Getting it right the first time
By Karen Eluck
Everyone thinks they are a planner! It sounds easy, right? But, did you think about everything? Did you consult all the key players? Did you remember every single detail? Conference planning or event hosting is a business run by professional consultants who work with professional suppliers.
Why have a conference?
Having a conference provides the opportunity to:
• meet colleagues, experts and clients from all over.
• learn about current and future trends in your industry.
• become informed about programs and events connected to your field.
• promote your company.
• gain connections, build networks with clients and competitors important to your industry.
• inform others about your initiatives, company, service or product line, and travel.
Defining objectives
• What is the conference aiming to achieve?
• What as an organization are you trying to achieve by hosting this event?
• Who are you trying to impact?
• Define your target audience in terms of delegates, sponsors and attendees. How do you define success?
What is your timeline?
Strategic (1-2 years). Tactical (6-12 months). Combat (next week). The more lead time that you have the more money you’ll save in the long run.
Step one – Planning
Proper planning saves time and money – have a clear vision of where you are going – and avoid false starts.
• Decide who is going to be involved in organizing the conference. Set up a conference planning committee.
• Decide on dates for regular planning meetings and produce notes from meeting together with action points.
• Obtain handover notes if this event has been previously organized by other committees.
• Determine the nature of the conference: when? where? how long?
• Devise and set the scope of the program.
• Plan the timetable for preparation, execution and follow-up.
• Set a budget to include facilities, refreshment/catering costs, etc. Allow for contingencies and unexpected extras.
• Make bookings for accommodation and caterers.
• Request room layout if required (committee-style or lecture style).
• Set conference fees, arrange facilities for collection and banking, cancellation and refunds.
Step Two – Rolling up your sleeves
• From the planning meeting draw up an activity schedule together with list of actions, status of actions and deadline dates. This will become your working schedule.
• Continually review your objectives so that both you and your speakers know what the conference is aiming to achieve and delegate expectations are met.
• Target your audience. Design marketing materials. Pull together websites and assemble the press releases.
Practicalities
• Book AV equipment etc., finalize room allocation and suitability as per programme.
• Prepare conference packs (if necessary): programme, badges, delegate lists, maps.
• Prepare signage.
• Arrange briefing session with helpers.
• Triple check room bookings, speakers, refreshment/catering arrangements, room layout and AV provision.
• Book photographer or documentarian.
• Make preparations if event has to be cancelled.
Getting speakers and an audience
• Advertising/Call for papers: website, electronic information… has to contain all the key information: what, when, where, how much.
• Use all possible connections related to your conference subject to advertise as widely as possible, (newspapers, magazines, web broadcasts, etc.) Be wary of lead-times for all media.
• Record all the expressions of interest, proposals for papers and contact details (e-mail, post, phone).
Step Three – Implementation
Make sure you have procedures in place for managing all the various conference activities. These procedures and booking forms should cover processing registrations and finance, speakers, sessions, workshop requirements, sponsorship and exhibitor guidelines, venue and accommodation requirements.
Remember to update your activity and events schedule and to attend regular planning meetings in order to report back to the conference team.
It’s important for conference organizers to stay in touch with each other by phone, pager or walkie-talkie.
Step Four – Post-Event reports
• Ask delegates, speakers, sponsors and exhibitors to complete evaluation forms. Those will form part of the final report.
• Arrange a meeting right after the conference to get feedback from the organizers, planning committee members, sponsors, etc.
• Review the budget, evaluation forms, payment schedules, contracts, suppliers, etc.
Your evaluation report should include:
1. Event description and creativity – share with all.
2. Organizational chart.
3. Goals and objective – how did you accomplish them – communications.
4. Time lines, pre-production schedule, running order.
5. Reality check – evaluate EVERYTHING!
6. Staff and volunteer train and performance.
7. Record keeping procedures – event and financial.
8. How will it be better next time?
9. The intangibles: enthusiasm, confidence, assertiveness, motivational skills, communication skills.
Karen Eluck, CSEP, CMP, is President of KEP Events, Markham, has enjoyed producing conferences and events of all sizes for over 25 years. Her client list includes Toronto Fashion Week, the Brazilian Carnival Ball, Variety Village and many more.
| Document Title | Size | Revision | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conference Chart | 420.00 kB | Jun 05, 2007 | Conference Chart |
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