Last month, I talked about hotel logistics, which is often the first area 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, CDs or Thumbdrives/USBs 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

We’re often asked about marketing an event on a low budget.

Oftentimes, clients tend to focus on low-cost email campaigns – wave after wave of them – with low-return too. I’ll admit, it can be easy to get an email out there quickly to an existing list of contacts or a list you might purchase. But if your message is as quickly pulled together as your email list, you may want to reconsider.

But this article is about “money-saving tips,” right? Here you go: SAVE YOUR MONEY and stop sending email after email.

Sure, send one email, maybe two, but add some other elements into the mix. If you don’t have a look and feel for your event, take an existing campaign/design that your organization is already using and leverage that for your event. Piggyback the printing of your event postcards with another print job in your group.

Highlight some key prospects from your list and spend 2 hours making some direct phone calls – just make sure you have a script and can answer all questions that might come your way.

Consider the money you’ll make with just 5 more attendees. Will that help cover the additional printing costs and phone calls? If you get 10 more attendees, you’ve turned the corner.

Have you ever planned a business meeting? Perhaps you’ve brought a few business associates out to dinner. They appreciated the invitation, and thoroughly enjoyed listening to your business plans and concepts throughout the evening. At the end of the night, you quickly scanned the bill, and paid with your corporate card. Nice and simple, right?

Have you ever planned a somewhat larger business meeting? Let’s say 25 of your best customers. You’d better call ahead for a suitable conference room; maybe you should run over and check the space out first. And have you ever eaten the food? You might want to run a little “taste test.” Now, how do you go about inviting 25 customers? Will they all show up? Will they all see a value in meeting with you? And how are you going to keep 25 people interested, with their attention riveted to your message? Not so simple anymore, is it?

Planning an event can be a time-consuming task. It may not seem so at first, but with your normally heavy workload already keeping you busy, you may not have a lot of time to spare on the details of the event. Don’t let the distance of the event date keep you from knuckling down now, however. In the event business, the sooner you get your plan in place, the easier it’ll be to keep your sanity. Here are a few tips to get you started:

One: Have a goal
Make sure everyone involved on the event with you knows what the objective is. You may want to increase sales, educate your employees, or recognize high achievers. Now, make sure everything you do relates back to your goal. If it won’t help you achieve your goal, then don’t waste your time on it.

Two: Book a meeting space
Decide on a location, and book it now. Even if it’s your company’s cafeteria, make sure you’ve got the space you need reserved for your meeting.

Three: Develop a message
Having a goal for your meeting is great, but what’s in it for the attendee? Develop a message that each person wants to hear. Now, use this message in your invitation letter, on your web site, and in your presentation materials. A short – two or three word – version of your message can even become a “theme” for your meeting.

Four: Treat your attendees like your mom
Every attendee, no matter if they are a customer, prospect or employee, is a carrier of your message. Treat them with respect throughout the meeting process, and you will be rewarded in the end.

If you focus on these four tips, you are well on your way to a successful event. One last tip: Make sure to enjoy it yourself! After all, you’re an attendee too.