Here at Flawless, we think every gathering is fantastic and represents your company’s personality, community and mission. We know you do too, which is why we invite you to submit a do or don’t of your own. Here are a few helpful ones we recommend.
Planning Do’s & Don’ts
Don’t use company staff for all support positions.
You may save a few dollars, but in the long run, it is more beneficial to hire outside support for some positions. Those who are getting paid to work around the clock will have more accountability to you as the client and they will have specialties and experience your company staff may not possess.
Don’t use the convention center emergency plan as your only guide.
Be sure to craft your own company plan and incorporate elements of the convention center’s to ensure cohesiveness. Then, communicate the details of the plan more than once to staff, exhibitors and attendees, adjusting what is communicated for each audience.
Don’t under communicate.
Speakers and exhibitors are excellent sources of marketing, but they can’t promote your show if you don’t continually send them information to post to their respective networks. Don’t expect them to come and find out the information from you!
Don’t leave your celebrity or high-level executive VIPs unattended.
Even backstage, awaiting entrance on to a Session stage, people can accost them. Assign security to this person and work with security to be clear on the type of access allowable. Be sure to get input from the VIP themselves or their assistant ahead of time. Don’t put them in a position to be the bad “guy” by having to say no when someone approaches them.
Don’t forget about emotional connections.
It is important for everything logistically to run smoothly, but it is equally important to spend time on content delivery, incorporating new presentation technologies, coaching staff on talking to attendees and ensuring an overall good experience.
Don’t underestimate how much your attendees can drink.
There a multitude of ways you can work with the convention center and in-house caterer to make sure your attendees have enough to drink, while not breaking the bank. Use drink tickets, even if drinks are unlimited to attendees, to monitor how many drinks have been provided. Sit with the caterer at the end of the night and count tickets together. You would be surprised how many “extra drinks” are consumed when the planner isn’t watching.
Do site visits – do them often, do them well.
Work closely with your CVB to make sure you are maximizing your time while in the host city. Plan on 3 site visits per show (site selection, planning, pre-show), if you can afford to do more, do it! It never hurts to visit the center while they have a show in house to see how they handle all situations. Another good thing to monitor is how are the hotels, buses, restaurants, and city handling the influx of a big show. You may just learn some things that you wouldn’t have otherwise learned when you are just getting a feel for the city.
Do monitor the city’s calendar.
Your event probably falls on the perfect dates for your industry. But it may also be the perfect date for a highschool football rivalry, a NASCAR race, and the local college homecoming, all on the same dates! Make sure to work with the CVB to ensure the dates you have selected aren’t prime dates for other local attractions that wouldn’t necessarily be on your industries radar.
Do work with the town to create attendee benefits at local restaurants and shops
Many restaurants and businesses will offer additional discounts to your attendees, simply for wearing their badge.
Do spend time thinking through transportation – your best friend turned your worst nightmare.
Transportation is never predictable. If you can, try to choose a local company who will know the streets and attractions you are relying them to get your guests to. If not local, make sure to invest time in driving all traffic routes with them. This will save you a lot of agony and stress once the event actually starts.
Do plan for enough security.
Although a large expense to many convention planners, it is never a bad investment to have security officers that you trust, and many of them. Work with the convention to find the security company they use the most. The center often knows where “fail points” in security often occur, and how you can cover your bases. They also typically have schedules of security officers that other groups have tried and proven to be successful.
Courtesy of Anber Agency. For more planning information click below to visit.
