| ing paralysis was creeping up on Phil. Every time | | | | venue while your event is running (e.g. drilling, |
| he looked back at what needed to be done to | | | | building work, decoration). |
| complete the event successfully, he found himself | | | | * Other organizations using the venue at the |
| tinkering; changing and adding activities that did | | | | same time; to avoid competitive interest. |
| not really add any value to the event he had | | | | Expect your delegates to ask the most obscure |
| been tasked with managing. He had to grab hold | | | | questions about the venue and be prepared to |
| of this project and move it along. | | | | astound them by having the answers at your |
| Once the planning is done and you have your | | | | fingertips. |
| team, a venue and a workable framework for | | | | Conferencing requirements |
| the timetable; it's time to get organizing. As the | | | | When you book the venue, your detailed needs |
| event manager the buck stops with you but that | | | | might be very sketchy because everything is still |
| doesn't mean that you have to do everything. | | | | in the design phase, so you should make an |
| Make sure you delegate tasks and activities | | | | appointment with the Conferencing staff to return |
| effectively and you will end up being less stressed | | | | once everything has been firmed up, say, two |
| and more productive. | | | | weeks before the event. You should be as |
| Booking the venue | | | | thorough as you can be in providing the venue |
| The very first priority is to make sure that the | | | | with information to help them to serve you well. |
| venue is booked weeks, if not months in advance. | | | | Once they are aware of the total scope of your |
| You need to be really finicky about how this is | | | | requirements, they can let you know what is on |
| done and have the venue confirm every detail of | | | | offer. |
| your requirements. Most venues have | | | | The following is a typical Conference checklist. |
| Conferencing staff whose job it is to make sure | | | | * Number of persons |
| that the checklists are all complete well before | | | | * Time of arrival |
| the event but please remember that the | | | | * Time of departure |
| Conferencing management team usually work 9 | | | | * Coffee/tea on arrival |
| to 5 whilst the team you will deal with at the | | | | * Coffee/tea during break |
| venue will work shifts and, if yours is a long | | | | * Time of breaks |
| event, you'll be dealing with many different faces | | | | * No. of rooms |
| on the venue staff team. For this reason it is | | | | * Room sizes |
| good practice to establish a single point of contact | | | | * Room Layouts |
| in both camps who will be guaranteed to get a | | | | * Lunch |
| quick decision on any issues that occur. | | | | * Equipment |
| Information gathering | | | | * No. of Tables |
| As well as providing the venue with a long, | | | | * with tablecloths |
| detailed list of your needs, it is important that you | | | | * place setting |
| use this early contact with them to gather as | | | | * blotter |
| much information as you can that will be useful in | | | | * pad of paper |
| selling the event. | | | | * pencil |
| Things to consider that will add value to your | | | | * name plate |
| sales proposition and provide a complete picture | | | | * water and fruit |
| of what to expect are: | | | | * squash |
| * A location map and travel guide. Quantity (No. | | | | * glasses |
| of delegates + 20) | | | | * hard sweets |
| * The venue's own marketing brochure. Quantity | | | | By throwing himself into actively organizing the |
| (No. of delegates + 20) | | | | event, Phil effectively broke out of the planning |
| * Details of check-in and check-out times for | | | | loop he had been spinning around in. As soon as |
| accommodation. | | | | he started talking with the major players who |
| * Details of venue facilities - restaurant, bars, | | | | would be involved in putting the event together, |
| gym, pool, spa, etc. | | | | the project started to take on a life of its own. |
| * Details of nearby facilities - golf courses, sports | | | | His job then became one of steering rather than |
| facilities, casinos, bars, restaurants. | | | | pushing. |
| * Any major work scheduled on or close to the | | | | |