A myriad of risks threaten the success of events and meetings Jason Spezza Youth Jersey , including lack of rehearsal time, itinerary changes, equipment failures, and other factors. Here are eight proven tips to make your next event or meeting a great one.
Before the event
1. Conduct several pre-meeting planning sessions. During these planning sessions, take the time to prepare a concise agenda of issues that need to be discussed and an action plan regarding who needs to make what decisions. For example, what is the complete itinerary of the event; how many rooms will be needed for the general session and the workshops; what is the layout of each room; will there be a stage play or entertainment during the opening of the meeting; will there be an awards ceremony; what are the needs for sound Alexander Radulov Youth Jersey , video projection, lighting, Internet access, and so forth. In addition, these planning sessions are the best time to determine the size of the technical staff and production crew needed to properly operate all of the audio and visual equipment for the event. This will help avoid unnecessary labor costs later on in the process.
These planning sessions are also the best time to discuss the need for equipment and backups in the case of equipment failure, which unfortunately seems to happen at the most inopportune times. For equipment backups Ben Bishop Youth Jersey , companies should require that the bare minimum of a backup computer, data projector, and microphones are available in case of a problem. Determining a precise equipment checklist during the planning sessions helps avoid renting unnecessary equipment and keeps costs down.
Overall, the pre-meeting planning process helps make sure that the meeting accomplishes the company's vision and expectations, while keeping equipment and labor costs inline with requirements. The process requires discipline and, if done properly Stephen Johns Youth Jersey , provides the greatest return on investment from reviewing even the minutest details.
2. Negotiate audiovisual equipment rental costs. It is a good idea to use the equipment supplied by in-house audiovisual (AV) department for the hotel or resort, or another local equipment supplier whenever possible. With that said, however, company meeting planners should carefully negotiate equipment rental costs. At times, in-house AV departments charge fees that provide hotels with lucrative gross margins on rentals. This does not mean that one should demand price slashing, although it does mean there is likely room to reduce rental costs.
Success depends on asking a lot of questions and referring to the equipment checklist developed during the planning sessions Brett Ritchie Youth Jersey , in order to avoid any unnecessary items, while ensuring to not compromise equipment redundancy. Also, remain cognizant of unnecessary labor charges during the setup of equipment at the event, especially if company personnel will be onsite. There is no need for duplication of effort and this can provide cost savings.
3. Promote and communicate with attendees. Aside from increasing event attendance, promoting the event or meeting will help build excitement and interest among attendees. It is easy to overlook the importance of pre-event promotion, especially if attendance is mandatory. Effective promotion helps ensure that the attendees are on the same page regarding the objectives and expectations of the event.
4. Hire a professional to develop the presentation support materials. It is difficult to financially justify an executive of a company investing many hours into the development of PowerPoint® presentation(s) or other support materials. This is Esa Lindell Youth Jersey , however, often the case. Instead, it is important to r