“Who’s in charge” is a common phrase – usually heard when things have gone awry. And oftentimes, it’s difficult to find the person in charge.

Why? Well, most events are created by a team of people, each focused on their own specific deliverables.

You might think it’s the client that’s in charge, but it’s been my experience that by the time an event actually occurs, the client is already working on the next event…they are simply overtaxed and cannot necessarily focus on today’s event.

In order for an event to run smoothly, I feel it is extremely important to have a single person “running the show,” even if that person is not necessarily involved with each aspect of the show. That’s where delegation comes into the picture.

If something goes wrong on-site, I’m the one who’ll take the blame. But my first task is to make things right – we are on-site after all, and the show must go on. Hopefully, if I’ve been able to rectify the problem (usually through having good people supporting my event), “the blame” won’t be as bad afterwards.

Of course, if things go right on-site, I’m happy to allow my client to take the credit. I get paid to do what I do, and the best form of gratitude I can receive is to be hired to do the event next year!

Hard to believe that this is the 10th Award of Excellence we’ve done! As usual, a “crack crew” made the event successful onsite, but all of our pre-event support was much appreciated… from design, to print production, video production, presentation design… the list goes on! Thank you!

One area of extreme importance – and often the first area people think about when planning an event – is hotel logistics or what is often referred to as “meeting planning.”

Where should you hold your event? Do you have a core group of attendees traveling from one location? Do you need to be in a central location? What type of venue will work best for your event, and send the right message to your attendees (and corporate executives)?

Several key areas are listed here. Review this list, add more if needed, then rate them from one to ten in importance to both your organization and attendees:

____ Cost of Meeting Space, Food & Beverage
____ Layout of Meetings Space, # of Breakout Rooms
____ Cost to Attend at Venue (Airfare, Hotel Rooms)
____ Quality of Food & Beverage, Accommodations
____ Access to Other Attractions in Area
____ Venue Amenities (Health Club, Pool, Wireless Internet)
____ City Location
____ Resort Location
____ Conference Center Location
____ Corporate Office Location (Auditorium, Cafeteria)

OK, got that? Now, once you have rated the above items, look for common scores, and build off of these items first in your search for a venue.

Here’s a Smart Thought
If attendees are paying to attend your event, including airfare and accommodations, you may want to consider giving more weight to their needs. If you are footing the bill for the conference, pay a bit more attention to your scores first.

Look to the Web
There are many venue search tools available on the web. One site that is simple to use and easily understandable is http://www.eventective.com. You will need to have an idea of attendee size, city or state where you plan to hold your event, and room set-up (theater-style, schoolroom, banquet, etc.). The search engine will then locate properties that have space for you.

Things to Remember
Lastly, here’s a little checklist of key items to remember while planning the logistics of your next event:
- Preferred Event Dates/Days of Week
- Back-Up Event Dates/Days of Week
- Check for Major Holidays/Religious Holidays
- Site Visit to Top 2 or 3 Venues
- Budget (Per-Person Cost, Including Taxes)
- Contract Terms, Deadlines for Deposits
- Food & Beverage Guarantees, Minimums
- Food Tasting
- Menu Planning (Low-Carb, Low-Fat Options)
- Indoor Back-Up Locations in Case of Rain
- Average Temperature During Your Event
- Room Block & Cut-Off Dates
- Competing Companies at Venue Also?
- Union Labor Concerns?
- Ample Set-Up Time for A/V & Staging
- Ample Tear-Down Time for A/V & Staging
- Cost for Taxi from Airport to Venue
- Room Décor for Special Events
- Registration Desk Set-Up for Your Event
- “Green Room” for Guest Speakers
- Gratuities for Great Staff Members
- Rooming List
- Breakout Room A/V, Power, Internet, Etc.
- Recreational Activities Determination
- Local Entertainment Options (DJs, Etc.)
- Photography
- Guest Programs
- Off-Site Functions (Dinners, Etc.)
- Transportation to Off-Site Events
- Post-Event Analysis of Property

I welcome your comments!

Managing an event can be one of the most time-consuming things that will ever come across your desk. And if you already have a “full-time job” in addition to your event management duties, getting organized before you begin the process may be the most important thing you do.

Remember that every event is different, so while everything written here may not apply 100% to your event, it should provide you with a framework from which to begin your planning.

Build an Event Team
Who is going to help you make your event a reality? A success?

Get a piece of paper, open a WORD doc, or scribble this down in your iPad: List each person and his or her responsibilities. Make sure your “core team” is aware of all aspects of the event, not just their individual segment of responsibility. This will help to make your event more cohesive.

At the same time, you should determine what types of outside suppliers to use, based on your company’s internal ability to manage the meeting, as well as the size of your group. Consider adding your key suppliers to your core event team.

To get you started, some responsibilities are listed here:

PRE-EVENT TEAM

• Hotel Logistics / Meeting Planning
• Content Development / Speakers (internal and external)
• Attendee Registration / Travel Arrangements
• Pre-Event Marketing
• On-Site Event Collateral
• Event Staging & Audio/Visual
• Special Programs / Activities

ON-SITE TEAM

• Attendee Contact Person
• Hotel & Special Events Contact Person
• General Session & Speaker Contact Person

POST-EVENT TEAM

• Attendee Follow-Up / Evaluations
• Hotel Logistics / Prep for Next Year’s Event

Again, get a name down next to all of these areas of responsibility. Let each person flesh out their own idea of what they must do, then compare notes and make sure everyone is on the same page.

And remember, you can’t do it all by yourself, not if you’re talking about a large corporate event with a 6-18 month planning cycle. It’s always wise to have other people involved in the process in case (1) you go on vacation or take a leave of absence, (2) you get sick, (3) you get re-assigned to a different department, or (4) you leave – voluntarily or involuntarily!

Coming soon in Part Two – Venue logistics, often referred to as meeting planning.