How to Manage a Corporate Event - Part 3

Last week, I talked about hotel logistics, which is often the first people think about when planning an event.

But perhaps just as important to where you're holding your event is what you're going to talk about, and who will be doing the talking. The right mix of content and speakers will go a long way in helping to build attendance.

A well-orchestrated and content-rich meeting can help your organization by boosting morale, educating your attendees, generating leads, and increasing productivity and profitability. Take a look at these business objectives:
- Educating your sales force, users or employees
- Training employees on the use of new technology
- Brainstorming new product ideas or introducing new products internally or to your customers and press
- Teambuilding across functions within your organization, such as sales, marketing, finance,
engineering, and manufacturing
- Motivating your sales force
- Rewarding sales representatives or other employees for outstanding performance
- Introducing a new executive or department head to your employees, users or customers
- Presenting market research
- Presenting a company's new strategic mission

Which of these key objectives are most important to your event? Pick your top three from this list, or write down your own top three, and share them with your event team.

Here's a smart thought: Before determining specific presentation topics, speakers and visual support (PowerPoint, Flash, video, etc.), you should clearly define the objectives of your meeting, as well as a means of measuring results. Take a careful look at the mix of employees, customers and others that will be attending the meeting.

Next, develop a meeting strategy that utilizes those tools most important to your objectives. An educational meeting has far different requirements than a motivational meeting. And no matter how serious the meeting, build in some sort of fun or other diversion. Consider giving small gifts, using contests related to the topic, or handing out information related to your meeting's location. Consider humor and/or an element of surprise, but always err on the side of caution if you are unsure of what the audience response may be.

A great way to begin is to develop a simple, memorable theme that takes all of your objectives into consideration. Where appropriate, a creative treatment of the theme (an event logo or “look and feel”) can be developed to provide your event with a brand.

Some Key Things to Remember:
Lastly, here's a little checklist of key items to remember while planning the content of your next event:
- Invite Key Executives Early to Either Speak or Attend
- Determine Keynote Speaker/View Demo Tapes
- Keynote Photo OK to Use in Collateral?
- Speaker Budget (Including Transportation)
- Confirm “Green Room” with Logistics Person
- Special A/V Needs for Speakers?
- Develop Skeletal Agenda for Approval
- Stay On-Message Throughout!
- Tie Content into Teambuilding?
- Tie Content into Activities/Recreation?
- Design Thematic Template for PowerPoint
- Provide Template to All Speakers
- Hardcopies or CDROMs of Presentations
- Potential Webcast of Event?
- Customers as Speakers?
- Video Presentations?
- Speechwriting Support?
- Are Teleprompters Needed?
- Videotape Keynotes for Future Use
- Pre-Event Rehearsals
- On-Site Rehearsal Schedule
- Build Audience Q&A Into Agenda
- Panel Discussions as Option?
- Speakers Available for Post-Reception?
- Do Speakers Run Their Own PPT?
- Develop Survey to Track Response

I welcome your comments!

Coming Next: Attendee registration and travel to your event.