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Monday, June 28, 2010

Cool, Carry-On Travel Products for Savvy Travelers

Great news for all you road warriors who prefer to travel light and avoid those pesky airline luggage fees! 3floz.com a new website "For those who travel, those who are curious, and those who can’t commit" has launched to provide travelers with TSA-friendly products. Co-founded by Kate Duff and Alexi Mintz who wondered for years why they couldn’t find all of their favorite beauty products in travel-friendly sizes to take along on their frequent travels for both work and pleasure.


The site carries a variety of men’s and women’s products, including skincare, hair care and nail care, many are organic and natural products. Brands include Philip B, Go Smile, Ole Henriksen, Malin + Goetz, Air Repair, Archipelago Botanicals, Anthony for Men and more, including travel kits from Ahava, The Art of Shaving, Dr. Hauschka, Jonathan and Yes to Carrots. Online exclusives include Phyto Haircare, Baxter of California, and Blow.


With TSA rules changing daily, travelers can now save time and money by skipping baggage check all together. Small sizes also offer the perfect way to sample new products without the large investment compared to full-size counterparts. Items available at 3floz.com range from $3-$110.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Top 4 Questions to Ask When Contracting a TD

Interestingly, one of the most common questions we receive from our Planner members is “Am I asking the right interview questions?”

When contracting a freelance travel professional, most meeting planners will make initial contact via email. After confirming a TD’s availability for the project, the next step varies from company to company, planner to planner. Many times meeting face to face is not an option, so planners rely heavily on referrals, email communication and phone interviews. Regardless of which contracting style you prefer, planners should always make sure to ask the most critical questions before hiring a TD to represent you or your client’s organization.

When time is of the essence, here are INTD’s top four most crucial interview questions to ask:
1. What is your previous experience as a freelance TD?
Your TD might have only helped out at the registration desk or been hired as directional staff. It is imperative that you know and understand exactly what he/she has done for other companies to access what they are capable of handling while working for you.

2. What on-site responsibilities are your strengths? A-V, Hospitality Desk, F&B, Transportation, Meeting Room Set-up, etc.
Don’t assume your TD is good at all on-site responsibilities. It is better to clarify what they consider their professional strengths. Asking for examples of how they have exceeded expectations on-site in these particular areas can help you understand if your TD can provide the level of service your project requires.

3. What is your on-site management style?
Does the TD prefer to work as a team or be given a task to complete on their own? If you are hiring a team of logistics staff it is important to know how many “chiefs” and how many “Indians” you could potentially have on-site.

4. What is the largest program/meeting you have worked as a TD?
The size of the event your TD has worked will also help determine if your TD is the best fit for your project. This alone does not determine if the TD is qualified for the position, however if your event is for 1,000 people and your TD has only worked events maximum of 100 people, there are additional questions that need to be asked before signing on the dotted line.


To access our entire list of interview questions found on our Interview Checklist visit INTDONLINE.ORG.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Spring Giveaway!

We have flipped over the Flip Camcorder! We love this gadget so much we are giving an INTD fan the chance to win their very own Flip UntraHD.

What will you win?
The lucky winner will win a Flip UntraHD Camcorder, be invited to co-host our May 31st Twitter party and be featured in INTD’s Newsletter. As a special bonus, INTD Travel Director or Tour Guide members will have the opportunity to be a Featured Travel Director on INTD’s Home Page for the entire month of May! What a great way to spread the word about your expertise or organization and reach over 10,000 people across multiple marketing platforms!

But hurry, contest ends April 30, 2010!

How do I enter, you ask?
Simple! Select at least one of the following options by helping us promote the contest and you’re entered to win. Note: You will need to add your email address to our mailing list for us to be able to contact the winner. We respect your privacy and our email address will never be sold.

Join INTD's Mailing List!

Pick at least one of the following options:

Twitter – Tweet about our contest (+2 entries) (this can be done 4 times daily). Each time you tweet counts as 2 entries! Don't forget to come back to this blog and tell us about your tweets in the comments section below.    Copy & Paste this: @intdonline is giving away a Flip HD Camcorder. Where Meeting Planners and Freelance Staff connect at http://www.intdonline.org/ #eventprofs #meetings #intd
 
Facebook – Add the contest to your Facebook status. Let us know you’ve done so in the comments section below and include your FB page url address. (+ 3 entries).    Copy & Paste this: INTD is giving away a Flip HD Camcorder. Where Meeting Planners and Freelance Staff connect at http://www.intdonline.org/.
 
Become a Fan on INTD’s Facebook Fan Page (+ 2 entries). Come back and let us know you became a fan by posting in the comments section below.
 
Blog – Link our contest page to your blog or website. Let us know you’ve done so and include your website/blog link in the comments section below. (+ 4 entries)
 
Follow - Follow INTD’s Blog by registering to the right of this post. Let us know you did by posting a comment below. (+ 2 entries)
 
Tell your friends, co-workers, neighbors, clients and maybe even the passenger sitting next to you on your next flight about this contest. No purchase necessary, but you need to enter to win. Winner must be 18 or older. Contest ends at midnight April 1, 2010 and winner will be chosen randomly by Random.org.

Win the Flip Ultra HD Camcoder!! ENTER TODAY!!

Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes (Black)