Academic Ventures - Personal, Cost-Effective Conference Planning

Tips: Event Over, Work is Not

Whether it's an open house for clients and prospects,  a company planning retreat or a forum to exchange research studies and idea, the real benefit most often comes after the event.

Companies need to plan ahead for their post-event activities by knowing what they hope to achieve and having a plan to achieve it. Knowing what to do to follow up with attendees to thank them, and more importantly, keep them in the sales pipeline or knowing how to take the ideas learned in the meeting and implement them into our company's day-to-day activities/operations are important aspects of planning for the event that requires advance planning and preparation.

Tips: Change Happens

Despite your advance work on nametags, there will always be those who have a different preferred name, typed their names incorrectly when registering or lost the tag the first day. Be ready with the tools and a system that can deliver new name tags, new handouts, last-minute signage and even new travel itineraries.

That might mean investing in additional pre-printed materials, hauling in that laser printer, renting that additional computer or paying that excessive Internet connection fee. Congratulations if you don’t end up needing it. But if you do you will find the hassle or additional cost a small price to pay.

Tips: What, When, Who Checklists

Creating checklists that address what, when and who will not only help you keep track of action items it will also remind you of important data to collect and gives you a place to keep that data.

For example your checklist for the lunch break may include tasks such as “add chairs to dais” and “upload Mr. Smith’s presentations,” but it could also include “count sodas” with a space for the pre- and post-lunch counts so you have that information readily available when you need to approve the invoice for these on-consumption items.

Consider creating a minute-by-minute schedule with all tasks, who is responsible to execute them and back-up contact information in case they aren’t accomplished. Distribute to all who are responsible for an aspect of the event.