Here are my Event Planning tips for planning a perfect session, whether it’s a complex educational event with concurrent sessions or a simple affair.

• In the preplanning phase make sure that the date your client has selected does not conflict with other industry events, otherwise your attendance rates may suffer.

• Certain days of the week are better than others. Generally, Friday events are less popular. Also hotels and other venues give better rates during the week.

• Meet with your client to discuss the event goals. Is this a bilingual event? Is it educational and if so, will it provide educational credits to the health professionals in attendance? If so, is there a need to contact a university to confer credits – (e.g. CME). If not, is a certificate of attendance needed?

• Determine with the client whether the event is reliant on sponsorships or will the registration fee cover all expenses.

• Will it be a half day session, a full day, or multiple days? Will there be concurrent sessions?

• Be aware of the client’s attendance expectations for the overall event and for each breakout session.

• Formulate a budget that takes into account all costs and projects what the registration fee will be. Get sign-off from the client.

• Work with your venue planner to optimize seating arrangements, AV set-up, and catering. If you opt for external catering, make sure that the venue is in agreement and there are no penalties levied.

• Scrutinize all contracts and ask questions if you are not sure of any clauses. Obtain sign-off from the client before returning any contract (AV, catering, simultaneous translation, interpreter services for hearing impaired delegates)

• If the budget allows, book an AV technician for the entire day, especially if there are concurrent sessions, simultaneous translation or interpreter services. If anything goes wrong from a light bulb malfunction to a computer breakdown, the AV technician will quickly fix it and the event will run smoothly.

• For all flyers, including SAVE THE DATE, get sign-off from the client and/or the communications department of the client’s company/organization. Make sure all logos used are current.

• Obtain all speaker bios well in advance. Ask for speaker presentations one week prior to the event.

• If the event involves out of town speakers, make sure you book their arrangements well in advance in order to take advantage of discounted airfare and hotel rates. If your speaker is on first thing in the morning, arrange to have them spend the previous night in town. There is nothing more panic inducing than a no-show from your keynote speaker!

• If speakers are not being paid, make sure that they receive a modest honorarium or at the very least a thank you card by the organizing committee.

• On the big day, make sure you arrive at least one hour early to the venue. Have all emergency contact numbers for catering, AV and speakers.

• Check that the seating arrangements you submitted have been followed. If not, call your venue contact and have them make the necessary changes.

• Check that all the AV equipment (screen, mics, computer) are working. Give the USB key to the AV technician so that all the presentations can be preloaded.

• Ensure you have lots of help with registration, especially if there is a projected attendance of 100 or more delegates.

• Reserve tables at the front of the room for committee members and speakers.

• Verify the room temperature throughout the day; there is nothing worse than delegates being too hot as it puts them to sleep! If the temperature is not optimal, make sure you liaise with the venue contact immediately, as large rooms may take up to 20 minutes for the temperature to change.

• Make sure that the catering is setting up all meals and snacks according to schedule.

• Design an evaluation form that is comprehensive (e.g. 5 point Likert scale) but is easy to analyse.

• Submit the evaluation report no later that one week post event.

• Hold a debrief with the client post event to discuss the event in detail and any challenges encountered.

• Book your next event with the client!

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