Conferences and Events: How to Make Them Count

Whether you use organisational events to inform, educate, celebrate, entertain or as a networking opportunity for your clients and service users, it’s imperative that they make an impact.

Successful events are an investment for your organisation and merit both the time and effort it takes to plan and organise them.

I’m sure the vast majority of you will have attended your fair share of events and conferences and will no doubt have experienced the good, the bad and the ugly in event management! A good event, where the purpose is clear and relevant, the environment comfortable and appropriate and the planning smooth and professional, will leave your delegates feeling valued and inspired. A bad event not only impacts upon your relationship with your current clients and service users but can also damage your organisational reputation and hinder your chances of drawing in new clients.

The sad fact is that a poorly planned event will be remembered by your attendees long after it ends. The good news is that a well planned event is the ultimate promotion of your organisation and services and a crucial opportunity for you to demonstrate both your organisation’s professional and personable qualities to your target audience.

Some elements of planning will vary from event to event, such as budget, organisational needs and audience. However, as the Empower Conference and Events Officer, I consistently use the 7P’s when organising any event: Purpose; Pennies; Plan; Promote; Prepare; Perfect; Present.

Purpose – At the very core of your planning should be the question: “WHY?”

What are you looking to achieve with this event?
What are the benefits, both to your organisation and to your clients, of holding this event?
Is this a farming event, aimed at your current clients, or a hunting event, designed to bring in new clients?

As obvious as all this may sound, after months and months of planning, not to mention the inevitable changes and preoccupation with the finer details, you’d be surprised by how easy it can be to lose focus and get side-tracked from the core purpose.

Pennies – Make sure you have a budget allocated for your event – and stick to it!

Determine how much money you can really spend on this event
It’s really important to be realistic at this point – even if you hold a successful, well organised event, if you overestimate the budget you will be left making a loss for your organisation which will outweigh all your hard work
A budget, no matter how small, does not need to deter you from holding an impressive and worthwhile event. It’s all about shrewdly using what you have and knowing where you can and can’t afford to cut costs

Plan – People, places and process

How will you draw in your potential delegates? – Know your audience and target accordingly
Where is the most appropriate venue to hold your event? – A venue can make or break an event; a viewing beforehand is essential. Think about how appropriate it is to your event purpose
Will you have speakers at your event? – How will you source the most appropriate and experienced speakers?
How will the booking process be constructed and who will be responsible for it? – Delegates want a smooth and straightforward booking process, with prompt confirmation and relevant information

Prepare – As the old saying goes, fail to prepare and you prepare to fail…

This is where the hard work really kicks in and time management is key
This part involves a lot negotiation, delegation and seeking advice can be helpful when you’re not sure
Whilst preparation is extremely important, I also keep in mind that events always go according to change of plan – the most important thing is to keep calm, go with the flow and always have alternative, back-up plans

Promote – Generate interest, excitement and bookings using every tool at your disposal

It’s important to use the appropriate media to promote your event – many organisations now use social media in their day-to-day running. Utilise these valuable resources; if you don’t know how, find someone who does!
Keep interest bubbling with regular updates on the event – e.g. new speakers booked, new workshops planned, new exhibitors…

Perfect – While your shrewd use of promotion works its magic, use this time to fine tune the event

This is where the finer details of the event have to be looked at – do any of your delegates have dietary requirements? Do they have access needs that need to be accounted for on the day? Do any your delegates need transport to and from the event? Has your AV company been given all the necessary details?
I find action plans and running orders for the day before and the day of the event are extremely helpful. Make copies for everyone involved in the event, including the AV company and have a staff briefing to clarify and ensure you haven’t missed anything

Present – Go for it, and enjoy it!

It’s Showtime – If you’ve put the time and effort in this is where everything comes together and all your hard work pays off
Don’t forget to enjoy what you’ve put together!

At Empower, we understand that your time is precious, and event management requires a lot of it. Let our team do all this hard work for you and allow us to demonstrate our experience and knowledge in event management by organising your next event.

With a dedicated Events Officer, Empower can provide you and your organisation with a personal yet professional service, whilst achieving your event’s core purpose and keeping the pennies in check…

You remain in control and our aim is not only to provide you with an outstanding event which will exceed your expectations but we will share our knowledge and expertise with you and your team.

To find out more, or to have us organise your next event, give us a call or e-mail me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

I look forward to helping you get the most out of your event

Lexi

This entry was posted on Thursday 5th April 2012.