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May 12, 2005
Staging a Successful Event
You may have to put together events of various sizes in your job. Some may be small cross-functional team events. Larger ones may be held to communicate to shareholders or current and prospective customers. Still other events may be big industry events in which your organization introduces new products or services. The success of these events depends not only on the actions of participants but also on your pre-event planning and your organization of the event.
Here are some tips to help you put together an event that achieves its purpose, whether it is to come up with a new product idea, introduce prospective customers to a new offering or to put together a revenue-producing occasion:
Be clear about the objectives. The more you know, the better you will be able to achieve management’s expectations. Is the goal educating attendees, networking, exchanging information or generating profit?
Choose a suitable locale. Determine, first, what criteria are important in the selection of an event site. Location? Group size? Hotel accommodations? Cost of attendance? Create an event specification sheet on which you define your needs at the outset of the site selection process to ensure you stay focused. Visit several of the best sites in person before committing to the one locale.
Set the date. Depending on the event’s purpose, there will be numerous factors to consider—the most convenient time for attendees to come, access to key speakers or other “names” to draw attendees, the costs of the event. Being flexible on the date of the event can help reduce room rates and other costs.
Budget carefully. If you are responsible for revenue projections, study attendance in past years to come up with a realistic figure. If the event is expected to pay for itself or bring in a profit, you need to consider what will prompt potential participants to attend. If you build the budget, don’t forget to budget for gratuities, hotel business center and service charges. (At least 16% is added on to any food and beverage event and, in some states, that is a taxable amount.) Make sure you consider all other required expenses.
Plan the room setup. The nature of the event and the number of participants determine whether you organize the room conference style, where dialogue rather than teaching is the primary goal, banquet style that’s set up for food and beverage events, theater style for straight lectures and minimal interaction, classroom style for instruction, and so forth.
Determine audiovisual needs. If you have guest speakers, determine their AV requirements. If you have many sessions going on at the same time, you need floating technicians for every two to three rooms, in addition to one assigned to the general session. Price the hotel’s in-house audiovisual company. Price, as well, at least one reputable outside vendor. Compare the expense. Often the hotel’s AV vendor may have to pay to be the hotel’s AV provider, passing that charge along to customers. Going outside may be cheaper.
Match food and beverage choices with event and participant needs. Catering is a critical part of planning an event. Consider the benefits and drawbacks of sit-down meals versus buffet style depending on your audience and budget. Speak with the hotel chef to see if you can piggyback onto what the hotel is already preparing—to save money.
Make registration at the event easy. Provide opportunities for customers to register as early as possible so they don’t miss the beginning of the event while waiting on line. Select one person to act as point person, making sure registrants are in the correct lines and to answer questions that might otherwise delay the process. If possible, mail badges. This will reduce the time the pre-registrants need to spend at registration since all they require is the generic material.
Make speakers, sponsors and other VIPs comfortable. Find out about how to accommodate them so they are comfortable and also what their AV needs are to ensure a smooth presentation. Set aside a speakers’ lounge where they can practice their presentations, have coffee and get to know other speakers on the program.
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