Continued from page 1
4. Collaboration with sponsors
Getting reputable sponsors to participate in an event will help boost
creditability of event, as well as reduce costs. Sponsors can also help with marketing, as they also help publicize your event to their customers. Apart from that, some of sponsors can chip in on venue rental in exchange for exhibition space or publicity for themselves. Some sponsors also require a short message of their company to be given to participants during event. Others give away sample products or door gifts to participants.
5. Managing People and working with speakers
A seminar will not be successful without people running it, as well as speakers sharing their knowledge to participants. Invite speakers who are of caliber and reputation to event, and who will provide participants with relevant information to their work, industry or business. Prepare speakers beforehand and work with them on their Power point presentations as well as pre-inform them of logistics processes, timing as well as expected audience size. Check with them on any special requests, such as requirement for an overhead projector or additional microphones to be used for question and answer sessions.
All events require a good team of people handling tasks on ushering, registration, customer service as well as handling financials. Familiarize team with any required event protocol to eliminate possibility of confusion or error. In order to ensure smooth implementation, each person should be familiar with their individual roles. This can be ensured through a preparation of a detailed schedule of events coupled with roles and responsibilities for each person. Ideally, a project manager should control whole team and ensure that everyone is carrying out their duties efficiently. Apart from that, project manager also has delegated authority to deal with all parties such as venue management as well as sponsors and event exhibitors.
6. Actual Day – Preparation, Registration, Ushering, Feedback
All seminar planning and preparations, constituting 80% of total work involved, cascade to actual event which may last only for a few hours or a few days. On day before event, visit venue to ensure that everything is in order according requirements and specifications. Microphones, projectors, audio and video systems must be all checked to be in excellent working order. Over at office, have a packing list prepared and get all require items transferred to actual venue at least a day before event. Event staff should be dispatched to work on site preparations, including setting up booths, decorations and posters, day before event.
On actual day, staff should be present at venue at least 1 ½ hours before commencement. They should report to their duty stations and must be ready to receive participants half an hour before they are scheduled to file in. Registrations must be made at door to ensure authorized access. Name tags, door gifts and event schedules or booklets will be given out at this point and ushers will show participants to their seats in event hall.
Staff will also be responsible for providing advice or help to participants during event. Finally, feedback forms should be distributed and then collected from participants to determine satisfaction level on all aspects of event experience. This is in order to receive pointers, ideas and advice for future improvements.
Matt Bacak, The Powerful Promoter and Entrepreneur Magazine e-Biz radio show host, became a "#1 Best Selling Author" in just a few short hours. For more information, visit Bacak's site at http://www.powerfulpromoter.com - http://www.promotingtips.com
