenient to eat according to a plan and on schedule.

You can make it more convenient to stick to your diet plan than it is to eat that bag of candy by having your diet plan meals prepared and available when it is time to eat– and when you gethungry.

Diet Plan Tip #3 – Get Used To Eating For Your Purpose Instead Of For Your Taste Buds.

Satisfying your taste buds when you get the urge to gorge down a Big Mac will never develop a healthy, lean, muscular physique! Keep in mind you are eating to develop a lean, healthy muscular physique every time you open your mouth! The temporary taste satisfaction of a jelly-filled donut will be gone real fast but the empty calories you just devoured can defeat a whole day’s worth of bodybuilding effort!

Diet Plan Tip #4 – Be creative with your cooking to make sticking to your diet enjoyable.

Ideally, with proper preparation and some reciperesearch you can create delicious mouth watering meals that meet your diet plan criteria. Learn to cook. Employ spices from other parts of the world. India and China are twocountries with interesting choices to really spice up your diet plan. When you don’t have to force feed yourself with your nose plugged the chances are much higher you can stick to your diet plan more easily!

Diet Plan Tip #5 – Drink Water.

Drinking water between meals can help to reduce your hunger pains temporarily by giving a sense of fullness. For those of you that sabotage your diet plan munching here and there,keeping a water bottle with you wherever you go can really help.Just sip away when its oral satisfaction rather than hunger driving you.

Making the Most of Your Year

Making the Most of Your Year By Christy Geiger, Business and Life Strategy CoachDo you find yourself amazed at how quickly the months pass? Do you find yourself in a small panic over all you know you

Making the Most of Your Year
By Christy Geiger,Guest Posting Business and Life Strategy Coach

Do you find yourself amazed at how quickly the months pass? Do you find yourself in a small panic over all you know you have to do and how little you feel you are actually accomplishing? Join the crowd! We live in a busy world where our time, priorities and energy are constantly challenged. The reality is that there is simply not time for everything and we don’t have enough energy to complete everything. Bummer, I know! If only God had created the world with 8 days in a week or 30 hours in a day…. sounds good? Maybe, but really we would just quickly absorb that time too and be in the same spot.

What do we do? There are 5 simple steps to create greater success by managing our time and getting things done in business and life that are important.
1.EVALUATE. What do I really want? Where am I headed? What am I doing now?
2.GET REAL. What is really important that will impact and support your long term goals the best? What is not important? What is distracting me? What is not really supporting my long term goal?
3.PLAN. What do I need to do to accomplish my goal? What are the KEY action steps? How will I do this? What schedule or strategy will keep me focused?
4.FOCUS. Who do you need to be and what structures do you need to have to accomplish this (mindset, attitude, accountability)?
5.MONITOR/EVALUATE. Am I doing little, unimportant things? Am I procrastinating? What is working/ what is not? How could I streamline what I am doing?

What happens with good intentions and goals…
Plans begin as ideas in our head; we desire to have or do something. The key to the success of the idea is a plan. You know the saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Sometime our ideas will make it to paper in the form of a SMART goal and sometime not. If we do write a goal people sometimes we will create some action steps, but rarely do they take the time to thoroughly think through what actions are actually needed at each stage to accomplish the goal completely. Sometimes people will start planning and get overwhelmed at how much work it will actually take or get overwhelmed with the process and give up. Often our goals remain our dreams because we fail to carve out time to make them reality. A management tip is to create a plan from start to finish. With this plan, decide if you have the time, energy, resources and desire to bring it to completion. Next, estimate HOW LONG each task will actually take. It is common to underestimate how much time each step will take and therefore it never gets done. Remember, if you are going to add something to your schedule, you must also plan to say “No!” to something else to make time to accomplish your goal.

Step 1: EVALUATE…
To create an effective plan, begin with a careful evaluation. Most people are constantly evaluating their present state without much problem. We are constantly assessing, “What do I really want right now?” We look at things around us and talk about what we would like to be different in our life. We talk about our goals, New Year’s Resolutions, current intentions, etc. We often state them as fact and sincerely intend to accomplish those in our life. We see how they would make a positive difference and desire for them to happen. There is a small percentage of people who also evaluate the questions, “Where am I headed?” and “What will it take for me to get there?” Evaluation is a tool that allows you to anchor where you are now, determine where you want to go and create markers along the way to ensure you stay on course. Without a longer term vision, we tend to react to current situations, “I need to make more money, I need to lose weight, I need to get this business off the ground, etc.” This leads to wandering through life without focus or purpose. Evaluate the present and then also evaluate the future and what it would take to get there.

Step 2: GET REAL…
Then, get real. Does this fit in with where you are headed with your long term goals in your life? What is doing this going to get you? What is the cost (consider time, money, energy, emotional, etc.) Are you willing to pay it? If you do really want this, what is going to be important that you do? What is distracting you from making this happen?
Identify Key Result Items:
•Write exactly where you are headed and what this is going to get you.
•Identify what you will have to do and write that down.
•Identify what you will have to say “no” to and commit to 3 things you will have to stop to make this happen. Identify what this will “cost” and write down how you will “pay” for it. (This is not just financial, it may be something intangible like – COST: time with the family, PAYMENT: work later during week, but home Friday for dinner and family day all Saturday.)
•Identify 5 main distractions and how you can eliminate those.

Step 3: PLAN…
Next, plan what it will take to make this happen. You already have some Key Result Items from your Get Real Exercise. Take those and add to the list other ideas of what you know you will need to do to accomplish your goal. What are specific action steps you will need to take? Stop a minute and in your mind focus on your long term goal. See it in full and complete form. What is there? What are you doing? What do you notice about yourself and your actions? Now, in your mind walk backwards what did you do to get there? For example, if part of my long term goal is to have a thriving independent business, I may visualize myself in an office with the flexibility to be remote. Part of what I would need to do is establish an office, design portable systems, have a virtual assistant, have tools and resources for office work, etc. This becomes one Key Result Area: A functional Office. Then I walk backwards and plan steps I would have taken to create this functional office. Put dates on each broken-down action step and estimate what it will take to make each step happen (time, cost, etc.). Allocate completion targets accordingly.

Step 4: FOCUS…
Now that you have your plan flushed out and in place, who do you need to be to accomplish this? Going back to your vision of your completed goal, what mindset and attitude did you have throughout the project? How did you do this? What schedule or strategy kept you focused? What systems of accountability did you have in place? What kept you on track and focused? One of the most common errors people make is IF they get their plan complete, they begin work and get caught up in the rush of life again and start reacting and forget about their plan. When you created your plan you were looking at the big picture. When you are working in the trenches of life, you are limited to see what is in front of you, unless you stick to the plan. There is nothing wrong with evaluating and refining your plan as you go, but only when you are looking at it in perspective of the whole picture and not the short term moment. The story is told about the caravan crossing the Sahara desert. The desert was barren and large. Many parties got lost crossing the great plains as they could not see their destination over the horizon. A team went in and put in markers for travelers to focus on as they crossed so they would use each marker as a point of reference until they could see the city. This allows many parties to cross the treacherous desert in the most direct and efficient path. This is your plan. Plan it well, establish milestones to focus on, trust them and stay the course!

Step 5: Monitor…
Step back occasionally and evaluate what you are doing. Go back to step one. How are you doing? What is working what is not? Are you on track or off course? Make adjustments to get on track, re-design what is not working to new solutions and refine the plan in area that would increase efficiency or results toward your goal. Keep your long-term goal in mind and check to make sure your short term goals are supporting the long term goals. Notice your behavior. Accomplishing big goals is hard work. Plan first and keep your eyes on the pre-set short term goal that position you to reach your bigger vision.

Bottom line…
None of these strategies are rocket science. The challenge is to maintain the discipline, focus and clarity to implement these basic strategies. Evaluate your long term goal, be realistic, plan, set structures for focus and have check points to monitor. Invest your time in your plan and maintain the course once it is set. If you are serious about these goals, take action today. Insure your success by developing an accountably system for yourself. Hire a coach as your strategic partner to run with you. Find a buddy in a similar situation. Whatever it is, build environments to support your vision. Take the time to plan and design structures for success and you will see a difference! Here’s to you and your success! Have fun!

Emergency Preparedness for Large Events

Do you have an emergency preparedness plan in place to protect your business and employees from the disruptions that may occur due to a large event? Large events attract numerous attendees and increase the corresponding odds of a dangerous occurrence; therefore, having a well-constructed crisis management plan is imperative to responding to and managing incidents that may arise.

Do you have an emergency preparedness plan in place to protect your business and employees from the disruptions that may occur due to a large event? The upcoming Democratic National Convention in Charlotte,Guest Posting like all large events, will attract large gatherings of attendees and increases the corresponding odds of a dangerous occurrence. Communication may be difficult and transportation may be next to impossible – therefore, having a well-constructed crisis management plan is imperative to responding to and managing incidents that occur under these conditions.

During the NATO Summit 2012, authorities and surrounding businesses struggled to contend with the disruptions deriving from protests, threats, transportation blockades and communication problems – are you prepared to respond to these occurrences during an upcoming large event?

Below are several key steps to take into consideration when creating your crisis management plan.

Make a Crisis Management Plan: Use Your Crisis Team

Form a special event planning committee and try to use your established crisis team as much as possible, as these individuals have worked together before, so it should be easier to create a crisis management plan for the large event. You may, however, need to bring in outside personnel for help (e.g. head of security or property managers). The team should have a leader, and you may want to use your emergency preparedness team leader for this position, as they are already trained in the event of crises.

Begin planning for the event immediately and stay on track. You may want to create a timeline to ensure that planning and implementation is unfolding as necessary to stay on time.

Local and State Involvement

Interact with local resources as soon as possible. Local resources will be able to provide you with assistance that will help your office run smoothly, as they know the lay of the land and are in a better position to offer assistance with event planning and emergency preparedness. These resources may include committees, local security, police officers, firefighters and more.

Meet with these individuals and invite them to contribute input on your crisis management plan. They may be able to offer advice that you would otherwise not have known to plan for, such as rules that must be enforced during the event, transportation blockades that might occur and potential security problems. Working with local resources will only serve to strengthen your event planning and emergency preparedness strategies, ensuring that you will be on the same page during a crisis.

Probability and Impact

When you’re planning for a large event, two types of occurrences may happen: the event itself, with higher-probability but lower-potential for risk, and smaller events spurred from the larger one, which are lower-probability but have a higher-potential for risk (e.g. emergencies and protests). Successful event and emergency preparedness plans will prepare for both occurrences. Remember, your crisis management plan should address both the event and your hard-working employees who must still maintain business as usual during this time.

Large Event Planning

Your emergency preparedness plan should address the massive amount of people that will disrupt the infrastructure of the city. These items include:

Commuting. The commute will be brutal during the event, as the city will likely experience a high traffic volume from attendees. Address high travel times in your crisis management plan, and outline alternate routes to and from your work, or shift work hours for your employees to make sure that they do not have to travel at peak hours. Calculate how many attendees are expected at the event and be flexible, as employees may have to work from home if the event is near the office. Additionally, stay in touch with local resources in order to maintain up-to-date emergency preparedness information, as you need to be among the first to know if you won’t have access to certain streets due to blockades or unexpected accidents.
Internet Usage. In addition to high traffic on the roads, your crisis management plans should address potentially high internet traffic. The internet may slow to a crawling pace around your area while visitors use smartphones and other wireless devices. Work with the appropriate personnel to determine peak and non-peak hours of internet usage during this time. Schedule important conferences at non-peak hours so your employees don’t have to struggle with lower bandwidth or dropped calls. Your emergency preparedness plans may even include not planning any important meetings during the event at all, as communication may be difficult, and some individuals may be late or unable to attend.
Disruptions. Your emergency preparedness plans may also address disruptions caused by an event, which can last longer than the event itself. For example, a week before NATO 2012, the city of Chicago was disrupted because important diplomats were arriving; additionally, the torch relay for the Olympics is held in the month of May, but the actual Olympic Games are held in July. Plan for these types of disruptions ahead of time in your crisis management plan, and be prepared to address how these may also disrupt the city’s infrastructure.
Smaller Events – Protests, Emergencies, Terrorism
These events, spurred by the larger event, are mostly uncontrollable by you, but must still be addressed in your crisis management plan. A comprehensive emergency preparedness plan includes strategies to tackle these types of crises, including spontaneous protests (some of which may occur in front of your office building), terrorism, emergencies, and disasters, such as fires and flooding. Be sure to:

Interface with security and local authorities. If you’re worried about security, meet with property management and local and state authorities to learn about the types of resources they may have available. If you do choose to hire an outside security company, make sure that the company is experienced, has strong credentials, and is willing to work with outside authorities to ensure that your office is as safe as possible. You need a contact point for your crisis management plan – if you hear that there are protests occurring outside of your office building via a message from the company or a newscast, you should have a crisis leader in place who will call your contact point to figure out the next steps to take in your emergency preparedness plan.
Work with property management to assess the safety of your building. Plan ahead and have extra security in place at your office, if the event is nearby. Plan who is and who isn’t allowed into the building, search for alternate entrances and exits, and be prepared.
Plan for the unexpected. During large events, take extra emergency preparedness precautions and treat everything much more seriously. This includes bomb threats, suspicious packages – anything out of the ordinary. If you see something that seems wrong, say something about it. Be on extra alert during this time, because the probability for risk is higher than normal.
Practice Your Crisis Management Plan
As the large event draws nearer, you will want to practice your crisis management plan. Either practice it internally or have an outside company conduct an emergency preparedness tabletop drill to ensure that all individuals involved know what to expect. During this drill, conduct tests of your emergency messaging system. Make sure that the message begins and ends with the phrase “This is a test,” so that employees are aware that it is not a real crisis. This is the time to test your emergency messaging system, as you will need to know that it works – and how it works – prior to the actual event.

During the tabletop drill of your crisis management plan, address all event crises that may occur. Additionally, comprehensive emergency preparedness plans should include recovery planning. Determine who makes the decision about when business should return to normal and speak with all members of the crisis team (e.g. executives, security, property managers, etc.) to ensure that everyone is on the same page in regard to crisis management plan execution and recovery.

Local authorities are generally very responsive and, if they have personnel available, are usually willing to participate in the drill for your crisis management plan to provide you with valuable emergency preparedness input. They can tell you if they already have resources in place and where, and they can also let you know if they are otherwise occupied during this time.