65 Fun, Easy and Quick Icebreakers for Meetings and Parties -- from NBC's popular game show "Minute to Win it"

Looking for some fun and challenging activities to spice up your meetings? Enjoyable activities that are easy to pull off and don't cost much if anything? Consider some of these 65 icebreaker gems that NBC's game show "Minute to Win It" includes:

• Hanky Panky. Use only one hand to pull tissues out of a tissue box one-at-a-time until box is empty.
• Caddy Stack. Stack 3 golf balls vertically.
• Breakfast Scramble. Reassemble the pieces of two cut-up cereal box covers before time runs out.
• By a Thread. Using just one hand, do your best to run a thread through the eyes of 10 needles.
• Hangnails. Balance nails by their heads on a suspended string.
• 60 additional activities

The object is to complete each challenge within one minute. Draw on your creativity to tie each activity in with the nature of your organization, meeting objective, sales, service, focus, etc.

Chances are, several of your people are already fans and are familiar with the format of NBC's "Minute to Win It" game show. They'll love these activities! Get full instructions for all 65 Icebreaker Challenges here.

22-piece Halloween Decorating Kits for your office for only $33.

Decorate your office or break room with a spooky, but fun, 22-piece Halloween Decorating kit which includes:  1pc. 19" Art-Tissue Ball; 2pcs. 14" Art-Tissue Balls; 1pc.18" Art-Tissue Spider; 2pcs. 28" Witch Cutouts; 4pcs. 16" Halloween Cutouts; 1pc. 44" Jointed Skeleton; 2pcs. 27" Jointed Ghosts; 1pc. 38" Jointed Scarecrow; 3pcs. 14" Nite-Glo Ghosts; 1pc. 9' FP Halloween Banner; 4pcs. 12' Arcade Garlands. More decorations, scene setters, costumes, etc.

How to Choose an Effective Theme for your Meeting, Conference, Party or Event

First, Determine Your Meeting's Objectives and Agenda.

By Jerry Busche, founder of BizMotivation.com

The goal is to carefully select a theme for your meeting or contest which will help to unify everyone's focus and efforts.

A well-chosen theme provides an umbrella concept, under which all related materials and activities are given heightened enthusiasm and effectiveness. (See our Theme Ideas Handbook for 600+ Theme Ideas to consider.)

After you select your objective(s) and have a written agenda, you should begin to select and develop your over-riding theme.

Here are some tips for coming up with a meaningful, on-target theme, which can create a rallying cry for your objectives and goals:

• Review your meeting agenda to decide which theme best relates to your objective and will help to dramatize it.  
• Consider your employees and what theme will appeal to them.
• Will the theme appeal equally to men and to women?
• Will new employees and veteran ones respond the same way to the theme?
• Is there anything seasonal you can tie in with? Valentines Day? The Winter Olympics? A NASCAR event? The Academy Awards? A popular TV series?
• Are there other themes, slogans and programs in our company or organization that our theme can tie in with?
• Keep your theme short so it's stronger and more memorable.
• Can we sustain this theme over time without people getting bored with it?
• Can we have some fun with this theme idea?
• Will our people buy into the theme and its intent?
• Be sensitive and don't allow sexism, racism or other objectionable aspects to relate to your theme.
• Once you've selected your theme, review your agenda and see how your theme can tie in with it.
• Build every element around your theme. For instance: Ask your speakers to use language and references that relate to the theme.
• If possible, create a logo-look for your catchy theme. And produce hats, t-shirts, mugs, pens, screen savers, and other items that bear the theme.
• Use the theme/logo on all promotions and literature
• Use decorations if possible, whether simple posters or elaborate backdrops which can be purchased. Inexpensive decorations can go a long way -- i.e., balloons, streamers, posters, banners.
• Use favors, prizes and giveaways that fit with your theme.
• If appropriate, add some theme-related entertainment to your meeting: e.g., skits, song parodies, role-playing, background mood music.
• Serve refreshments that carry out your theme.

Now that you have a better idea of how to develop your theme, you may want to get our downloadable Theme Ideas Handbook, which has more than 600 theme ideas for meetings, conferences, contests, parties and other events.

"Customer Service" Demo Video by Keynote Speaker Christine Corelli: "The Customer Rules!" Consider Christine to Keynote your next Conference.

Business Programs  |  Rave Reviews  |  Clients

How to Integrate Your Theme into Your Meeting or Other Activity

First, Determine Your Meeting's Objective and Agenda.

By Jerry Busche, founder of BizMotivation.com

It's important to hold regular meetings whether you're in sales, customer service, production, or whatever. Also, special conferences, conventions, annual meetings, contests and other competitions can be essential for your business or organization.

Meetings serve several purposes. Some are:

• Awareness. They can encourage heightened awareness in an atmosphere of togetherness and comradeship which makes for better teamwork. Face-to-face communication with a healthy give-and-take is, in so many ways, superior to letters, memos and email.
• Excitement. They can help to generate excitement; raise your staff's expectations of themselves; and build enthusiasm for challenges, opportunities and rewards.
• Information. They provide an opportunity to impart new information and/or training. And to get your people up-to-speed quicker on goals and objectives so everyone's in the same boat, rowing in the same direction.
• Training. Use your meetings to share info on what's working and what's not, get trained, do role-playing, and sharpen skills and methods.
• Eliminate Misunderstandings. They can clear the air to eliminate staff misunderstandings early-on. They can get people back on track and on the same page.
• Feedback. They provide a way to access feedback from your people that you wouldn't otherwise get.
• Reward and Recognition. Use meetings to recognize individual and team effort and accomplishment. And to reward accordingly. Recognition in front of one's peers is a powerful, continuing motivator.
• Inspiration. This is a “rah, rah” meeting to add new zest and enthusiasm
• Introductions. Use meetings to introduce a new product or relaunch an old one, or unveil new goals or procedures.
• Problem-Solving. A meeting is a fantastic way to focus positively on identifying problems and challenges, and then brainstorming their solution.
• Brainstorming or Greenlighting. Use meetings to get all your creative juices flowing and generate as many ideas, answers and solutions as possible before narrowing your list down to the best prospects.

Meeting Preparation and Planning

First, determine your specific objective(s):

• Determine and narrowly define what your meeting's objectives are so you can clearly communicate them.
• First, ask yourself, “Is this meeting necessary?” and, if so, “What do we really want to achieve through this meeting? What are the outcomes we want? What do we want our people to come away thinking and feeling about these objectives?”
• Be specific about your objectives, in order to narrow your focus and have a better chance of hitting the selected target. For instance:
• Increase sales by %.
• Handle 20 more calls per week.
• Upsell more.
• Launch a new product.
• Get more people performing at a higher level.
• Get 500 new referrals in January.
• Increase enthusiasm
• Lower your selling or operational expenses by __%.
• Unveil a new campaign or contest.
• Implement a new procedure or practice.
• Follow up on complaints
• Build teamwork.
• Recognize effort and/or achievement for individuals and teams.

Prepare Your Meeting Agenda:

• Focus on the primary reason for your meeting, and then prepare your agenda toward achieving that specific objective.
• Compile a list of people who will be attending the meeting, and try to anticipate what their expectations, positions and responses to this objective might be.
• Decide on the appropriate topic(s) and how much time to allot to each
• Decide who should speak or present
• Select the visual aids which will help: i.e., PowerPoint presentations, flipchart, etc.
• Decide on the points to emphasize.
• Give your attendees a copy of the agenda beforehand, if appropriate.

Finally, plan out your strong summary and closing.

Looking for a great THEME IDEA for your next conference, meeting, convention or event?

Now available in KINDLE Edition at Amazon.

NEW MILESTONE. As of the end of August, more than 7,000 companies and organizations of all sizez have bought our handy downloadable Theme Ideas handbook which contains more than 600 theme ideas for conferences, meetings, sales contests and campaigns, breakfast meetings, and any other office event or occasion.

SAMPLING OF THEMES:

• Believers Are Achievers
• Take it to the Top
• Take the Expressway
• A Taste of Victory
• T.E.A.M. = Together Everyone Achieves More
• Teamwork in Action
• Brown Bag Briefing
• “Tell Someone They’re Doing a Great Job” Day
• They Said It Couldn’t Be Done
• Delight the Customer
• T.O.P.S. – Total Organization Promoting Sales
• Treating Customers Right
• Triple Threat.

BizMotivation's Theme Ideas handbook is available for download (.pdf format) at http://bizmotivation.com/themes.htm.

  NEW! Now available in Kindle Edition at Amazon.  

Shouldn't your workplace be more fun? Energize your work atmosphere with fun, recognition and fulfillment.

If you're looking for ideas, products and services to come up with dynamic meetings and conferences that motivate and inspire yourself and your people, and to help achieve your organization's goals, you may want to check out our site.

BizMotivation.com was designed for anyone involved with responsibilities for meetings, conferences or events:

• Sales
• Marketing
• Customer service
• Telemarketing
• Meetings
• Promotions
• Conventions
• Trade shows
• Safety
• Managing any team, department or organization
• Anyone wanting to energize the workplace and have more fun

Motivate Your People with a Golf-Related Meeting Theme.

"Go for the Green" to motivate your people to achieve their goals – whether sales, telemarketing, customer service, production, safety, or whatever. This campaign idea kit relates business objectives to the game of golf, and offers fun, excitement and rewards for golfers and non-golfers alike.

Here's a preview of what's in our 7-page downloadable Online Package:

• Theme and slogan Ideas like "Tee it up for Sales" and "Excellence is par for the course" + MORE IDEAS!
• Hyperlinks to sources for golfing information and ongoing news
• Suggested events & activities + DECORATION IDEAS
• Food, drink and munchies ideas
• Reward & recognition ideas, sources and hyperlinks.
• Get your Kit now so you can begin planning right away!

Save time, money & effort. Use only 1 idea and your "Go for the Green" Idea Kit pays for itself many, many times over.
For more information, visit http://www.bizmotivation.com/go-for-the-green.htm