Event Planning -- A One-Day Workshop

Plan, organize and host events like a pro — even if it's your very first time.

Ever notice how the best events look effortless? Everything just seems to unfold perfectly — and at just the right moment. A well-planned, well-run meeting, retreat, or convention is a thing of beauty.

After attending this seminar you will be able to:

• Understand the fundamentals of meeting planning
• Manage the details that can slip through the cracks and derail your success
• Negotiate the best deals possible from vendors
• Build an event-planning bible to keep you on track
• Plan a workable budget — and stay within it
• Assess and manage printing needs — agendas, binders, publicity, signage
• Know your critical tasks 6 months out, 30 days out, the week of the meeting and the night before
• Handle setup and teardown schedules smoothly and efficiently
• Conduct a day-after evaluation to assess your event and improve planning and management for the next one

However, anyone who has put together such a gathering knows it is anything but easy and effortless. Nothing — not even the smallest detail — can be left to chance. If there's ever a time when you can count on seeing Murphy's Law in action, it's during an event. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. As the designated meeting planner, you are responsible for making sure that doesn't happen.

It's not my real job. I'm out of my "comfort zone." Most likely, event planning isn't your primary job. Somehow, the responsibility just landed in your lap. And now, it's up to you to bring it all together like clockwork to create the memorable occasion everyone is anticipating.

Get the tips, techniques and tricks the pros use to put on flawless events. The truth is, there's nothing magical about putting on a well-run professional gathering. Being organized, doing the right things at the right time, and understanding a few key strategies will lead to success. You'll discover the inside track at this seminar — and come away with the confidence you need to pull everything off like a real pro, even if this is your first time planning an event.

Spend a day with us in our event planning course, and save yourself the worry, wrong turns and wasted effort.

Ready, Set, Go — Getting Started Right

• The #1 reason events get off track, and how to avoid it
• How to determine the amount of time you need to prepare for an event
• The absolutely most important thing to do first when you're put in charge
• The six essential elements of any meeting, and how to prepare for each
• When you should hold the event at your workplace and when a hotel is a better choice
• Ways to determine how much assistance you need and what each person should handle

Building Your All-Important Project Plan

• Key factors to consider in building your timeline
• Critical questions to ask all vendors
• The one thing to always remember about negotiating with vendors
• The five basic questions every event planner must be able to answer
• How to create your own working timeline document
• The best way to research vendors for a true picture of their capabilities
• How much cushioning to include in your event budget

Dealing with the Details

• The most important consideration for setting up a registration desk
• What you can do before event day to ensure registration runs smoothly
• Five essentials to test at the hotel or meeting facility before you book
• What type of food you should serve, how much and when
• When it’s best not to offer food — or risk losing your audience’s attention
• A simple system that cuts the hassle of arranging for Internet, AV, LCD and other electronic needs
• Five common room setups and which works best for each event situation
• Tips for creating an event that pleases all the senses and earns rave reviews
• How to ensure a unified look for printed materials, from signage to programs
• Questions to ask prospective entertainersto ensure the presentation suits the audience

Managing Meeting Day

• How top planners decide how many staff members to have on hand, and where to place them
• Services for the physically challenged — you need more than a barrier-free building
• How to deal with language differences in printed materials
• The secret to creating a smooth load-in-load-out schedule that spares time and tempers
• When and how to train meeting staff for best results
• The #1 consideration when it comes to communication in planning meetings
• How to get the most out of the day-after evaluation
• Why you must evaluate the event with LBs (“like bests”) and NTs (“next times”)